Goblin Digging Team MTG Card


Offers board control by dismantling defensive obstacles, tipping the game in your favor. Enables quicker gameplay, fitting well into aggressive red deck strategies. Demands careful deck inclusion due to the required sacrifice and specific mana.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Goblin
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

oc T: Sacrifice Goblin Digging Team to destroy target wall.

"From down here we can make the whole wall collapse!" "Uh, yeah, boss, but how do we get out?"


Cards like Goblin Digging Team

The Goblin Digging Team is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering`s universe, joining a vast array of goblin-themed cards in the game. It’s often compared to other land destruction creatures, such as the Dwarven Miner. Both can be instrumental in disrupting your opponent’s mana base but the Goblin Digging Team requires one less mana to play, granting a quicker start on the board.

Looking further at relatives, the Raging Goblin shares the goblin tribe with our Digging Team, yet serves a different purpose. While the Raging Goblin excels at quick attacks thanks to haste, the Digging Team`s ability to destroy walls can strategically clear the way for an onslaught. Additionally, cards like Tin Street Hooligan and Ember Hauler offer similar traits by implying direct destruction but of artifacts instead, while still contributing to the aggressive goblin archetype.

Assessing the value and synergies of these goblin cards is crucial for players tailoring their deck strategies. While direct comparison highlights differences in utility, the Goblin Digging Team garners appreciation for its ability to dismantle defensive obstacles, a tactical advantage for any goblin tribal deck focusing on relentless attacks.

Dwarven Miner - MTG Card versions
Raging Goblin - MTG Card versions
Tin Street Hooligan - MTG Card versions
Ember Hauler - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Miner - MTG Card versions
Raging Goblin - MTG Card versions
Tin Street Hooligan - MTG Card versions
Ember Hauler - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Goblin Digging Team by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions
Hurr Jackal - MTG Card versions
Primordial Ooze - MTG Card versions
Gorilla Shaman - MTG Card versions
Goblin Swine-Rider - MTG Card versions
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Mountain Goat - MTG Card versions
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Branded Brawlers - MTG Card versions
Scarred Puma - MTG Card versions
Mogg Fanatic - MTG Card versions
Grim Lavamancer - MTG Card versions
Kessig Wolfrider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Guide - MTG Card versions
Skirk Prospector - MTG Card versions
Crazed Goblin - MTG Card versions
Akki Avalanchers - MTG Card versions
Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions
Hurr Jackal - MTG Card versions
Primordial Ooze - MTG Card versions
Gorilla Shaman - MTG Card versions
Goblin Swine-Rider - MTG Card versions
Mons's Goblin Raiders - MTG Card versions
Orcish Conscripts - MTG Card versions
Mountain Goat - MTG Card versions
Roc Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Jackal Pup - MTG Card versions
Flailing Soldier - MTG Card versions
Branded Brawlers - MTG Card versions
Scarred Puma - MTG Card versions
Mogg Fanatic - MTG Card versions
Grim Lavamancer - MTG Card versions
Kessig Wolfrider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Guide - MTG Card versions
Skirk Prospector - MTG Card versions
Crazed Goblin - MTG Card versions
Akki Avalanchers - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Goblin Digging Team card, while not a direct source of drawing cards, can indirectly lead to card advantage by manipulating the game state to benefit your side of the board. Its ability to clear blockers or destroy key lands can tip the scales in your favor, ensuring you get more out of your cards than your opponent does from theirs.

Resource Acceleration: This card fits well into decks focused on resource acceleration by paving the way for your more impactful creatures to hit the board without delay. By removing potential land-based obstacles, your pace of development remains unhampered, leading to a faster and more aggressive gameplay.

Instant Speed: Although Goblin Digging Team operates at sorcery speed, its impact on the board is significant enough to warrant inclusion in strategies that need to dictate the flow of play. The ability to take out pesky utility lands right before your turn begins can be as valuable as an instant, setting up for a game-changing move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although the Goblin Digging Team can prove handy in certain situations, its activation requirement to sacrifice itself may feel steep in a game where every creature counts. This can be particularly difficult when you need a board presence to fend off opponents’ threats.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of the Goblin Digging Team demands red mana, which, while not unusually demanding for a goblin-themed deck, might not seamlessly fit into multi-colored or other tribal decks that could benefit from its land destruction ability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the card offers the utility to destroy walls, its cost of one red mana may seem high considering that it doesn’t translate to an immediate impact on the board state. Competing cards might present a more impactful play or a lower cost for a similar effect, making the Goblin Digging Team’s inclusion in a deck a careful consideration rather than an obvious choice.


Reasons to Include Goblin Digging Team in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Digging Team offers a unique utility in red deck builds that require some control over the battlefield while being low-cost creatures, making them a suitable inclusion for a variety of deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card can be instrumental in strategies centered around land destruction or artifact synergies, combining with other cards to disrupt your opponent’s mana base or enabling sacrifice mechanics for larger plays.

Meta-Relevance: With the ability to take out pesky Walls or fortify your mana-denial strategies, Goblin Digging Team can be a tactical addition, especially in metas where stall tactics or defensive positions are common.


How to beat

Goblin Digging Team is known for its utility in Magic: The Gathering as a low-cost solution for dismantling defense walls, a must for keeping the battlefield clear and pressure high. With its ability to destroy target Wall, many MTG enthusiasts incorporate this creature into their decks for strategic demolition. However, like any card, there’s a way to outplay it.

To effectively beat Goblin Digging Team, ensure your deck isn’t overly reliant on walls for defense. Instead, opt for creatures with strong offensive capabilities or use spells that can remove or neutralize the team before they execute their singular purpose. Having instant-speed removal allows you to respond to the activation of their ability, preventing the loss of your defensive structures. Moreover, decks that capitalize on powerful enchantments, equipment, or non-creature permanents are less vulnerable to the narrow focus of the goblin’s skills.

It’s also beneficial to include versatile threats that can handle a variety of scenarios. This way, the Goblin Digging Team becomes just a minor nuisance rather than a game-changer. Remember, understanding your opponent’s potential moves and having counters ready is the key to mastering MTG matchups.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Digging Team MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Chronicles, 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 Digging Team and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Digging Team Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1994-08-01 and 2001-04-11. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-08-01The DarkDRK 651993NormalBlackRon Spencer
21995-07-01ChroniclesCHR 491993NormalWhiteRon Spencer
31997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2341997NormalWhitePhil Foglio
41999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1821997NormalWhitePhil Foglio
52001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1861997NormalWhiteBen Thompson
62001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 186★1997NormalBlackBen Thompson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Digging Team has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal