Metrognome MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Saga
Set code	USG
Number	301
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jeff Laubenstein

Key Takeaways

Generates card advantage by creating Gnome tokens upon destruction, increasing battlefield presence.
Indirect resource acceleration possible through using Gnome tokens for mana or abilities.
Four mana cost and blue mana requirement may hinder diverse deck-building strategies.

Text of card

When a spell or ability one of your opponents controls causes you to discard Metrognome, put four Gnome tokens into play. Treat these tokens as 1/1 artifact creatures. o4, oc T: Put a Gnome token into play. Treat this token as a 1/1 artifact creature.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Metrognome has a unique ability that can generate card advantage. When it’s destroyed and sent to the graveyard from the battlefield, it creates a number of 1/1 Gnome artifact creature tokens equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard. This can turn a disadvantageous situation into a potential for overwhelming your opponent with new creatures.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly a source of resource acceleration, the Gnome tokens created by Metrognome can be used in conjunction with other cards to enhance your mana pool or to fuel various abilities that require creatures or artifacts as costs. This indirect resource acceleration can be vital for turning the tide of the game.

Instant Speed: Although Metrognome itself does not operate at instant speed, the condition for its triggered ability can occur during either player’s turn. For instance, if an opponent causes Metrognome’s destruction on their turn, you will immediately benefit from the new Gnome tokens, potentially disrupting their plans or providing you with instant blockers.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When you opt to play Metrognome, you’re faced with a non-negotiable condition: part with another card from your hand. This can be a strategic setback, especially when your hand is already dwindling, and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Metrognome demands a precise combination of mana to cast—two colorless and two blue. This rigid cost can restrict your deck-building options, as it necessitates a commitment to blue resources, potentially excluding it from more color-varied strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that stands at four mana, Metrognome places itself in a bracket where players anticipate considerable impact or game-changing effects. While it offers unique utility, there’s an argument to be made about the efficiency of this cost relative to its benefits compared to other cards that could be utilized for the same mana investment.

Reasons to Include Metrognome in Your Collection

Versatility: Metrognome offers a unique dynamic to any deck that is looking to capitalize on spells and abilities resolving. It’s not confined to a single strategy, thereby fitting into a variety of deck builds that value reactive playstyles.

Combo Potential: This card adds depth to your game with a slew of Gnome tokens generated under the right conditions. It can be a cornerstone in decks that thrive on creature presence or needing ample blockers to turn the tide.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to flood the board with creatures, Metrognome can gain you a significant advantage in a meta where board presence directly correlates with victory. It becomes a critical asset in outpacing opponents who can’t handle multiple threats at once.

How to beat

Metrognome is a unique artifact in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, rooted deeply in the game’s history and mechanics. Deceptive in its seeming simplicity, this card can catch unprepared players off guard. When Metrognome is destroyed, it calls forth multiple Gnome creature tokens, which can quickly overwhelm an opponent who didn’t anticipate this quirky but strategic outcome.

The key to triumphing over Metrognome is in mitigating its token-generating effect. One strategy is to avoid targeting it with removal spells that would destroy it, instead using exile effects or countering the spells that would utilize the Gnomes. Players can also employ strategies that limit token benefits, such as applying cards that reduce the creatures’ power or using spells that wipe the board clean of creatures after Metrognome’s effect has been triggered. Precision in choosing the moment to interact with Metrognome—or whether to interact with it at all—is crucial, as you navigate around its potential to populate the battlefield.

Understanding the underlying mechanics and responding with a carefully constructed strategy allows players to not only beat Metrognome but to turn its presence to their advantage in the complex dance of Magic: The Gathering gameplay.

Cards like Metrognome

Metrognome underlines its uniqueness in the realm of artifact cards in Magic: The Gathering. Nestled among similars like Ankh of Mishra, Metrognome offers a distinctive approach towards punishing players when they shuffle their library. In contrast, Ankh of Mishra deals damage upon land plays, missing the specific connection with library shuffling.

Considering Cursed Totem, this artifact card also interacts with abilities but instead inhibits the activation of creature abilities, whereas Metrognome’s trigger is sleekly tied to the deck shuffling action. This specificity hones Metrognome’s role in control decks that aim to disrupt opponents’ tutoring strategies.

Then there’s Ghoulcaller’s Bell, echoing a shared theme of manipulating decks. Both cards deal with the libraries but diverge in execution; Metrognome waits to unleash an army of Gnomes upon a shuffle, while Ghoulcaller’s Bell methodically mills the decks. Such differences tailor these cards to distinct strategies within the diverse game plans of MTG players.

The comparative analysis reveals how Metrognome cleverly carves itself a niche, resonating with players who revel in reactive gameplay and strategic deck interference, marking its territory as a noteworthy option among its artifact kin.

Cards similar to Metrognome by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Metrognome MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Metrognome and other MTG cards: