Dovin, Hand of Control MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Dovin
Loyalty 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides indirect card advantage by inhibiting opponents’ card utility, altering game dynamics.
  2. Enables resource acceleration by increasing opponents’ casting costs, giving you a tempo edge.
  3. Affords continuous board control with its static ability, impacting the game at instant speed.

Text of card

Artifact, instant, and sorcery spells your opponents cast cost more to cast.
-1: Until your next turn, prevent all damage that would be dealt to and dealt by target permanent an opponent controls.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dovin Hand of Control shines by diminishing your opponent’s card efficiency. While it doesn’t directly draw you cards, it impedes your adversary from fully utilizing their cards, indirectly leading to a form of card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Dovin Hand of Control doesn’t generate mana, it helps in resource acceleration by making opponent’s spells cost more to cast. This can lead to faster plays on your end by slowing down the opponent, creating a gap that allows you to accelerate your board presence.

Instant Speed: Dovin’s static ability affects opponents’ spells regardless of their speed. This means the taxing effect is always working, round the clock, to control the pace of the game, giving you superiority during critical turns where instant speed plays can decide the outcome of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Dovin Hand of Control doesn’t necessarily force a discard, but maintaining card advantage can become a challenge. This planeswalker doesn’t provide direct draw effects or resource replenishment, so players must consider other means to sustain their hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both white and blue mana for casting, which might restrict its compatibility to specific deck archetypes like Azorius control. For decks that don’t run these colors, Dovin Hand of Control won’t fit.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: A casting cost of three mana, including two specific mana, might be considered weighty given the subtlety of its passive ability and the relevance of his abilities in the current meta. For controlling the board, other options might be more impactful for the same or lower cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dovin, Hand of Control is a dynamic addition to any deck that emphasizes disruption and tempo control. Its ability to reduce the cost of spells your opponents cast ensures it can be slotted into a variety of control-centric decks, mitigating the impact of their strategies.

Combo Potential: The card’s -1 ability allows players to dial down the threat of an opponent’s key piece, be it creature, enchantment, or artifact, setting up for favorable interactions or dovetailing into more intricate combo plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where instants and sorceries are paramount, or when aggressive strategies are prevalent, Dovin, Hand of Control can be a significant hindrance to your opponents, making him a timely inclusion that can pivot the flow of the game in your favor.


How to beat

Dovin, Hand of Control is a unique addition to the roster of planeswalkers in Magic: The Gathering. Known for his ability to tax opponents’ spells and weaken opposing creatures, overcoming this card requires specific strategies. By upping the mana cost of opponent spells, he disrupts the tempo and can make it challenging for opponents to play on curve.

To counteract Dovin’s control, it’s essential to focus on low-cost spells to evade the taxing effect. Utilizing instant-speed interaction can help you manage during your opponent’s turn, making Dovin less disruptive. Additionally, employing direct damage spells or abilities that specifically target planeswalkers can remove Dovin from the field before his influence becomes overwhelming.

Remember that Dovin, Hand of Control’s defensive capabilities do not shield him from all types of damage. As such, an aggressive creature strategy can prove effective. By maintaining pressure and presenting multiple threats, you can force your opponent to make difficult choices, potentially overextending their defenses and leaving Dovin vulnerable. In this light, the key to beating Dovin lies in flexibility, speed, and the power to exert consistent pressure.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding Dovin Hand of Control’s strengths and limitations is key for any MTG player looking to enhance their strategic play. Whether it’s about shaping your deck to harness Dovin’s taxing abilities or finding ways to incorporate his disruption into your existing strategy, there’s much to be gained from this unique planeswalker. Consider adding Dovin to your control lineup for an extra layer of defense and subtle tempo advantage. Explore ways to strengthen your collection with cards that complement Dovin’s strengths and counteract his weaknesses. Dive deeper into deck-building strategies and become a formidable opponent with a well-rounded arsenal at your fingertips. To optimize your gameplay and fortify your deck, let’s venture further into the MTG realm together.


Cards like Dovin, Hand of Control

In the strategic world of Magic: The Gathering, Dovin, Hand of Control stands out as a versatile card. It shares similarities with Gaddock Teeg in terms of being a deterrent for opponents’ strategies. Both cards have the ability to restrict the casting of certain spells—Gaddock Teeg with his ability to block more costly spells and Dovin with his taxing ability, making opponent’s noncreature spells cost more to cast.

Another card that echoes this controlling theme is Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. Like Dovin, Thalia imposes a tax on spells, focusing on noncreature spells and stifling opponents’ plans. However, Thalia’s effect is more widespread as it impacts all noncreature spells, while Dovin’s influence is slightly more nuanced, affecting only artifact, instant, and sorcery spells. Additionally, Dovin provides an oft-overlooked advantage: his ability to prevent damage from an opposing artifact, creature, or enchantment each turn, which could tip the balance in a tight game dynamic.

Evaluating Dovin, Hand of Control in relation to these similar MTG cards reveals the nuanced control it offers. Dovin serves not just as a taxing agent, but also as a shield, offering a unique blend of disruption and protection that can quietly guide a game’s tempo in your favor.

Gaddock Teeg - MTG Card versions
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben - MTG Card versions
Gaddock Teeg - Lorwyn (LRW)
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Cards similar to Dovin, Hand of Control by color, type and mana cost

Niko Aris - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Time Raveler - MTG Card versions
Dovin, Grand Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Niko Aris - Kaldheim Promos (PKHM)
Teferi, Time Raveler - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Dovin, Grand Arbiter - Crimson Vow Commander (VOC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dovin, Hand of Control MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Dovin, Hand of Control and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dovin, Hand of Control Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 779612015normalblackKieran Yanner
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 722272015normalblackNablange
32019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 229★2015normalblackNablange
42019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 2292015normalblackKieran Yanner
52019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 229s2015normalblackKieran Yanner
62019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 229s★2015normalblackNablange
72019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5292015normalblackKieran Yanner

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dovin, Hand of Control has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dovin, Hand of Control card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2019-05-03 Dovin’s loyalty ability can target any permanent an opponent controls, not just one that can deal or be dealt damage.
2019-05-03 In a multiplayer game, if you leave the game after Dovin’s last ability resolves but before your next turn begins, its effect lasts until your next turn would have begun. It neither expires immediately nor lasts indefinitely.
2019-05-03 Once Dovin’s loyalty ability resolves, the damage prevention continues to apply even if Dovin leaves the battlefield.

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