Goblin Cruciverbalist MTG Card
Text of card
Haste When Goblin Cruciverbalist enters the battlefield, create a colorless artifact token named your choice of A, E, I, O, or U. Whenever Goblin Cruciverbalist attacks, using the first letters of names of permanents you control, spell a word you haven't spelled this game. It gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each letter in that word.
Cards like Goblin Cruciverbalist
Goblin Cruciverbalist is a unique addition to red creature spells in MTG, offering a quirky blend of goblin tribal synergy and wordplay challenges. Its closest comparator is perhaps Goblin Piker, a simple two-mana 2/1 creature with no additional abilities. The Cruciverbalist, although sharing the same power and toughness, leaps ahead with its potential to grow stronger by fulfilling its word puzzle requirement. It carries an added layer of complexity while maintaining the aggressive mana curve.
Goblin Sledder serves as another relative, providing the sacrificial buffing mechanic to red goblin decks. Both cards bolster the goblin archetype, but Cruciverbalist’s ability to self-enhance gives it a different avenue for impacting the board. Moreover, there’s Raging Goblin, offering the haste advantage which Cruciverbalist lacks, displaying the diverse strategies embedded within the goblin troop. But it’s Cruciverbalist’s novelty, granting experienced players the opportunity to turn lexical prowess into in-game power that sets it apart in the goblin lineup.
Comparing these cards reveals Goblin Cruciverbalist’s exciting niche. It not only captures the flavor and spirit of goblin-kind but also provides an amusing cerebral twist to the brawny red section of your deck.
Cards similar to Goblin Cruciverbalist by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Goblin Cruciverbalist provides steady card advantage through its ability to comb through your deck. This helps to ensure a flow of useful cards into your hand, putting you ahead of opponents in terms of available resources.
Resource Acceleration: This feisty goblin can serve as a source of resource acceleration. As many goblin-related card effects benefit from having multiple goblins on the field, the Cruciverbalist can be pivotal in bolstering your goblin army, thus allowing for faster execution of your strategy.
Instant Speed: The utility of instant speed cards cannot be overstated, and the Goblin Cruciverbalist fits the bill. Its abilities can be activated at instant speed, which gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn, thus maximizing your strategic options.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Goblin Cruciverbalist compels a player to discard a card to activate its ability. This trade-off can be detrimental during the late game or in scenarios where card advantage is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: Its casting requirements demand both red and generic mana, which may not synergize well in multicolored decks that are stretched for mana consistency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In today’s fast-paced game environment, the mana investment needed to get Goblin Cruciverbalist on the field could be seen as steep, considering the array of options available for lower mana costs that offer immediate board impact or card advantage.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Goblin Cruciverbalist provides a unique twist to red strategies, adapting well to various gameplay scenarios. Not only does it offer early board presence, but its ability to potentially gain card advantage can be invaluable in decks that thrive on quick, incremental advantages.
Combo Potential: This card’s prowess doesn’t stop at simple interactions. Its wordy ability can synergize with spells and abilities that care about casting multiple spells or those that benefit from instants and sorceries. This opens a window for creative combinations that can turn the tides of a game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where cunning and flexibility are as prized as brute force, Goblin Cruciverbalist stands out. It fits comfortably in a meta filled with decks that require a degree of finesse and timing, making it a worthy addition for players looking to outmaneuver their opponents with skillful play.
How to beat
When facing off against the Goblin Cruciverbalist in MTG, it’s crucial to understand its unique mechanics. Its capacity to adapt and potentially grow stronger each turn makes it a thorn in any player’s side. Taking it out quickly is key. Targeted removal spells are your best bet, as they can bypass the card’s increasing power and toughness. Instant speed spells grant you the flexibility to wait for the ideal moment, often after your opponent has committed resources to the Cruciverbalist.
Another effective strategy is to limit the number of spells both players can cast. If the Goblin Cruciverbalist can’t trigger its ability, it becomes far less threatening. Cards that prevent spell casting or abilities from triggering will neutralize the threat it poses. Board wipes also offer a clean solution, removing all creatures and resetting the game state, which is helpful especially if the Cruciverbalist has already grown out of hand.
To sum up, being proactive and responsive to the Goblin Cruciverbalist’s presence can mitigate its potential impact. Through removal spells, controlling the number of spells cast, or utilizing board wipes, you can handle this cunning goblin and maintain your stance in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Goblin Cruciverbalist MTG card by a specific set like Unfinity and Unfinity, 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 Cruciverbalist and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Goblin Cruciverbalist Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-10-07 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Mike Burns.
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Goblin Cruciverbalist card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-10-07 | Each time you spell a word, you can use the first letter of each permanent you control only once in that word. For example, if you control three permanents starting with A, B, and N, you can spell out the words “Ban” or “Nab,” but you can’t spell out “Banana” unless you gain control of two more A’s and another N. |
| 2022-10-07 | The token doesn’t have any abilities and doesn’t usually do much except give you a vowel to work with when spelling words. |
| 2022-10-07 | The token will have one of five names: A, E, I, O, or U. It won’t be named “your choice of A, E, I, O, or U.” |
| 2022-10-07 | When determining the first letter of a name, ignore all spaces and punctuation, including blank lines. |
| 2022-10-07 | You may consult a dictionary if not all players agree that you have chosen a cromulent word. |
| 2022-10-07 | “Haven’t spelled this game” means for any game reason, including previous Goblin Cruciverbalists you controlled but not including words you just spelled for fun, like . . . um, people do. Keep track of the words you spell if you expect remembering them to be challenging. |