Thick-Skinned Goblin MTG Card

Thick-Skinned Goblin - Time Spiral (TSP)

Time Spiral (TSP)
2006-10-06 - Number 182

Thick-Skinned Goblin - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 196

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

Key Takeaways

Thick-Skinned Goblin excels at card advantage by casting spells without mana cost, optimizing your resource management.
Its instant speed activation enhances gameplay flexibly, allowing for strategic plays during crucial moments.
The card’s discard condition and specific mana cost align it closely with red or red-centric MTG decks.

Text of card

You may pay rather than pay the echo cost for permanents you control. : Thick-Skinned Goblin gains protection from red until end of turn.

The shaman of the tribe is responsible for keeping track of all its treasures, including angry pets and cursed lamps of fiery doom.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Thick-Skinned Goblin from MTG shines by enabling you to play certain cards from your hand without paying their mana cost. This ability can lead to significant card advantage, as it allows you to potentially bypass resource restrictions and deploy threats or answers without spending resources, keeping your hand full and ready for future turns.

Resource Acceleration: While this goblin itself doesn’t produce additional mana, the ability to play cards without paying their mana costs indirectly acts as resource acceleration. By utilizing this unique ability, you can allocate mana usually reserved for those cards to other uses, effectively accelerating your resource development and outpacing your opponent’s board state.

Instant Speed: The activation of Thick-Skinned Goblin’s ability at instant speed provides a strategic advantage. You can adapt to the dynamic state of the game, using the ability when most advantageous—perhaps in response to an opponent’s move or at the end of their turn. This flexibility can catch opponents off guard and turn the tide of a match in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the noticeable downsides of the Thick-Skinned Goblin is its discard condition. Players must discard a card to take advantage of its full potential. This requirement can be particularly challenging when a player’s hand is already running low, potentially costing valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Designed for a red mana strategy, this card demands a precise mana setup to be played. While this aligns well with mono-red or red-centric decks, it can be a stumbling block for multicolored builds, restricting the card’s versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a two red mana cost for a two power creature, Thick-Skinned Goblin comes with a relatively steep investment for the combat benefits it provides. In the broader game environment, there are other creatures and spells that could offer more impact or utility for the same, or less, mana investment, making it less appealing in a competitive setting.

Reasons to Include Thick-Skinned Goblin in Your Collection

Versatility: Thick-Skinned Goblin is a card with flexibility that can slot into numerous decks. With the capability to prevent counter magic against your Red spells, it can be a key player in allowing your strategies to resolve.

Combo Potential: This Goblin’s unique ability to protect your other spells from being countered can be crucial in enabling combos. It synergizes well with decks that aim to resolve big, game-changing spells without the threat of opposition.

Meta-Relevance: In a game climate where Blue control decks are prevalent, having a Thick-Skinned Goblin can offer a significant tactical advantage. Its ability to bypass the tools of control decks makes it well suited for a meta defined by stack interaction and spell wars.

How to beat

Thick-Skinned Goblin brings a unique dynamic to the battlefield. This creature’s special ability to prevent damage and effects that target it adds a layer of resilience. Overcoming a card like Thick-Skinned Goblin requires strategic planning. A useful tactic involves bypassing its damage prevention ability by implementing board wipes or global effects that don’t target individual creatures. Cards like Wrath of God or Damnation can prove to be particularly effective as they clear the board without singling out Thick-Skinned Goblin for its protective quality.

An alternative approach to dismantling the defense of a Thick-Skinned Goblin is to exploit its inability to block creatures with shadow or creatures that can’t be blocked such as ones with unblockable or landwalk abilities. Introducing these types of evasive creatures can help you to whittle down an opponent’s life total despite the presence of this obstinate goblin. Remember, the key to beating a card like this lies in utilizing non-targeted spells or leveraging creatures that avoid direct confrontation.

Ultimately, employing a versatile deck with a range of removal options and unblockable creatures is the best counter-strategy against Thick-Skinned Goblin. Adaptability and a keen understanding of global effects can secure your advantage on the MTG battlefield.

Cards like Thick-Skinned Goblin

Thick-Skinned Goblin finds its niche within the vast assortment of creatures in Magic: The Gathering. This peculiar goblin interacts with the game notably through its ability to negate the penalties of spells that target it. Compared to other creatures, like Raging Goblin, which boasts haste but lacks any protective traits, Thick-Skinned Goblin shines in resilience. The Raging Goblin aims to deliver swift damage, while Thick-Skinned Goblin is built for endurance in the battlefield.

Another kin in the realm of goblins is the ever-popular Goblin King, which not only buffs other goblins but also provides mountainwalk to bolster an offensive strategy. Unlike Thick-Skinned Goblin, the King leans towards augmenting the power of its allies, making it a staple in goblin-themed decks. Meanwhile, Mogg Fanatic provides a different layer of versatility, offering the potential to sacrifice itself for direct damage, something our Thick-Skinned Goblin doesn’t entail.

While each goblin has its unique offerings, Thick-Skinned Goblin particularly stands out with its potential to neutralize certain spells meant to hinder it, making it a valuable addition for players seeking a durable creature to withstand targeted spells in their MTG gameplay.

Cards similar to Thick-Skinned Goblin by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thick-Skinned Goblin MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Thick-Skinned Goblin and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Thick-Skinned Goblin Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Ralph Horsley.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2006-10-06	Time Spiral	TSP		182	2003	Normal	Black	Ralph Horsley
2	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR		196	2015	Normal	Black	Ralph Horsley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thick-Skinned Goblin has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-03-19	When an echo ability of a permanent you control resolves, you may pay , pay its echo cost, or choose not to pay (and then sacrifice that permanent). Any effects that check whether you paid the echo cost are satisfied if you paid this way.