Golems & Gnomes
Gnome decks are the trickiest on the frontier. The Flip mechanic gives every creature two modes — a permanent body and a one-shot activated ability. Gnome pilots constantly choose between board presence and instant value, creating a uniquely skill-intensive playstyle.
Who They Are
The Gnomes followed the frontier's ore veins, storm currents, and buried ley-lines westward. They do not build towns so much as workshops on wheels, each one packed with gauges, burners, alchemy rigs, and enough spare parts to start or end a war.
When a gnome crew commits fully, brass trickery gives way to stone and iron. Their Golem forms are not a separate people or faction choice — they are the workshop clans' siege shells, awakened labor engines that come online once the pressure spikes high enough. Where Goblins trust luck, Gnomes trust measurements.
Playstyle Overview
Gnomes reward decision-making. Every creature is two cards in one thanks to Flip, giving pilots unmatched flexibility at every stage of the game.
Every Gnome creature has a Flip ability — a one-time activated effect that adds burst damage, card draw, gold generation, or stat buffs on demand.
Blast Furnace Bill and Exhaust Bandit generate gold through Flip, funding expensive plays and Deputy summons ahead of curve.
Alchemical Renegade and Chronolock Duelist strike first, combining Quickdraw with Flip for devastating combat tricks.
Gnome decks can include Golem creatures without them counting as a separate faction. Golems are durable construct bodies that complement the Gnome gameplan.
Signature Keywords
Pairs well with Dwarves for a full artificer theme, or with Humans for a balanced midrange shell with tricks.
Unique to Gnomes. A one-time activated ability on each creature that provides burst value — damage, gold, buffs, or card advantage.
Strikes first in combat. Combined with Flip effects, Gnome Quickdraw creatures win fights they should not survive.
Blast Furnace Bill attacks twice per turn at just 2 mana, combining aggression with Flip gold generation.
Exhaust Bandit is untargetable and generates gold on Flip. A sticky threat that funds the late game.
Grand Alchemist Vex draws on play, then Flips to reduce your next card cost by 2 mana. Massive tempo swing.
Clockwork Enforcer deals 3 damage to a target on death, plus Flips for +1/+1. Value from every angle.
Notable Gnomes
The standout Gnomes you will see on the Wild Frontier.
Overshot: Excess damage spills to the next target or player. Flip: Deal 2 damage to all enemy creatures.
Rolls in on steam vents. Leaves nothing upright.
Double Barrel: Can attack twice per turn. Flip: Gain 1 gold.
Runs the furnace. Fuels the whole operation.
Quickdraw: Strikes first in combat. Flip: Deal 2 damage to target enemy creature.
Mixed something wrong on purpose. Turned out right.
Wanted: Cannot be targeted by any effects. Flip: Gain 1 gold.
Pipes pour black smoke. You never see her coming.
Flip: All friendly Gnome creatures gain +1 Attack until end of turn.
Every cog has a purpose. He enforces both.
Quickdraw: Strikes first in combat. Flip: This creature may attack again this turn.
He set his watch ahead. Arrives before trouble does.
High Noon: Draw 1 card when played from hand. Flip: Reduce the cost of the next card you play this turn by 2 mana.
Mastered three schools of alchemy. Invented a fourth just to quit it.
Last Stand: When this creature dies deal 3 damage to target enemy creature. Flip: This creature gains +1/+1 until end of turn.
Built to last. Lasts long enough to make a point.
Golems
Golems are not a separate faction pick — they are what a Gnome crew becomes when the tinkering stops. Gnomes and Golems share one main-race slot, so a Gnome deck can run the whole Golem top end for free.
Fires when a Gnome flips into its Golem form. Committing a Gnome spell is what pulls the trigger.
Spell damage cannot reduce the creature below 1 Defense. Burn decks simply cannot remove an Ironclad body.
Gains 1–2 Defense on arrival, so a Golem lands already out of range of the obvious trade.
Reduces all incoming damage by 1 and acts as a Warrant, forcing attacks into the shell you chose.
Hits the whole enemy lane. On an 8-mana Cataclysm Engine that is often the game in one attack.
Excess lethal damage spills to the next enemy — and Golem attack numbers make the spill a second kill.
Barricade: Reduce all incoming damage by 1; also acts as Warrant. Ironclad: Spell damage can't reduce it below 1. Flip-Charged: When flipped, give all friendly golems +2 Attack.
Wobblewrench's masterwork, and the last thing anyone drafts against.
Blast. Fortify 2: Gains 2 defense when summoned. Flip-Charged: When flipped, deal 2 damage to all enemy creatures.
The sapper wound one last spring. This is what unwound.
Ricochet 2: After you summon a creature, deal 2 damage to a random enemy. Ironclad: Spell damage can't reduce it below 1. Flip-Charged: When flipped, summon a 3/3 Golem Token in your Middle Lane.
Rosalind's rattle, magnified into rolling thunder.
Warrant. Ironclad: Spell damage can't reduce it below 1. Flip-Charged: When flipped, summon a 3/3 Golem Token in your Middle Lane.
The machinist tightened one last bolt; the frame stood up on its own.
Overshot: Excess lethal damage spills to the next enemy. Fortify 1: Gains 1 Defense when summoned. Flip-Charged: When flipped, gain +3/+3 until end of turn.
It carries the whole dead city on its back.
Blast. Fortify 1: Gains 1 defense when summoned. Flip-Charged: When flipped, deal 2 damage to all enemy creatures.
The alchemist's bottled boiler, now the size of a barn.
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