Hulking Goblin MTG Card

Hulking Goblin can indirectly shift card advantage by forcing poor trades for opponents. Its low casting cost allows for early game pressure and mana efficiency. Despite no instant speed, it demands answers, pressuring opponents early on.

Portal (POR)
1997-05-01 - Number 135

Starter 1999 (S99)
1999-07-01 - Number 107

Vintage Masters (VMA)
2014-06-16 - Number 174

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Goblin
Power	2
Toughness	2

Text of card

Hulking Goblin can't intercept.

The bigger they are, the harder they avoid work.

Cards like Hulking Goblin

Hulking Goblin serves as a straightforward piece in the array of creature cards available to MTG players. Its closest relatives in terms of functionality include Goblin Piker and Goblin Hero, both of which share the attribute of being vanilla goblins without any special abilities. Where Hulking Goblin distinguishes itself is in its vanilla stature with no added effects – a purity that can be an advantage in certain game scenarios focused on creature buffs and tribal synergies.

Among goblins, Raging Goblin stands out for its haste, allowing it to attack the turn it comes into play, which Hulking Goblin lacks. On the other end, Goblin Raider, similar in its 2/2 form, also matches Hulking Goblin in not having the ability to block. Despite these nuanced differences, each goblin plays its role within various deck strategies and scenarios, highlighting the diversity within even seemingly similar MTG cards.

As we delve into the details and subtle strategic differences, Hulking Goblin remains a classic choice for players looking to keep their decks straightforward and their strategies unencumbered by complex abilities, contributing to its unique space within the MTG universe.

Cards similar to Hulking Goblin by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hulking Goblin, while not directly providing card draw, it can often force unfavorable trades for the opponent, subtly shifting the card balance in your favor. This can lead to indirect card advantage as the opponent may have to use more resources to deal with it.

Resource Acceleration: The Hulking Goblin itself does not offer a traditional form of resource acceleration. However, its low casting cost means that it can hit the battlefield early, allowing you to maintain mana efficiency and apply pressure while developing your board presence.

Instant Speed: While the Hulking Goblin is a creature card and not an instant, its presence on the board demands an immediate answer from opponents. This may lead them to use instant-speed removal on it, leaving them potentially vulnerable to your more powerful threats later on.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Hulking Goblin doesn’t come with an explicit discard requirement, but its limited impact on gameplay often leads to it being used as fodder for discard effects to enable more potent strategies or mitigate hand size limits.

Specific Mana Cost: This goblin card demands a precise mana combination to cast—red mana specifically. This restriction can be a limiting factor, particularly in multicolored decks that might struggle for the right mana balance.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that can be seen as steep for its vanilla 2/2 stats, Hulking Goblin may not be the most mana-efficient creature available. More powerful creatures or impactful spells could be played at the same, or even lower, mana cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Hulking Goblin is straightforward yet flexible in its application, providing a solid creature for decks needing an aggressive early presence on the board.

Combo Potential: Working well with cards that capitalize on creature sacrifices or red’s propensity for speed and damage, Hulking Goblin can be a key piece in synergistic strategies.

Meta-Relevance: Given its inherent aggression, Hulking Goblin can be particularly useful in a meta that favors quick, combat-centric gameplay, applying early pressure to opponents.

How to beat

Hulking Goblin presents an interesting challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This aggressive creature flourishes in the early stages of the game with its 2/2 stats, becoming an obstacle for opponents due to its inability to block. To tackle the Hulking Goblin effectively, one should consider utilizing removal spells early to neutralize it before it can deal significant damage. The card’s downside, its blocking restriction, can be exploited by strategizing attacks that compel the opponent to make unfavorable trades.

Pertinent to this strategy is combat manipulation, ensuring that your own creatures either have higher toughness to survive the goblin’s assault or leveraging cards that can tap the Hulking Goblin, avoiding its damage entirely. Efficient creature removal such as Shock or Fatal Push can dispatch the goblin cost-effectively, preserving your mana for more pressing threats. Additionally, sweeping board clears like Wrath of God can effortlessly eliminate the Hulking Goblin along with other threats posed by your opponent. By staying ahead of the goblin’s aggression and not allowing it to dictate the tempo, you ensure a better control of the game’s pace.

Hence, the key to overcoming the might of the Hulking Goblin lies in early disruption, judicious use of removal, and clever combat decisions to maintain board advantage. By doing so, you can diminish the goblin’s impact and navigate towards securing victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hulking Goblin MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Starter 1999, 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 Hulking Goblin and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hulking Goblin Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2014-06-16. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-05-01	Portal	POR	135	1997	Normal	Black	Pete Venters
2	1999-07-01	Starter 1999	S99	107	1997	Normal	White	Pete Venters
3	2014-06-16	Vintage Masters	VMA	174	2015	Normal	Black	Pete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hulking Goblin has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal