Gilder Bairn MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Ouphe
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Gilder Bairn excels in accelerating game advantage by doubling counters on key permanents.
  2. Its synergy with counter-addition strategies and instant-speed interaction enhances its versatility.
  3. Although powerful, it requires careful planning to effectively integrate into your MTG deck.

Text of card

{GW}, {Q}: For each counter on target permanent, put another of those counters on that permanent. ({Q} is the untap symbol.)

Do the glowing trinkets show it the way home, or do they set a twisted path for someone else to follow?


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gilder Bairn’s ability to double the number of counters on a permanent can quickly escalate your board position and resource count. This potential for exponential growth allows you to outpace your opponents in accumulating advantages on creatures, artifacts, or lands, thus maintaining or broadening your lead with each activation.

Resource Acceleration: When applied to mana-producing permanents, such as lands or mana rocks with counters, Gilder Bairn acts as a potent catalyst for resource acceleration. The ability to double those counters can unlock massive mana potential, enabling you to cast high-cost spells or activate demanding abilities earlier than usual in your game.

Instant Speed: Even though Gilder Bairn itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its ability to manipulate counters can be synced with instant-speed effects that add counters to your permanents. This versatility ensures that you remain responsive to in-game dynamics, leveraging your resources in reaction to the evolving state of play and catching opponents off-guard.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gilder Bairn doesn’t directly require a discard but it necessitates activation, which can indirectly lead to resource depletion as you strive to untap it for optimal use.

Specific Mana Cost: Gilder Bairn’s mana cost requires both green and blue, potentially limiting its inclusion to decks that can reliably generate both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The creature’s utility is in its doubling of counters ability, but with a three mana investment and additional costs to untap, it may be slower compared to other options on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gilder Bairn is an adaptable card suitable for a variety of decks focusing on counter manipulation. It can effectively double the number of counters on any permanent, making it a versatile addition to decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters or loyalty counters.

Combo Potential: Known for its synergetic properties, Gilder Bairn can create limitless combos with cards like “Training Grounds” or “Illusionist’s Bracers,” further empowering strategies that revolve around counter doubling effects.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where counter-centric decks are prevalent, having Gilder Bairn can give you a crucial advantage. It manipulates and multiplies key resources, which can be quite influential against the current meta strategies.


How to beat

The Gilder Bairn card presents a unique challenge with its ability to double counters on another permanent. This can lead to explosive growth on creatures, artifacts, or even planeswalkers, significantly shifting the game in an opponent’s favor. To counter this miniature powerhouse, focus on preemptive measures such as removal spells. Spot removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can ensure Gilder Bairn never gets a chance to use its formidable ability.

Additionally, employing counter spells when Gilder Bairn is cast is an effective strategy. Denying it from entering the battlefield eliminates the threat altogether. Keeping the board clear of unnecessary blockers also allows for direct attacks on Gilder Bairn, preventing it from untapping and using its doubling ability. Be vigilant with your own board state; Gilder Bairn requires a setup, so disrupting your opponent’s game plan before they can utilize this setup is key to stifling its potential.

Lastly, if Gilder Bairn is already active, it may be advantageous to force your opponent into unfavorable trades or use damage redirection spells to neutralize it. Consistent pressure and smart resource management make overcoming the threats posed by Gilder Bairn manageable, securing your path to victory in your matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the strategic depths that MTG offers, Gilder Bairn stands as a beacon of possibility for players enamored with counter manipulation mechanics. If the potential for exponential growth on the battlefield excites you, this card demands consideration for your collection. Its versatile nature and compatibility with various combo-centric decks make it an invaluable asset in navigating the MTG arena. For those eager to master the intricacies of resource acceleration and advantage, we extend an invitation to further explore Gilder Bairn and its extensive applications. Embark on a journey with us to discover how this card could revolutionize your gameplay and join the ranks of adept MTG tacticians.


