Goblins
(Previous Thread discussion of Modern Goblins can be found here: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=430851 )
Thanks to Franx13 and AlanDGray for contributions to this primer
Perhaps the most iconic of all of Magic’s creatures, Goblins have been a menace in 60 card decks from kitchen tables to Legacy Grand Prix. With numerous incarnations across the years, it should not come as a great surprise that the little green men have finally come into their own in the Modern format, having emerged in force on Magic Online during February and March 2013 as an inexpensive yet explosively powerful deck. While featuring similar cards to Goblin builds of years past, Modern Goblins has its own distinct identity. This primer is intended to introduce the breakdown of the deck and its card choices.
Modern Goblins leverages the classic combination of cheap, synergetic creatures backed up by burn spells for added reach and removal. This is particularly potent in Modern where multiple decks manabases leave their starting life totals between 14-18 life rather than 20.
This version of Goblins, emphasizing a very low curve to end the game as quickly as possible, is by no means the only version of the deck that can be successful. Versions with more expensive, but powerful creatures that closer resemble Legacy versions of Goblins are also potentially viable and should be discussed here as well. That said, the lower curve version has had a fair amount of success on Magic Online and, consequently, will be the focus of this primer.
It is very important to note that while the focus of this primer due to its success on MTGO this is not the only version of Goblins that exists in Modern. Other versions, most commonly featuring Aether Vial, are viable in their own right and the discussion of these decks is encouraged in this thread as well.
With that said, the general core of the low-curve deck is as follows:
Of the remaining 8 slots, at least 4 should be additional one-mana goblins. This is, in my opinion, essential as the deck demands many one-drops. The best choice of these one-drops depends on a variety of factors to be discussed later.
The final 4 slots are fairly flexible and potential options can also be found below.
The Core
Goblin Guide: Staple one-drop in any red aggro deck since he’s been printed. As efficient a source of early damage as they come. Not much more to say that hasn’t been said elsewhere.
Legion Loyalist: Not very good in multiples and little better than Raging Goblin in some matchups. So is this card worth it? Definitely. When Legion Loyalist is good, he’s great and is your most important card against other creature decks. That said, he has his limitations so don’t be afraid to board out some copies against Combo decks in particular.
Foundry Street Denizen: This guy looks innocuous but he is secretly very powerful. He almost always attacks for 3 on turn two and he has great synergy with practically every creature in the deck. There are lists that choose not to run him but I would never advise cutting him or sideboarding him out.
Goblin Bushwhacker: This is probably the most important card in the deck. The number of things he does is remarkable. Great in multiples but often enough with just one, works extremely well with Mogg War Marshal and other token makers. Being able to pump and give haste to your entire team for just two mana that can’t get broken up by removal is excellent. Never board it out, never cut it.
Mogg War Marshal: Undoubtedly the best token maker, this can sometimes feel like a clunky card but it plays a number of important roles. Great with all of the aforementioned cards, good at protecting against sweepers and a terrific chump blocker in a pinch. The utility card of the deck and another I wouldn’t consider removing.
Goblin Chieftain: Earns his place based on his power level and the need for another power booster/haste granter in addition to Goblin Bushwhacker. That said, not always terrific. He is very weak to instant speed removal and three mana is quite a bit in a deck running 20 or fewer lands. A bit of a necessary evil but don’t hesitate to board some number out if facing lots of targeted removal.
Lightning Bolt: Some say the best card in Modern. Certainly feels like it here. Just terrific return on the mana, at instant speed no less. Gets sideboarded out against many combo decks but still an all-star.
Goblin Grenade: By far the swingiest card in the deck, undeniably powerful and can kill an opponent out of nowhere. That said its conditional nature shouldn’t be overlooked and it is a sorcery. Still a major draw to the deck and leads to fairly easy turn 3 kills.
Mountain: Discussion of non-basic lands and splashes can be found below. In regards to land count, I have found 19-20 to be the right amount for this build but versions without three-drops could go lower and any version reaching four mana or higher would definitely need more.
Possible Additional One Drops
Goblin Cohort: A card I begun with, tested extensively and have moved off of. While he attacks fairly consistently early, very poor in the late game and doesn’t play well with many sideboard cards that want you to take a turn off from playing a creature. Also very poor with Shared Animosity. I have personally moved away from him but he is a reasonable choice in certain builds.
Akki Avalanchers: Certainly has the ability to trade up and/or force through damage. That said, sacrificing a land is very costly in a deck with so few to begin with and 1 toughness doesn’t help sell that. I would not recommend him.
Mogg Fanatic: An iconic goblin that has lost his luster since the M10 rules changes, now may be his time to shine. There are a very large number of 1 toughness creatures that are often important to kill, making the Fanatic an appealing choice at the moment. That said, doesn’t hit nearly as hard as other options. Solid role player but probably not recommended as a full four-of.
Frenzied Goblin: Atrocious in multiples and against combo decks. Ranges from decent to great against creature heavier decks letting you push past things such as Tarmogoyf, Spellskite and Kitchen Finks.
Spikeshot Elder: In most ways a more powerful but much slower Mogg Fanatic. Very good with Shared Animosity but probably too costly overall and I wouldn’t recommend him without it.
Goblin Arsonist: From my experience, worse than Mogg Fanatic due to inability to pick off mana-dorks and random utility creatures.
Tattermunge Maniac: Definitely the most aggressive option that requires little investment, but its drawback can’t be underestimated.
Aether Vial- A controversial card in modern, this artifact has the ability to bring out your goblins at instant speed, avoiding counter spells and sorcery speed removal. A proven powerhouse, especially in higher curve decklists as shown below, but not at its best when cheating one mana goblins into play.
Possible Support Cards:
Burn/Removal Spells
Flame Slash: Useful card to get past larger creatures at a low cost. Sorcery, however, and can’t go to the face.
Pillar of Flame: Primarily targeted at Kitchen Finks with minor applications elsewhere.
Rift Bolt: Not as pinpointed as the previous options but better as a reach spell.
Searing Blaze: Unplayable without fetchlands and dead against some combo decks, probably more suited for the sideboard if included.
