Gobhobbler Rats MTG Card

Dissension (DIS)
2006-05-05 - Number 111

Gobhobbler Rats - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)

Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
2024-01-12 - Number 185

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Rat
Abilities	Hellbent
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Gobhobbler Rats enhances board control and disrupts opponents by diminishing their hand options efficiently.
Its low-cost nature accelerates resource management, allowing for powerful plays in the game’s early stages.
Strategic synergy with instant speed spells enables reactive play, keeping opponents off-balance.

Text of card

Hellbent Gobhobbler Rats gets +1/+0 and has ": Regenerate Gobhobbler Rats" as long as you have no cards in hand.

Lyzolda's pet rats eat better than the average citizen. In fact, they can usually be found eating the average citizen.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gobhobbler Rats can create a persistent threat on the board while disrupting your opponent’s hand, effectively trimming their options and giving you an upper hand.

Resource Acceleration: As a low-cost creature, Gobhobbler Rats enables you to establish board presence early, conserving your mana for more significant plays as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Gobhobbler Rats synergizes well with instant speed spells, allowing for strategic plays on your turn while keeping mana ready to react to your opponent’s moves.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gobhobbler Rats necessitates its controller to pitch another card to access its full potential, often posing a dilemma when hand size diminishes.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature’s summoning expense demands both black and red mana, potentially restricting its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to place Gobhobbler Rats onto the battlefield might outweigh the benefits it provides, especially when measured against other cards at a similar mana tier that can provide greater tactical advantages.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gobhobbler Rats is a flexible card that can be easily incorporated into Rakdos (black/red) decks or those seeking to use discard mechanics to their advantage.

Combo Potential: This card works wonders in tandem with effects that capitalize on discard or death triggers, potentially turning the tide of a game when paired with the right synergistic cards.

Meta-Relevance: Given the right conditions in your local game scene, the inclusion of Gobhobbler Rats could disrupt opponents who rely heavily on hand resources, making it a strategic card to wield in your arsenal.

How to beat

Gobhobbler Rats presents a unique challenge on the playing field of Magic: The Gathering. This creature card thrives in decks that revolve around black and red mana sources, typically driving strategies built on discarding and drawing capabilities. The Rats are a vital part of a mechanic that leverages the number of black mana cards a player has to bolster their strength.

To gain the upper hand against Gobhobbler Rats, it’s crucial to mitigate your opponent’s ability to capitalize on discard synergies. Employing removal spells effectively can disrupt the Rats before they become a threat. Fast removal spells like Lightning Bolt or Path to Exile can eliminate the Rats instantly. Players can also utilize graveyard manipulation like Scavenging Ooze or Bojuka Bog to interfere with the strategies that make Gobhobbler Rats potent. Spell disruption tactics, like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek, can help you to dismantle key components of your opponent’s strategy before they take effect.

Ultimately, understanding the ecosystem in which Gobhobbler Rats operates is essential to effectively counter this card. By recognizing and disrupting the pivotal interactions between the Rats and associated mechanics, players can effectively neutralize the threat and maintain control over the game.

Cards like Gobhobbler Rats

Gobhobbler Rats finds its niche in the realm of black and red creature cards. If we compare it, for instance, to the likes of Festering Goblin, both serve as early game threats, yet Gobhobbler Rats brings more versatility to the battlefield with its potential for card discard and mana generation.

Considering Rancid Rats, it provides deathtouch, making it a formidable defender, but lacks the dual color advantage and the interactive playstyle Gobhobbler Rats offers through its abilities. Another comparative creature is the Daggerdrome Imp, which has lifelink to benefit the player’s life total. Nevertheless, it doesn’t contribute the same level of strategic depth and synergy with discard mechanics as Gobhobbler Rats.

To sum up, Gobhobbler Rats stands out among its peers by offering a unique combination of abilities that encourage more dynamic play. It provides a toolset that can adapt to various game situations, making it a versatile choice for decks looking to exploit discard strategies and mana accelerations in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Gobhobbler Rats by color, type and mana cost

Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor - MTG Card versions

Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger - MTG Card versions

Juri, Master of the Revue - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gobhobbler Rats MTG card by a specific set like Dissension and Ravnica Remastered, 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 Gobhobbler Rats and other MTG cards: