Goblin Rock Sled MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Goblin
Abilities Trample
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. The card excels in pressuring opponents, demanding they manage it or face consistent damage.
  2. Its trample ability synergizes well with buffs, creating surprise combat advantages.
  3. Despite limitations, strategic inclusion in red decks can exploit the mountainwalk trait.

Text of card

Trample Rock Sled may not attack unless opponent controls at least one mountain. Rock Sled does not untap as normal during your untap phase if it attacked during your last turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Goblin Rock Sled doesn’t directly influence card advantage through drawing, yet its potential to continuously attack without being blocked by non-wall creatures means it can repeatedly threaten your opponent’s life total. This pressures your opponent to find an answer or risk being steadily worn down, which can indirectly lead to you gaining card advantage as they’re forced to deplete resources dealing with it.

Resource Acceleration: While this card does not offer traditional resource acceleration like generating mana or Treasure tokens, its affordable casting cost means it can hit the battlefield early in the game. This efficient mana-to-power ratio allows players to deploy other threats or resources alongside the Sled, helping to establish a stronger board presence more quickly.

Instant Speed: Goblin Rock Sled doesn’t have an ability that operates at instant speed; however, its trample ability ensures that any enhancements or buffs applied to it at instant speed can be more effective during combat. This can make it a surprise threat during your turn or even while defending, provided it has not attacked that turn and isn’t required to stay tapped.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Goblin Rock Sled doesn’t directly demand discarding from your hand, yet it has a form of disadvantage since it cannot attack unless defending player controls a mountain, somewhat echoing a resource restraint akin to discarding.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost requires red mana, which narrows its compatibility to decks that can produce this color, potentially limiting its overall application across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its unique but restrictive abilities, the mana investment can be relatively steep. Considering its limitations, such as not being able to block and only able to attack if an opponent has a mountain, other creatures are likely more cost-effective.


Reasons to Include Goblin Rock Sled in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Rock Sled has an unusual but noteworthy advantage in decks that manipulate or benefit from the mountainwalk ability. It can easily bypass an opponent’s defenses when mountains are in play, making it a strategic pick for certain red-based tactical builds.

Combo Potential: This card becomes unexpectedly powerful when paired with spells that turn all lands into mountains or when combined with other goblins to leverage tribal synergies. These combos can transform an unassuming sled into a significant threat on the board.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, landscape control remains a consistent strategy. Having the Goblin Rock Sled in your arsenal ensures you have an asset against opponents who rely heavily on mountain terrains. This card finds its place, serving as a meta-relevant choice that can easily slide through an opponent’s defenses.


How to beat

Goblin Rock Sled, a unique card in the world of MTG, presents a quirky challenge with its inability to be blocked by creatures without flying. Ostensibly, this gives the impression of an unstoppable force. However, its limitations lie in the fine print – it can’t attack unless defending player controls a mountain, and it doesn’t untap during your untap step if it attacked during your last turn.

To effectively counter Goblin Rock Sled, consider employing control elements such as land removal strategies which could stifle its attacking condition. Additionally, cards like Sleep or Stonehorn Dignitary can be game-changers by skipping the combat phase altogether. But if you’re looking for a one-card solution, enchantments like Pacifism or the classic artifact, Ensnaring Bridge, can render the Sled effectively harmless, as they limit attacking opportunities significantly based on hand size or prevent creatures from attacking.

Through understanding its mechanics and employing strategic conters, the seemingly daunting Goblin Rock Sled can be managed. The key is to disrupt its specific conditions for attack and neutralize it with the right anticipatory plays.


Cards like Goblin Rock Sled

Goblin Rock Sled often slides under the radar when players discuss noteworthy goblin cards in Magic: The Gathering. This older creature card shares some traits with other terrain-bound goblins like Goblin Mountaineer, with both being restricted in movement by specific land types. Yet, Goblin Rock Sled’s trample ability gives it an edge, allowing it to deal excess damage over what is required to destroy a blocking creature.

Comparatively, Raging Goblin is part of the conversation as well, being a classic one-mana creature that can attack immediately due to haste. While it lacks trample, its immediacy can be advantageous in fast-paced goblin strategies. Then there’s the Goblin Balloon Brigade, which, for an additional mana, gains the ability to fly, circumventing ground-based blockers entirely, unlike Goblin Rock Sled that needs mountainous terrain to be useful.

Deciding which goblin to enlist in your deck boils down to the style of play you’re after. However, Goblin Rock Sled’s specific yet intriguing mountain-walking ability paired with trample certainly carves out a niche appeal among Red creature options within the game.

Goblin Mountaineer - MTG Card versions
Raging Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions
Goblin Mountaineer - Portal Second Age (P02)
Raging Goblin - Portal (POR)
Goblin Balloon Brigade - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Goblin Rock Sled by color, type and mana cost

Rock Hydra - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Weaponsmith - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Lieutenant - MTG Card versions
Goblin Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Heart Sliver - MTG Card versions
Mogg Flunkies - MTG Card versions
Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions
Fireslinger - MTG Card versions
Skittish Kavu - MTG Card versions
Rage Weaver - MTG Card versions
Minotaur Explorer - MTG Card versions
Sparksmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Lookout - MTG Card versions
Skirk Marauder - MTG Card versions
Hellspark Elemental - MTG Card versions
Storm Entity - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Soldier - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions
Mudbrawler Cohort - MTG Card versions
Stigma Lasher - MTG Card versions
Rock Hydra - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Dwarven Weaponsmith - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Dwarven Lieutenant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Goblin Recruiter - Visions (VIS)
Heart Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Flunkies - Stronghold (STH)
Goblin Elite Infantry - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fireslinger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)
Skittish Kavu - Invasion (INV)
Rage Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Minotaur Explorer - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparksmith - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Lookout - Legions (LGN)
Skirk Marauder - Legions (LGN)
Hellspark Elemental - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Storm Entity - Future Sight (FUT)
Dwarven Soldier - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mogg War Marshal - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)
Mudbrawler Cohort - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Stigma Lasher - Eventide (EVE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Rock Sled MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Fourth Edition, 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 Rock Sled and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Rock Sled Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1994-08-01 and 1995-08-01. Illustrated by Dennis Detwiller.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-08-01The DarkDRK 671993normalblackDennis Detwiller
21995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1991993normalwhiteDennis Detwiller
31995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1991993normalblackDennis Detwiller
41995-08-01RenaissanceREN 871993normalblackDennis Detwiller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Rock Sled has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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