Goblin Trenches MTG Card


Transforms lands into tokens, making every land a potential threat to opponents. Instant speed activation offers surprise tactics and reactive play opportunities. Sacrificing land offers both a powerful effect and a significant strategic cost.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Text of card

, Sacrifice a land: Put two 1/1 red and white Goblin Soldier creature tokens into play.

The ground rose and formed into thousands of tiny warriors. This fight was far from over.


Cards like Goblin Trenches

Goblin Trenches offers a unique angle on creature tokens in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to turn land into an army recalls cards like Kjeldoran Outpost, yet Goblin Trenches offers a different strategic play. Kjeldoran Outpost requires a permanent land sacrifice for a steady stream of soldiers. Goblin Trenches, in contrast, allows for a more flexible burst of creatures at instant speed, providing a surprise factor in battles.

Considering alternatives such as Siege-Gang Commander, which provides an immediate cluster of goblins upon entry but lacks the repeatable nature of Goblin Trenches, we can see the distinct tactical advantages. Siege-Gang Commander can be devastating if unaddressed but doesn’t offer the continual pressure that sacrificing lands with Goblin Trenches does. Additionally, Assemble the Legion incrementally creates a growing army, but it takes time to develop presence, whereas Goblin Trenches can create a large force all at once if the game allows for it.

Each of these cards commands attention in their right within the game, but Goblin Trenches stands out with its immediate, scalable impact and the capacity to turn late-game land draws into potential victory. For players who adore battlefield tactics and resourcefulness, Goblin Trenches might just be the card to weave into your strategy.

Kjeldoran Outpost - MTG Card versions
Siege-Gang Commander - MTG Card versions
Assemble the Legion - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Outpost - MTG Card versions
Siege-Gang Commander - MTG Card versions
Assemble the Legion - MTG Card versions

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Prosperous Partnership - MTG Card versions
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Forging the Tyrite Sword - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Goblin Trenches offers a strategic edge by converting lands into creature tokens, essentially turning a static resource into an army, thus extending your on-field presence and potential for overwhelming your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: This card excels in resource acceleration by transforming any land into an immediate effect on the game’s state. By sacrificing a land, you’re speeding up your ability to affect the game board with additional creatures, propelling your game plan forward.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Goblin Trenches at instant speed means you can adapt reactively to the flow of the game. Generate blockers on the fly or create a surprise offensive during the end step of your opponent’s turn, keeping them guessing and always on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: This card requires players to sacrifice a land, a significant setback particularly in the critical early to mid-game phases where land plays are vital for momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: Goblin Trenches demands a specific mana combination to cast, restricting its use to decks that can consistently produce red and white mana, potentially reducing its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that stands on the higher side for its effect, there are alternatives in the card pool that offer faster or more cost-effective ways to generate creature tokens and impact the battlefield.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Trenches allows players to adapt to various in-game situations by converting lands into creature tokens. This can lead to unexpectedly fortified defenses or an enhanced offensive strategy, depending on the flow of the game.

Combo Potential: The card excels at creating tokens which can be exploited for numerous combos, especially in decks that capitalize on sacrificing creatures for greater benefits or in synergizing with cards that trigger upon creature entry or death.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where board presence plays a pivotal role, the ability to generate a consistent stream of creature tokens makes Goblin Trenches a valuable asset, particularly when facing control or attrition strategies that aim to limit creatures on the battlefield.


How to Beat Goblin Trenches

Goblin Trenches is a unique enchantment that presents an interesting challenge for players in Magic: The Gathering. This card has the potential to flood the battlefield with Goblin tokens, turning even the most modest board states into threatening armies. To navigate around this issue, control strategies are particularly effective. Employing board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the swarm of goblins generated. Alternatively, enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or Naturalize offer a direct solution, promptly removing Goblin Trenches from the game before your opponent can capitalize on its token-generating ability.

Timing is vital when facing this enchantment. It’s critical to remove Goblin Trenches before your opponent’s end step, thwarting the opportunity for them to create tokens. This preemptive tactic keeps the board clear and pressure low. In terms of card efficiency, consider running versatile removal spells capable of dealing with multiple problems, such as the modal Assasin’s Trophy, which can target both problematic creatures and troubling noncreature permanents like Goblin Trenches.

In matches where Goblin Trenches poses a threat, prioritizing enchantment removal and keeping clear sweep spells in hand will be your best strategy in maintaining dominance over the battlefield and ultimately leading you to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

The dance of MTG is a blend of strategy, anticipation, and seizing the opportune moment. Goblin Trenches exemplifies this by transforming every land draw into a potential battlefield advantage. While the card’s pros illuminate its transformative capability, from creating instant blockers to propelling your offensive line, the cons highlight moments of required sacrifice and mana specificity. Being aware of its interactions is key to leveraging its strengths within your deck’s composition. If this blend of instant impact and strategic depth intrigues you, learning how to integrate Goblin Trenches into your gameplay could forge new paths to victory. Dive deeper with us and harness its nuances for your next match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Trenches MTG card by a specific set like Apocalypse and Vintage Masters, 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 Trenches and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Trenches Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2001-06-04 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12001-06-04ApocalypseAPC 1041997NormalBlackWayne England
22014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 2532015NormalBlackWayne England
32016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 2032015NormalBlackFilip Burburan
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16952015NormalBlackFilip Burburan
52020-09-26The ListPLST EMA-2032015NormalBlackFilip Burburan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Trenches has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Goblin Trenches card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2004-10-04 The tokens are named “Goblin Soldier” and have the creature types “Goblin” and “Soldier”.