Toymaker MTG Card

Toymaker excels at steady artifact token generation, enhancing board presence and strategic depth. Activation cost includes discarding, which could be risky with a limited hand. Despite higher mana costs, Toymaker’s versatility makes it a worthy collection addition.

Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
1999-10-04 - Number 314

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number MMQ-314

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact Creature — Spellshaper
Power	1
Toughness	1

Text of card

o1, oc T, Discard a card from your hand: Target noncreature artifact becomes an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its converted mana cost until end of turn. (It retains its abilities.)

Cards like Toymaker

The Toymaker card introduces a whimsical yet strategic element to Magic: The Gathering decks. Its unique ability to breathe life into toys is reminiscent of the Tinkerer’s approach found in cards like Goblin Welder. Both share the concept of manipulating artifacts, however, the Toymaker can be seen as more flexible. It allows the player to turn non-artifact tokens into something more substantial, potentially transforming the board’s dynamics in creative ways.

Comparing Toymaker to other artifact-centric cards, the famous Etherium Sculptor also comes to mind, with its cost-reduction ability for artifact spells. While Etherium Sculptor provides a static economic advantage, Toymaker opens the door to tactical surprises, leveraging its ability in various phases of the game. Then we have Clock of Omens, which taps two artifacts to untap another; it creates opportunities for combo plays but lacks the directness of Toymaker’s creature-creating capability.

Ultimately, Toymaker carves its unique niche among artifact interaction cards within Magic: The Gathering. It offers an inventive angle for players who enjoy transforming their board state and outmaneuvering opponents with on-the-fly artifact creation.

Cards similar to Toymaker by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Toymaker card excels at offering players a steady flow of resource options. By enabling the creation of artifact creature tokens, it supports building a stronger board presence and opens up avenues for additional draws or synergies with other artifact-friendly cards in your deck.

Resource Acceleration: Its ability to churn out artifact tokens can also be a powerful form of resource acceleration. Each artifact token can be an asset, potentially converted into mana or other valuable resources needed to outpace your opponents and deploy threats sooner than they can respond.

Instant Speed: The Toymaker’s ability isn’t at instant speed itself, but it creates artifact tokens that can be used with other instant speed interactions. This gives players flexibility during gameplay, allowing for strategic plays that can react to the evolving game state or to bluff holding up mana for a different instant action.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Toymaker’s ability stipulates that discarding a card is part of the activation cost. This could backfire when your hand size is small, potentially costing you valuable cards without a guaranteed payoff.

Specific Mana Cost: Toymaker may not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks due to its strict colorless mana requirement for activation. This limits its inclusion in decks that aren’t already optimized for artifact synergy or that have flexible mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting and activation cost that can be quite steep, Toymaker competes with other cards that might offer more immediate board presence or impact. Its high mana investment makes it a less attractive option in fast-paced games where efficiency is key.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Toymaker is a unique option for collectors and players looking to add flexibility to their decks. Its ability to transform any artifact into a creature opens up a plethora of strategic possibilities and fits into numerous archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card shines in its ability to turn unsuspecting, non-threatening artifacts into potent creatures, thus enabling unforeseen combos and synergies. The transformative nature of Toymaker can catch opponents off-guard and alter the course of gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta shifts and artifact-based decks gain traction, including Toymaker in your collection ensures you are prepared. Its capability to mesh with the current competitive environment can be a significant advantage during both casual play and tournament settings.

How to beat

Encountering Toymaker in a Magic: The Gathering match means preparing for an unexpected twist in artifact plays. This card can turn any noncreature artifact into an artifact creature with power and toughness equal to its cost. This transformation can catch many players off guard, especially if they underestimate the potential havoc a suddenly animated Darksteel Citadel or a Gilded Lotus can bring to the battlefield.

However, Toymaker’s unique ability is not insurmountable. Key strategies involve artifact removal such as Abrade or straightforward enchantment removal like Disenchant to neutralize the Toymaker itself, preventing your opponent from converting resources into threats. Another approach is to maintain control over the board state with sweepers like Shatterstorm, which can remove multiple artifact threats at once. Playing around Toymaker requires awareness and the readiness to adapt to the evolving landscape of artifact creatures.

While Toymaker offers a creative way to empower artifacts, it doesn’t shield them from inherent vulnerabilities. By staying vigilant and keeping key removal spells in hand, Toymaker’s innovation can be outmaneuvered. This ensures that the clever device remains just another card in your opponent’s deck rather than a defining threat on the table.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Toymaker MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques and The List, 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 Toymaker and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Toymaker Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1999-10-04 and 1999-10-04. Illustrated by Frank Kelly Freas.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1999-10-04	Mercadian Masques	MMQ		314	1997	Normal	Black	Frank Kelly Freas
2	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST		MMQ-314	1997	Normal	Black	Frank Kelly Freas

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Toymaker has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-08-01	A noncreature permanent that turns into a creature can attack, and its abilities can be activated, only if its controller has continuously controlled that permanent since the beginning of their most recent turn. It doesn’t matter how long the permanent has been a creature.