Goblin Bookie MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Goblin
Released	1998-08-11
Set symbol
Set name	Unglued
Set code	UGL
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	43
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Silver
Illustred by	Claymore J. Flapdoodle
Un-set :-)	This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

Goblin Bookie’s reroll ability offers a unique advantage in chance-based games and strategies.
Flexibility at instant speed makes it a formidable and unpredictable tool in matches.
While offering unique game angles, it demands careful resource and strategy management.

Text of card

o R, oc T: Reflip any coin or reroll any die.

"Glok loved bets! He'd sit in the bar all night an' laugh an' laugh. Hey—he still owes me." —Squee, goblin casino hand

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Goblin Bookie may not directly allow you to draw additional cards, but its ability to reroll a die can indirectly lead to card advantage. By affecting outcomes that rely on chance, it can enhance situations that result in drawing cards or hinder opponents from gaining their card advantage. This unique mechanic adds a layer of strategy, giving savvy players a new avenue to tip the scales in their favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Goblin Bookie itself does not produce additional resources, the ability to influence dice rolls can be vital in decks that utilize coin flips or die rolls to ramp up resources. Manipulating these outcomes can accelerate your resource gains or disrupt your opponent’s, making it a strategic asset in games where chance dictates resource flow.

Instant Speed: Goblin Bookie operates at a speed that isn’t hindered by the stack or turn sequence, as it can be activated whenever you could cast an instant. This flexibility makes it a wild card in any match, able to influence random outcomes across the board at crucial moments. Whether it’s your turn or your opponent’s, the Bookie can shake up the game with a flick of its wrist, always keeping adversaries on their toes.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Goblin Bookie necessitates the discharging of valuable hand resources, posing a risk of card disadvantage. This element demands strategic hand management and can be detrimental in situations where your card pool is already strained.

Specific Mana Cost: Designed to fit within the bounds of red mana-focused decks, Goblin Bookie’s casting requirement restricts its inclusion in multi-colored or non-red decks. This limitation can restrict deck-building variety and strategy diversity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is significant for its abilities, there are alternative goblin or gambling-themed cards in MTG that could serve a player’s strategy with lower mana investment. This cost can affect the pace of gameplay, particularly in fast-paced or aggressive formats.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Bookie offers a quirky angle to gameplay, allowing re-flips of coins which can be pivoted into various strategies, especially in chance-based or chaos-themed decks.

Combo Potential: This card has unique synergy with effects that trigger upon winning coin flips, enhancing deck themes that revolve around luck and probability manipulation.

Meta-Relevance: While not a mainstay in every format, Goblin Bookie’s unique ability can disrupt opponents’ expectations and offer surprise advantages in casual and coin-flip themed metas.

How to beat

Goblin Bookie is a unique creature in the world of Magic: The Gathering, bringing playful chance to the battlefield. To outplay this mischievous menace, it’s important to understand its ability to reflip a coin. This can be disruptive if you’re not prepared. One strategy is to use cards that prevent activated abilities from being triggered, such as Pithing Needle or Phyrexian Revoker. This will keep the Bookie’s coin-tossing antics in check.

Additionally, it’s critical to minimize the randomness Goblin Bookie introduces to the game. Including instant speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push allows you to respond effectively to the coin flip outcome, whether it’s favorable or not. Ensure that you align your removal tools with the timing of his ability to maintain an advantage. Finally, consider adding cards that manipulate or negate coin flips, like Krark’s Thumb, which can turn the odds in your favor or even use Goblin Bookie’s unpredictability against your opponent.

Why let luck decide the outcome of a match when you can strategize to victory? Controlling or eliminating Goblin Bookie quickly is the key to maintaining a steady game plan and leading yourself to triumph in the whimsical world of MTG.

Cards like Goblin Bookie

Delving into the realm of whimsical and unique MTG cards, Goblin Bookie stands out with its distinctive ability to reroll dice. This characteristic bears resemblance to other cards like Krark’s Thumb, which manipulates probabilities in favor of the player. While Goblin Bookie directly affects outcomes of coin flips, Krark’s Thumb subtly skews the odds by allowing players to flip twice and choose which result to use.

Comparing further, we encounter Gamble, another card that introduces chance into gameplay. Despite both featuring a gambling theme, Gamble is riskier, requiring the player to discard at random, although it does offer the benefit of tutoring a card directly into your hand. Similarly, Risky Move takes gambling to new heights by allowing control of permanents to shift between players—a far cry from the straightforward yet charming ability of the cheeky Goblin Bookie.

When we evaluate Goblin Bookie alongside its peers, it becomes apparent that its fairly niche role caters to a certain playful strategy in Magic: The Gathering. Its singular focus on coin flip outcomes provides a unique way to influence luck, and it shines in decks built around chance and unpredictability.

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

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions

Mons's Goblin Raiders - MTG Card versions

Mons's Goblin Waiters - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Bookie MTG card by a specific set like Unglued, 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 Bookie and other MTG cards: