Market Gnome MTG Card

Market Gnome facilitates card advantage, letting players sift for solutions efficiently. Generates tokens, enabling quicker casting of influential spells for tempo gain. Instant speed ability provides adaptability and surprise tactical plays in-game.

Market Gnome - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact Creature — Gnome
Released	2023-11-17
Set symbol
Set name	The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Set code	LCI
Power	0
Toughness	3
Number	22
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Gaboleps

Text of card

When Market Gnome dies, you gain 1 life and draw a card. When Market Gnome is exiled from the battlefield while you're activating a craft ability, you gain 1 life and draw a card.

"Maize, sweet and fresh! Tamal, hot and filling! Water, still or sparkling!"

Cards like Market Gnome

Market Gnome is yet another creative spin on the familiar trope of resource manipulation within Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to cards such as Treasure Keeper, which grants an additional layer of deck utility when it leaves the battlefield. While Treasure Keeper provides value through involuntary card revelation, Market Gnome shines in its ability to voluntarily offer control over one’s resources. This subtle but significant difference exemplifies its strategic versatility in gameplay.

Taking into account Vedalken Humiliator, we discern a different approach towards influencing play. While not directly akin in function to Market Gnome, the Humiliator’s ability to modify creatures’ characteristics can indirectly affect the allocation of resources and control over the battlefield. Market Gnome’s niche lies in its direct impact on a player’s asset pool, marking a clear distinction between the two.

In essence, within the gamut of resource-influencing cards in Magic: The Gathering, Market Gnome carves out its unconditional and calculable benefits, establishing itself as a formidable option for players who prize strategic resource management.

Cards similar to Market Gnome by color, type and mana cost

Implement of Improvement - MTG Card versions

Clockwork Drawbridge - MTG Card versions

Skrelv, Defector Mite - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Market Gnome. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

Name	Format	Archetype	Event
Boros Midrange	Standard	Boros Control	BLACK - FRI - 11AM - Chicago 75K Standard Open
Azorius Artifacts	Standard	Azorius Artifacts	Standard Challenge 64 2023-12-31
Azorius Control	Standard	Azorius Artifacts	RCQ Armenia \| Standard #1
Boros Convoke	Standard	Boros Convoke	Standard Preliminary 2024-02-08
Azorius Vehicles	Standard	Azorius Artifacts	The Pizza Box Open: Standard
Decklist	Free form		Torino Tournament - Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Mono-White Aggro	Standard	Mono-White Soldiers	BLACK - FRI - 11AM - Chicago 75K Standard Open
Azorius Midrange	Standard	Azorius Artifacts	The Pizza Box Open: Standard
4c Midrange	Pioneer	4c Midrange	Pioneer Preliminary 2024-01-04

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Market Gnome card empowers players by providing crucial card advantage. This edge is achieved with the gnome’s unique ability to let players sift through their deck, finding the right solutions at the right moments. Stay ahead of your opponent by ensuring you have the cards you need when you need them.

Resource Acceleration: This nifty gnome isn’t just about card tricks—it also excels at resource acceleration. By generating valuable resource tokens, it ensures you can cast formidable spells quicker than usual. Watch your mana pool grow and deploy your most impactful spells ahead of schedule, keeping your rivals on the back foot.

Instant Speed: Flexibility is king in MTG, and the Market Gnome’s instant speed ability lets you adapt on the fly. React to your opponent’s moves during their turn, making the most of your mana and keeping your strategy veiled until the perfect moment. Surprise plays can turn the tide of the battle, and with Market Gnome, surprise is always on your side.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with the Market Gnome requires a discard from your hand, potentially stripping you of critical strategies or much-needed resources.

Specific Mana Cost: The gnome demands a precise combination of mana types, possibly complicating its inclusion in multi-colored or colorless deck constructions.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that leans towards the higher end, this card competes with other spells and creatures which may provide greater value or impact on the game’s progression.

Reasons to Include Market Gnome in Your Collection

Versatility: Market Gnome offers flexibility to various deck builds with its unique ability to impact both the economy of a match and board presence through its token generation feature.

Combo Potential: This card shines by enabling intricate combinations, empowering artifact-centric themes, and synergizing with effects that capitalize on creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where resource manipulation is key to outmaneuvering opponents, Market Gnome’s functionality can pivot games in your favor, making it a timely addition against certain meta decks.

How to beat

The Market Gnome card presents a unique twist in MTG gameplay, particularly in its ability to affect economic strategies within a game. Understanding how to navigate against this card is essential for maintaining control of your resources and board state. One effective strategy is deploying targeted removal spells to swiftly eliminate the Gnome from play. Cards like Murder or Fatal Push are excellent choices to deal with the Gnome before it can disrupt your economy.

Alternatively, offering card trades that devalue the Gnome’s presence can be a smart play. If the Market Gnome relies on strong market conditions to be effective, introduce cards that limit resource generation for all players. Moreover, consider timing your spells and abilities to minimize the Gnome’s impact. For instance, waiting to play your valuable spells until after the Gnome has been dealt with can significantly reduce the effectiveness of your opponent’s economic strategy.

Ultimately, being proactive and adaptable is the best approach when facing Market Gnome in an MTG match. Know when to hold back and when to apply pressure, ensuring the Market Gnome doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Market Gnome MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 Market Gnome and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Market Gnome has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2023-11-10	Market Gnome's last ability will go onto the stack above the craft ability that caused it to trigger. This means you'll gain 1 life and draw a card before the transformed card returns to the battlefield.
2023-11-10	Most of the time, Market Gnome's last ability will trigger because it was exiled as one of the components used in the craft ability. However, in some uncommon cases, the ability will also trigger if Market Gnome is exiled while you're activating mana abilities as part of paying for that craft ability.