Kobold Drill Sergeant MTG Card

Legends (LEG)
1994-06-01 - Number 154

Kobold Drill Sergeant - Masters Edition III (ME3)

Masters Edition III (ME3)
2009-09-07 - Number 104

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Kobold Soldier
Power	1
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Card advantage and resource acceleration make the Sergeant a formidable ally in kobold-themed decks.
Specific mana cost and discard requirements demand smart deck building and strategic play.
Despite its niche role, its ability to empower kobolds keeps it meta-relevant and valuable.

Text of card

All your Kobolds gain +0/+1 and Trample.

"Joining this army is easy, boy. Just survive your first battle."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Kobold Drill Sergeant enhances your battle strategies with its unique ability to bolster your forces. When playing this card, you have the potential to expand your army, gaining a quantitative edge as the sergeant’s presence can lead to a more robust board presence against your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: As a synergy enabler, the Kobold Drill Sergeant can amplify your game by accelerating your resources. Its tribal-focused ability can ramp up your mana efficiency, especially within decks that capitalize on Kobold synergy, paving the way for larger and more impactful plays as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: While the Kobold Drill Sergeant itself is not an instant, it can work favorably with cards that operate at instant speed. This tactical flexibility ensures that your mana is used optimally, allowing you to respond to your opponent’s actions with timely precision, leading to possible game-swinging turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Kobold Drill Sergeant needs you to discard a card to activate its abilities, which could deplete your hand, especially if you’re already low on cards. This trade-off requires careful hand management and strategic planning to ensure you’re not giving up valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires red mana, which means it fits best in red-centric or multicolor decks that can accommodate this cost. Players running decks without red mana will find it impossible to utilize the Kobold Drill Sergeant, making it less versatile.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a demand for three mana, including two red, this card is on the higher end for creatures of its size. Its abilities might not justify the cost when compared to other creatures in the same mana range, potentially making it a less attractive choice for deckbuilding.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Kobold Drill Sergeant offers flexibility in deck-building, seamlessly integrating into tribal themes or decks focused on small creatures. Its ability to boost fellow Kobolds makes it a staple for players who love tribal synergies.

Combo Potential: This card can unlock explosive turns when paired with cards that capitalize on having numerous creatures on the battlefield. Its potential to snowball into a formidable army makes it a key piece in intricate combos.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where small creature strategies are prevalent, Kobold Drill Sergeant can be a game-changer by tipping the scales in your favor. Its capacity to empower an entire tribe of creatures ensures it remains a relevant choice for many players.

How to beat Kobold Drill Sergeant

Kobold Drill Sergeant elevates the potential of a kobold tribal strategy in Magic: The Gathering, offering a boon to an often overlooked creature type. This card provides key support, granting a boost to fellow kobolds and keeping opponents on their toes with the power to redirect attacks. While an opponent controls a stout battalion of buffed kobolds, taking down the sergeant should be the tactical focus to cripple their strength.

Counterspells and targeted removal shine against the Drill Sergeant, preventing the snowball effect of cumulative kobold advantages. Additionally, sweeping board clear spells pose a significant threat, resetting the playing field and nullifying the kobold’s numerical advantage. Early interaction is paramount since a turn without the Drill Sergeant’s influence dramatically weakens the opposition’s forces, making it essential to disrupt their game plan swiftly.

Preparing a diverse arsenal with an emphasis on pinpoint removal and universal answers to creatures makes the difference against the Sergeant. With that strategic approach, players can successfully thwart a kobold-led assault and maintain control of the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Kobold Drill Sergeant

Kobold Drill Sergeant is an intriguing creature card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, residing in the realm of red creature buffs. It shares its space with cards like Goblin Chieftain which also offers a boost to its tribe. The Kobold Drill Sergeant stands out with its ability to grant trample to other Kobold creatures, which is particularly useful when you’re running a deck filled with these little warriors. Moreover, unlike Goblin Chieftain, it doesn’t give a global power and toughness buff to its kind, focusing solely on the trample aspect.

Within its niche, there’s Bellowing Sergeant, another card that empowers fellow creatures but with a different approach. Bellowing Sergeant provides mentor, enhancing creatures directly through combat, while Kobold Drill Sergeant works passively, requiring no combat engagement to confer the trample benefit. Also, we have Legion Lieutenant that boosts Vampire creatures, a similar tribal effect, but instead of enhancing abilities, it increases power and toughness, making it more of an offensive choice than a strategic, ability-driven one like the Sergeant.

Ultimately, Kobold Drill Sergeant occupies a unique spot in the roster of tribal creature enhancers. While not as broadly impactful as some other tribal lords, its trample-granting ability niche gives it a special role in Kobold-themed decks.

Legion Lieutenant - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)

Cards similar to Kobold Drill Sergeant by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Rock Hydra - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)

Dwarven Weaponsmith - Foreign Black Border (FBB)

Dwarven Lieutenant - Fallen Empires (FEM)

Goblin Elite Infantry - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)

Fireslinger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)

Mogg War Marshal - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kobold Drill Sergeant MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Masters Edition III, 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 Kobold Drill Sergeant and other MTG cards: