Gem of Becoming MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
| Released | 2012-07-13 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Magic 2013 |
| Set code | M13 |
| Number | 205 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jack Wang |
Key Takeaways
- Accelerates mana resources by fetching three specific lands, boosting gameplay efficiency and reach.
- In-context instant speed potential adds a layer of strategic flexibility during gameplay.
- Despite its higher cost, the Gem’s ability to filter and improve mana bases is significant.
Text of card
, , Sacrifice Gem of Becoming: Search your library for an Island card, a Swamp card, and a Mountain card. Reveal those cards and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Gem of Becoming, you gain the ability to search for not just one, but three lands, ensuring that your hand is well-equipped for continued play. This can provide you with a significant boost by filtering your deck and helping to avoid drawing unnecessary lands later on.
Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to fetch a trio of lands, including potentially powerful nonbasic lands that fit into a multicolored deck, Gem of Becoming can greatly accelerate your mana resources. This card ensures that you can reach the necessary mana requirements for high-cost spells more quickly, enhancing your ability to play impactful cards when it matters most.
Instant Speed: Although Gem of Becoming is not an instant itself, it allows you to put the lands you search for into your hand rather than onto the battlefield, which in turn can be dropped at instant speed using other cards or abilities. This subtle interaction maintains flexibility, as you can prepare the lands you need without immediately revealing your strategy to your opponent.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Gem of Becoming authentic allure lies in its ability to fetch for specific lands. However, strategists beware; activating its search means you must be willing to part with the Gem itself. This requisite discard can leave you short of artifacts or card advantage in the moments where each card in hand counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Piloting a deck with the Gem demands precise mana allocation. To reap its rewards, a player needs to invest not only three different colors but also three additional generic mana. This specific cost calls for a multicolored deck structure, potentially ostracizing mono or dual-colored builds from considering its inclusion.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Gem of Becoming enables alluring land searches, its activation fee is a steep six mana. Astute players may find this cost cumbersome compared to other mana filtration options. Lower cost alternatives or those offering instantaneous benefits might edge out the Gem based purely on the economic efficiency of mana investment.
Reasons to Include Gem of Becoming in Your Collection
Versatility: This artifact has the practical functionality of mana filtering and deck thinning, making it a valuable addition to any deck that needs a reliable way to access specific colors of mana or to sift through the deck for essential lands.
Combo Potential: Gem of Becoming can be an integral part of land-based strategies or combos, synergizing with cards that benefit from landfall triggers or graveyard recursion to maximize your plays each turn.
Meta-Relevance: In a format where land interaction is key, and consistency is king, this card can give you an edge by ensuring your mana base is on point, which is often critical in games decided by who can establish their game plan first.
How to Beat
Gem of Becoming is an intriguing artifact in the world of Magic: The Gathering, providing a unique ramp and mana-fixing ability. To effectively counter this card, it’s essential to disrupt the player’s mana base and prevent the successful activation of the Gem. This can be accomplished through targeted removal or counter spells aimed at artifacts. Cards like Naturalize or Shatter can easily dispatch of the Gem before its owner gets a chance to use it.
Another strategy is to take advantage of the turn the player invests in setting up the Gem and its activation cost. Since the Gem requires an investment of three mana to activate, this provides an opening to apply pressure on the battlefield or to advance your own game plan. Mana-efficient plays during this time can significantly hamper the advantage the Gem of Becoming’s user is trying to gain.
By understanding the commitment your opponent makes to utilize the Gem of Becoming, and by having a game plan that includes responses to artifacts, you can mitigate the potential impact of this card and maintain control over the game.
Cards like Gem of Becoming
Gem of Becoming enhances a player’s ability to mana fix in Magic: The Gathering, which is a crucial aspect of gameplay. This artifact is often compared to cards like Armillary Sphere that also provide players with the ability to search their library for specific basic land cards. Gem of Becoming has a unique edge as it fetches three lands of different types directly to your hand, offering immediate access to essential mana.
Another card that comes to mind is Pilgrim’s Eye, which also falls into the category of mana smoothing cards. While Pilgrim’s Eye is a creature that fetches a basic land upon entering the battlefield, it only brings one land and puts it into your hand rather than directly into play. In contrast, Gem of Becoming allows you to select from among the powerful trio of Island, Swamp, and Mountain cards, reflecting the multidimensional strategy it can support in contrast to the singular approach of Pilgrim’s Eye.
Considering the versatility offered by Gem of Becoming in MTG, it’s a standout choice for players building multi-color decks needing specific lands. Its ability to set up the perfect mana base can pivot a player towards a more optimized and potent game state.
Cards similar to Gem of Becoming by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gem of Becoming MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013, 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 Gem of Becoming and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gem of Becoming has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gem of Becoming card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2012-07-01 | You don’t have to find all three cards, even if they’re present in your library. For example, you can activate the ability just to find an Island card and a Swamp card. |
