Goblin Researcher MTG Card


Goblin Researcher boosts card flow, maintaining threat consistency and expanding strategic options. Offers flexibility in mana and play acceleration, potentially surprising and overwhelming opponents. Aligns with instant-speed spells for dynamic responses to threats, enhancing deck capability.
Goblin Researcher - Jumpstart 2022
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Goblin Wizard
Released2022-12-02
Set symbol
Set nameJumpstart 2022
Set codeJ22
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number34
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byIzzy

Text of card

When Goblin Researcher enters the battlefield, exile the top card of your library. During any turn you attacked with Goblin Researcher, you may play that card.

Slonk was struck by lightning twenty-seven times before he got the idea. Another forty-three hits and he'd perfected it.


Cards like Goblin Researcher

Goblin Researcher has certainly sparked interest among Magic the Gathering players with its unique effects. When comparing this to other goblins like Skirk Prospector, which allows you to sacrifice a goblin to add mana to your mana pool, the Researcher offers something slightly different. While Skirk Prospector is all about ramping up mana quickly, Goblin Researcher encourages strategic deck manipulation to possibly draw extra cards.

Goblin Matron is another card to consider alongside Goblin Researcher. The Matron helps you search for a goblin card in your deck, offering a more targeted approach to assembling your key pieces. Though it doesn’t provide card draw directly like the Goblin Researcher may allow, it serves a similar purpose of getting to your important goblin cards more reliably.

Delving further, there’s Mogg War Marshal, which provides a swarm strategy with multiple goblin tokens. In contrast, Goblin Researcher presents an individual benefit that can be a game-changer if the deck is built around the top-deck synergy. This makes Goblin Researcher valuable in its own right within the realm of goblin-themed decks in Magic the Gathering.

Skirk Prospector - MTG Card versions
Goblin Matron - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions
Skirk Prospector - MTG Card versions
Goblin Matron - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions

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

Dragon Whelp - MTG Card versions
Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
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Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
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Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions
Dragon Whelp - MTG Card versions
Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
Reckless Embermage - MTG Card versions
Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Giant - MTG Card versions
Rathi Dragon - MTG Card versions
Mogg Bombers - MTG Card versions
Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Kavu - MTG Card versions
Whipkeeper - MTG Card versions
Anger - MTG Card versions
Nalathni Dragon - MTG Card versions
Everquill Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Goblin Goon - MTG Card versions
Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Goblin Researcher offers a unique twist on providing card advantage to players. As it digs through the deck for precious goblin spells or artifacts, it fuels your hand with the components needed to outmaneuver your opponents. This sustained card flow is vital as it keeps your options open and your threats consistent.

Resource Acceleration: This crafty creature goes beyond typical goblin antics by possibly unveiling mana-generating artifacts or accelerating your plays with cost-reducing goblin spells. Such flexibility in resource management can catch opponents off guard and tip the scales in your favor in the heated moments of a match.

Instant Speed: While Goblin Researcher itself is a creature, it synergizes well with instant-speed spells in your arsenal. This enables dynamic gameplay, where you can adapt to threats immediately, making it a formidable force when combined with instant-speed interactions that disrupt your opponent’s strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Goblin Researcher demands you part with another card from your hand, which could put you at a card disadvantage, especially detrimental when your options are already scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: A demand for particular mana types ties this card’s playability to decks that can reliably produce those resources, potentially narrowing its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Allocating a fair amount of mana to bring the Goblin Researcher into play might not always align with your tempo, and in some scenarios, other cards could fulfill similar roles more efficiently.


Reasons to Include Goblin Researcher in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Researcher is a card that can be seamlessly integrated into multiple deck archetypes, particularly those that emphasize on creature synergies and aggressive gameplay.

Combo Potential: This card has the potential to unlock explosive turns for decks that capitalize on casting numerous spells or using activated abilities of goblins or other creatures you control.

Meta-Relevance: Given its strategic alignment with fast-paced and creature-centric strategies, Goblin Researcher could prove to be a formidable inclusion in a format that favors quick board development and direct player interaction.


How to beat

Goblin Researcher has made its way into the hearts of players looking to shake up their red-gameplay with a quirky yet potent card. Its ability to sift through the deck and manipulate it can be troublesome to face on the battlefield. Thankfully, there are reliable tactics to topple this cunning creature and keep their experiments contained.

Swift removal spells are your trusty tool for dealing with the Goblin Researcher. Since its power lies in the interactions with sorcery and instant spells, a quick Lightning Strike or Fatal Push can nip the problem in the bud before the goblin gets to work on its studies. Another effective strategy is counter play. Anticipate the Goblin Researcher’s arrival and have a Negate or Essence Scatter at the ready to stop it from ever hitting the table. Creature control like Pacifism works too, keeping it all dressed up with nowhere to go. If the researcher does get a few successful explorations off, cards that shuffle either player’s graveyard into their library can undo the work and reset the state of play.

Overall, while the Goblin Researcher might seem daunting with its potential for deck mastery, remember that every card has its foil. Keep calm, play smart, and this little goblin will be no more than a footnote in your path to victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Researcher MTG card by a specific set like Jumpstart 2022, 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 Researcher and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Researcher has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal