Brass Gnat

Brass Gnat was originally released in the 1997 Mirage expansion of Magic: The Gathering, designed as a low-cost artifact creature that emphasized the set's focus on desert-themed mechanics and mana utility. It was later reprinted in the 2006 Time Spiral set as part of the 'Timeshifted' subset, a curated collection of 121 iconic or mechanically interesting cards from throughout the game's history. The reprint featured the original Mirage-era artwork by artist Heather Hudson, maintaining a sense of continuity for long-term players while introducing the card to a new generation of participants.

The design of the Brass Gnat reflects the early philosophy of artifact creatures in Magic: The Gathering, where such cards were often intended to provide colorless options for players struggling with color-specific resource constraints. Heather Hudson’s illustration captures the whimsical yet mechanical nature of the creature, depicting a small, constructed insect that fits the art direction of the Mirage block. Upon its inclusion in Time Spiral, the card was received primarily as a nostalgic inclusion, serving as a reminder of the game's evolving power levels and stylistic shifts over its first decade.