Tinker MTG Card


Exchange lesser artifacts for game-changing ones directly from your deck with Tinker, gaining a massive advantage. Sacrificing an artifact to cast Tinker can be a setback, emphasizing careful planning and deck synergy. Tinker remains a strategic powerhouse in artifact-centric decks, offering versatility and pivotal combo potential.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

At the time you play Tinker, sacrifice an artifact. Search your library for an artifact card and put that artifact into play. Shuffle your library afterward.

"I wonder how it feels to be bored." —Jhoira, artificer


Cards like Tinker

Tinker, a renowned card in Magic: The Gathering, propels players into the action by allowing them to swap a non-token artifact they control for another artifact card from their deck and put it directly onto the battlefield. This mirrors the mechanical theme found in Reshape, which also exchanges artifacts with the added step of paying the mana cost of the new artifact. Tinker, however, bypasses this step entirely, potentially unleashing powerful artifacts early in the game.

Transmute Artifact also shares the artifact tutoring ability but is more restrictive; requiring the player to both pay the difference in mana cost between the artifacts and sacrifice an artifact as part of the cost. This makes Tinker a compelling choice for its mana cost-efficiency. Kuldotha Forgemaster offers a different angle – a repeatable similar effect as Tinker, though it’s an activated ability attached to a creature and necessitates tapping and sacking three artifacts, making it a slower, albeit more sustainable option.

Comparing these alternatives showcases Tinker’s unique capability of cheating in high-value artifacts at an early stage, placing it as a potentially game-changing card within the artifact manipulation space of Magic: The Gathering.

Reshape - MTG Card versions
Transmute Artifact - MTG Card versions
Kuldotha Forgemaster - MTG Card versions
Reshape - MTG Card versions
Transmute Artifact - MTG Card versions
Kuldotha Forgemaster - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tinker by color, type and mana cost

Volcanic Eruption - MTG Card versions
Timetwister - MTG Card versions
Baleful Stare - MTG Card versions
Déjà Vu - MTG Card versions
Exhaustion - MTG Card versions
Political Trickery - MTG Card versions
Time Ebb - MTG Card versions
Dream Cache - MTG Card versions
Fade Away - MTG Card versions
Undo - MTG Card versions
Sage's Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Ingenious Mastery - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Tasha's Hideous Laughter - MTG Card versions
Reminisce - MTG Card versions
Fabricate - MTG Card versions
Counsel of the Soratami - MTG Card versions
Vacuumelt - MTG Card versions
Compulsive Research - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Eruption - MTG Card versions
Timetwister - MTG Card versions
Baleful Stare - MTG Card versions
Déjà Vu - MTG Card versions
Exhaustion - MTG Card versions
Political Trickery - MTG Card versions
Time Ebb - MTG Card versions
Dream Cache - MTG Card versions
Fade Away - MTG Card versions
Undo - MTG Card versions
Sage's Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Ingenious Mastery - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Tasha's Hideous Laughter - MTG Card versions
Reminisce - MTG Card versions
Fabricate - MTG Card versions
Counsel of the Soratami - MTG Card versions
Vacuumelt - MTG Card versions
Compulsive Research - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Oath of DruidsOath of Druids VintageOath of DruidsVintage League 2024-05-06
Jewel ShopsJewel Shops VintageJewel ShopsVintage League 2024-05-05
Oops! All SpellsOops! All Spells VintageOops! All SpellsVintage Challenge 32 2024-05-09
Esper TinkerEsper Tinker VintageBlue TinkerVintage League 2024-05-07
Paradoxical OutcomeParadoxical Outcome VintageParadoxical OutcomeVintage League 2024-05-06

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tinker significantly alters the battlefield by allowing you to swap a less valuable artifact for a more impactful one, directly from your deck. This swap can instantly tip the scales in your favor and is an incredible source of card advantage as it bypasses mana costs and normal casting restrictions.

Resource Acceleration: By swapping out a low-cost artifact, Tinker effectively accelerates your resources, allowing for the deployment of high-impact artifacts much earlier than usual. This can lead to game-winning scenarios as you deploy threats that opponents are not ready to handle.

Instant Speed: While Tinker itself does not operate at instant speed, the strategic planning and the immediate effect of its resolution feels like a decisive instant-speed interaction. It allows players to immediately present a threat or answer specific board states in a single, transformational turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tinker demands that you sacrifice an artifact as part of the casting cost, which could set you back if your board presence relies heavily on artifact synergy or if your artifact count is low.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell requires both generic and blue mana to cast, making it a potential challenge for multicolored decks to accommodate without the right mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Tinker’s effect is powerful, its combined total cost of three mana, including one blue, is significant and often competes with other impactful plays available at this stage of the game.


Reasons to Include Tinker in Your Collection

Versatility: Tinker offers unparalleled flexibility by fetching any artifact from your deck, enabling various deck-building choices and strategic depth.

Combo Potential: This card excels in setting up powerful artifact-based combos, seamlessly integrating with numerous synergies and key components vital to a combo’s execution.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where artifacts play a crucial role, Tinker’s ability to instantly access game-changing pieces makes it a persistent threat, aligning well with shifting metagames.


How to beat Tinker

Tinker is a notorious card in the arsenal of Magic: The Gathering players, often turning the tide of a game with its capacity to fetch any artifact directly onto the battlefield. However, formidable as it may be, there are strategies to dismantle a Tinker-centric game plan. Keeping the board clear of cheap expendable artifacts crushes the initial setup Tinker relies on, as it requires the player to sacrifice an artifact as part of its casting cost.

Similarly, counter spells are your staunch allies against Tinker. Timing a well-placed counterspell when Tinker is on the stack can nullify an opponent’s play, keeping the feared game-changing artifact in their library instead of on the field. Artifact removal, such as Shatter or Nature’s Claim, can swiftly deal with the aftermath if Tinker successfully resolves, mitigating the damage caused by the fetched artifact. Hand disruption is another angle to consider; by forcing opponents to discard Tinker before it can be used, you limit their capacity to alter the game state significantly.

Ultimately, while Tinker has the potential to be a powerhouse, knowing the card’s mechanics and maintaining control over the artifacts in play can keep this card from dominating the match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tinker MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy and World Championship Decks 2000, 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 Tinker and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tinker Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1999-02-15 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11999-02-15Urza's LegacyULG 451997NormalBlackMike Raabe
22000-08-02World Championship Decks 2000WC00 jf451997NormalGoldMike Raabe
32009-08-28From the Vault: ExiledV09 142003NormalBlackChris Rahn
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 5271997NormalBlackMike Raabe
52020-09-26The ListPLST ULG-451997NormalBlackMike Raabe

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tinker has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderBanned
LegacyBanned
OathbreakerBanned
PremodernLegal
VintageRestricted
DuelBanned
PredhBanned

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to.