Mardu Goblins Commander

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lazylantern
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Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby lazylantern » 03 Nov 2014, 19:01

I got my hands on both a singleton Goblin Rabblemaster and an Ankle Shanker and as I love Commander, I wanted to try my luck at a Mardu goblin deck.
I already know where to get a Goblin Trench, but now I'm kind of lost as I never even dared looking at goblins before.

I know that as a basic Tribal strategy, goblins have been traditionally good. I just don't know what can be good.

Let me mention also that my friends and I play "kitchen table" Commander. I am not really looking for a deck to stomp on every single thing ever, but I don't either want to run a trash pile with everything that says "goblin" on it and call it a tribal strat.

Do you have any suggestions?
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Keab42
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby Keab42 » 04 Nov 2014, 07:11

Krenko Mob Boss.

I played against somebody using him as a commander. They had a separate deck box for their goblin tokens and still ran out...
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AdmiralMemo
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby AdmiralMemo » 04 Nov 2014, 07:57

Strong cards if you're going the tokens route: Beetleback Chief, Dragon Fodder, Krenko's Command, Empty the Warrens, Goblin Assault, Goblin Offensive, Goblin Rally, Goblin Warrens, Goblinslide, Hordeling Outburst, Mogg Infestation, Mogg War Marshal, Siege-Gang Commander, Warbreak Trumpeter

For general Goblin synergy: Goblin Chieftain, Goblin General, Goblin King, Goblin Matron, Goblin Warchief, Goblin Wizard, Reckless One, Quest for the Goblin Lord, Warren Instigator, Adaptive Automaton, Brass Herald, Cavern of Souls, Coat of Arms, Door of Destinies, Mutavault, Obelisk of Urd, Proteus Machine, Goblin Burrows

If you can find Urza's Incubator, get it.

Goblin Caves might be hard to find, I don't know, and I don't know if it's efficient. Same with Riptide Replicator.

Depending on where your deck is going, Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician might be good. Same with Gempalm Incinerator.

Lorwyn/Shadowmoor block has some pretty good Goblin tribal stuff, like Boggart Shenanigans, Lightning Crafter, and Shared Animosity. It also gives you Changelings, which are Goblins: Blades of Velis Vel, Changeling Berserker, Fire-Belly Changeling, Taurean Mauler, War-Spike Changeling

Need some ramp in the mid-game or late-game? Brightstone Ritual. Need it early-game? Skirk Prospector. Need it all throughout the game? Mana Echoes. Need to kill something? Goblin Grenade or Roar of the Crowd.

Goblin Scouts seems like a good sideboard against red decks. Nosy Goblin is sideboard against Morph. Goblin Pyromancer only really works if it's your finishing move.

For non-Goblin synergy with Goblins, there's Chancellor of the Forge, Lowland Oaf, Patron of the Akki, and Voracious Dragon. Heck, you could throw a Runed Stalactite on one of them to make them Goblins, too.
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby jkefka » 04 Nov 2014, 09:56

Memo has basically covered my Krenko decklist, except I have a little more focus on setting my goblins on fire and flinging them at the enemy than actually attacking with them. His list is missing the mother of all goblin wincons (besides just turning sideways): Goblin War Strike. I don't think I've cast that spell for less than 30 damage.
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby lazylantern » 07 Nov 2014, 03:19

Right now, I'm looking at a red/black deck with a touch of white.
I feel like white will be a very support color. Cards like Cathar's crusade can make each Krenko's activation a serious threat. Heck, even just the Rabblemaster's token makes your army a threat to consider. Gleam of battle could also find a home in the deck, I just don't know if it is too slow or if it would make the cut. Some self bounce or flicker could even be considered thanks to cards like Goblin Recruiter and Goblin Ringleader's EtB effects.

Archetype of aggression seams like a good choice if Ankle Shanker hits the table. First Strike, Death Touch and Trample on everything? Yes please.

Ogre Battledriver is also a non-goblin card that I'm looking at. The Rabblemaster and Mardu Ascendency loves themselves a +2pow on EtB. Krenko pre-combat with him on the field could also be bad times for my oponent(s).
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jkefka
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby jkefka » 07 Nov 2014, 10:54

If you'r thinking about the token thing and you're in white, no reason not to toss in Intangible Virtue. 2/2 vigilance goblins you say? Their virtue may be intangible, but they certainly won't be.
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AdmiralMemo
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby AdmiralMemo » 07 Nov 2014, 12:54

Adding black and white means there are a few good Lorwyn/Shadowmoor goblins you could add: Auntie's Snitch, Boggart Birth Rite, Boggart Harbinger, Boggart Mob, Earwig Squad, Fodder Launch, Frogtosser Banneret, Knucklebone Witch, Mad Auntie, Rise of the Hobgoblins, Squeaking Pie Sneak, Warren Pilferers, Warren Weirding, Weirding Shaman, Wort, Boggart Auntie

More Changelings, in white and black this time: Avian Changeling, Cairn Wanderer, Changeling Hero, Changeling Sentinel, Crib Swap, Ghostly Changeling, Mirror Entity, Moonglove Changeling, Nameless Inversion, Shields of Velis Vel, Skeletal Changeling

Since you're making a lot of tokens, Intangible Virtue seems like an auto-include, as does Phantom General.

More Goblin synergy that's in red/black/white: Dralnu's Crusade, Mardu Ascendancy, Ponyback Brigade, Goblin Trenches

More good non-Goblins with Goblin synergy: Cabal Slaver, Marsh Flitter, Rakdos Guildmage. Stenchskipper, Kathari Bomber

Also, I don't know how I forgot to mention Clickslither or Squee, Goblin Nabob in my last post.

Adding some black, white, and/or red planeswalkers couldn't hurt.

Adding white lets you populate your Goblin tokens: Eyes in the Skies, Rootborn Defenses, Scion of Vitu-Ghazi, Trostani's Judgment, Wake the Reflections

Assemble the Legion seems like a good card to also add, even if it's not Goblins. Beckon Apparition: cheap and easy to cast, gives a flyer, and bonus if your opponent has something that works from the graveyard. They won't be Goblins, but Deploy to the Front and Nomads' Assembly will just double the number of creatures you have. Launch the Fleet will do something similar. Din of the Fireherd seems like a good way to kill off your opponent's land and maybe creatures, in the mid-game.

Side-board if your opponent has spells that target you (such as "Target player sacrifices X creatures," or something): Imperial Mask
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby lazylantern » 08 Nov 2014, 12:03

The goal from the get-go was to be a Mardu horde (White Black Red) deck centered around goblins. I liked both the power potential of a million goblins attacking with furst strike and deathtouch from the Ankle Shanker and the flavor of Zurgo sending waves after waves of minions to battle before descending from his throne (command zone) and joining the fight.

As far as Planeswalker go, I have an Elspeth Sun's champion. I heard all Elspeth were good but they are very expansive :(
Ajanis also look nice.
Are there other PWs that complemebt the strat?
In Brightest day, In blackest night
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AdmiralMemo
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Re: Mardu Goblins Commander

Postby AdmiralMemo » 08 Nov 2014, 12:40

If you can -3 Sorin Markov, then attack, that seems like a good strategy. Sarkhan the Mad can turn a dinky little Goblin into a 5/5 Flying Dragon. Koth of the Hammer should be comparatively cheap and his -2 can ramp your red pretty well. All the Elspeths pump out tokens and their ultimates are really good for token decks. If your tokens are coming from instants or sorceries, the -2 of Chandra, the Firebrand is relevant. Ajani Steadfast and Ajani Goldmane have abilities that put +1/+1 all your creatures at once, so if you're pumping out tons of tokens, that is relevant. Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath seems decent, if not terribly exciting.
Graham wrote:The point is: Nyeh nyeh nyeh. I'm an old man.
LRRcast wrote:Paul: That does not answer that question at all.
James: Who cares about that question? That's a good answer.

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