The Third Doctor is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Trample The Third Doctor gets +1/+1 for each noncreature token you control. When The Third Doctor enters, create your choice of a Clue token, a Food token, or a Treasure token.
Complete guide
The Third Doctor is a powerful Time Lord who rewards you for accumulating a variety of resources on the battlefield. As a centerpiece for token-heavy decks, he grows increasingly formidable with every Clue, Food, or Treasure you possess. This guide will help you master his abilities to ensure you are always one step ahead of your opponents.
Utility Through Tokens
The Third Doctor is defined by his static ability, which grants him +1/+1 for each noncreature token you control. This includes classic tokens like Clues, Foods, and Treasures, but also Blood, Map, or even Roles and Shards. Because he naturally has Trample, this power boost makes him an excellent threat that can punch through small blockers with ease.
Resolving the Entrance Trigger
When The Third Doctor enters the battlefield, his triggered ability goes on the stack. You do not make your choice of which token to create until the ability actually resolves. This allows you to see how your opponents react before deciding whether you need mana (Treasure), card draw (Clue), or a life buffer (Food). Once the token is created, it immediately counts toward his static power and toughness boost.
The Time Lord Subtype
It is important to note that 'Time Lord' is a single, two-word creature subtype. If an effect asks you to choose a creature type, you must choose 'Time Lord' as a whole; you cannot choose 'Time' or 'Lord' individually. This unique distinction is vital for tribal synergies that might appear in your games.
Strategic Implementation
Play The Third Doctor when you already have a board state of noncreature tokens to maximize his immediate impact. Since his power and toughness are checked constantly, sacrificing a Treasure for mana or a Clue to draw a card will immediately decrease his stats. Manage your resources carefully to ensure he stays large enough to survive combat or damage-based removal.
Interaction examples
The Third DoctorIf you cast The Third Doctor while you control no other tokens, his enter-the-battlefield ability triggers. Upon resolution, you choose to create a Treasure token. The Third Doctor is now a 3/3 creature (2/2 base plus +1/+1 from the Treasure).
Solemn SimulacrumYou control The Third Doctor and a Treasure token. You cast Solemn Simulacrum. When the Simulacrum enters, it is an artifact creature; it does not increase The Third Doctor's power because it is not a token. If the Simulacrum was a token (created by a copy effect), it still would not boost him because the Doctor only counts noncreature tokens.
Clue
FoodWith The Third Doctor, a Clue token, and a Food token on the battlefield, the Doctor is a 4/4 with Trample. If you spend two mana to sacrifice the Clue and draw a card, his static ability immediately recalculates, and he becomes a 3/3 creature before any other spells or abilities can be played.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : The Third Doctor
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Food is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some creatures, it's never a creature type.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You can't sacrifice a Food to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Food token to activate its own ability and also to activate Maraleaf Rider's ability.
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Whatever you do, don't eat the delicious cards.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Unlike other creature types in Magic that are each only one word, the two words "Time Lord" represent a single creature subtype. Time Lord is the only two-word creature type.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Neither "Time" nor "Lord" are creature types. Some older cards were printed with the subtype "Lord," but all of those cards have updated Oracle card text that removed that type.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect instructs you to choose a creature type, you may choose Time Lord.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Deadeye Navigator + Adrix and Nev, Twincasters + The Third Doctor
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying
, blinking it. - 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger
- 3Resolve the Deadeye Navigator trigger, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve the The Third Doctor trigger, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Deadeye Navigator + Panharmonicon + The Third Doctor
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying , blinking it.
- 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger twice.
- 3Resolve both Deadeye Navigator triggers, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve both The Third Doctor triggers, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Deadeye Navigator + The Third Doctor + Starfield Vocalist
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying , blinking it.
- 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger twice.
- 3Resolve both Deadeye Navigator triggers, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve both The Third Doctor triggers, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Deadeye Navigator + Parallel Lives + The Third Doctor
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying , blinking it.
- 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger
- 3Resolve the Deadeye Navigator trigger, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve the The Third Doctor trigger, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Deadeye Navigator + Doubling Season + The Third Doctor
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying , blinking it.
- 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger
- 3Resolve the Deadeye Navigator trigger, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve the The Third Doctor trigger, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Deadeye Navigator + Virtue of Knowledge // Vantress Visions + The Third Doctor
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying , blinking it.
- 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger twice.
- 3Resolve both Deadeye Navigator triggers, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve both The Third Doctor triggers, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Deadeye Navigator + Primal Vigor + The Third Doctor
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying , blinking it.
- 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger
- 3Resolve the Deadeye Navigator trigger, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve the The Third Doctor trigger, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Deadeye Navigator + Mondrak, Glory Dominus + The Third Doctor
- 1Activate The Third Doctor by paying , blinking it.
- 2When The Third Doctor enters, it and Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability trigger
- 3Resolve the Deadeye Navigator trigger, repairing it and The Third Doctor.
- 4Resolve the The Third Doctor trigger, creating two Treasure tokens.
- 5Activate both Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, adding .
- 6Repeat.
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