Commonly found in Red, Goblins are one of the strongest typal options across Magic’s 30-year history. Many have experienced being overwhelmed by one of these Typal decks, generating tons of bodies over a short amount of time. Maybe you experienced Conspicuous Snoop making infinite copies of itself, or maybe it was simply Krenko generating a huge army of tokens.
Either way, if you’re looking to explore Kindred Goblin strategies in Commander, here’s our list for cards you can’t miss!
10. Goblin Matron
While
Goblin Matron
Goblin Matron
When this creature enters, you may search your library for a Goblin card, reveal that card, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
may do much on her own given the 1/1 body, she’s the lynchpin in any goblin tribal strategy.
Goblin Matron
Goblin Matron
When this creature enters, you may search your library for a Goblin card, reveal that card, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
is a solid tutor effect in Mono-Red, ensuring you get the right goblin for your exact situation. It pairs well with powerful goblins such as
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Haste
{T}: Create a token that's a copy of target nonlegendary creature you control, except it has haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
, and Conspicuous Snoop for that combo potential. Once you have resolved Goblin Matron, she makes great sacrifice fodder in the late game.
You do have to reveal the Goblin you find off
Goblin Matron
Goblin Matron
When this creature enters, you may search your library for a Goblin card, reveal that card, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
, but the ability to grab what you need is too good to pass up. Tutors are commonly one of the best
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9. Conspicuous Snoop
Conspicuous Snoop won’t see play outside of a dedicated Goblin Typal strategy, but it is arguably your best payoff for that strategy. Able to gain the activated ability of any Goblin on top of your library, the Snoop can easily go infinite. Should you have a Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker on top of your library, you can create infinite copies of the Snoop. From there, if you have a way to manipulate the top of your library, swap over to a
Sling-Gang Lieutenant
Sling-Gang Lieutenant
When this creature enters, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
Sacrifice a Goblin: Target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
and sacrifice all your creatures!
Boggart Harbinger is the strongest enabler to this infinite combo. Search for Kiki-Jiki, use that ability to create copies of the Snoop, and end by copying the Harbinger, finding Sling-Gang Lieutenant to end the game. Alternatively,
Goblin Recruiter
Goblin Recruiter
When this creature enters, search your library for any number of Goblin cards, reveal them, then shuffle and put those cards on top in any order.
is an absurdly powerful Goblin that achieves similar effects banned out of Legacy.
8. Siege-Gang Commander and Sling-Gang Lieutenant
We’re cheating with this one, but both cards are excellent within a Goblin-focused Commander deck.
Siege-Gang Commander
Siege-Gang Commander
When this creature enters, create three 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
{1}{R}, Sacrifice a Goblin: This creature deals 2 damage to any target.
is one of the best token generators in the tribe as it offers four bodies straight away. Although the sacrifice cost is a little steep, the Commander also offers a form of emergency removal.
Then, you have
Sling-Gang Lieutenant
Sling-Gang Lieutenant
When this creature enters, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
Sacrifice a Goblin: Target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
from Modern Horizons which pack lifegain if you want to preserve your life total. This card is also the end result of a bunch of infinite combos commonly found in Goblin Typal strategies.
Siege-Gang Commander
Siege-Gang Commander
When this creature enters, create three 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
{1}{R}, Sacrifice a Goblin: This creature deals 2 damage to any target.
is one of the best cards you can run in a Goblin-focused Commander deck. It creates bodies, a built-in sacrifice effect, and helps you make goblins from a
Krenko, Mob Boss
Krenko, Mob Boss
{T}: Create X 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens, where X is the number of Goblins you control.
. Plus, who doesn’t want to throw goblins at the opponent’s face?
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7. Skirk Prospector
Perhaps one of the most iconic Goblin sacrifice outlets in all of Magic: The Gathering, Skirk Prospector converts your Goblins into red mana.
Generally, Skirk Prospector will sacrifice your Goblins to ramp into… even bigger Goblins. This is one of the premier ways to get out a Muxus, Goblin Grandee as fast as possible. That card can generate a ton of bodies, which can help ramp you further into more Goblins. Its rather easy for this seemingly innocent Prospector to get out of control.
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6. Goblin Trashmaster
Although Goblin Trashmaster is a little expensive on the mana, its abilities are worthwhile in a game of Commander. The format is defined on mana rocks and other powerful artifacts which makes Goblin Trashmaster a strong option within a Goblin Typal strategy.
Also, the Goblin Warrior pumps every other goblin you control which is just the cherry on top of an already powerful, yet repeatable effect. Keeping Trashmaster supplied with Goblins should be easy enough, and it can threaten your opponent’s efforts to ramp at any point during the game. You can choose to use Trashmaster reactively by sacrificing itself to remove an artifact in response to your opponent’s removal spell.
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4. Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Haste
{T}: Create a token that's a copy of target nonlegendary creature you control, except it has haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
can do some really absurd things in Commander. Despite coming in at five mana, Kiki-Jiki has the ability to create copies of any other creature in your deck, and give that creature haste, which is incredibly powerful.
While you’ll want to run Kiki-Jiki in a Goblin deck, the Goblin Shaman is best in a deck that can take advantage of his activated ability. Kiki-Jiki is notorious for being part of two-card combos that can flood the board with infinite (and hasty) threats. Going further, running creatures such as
Restoration Angel
Restoration Angel
Flash
Flying
When this creature enters, you may exile target non-Angel creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.
,
Felidar Guardian
Felidar Guardian
When this creature enters, you may exile another target permanent you control, then return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
, and
Corridor Monitor
Corridor Monitor
When this creature enters, untap target artifact or creature you control.
will give you ample ways to end the game. If you can find any of these cards, that makes Kiki-Jiki a game-ending threat that needs to be answered or disrupted immediately. Preferably before it can even hit the table.
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4. Krenko, Mob Boss
Krenko, Mob Boss
Krenko, Mob Boss
{T}: Create X 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens, where X is the number of Goblins you control.
is often the default Commander when it comes to Goblins since it can get out of control very quickly. As you are able to generate a board of Goblins, Krenko’s ability will only become more powerful as the game progresses. Even by having a
Siege-Gang Commander
Siege-Gang Commander
When this creature enters, create three 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
{1}{R}, Sacrifice a Goblin: This creature deals 2 damage to any target.
in play, you are able to create five Goblin tokens with no mana investment. If your opponents are unable to answer Krenko in a timely matter, you will be able to double the number of Goblins created allowing you to take over a game of Commander.
Pairing this with
Purphoros, God of the Forge
Purphoros, God of the Forge
Indestructible
As long as your devotion to red is less than five, Purphoros isn't a creature.
Whenever another creature you control enters, Purphoros deals 2 damage to each opponent.
{2}{R}: Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.
, or
Impact Tremors
Impact Tremors
Whenever a creature you control enters, this enchantment deals 1 damage to each opponent.
, you are well on your way to victory even if you are unable to attack with your swarm of Goblins. Even if you have literally no board, Krenko can build up an army surprisingly quickly all on his own. He will always be a threat and will demand an answer every game.
Making things even better, Krenko’s recent swarm of reprints makes this card surprisingly affordable.
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3. Muxus, Goblin Grandee
Coming from JumpStart, Muxus, Goblin Grandee is one of the most powerful Goblin cards you can play in Commander. When it enters the battlefield, you look at the top six cards of your library and put all Goblin cards that cost five mana or less into play. This is an incredible ability that is sure to turn the tide in a game of Commander.
Although Muxus is a little on the expensive side in terms of mana value, there are ways to cheat the Goblin Noble with cards such as Skirk Prospector. Even then, you can run mana rocks such as
Sol Ring
Sol Ring
{T}: Add {C}{C}.
, and
Arcane Signet
Arcane Signet
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
to cast Muxus ahead of schedule.
The second ability may not come up often, but it allows you to push through Commander damage or to utilize a voltron approach instead. Either way, Muxus, Goblin Grandee is fantastic at the helm of a Goblin Commander deck and allows you to refill the board after a board wipe.
Ramping out Muxus is a common strategy in Goblin decks that peruse the outskirts of Historic and Legacy. If its good enough there, its bound to be a powerful strategy in Commander as well.
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2. Treasure Nabber
What is better than blowing artifacts? Taking them for yourself!
Treasure Nabber
Treasure Nabber
Whenever an opponent taps an artifact for mana, gain control of that artifact until the end of your next turn.
truly has a home in Commander where you are guaranteed opportunities to use its ability. If you can couple this card with any artifact sacrifice effect, you can shut your opponents out of their mana ramp completely until they’re able to remove the Goblin Rogue. This is the kind of card you want in a red aggressive Commander deck as it slows down your opponent’s ramps while giving you an advantage with your cheap cards.
Going further, you can pair this with
Kuldotha Rebirth
Kuldotha Rebirth
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice an artifact.
Create three 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
to covert your opponent’s mana rocks into goblin token fodder for your Goblin sacrifice effects.
Trading Post
Trading Post
{1}, {T}, Discard a card: You gain 4 life.
{1}, {T}, Pay 1 life: Create a 0/1 white Goat creature token.
{1}, {T}, Sacrifice a creature: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
{1}, {T}, Sacrifice an artifact: Draw a card.
ensures you can turn those stolen artifacts straight into card draw. Then, you can add either
Goblin Welder
Goblin Welder
{T}: Choose target artifact a player controls and target artifact card in that player's graveyard. If both targets are still legal as this ability resolves, that player simultaneously sacrifices the artifact and returns the artifact card to the battlefield.
or
Goblin Engineer
Goblin Engineer
When this creature enters, you may search your library for an artifact card, put it into your graveyard, then shuffle.
{R}, {T}, Sacrifice an artifact: Return target artifact card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
to get your artifacts into play from your graveyard.
Ultimately, the top cards on this list are not just meant for Goblin decks, and that’s why they get these slots. Treasure Nabber is a reasonable inclusion in any red Commander deck. Fast mana is everywhere, and getting to borrow your opponents
Sol Ring
Sol Ring
{T}: Add {C}{C}.
s and
Mana Crypt
Mana Crypt
At the beginning of your upkeep, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, this artifact deals 3 damage to you.
{T}: Add {C}{C}.
s to cast your own spells feels amazing every time.
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1. Dockside Extortionist
Perhaps one of the most impactful Commander cards of all time,
Dockside Extortionist
Dockside Extortionist
When this creature enters, create X Treasure tokens, where X is the number of artifacts and enchantments your opponents control. (Treasure tokens are artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
is a staple in any Red Commander strategy. The ability to ramp you up instantly is sorely needed in a Mono-Red Commander deck, especially when you want to play either
Krenko, Mob Boss
Krenko, Mob Boss
{T}: Create X 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens, where X is the number of Goblins you control.
, or Muxus, Goblin Grandee ahead of schedule.
Dockside Extortionist commonly comes down and just takes over the game. Similar to what we said for Treasure Nabber, fast mana is everywhere. This, combined with a lot of greedy enchantment effects like Doubling Season being rather popular means that Dockside Extortionist can easily come down and generate tons of Treasure. You’re just one Blink effect away from infinite mana and infinite Treasures. It is not at all uncommon for this creature to enter the battlefield and conclude the entire game.
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