Other Goblins
Goblin Wardriver: A pseudo-lord effect but can be a bit clunky. Improves with more token producers.
Krenko’s Command / Dragon Fodder: Additional copies of Mogg War Marshal. Note the non-bo with Goblin Cohort, however.
Warren Instigator- A more legacy based card, this card has seen play in modern. Paired with legion loyalist, it is a lackey on steroids, giving you the ability to trample damage over and giving you the creature/creatures you need to finish the game. While cheating on mana-costs is very powerful, it may not be the ideal card choice in a lower curve build and is more suited to higher curve versions.
Mudbrawler Cohort- A possible 2/2 with haste, not as high impact as other choices but an option to consider.
Stingscourger- With the ability to bounce creatures to the owners hand, it is a strong tempo play to remove pesky blockers. It does carry a steep echo cost so it is best paired with haste enablers to increase its impact.
Krenko, Mob Boss: Too slow and too expensive. Nonetheless, incredibly powerful and can win a game on his own if unchecked so can’t be written entirely off.
Siege-Gang Commander: Historically the powerhouse finisher of Goblin decks, he has seen play in slower builds but is not a popular choice due to being very expensive and without Goblin Warchief to lessen his casting cost.
Goblin King: Another lord effect. Mountainwalk ranges from excellent to meaningless and not granting haste is a big blow. Not recommended.
Haymakers
Shared Animosity: Somewhat debatable card. Huge amounts of raw power and tremendous synergy with cards such as Legion Loyalist and Spikeshot Elder. Unfortunately, expensive to cast, poor against sweepers and only boosts power.
Dynacharge: Pretty clunky but a surprising way to pump your team at instant speed.
Hellrider / Hero of Oxid Ridge: More powerful than the other Goblin lords but lack the tribal synergies and, crucially, cost four mana.
Non-Basic Lands
Cavern of Souls: Obviously at its best in a tribal deck, still carries its drawbacks in occasionally preventing explosive finishes with burn spells. Recommended as a two-of.
Tectonic Edge: While seemingly innocuous to include, not a good fit here. The colorless mana is a huge hindrance when stuck on one-two lands and it is often too late to help once it is turned on.
Teetering Peaks: Tempting as a free spell that shocks your opponent but can actually slow down certain hands to the point of being detrimental. Not recommended from my experiences but worth considering.
Scalding Tarn / Arid Mesa: These allow for splashes as well as enable cards such as Searing Blaze and Grim Lavamancer.
Mutavault: While attractive on the surface as a powerful man-land that counts as a goblin, its inability to produce red can be very problematic during the early turns. Not recommended.
Gameplay
For the most part, the deck is straightforward in terms of gameplay and there are a few primary ways you will end up winning. The most common way is simply by playing three to four goblins on turns 1-3, followed by a Goblin Bushwhacker, Goblin Chieftain or Shared Animosity type effect on turns 3 or 4. Less commonly you may find yourself with a more burn heavy hand, finishing your opponent with multiple Goblin Grenades and do not require any anthem effects to kill your opponent. Finally, in some matchups, most notably creature mirrors, you will amass many Goblins before unleashing multiple “lord” effects on the same turn to do the full 20 damage or more in a single turn.
Mulligan decisions are somewhat deceiving since much of the deck is based on synergy. Hands with five or more lands should pretty much always be mulliganed and most four land hands are suspect as well. Conversely, the deck is very capable of keeping one-land hands due to the sheer number of one drops, as well as Goblin Bushwhacker and Goblin Grenade as cheap ways to kill an opponent out of nowhere. As a general rule, unless your hand contains your most powerful SB cards in that matchup, I would not keep a hand that was not capable of producing a turn 4 or at least turn 5 kill against a non-resisting opponent without drawing more than any one specific card.
Sideboarding Options
In many ways, Goblins plays out more like a combo deck than an aggressive one and, as such, there is not a ton of room to bring in sideboard cards. One-drops are crucial to making an aggressive start and are hard to sideboard out in large numbers. Similarly, without a density of pump effects, you small creatures won't kill quickly. Be careful not to dilute your deck so greatly with hate cards that you are left unable to kill your opponent. My advice would be to remove your burn spells against control or non-creature based combo decks and to trim your less good creatures, depending on the matchup, against aggro decks.
Smash to Smithereens: One of the three artifact removal spells to consider. Great in many matchups and functions as a pseudo burn spell as well. Recommended.
Shattering Blow: Pretty much worse than Smash to Smithereens in every case but one; Wurmcoil Engine. That is a crucial exception, however and makes Shattering Blow at least worth considering.
Shattering Spree- This card is a versatile artifact removal spell whose power scales as the game goes longer. While sorcery speed, it can be devastating against decks such as Affinity.
Traitorous Blood / Mark of Mutiny: Useful cards against decks hoping to stabilize with a large creature, or other decks simply trying to race you with their own creatures.
Combust: Essential sideboard card to help against Twin decks and U/W/R decks. Has many great targets and uncounterability is very strong in these matchups.
Dismember: Always worth considering as a cheap way to get almost any blocker out of the way or otherwise troublesome creature. The life loss can make it risky in some matchups, but it is a very efficient and versatile card nonetheless.
Goblin Assault: An interesting card that helps fight against sweepers as a constant source of creatures in the form of a harder to deal with enchantment. That said, be weary of the “must attack” clause which can be a significant drawback. Also note that it applies to any goblins your opponent may have as well.
Tormod’s Crypt: Provides graveyard hate for free, letting you continue applying pressure rather than disrupt your curve, at the cost of spending a whole card to do so. My personal recommendation for a graveyard hate card.
Relic of Progenitus: Similar to Tormod’s Crypt but it can both net a card in return and be used gradually. That said, represents a more sizable mana investment than it may seem.
Arc Trail: Great at clearing the way against blockers, without threatening your own team while having the ability to go to the face.
Forked Bolt: Very similar to Arc Trail but cheaper.
Skullcrack: Added reach with very a relevant ability to prevent lifegain for a turn.
Torpor Orb- Effectively counters Splinter Twin combo, Birthing Pod's creature suite and many other creatures. However, this card has anti synergy with many cards in Goblins, such as Foundry Street Denizen, Mogg War Marshal and Goblin Bushwhacker. Only a consideration for slower builds not featuring these cards.
Dragon's Claw- While not a popular choice, this artifact improves the race through lifegain against Burn, RDW and Gruul Zoo.
Spellskite- A sideboard staple in Modern, this card serves the dual purpose of protecting many of your most important goblins while also preventing combos such as Splinter Twin and greatly impeding the Bogle deck. While not ideal since it is a non-proactive two-drop, its ability to devastate the plans of certain decks makes it a consideration.
Vexing Shusher- Historically, this creature has seen play in tribal goblins and non goblin decks as a reaction against counterspells. However, with the introduction of Cavern of Souls, this card has seen less play as of late.
Blood Moon: A bit of a controversial card. Certainly powerful and extremely disruptive against many decks, potentially destroying their entire gameplan. Three mana is a lot, however, and can be too slow in some situations, especially at the cost of not developing the board.
Magus of the Moon- A creature version of Blood Moon, has the added benefit of being able to attack but is much easier to remove.
Sample Lists
This is the original Goblins deck that 4-0'ed a daily and has been modified to post many other results on MTGO.
Here is the list I am currently running.
Here is a similar version from Franx13
Here is a much different version that top 4'ed a PTQ in Italy that uses slower but more powerful goblins that is more reminiscent of Legacy versions with cards such as Warren Instigator, Siege-Gang Commander and Aether Vial.
Finally, here is another alternative build emphasizing Aether Vial that splashes green, created by jwelt.
Splashes?
I have not personally experimented with splashing. The only version of this build that I have seen that used a splash color was a R/W build piloted by AJ Sacher with the white primarily being used for Boros Charm. White also provides access to Path to Exile, Stony Silence, and Lightning Helix.
R/B builds may also be viable using cards such as Knucklebone Witch, Terminate, Mad Auntie and Thoughtseize.
Finally, R/G builds offer slower build with card advantage in the form of Lead the Stampede, as well as SB options such as Tin Steet Hooligan.
Surprising Synergies, Tips and Tidbits
While fairly straightforward to play, there are some card interactions that are not immediately apparent and being aware of them can greatly improve your success with this deck. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
• Legion Loyalist has a lot of text and all of it can be relevant against different decks. Keep in mind all of its applications. The token dodging ability in particular will let you steal many post-board games, first strike damage is great against Wurmcoil Engine and the trample ability is quite potent when paired with Shared Animosity
• There are three separate timings of abilities in the deck and it is crucial to remember them, even if they seem obvious.
o Goblin Bushwhacker’s kicked ability triggers when cast and boosts your other creatures even if the Bushwhacker is immediately killed. This often makes it a relatively safe play when attacking into multiple creatures or untapped mana.
o Legion Loyalist and Shared Animosity are both attack triggers. While this is good since it gives you more information while you declare attackers, your plans can be disrupted if either permanent is destroyed before declaring attacks.
o Goblin Chieftain’s ability is static and if he is destroyed mid-combat, your attacking force may suddenly be a lot less impressive. Be sure to take into account the possibility of losing your Chieftain when facing down untapped mana. Also, if Goblin Chieftain is destroyed pre-combat then any Goblins that he had granted haste will lose the ability and not be able to attack if cast that turn.
• Don’t forget that Goblin Bushwhacker can be played unkicked. While it is almost always better to save it until it can be kicked, an unkicked Goblin Bushwhacker paired with a kicked one can let you push through lethal a turn early.
• Sequencing is very important. Don’t get complacent and miss damage with Foundry Street Denizen, Goblin Bushwhacker or Goblin Cohort because you played things slightly out of order.
• Don’t just slam Goblin Guide turn 1 every time. Oftentimes Foundry Street Denizen is a stronger opener, depending on your curve and opponent, and will let you deal more damage overall after turn 2. This also avoids risking giving up free lands to opponents via Goblin Guide.
• Always keep in mind whether or not you intend to pay echo on Mogg War Marshal. If you aren’t going to pay, he makes a great chump blocker or sometimes Goblin Grenade fodder.
The Future
Because of the relative youth of the deck, not even a month old at the time of this writing, it is entirely possible that with further testing, the evolution of the metagame and the release of new sets that Goblins undergoes significant changes as a deck in the near future. Whatever the case, the existing synergies provide a shell from which to build on moving forward.
Thanks for reading!
(Previous Thread discussion of Modern Goblins can be found here: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=430851 )
Thanks to Franx13 and AlanDGray for contributions to this primer
Perhaps the most iconic of all of Magic’s creatures, Goblins have been a menace in 60 card decks from kitchen tables to Legacy Grand Prix. With numerous incarnations across the years, it should not come as a great surprise that the little green men have finally come into their own in the Modern format, having emerged in force on Magic Online during February and March 2013 as an inexpensive yet explosively powerful deck. While featuring similar cards to Goblin builds of years past, Modern Goblins has its own distinct identity. This primer is intended to introduce the breakdown of the deck and its card choices.
Modern Goblins leverages the classic combination of cheap, synergetic creatures backed up by burn spells for added reach and removal. This is particularly potent in Modern where multiple decks manabases leave their starting life totals between 14-18 life rather than 20.
This version of Goblins, emphasizing a very low curve to end the game as quickly as possible, is by no means the only version of the deck that can be successful. Versions with more expensive, but powerful creatures that closer resemble Legacy versions of Goblins are also potentially viable and should be discussed here as well. That said, the lower curve version has had a fair amount of success on Magic Online and, consequently, will be the focus of this primer.
It is very important to note that while the focus of this primer due to its success on MTGO this is not the only version of Goblins that exists in Modern. Other versions, most commonly featuring Aether Vial, are viable in their own right and the discussion of these decks is encouraged in this thread as well.
With that said, the general core of the low-curve deck is as follows:
Of the remaining 8 slots, at least 4 should be additional one-mana goblins. This is, in my opinion, essential as the deck demands many one-drops. The best choice of these one-drops depends on a variety of factors to be discussed later.
The final 4 slots are fairly flexible and potential options can also be found below.
The Core
Goblin Guide: Staple one-drop in any red aggro deck since he’s been printed. As efficient a source of early damage as they come. Not much more to say that hasn’t been said elsewhere.
Legion Loyalist: Not very good in multiples and little better than Raging Goblin in some matchups. So is this card worth it? Definitely. When Legion Loyalist is good, he’s great and is your most important card against other creature decks. That said, he has his limitations so don’t be afraid to board out some copies against Combo decks in particular.
Foundry Street Denizen: This guy looks innocuous but he is secretly very powerful. He almost always attacks for 3 on turn two and he has great synergy with practically every creature in the deck. There are lists that choose not to run him but I would never advise cutting him or sideboarding him out.
Goblin Bushwhacker: This is probably the most important card in the deck. The number of things he does is remarkable. Great in multiples but often enough with just one, works extremely well with Mogg War Marshal and other token makers. Being able to pump and give haste to your entire team for just two mana that can’t get broken up by removal is excellent. Never board it out, never cut it.
Mogg War Marshal: Undoubtedly the best token maker, this can sometimes feel like a clunky card but it plays a number of important roles. Great with all of the aforementioned cards, good at protecting against sweepers and a terrific chump blocker in a pinch. The utility card of the deck and another I wouldn’t consider removing.
Goblin Chieftain: Earns his place based on his power level and the need for another power booster/haste granter in addition to Goblin Bushwhacker. That said, not always terrific. He is very weak to instant speed removal and three mana is quite a bit in a deck running 20 or fewer lands. A bit of a necessary evil but don’t hesitate to board some number out if facing lots of targeted removal.
Lightning Bolt: Some say the best card in Modern. Certainly feels like it here. Just terrific return on the mana, at instant speed no less. Gets sideboarded out against many combo decks but still an all-star.
Goblin Grenade: By far the swingiest card in the deck, undeniably powerful and can kill an opponent out of nowhere. That said its conditional nature shouldn’t be overlooked and it is a sorcery. Still a major draw to the deck and leads to fairly easy turn 3 kills.
Mountain: Discussion of non-basic lands and splashes can be found below. In regards to land count, I have found 19-20 to be the right amount for this build but versions without three-drops could go lower and any version reaching four mana or higher would definitely need more.
Possible Additional One Drops
Goblin Cohort: A card I begun with, tested extensively and have moved off of. While he attacks fairly consistently early, very poor in the late game and doesn’t play well with many sideboard cards that want you to take a turn off from playing a creature. Also very poor with Shared Animosity. I have personally moved away from him but he is a reasonable choice in certain builds.
Akki Avalanchers: Certainly has the ability to trade up and/or force through damage. That said, sacrificing a land is very costly in a deck with so few to begin with and 1 toughness doesn’t help sell that. I would not recommend him.
Mogg Fanatic: An iconic goblin that has lost his luster since the M10 rules changes, now may be his time to shine. There are a very large number of 1 toughness creatures that are often important to kill, making the Fanatic an appealing choice at the moment. That said, doesn’t hit nearly as hard as other options. Solid role player but probably not recommended as a full four-of.
Frenzied Goblin: Atrocious in multiples and against combo decks. Ranges from decent to great against creature heavier decks letting you push past things such as Tarmogoyf, Spellskite and Kitchen Finks.
Spikeshot Elder: In most ways a more powerful but much slower Mogg Fanatic. Very good with Shared Animosity but probably too costly overall and I wouldn’t recommend him without it.
Goblin Arsonist: From my experience, worse than Mogg Fanatic due to inability to pick off mana-dorks and random utility creatures.
Tattermunge Maniac: Definitely the most aggressive option that requires little investment, but its drawback can’t be underestimated.
Aether Vial- A controversial card in modern, this artifact has the ability to bring out your goblins at instant speed, avoiding counter spells and sorcery speed removal. A proven powerhouse, especially in higher curve decklists as shown below, but not at its best when cheating one mana goblins into play.
Possible Support Cards:
Burn/Removal Spells
Flame Slash: Useful card to get past larger creatures at a low cost. Sorcery, however, and can’t go to the face.
Pillar of Flame: Primarily targeted at Kitchen Finks with minor applications elsewhere.
Rift Bolt: Not as pinpointed as the previous options but better as a reach spell.
Searing Blaze: Unplayable without fetchlands and dead against some combo decks, probably more suited for the sideboard if included.
Other Goblins
Goblin Wardriver: A pseudo-lord effect but can be a bit clunky. Improves with more token producers.
Krenko’s Command / Dragon Fodder: Additional copies of Mogg War Marshal. Note the non-bo with Goblin Cohort, however.
Warren Instigator- A more legacy based card, this card has seen play in modern. Paired with legion loyalist, it is a lackey on steroids, giving you the ability to trample damage over and giving you the creature/creatures you need to finish the game. While cheating on mana-costs is very powerful, it may not be the ideal card choice in a lower curve build and is more suited to higher curve versions.
Mudbrawler Cohort- A possible 2/2 with haste, not as high impact as other choices but an option to consider.
Stingscourger- With the ability to bounce creatures to the owners hand, it is a strong tempo play to remove pesky blockers. It does carry a steep echo cost so it is best paired with haste enablers to increase its impact.
Krenko, Mob Boss: Too slow and too expensive. Nonetheless, incredibly powerful and can win a game on his own if unchecked so can’t be written entirely off.
Siege-Gang Commander: Historically the powerhouse finisher of Goblin decks, he has seen play in slower builds but is not a popular choice due to being very expensive and without Goblin Warchief to lessen his casting cost.
Goblin King: Another lord effect. Mountainwalk ranges from excellent to meaningless and not granting haste is a big blow. Not recommended.
Haymakers
Shared Animosity: Somewhat debatable card. Huge amounts of raw power and tremendous synergy with cards such as Legion Loyalist and Spikeshot Elder. Unfortunately, expensive to cast, poor against sweepers and only boosts power.
Dynacharge: Pretty clunky but a surprising way to pump your team at instant speed.
