15 Best Goblin Cards for Commander
Krenko, Mob Boss by Karl Kopinski
Goblins Are Fun, Fast, and Expendable in the World of Magic: The Gathering Commander
If you've spent any amount of time playing Magic, you certainly have discovered those lovable little beasts that populate red decks: Goblins. These funny little fellas are an original Magic creature type that debuted all the way back in 1993 with the game's first set, Alpha, and this kindred favorite has continued to be popular across all formats throughout Magic's history.
But what are some of the best Goblin cards to use in Commander? Red's nominal mascot creature type in Magic does a lot of things well, and the synergies can spiral out of control quickly in a Commander pod under the right circumstances. So, read on to explore the 15 best Goblin cards for Commander!
Honorable Mentions
When it comes to playing with Gobbos, the name of the game is producing as many of these grubby little critters as possible, so many of the cards featured herein are focused on token production, mana acceleration, or employing those disposable beaters as sacrifice fodder for major gains.
Kicking off our honorable mentions is a card with "Goblin" right there in the name, but a card that is not technically a Goblin kindred card. While sacrificing Goblin creatures for boons is a major theme of Gobby Commander decks, this card isn't quite what we're going for with these lists. Still, notching an infinite combo with this, Putrid Goblin
A rather rare Goblin kindred card that has seen scarce reprints since it debuted in 1997's Visions expansion, only being included in compilation sets such as Sixth Edition and Anthologies as well as the recent Mystery Booster 2. Being able to stack your deck with any number of Gobbies is surely a major payoff for this creature hitting the battlefield, but any forced shuffle or milling thwarts your plans; unless, of course, you can draw all those cards with...
This card might be better suited to an article titled "The Best Pauper Goblin Commanders," as this card that debuted as a rare in 2015's Battle for Zendikar but was downgraded to uncommon starting in Masters 25 certainly fits that bill. Of course, if you can pair this card with any number of red mana-ramping spells (a la Seething Song
This legendary Gruul Goblin was originally printed all the way back in 2008's Shadowmoor expansion, and it serves as another exceptional pairing with a Goblin commander that's focused on spell manipulation. Combining this six-mana Gobbo with, say, Zada
The 15 Best Goblin Cards for Commander
Hailing from a classic kindred set, 2002's Onslaught, Goblin Piledriver
In a Commander game, the Piledriver
This Goblin lord from Magic's Core Set 2019 boasts an impressive median market value of over $7, which is quite high for a normal rare from a Core Set. Perhaps it's because this card slots so perfectly into any Goblin Commander deck that wants to hose artifact strategies, which, frankly, should be most.
Being able to sac one of your own Gobby tokens in order to destroy an opponent's powerhouse artifact combo piece or game-warping colorless permanent is quite an impactful trade-off, so if you keep losing to Chimil, the Inner Sun
While the rest of the cards on this list are mono-red (spoiler alert), due to that being the main color that Goblins have always been associated with, this list surely wouldn't be complete without this universal Metallic Mimic
As a top-tier Commander combo-enabler for Gobbies, Grumgully
Debuting as part of the Modern Horizons 3 Commander bonus sheet is this riff on the original Siege-Gang Gobby, Siege-Gang Commander
As if getting two free 1/1 Goblins as long as your commander is in play wasn't enough, this card also boasts a similar activated ability to his Commander: pay two colorless mana and sac a Gob in order to deal one damage to any target. Combine this with any number of other cards on this list, and you could quite easily whittle a foe down to zero life after a few attacks or some token-generating shenanigans.
Mana sinks are always an interesting fallback option. Sometimes, the best-laid plans go awry, your hand is empty, and you want to have something on the board that can accrue value for you by simply turning your lands sideways. Enter this Adventures in the Forgotten Realms uncommon.
While this card's "pack tactics" ability is certainly nifty (gifting you a free 1/1 Gob if your attacking creatures' powers are equal to six or more), it's this card's one red and one colorless activated ability that truly shines: being able to give haste and a healthy boost to all of your Goblins' powers can sometimes end a game (for one player, at least) on the spot.
10. Guttersnipe
Adding a "spells matter" theme to your Goblin deck can pay huge dividends depending on who your commander is, and this unassuming little "outcast boy or girl in the streets of a city" (which is the definition of the word guttersnipe) is one of the main reasons why.
One of the best phrases in all of Magicdom for Commander players is "each opponent," and this card, which debuted in 2012's Return to Ravnica, shocks all of your foes for two damage every time you cast an instant or sorcery, which should be a lot if you build your deck correctly.
Tutors are an eminently useful card type. When they're tacked onto a creature, they can become even more effective due to recursion, bounce, and flicker effects. While Goblin Recruiter
The first main series printing of Goblin Matron
The first Goblin lord, Goblin King
One thing that makes Goblins exponentially more powerful is haste, so giving that boon plus a power and toughness boost makes this lord a top-flight option in Commander pods for any Goblin player. When combined with various other cards on this list, hasty Goblins become downright silly, so there's no question that this iconic Goblin lord earns its spot in the top 10.
A more recent Goblin lord, this small yet mighty Goblin hails from 2022's Dominaria United, which unveiled a kindred lord in each color for a variety of iconic creature types, including Merfolk
Being able to cast the top card of your library - as long as it's a Goblin - is eminently useful for Goblin decks that often care about getting as many bodies onto the battlefield as possible with ruthless expediency. Paying you off for sacrificing your own Gobbos is the fiery cherry on top.
If there's one thing that Commander players love, it's mana rocks. Whether you're just starting out in the format or have been playing since the early days, investing (both financially and gameplay-wise) in artifacts that tap for mana - thus accelerating your mana production - are pretty much de rigeur for Commander pods.
So what happens when WotC prints a card that steals those mana-ramping artifacts from all of your foes until the end of your next turn? Treasure Nabber
Goblin lords have come a long way over the years, with myriad new ones seemingly being released every few years. However, the best one of all time might just be this uncommon Gobbo lord that debuted all the way back in 2003's Scourge set (which was the final Magic set to feature the iconic "vintage" card frame).
Combining that beloved haste keyword with a critical cost reduction of Goblin spells you play by one colorless mana, Goblin Warchief
4. Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
While this spot would once have been reserved for the card that this one was based on (the legendary Gobbo Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
This card was so eminently strong when it was legal in Standard that it had to be banned, as there was simply no downside for any midrange deck that featured the color red to include it. In Commander, it's not quite the meta-warping powerhouse it was in Standard, but the sheer value it produces is simply too high to ignore for any self-respecting Goblin enthusiast.
As we've learned, the aim of Goblin decks is to create a critical mass of Gobbos on your side of the field and then attack for lethal after dabbling in combat tricks, combos, or any other shenanigans that cash in all those little beasties into an unstoppable value train that overwhelms your opponent.
One major engine for these strategies is this unassuming common Goblin creature that debuted in Magic's 2002 kindred bonanza Onslaught. Being able to sacrifice Goblins for red mana might not seem overpowered, but due to the way Goblin strategies tend to snowball, providing a slightly more destructive red version of Llanowar Elves
While Goblins are normally associated with low mana values and speed, Muxus, Goblin Grandee
On MTG Arena, casting this card in Brawl is normally enough to lead to a scoop from your foe's side of the table, and in Commander this card somehow always seems to find the top card on this list or various Goblin lords that boost your Goblin army's power and toughness en masse. Muxus
Most games end with a boss fight, and a round of Commander played against a Goblin deck is no exception, as the best-ever Goblin card for Commander is the inimitable Krenko, Mob Boss
In Commander, resolving one of these bad boys (or having one put into play via more nefarious means, such as with Muxus
Moggcatchers Unite!
Goblins are a joy to play with and are often shockingly competitive under the right circumstances (looking at you budget Modern Goblin deck led by Goblin Bushwhacker
