The Best Goblin Combos in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss|jmp|339" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://karlkopinski.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karl Kopinski</a></em></p>
<p>No creature type in <em>Magic</em> better epitomizes the phrase “just a little guy” than Goblins. But rest assured, where there’s just a little Goblin, a lot more are hiding nearby, waiting to make a splash on the game in the most humorous and painful way possible.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/kindred" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC stats</a>, Goblins are the 7th most popular creature type across all data-scraped deck building sites, with over 35,000 decks built. They've been part of <em>Magic</em> since the beginning, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mons&#039;s Goblin Raiders" href="#" target="_blank">Mons&#039;s Goblin Raiders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as part of the "<a href="https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Sligh#:~:text=The%20philosophy%20of%20the%20%22Sligh,utilize%20all%20of%20its%20mana." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sligh Principle</a>" red decks that revolutionized the way players look at deck lists, introducing the concept of a mana curve. Goblins have been featured in Duel Decks and Starter Decks, as an integral part of introducing new players to <em>Magic</em> and the color red.</p>
<p>It seems like Goblins are all over the multiverse, with each set adding to their ranks. Goblins love to go wide and go boom, and our build for this deck tech will do both!</p>
<h2>Notable Goblins for Commander Decks</h2>
<p>Like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-dragon-commander-deck-with-the-ur-dragon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last week</a>, our commander this week, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, does one thing and does it well. He adds to our board exponentially, challenging the limits of our creativity and our ability to represent an accurate board state. Each turn, our board gets wider and wider. There are creatureless builds, highlighting how quickly Krenko alone gets out of hand, as well as combo builds, as Krenko can easily go infinite and make a quality cEDH commander. As a typal commander, however, Krenko presents a repeated must-answer threat that can easily snowball out of control.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stadium Headliner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underfoot Underdogs"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shock Brigade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Devoted Duelist"></div></div></p>
<p>We want our creatures to hit the ground running, so there are a couple of ways to do that: make multiple bodies or enable the casting of multiple spells. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skirk Prospector" href="#" target="_blank">Skirk Prospector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns our excess bodies into mana, enabling massive turns and powering out our larger threats. One of the stranger aspects of newer Goblin builds, especially with a lightning rod for a commander, is that they're growing more and more hungry for mana. Cool Goblins keep getting printed, and there’s a tendency to cut lands for them, but it’s better to build in ramp without committing slots to dead cards.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Warchief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Howlsquad Heavy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skirk Prospector"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Chieftain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pashalik Mons"></div></div></p>
<p>One of the key elements of go-wide strategies is the presence of lords - creatures who provide boosts and/or keywords for those that fit certain criteria. There are lots of Goblin lords. Some provide haste, some provide a generic cost reduction, but only <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Trashmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Trashmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us blow up artifacts.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hobgoblin Bandit Lord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brightstone Ritual"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Trashmaster"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin King"></div></div></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conspicuous Snoop" href="#" target="_blank">Conspicuous Snoop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides some interesting nuance to Goblin decks. At the highest levels of play, topdeck manipulation can set up infinite win cons. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skirk Prospector" href="#" target="_blank">Skirk Prospector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a key Goblin with an activated ability, as is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Chirurgeon" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Chirurgeon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can protect key parts of our board.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko&#039;s Command"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conspicuous Snoop"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Chirurgeon"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Instigator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muxus, Goblin Grandee"></div></div></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mogg War Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Mogg War Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an unassuming piece of cardboard, but it’s secretly the perfect role player for a deck like this. It brings a buddy along with it, and, if the echo isn’t paid, it brings another. Two 1/1s for two mana is a solid rate, and the more lords we have, the better the rate gets, especially when our commander can turn those two bodies into four!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warren Instigator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Legion Warboss"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Battle Cry Goblin"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Beetleback Chief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mogg War Marshal"></div></div></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Lackey" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Lackey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been a key card in Goblin decks across formats, from Legacy to EDH to cEDH, and everything in between. If little red guys are being played, there are few better turn-one plays.</p>
<p>You may notice that this deck eschews <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. How can we get away with that? Well, as good as a turn-two Krenko is, a turn-one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Lackey" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Lackey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is even better. True, the returns diminish as boards develop, but the Lackey is also a solid play after a board wipe, which could otherwise be backbreaking for a deck like this.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Lackey"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Piledriver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goro-Goro, Disciple of Ryusei"></div></div>
<h2>Complementary Cards for Goblin Decks</h2>
<p>With Goblins, speed is the name of the game. We want to take opponents out before they get a chance to get fully set up, before we even have to resort to the combat step, if need be. After all, why risk bodies in combat when we can threaten to overwhelm opponents with numbers? Well, because of board wipes. So, how do we win during this phase, before the wipe hits? Keep direct damage coming with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, and going with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shocking Sharpshooter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Bombardment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impact Tremors"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin War Strike"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witty Roastmaster"></div></div></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin War Strike" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin War Strike</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a hard-hitting card. Its damage scales with the number of Goblins we control, so it’s best used pre-combat, after activating Krenko, before attacking. That way, our army of Goblins will be at its largest when it hits. It also enables us to alpha strike with reckless abandon (the best kind) on the turn we intend to win.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Purphoros, God of the Forge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Siege-Gang Commander"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Siege-Gang Lieutenant"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin War Strike"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="General Kreat, the Boltbringer"></div></div></p>
<h2>Goblin Draw Spells and Card Advantage</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Recruiter" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Recruiter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a key part of the higher-level Goblin decks. Since it puts any Goblins we want on top of our library, we can set up <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conspicuous Snoop" href="#" target="_blank">Conspicuous Snoop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for any number of combinations. We can also combine it with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to draw into whatever cards we put there. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be an issue if we have lords out with no ways to sacrifice creatures, as we can find ourselves in the strange position of needing help to get our creatures killed.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skullclamp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rundvelt Hordemaster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Recruiter"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Ringleader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moria Marauder"></div></div></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Outpost Siege" href="#" target="_blank">Outpost Siege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a draw engine that doubles as a source of repeatable direct damage…or it would, if we didn’t have to pick a side. Luckily, we can take the perspective that it will either find what we want or be what we want. Thankfully, both options are relevant in a deck like this.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark-Dweller Oracle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Matron"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moggcatcher"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rummaging Goblin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Outpost Siege"></div></div></p>
<h2>Removal Spells for Goblin Decks</h2>
<p>Being in mono-red, our removal options are somewhat limited. Our best options are also Goblins, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Sharpshooter" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Sharpshooter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Cratermaker" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Cratermaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The Sharpshooter can mow down opposing creatures, including untapping off of creatures that would be dying anyways, to get in extra pings. The Cratermaker is primarily there to ping small creatures or blow up artifacts, but we can live the dream occasionally, blowing up an Eldrazi with a little explosives expert. He might die, but what a way to go!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Sharpshooter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Cratermaker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tibalt&#039;s Trickery"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abrade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Untimely Malfunction"></div></div></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gempalm Incinerator" href="#" target="_blank">Gempalm Incinerator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might just be the most exciting singular card in the deck. Not only does it cycle to draw a card, but it smacks a creature hard when it does. As an activated ability, it isn’t being cast, so it's difficult to counter. It doesn’t even stop at the Goblins we control, however, as it smacks for an amount equal to the total number of Goblins on the field. If we can hit an opponent’s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stuffy Doll" href="#" target="_blank">Stuffy Doll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can have a lot of fun!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reverberate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return the Favor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mogg Salvage"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flare of Duplication"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gempalm Incinerator"></div></div></p>
<h2>Krenko, Mob Boss Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Krenko, Mob Boss Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Krenko, Mob Boss
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Battle Cry Goblin
*1 Beetleback Chief
*1 Conspicuous Snoop
*1 Dark-Dweller Oracle
*1 Devoted Duelist
*1 Gempalm Incinerator
*1 General Kreat, the Boltbringer
*1 Goblin Chieftain
*1 Goblin Chirurgeon
*1 Goblin Cratermaker
*1 Goblin Instigator
*1 Goblin King
*1 Goblin Lackey
*1 Goblin Matron
*1 Goblin Piledriver
*1 Goblin Recruiter
*1 Goblin Ringleader
*1 Goblin Sharpshooter
*1 Goblin Trashmaster
*1 Goblin Warchief
*1 Goro-Goro, Disciple of Ryusei
*1 Hobgoblin Bandit Lord
*1 Howlsquad Heavy
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
*1 Legion Warboss
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Moggcatcher
*1 Moria Marauder
*1 Muxus, Goblin Grandee
*1 Pashalik Mons
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
*1 Rummaging Goblin
*1 Rundvelt Hordemaster
*1 Searslicer Goblin
*1 Shock Brigade
*1 Shocking Sharpshooter
*1 Siege-Gang Commander
*1 Siege-Gang Lieutenant
*1 Skirk Prospector
*1 Squee, Dubious Monarch
*1 Stadium Headliner
*1 Underfoot Underdogs
*1 Warren Instigator
*1 Witty Roastmaster
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Abrade
*1 Brightstone Ritual
*1 Flare of Duplication
*1 Mogg Salvage
*1 Return the Favor
*1 Reverberate
*1 Tibalt&#039;s Trickery
*1 Untimely Malfunction
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Goblin War Strike
*1 Krenko&#039;s Command
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Outpost Siege
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Skullclamp
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*40 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>Goblins are single-minded, and their decks are similar. They swarm the field, attack, and burn opponents coming and going. Sometimes, their speed literally blows up in their face, but one thing’s for sure: their lives may be short, but they’re not boring!</p>


Building a Goblin Commander Deck with Krenko, Mob Boss

Under the Radar - Pashalik Mons

Singleton Shmingleton - Mono-Red Goblins with Goblin Tunneler

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artpad.org/">Jaime Jones</a></h6>
<h1>It's Token Time!</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome back to <em>Singleton Shmingleton</em>, where I bend the singleton rules of Commander by building decks with as many functional reprints of a certain card as possible. This week, I'm tackling <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a card that has found a home as a support card in many strategies, from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin decks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zada, Hedron Grinder" href="#" target="_blank">other Goblin decks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wort, the Raidmother" href="#" target="_blank">even more Goblin decks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Two mana for two bodies with a relevant creature type is perfect for filling curves and adding consistency, especially in decks that care about having a critical mass of tokens, but it's never an exciting rate. No one has ever jumped for joy to see <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in their opening hand... until now. Two bodies for two mana had better pull some serious weight, because I'm about to build a deck that plays 11 functional copies of the card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragon Fodder"></div></div>
<p>Here's a list of cards that create two creatures for two mana. Only a few of them create Goblins however, so if we want to play as many of these cards as possible we can't be too picky about type.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Dragon Fodders" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Sorceries]
*1 Clowning Around
*1 Dragon Fodder
*1 Forbidden Friendship
*1 Gather the Townsfolk
*1 Join the Dance
*1 Krenko&#039;s Command
*1 Ral&#039;s Reinforcements
*1 Rally at the Hornburg
*1 Saproling Migration
*1 Servo Exhibition
*1 Shadow Summoning
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Raise the Alarm
*1 Verdant Command
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Goblin Instigator
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Resolute Reinforcements
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Fists of Ironwood
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>


<p>Most of these cards center around red and white, with the third most common color being green. This makes sense, as those are the three colors that care most about making tokens. While 17 functional versions of this card is impressive, especially since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">only</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko&#039;s Command" href="#" target="_blank">two</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of them are <em>exactly</em> the same, the most played of these effects is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the original, at 27,993 decks. Following close behind are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko&#039;s Command" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko&#039;s Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with 26,261 decks, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mogg War Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Mogg War Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with 22,326 decks. The Goblin creature type gives these cards a clear boost over any other version of this effect, and that makes sense: Goblin decks need to build an early army of disposable dorks, and they have enough synergy that the two tokens are worth the actual cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragon Fodder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mogg War Marshal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clowning Around"></div></div>
<p>The least played of these cards (besides <em><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=%28type%3Acreature+type%3Agoblin%29+%28game%3Apaper%29+set%3Altr">The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth</a> ones</em>, which just came out) is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clowning Around" href="#" target="_blank">Clowning Around</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at 1,028 decks. It's not a bad card at all. In fact, the rate of about 2.33 bodies for two mana puts it well above most of the other cards on this list. But the Un-set effect has kept it well below its counterparts. When I was making this list, I scrolled past it three times before remembering that it was actually legal in our format.</p>
<h2>1/1s Galore</h2>
<p>Okay, so now we have a way to consistently generate several 1/1s. I don't know how games usually go at your tables, but where I play that doesn't sound very impressive. To make our bad cards useful we need to turn them into an engine, and to make an engine we need to use them to generate mana and/or cards. Mana and cards are the two most important resources in the game, and in Commander the player who can generate the most of both usually wins.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm still fresh off of the <em>March of the Machine</em> play pattern of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral&#039;s Reinforcements" href="#" target="_blank">Ral&#039;s Reinforcements</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Preening Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Preening Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meeting of Minds" href="#" target="_blank">Meeting of Minds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but the first thing I want to do with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s is Convoke. By tapping the tokens for Convoke costs, we can use them as effectively mana sources, ramping out big spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="City on Fire" href="#" target="_blank">City on Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Transcendent Message" href="#" target="_blank">Transcendent Message</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Since our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes two bodies for two mana, if we cast them into a Convoke spell on the same turn, they can be mana-neutral and start to build mana the next turn.</p>
<p>This play pattern reminds me of the recent Pioneer Convoke deck that looks to dump its hand early and use its creatures to accelerate out either <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venerated Loxodon" href="#" target="_blank">Venerated Loxodon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight-Errant of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Knight-Errant of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venerated Loxodon" href="#" target="_blank">Venerated Loxodon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can often give enough of a boost to threaten lethal the next turn, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight-Errant of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Knight-Errant of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can dig deeper to keep the train rolling. In Commander, raw stats often can't close out a game on their own, but card advantage is even more important, so we want to find something to replace the draw engine of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight-Errant of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Knight-Errant of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ornithopter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Venerated Loxodon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knight-Errant of Eos"></div></div>
<p>Well, there certainly is one, and we can even play it in the command zone. Say hello to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla, the Broken Halo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I don't often build around commanders from preconstructed decks because they usually define their own strategy, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the perfect missing piece to make our engine run.</p>
<p>With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play, our Convoke cards will draw us a card, making them card-neutral. Since our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s are mana-neutral and our Convoke cards are card-neutral, we should be able to build a formidable board very quickly. Throw in other payoffs like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mentor of the Meek" href="#" target="_blank">Mentor of the Meek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opposition" href="#" target="_blank">Opposition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and we can hopefully get out of control before anyone finds a board wipe to nerf us.</p>
<h2>Play Patterns</h2>
<p>Our first goal is usually to resolve <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With a one drop on turn one and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on turn two, we can put her out on turn three, but usually we'll have to wait until the fourth turn. A more "glass cannon" build of this deck might include extra one-drop creatures to try to power out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as soon as possible, but I stuck with just a couple all stars.</p>
<p>Once we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play, we can chain together as many Convoke cards as possible until we run out of mana. Then an opponent casts a board wipe, we laugh, and we start over again. It's often best to keep a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in hand in order to recover faster, since our strategy is fragile. Such are the risks of playing a go-wide creature deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrath of God"></div></div>
<h2>Card Spotlights</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: The secret Convoke card! In our deck this finally lives up to its dreams of being almost <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I've been looking for a home for it for years, and I finally found one. There's never been a better time for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Disco</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="To Arms!" href="#" target="_blank">To Arms!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: This card is swingy; sometimes it effectively generates five mana and draws a card, and sometimes it cycles away for no value. I want to keep trying it out. Also, I didn't know that there was a card with punctuation in the name as early as <em>Guildpact </em>(!)<em>.</em></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burn at the Stake" href="#" target="_blank">Burn at the Stake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Oh my goodness, pulling this off feels crazy every single time. It is so easy to kill someone with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burn at the Stake" href="#" target="_blank">Burn at the Stake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that it's often best to wait until the last moment possible, just so you know who to kill. There's a sense of security that comes from playing with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Door to Nothingness" href="#" target="_blank">Door to Nothingness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> up your sleeve.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shared Discovery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="To Arms!"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Burn at the Stake"></div></div>
<h2>The Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Dragon Fodder" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kasla, the Broken Halo
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Bennie Bracks, Zoologist
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Flockchaser Phantom
*1 Goblin Instigator
*1 Halo Hopper
*1 Interdisciplinary Mascot
*1 Junk Winder
*1 Knight-Errant of Eos
*1 Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury
*1 Martyr&#039;s Soul
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Prince Imrahil the Fair
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
*1 Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart
*1 Resolute Reinforcements
*1 Saint Traft and Rem Karolus
*1 Stonybrook Schoolmaster
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Thraben Inspector
*1 Venerated Loxodon
*1 Welcoming Vampire
*1 Wildfire Awakener
*1 Young Pyromancer
[/Creatures]
[Battles]
*1 Invasion of Segovia
[/Battles]
[Artifacts]
*1 Moonsnare Prototype
*1 Obelisk of Urd
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Artistic Refusal
*1 Call the Coppercoats
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Meeting of Minds
*1 Raise the Alarm
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 To Arms!
*1 Transcendent Message
*1 Wear // Tear
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Burn at the Stake
*1 Clowning Around
*1 Dragon Fodder
*1 Forbidden Friendship
*1 Forth Eorlingas!
*1 Gather the Townsfolk
*1 Hard Evidence
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Krenko&#039;s Command
*1 Ral&#039;s Reinforcements
*1 Rally at the Hornburg
*1 Servo Exhibition
*1 Shared Discovery
*1 Triplicate Spirits
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 City on Fire
*1 Conclave Tribunal
*1 Intruder Alarm
*1 Jeskai Ascendancy
*1 Opposition
*1 Skrelv&#039;s Hive
*1 Tocasia&#039;s Welcome
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*7 Island
*5 Mountain
*1 Mystic Monastery
*4 Plains
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Training Center
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p>This deck is fast and explosive, and the variation in the payoff cards makes it feel fresh for a long time. On the other side of the coin, this deck is fragile and not very interactive. It doesn't just fold to a board wipe, but it's definitely hoping to dodge them, and if another player starts doing something broken the only thing we can do is try to go faster than them. One of this deck's biggest strengths is the stack of tokens you get to carry around with it: Two Servos, three Clowns, one Dinosaur, two blue and red Elementals, and <em>a lot</em> of Goblins, and that's not even getting into the 1/1 Krakens with trample.</p>
<p>In terms of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s themselves, they pull their weight. They double as ramp and pressure, and it very rarely feels like we've drawn too many of them. It's a good feeling when your opponents are playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s while you're casting your six-drop commander on turn three on top of an already-wide board. Since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a precon commander, I also want to note that this deck doesn't play like a preconstructed deck at all. The engine adds a fun Storm feel to the game, and the plan feels much more focused.</p>
<h2>Until Next Time</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braingeyser"></div></div>
<p>Who doesn't love drawing cards? Since the very beginning of <em>Magic</em>, these X-spell draw effects have tickled the imagination of those who want <em>all</em> the cards. With over a dozen of these cards now in print, the only question remaining is "how big is X?" Join me to find out next time on <em>Singleton Shmingleton</em>!</p>
<p>Would you like to read about another Convoke strategy? Check out our recent article, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-tap-down-flashback/">Brew For Your Buck - Tap Down, Flashback</a>.</p>


goblins

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Building a Goblin Commander Deck with Krenko, Mob Boss

Under the Radar - Pashalik Mons

Singleton Shmingleton - Mono-Red Goblins with Goblin Tunneler

Singleton Shmingleton - Dragon Fodder

Archetune-Up - Korvold, King of the Gobbos

Conditions Allow - Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked