Clockwork Gnomes MTG Card
1995-10-01 - Number 102
2011-01-10 - Number 191
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Gnome |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
o3, oc T: Regenerate target artifact creature.
"Until I came to the Floating Isle, I never had to oil the servants." —Baki, Wizard Attendant
Cards like Clockwork Gnomes
Within the landscape of artifact creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Clockwork Gnomes offers a unique blend of abilities that sets it apart. Similar to cards such as Steel Overseer, which can bolster the strength of your artifacts, Clockwork Gnomes provides a different tactical advantage by allowing you to regenerate artifact creatures. Although Steel Overseer needs time to truly shine, incrementally increasing power and toughness, the Gnomes provide immediate utility in protecting key pieces on your battlefield.
Another counterpart worth mentioning is Myr Retriever, which also interacts well within artifact-centric decks. While it doesn’t defend your artifacts in the same way, it provides a valuable recovery option upon its death, returning another artifact card from your graveyard to your hand. This retrieval function is a strategic counterbalance to the defensive mechanism of the Clockwork Gnomes. Additionally, there’s the Foundry Inspector – an artifact creature that makes your other artifacts cheaper to cast. This economic advantage differs from the Gnomes’ protective role, emphasizing the vast array of strategies available to artifact enthusiasts in the game.
When juxtaposing Clockwork Gnomes against similar MTG artifacts, its unique defensive capacity often offers a strategic edge in games that prioritize the longevity and resilience of your artifact forces.
Cards similar to Clockwork Gnomes by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Clockwork Gnomes provides a steady advantage by generating an artifact creature that can be sacrificed for various in-game benefits, effectively offering both a board presence and potential for further gain.
Resource Acceleration: The artifact nature of Clockwork Gnomes synergizes with strategies that care about artifact count, indirectly contributing to acceleration by enhancing the potency of other cards.
Instant Speed: While Clockwork Gnomes itself is not an instant, the utility it provides can be accessible at virtually any time, thanks to its activated ability that does not rely on the speed of the card. This ensures that resources can be allocated efficiently during critical moments of gameplay.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Clockwork Gnomes requires an investment beyond its initial casting to be effective. Using it mandates discarding artifacts, which can strain your in-hand resources.
Specific Mana Cost: With a cost that includes colorless mana, the Clockwork Gnomes necessitate specific ramp or mana-fixing to play efficiently, potentially limiting its inclusion in multicolored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To get true value from the gnomes’ ability, you must allocate mana that may otherwise be spent on more impactful plays, making the cost-benefit ratio a significant consideration.
Reasons to Include Clockwork Gnomes in Your Collection
Versatility: Clockwork Gnomes offers flexible utility in a variety of deck builds. Its ability to generate artifact creature tokens each turn can provide consistent board presence and fodder for various artifact synergies.
Combo Potential: This card can be an integral piece in decks that exploit artifact-related combos. The Gnomes’ self-replicating nature makes them a key component for strategies built around sacrificing artifacts or enhancing token generation tactics.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where artifact decks can often be a dominant force, Clockwork Gnomes can play a crucial role. Their adaptability allows them to be effective in both aggressive and controlling metas, as they contribute to both offensive strategies and defensive fortifications.
How to beat
Clockwork Gnomes present a unique obstacle on the battlefield, with their ability to regenerate and thus pose a continuing threat in the game. The key to overpowering this artifact creature lies in your ability to tackle its strengths head-on. Utilize spells that don’t just deal damage, but specifically spell out “destroy,” to ensure the Gnomes can’t utilize their regeneration capability. Look for cards with exile effects, which can completely remove them from the equation without the chance for recovery.
Another strategic move is to focus on your Artifact removal tools. Cards like Naturalize or Shatter can be particularly effective against the Gnomes, as they can dismantle the mechanical menace before its regeneration ability can be activated. Don’t forget that Clockwork Gnomes have a limited number of +1/+0 counters to begin with, and every regeneration depletes this reserve. Applying pressure on your opponent to force the use of the ability defensively can also exhaust the Gnomes’ capacity to strike back, giving you an upper hand in maintaining board control.
In essence, confronting Clockwork Gnomes with direct destruction or employing exile and artifact-focused removals can decisively turn the tide of the game in your favor, keeping this clockwork adversary well at bay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Clockwork Gnomes MTG card by a specific set like Homelands and Masters Edition IV, 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 Clockwork Gnomes and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Clockwork Gnomes Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1995-10-01 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by Douglas Shuler.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995-10-01 | Homelands | HML | 102 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 2 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 191 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Clockwork Gnomes has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |