Rw Goblins - A different Crusade
by armyhead on july 17 2001

Preface: Yes I know there is a goblin deck posted here already but I goofed that one up and feel obliged to take another shot at making the deck. Click here to read the other clinic. I will give you the original deck list to look over first.

Goblin Crusade v1.0
4 Urborg Volcano
4 Sulfurous Springs
8 Swamp
8 Mountain
4 Goblin King
4 Lord of the Undead
4 Goblin Ringleader
4 Goblin Chariot
4 Goblin Raider
4 Raging Goblin
4 Dralnu's Crusade
4 Terminate
4 Void

Sideboard:
3 Tsabo's Decree
3 Blood Oath
2 Haunted Crossroads
3 Backlash

and here's the old Version I made in my original clinic:

Night of the Living Goblins version 2.0
4 Raging Goblin
4 Goblin Digging Team
4 Goblin Raider
4 Arms Dealer
4 Goblin King
4 Lord of the Undead
4 Dralnu's Crusade
4 Urza's Rage
4 Terminate
12 Mountain
4 Swamp
4 Darigaaz's Caldera
4 Sulpherous Springs

Sideboard:
4 Slingshot Goblin
4 Tsabo's Decree
4 Obliterate
3 Hull Breach

But thats not the deck we want!

Ok since we know Dralnu's Crusade is not the combo we want it to be, Black as the secondary color becomes suspect. And as Yang Liu points out Goblin Trenches becomes more attractive. Turning our attention to White, other cards come to mind. Orim's Thunder is a great sideboard card maybe even maindeck worthy. Wrath of God is the best creature removal in the game and Goblin Legionaire seems darn tootin' as well.

Goblin War Games. v3.0
4 Goblin Legionnaire
4 Goblin Digging Team
4 Goblin Raider
4 Goblin King
4 Arms Dealer
4 Goblin Trenches
4 Wrath of God
4 Orim's Thunder
3 Scorching Lava
4 Battlefield Forge
13 Mountain
8 Plains

Sideboard:
4 Slingshot Goblin
4 Boil
4 Disenchant
3 Obliterate

Card by Card Analysis:
Goblin Legionnaire -- As someone pointed out on Neutralground.net this guy is like Mogg Fanatic but bigger and meaner. He's like two Mogg Fanatics in one card. Shock is always good and having the potential to save a creature during combat is also not a bad thing. He's a keeper.

Goblin Digging Team -- The Wall buster. If you wonder why he makes the cut check out how many decks seem to sport Walls in the form of Glacial Wall and Jungle Barrier. Granted those decks are blue but thats what is out there.

Goblin Raider -- As I said in Goblin Crusade Who blocks? Bears good.

Goblin King -- Ok this guy ain't that amazing but it wouldnt be a true goblin deck with out the king.

Arms Dealer -- Makes goblins fly... at creatures that is. Take advantage of the 6th edition rules about timing in combat and kill a 6/6 with a 2/2 goblin.

Goblin Trenches -- Oooh Goblins on Demand? For Land? thats Grand! Don't mind the doggerel. Seriously, I like this card as an answer to land destruction though of course Sacred Ground is better in most other cases. In actuality the advantage of getting a bunch of token creatures and then pumping them has been seen repeatedly as a win condition in recent play. (example: Deranged Hermit, Squirell Wrangler, and Sapproling Burst.) Sacrifice three lands make six goblins at the end your opponent's turn and on your turn play a goblin king and attack for 12+? Seems pretty ok.

Wrath of God -- Anyone who plays White in a any non-splash deck and who doesnt run at least a few of these is nuts. Wrath of God is the clean sweeper. And its never not in your favor. Why not Desolation Giant? 6 mana is too late to wait for a Wrath of God. Desolation Giant is ok if you live long enough to play it but a 3/3 and Wrath of God effect for 6 makes me want to play with Mageta the Lion. I happen to like Wrath more than Mageta.

Orim's Thunder -- With the number of enchantments and artifacts in the current environment maindecking disenchant effects is important if your colors support it. This one zaps a critter too occasionally.

Scorching Lava -- Yes. This is anti Nether Spirit Tech however it also deals with regenerators like Spectral Lynx and Spiritmonger if you kick it. Also kills pesky birds and other mana acceratiing critters.

Lands: 25 seems about right. Originally I had it at 28 but that seemed like too much so I toned it down. You will need the extra land for Goblin Trenches but if you dont draw one you will suffer from mana flood a lot.

The Sideboard:

Slingshot Goblins -- Against Control blue these arent necessary but there are any number of merfolk opposition decks out there. Skies doesn't like these at all either. If the theme of the deck wasn't goblins these still might be here.

Boil -- Play Red and Hate Blue. One sided land destruction at instant speed. How much more disruptive can you get?

Disenchant -- Incase the 4 main deck Thunders arent cutting it, Disenchant to the rescue. Wild Research is a likely candidate for these.

Obliterate -- Again Play Red and Hate Blue. Your deck should naturally recover faster even without depletion lands.

Cards not included:
Goblin Chariot, Goblin Gardener, Goblin Glider, Goblin Ringleader, Goblin Spelunkers, Kyren Glider, Kyren Legate, Kyren Sniper: These Goblins are all overcosted and should never be played in any deck.

Goblin Elite Infantry, Goblin Matron, Goblin Spy, Mogg Jailer, Mogg Toady, Okk, Shrieking Mogg: These are disgraces to the meaning of the word Goblin. All goblinkind spits on them {ptew!!}.

RazorFin Hunter: wrong color. Splashing blue doesnt seem worthwhile.

Mogg Sentry: These guys came in a close second choice after Goblin Digging Team and Goblin Raider. If you dislike either of those cards try this one instead.

Squee, Goblin Nabob: indeed an interesting card for a Goblin but not big enough for his cost in this deck. There isn't enough hand to graveyard recursion to make him good.

Urza's Rage: This just didnt make the cut though feel free to replace the Scorching Lavas if you dont expect many Nether Go or Nether OB decks.

Conclusions:
Hopefully this time I've gotten it right and Goblin Fans can cheer. Of course this deck is still not a serious contender but it has potential I think. The use of White instead of Black lends it strengths that arent apparent at first glance. Once again I'd like to thank Yang Liu for pointing out my Dralnu's Crusade error and thus affording me the opportunity to correct it. Sure the Black Red Goblin deck was still playable but not nearly as much fun as this one seems to be. Good luck and have fun!

Magickly,
Paul Emerson Leicht
armyhead on irc
member of Team Hacked
Director of E-league's Deck Clinic