Goblin War Paint MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Goblin War Paint can turn creatures into larger threats, applying pressure on opponents in-game.
  2. The enchantment speeds up wins, enabling aggressive strategies by shortening the duration of matches.
  3. Despite being a sorcery, Goblin War Paint synergizes with instant spells, surprising foes in combat.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has haste.

War paint made from kolya fruit heightens senses and lessens fear. Unfortunately, fear is usually what keeps you alive.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Goblin War Paint itself may not directly draw cards, it turns any creature into a more formidable threat, which can pressure your opponent, possibly costing them extra cards to deal with the buffed creature.

Resource Acceleration: By increasing a creature’s power quickly, Goblin War Paint can help close games faster, effectively serving as resource acceleration through reduced turns needed to win. This allows players to conserve other resources in their hand for critical moments.

Instant Speed: Although Goblin War Paint is a sorcery, its effect complements instant-speed spells by creating a surprise combat advantage during your turn, catching opponents off guard and potentially disrupting their planned blocks and resource allocation.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Goblin War Paint’s beneficial effects may be tainted by the need to eliminate a card from your hand, reducing your strategic options and potentially weakening your grip on the game’s progression.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s red mana requirement does anchor it firmly within that color’s realm, potentially alienating decks that either run multiple colors or don’t focus on red mana strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that might be considered steep for the temporary boost it provides, players could find Goblin War Paint less than optimal when compared with other cards that offer more substantial and lasting outcomes for a similar investment.


Reasons to Include Goblin War Paint in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin War Paint lends itself to a variety of aggressive deck builds, serving as a cost-effective way to enhance your creatures’ power. It’s particularly adept at giving you the upper hand in the early game where speed can determine the victor.

Combo Potential: With the ability to boost a creature’s damage output, this enchantment can work in tandem with cards that capitalize on dealing combat damage to opponents. This synergy can unlock swift victories or facilitate powerful combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state that favors fast-paced, attack-driven strategies, Goblin War Paint can be an important asset. It modifies the battlefield by pressuring opponents and aligning perfectly with Red Deck Wins (RDW) tactics that dominate certain metas.


How to beat

Goblin War Paint is an intriguing card that can quickly escalate the threat level of any creature on the battlefield in MTG. This enchantment not only gives a creature a significant power and toughness boost but also bestows haste, allowing for immediate impact. When facing an opponent utilizing Goblin War Paint, the key is to neutralize the enchanted creature before it can leverage that sudden burst of speed and strength.

Efficient removal spells are your best defense. Instant-speed options like Doom Blade, Path to Exile, or Lightning Bolt allow you to react swiftly to the enchanted creature before it declares an attack. With these spells, you can eliminate the threat at a low mana cost and mitigate potential damage. Additionally, cards that can bounce creatures back to the owner’s hand, such as Unsummon or Boomerang, offer a way to temporarily deal with the problem and disrupt your opponent’s tempo.

Ultimately, while Goblin War Paint can create moments of high tension, maintaining control with thoughtful removal will ensure you keep your opponent’s ambitions in check. Staying prepared and responsive is crucial to overcoming the burst of aggression that Goblin War Paint represents in the game.


Cards like Goblin War Paint

Goblin War Paint falls into the ever-energetic category of red buff spells in MTG, akin to other cards that provide a swift power hike to your creatures. Cards like Rouse the Mob trace a similar vein, offering the thrill of a sudden strength surge with a twist – it comes with Strive, allowing you to target multiple creatures for increasing mana.

Brute Force is another relative in the family of combat tricks. This single red mana spell gives a creature a +3/+3 boost without the need to attach, but lacks the staying power of Goblin War Paint’s enchantment status. Then there’s Titan’s Strength, which grants a smaller bonus of +3/+1 but sweetens the deal with a scry 1, helping you filter your next draw. Unlike Goblin War Paint, both Brute Force and Titan’s Strength are instants, offering more flexibility in timing.

While each card carves its niche in aggro-strategies, Goblin War Paint embeds itself on the battlefield, potentially shaping multiple turns. It’s these nuances that help players decide which fiery enhancement to wield in the heat of battle.

Rouse the Mob - MTG Card versions
Brute Force - MTG Card versions
Titan's Strength - MTG Card versions
Rouse the Mob - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Brute Force - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Titan's Strength - Theros (THS)

Cards similar to Goblin War Paint by color, type and mana cost

Power Surge - MTG Card versions
Raging River - MTG Card versions
Smoke - MTG Card versions
Goblin Kites - MTG Card versions
The Brute - MTG Card versions
Giant Strength - MTG Card versions
Lightning Reflexes - MTG Card versions
Consuming Ferocity - MTG Card versions
Errantry - MTG Card versions
Goblin Festival - MTG Card versions
Scald - MTG Card versions
Cave Sense - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Surge - MTG Card versions
Maniacal Rage - MTG Card versions
Battle Strain - MTG Card versions
Goblin Bombardment - MTG Card versions
Underworld Breach - MTG Card versions
Lightning Rift - MTG Card versions
Fractured Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Fire Whip - MTG Card versions
Power Surge - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Raging River - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Smoke - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Goblin Kites - Fallen Empires (FEM)
The Brute - Renaissance (REN)
Giant Strength - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Lightning Reflexes - Mirage (MIR)
Consuming Ferocity - Mirage (MIR)
Errantry - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Goblin Festival - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Scald - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Cave Sense - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Flowstone Surge - Nemesis (NEM)
Maniacal Rage - Conflux (CON)
Battle Strain - Odyssey (ODY)
Goblin Bombardment - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Underworld Breach - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Lightning Rift - Onslaught (ONS)
Fractured Loyalty - Mirrodin (MRD)
Fire Whip - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin War Paint MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Magic 2012, 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 War Paint and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin War Paint Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-10-02ZendikarZEN 1292003normalblackAustin Hsu
22011-07-15Magic 2012M12 1432003normalblackAustin Hsu
32015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 1152015normalblackAustin Hsu
42015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 1462015normalblackKarl Kopinski
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 9622015normalblackKarl Kopinski
62020-09-26The ListPLST BFZ-1462015normalblackKarl Kopinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin War Paint has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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