Goblin Chieftain MTG Card


Increase your board’s power and aggression by leveraging Goblin Chieftain’s stat-boosting abilities. Accelerate your plays and apply immediate pressure with the haste Goblin Chieftain grants. Enhance strategic depth by introducing instant-speed threats into your goblin deck.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Goblin
Abilities Haste
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Haste (This creature can attack and as soon as it comes under your control.) Other Goblin creatures you control get +1/+1 and have haste.

"We are goblinkind, heirs to the mountain empires of chieftains past. Rest is death to us, and arson is our call to war."


Cards like Goblin Chieftain

Goblin Chieftain is a powerful card that serves as a force multiplier in goblin-themed decks in Magic: The Gathering. It shares some similarities with other lords such as the renowned Goblin King. What makes Goblin Chieftain stand out is that it not only gives other goblins a +1/+1 boost but also haste. This allows for an immediate impact on the game, compared to Goblin King which offers mountainwalk to your goblins, useful in specific situations.

Looking at Mad Auntie, another card that buffs goblins, it gives a smaller power increase and lacks the haste-granting ability, but it does provide regeneration, which can be pivotal for keeping your goblin army intact. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the Legion Loyalist, which isn’t a lord but grants first strike and trample when attacking with enough creatures, including at least two other goblins, fostering a different type of synergy.

Ultimately, Goblin Chieftain’s ability to instantly speed up your board presence and its synergy with a wide range of goblin cards makes it a highly competitive choice for players looking to lead a goblin horde to a swift victory.

Goblin King - MTG Card versions
Mad Auntie - MTG Card versions
Legion Loyalist - MTG Card versions
Goblin King - MTG Card versions
Mad Auntie - MTG Card versions
Legion Loyalist - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Goblin Chieftain by color, type and mana cost

Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
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Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Stone - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
Brassclaw Orcs - MTG Card versions
Sabretooth Tiger - MTG Card versions
Imperial Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Cavern Crawler - MTG Card versions
Uthden Troll - MTG Card versions
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Windseeker Centaur - MTG Card versions
Nosy Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
Skirk Commando - MTG Card versions
Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Goblin Chieftain. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Red GoblinsMono-Red Goblins LegacyGoblinsCharlotte Legacy League Season 1 Week 6
RR LegacyLegacy League 2024-03-20
Jund GoblinsJund Goblins ModernGoblinsThe Gathering Showdown Series
GoblinsGoblins LegacyGoblinsLegacy Preliminary 2024-02-26 (1)
URUR VintageVintage Challenge 32 2024-03-24
Raging Goblins Q1 2024Raging Goblins Q1 2024 Free formCanadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed
Food ChainFood Chain LegacyGoblins2 LPL OPEN - SEASON V - Liga Paulista Legacy
Mono-Red PrisonMono-Red Prison Legacy1 Etapa - 3 Liga Legacy Jundia

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Goblin Chieftain is a powerful asset in maintaining or gaining card advantage. As it empowers your entire goblin army with its boosted stats, it effectively amplifies the value of every goblin card on your board. This multiplier effect can quickly turn a simple legion of goblins into an overwhelming force, potentially overwhelming your opponent with sheer numbers and enhanced power.

Resource Acceleration: This fervent leader doesn’t only pump up your goblin squad; it also serves to speed up your resource deployment. By granting all your other goblin creatures haste, you can slam down goblins and attack immediately, pushing the tempo to your favor. This acceleration can be crucial in edging out opponents before they have time to set up their defenses or find an answer to your rapidly expanding horde.

Instant Speed: While Goblin Chieftain itself is not an instant, the haste it bestows means you can cast goblin creatures at the end of your opponent’s turn—provided they have flash or you have other ways to deploy them at instant speed—and they’ll be immediately ready to attack on your turn. This keeps your opponents guessing and forces them to consider the possibility of an instant-speed onslaught, affecting their decision-making and potentially leading to advantageous misplays on their part.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Though not a common downside for this particular card, if your strategy involves maintaining a full grip, having to discard for other goblin-related effects could reduce your advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Goblin Chieftain’s red mana-specific cost might restrict your deck’s versatility, making it a challenging fit in multicolored decks that crave a diverse mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at a mana value of three, the Goblin Chieftain’s cost is on the higher end for a lord effect, which could slow down the aggressive playstyle often favored by goblin decks.


Reasons to Include Goblin Chieftain in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Chieftain serves as an excellent inclusion for any deck that leverages the power of Goblins. Its ability to grant haste to all Goblin creatures you control means it accelerates the potential of your swarm, allowing for immediate combat threats the moment your smaller Goblins hit the board.

Combo Potential: With Goblin Chieftain in play, the synergy with other Goblin cards escalates. Consider the likes of “Krenko, Mob Boss” who can now immediately tap to create a horde of Goblin tokens, all of which are now unexpectedly hasty thanks to the chieftain’s influence, offering explosive turns that can overwhelm opponents.

Meta-Relevance: Goblins are a mainstay in many competitive formats, such as Legacy and Modern. The Chieftain fits seamlessly into these high-paced metas, providing a critical mass of pressure, increase the deck’s speed, and capitalize on board states that favor aggressive strategies, ensuring your Goblin horde is a force to be reckoned with.


How to beat

Goblin Chieftain is a cornerstone in many red aggro decks, prized for its ability to empower every other goblin on the field with haste and a power boost. With its potent tribal synergies, facing a horde of speedy goblins can quickly lead to your downfall.

Counteracting the Chieftain’s influence is key. Removal spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile are effective at dispatching the Chieftain before its effects ripple through the ranks. Board wipes like Wrath of God also prove invaluable by clearing out the goblin swarms without having to target individual creatures, thereby neutralizing the Chieftain’s ability to rush the game.

Strategic offensive approaches can undermine the Chieftain’s effectiveness as well. Creating a robust line of blockers to absorb the incoming assault, utilizing creatures with reach or “first strike” to dismantle the onslaught at its onset, or employing other control elements that restrict the ability of the opponent to capitalize on the haste attribute can significantly reduce the Chieftain’s impact on the game state.


BurnMana Recommendations

The journey of mastering MTG is filled with strategic deck building and the exhilaration of a well-played match. Goblin Chieftain stands as a testament to the dynamic nature of goblin decks, carving a path for an aggressive yet calculated playstyle. Whether you’re harnessing the instantaneous might of hasty goblins or synergizing with cards for that game-changing combo, this card is vital for any goblin enthusiast. Enhance your collection, embrace the fervor of red aggro decks, and charge headfirst into battle with a reliable Goblin Chieftain leading your horde to victory. Join us to discover more and craft your winning strategy.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Chieftain MTG card by a specific set like Resale Promos and Magic 2010, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Goblin Chieftain and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Chieftain Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2007-01-01 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Sam Wood.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-01-01Resale PromosPRES 141★2003NormalBlackSam Wood
22009-07-17Magic 2010M10 1392003NormalBlackSam Wood
32010-07-16Magic 2011M11 1412003NormalBlackSam Wood
42011-07-15Magic 2012M12 1382003NormalBlackSam Wood
52017-10-24Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. GoblinsDDT 412015NormalBlackSam Wood
62020-07-17JumpstartJMP 3242015NormalBlackSam Wood
72020-09-26The ListPLST DDT-412015NormalBlackSam Wood

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Chieftain has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal