Kobolds of Kher Keep MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Kobold
Power 0
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Kobolds of Kher Keep excels in decks that thrive on having numerous creatures to enhance synergistic plays.
  2. Though mana-free to cast, their practicality hinges on support cards that can necessitate additional resources.
  3. Strategically placed, this card can fit into various combos and potentially disrupt the meta with its swarm ability.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though not directly providing card draw, the ability to generate multiple Kobold tokens with a single card like Kobolds of Kher Keep can be valuable for strategies that rely on quantity over quality. Each Kobold offers a unit for synergistic interactions and can slowly tip the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: A large number of creatures, regardless of their power and toughness, can be instrumental in strategies that capitalize on a high creature count. Using a card like Kobolds of Kher Keep enables efficient buildup of your board state enabling a quicker execution of your game plan by having more pieces in place sooner.

Instant Speed: The ability to summon creatures at instant speed greatly enhances tactical flexibility. Though Kobolds of Kher Keep itself doesn’t have this ability, it can synergize with other cards in your deck that can do so, allowing you to deploy threats unexpectedly or at the most opportune moments. Combining it with cards that have flash or provide flash to other cards could maximize your board presence while keeping your opponents guessing.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Kobolds of Kher Keep doesn’t force a discard upon casting, it can still be part of a trade-off in strategies that utilize discarding as a cost for more powerful effects. Keeping a balance between card advantage and such synergistic plays can be challenging.

Specific Mana Cost: Despite the fact that Kobolds of Kher Keep can be cast for no mana, they do require a red mana source on the battlefield to leverage any abilities or synergies that are color-dependent, potentially restricting their integration in non-red decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite their initial cost of zero, the actual utility of Kobolds of Kher Keep can often be overshadowed by other creatures or spells with more impactful abilities for the same cost when factoring in the necessary support cards to make them viable.


Reasons to Include Kobolds of Kher Keep in Your Collection

Versatility: Kobolds of Kher Keep can be a useful piece in numerous deck builds, especially those geared toward tribal synergies or using creatures that benefit from having a high creature count.

Combo Potential: Its zero casting cost makes it an excellent enabler for combo strategies, where sacrificing creatures can lead to powerful effects or enable you to storm off with cards that count the number of creatures played in a turn.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, there may arise situations where the ability to flood the board with creatures quickly and without mana cost could provide a tactical advantage against slower, more controlling decks.


How to beat

Kobolds of Kher Keep may seem like an irrelevant threat due to its lack of power and toughness. However, with the right synergies, these little creatures can overwhelm an opponent. Enabling overwhelming strategies might focus on pumping their power or utilizing sacrifice mechanics for larger gains. Due to their cost of zero mana, they can easily be spammed onto the battlefield creating significant advantage with cards like Coat of Arms or Purphoros, God of the Forge.

So, how do you stop a swarm of Kobolds before it gets out of hand? Board wipes are your best friends here. Cards that deal damage to every creature can clean up multiple Kobolds in one fell swoop, hampering the opponent’s buildup. Spot removals are not efficient against them; it’s like cutting water with a knife as they can be reproduced quickly.

Taking a proactive approach against a horde of Kobolds is key. Denying them the chance to accumulate or cutting off their synergy with other cards disrupts their strategy. Employ sweepers for the best results, and prevent these tiny crimson menaces from taking over the game.


Cards like Kobolds of Kher Keep

Kobolds of Kher Keep hold a unique place in Magic: The Gathering, sharing traits with other zero-cost creatures such as Ornithopter and Memnite. What sets the Kobolds apart is their creature type, which makes them a playful choice for decks focusing on tribal synergies. While Ornithopter offers the advantage of flying, making it an excellent defensive unit or complement to artifact synergies, the Kobolds resonate with the lure of being part of the vast Legion of Kher Keep and their associated interactions.

Memnite stands out for its artifact creature classification, offering compatibility with strategies bolstering artifact count or enabling metalcraft abilities. Despite their lack of innate abilities, these zero-cost creatures synergize well with cards like Skullclamp for card advantage or with goblin-related boosts from lords such as Goblin King or adaptive automaton when declared as goblins.

Considering their positions in their respective niches, the Kobolds of Kher Keep’s place in tribal decks, especially with a commander like Prossh, Skyraider of Kher, shines for their ability to rapidly swarm the battlefield at no mana cost. This positions them uniquely within the ecosystem of cost-effective creatures in the game.

Ornithopter - MTG Card versions
Memnite - MTG Card versions
Skullclamp - MTG Card versions
Goblin King - MTG Card versions
Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher - MTG Card versions
Ornithopter - Antiquities (ATQ)
Memnite - Scars of Mirrodin Promos (PSOM)
Skullclamp - Darksteel (DST)
Goblin King - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Adaptive Automaton - Magic 2012 (M12)
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher - Commander 2013 (C13)

Cards similar to Kobolds of Kher Keep by color, type and mana cost

Crookshank Kobolds - MTG Card versions
Crimson Kobolds - MTG Card versions
Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh - MTG Card versions
Half-Orc, Half- - MTG Card versions
Crookshank Kobolds - Masters Edition (ME1)
Crimson Kobolds - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh - Commander Legends (CMR)
Half-Orc, Half- - Unstable (UST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kobolds of Kher Keep 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 Kobolds of Kher Keep and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Kobolds of Kher Keep Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-06-01LegendsLEG 1571993normalblackJulie Baroh
22009-09-07Masters Edition IIIME3 1071997normalblackJulie Baroh
32018-03-16Masters 25A25 102015tokenblackPaolo Parente
42021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 92015tokenblackPaolo Parente
52022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 352015tokenblackPaolo Parente
62022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 132015tokenblackPaolo Parente
72023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 122015tokenblackPaolo Parente
82023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 272015tokenblackPaolo Parente
92024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 122015tokenblackPaolo Parente

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kobolds of Kher Keep has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kobolds of Kher Keep card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2013-06-07 Although originally printed with a characteristic-defining ability that defined its color, this card now has a color indicator. This color indicator can’t be affected by text-changing effects (such as the one created by Crystal Spray), although color-changing effects can still overwrite it.

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