krenko kontrol theory

Commander / EDH Goblins Mono-Red

a7thson

Disruption (8)

• 1x Blood Moon
• 1x Disrupt Decorum
• 1x Goblin Diplomats
• 1x Goblin Spymaster
• 1x Harness by Force
• 1x Red Elemental Blast
• 1x Stingscourger
• 1x Warmonger Hellkite

Cannon-Fodder (6)

• 1x Ball Lightning
• 1x Frenzied Goblin
• 1x Goblin Banneret
• 1x Goblin Chirurgeon
• 1x Warren Instigator
• 1x Wily Goblin

Pump (6)

• 1x Goblin Oriflamme
• 1x Goblin War Drums
• 1x Goblin Warchief
• 1x Goblin Wardriver
• 1x Jaya, Venerated Firemage
• 1x Trumpet Blast

Utility (6)

• 1x Fiery Confluence
• 1x Gamble
• 1x Goblin Matron
• 1x Goblin Ringleader
• 1x Goblin War Party
• 1x Thousand-Year Elixir

Wipe (3)

• 1x Blasphemous Act
• 1x Nevinyrral's Disk
• 1x Vandalblast

Removal (7)

• 1x Blast Zone
• 1x Chaos Warp
• 1x Field of Ruin
• 1x Goblin Grenade
• 1x Goblin Trashmaster
• 1x Lightning Bolt
• 1x Pashalik Mons

Win-Con (7)

• 1x Comet Storm
• 1x Insurrection
• 1x Koth of the Hammer
• 1x Massive Raid
• 1x Price of Progress
• 1x Relentless Assault
• 1x Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

Ramp (6)

• 1x Brightstone Ritual
• 1x Goblin Instigator
• 1x Hazoret's Monument
• 1x Mana Geyser
• 1x Ruby Medallion
• 1x Sol Ring

Haste+Evasion (5)

• 1x Flamekin Village
• 1x Goblin Motivator
• 1x Hammer of Purphoros
• 1x Ogre Battledriver
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots

Recursion (2)

• 1x Past in Flames
• 1x Reiterate

Wheel (2)

• 1x Dragon Mage
• 1x Runehorn Hellkite

Commander (1)

Draw (6)

• 1x Cathartic Reunion
• 1x Endless Atlas
• 1x Faithless Looting
• 1x Rummaging Goblin
• 1x Seer's Sundial
• 1x Skullclamp

Token-Gen (6)

• 1x Beetleback Chief
• 1x Goblin Rally
• 1x Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
• 1x Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
• 1x Siege-Gang Commander
• 1x Tuktuk the Explorer

Land (29)

• 1x Desert of the Fervent
• 1x Dormant Volcano
• 1x Forgotten Cave
• 26x Mountain

---

Maybeboard

Removal (5)

• 1x Avacyn's Judgment
• 1x Gempalm Incinerator
• 1x Ghostfire
• 1x Guttersnipe
• 1x Mudbutton Torchrunner

Cannon (2)

• 1x Fanatical Firebrand
• 1x Goblin Glory Chaser

Disruption (2)

• 1x Ankh of Mishra
• 1x Harness by Force

Land (2)

• 1x Darksteel Citadel
• 1x Homeward Path

Pump (4)

• 1x Curse of Stalked Prey
• 1x Jaya, Venerated Firemage
• 1x Raid Bombardment
• 1x Temur Battle Rage

Token (3)

• 1x Dragon Fodder
• 1x Hordeling Outburst
• 1x Krenko's Command

Draw (2)

• 1x Cathartic Reunion
• 1x Tormenting Voice

Utility (1)

• 1x Incendiary Command

Ramp (4)

• 1x Battle Hymn
• 1x Curse of Opulence
• 1x Fire Diamond
• 1x Jaya Ballard

Win-Con (3)

• 1x Goblin War Strike
• 1x Violent Eruption
• 1x Voracious Dragon

Haste+Evasion (1)

• 1x Swiftfoot Boots

Wipe (1)

• 1x Powder Keg

---

This is part of a series of decks I've built and am building for myself over the extended nightmare of Covid-19. The decks are intended to play well together, offer some interesting lines of play and plenty of interaction. I wanted to do something different than the expected builds but still with an appropriate thematic twist. Hopefully I've accomplished that, but I'm no expert and have been away from Magic for over a decade so no doubt I'm overlooking some great options! Feedback is most welcome. Maybe you'll find something useful to your own games.

This one began life as a humble Goblin tribal deck I bought for $40 from an eBay seller. It was a solid budget build with several cards I had never considered, many of which remain in the deck, and far more goblins than I'd want to play, some great, some good, some way too situational and a few I'd likely never play. From there it gradually mutated into something quite different.

The card Goblin Diplomats epitomizes what this one's trying to do - goblin diplomacy, a bureaucracy of the little backbiters and saboteurs clamoring with one another while jamming the wheels of power with threats, coercion and disposable raiding parties.

Strategy

First and foremost, it's still a Krenko deck. This is a hybrid intended to perform competently in fun, casual play and do interesting things but you need to still need to play an aggressive game. It lacks the firepower and focus to consistently eliminate players early and secure a linear victory. This doesn't use passive politics or 'hard choices' type strategies as much as just apply pressure and offer a lot of removal and interaction. Consider goblin threat and light removal are your early game threat; ogres and beefy dragons round out the top end for mid game with Insurrection, Relentless Assault, Massive Raid, and Price of Progress as likely finishers.

There may be some infinite combo potential in here but it's accidental via the raw power of Krenko, Mob Boss and casting cost reduction ( Hazoret's Monument, Ruby Medallion, Goblin Chieftain ). You will not be able to consistently draw into enough of it before dying. Kazuul and the Diplomats (this could almost be a band name) ( Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs + Goblin Diplomats ) give us some political options beyond overwhelm and smash-and-grab and some good utility dragons ( Runehorn Hellkite, Warmonger Hellkite, Dragon Mage ) provide the beef. Two potent boardwipes in the form of Nevinyrral's Disk and Blasphemous Act help tick down the board level and you will recover pretty fast from party wipe and draw/wheel into something viable. I don't want this to roll over and die to tribal hate and a Propaganda effect, so this packs quite a bit of removal and burn potential and variant in creature threats instead of mostly relying on goblin overrun or praying for a combo kill. We even give the opponents their own goblins aching for a fight via Goblin Spymaster to further the disruption plan -- hopefully not dying in the process -- and give them incentive to attack other players (Curse of Stalked Prey, Curse of Opulence).

Wheels ( Dragon Mage, Runehorn Hellkite, Reforge the Soul ) and some lands-matter synergies ( Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle, Endless Atlas, Koth of the Hammer, Hammer of Purphoros ) round out our threats, provide a draw engine and keep the deck from stalling out. Don't be afraid to wheel away good cards; you will draw into more and Past in Flames can end a game if your graveyard full of burn and removal survives into mid game. The Thousand-Year Elixir has use beyond Krenko untap loops too - untap a beefy dragon for blocking duty if nothing else! Goblin Diplomats can force 2 players to attack, Rummaging Goblin can cycle two cards, etc.

Budget

There aren't a ton of money cards besides Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle, which can be skipped but not really replaced; nothing else does what it does. Add a utility land or Castle Embereth or just another mountain. Thousand-Year Elixir isn't essential; replace with an alternative untap.

No Reiterate?? Go with Reverberate as a cheap Fork instead, the buyback is a luxury. Ruby Medallion is nice but not needed. Just add Fire Diamond or another decent mana rock. Fiery Confluence is a kitchen-sink spell here but also could be removed. Comet Storm would give another potential win condition, or there's the old war horse, Fireball and its many variants.

Maybeboard

Stuff I tried that you might like:

• Voracious Dragon: I found him too situational though it's got a nice effect. I much preferred Warmonger Hellkite after ordering this guy for this build, he's just more versatile in a deck that wants to attack with a bunch of small creatures.
• Treasure Nabber: Cute but the CMC here is mostly 4cc and under and the disruption is minimal. I'd rather blow up their artifact than borrow it. No sac outlets for the stuff we stole either.
• Dockside Extortionist: Very powerful card. Minimal utility in this deck. Wily Goblin does the job here 100% reliably in the early game or after a board wipe when the mana's actually important and you have no sac/trade outlet. That's a different deck / focus.
• Goblin Welder: A lot of fun, more for messing with the opponent than flipping a treasure. Might find its way back in.
• Stranglehold: Great card. Paints way too big a target on you. Run Blood Moon or this, but not both.
• - Ankh of Mishra: Or this. The deck can run on low mana and this is a good way to pare down life totals or slow the game down. Ankh draws more hate than it gains from this inclusion and counteracts your own landfall.
• Treasonous Ogre: Cute but by the time you can cast it you will not want to be trading 3 life for one red mana. Skirk Prospector is a better option if you need one and was originally in the deck.

Date added	4 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 0 Mythic Rares 31 - 0 Rares 25 - 0 Uncommons 14 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.07
Tokens	Emblem Koth of the Hammer, Enchantment Golem 3/3 C, Goblin 1/1 R, Goblin 1/1 R for Goblin Spymaster, Ogre 3/3 R, Treasure, Tuktuk the Returned