Goblin Grenadiers MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Goblin
Released	1997-06-09
Set symbol
Set name	Weatherlight
Set code	WTH
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	104
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Frazier

Key Takeaways

Goblin Grenadiers can disrupt opponents, creating a shift in resource balance that may tilt games in your favor.
Though not instant, its combat-trigger ability influences matches in a way similar to disruptive instants.
Sacrifice and specific mana costs pose limitations, challenging players to utilize it strategically.

Text of card

Sacrifice Goblin Grenadiers: Destroy target creature and target land. Use this ability only if Goblin Grenadiers is attacking and unblocked.

For once, Squee realized, *he* wasn't the dumb one.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Goblin Grenadiers can potentially eliminate an opponent’s land or artifact, which can lead to a significant shift in card advantage on the battlefield. Having the upper hand in resources can be decisive in MTG games.

Resource Acceleration: While the Goblin Grenadiers themselves don’t directly accelerate resources, their ability to disrupt an opponent’s mana base by destroying a land can indirectly accelerate your position by setting them back. This allows you to develop your board while they recover.

Instant Speed: The trigger from Goblin Grenadiers comes into play when they deal combat damage to a player. This isn’t at instant speed, but the fact that it can force action during the combat phase makes it a tool that can change game dynamics unexpectedly, much like instants affect the flow of play.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Goblin Grenadiers forces you to sacrifice it when you’re attacking and not blocked, effectively discarding the card from play. This cost is steep, as you lose a creature without guarantee of impacting the board significantly.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of red and other mana to cast. Players not running a deck with ample red sources might find it challenging to meet this requirement consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes three colorless and one red mana, Goblin Grenadiers sits at the higher end of the spectrum for its creature type. When evaluated against other goblin cards, there are options that provide similar or better effects without such a substantial mana investment.

Reasons to Include Goblin Grenadiers in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Grenadiers works well in different types of decks that are aggressive by nature. This card fits seamlessly into goblin tribal strategies or any deck that values attackers with an added bonus. Its ability to disrupt opponents’ strategies while attacking adds a layer of utility making it more than just a simple creature card.

Combo Potential: This card has great synergy with cards that encourage attacking and benefits from being able to remove potential blockers or valuable artifacts and lands that an opponent controls. Its ability to sacrifice itself as part of its effect can also be advantageous in decks that profit from creatures entering the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where tempo and board presence are essential, Goblin Grenadiers can be a strategic inclusion. Particularly in a meta with decks that rely on certain lands or key artifacts, being able to dismantle those components while applying pressure can be game-changing.

How to beat

Goblin Grenadiers is a card that can catch many players off guard in a game of Magic: The Gathering. This creature’s unique abilities can turn the tide by enabling direct damage and the destruction of opponent’s artifacts and lands after it successfully deals combat damage. A proactive strategy to overpower this card includes controlling the battlefield through removal spells. Spot removals like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can efficiently take out the Grenadiers before they declare an attack.

Another effective tactic is to limit the number of viable targets for the Grenadiers’ abilities. Playing fewer artifacts or enchantments reduces the chances that the Grenadiers will significantly impact your board presence when they strike. Counterspells like Counterspell itself or Mana Leak also ensure that Goblin Grenadiers never becomes a threat on the battlefield. It’s also efficient to engage in combat tricks, utilizing instant-speed spells that can either buff your creatures or weaken your opponent’s just before the damage step.

By keeping tight control of the board and being ready with responses, you can nullify the potential havoc that Goblin Grenadiers could otherwise cause in your MTG match.

Cards like Goblin Grenadiers

Goblin Grenadiers stand out in the pantheon of unique creatures within Magic: The Gathering. This card shares some similarities with other goblin-themed cards like Goblin Ringleader, which also provides a degree of card advantage by revealing the top four cards of the library and putting all goblin cards revealed this way into your hand. However, the Grenadiers distinguish themselves through their attack-triggered ability, allowing you to destroy an opponent’s artifact and deal damage directly to their life points, should they go unblocked.

Another comparable card is Tuktuk Scrapper, which, like Goblin Grenadiers, deals damage to your opponent every time it becomes involved in artifact destruction. Whereas Tuktuk Scrapper focuses solely on artifacts, Goblin Grenadiers have the added flexibility of also impacting the land base of an opponent. This strategic layer can be especially disruptive in formats where mana stability is key. While Tuktuk Scrapper operates within the confines of tribal interactions, Goblin Grenadiers have the potential to affect the board more generally upon connecting with the opponent.

Overall, Goblin Grenadiers have a distinctive playstyle in Magic: The Gathering, thanks to their aggressive slant and tactical versatility in dealing with both artifacts and lands, making them a solid choice in goblin-themed decks seeking to apply pressure and dismantle opponent strategies.

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

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Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Grenadiers has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-04-01	A permanent that’s both a land and a creature may be chosen as both of this ability’s targets.
2008-04-01	Both a creature and a land must be targeted when the ability triggers. If there aren’t enough legal targets, the ability doesn’t go on the stack and Goblin Grenadiers can’t be sacrificed this way.
2013-04-15	An ability that triggers when something “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers in the declare blockers step after blockers are declared if (1) that creature is attacking and (2) no creatures are declared to block it. It will trigger even if that creature was put onto the battlefield attacking rather than having been declared as an attacker in the declare attackers step.