Goblins in Vintage

RThomas · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 384

Historically, or as far back in history as 3 years ago when I happened across Magic's path for the second time, I can recall playing Goblins. It was my first real deck, and I've always enjoyed playing it. From the first versions that contained Goblin Charbelcher, Goblin Lookout, and Airdrop Condor, to the first build I played in a Vintage tournament with Food Chain, to the deck I present today, my fervor and love for the little red men has never changed.

I've always felt that Goblins has been an underdeserving deck as far as the Vintage format goes. Although it lacks the power and explosiveness that other decks may, it makes up for it in consistancy and resiliency. While it may be the most optimal aggro deck, even with Vintage experts dubbing it, "an underestimated deck," what they really mean is, "it's good, but I'd rather play with Workshops, Drains, or Rituals." It lacks the ability to protect itself adequately, and is not nearly as fast as other decks may be.

To make up for this lack in power, it must pack a better disruption package. Wasteland/Strip Mine has historically been an inclusion, and it certainly warrants inclusion today, but what other options are available to the Goblins player?

-Null Rod
-Artifact Mutation
-Red Elemental Blast
-Swords to Plowshares
-Naturalize/Disenchant
-Root Maze
-Emerald Charm
-Ray of Revelaion

All of these, as underwhelming as they may be, are sorely needed to suppliment the deck to success. The strongest of these may very well be Null Rod, which has been dubbed by Steve Menendian as a "powerhouse archetype foundation card". I'm not confident that the deck should be built around this card, much like early Fish builds were, but as a compliment to your quick creature rush.

Also, Artifact Mutation should warrant conclusion in any list playing green. AM is nearly always game-breaking, coming as a death knell against Stax and turning an enemy Colossus into a real clock on your side. This has historically been a sideboard card for me, but I think the role has become increasingly important. Not to mention that Corey Mann made top 8 at Waterbury with it in the maindeck.

With no further adeiu, I present the list I strongly believe to be the best Goblins list I've played to date:

// Land
3 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Bloodstained Mire
2 Plateau
5 Mountain
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Taiga

// Creatures
4 Goblin Piledriver
4 Goblin Lackey
4 Goblin Ringleader
4 Goblin Warchief
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
3 Gempalm Incinerator
4 Goblin Matron
2 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Tin Street Hooligan
3 Mogg Fanatic

// Spells
4 Null Rod
3 Artifact Mutation
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Black Lotus

Sideboard
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Ray of Revelation
4 Pyrostatic Pillar
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Pyroblast

I've always felt the need to play the most artifact mana possible, but not in this case. Corey did not have Emerald in his list, so this is a stretch from that. I have eschewed Mana Crypt, Sol Ring and Lotus Petal simply because they don't do enough, and they die to Null Rod, obviously.

The deck has many ways to remove a quick Welder, can put a hurt on Drain control with Lackeys and Null Rods, and has the trump card in AM in the Stax matchup. The only place the deck is lacking is the combo matchup, which is why the fourth Null Rod is included. It's simply not acceptable to walk into the combo matchup and expect to lose 95% of the time.

I've dedicated most of the sideboard to dealing with Oath. While the matchup is not unwinnable without the white cards, it certainly is unfavorable, and Ray of Revelation is the best weapon yet. While Swords to Plowshares isn't the greatest foil to Oathed up fatties, the presence of Plateau to cast it on your side should scare them enough into forcing them to play the control role to circumvent it, leaving you free to attack quickly with your goblin hordes.

Overall, Goblins is unquestionably a force to be reckoned with in the current metagame. Recently, a friend who had never played the deck or Vintage at all took this same build to a Vintage tournament and went 3-3 with it. He found the deck both easy to play, and inherantly powerful with the presence of Null Rod and Artifact Mutation. With a competant pilot, I feel that this may be one of the best decks in the metagame (except those that the best players feel are better than Goblins and play Workshops, Drains, and Rituals)

I may have no idea what I'm talking about. Prove me correct or incorrect in this regard.

NahHolmes · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 588

Goblins is just a cute deck in type 1. It will beat the weaker control and aggro/control decks and fold to everything else. It's not the kind of deck you can expect to Top 8 with at Waterbury or anything like that but I could see it fluking once a year maybe or winning an M-L mini from time to time.

RThomas · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 384

Lackeos · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 236

Isn't Tin Street Hooligan... good? like 2-mana Avalanche Riders with no echo good?

I mean like... you can go "blow-up mox, 2/1, lol" or you can say "blow-up a critical artifact, 2/1, lol."

But I disagree with your last comment. A monkey went 3-3 with this deck, so a chimp would go 5-0-1... I dunno. My objective opinion of Goblins is that it's not a force. But it's powerful, and type 1 is a wtf anybody can win format, so Goblins will do all right, sometimes. Def run infinite REBs, though.

NahHolmes · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 588

RThomas · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 384

gumonshoe · Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Posts: 433

is there a pitcular reason that goblin rectuter isnt involved?

Anti-Christ · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 46

Do you guys even play type 1.....honestly.

I see some pretty ignorant statements. Goblins can be a good deck because it has excellent tool to deal with other decks.
Goblin Lackey is huge tempo if he hits on turn 2. Stax has a problem with goblins because of Lackey and so many permanents. Not to mention the artifact hate.
And the reason there is no Goblin Recruiter? That list obviously isn't Food Chain Goblins which has really been deemed lesser than straight Goblins with disurption in the current meta.
FCG combo is slower than any other combo in the format. And even the slightest bit of disruption can prevent it.
It has Null Rod for Slaver and Gifts, Artifact Mutation for Stax as well as Tin-Street Hooligan. Gempalm Incinerator and Mogg Fanatic against Dark Confidants and Goblin Welders.

The reason people don't play Goblins a lot is because why play with them when you can play with Rituals, Drains and Workshops. Goblins is a good deck but obviously lacking in brokeness but it still has the tools to compete on a very competitive level. As a matter of fact, FCG won a Starcitygames tournament and another version similiar to this one placed in top 8 in another.

As for the deck it looks good but I think 4 Null Rod is 1 too much. I'd sideboard 1. Also if possible I'd include 2 Swords maindeck because the majority of decks are playing large creatures or creatures to get rid of. Making game 1 against Oath actually winnable when you remove Akroma, and so many decks run Tinker/Colossus.

Buffalo_Wing · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 138

Goblins is definitely good. It has always been great against Stax and can put tier one decks on a clock that they are hard-pressed to deal with. However, I think that the shift of many players to Gifts has hurt the deck, as Gifts has an easier time racing. 4 Rods are just so so good. The Mutations are where I tend to disagree, just looking at the deck. Since Goblins tends to beat Stax anyway, these seem better off as additional Hooligans. Again though, this is just at first glance.

RThomas · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 384

jumpinwampa · Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 1

I don't play a lot of Vintage at all.

I went to a Vintage tournament once. Fifty or so people. I was sporting a Mono-Green deck. I went 4-4, having never played vintage before and having no working knowledge of the metagame.

I beat Stax, Oath, that stupid black combo deck, and 1 BWU control deck. Lost to two BWU control decks and a Goblins deck and a fish deck.

The reason I won those games I won was Root Maze. It really is like the best 1 mana investment you can make. I just did really dumb things like

T1: Emerald, Root Maze, Forest, Llanowar Elf
T2: Forest, Troll Ascetic, Rancor

I then utilized Skullclamp to draw into resilient green guys. I don't know how well vintage goblins can abuse Root Maze, but it gets my vote. It's particularly savage against Oath for some reason. He was just completely shut down by me.

NahHolmes · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 588

Aiken013 · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 1

Ctrl-Freak · Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 4

Goblins always has been, always will be a good aggro deck. It just has to be built right. Right now, I don't think much of A.Mutation, cuz Stax is on the decline. Your Stax matchup is unbelievably good anyway.

Since you're already going down the mana-denial route, why not play Blood Moon? It hoses almost every deck. If you dont want to play with a 3 mana enchantment, Rootmaze maybe just as good.