Furnace Gremlin MTG Card


Destroying key artifacts with Furnace Gremlin tilts the game’s balance in your favor. Its instant speed ability provides a tactical edge in responsive gameplay. Despite potential drawbacks, it shines in artifact-heavy matches.
Furnace Gremlin - March of the Machine
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Gremlin
Abilities Incubate,Transform
Released2023-04-21
Set symbol
Set nameMarch of the Machine
Set codeMOM
Power 1
Toughness 2
Number139
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byTuan Duong Chu

Text of card

: Furnace Gremlin gets +1/+0 until end of turn. When Furnace Gremlin dies, incubate X, where X is its power. (Create an Incubator token with X +1/+1 counters on it and ": Transform this artifact." It transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.)


Cards like Furnace Gremlin

Furnace Gremlin is an intriguing creature card that provides strategic value for MTG players. It shares similarities with cards like Ember Hauler, which also boasts a sacrifice ability to deal damage. However, Furnace Gremlin requires a specific target—a nonland artifact— for its activated ability, distinguishing it from Ember Hauler’s more flexible damage allocation which can target creatures, players, or planeswalkers.

Another card that echoes the Gremlin’s artifact disruption is Manic Vandal. While both cards have the capability to destroy artifacts, Manic Vandal’s effect is a one-time use upon its entrance on the battlefield, offering an immediate albeit less flexible impact. In contrast, Furnace Gremlin’s repeatable ability can be used multiple times as long as the player is willing to pay the activation cost and sacrifice it each time.

Ultimately, while Furnace Gremlin may require more planning and mana investment to repeatedly utilize its ability, it provides players with a potentially recurring solution to troublesome artifacts. It fits a niche role, especially valuable in matchups heavy with key artifacts, and thus stands as a noteworthy inclusion in decks tailored to exploit such conditions.

Ember Hauler - MTG Card versions
Manic Vandal - MTG Card versions
Ember Hauler - MTG Card versions
Manic Vandal - MTG Card versions

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Rock Hydra - MTG Card versions
Ironclaw Orcs - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Weaponsmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rock Sled - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Lieutenant - MTG Card versions
Goblin Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Heart Sliver - MTG Card versions
Mogg Flunkies - MTG Card versions
Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions
Fireslinger - MTG Card versions
Skittish Kavu - MTG Card versions
Rage Weaver - MTG Card versions
Minotaur Explorer - MTG Card versions
Sparksmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Lookout - MTG Card versions
Skirk Marauder - MTG Card versions
Goblin Raider - MTG Card versions
Hellspark Elemental - MTG Card versions
Utvara Scalper - MTG Card versions
Storm Entity - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Furnace Gremlin can disrupt your opponent’s strategies by targeting key artifacts for destruction. This can potentially strip away their card advantage, making each artifact destruction a step towards tipping the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Furnace Gremlin does not directly accelerate resources, the dismantling of an opponent’s artifact resources can indirectly lead to an acceleration of your own position on the board, as the removal of artifacts can often set your opponent back significantly.

Instant Speed: The activated ability of Furnace Gremlin can be used at instant speed, which allows you to choose the most opportune moment for artifact removal, such as in response to your opponent’s spells or abilities. This tactical advantage helps maintain pressure and forces opponents to play around the potential for instant-speed interaction.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing a Furnace Gremlin comes with the setback of potentially discarding a valuable card from your hand. This can cause an imbalance in hand resources, especially critical during the early or mid-game where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Navigating a deck around the specific mana requirements of Furnace Gremlin can be taxing. Its demands for a certain mana type can restrict its inclusion, predominately in mono-red or multicolored decks with a reliable mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment to summon Furnace Gremlin is significant when considering the overall impact it has on the game. For the same cost, players might find other creatures or spells that provide a more substantial advantage or versatility in gameplay.


Reasons to Include Furnace Gremlin in Your Collection

Versatility: Furnace Gremlin can seamlessly adapt to a variety of deck styles that capitalize on artifact disruption. This adaptable creature can be a tactical asset in matches where artifacts are prolific or key components of your opponent’s strategy.

Combo Potential: With the ability to demolish artifacts, Furnace Gremlin meshes well with decks that thrive on destroying opponents’ resources. It can be part of a combo that dismantles artifact-based combos or simply clears the way for your assault.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where artifact decks are prevalent, having Furnace Gremlin as part of your arsenal could tilt matches in your favor. Its capacity to handle commonly used artifacts makes it a strategic sideboard card, at the very least, ensuring your deck remains competitive.


How to beat

Furnace Gremlin is a notable creature card that brings a specific tactical nuance to Magic: The Gathering games. This red elemental gremlin becomes a thorn in the side of opponents who rely heavily on artifact strategies. With the ability to destroy artifacts at a cost, Furnace Gremlin serves as both a creature on the field and a potential disruption to an opponent’s game plan.

To effectively neutralize Furnace Gremlin, it’s important to manage your artifacts wisely. Deploying artifact removal spells can preemptively minimize the impact of a Furnace Gremlin. Additionally, having instant-speed removal cards to eliminate the gremlin before it can activate its ability proves invaluable. Moreover, with its lower toughness, combat tricks or efficient burn spells can easily take it out. Keeping these strategies in hand ensures that Furnace Gremlin won’t catch you off guard, allowing you to maintain control over the flow of artifacts within your game. It’s a delicate balance, but understanding when and how to counter creatures like Furnace Gremlin is key to mastering the art of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Furnace Gremlin MTG card by a specific set like March of the Machine, 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 Furnace Gremlin and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Furnace Gremlin has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-04-14 Use Furnace Gremlin’s power from when it was last on the battlefield to determine the value of X.