Hellrider / Hero of Oxid Ridge: More powerful than the other Goblin lords but lack the tribal synergies and, crucially, cost four mana.
Non-Basic Lands
Cavern of Souls: Obviously at its best in a tribal deck, still carries its drawbacks in occasionally preventing explosive finishes with burn spells. Recommended as a two-of.
Tectonic Edge: While seemingly innocuous to include, not a good fit here. The colorless mana is a huge hindrance when stuck on one-two lands and it is often too late to help once it is turned on.
Teetering Peaks: Tempting as a free spell that shocks your opponent but can actually slow down certain hands to the point of being detrimental. Not recommended from my experiences but worth considering.
Scalding Tarn / Arid Mesa: These allow for splashes as well as enable cards such as Searing Blaze and Grim Lavamancer.
Mutavault: While attractive on the surface as a powerful man-land that counts as a goblin, its inability to produce red can be very problematic during the early turns. Not recommended.
Gameplay
For the most part, the deck is straightforward in terms of gameplay and there are a few primary ways you will end up winning. The most common way is simply by playing three to four goblins on turns 1-3, followed by a Goblin Bushwhacker, Goblin Chieftain or Shared Animosity type effect on turns 3 or 4. Less commonly you may find yourself with a more burn heavy hand, finishing your opponent with multiple Goblin Grenades and do not require any anthem effects to kill your opponent. Finally, in some matchups, most notably creature mirrors, you will amass many Goblins before unleashing multiple “lord” effects on the same turn to do the full 20 damage or more in a single turn.
Mulligan decisions are somewhat deceiving since much of the deck is based on synergy. Hands with five or more lands should pretty much always be mulliganed and most four land hands are suspect as well. Conversely, the deck is very capable of keeping one-land hands due to the sheer number of one drops, as well as Goblin Bushwhacker and Goblin Grenade as cheap ways to kill an opponent out of nowhere. As a general rule, unless your hand contains your most powerful SB cards in that matchup, I would not keep a hand that was not capable of producing a turn 4 or at least turn 5 kill against a non-resisting opponent without drawing more than any one specific card.
Sideboarding Options
In many ways, Goblins plays out more like a combo deck than an aggressive one and, as such, there is not a ton of room to bring in sideboard cards. One-drops are crucial to making an aggressive start and are hard to sideboard out in large numbers. Similarly, without a density of pump effects, you small creatures won't kill quickly. Be careful not to dilute your deck so greatly with hate cards that you are left unable to kill your opponent. My advice would be to remove your burn spells against control or non-creature based combo decks and to trim your less good creatures, depending on the matchup, against aggro decks.
Smash to Smithereens: One of the three artifact removal spells to consider. Great in many matchups and functions as a pseudo burn spell as well. Recommended.
Shattering Blow: Pretty much worse than Smash to Smithereens in every case but one; Wurmcoil Engine. That is a crucial exception, however and makes Shattering Blow at least worth considering.
Shattering Spree- This card is a versatile artifact removal spell whose power scales as the game goes longer. While sorcery speed, it can be devastating against decks such as Affinity.
Traitorous Blood / Mark of Mutiny: Useful cards against decks hoping to stabilize with a large creature, or other decks simply trying to race you with their own creatures.
Combust: Essential sideboard card to help against Twin decks and U/W/R decks. Has many great targets and uncounterability is very strong in these matchups.
Dismember: Always worth considering as a cheap way to get almost any blocker out of the way or otherwise troublesome creature. The life loss can make it risky in some matchups, but it is a very efficient and versatile card nonetheless.
Goblin Assault: An interesting card that helps fight against sweepers as a constant source of creatures in the form of a harder to deal with enchantment. That said, be weary of the “must attack” clause which can be a significant drawback. Also note that it applies to any goblins your opponent may have as well.
Tormod’s Crypt: Provides graveyard hate for free, letting you continue applying pressure rather than disrupt your curve, at the cost of spending a whole card to do so. My personal recommendation for a graveyard hate card.
Relic of Progenitus: Similar to Tormod’s Crypt but it can both net a card in return and be used gradually. That said, represents a more sizable mana investment than it may seem.
Arc Trail: Great at clearing the way against blockers, without threatening your own team while having the ability to go to the face.
Forked Bolt: Very similar to Arc Trail but cheaper.
Skullcrack: Added reach with very a relevant ability to prevent lifegain for a turn.
Torpor Orb- Effectively counters Splinter Twin combo, Birthing Pod's creature suite and many other creatures. However, this card has anti synergy with many cards in Goblins, such as Foundry Street Denizen, Mogg War Marshal and Goblin Bushwhacker. Only a consideration for slower builds not featuring these cards.
Dragon's Claw- While not a popular choice, this artifact improves the race through lifegain against Burn, RDW and Gruul Zoo.
Spellskite- A sideboard staple in Modern, this card serves the dual purpose of protecting many of your most important goblins while also preventing combos such as Splinter Twin and greatly impeding the Bogle deck. While not ideal since it is a non-proactive two-drop, its ability to devastate the plans of certain decks makes it a consideration.
Vexing Shusher- Historically, this creature has seen play in tribal goblins and non goblin decks as a reaction against counterspells. However, with the introduction of Cavern of Souls, this card has seen less play as of late.
Blood Moon: A bit of a controversial card. Certainly powerful and extremely disruptive against many decks, potentially destroying their entire gameplan. Three mana is a lot, however, and can be too slow in some situations, especially at the cost of not developing the board.
Magus of the Moon- A creature version of Blood Moon, has the added benefit of being able to attack but is much easier to remove.
Sample Lists
This is the original Goblins deck that 4-0'ed a daily and has been modified to post many other results on MTGO.
Here is the list I am currently running.
Here is a similar version from Franx13
| DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Creatures (30) 4 Goblin Guide 4 Foundry Street Denizen 4 Goblin Bushwhacker 4 Goblin Chieftain 4 Goblin Cohort 3 Legion Loyalist 4 Mogg War Marshal 2 Spikeshot Elder 1 Goblin King | Land 16 Mountain 2 Cavern of Souls 2 Teetering Peeks Instant/Sorcery (7) 3 Goblin Grenade 4 Lightning Bolt Enchantment (3) 3 Shared Animosity | Sideboard 2 Blood Moon 2 Combust 2 Dragon's Claw 2 Relic of Progenitus 2 Shattering Spree 2 Skullcrack 1 Sudden Crack 2 Torpor Orb |
Here is a much different version that top 4'ed a PTQ in Italy that uses slower but more powerful goblins that is more reminiscent of Legacy versions with cards such as Warren Instigator, Siege-Gang Commander and Aether Vial.
Finally, here is another alternative build emphasizing Aether Vial that splashes green, created by jwelt.
Splashes?
I have not personally experimented with splashing. The only version of this build that I have seen that used a splash color was a R/W build piloted by AJ Sacher with the white primarily being used for Boros Charm. White also provides access to Path to Exile, Stony Silence, and Lightning Helix.
R/B builds may also be viable using cards such as Knucklebone Witch, Terminate, Mad Auntie and Thoughtseize.
Finally, R/G builds offer slower build with card advantage in the form of Lead the Stampede, as well as SB options such as Tin Steet Hooligan.
Surprising Synergies, Tips and Tidbits
While fairly straightforward to play, there are some card interactions that are not immediately apparent and being aware of them can greatly improve your success with this deck. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
• Legion Loyalist has a lot of text and all of it can be relevant against different decks. Keep in mind all of its applications. The token dodging ability in particular will let you steal many post-board games, first strike damage is great against Wurmcoil Engine and the trample ability is quite potent when paired with Shared Animosity
• There are three separate timings of abilities in the deck and it is crucial to remember them, even if they seem obvious.
o Goblin Bushwhacker’s kicked ability triggers when cast and boosts your other creatures even if the Bushwhacker is immediately killed. This often makes it a relatively safe play when attacking into multiple creatures or untapped mana.
o Legion Loyalist and Shared Animosity are both attack triggers. While this is good since it gives you more information while you declare attackers, your plans can be disrupted if either permanent is destroyed before declaring attacks.
o Goblin Chieftain’s ability is static and if he is destroyed mid-combat, your attacking force may suddenly be a lot less impressive. Be sure to take into account the possibility of losing your Chieftain when facing down untapped mana. Also, if Goblin Chieftain is destroyed pre-combat then any Goblins that he had granted haste will lose the ability and not be able to attack if cast that turn.
• Don’t forget that Goblin Bushwhacker can be played unkicked. While it is almost always better to save it until it can be kicked, an unkicked Goblin Bushwhacker paired with a kicked one can let you push through lethal a turn early.
• Sequencing is very important. Don’t get complacent and miss damage with Foundry Street Denizen, Goblin Bushwhacker or Goblin Cohort because you played things slightly out of order.
• Don’t just slam Goblin Guide turn 1 every time. Oftentimes Foundry Street Denizen is a stronger opener, depending on your curve and opponent, and will let you deal more damage overall after turn 2. This also avoids risking giving up free lands to opponents via Goblin Guide.
• Always keep in mind whether or not you intend to pay echo on Mogg War Marshal. If you aren’t going to pay, he makes a great chump blocker or sometimes Goblin Grenade fodder.
The Future
Because of the relative youth of the deck, not even a month old at the time of this writing, it is entirely possible that with further testing, the evolution of the metagame and the release of new sets that Goblins undergoes significant changes as a deck in the near future. Whatever the case, the existing synergies provide a shell from which to build on moving forward.
Thanks for reading!
1
This exchange has been enlightening to me.
I support the reserved list, not because I'm sitting on an enormous mass of expensive staples, but because I think the game is better off with the eternal-formats being pricey and collectable, providing long-term playability for short-term expenses.
I like that eternal-formats are rare and 'special'. The fact that you're playing with classic Magic masterpieces is cool. The exclusivity of the formats adds to their appeal...but players are more exceptionally welcome to play eternal-formats as long as they have cards. Being starved for players, more people understand that being kind and understanding towards others is important to the health of the format. The eternal-format player base is generally less toxic than the more played, pro-tour circuit formats where individual players are more or less replaceable and competition more fierce.
On the other hand, I think inexperienced eternal-format players are toxic to the Standard environment. Especially new ones. If eternal -formats were reprinted in large numbers, I can imagine a lot of LGS's torn up by new kids with power and the format demographics would be disrupted in a harmful way. I suppose I shouldn't be so sociological about things, but I have noticed certain trends.
BUT, given that I wouldn't pay the current prices for eternal format staples, I think they deserve to come down a little. Unfortunately, they will never break their promise, and Legacy is 'doomed' to be the second Vintage. That's why the format must continue to appeal to current players rather than cycle new players interests in and out of it. Legacy's playerbase can be sustained as it is sustained right now: by strong tournament scenes in-between two large centers of population to enable regular Legacy tournaments of meaningful scale.
No matter what they do, it'll be a PR nightmare from one faction of their customers or another, which is why I'm glad that they have a more progressive approach in marketing the game. As long as the game as a whole remains healthy, there will be no business incentive for them to break their promise and Magic will not adopt the Yu-Gi-Oh model of regular format-implosion.
TL;DR - My personal preferences has been for a while that they print duals in Chinese to grow the game internationally, but now I understand why their business model depends on eternal-format scarcity. I just get sick of hear people wanting to reverse the current order of thing, which would negatively affect the high-quality of the product in a number of unimaginable ways.
1
In North America, Magic is most popular on the East Coast, particularly the colder areas. Where I am from in New England, there are very few towns too small to have a standard FNM. Also, I've heard that most of the Vintage old fogey's live in the area between Boston, upstate New York, and Philadelphia.
I believe California has a lot of players due to sheer volume of population, but the weather and attitude in California enables people to do plenty of other things besides Magic. This might also apply to Florida. They might have large, centralized tournaments given the centralized nature of the states, but they might have fewer small-scale operations.
Other places are the ones where you hear stories from people who have to drive two hours to play standard. That's laughable in my area, I just have to walk five minutes or go to an even bigger tournament a half-hour away.
1
I hate that the media is constantly feeding people this crap that 'people who work a certain profession are a certain way', 'people who live in a certain region act a certain way'. It's a huge step back for our society and only serves to heighten the differences and tensions between different groups of people.
BTW shooting ducks is the least impressive profession in the world. This old beard fart wearing black paint on his face with a big puffy white beard...lol, what a senseless idiot. I'm sick of the merchandize too...what's marketable about these old beans besides bigotry and stereotypes?
1
You're heart is certainly in the right place, but I do not think there is any injustice in someone not having certain Magic cards.
It's selfish to want Magic cards, it's selfish for me to have enjoyed watching fetchlands double/triple in value. I've seen many ages of the game of Magic come and go and things like this just happen. Certain cards eventually generate great enough cache and demand that they become collector's items as well as play things. The game moves on and prints new cards for the next generation, eventually turning them into collectables too. The way people want things to go now though is to recycle every old idea to death because they weren't around for that era of Magic. The Innistrad crowd wishes to gut Magic for everything that it's worth.
I like that the games of Legacy/old-card-casual played between me and friends were using obscenely rare and valuable Magic cards that were attached to our own selfish identities, something unique to our generation, something that can have even greater value and mystique at a later time. Compounded with memories formed over the game in the past and you have the perfect storm for nostalgia. There is great, existential value in playing with rare and valuable cards which contributes to Magics awesomeness.
There are plenty of ways to play Magic, I happen to love limited. Denying someone easy access to fetches doesn't tell them that they can't play Magic.
Modern will NEVER be a cheap format. I think Wizards is OK with Modern being under-supplied. They only need to supply Modern with enough cards to be more played than Legacy. The hierarchy of Limited played more than Standard played more than Modern played more than Legacy played more than Vintage must be maintained.
I was all for banning fetchlands in Modern so more people could play, Goyf and DRS would suck, and other lands would have a chance to be format pillars, but no. Modern just need enough cards to see just a teentsy-bit more play than it does now.
2
In my adult phase of playing Magic, roughly 10% of players that I've known were smokers. I smoke too, almost a pack a day, but it is something that I seriously hate about my life and would like to change if I could. When you're addicted to something like that, it feels like your cerebral cortex is hollow when you do not have it. It's difficult to enjoy what you normally enjoy, especially when you include smoke breaks into the routine.
One of my main motivations to go to LGS and participate in the Magic community is that for 3-4 hours, I can do something that distracts me from cigarettes and makes me feel like the innocent child that I was when I started playing. It's not going to stop me from smoking when it's over, but anytime a smoker goes more than a hour or two without a cigarette is progress in a battle against an incurable life-long mental illness of addiction.
...but Magic, especially working-class Magic, tends to have a subculture of smokers who 'step out' in between rounds and smoke 'social cigarettes'. I personally prefer to smoke alone and out of sight because I am ashamed of it, but the friendly encouragement of other people feeds the addiction and hinders my efforts to hold back. I'm also very shy, so while I enjoy the time for small talk usually about real life stuff, I feel so terrible about myself doing what I'm doing where I'm doing it.
Smoking during Magic tournaments is wrong on so many levels:
2. Children can surprisingly still afford to play Magic. I certainly wouldn't want a young child of mine going to Magic tournaments with twenty-somethings smoking cigarettes and who knows what else. It's a bad influence for kids to look up to good Magic players who smoke.
3. It is a cheating opportunity in Limited. Honestly, people should not be allowed to leave the building during drafts. The last thing the game needs is people going outside and augmenting their decks while out of sight behind a veil of smoke.
4. It's a waste of money that could otherwise be used to improve the quality of the local meta. For all the money it costs to smoke in a year, once could buy a Black Lotus or every Revised dual land. People who smoke have no right to complain about the price of cards (hence, I rarely complain).
5. It takes away from the social experience. Social cigarettes aren't socialization - it's assisted suicide, reinforcing bad habits that ultimately lead to sickness and death. The more people trying to reinforce this kind of behavior, the worse off we all are.
6. Joyfully smoking represents and attitude that one is living for their own short-term pleasure above all else at all costs. The logic that leads someone to think smoking is a good idea leads to many more bad ideas and attitudes in life.
6. I'm sure there are more.
I personally believe that it's up to the LGS owner/operator to take initiative to curb the sidewalk smokers. No smoking within 300 ft, or even disqualification for leaving the premise for such reasons. That warning or threat would be enough for me to bite the bullet and tough it out, because I can choose Magic of short term pleasure...in the short term. At the very least, smokers should be encouraged to use nicotine gum while playing, as it will give them good practice for when they actually need to quit (Obamacare policies hurts smokers more than any other group of people...the damn insurance premiums are probably the only thing that could get me to quit. Thanks Obama.).
I definitely don't want people going around disparaging smokers and insisting that they are inherently weak-willed and unwelcome and are disgusting people for what they do. MTG players should show concern for their fellow players. The best way to help someone work their way through a nicotine-fit is with encouragement and good humor, not a volley of insults should they slip up...but in no way should their behavior be ignored and taken for granted.
So does anyone else have an opinion on this? Does your LGS have a policies to deter smoking by tournament participants? If they don't, they should. I think it would be good for Magic culture...good for ME if smoking was less tolerated at Magic events. If I feel like it's OK and accepted, I'm probably going to do it.
Lastly, I'd like to say that there is absolutely no comparison between addiction to substances and 'addiction to Magic'. There was a time when I would have made jest of someone for drafting five times a week, but at this point the price if a draft is nearly equal to the price of a pack of cigarettes. Magic cards are a collectable rather than a consumable, so you actually get something out of it besides cancer. One can never play too much Magic that it is worse than a single pack of cigarettes. We all should be cracking packs and not smoking them. Smoking is the worst hobby ever.
1
I'll go first!
Forgive me Maro, for I have sinned.
I have not drafted since RtR block because I do not like Theros (because there are no Goblins in Theros) and core sets give me vertigo. I did not draft Goblins in Modern Masters either because I did not draft Modern Masters; it felt like my LGS would be running a high-stakes gambling event rather than the pleasant games of skill and chance they had been.
I've strayed from the path of righteousness and returned to the dark depths of an eternal format free-loader, coveting the handful of cards I want from each block and ignoring/ridiculing the rest. It is hard to have much faith in WotC when I have to wait a FULL YEAR for the game to return to what it has always been to me: Goblins versus the world. Even if they do, standard is so very rarely as balanced as I would like it to be that my favorite archetype has not been tier-1 since 2003.
It seems like just as I was ready to do-the-good-thing and attend a FNM with a non-tier-1, non-Machiavellian Goblin deck, I came upon hard times and I felt as though the game no longer had a purpose for me. How can I serve you if you want me to go away every two years?
BUT I STILL HAVE FAITH!
In hard times past I received your blessings with Cavern of Souls. 'Legion Loyalist' and 'Goblin Diplomats' felt like well orchestrated plants to keep me interested in the game in times when I would otherwise have zero interest. I sought out the Jund Commander precon because I knew that YOU created that for ME, as it would be wrong for me not to buy it...but since Shattergang Brothers is obviously the best card in C13, it was sold out at Wallmart and Target and all I could find were those terrible Grixis decks (lol, I mean Esper and Bant).
Magic is important to me whether I am playing or not because many of the things I would otherwise be thinking about are sinful and unclean. Without the light of Goblins, my mind would be a more unpleasant place to reside, so I am forever thankful.
I have faith that MTG will not banish my people to hell. I make a vow to recognize when Wizards does things to appeal to my particular psychographic and seize the opportunity...as well as being a better influence and more positive caregiver of the game than I have been.
For thine is the card kingdom, the power nine, and the glory forever. Amen.
1
The idea of reprinting Wasteland in Standard has nothing to do with making Standard better...it's about making non-rotating formats cheaper. You even hear it in some of the arguments...the whole idea is that you design standard around not being wrecked by Wasteland so it can be safe to reprint.
Standard gains absolutely nothing by rehashing old ideas so new players can more easily play the expensive collectors formats. Wizards is giving everyone $10 Thoughtseizes and still people are thirsty for more and more from their expansive volumes of old classics. I just want to see new experiences and new cards so I can look forward to buying new product rather than watch the cards recycled over and over again. (it's not easy for them to get me to try new things, so they have to be really really good at it, better than they are now)
At any rate, Wasteland is way to efficient for manabases that aren't Legacy bases and mana-curves that aren't Legacy curves...but I guess a lot of people want to see them all those cards come back to standard until they've finally cycled back around to reprinting Shocklands and Deathrite Shaman, square one.
1
Merfolk has had a hard time adjusting to Stoneforge Mystic decks and decks with abundant creature removal and it hasn't gotten much better for them since. They need a combo heavy meta to be tier one, and the weakening of many combo decks by new cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and grave hate compounded with the high power of Show and Tell combo decks have decreased Merfolk's good matchups significantly. It's not that it is bad, like the others, but it just isn't played as much by people who want to win every tournament they enter.
Legacy Goodstuff Inc. received a tremendous gift of power creep in the form of Deathrite Shaman, also benefiting Elves who got Craterhoof Behemoth shortly afterwards, enabling an entirely creature based single-turn kill at the end of the combo. The deck also solidified the Natural Order backup plan and x4 Gaea's Cradle as core components. Honestly, all it took was for LSV to play an Elves deck after Deathrite Shaman came out and people realized it was tier 1.
Goblins has actually received powercreep in the form of Cavern of Souls in the nick of time because it was about to be rendered extinct by the arrival of Goodstuff Delver of Secrets as well as Terminus. Legacy has gotten more powerful and Goblins are not tier one, but I believe the deck has multiple major tournament wins in the US in the past year and top 8's every once and a while. The deck isn't played very much, likely owing to it's casual appeal rather than something fit for a GP grinder since you have to luck-sack your way through a majority of match-ups, but it has a reasonably defensible game-plan and can and will win on a good day.
D&T got a lot better with Thalia and the general fanboyism of it's players. D&T has really become the 'people's champion' in the format, whereas decks like Goblins are detestable villains.
Zoo turned into Maverick which then couldn't handle Terminus. Zoo had to turn into Maverick, because Batterskull wrecked it. Maverick still exists, but being a Goodstuff deck itself, is having an identity crisis with the arrival of Deathrite Shaman...how much of a BG deck can it become without ceasing to be Maverick? Nonetheless, Wizards has just given a giant middle finger to Wild Nacatl in all formats, and that's really sad, because Zoo was an incredibly popular deck (Maybe too popular and that's why it was killed and replaced with Delvers).
1
Some people would be made happy because they can new versions of old cards...not necessarily cheaper...probably unprecedentedly expensive.
Some players would be made happy because Legacy could possibly see a resurgence, like a 10-20% growth period...but ultimately the format will become more and more dependent on the supply of Force of Will than blue duals.
It would possibly have the effect of all the over-collectors dumping most their stock because if Wizards reprints things once, they can do it again and again until and beyond the death of the game.
There is a STRONG possibility of negative backlash from players who did not receive duals, ala Commander's Arsenal/Modern Masters/FTV: Jace X100. Reprinting duals in $100 boxed sets or $30 booster packs would offend a serious amount of the player base, perhaps the immature segment of the player base, but enough to have a significant impact on the people playing the game. It will be harder for them to pass their standard stuff on people when that's just 'the cheap game', if you pay for their more expensive products your stuff doesn't rotate out on you.
I feel the problem with removing the Reserved List has less to do with offending collectors than negatively affecting the psychology of Magic players and how they assess value within the commercial aspects of the game.
1
This set was designed for pimps and card sharks, but for me, someone who found a deck on the street in 1997 and have been playing for over ten years, the set fails to generate feelings of nostalgia with me.
FTV: Exiled was much more evocative of 'the history of magic'. This set feels to contrived - I'm sick of hearing about cards like Thran Dynamo, 'format - x' staples and such. Jace, the Mindsculptor is still something very new in the game that I've always viewed as something to hate and destroy rather than see occupying the $600 FOIL Force of Will slot in the 20th anniversary set. I don't even own/care about Force of Will, but this should have been the set to reprint it once, they were too hasty with Jace.
That's just me though.