Rakdos Goblins Primer - Pioneer

I had a ton of fun working on this Goblins deck for the Dallas RC and while I didn't do well in the main event, I was able go 8-1 and get 3rd place in the $10k RCQ on Sunday. The event was 8 rounds with a cut to top 16 and then one single elimination round with the winners receiving a invite to the Atlanta RC on top of a cash prize. There were 406 players in the event and somehow Rakdos Midrange ended up being less than 20% of the field which was refreshing. But of course I got to play against it 3 times that day!

Here is my list: https://mtgtop8.com/event?e=44874&d=531245&f=PI&switch=text

For anyone interested in trying this deck in their next Pioneer event, here are my thoughts on various match-ups:

Rakdos Midrange - Slightly unfavorable (14-10 record)

This match-up is not easy but Goblins does have the ability to win with a hyper-aggressive start if the opponent's removal doesn't line up well in the early game. Goblins has some serious grinding power and can beat Rakdos in very long games as well.

The aggro wins tend to come when you win the die roll - big surprise here; welcome to the format! Rakdos has a ton of early removal and Bonecrusher Giant is one of the best cards in the match-up if they get to play both halves of it. Skirk Prospector helps protect you from Bonecrusher getting 2-for-1 value and it's by far the best 1-drop you have against Rakdos.

Battle Cry Goblin is a messed up Magic card and is a big part of what allows this deck to have explosive aggro transitions in the mid to late game. I've had a bunch of times where my opponent was easily winning a damage race with Bloodtithe Harvester and Bonecrusher Giant only to lose in one shot to a top-decked Battle Cry Goblin pumping my puny crew into a lethal strike force. Look for opportunities to incentivize your Rakdos opponents to make aggressive attacks when you have a Battle Cry Goblin in hand so that you can really punish them on your next turn.

The ability to give Goblin Chainwhirler deathtouch allows you to get out of some insanely unfavorable board-states and take control of the game from almost any position against Rakdos. Once your opponent sees this happen, they'll do whatever they can to keep Chainwhirler out of your graveyard in future games. Sacrificing it to Prospector or looting it away with Fable allows you to work around things like Graveyard Trespasser and if you are really counting on using Call of the Death-Dweller with Chainwhirler, you often don't want to play the Chainwhirler out into a potential removal + Tresspasser sequence from the opponent.

Sideboarding

-4 Legion Loyalist

-1 Skirk Prospector

-1 Touch of Moonglove

+2 Epic Downfall

+2 Experimental Frenzy

+2 Thoughtseize

Game 1 is much easier to win with early aggro but once your opponents know what you're up to, you want to slow down a bit since they'll be looking to keep a hand with more early interaction. In the post-board games, you can still have aggressive wins but I've found that just trying to trade and grind with Snoop, Hordemaster, and Experimental Frenzy is the best way to go. Touch of Moonglove is a bit of a liability against so much spot removal so I like to cut it.

Green Ramp - Very favorable (16-4 record)

This match-up is very good for Goblins. Fanatical Firebrand stops the elves opener very nicely and giving deathtouch to a Chainwhirler is generally how you're winning these games. Once you kill their elves or, if they are on the Wolfwillow Haven start, look to push early damage and then finish the game with Battle Cry Goblin or a Deathwhirler play.

Sideboarding

On the play:

-4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker

-2 Legion Loyalist

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Epic Downfall

+1 Touch of Moonglove

On the draw:

-4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker

-1 Legion Loyalist

-1 Den of the Bugbear

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Epic Downfall

+1 Touch of Moonglove

Fable is too slow for this match-up and Legion Loyalist is the least impactful 1-drop. I like trimming a land on the draw in match-ups where you aren't bringing in Experimental Frenzy and cutting one of the lands that has the highest chance of entering tapped seems like the right move.

Hidden Strings - play/draw dependent (3-4 record)

Both decks have a similar time to kill rate so winning the die roll often determines the match. Battle Cry Goblin is the most important card in the main-deck and you simply can't keep hands that don't offer you an aggressive start.

Sideboarding

-4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker

-1 Call of the Death-Dweller

-1 Den of the Bugbear

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Roiling Vortex

+1 Touch of Moonglove

Touch of Moonglove may look weird here but it's been really good for me in practice. Their best chance at surviving your early onslaught is with Grazer and post-board, most players are bringing in Zacama and Dromoka. Touch paired with Fanatical Firebrand is also an instant-speed way to interact with Lier which can sometimes stop them from being able to combo off once they've already invested a lot of their resources into staring down that path. I shave a land in this match-up since five of the 3-drops are being cut.

Rakdos Sacrifice - Slightly favored (8-3 record)

This match-up is less play/draw dependent which is really nice. Mayhem Devil is an issue for sure but outside of that, you shouldn't have many problems beating Sacrifice. Skirk Prospector helps protect you from Threaten effects which is especially important when you have Rundvelt Hordemaster.

Sideboarding

On the play:

-4 Legion Loyalist

-1 Touch of Moonglove

+1 Abrade

+2 Thoughtseize

+2 Epic Downfall

On the draw:

-4 Legion Loyalist

-1 Touch of Moonglove

-1 Den of the Bugbear

+1 Abrade

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Epic Downfall

Epic Downfall is a bit of a gamble but Mayhem Devil and Reflection of Kiki-Jiki are so good in the match-up that you need some reliable answers to them. A lot of Sacrifice decks also bring in Sheoldred post-board which gives Downfall a bit more value.

Azorius Control - Very favorable (17-2 record)

Much of the time, Goblins can just go right underneath control. Understanding when to play your spells is very important here. On turn three, you will often just attack and spend your mana on something like a Battle Cry Goblin activation rather than play into Absorb. On turn 4, try to force them to counter something rather than play a Wandering Emperor or Memory Deluge. Wandering Emperor gets a bit less threatening if you have Skirk Prospector to protect you from the -2 ability but you would still rather just get something countered rather than have do deal with the Wanderer. One of the sweetest things that you can do in this match-up is use Call of the Death-Dweller to reanimate a 1-drop and a Battle Cry Goblin on your 5th turn after they play Supreme Verdict. At 5 mana, you can Call and then activate Battle Cry and be attacking for 5 damage while they're tapped out. This is often enough to just win the game. Be sure to use Skirk Prospector to keep your goblins safely in the graveyard rather than letting them be exiled to things like March of Otherworldly Light or Lay Down Arms.

Sideboarding

Against Kaheera:

-1 Touch of Moonglove

-2 Skirk Prospector

-1 Goblin Chainwhirler

-1 Fanatical Firebrand

-2 Legion Loyalist

+2 Experimental Frenzy

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Rending Volley

Against non-Kaheera

-1 Touch of Moonglove

-4 Goblin Chainwhirler

+2 Experimental Frenzy

+3 Thoughtzeize

Kaheera means Brimaz and Regal Caracal are coming in for them which keeps your Call/Chainwhirler plan viable and makes Rending Volley very good.

Greasefang - Very favorable (8-1 record)

In game 1, Greasefang can run right over Goblins with the right draw but Goblins can typically win if the opponent isn't getting an early Parhellion. Post-board games are much more favorable for Goblins as you can stifle their attempts at an easy win and force them into a mid/late game situation where you have control of the battlefield and can use Legion Loyalist to ignore their tokens when you attack.

Sideboarding

On the play:

+1 Abrade

+2 Rending Volley

+2 Unlicensed Hearse

+1 Touch of Moonglove

-4 Skirk Prospector

-2 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker

On the draw:

+1 Abrade

+2 Rending Volley

+2 Unlicensed Hearse

+1 Touch of Moonglove

-4 Skirk Prospector

-1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker

-1 Den of the Bugbear

Spirits - Very favorable (9-2 record)

If Goblins ever gets to make the Deathwhirler play, the game is over. Fighting through counters can be difficult but if your opponent is focused on countering your stuff, they are going to be putting less pressure on your life total. Conspicuous Snoop is a very important card in the match-up as you just want to be able to keep up with their ability to draw extra cards off Curious Obsession. Fanatical Firebrand keeps them from safely playing an early Mausoleum Wanderer or Spectral Sailor so look for that card in your opening hand.

Sideboarding

On the play:

+1 Abrade

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+2 Rending Volley

-4 Fable of the Mirror Breaker

On the draw:

+1 Abrade

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+1 Thoughtseize

+2 Rending Volley

-4 Fable of the Mirror Breaker

-1 Den of the Bugbear

Mono-White Humans - Favorable (7-4 record)

Brave the elements can be a problem for Goblins since your plan is to keep up with board parity whenever possible and then close the game out with a Deathwhirler play. Fanatical Firebrand and Goblin Chainwhiler are great even without deathtouch in this match-up.

Sideboarding

On the play:

+1 Abrade

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+2 Rending Volley

-4 Fable of the Mirror Breaker

On the draw:

+1 Abrade

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+2 Rending Volley

-3 Fable of the Mirror Breaker

-1 Den of the Bugbear

Keruga Fires - Very Unfavorable (1-4 record)

This match-up is very difficult! They are often main-decking Temporary Lockdown and their top end being enabled by enchantments means that even if you get to clear their creatures with deathtouch, they can just reload the next turn. Elesh Norn prevents your Chainwhirler from doing anything so when she is on the field, your only out is Touch of Moonglove. Your only realistic way of winning game 1 is to have an aggressive start and dodge Temporary Lockdown so that you can cross the finish line before they start getting recursive threats on the field.

Sideboarding

On the play:

-1 Goblin Chainwhirler

-4 Legion Loyalist

-1 Call of the Death-Dweller

-2 Skirk Prospector

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Roiling Vortex

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+2 Epic Downfall

On the draw:

-1 Goblin Chainwhirler

-4 Legion Loyalist

-1 Call of the Death-Dweller

-1 Skirk Prospector

-1 Den of the Bugbear

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Roiling Vortex

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+2 Epic Downfall

Creativity Unfavorable (4-6 record)

Another tough match-up here. They have so much early interaction that it’s difficult to get underneath them but if you can deal with their late game, you should be winning.

Sideboarding

Against Gearhulk:

-4 Legion Loyalist

-2 Skirk Prospector

-1 Goblin Chainwhirler

-1 Touch of Moonglove

+1 Abrade

+3 Thoughtseize

+2 Unlicensed Hearse

+2 Experimental Frenzy

Against Xenagos + Wurm:

-4 Legion Loyalist

-3 Skirk Prospector

+1 Abrade +3 Thoughtseize

+2 Experimental Frenzy

+1 Touch of Moonglove

Your best game plan in this match-up is to use Touch of Moonglove on Fanatical Firebrand to kill the Wurm on the turn that they cast Creativity and then immediately follow it up with a Deathwhirler to clear the Wurms. If you can do this, you should have a very easy time winning the game but it involves drawing and saving the right cards for the right moment.

Against double Wurm:

-4 Legion Loyalist

-4 Skirk Prospector

-1 Battle Cry Goblin

+1 Abrade +3 Thoughtseize

+2 Experimental Frenzy

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+2 Epic Downfall

This is probably the most winnable Creativity match-up for Goblins because you get to have a turn to untap and try to deal with the Wurms.

Boros Convoke Virtually a bye (28-1 record)

Fanatical Firebrand and Goblin Chainwhirler are your best friends in this match-up and they’re worth mulliganing aggressively for. With a Legion Loyalist and Battle Cry Goblin, it often doesn’t matter how many blockers they leave up. If they tap all their creatures for convoke, you can usually just push enough damage to kill them on the next turn with Battle Cry Goblin.

Sideboarding

On the play:

-4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker

+3 Thoughtseize

+1 Touch of Moonglove

On the draw:

-4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker

-1 Den of the Bugbear

+3 Thoughtseize

+1 Touch of Moonglove

+1 Rending Volley

Look for Skirk Prospector to enable a Chainwhirler on turn 2 or to Call/Touch a Chainwhirler on turn 3. You’ll often have to sacrifice your board to do this but it will just win you the game if they’ve dumped their whole hand with convoke.