Cards like Gilder Bairn

Gilder Bairn stands out as a unique character within the larger Magic: The Gathering universe, offering a distinct twist on the mechanics of doubling counters. This creature efficiently doubles any type of counter on another permanent, a trait we often see on cards like Doubling Season. While Doubling Season applies this effect as a static ability to all permanents you control, Gilder Bairn activates it as a targeted, repeatable ability, which can be both more flexible and more focused.

Doubling Cube offers a similar mana doubling effect, although strictly applicable to mana rather than all counter types. The cube’s doubling ability requires a significant investment of mana to activate, as opposed to Gilder Bairn which must tap and utilize the untap mechanic to be used. Another parallel is found in Vorel of the Hull Clade, which also doubles counters on permanents. However, Vorel’s ability is restricted to creatures and artifacts, compared to Gilder Bairn’s broader scope.

In summary, Gilder Bairn’s flexibility in doubling any kind of counter and the potential for repeated use each turn makes it a compelling choice for players looking to enhance permanents with counters, showcasing the dynamic possibilities within Magic: The Gathering’s strategic gameplay.

Doubling Season - MTG Card versions
Doubling Cube - MTG Card versions
Vorel of the Hull Clade - MTG Card versions
Doubling Season - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Doubling Cube - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Vorel of the Hull Clade - Dragon's Maze (DGM)

Cards similar to Gilder Bairn by color, type and mana cost

Selkie Hedge-Mage - MTG Card versions
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath - MTG Card versions
Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist - MTG Card versions
Vigean Hydropon - MTG Card versions
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Wistful Selkie - MTG Card versions
Winged Coatl - MTG Card versions
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Edric, Spymaster of Trest - MTG Card versions
Elusive Krasis - MTG Card versions
Vorel of the Hull Clade - MTG Card versions
Bounding Krasis - MTG Card versions
Kaseto, Orochi Archmage - MTG Card versions
Void Grafter - MTG Card versions
Rogue Refiner - MTG Card versions
Avid Reclaimer - MTG Card versions
Shapers of Nature - MTG Card versions
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Gyre Engineer - MTG Card versions
Selkie Hedge-Mage - Eventide (EVE)
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist - Commander Legends (CMR)
Vigean Hydropon - Dissension (DIS)
Silkwing Scout - Dissension (DIS)
Cold-Eyed Selkie - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Wistful Selkie - Eventide (EVE)
Winged Coatl - Commander 2013 (C13)
Lorescale Coatl - Masters 25 (A25)
Edric, Spymaster of Trest - Commander 2016 (C16)
Elusive Krasis - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Vorel of the Hull Clade - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Bounding Krasis - The List (PLST)
Kaseto, Orochi Archmage - Legendary Cube Prize Pack (PZ1)
Void Grafter - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
Rogue Refiner - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Avid Reclaimer - Hour of Devastation (HOU)
Shapers of Nature - Ixalan (XLN)
Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Gyre Engineer - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gilder Bairn MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Gilder Bairn and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gilder Bairn Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2020-03-08. Illustrated by Nils Hamm.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-07-25EventideEVE 1522003normalblackNils Hamm
22020-03-08Mystery Booster Retail Edition FoilsFMB1 942003normalblackNils Hamm
32020-09-26The ListPLST EVE-1522003normalblackNils Hamm

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gilder Bairn has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2008-08-01 Gilder Bairn’s ability will replicate each kind of counter on the targeted permanent, not just +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters.
2008-08-01 If the permanent is already untapped, you can’t activate its {Q} ability. That’s because you can’t pay the “Untap this permanent” cost.
2008-08-01 The “summoning sickness” rule applies to {Q}. If a creature with an {Q} ability hasn’t been under your control since your most recent turn began, you can’t activate that ability. Ignore this rule if the creature also has haste.
2008-08-01 When you activate an {Q} ability, you untap the creature with that ability as a cost. The untap can’t be responded to. (The actual ability can be responded to, of course.)

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