Ticking Gnomes MTG Card
1999-02-15 - Number 136
1999-08-04 - Number js136b
2016-06-10 - Number 233
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Gnome |
| Abilities | Echo |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Echo (During your next upkeep after this permanent comes under your control, pay its casting cost or sacrifice it.) Sacrifice Ticking Gnomes: Ticking Gnomes deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Cards like Ticking Gnomes
Ticking Gnomes is an intriguing artifact creature card within the MTG universe. It bears similarity to cards like Perilous Myr, both functioning as self-sacrificing mechanisms that deal damage upon leaving the battlefield. Where Ticking Gnomes offers a consistent three damage to any target at the cost of sacrificing the card, Perilous Myr provides a lower two damage but does so automatically upon death, without the need for a mana investment.
Comparatively, Ichor Wellspring might come to mind, though not a creature, this artifact offers a resource advantage when it enters and leaves the battlefield by allowing its owner to draw a card. While it doesn’t deal damage, the card advantage can be pivotal in the broader strategy of a game. Goblin Grenade is another analog, albeit strictly a sorcery, that hits for a more substantial five damage but requires a goblin sacrifice, limiting its use to goblin-centric decks.
In essence, Ticking Gnomes holds a middle ground in the spectrum of self-sacrificing artifacts. It combines accessibility, versatility, and direct damage in a way that can synchronize with various deck types, making it a valuable component in MTG strategies that thrive on tactical artifact play.
Cards similar to Ticking Gnomes by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ticking Gnomes offer an incremental benefit by threatening a consistent source of damage every turn without committing additional cards from your hand. When no longer needed, they can be sacrificed for direct damage, effectively contributing to your overall card economy.
Resource Acceleration: While Ticking Gnomes themselves do not directly accelerate resources, they synergize well with decks that utilize artifact recursion or sacrifice mechanics to ramp up one’s mana or gain other advantages.
Instant Speed: The ability to sacrifice Ticking Gnomes at instant speed provides strategic flexibility. This allows players to react to an opponent’s plays, ensuring Ticking Gnomes serve as both a board presence and a potential instant damage surprise, disrupting the opponent’s calculations.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ticking Gnomes requires you to sacrifice the card itself for its ability, potentially losing a creature on the field. This can be a drawback when you’re trying to maintain board presence or when you’re out of other creatures to play.
Specific Mana Cost: The Gnomes come with a strict colorless mana cost, which isn’t always easy to come by in decks not centered around artifacts. This can limit the card’s inclusion to certain types of decks, potentially reducing its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three mana, Ticking Gnomes’ impact on the game might not match up to other cards at the same cost. While the card does offer a damage output, there are alternatives that could be more cost-effective or provide greater control or flexibility in gameplay.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Ticking Gnomes offers flexibility in both aggressive and control strategies. Their echo ability is ideal for tempo plays, and as an artifact creature, they fit well into artifact-centric decks that benefit from synergistic interactions.
Combo Potential: These mechanical miscreants have inherent sacrificial utility. They can be part of combos or strategies focusing on artifacts entering and leaving the battlefield, as they provide an accessible way to deal direct damage.
Meta-Relevance: Against decks packed with small creatures, Ticking Gnomes can be a crucial sideboard card. With the capacity to disrupt early-game plays and impact the board state, they carry value in specific metas where incremental damage and creature control are significant.
How to beat
Ticking Gnomes, a card familiar to veteran players of Magic: The Gathering, poses a unique challenge on the battlefield. This artifact creature is revered for its ability to deal damage upon sacrifice, giving its controller a tool for direct damage at a crucial moment. The key to overcoming Ticking Gnomes lies in managing the timing and impact of its sacrifice ability.
In facing Ticking Gnomes, consider employing instant-speed removal to dispatch the Gnomes before your opponent has the opportunity to utilize its explosive exit. Cards such as Path to Exile or Naturalize allow you to respond quickly to the threat. Moreover, incorporating counter spells into your deck, which can negate the Gnomes’ activation, can be instrumental. Creatures with indestructibility or damage prevention abilities also dampen the impact of the Gnomes’ detonation, protecting your side of the board from its targeted explosion.
Thwarting Ticking Gnomes requires a blend of strategy and quick response. Keeping a watchful eye on the board state, staying prepared to act against artifact threats, and recognizing when to force your opponent to make a move with their Gnomes are all essential tactics for defusing this mechanical menace. Keep these strategies in mind, and you’ll find that dealing with Ticking Gnomes becomes a manageable task.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ticking Gnomes MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy and World Championship Decks 1999, 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 Ticking 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 Ticking Gnomes Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1999-02-15 and 2016-06-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-02-15 | Urza's Legacy | ULG | 136 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Henry Van Der Linde | |
| 2 | 1999-08-04 | World Championship Decks 1999 | WC99 | js136b | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Henry Van Der Linde | |
| 3 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 233 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Wayne Reynolds |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ticking Gnomes has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |