Zurgo StormrenderZurgo Stormrender | Art by Lie Setiawan | Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss | Art by Karl Kopinski | Goblin BombardmentGoblin Bombardment | Art by Dave Kendall

Hey nerds! In my previous article, I shared five unique budget deck ideas from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. This week I want to provide a deck-building guide for Zurgo StormrenderZurgo Stormrender Mardu (red, white, and black) Goblins. Instead of just going over my list, I'd like to share on-theme pieces for different categories. Those being:

• Ramp
• Removal
• Board Wipes
• Card Draw
• Recursion
• Support
• Payoffs
• Tutors
• Upgrades

I won’t be covering generic staples like Sol RingSol Ring or Swords to PlowsharesSwords to Plowshares; they're powerful cards in pretty much any deck. Instead, I want to focus on the thematic pieces of the deck. If a generic card can also fit the theme, it will get a mention. And as always, you can find my $50 budget list at the end of the article.

So without further ado, let’s get into it!

Ramp for Mardu Goblins

First up is the ramp. When I’m building a creature-based deck, especially one that doesn’t have mana creatures - like Elves - I look for cards that reduce the cost of creatures. While it might not seem like it, these generic cost reducers are an incredible source of ramp, saving you upwards of 20 mana a game.

Goblins don’t have a ton of options. I was only able to find two: Frogtosser BanneretFrogtosser Banneret and Goblin WarchiefGoblin Warchief. They're solid role players in the deck and are must-includes. Also, Frogtosser and Warchief reduce the cost of Goblin spells, not just creatures, which means they also reduce the cost of Goblin kindred spells. If you have the extra budget, Herald's HornHerald's Horn and Urza's IncubatorUrza's Incubator are great colorless options, but only reduce the cost of creatures.

But there's one sneaky piece of tech that might be worth trying, and that's Heartless SummoningHeartless Summoning. This enchantment reduces the cost of creatures by two, but your creatures get -1/-1. This can be a problem if you don’t have a Goblin lord in play, but it can also act as a pseudo-sac outlet for your tokens. Your 1/1 Goblins would enter and die immediately, triggering Zurgo and some other Goblins I’ll be covering later on. This might be too cute, but it also might be something worth trying, considering how much of a cost reduction it provides.

The Best Removal Spells for Mardu Goblins

Next up is removal. I’m sure the first card you thought of was Goblin GrenadeGoblin Grenade, and I can’t blame you. It's an iconic burn spell in 60-card Magic, and can be efficient removal in Commander. Honestly, people should run more cards like this and Lightning BoltLightning Bolt, but that's a discussion for another day.

Another iconic spell is Goblin BombardmentGoblin Bombardment, which can, in fact, target creatures. I prefer removing the player if possible, but sometimes getting rid of a pesky planeswalker or commander is exactly what the table needs. Munitions ExpertMunitions Expert is one of the rare Goblins with flash that does a Thraben CharmThraben Charm impression. It isn’t quite as good, but it comes with a body, which is great. You can also combo Munitions Expert with Brash TaunterBrash Taunter to blast someone for a bunch of damage.

The last two removal spells aren't the best in class, but great on-theme pieces: Fodder LaunchFodder Launch and Warren WeirdingWarren Weirding. Notably, these are Goblin spells, so Frogtosser and Warchief reduce their costs. Fodder Launch gets around indestructible, and burns the opponent. But coming in at four mana and sorcery speed, I’d probably avoid it if you’re building a more tuned list. The same is true for Warren Weirding. There are better edicts at two mana, but you can target yourself, turning one Goblin token into two.

Board Wipes

You want to be picky with your board wipes as a creature-based deck. Wrath of GodWrath of God is great, but I prefer finding modular board wipes that deal with specific threats or ones that ignore my board. Plague WindPlague Wind is great, but we can get a similar outcome for much less mana. Crippling FearCrippling Fear might not destroy all creatures, but it stops our Goblins from dying. You can also use this after combat to finish off any damaged creatures, or use Goblin Bombardment to get some chip damage on big threats.

Austere CommandAustere Command is perfect, since most Goblins are three mana or less. In my list, only ten creatures get destroyed by the last option. Then you can just remove whatever enchantment or artifact is causing you issues. If you have some Goblin lords out, Dusk // DawnDusk // Dawn might catch your board in the crossfire. So, before you cast this, you might want to sacrifice the Goblin lords so you can keep the rest of your board.

Finally, if you have the budget, Kindred DominanceKindred Dominance is great, unless you’re up against another Goblin deck or a bunch of changelings. But generally, this will be a one-sided board wipe.

Card Draw for Mardu Goblins

One of the reasons I love Zurgo as a Goblin commander is his ability. It provides card draw and a win condition, all for three mana. But I still want more card draw in case Zurgo gets removed or I can’t attack for some reason.

If you pick up Zurgo’s precon, SkullclampSkullclamp and Tocasia's WelcomeTocasia's Welcome are both included and are great for any token deck. While I know some players have mixed feelings about Phyrexian ArenaPhyrexian Arena, it has impressed me a lot over the years. Maybe I’m just coping, but it's become a staple in my black decks. And Vanquisher's BannerVanquisher's Banner, which is expensive mana-wise, is great as a buff and card draw engine.

If you want to spend a little more, Black Market ConnectionsBlack Market Connections is around $15 at the time of writing.

Recursion

Another way to get card advantage is by using recursion spells. I like to think of the graveyard as a second deck that I can draw from. And Boggart Birth RiteBoggart Birth Rite is a one-mana cantrip that returns a card from the graveyard to your hand. It's essentially a one-mana tax on whatever your best Goblin is. Oversold CemeteryOversold Cemetery is a cheap and repeatable way to get Goblins back, especially after a board wipe. But if you want to get all of your Goblins back, Patriarch's BiddingPatriarch's Bidding and Living DeathLiving Death are great ways to rebuild your army. Both effects are symmetrical, so you might want to exile a problematic graveyard with Boggart TrawlerBoggart Trawler first.

And for a few more dollars, Wort, Boggart AuntieWort, Boggart Auntie is an unconditional Oversold Cemetery, just for Goblin spells. Again, this means any Goblin spell, not just creatures.

Mardu Goblin Support Cards

Next, let’s talk about the support pieces. In this case, I’m referring to any Goblin lord or utility Goblin. So lords like Hobgoblin Bandit LordHobgoblin Bandit Lord, Rundvelt HordemasterRundvelt Hordemaster, and Goblin KingGoblin King. I consider Bandit Lord and Rundvelt as both support pieces and payoffs since they buff the Goblins, but also get a benefit from them. Be aware that Rundvelt’s ability isn’t a may, so if you lose a giant board of Goblins, you might deck yourself.

As for utility Goblins, my go-to picks are Treasure NabberTreasure Nabber, Warren SoultraderWarren Soultrader, and Skirk ProspectorSkirk Prospector. Warren Soultrader is a bit expensive, but does a great Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar impression for much cheaper. But generally, Skirk ProspectorSkirk Prospector will get the job done.

Payoffs

The payoffs are cards that want us to have a bunch of Goblins in play already, or are combo pieces. Most notably, Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss, Pashalik MonsPashalik Mons, and Sling-Gang LieutenantSling-Gang Lieutenant. Krenko can help grow your army, but ideally, you already have a bunch of Goblins in play when he hits the table. Pashalik Mons and Sling-Gang want Goblins in play, ready to sacrifice.

Combo

If you’re interested in adding a combo to the deck, Conspicuous SnoopConspicuous Snoop and Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker should be your first upgrades. Snoop enables several combos to win the game, most featuring Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker.

Tutors

Tutoring for these combos is easier than you might think. Goblin RecruiterGoblin Recruiter can set the top of your library with the exact Goblins you need to win with Snoop. And Boggart HarbingerBoggart Harbinger can find the exact Goblin you’re missing. Goblin MatronGoblin Matron can find the exact Goblin card you need for any situation. While MoggcatcherMoggcatcher isn’t a Goblin, it does let you tutor any Goblin from your deck directly into play.

Non-Budget Upgrades for Mardu Goblins

The first two non-budget upgrades I’d suggest are utility lands: Arena of GloryArena of Glory and Cavern of SoulsCavern of Souls. Arena of Glory might seem unassuming at first, but there's a reason this land is expensive. The haste it provides can be invaluable. While Cavern of Souls can almost guarantee that your Goblins will resolve, you can also name warriors, since Zurgo and other key Goblins, such as Krenko, are Warriors.

Finally, Goblin SharpshooterGoblin Sharpshooter, Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge, and Warleader's CallWarleader's Call. All three are incredible win conditions that easily take the deck up a notch in power. Sharpshooter is great against sacrifice decks, since it'll trigger from your opponents’ creatures dying. Purphoros and Warleader's Call are better versions of Impact TremorsImpact Tremors.

Budget Zurgo Stormrender Mardu Goblins Deck List

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the list. Do you think I missed any key cards? I’ll see you in the next one!