Vectis Dominator MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Human Wizard
Released	2009-04-30
Set symbol
Set name	Alara Reborn
Set code	ARB
Power	0
Toughness	2
Number	84
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Key Takeaways

Grants card advantage by reanimating and controlling opponent’s creatures, altering the battlefield balance.
Provides resource acceleration via its artifact-tapping ability, saving mana for other strategic plays.
Instant speed activation grants flexibility and surprise elements to your game strategy.

Text of card

: Tap target creature unless its controller pays 2 life.

"I appreciate the artistry of the telemins, but the creatures of the other worlds provide a much more dramatic performance." —Ennor, mentalist

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Vectis Dominator enables you to resurrect a creature card from an opponent’s graveyard. This effectively provides you with an additional creature while potentially depriving your opponent of one, creating a swing in card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By tapping an untapped artifact you control, Vectis Dominator allows you to bypass the mana cost of the creature you’re targeting. This acts as a form of resource acceleration, letting you deploy threats or utility creatures onto the battlefield without expending your mana resources, preserving them for other strategic plays or responses.

Instant Speed: Vectis Dominator’s activated ability can be used at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to react to your opponent’s moves or end-of-turn actions. This strategic edge can be crucial for maintaining the element of surprise or simply for optimizing the use of your mana each turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Vectis Dominator demands you discard a card when you activate its ability. This could diminish your hand, reducing strategic options later in the game, especially in decks that don’t capitalize on the discard mechanic.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Vectis Dominator includes one Black mana, necessitating a commitment to Black mana sources in your deck, potentially restricting deck-building flexibility and hindering its inclusion in multi-colored mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Vectis Dominator has a mana value that could be considered steep for its immediate impact on the game. In formats where tempo is crucial, investing four mana into a creature that does not have an immediate board presence or protection might put you at a disadvantage against more aggressive or efficient plays.

Reasons to Include Vectis Dominator in Your Collection

Versatility: Vectis Dominator is a dynamic card that can seamlessly integrate into a variety of deck builds, making it a practical choice for players who enjoy experimenting with different strategies. Its ability to control opponents’ creatures adds a layer of tactical advantage regardless of the deck’s primary focus.

Combo Potential: This card opens up numerous combo possibilities within the game, as it can easily dovetail with cards that synergize with artifact creatures or those that capitalize on tapping and untapping mechanics. The potential for crafting game-changing plays is considerable with Vectis Dominator in the mix.

Meta-Relevance: With an ever-evolving MTG meta, Vectis Dominator holds its ground as a card that can be a formidable foil against popular deck archetypes. Its utility in managing the flow of the battlefield gives it enduring relevance, potentially tipping the scales in favor of players who wield it wisely.

How to beat

Vectis Dominator presents a strategic challenge on the battlefield, its ability to take control of an opponent’s unlocked creature until end of turn can upend the flow of the game. To effectively neutralize this threat, players can focus on a two-pronged approach. Firstly, ensuring that creatures have summoning sickness or using instant spells like Unsummon or Vapor Snag can return the controlled creature to its owner’s hand, negating the dominator’s influence for the turn.

Secondly, vigilance is key. By maintaining creatures in a defensive posture, you prevent the Vectis Dominator from exerting its will over any untapped potential threats, thereby stifling its power. Counteracting Vectis Dominator’s abilities requires a mix of preventative strategy and reactive measures. Protecting your board with reactive spells and maintaining creature readiness could turn the tide against the dominator’s control.

Moreover, players can deploy artifact removal spells like Naturalize or disenchant effects at the right moment to dismantle the threat, ensuring the Vectis Dominator’s reign is short-lived. A well-timed removal can save a crucial turn and keep the momentum of the game in your favor, making it a testament to strategic play when facing such controlling artifacts.

Cards like Vectis Dominator

Vectis Dominator is an intriguing component in the array of creature control options within Magic: The Gathering. It’s often weighed against cards like Sower of Temptation, which also allows players to gain control of an opponent’s creature. Vectis Dominator requires an artifact to be tapped as part of its control ability, setting it apart from Sower of Temptation that requires no such condition but comes with a higher mana cost.

Analogous to Control Magic, another classic control card, Vectis Dominator provides the ability to commandeer creatures, but at the advantage of being a creature itself with its own abilities and strengths. Unlike Control Magic, the Dominator’s influence hinges on the number of available artifacts. This interplay with artifacts opens strategic pathways that aren’t present with the straight-forward enchantment approach of Control Magic.

To sum up, comparing Vectis Dominator reveals its unique niche within creature control mechanics in Magic: The Gathering. The card’s synergistic reliance on artifacts presents both a limitation and an opportunity, defining its place in decks that capitalize on artifact dynamics.

Control Magic - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Vectis Dominator by color, type and mana cost

Orzhov Locket - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vectis Dominator MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn, 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 Vectis Dominator and other MTG cards: