Magic: The Gathering wouldn’t be the same without the little, annoying creatures called goblins. Since the game’s earliest days, they’ve steadily evolved from minor nuisances into one of the most explosive, fiercely synergistic tribes in Commander history. With the recent release of The Hobbit set injecting fresh blood — and some terrifyingly powerful new royal bloodlines — into the creature archetype, there has never been a better time to paint the table red.
For decades, the narrative of the little red menace has been anchored in chaotic velocity: a relentless flood of 1/1 tokens swarming unsuspecting opponents through sheer numbers, questionable impulse control, and enthusiastic self-sacrifice. Modern Commander, however, demands far more than just a mindless mob of tiny attackers. You’ll want a synergistic system, airtight combos, and commanders who know how to turn a pile of scrap into a win condition.
Whether you’re looking to spin the wheel with Muxus, broaden your board state with Krenko, or control the board with The Hobbit’s newest subterranean powerhouses, the following legends, among the best Goblin commanders, ensure you’ll be running the table in no time.
15
Gut, True Soul Zealot
Gut turns the classic Goblin playbook sideways, given its access to the “Choose a Background” mechanic, which was first introduced in 2022’s Battle for Baldur’s Gate. The ability allows you to pair the Goblin Shaman with Enchantments that have the Background subtype, adding an extra effect on top of your commander’s, so long as both are on the battlefield at the same time. But while the additional effect is notable, Background is especially interesting, because it allows you access to a variety of color combinations beyond simply mono-red.
One such pairing for Gut is Agent of the Iron Throne, which pings opponents every time any of your artifacts or creatures are put in the graveyard — but it also means you’re playing in Rakdos (black and red). Gut thrives on sacrificing cheap artifact tokens or redundant goblins to spit out 4/1 Skeletons with menace, turning idle board states into relentless aggressive pressure. Add in a Skullclamp, and you’re drawing cards while beating down your opponents.
14
Pashalik Mons
Pashalik Mons makes for an interesting counter to pure aggro, offering a more slow-burn pinger build based around sacrificing your own creatures. Mons’ passive effect deals 1 damage to any target every time Pashalik or another Goblin you control dies, plus he has a mana ability that lets you create two 1/1 red Goblin tokens for four mana and sacrificing Goblin — an auto 1 damage to boot. That last ability is key, as you can tap into that ability as much as your mana base allows, which can become quite the problem with cards like Skirk Prospector and Mana Echoes, allowing you to loop his token generation and machine-gun the entire table without ever needing to declare attackers.
13
General Kreat, the Boltbringer
As a notable entry in Foundations Jumpstart, General Kreat is the closest you can get to having a Purphoros, God of the Forge, sitting in your command zone as a Goblin. Whenever one or more Goblins attack, Kreat creates a 1/1 token, plus she also pings each opponent for 1 damage every time a creature enters your battlefield. Combine her with Impact Tremors alongside standard token generators like Hordeling Outburst and Beetleback Chief to melt life totals through passive damage.
12
Azog, Moria’s Ruin
Drawing from The Hobbit, Azog offers a rare and brutal mono-black Goblin command strategy. When he enters, he destroys a target creature and amasses an army “creature” with +1/+1 on it equal to the sacced creature’s power. Amass is an ability first introduced in The Lord of the Rings crossover set, but was relegated to only Orcs, of all creatures. (In Tolkien lore, Orcs are essentially the same thing as Goblins, so the ability makes total sense on Azog.)
The competitive line here is targeting your own massive, expendable creatures and then abusing recursion effects, which are notably common in black, to generate a massive Goblin army for yourself while drawing a card in the process. Keep the board entirely clear of opposing threats while you build your ranks with a Dictate of Erebos, as well.
11
Goro-Goro, Disciple of Ryusei
Speed is everything in Commander, and Goro-Goro provides board-wide haste for a single red mana. What elevates the card beyond a mere utility piece is the secondary ability, which lets you sink a total of five mana into generating a 5/5 flying Dragon spirit. When the ground gets stalled by massive blockers, Goro-Goro gives Goblin decks heavy-hitting aerial assistance where it needs it most. But don’t forget to keep a Dockside Extortionist or Battle Hymn handy to fund your surprise air attacks.
10
Squee, the Immortal
Squee isn’t your typical commander; he doesn’t swing for lethal combat damage, ping opponents, or generate creatures. Instead, Squee offers a particularly resilient (and, some might say, annoying) combo piece in Magic, because you can cast him from your graveyard or from exile. He simply refuses to stay gone. While he’s famous for Food Chain loops in multi-color decks, helming his own mono-red deck requires a bit of mechanical creativity.
To go infinite, you pair him with a mana-generating sacrifice outlet like Skirk Prospector or Thermopod, a mana engine like Birgi, God of Storytelling, and a cost reducer like Ruby Medallion. Once you assemble that engine, you can sacrifice and recast Squee infinitely, generating endless enter-the-battlefield and death triggers, which immediately ends the game if you have Purphoros, God of the Forge, Impact Tremors, or Goblin Bombardment in play.
9
Shattergang Brothers
Moving Goblins into Jund (black, red, and green) unlocks a delightfully cruel control strategy. Goblins love to die, and the Shattergang Brothers capitalize on that by forcing your opponents into a brutal game of attrition. By sacrificing your own cheap Goblin tokens, disposable artifacts, or redundant enchantments, you force the table to do the same, similar to Braids, Arisen Nightmare — a solid add if you want to stack abilities with your commander. Slot in Grave Pact and Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest to completely lock opponents out of maintaining any meaningful board presence.
8
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
While rarely helming a traditional “tribal” deck, Kiki-Jiki is the undisputed king of combo enablers for Goblins. His ability to tap and create a token copy of a nonlegendary creature with haste has birthed countless infinite loops, like Zealous Conscripts, Combat Celebrant, and Lightning Crafter. If you decide to take on Kiki-Jiki as your commander, expect to be the archenemy from turn one — and deservedly so.
7
Zada, Hedron Grinder
Zada turns a standard Goblin deck into a hyper-kinetic spellslinger storm with her ability that copies any instant or sorcery that targets only her, applying it to your entire board. Cast one-mana cards like Expedite or Crimson Wisps, and suddenly you’re drawing ten cards and giving your entire army haste. Follow it up with a copied Fists of the Anvil, and you will swing for hundreds of damage out of nowhere.
6
Wort, Boggart Auntie
For the players who want a resilient, grindy midrange experience, Wort delivers with a Rakdos (black and red) color combination, giving you access to plenty of tutors and removal. Wort herself acts as a steady recursion engine, bringing Goblins back from your graveyard to your hand every upkeep, meaning you’ll rarely run out of gas. Loop Tarfire for continuous removal, or keep retrieving Goblin Matron and Goblin Ringleader to ensure your hand is always fully loaded.
