Goblin Matron MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 16 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Goblin
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Goblin Matron offers card advantage by tutoring essential goblins directly into your hand.
  2. Enables resource acceleration and synergistic play within goblin decks for strategic depth.
  3. Though cons exist, such as a specific mana cost, her utility in tribal goblin decks is undisputed.

Text of card

When Goblin Matron comes into play from your hand, search your library for a Goblin card and put that card into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Goblin Matron shines by tutoring any Goblin card from your deck and putting it directly into your hand. This creates significant card advantage as it gives you direct access to key pieces of your strategy, ensuring you have the right goblin for the job at any stage of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources through additional mana, Goblin Matron accelerates your board presence. By fetching the exact goblin you need, such as one that generates mana or impacts the battlefield immediately, the Matron effectively acts as a catalyst for explosive turns.

Instant Speed: The true power of Goblin Matron may not be in its speed, but in the instant-speed cards it enables you to fetch. This allows for strategic depth and unpredictability, as you can secure goblins that can be played at instant speed or those that disrupt opponents’ plans mid-combat or on their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Goblin Matron’s ability to search for a Goblin card is useful, it requires you to have a Goblin card in mind, which could limit flexibility if you’re in need of other resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Goblin Matron demands a specific mana arrangement, one red and two generic mana, which can sometimes be tricky to manage, especially in multicolored decks that may struggle with color fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three mana, Goblin Matron’s impact on the game may not be immediate, as it provides a tutor effect rather than direct board presence or an immediate answer to threats. In some fast-paced games, this cost can be a tad too steep compared to other three-mana creatures that could offer more immediate board impact.


Reasons to Include Goblin Matron in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Matron is an essential tool for any deck capitalizing on tribal synergies, particularly those built around Goblins. The ability to search your library for any Goblin card ensures you have access to the right creature at the right time, whether you need a combo piece or a solution to an on-field problem.

Combo Potential: Goblins are known for their explosive combos, and Goblin Matron acts as a linchpin for assembling these powerful interactions. With her, you can fetch key components like Skirk Prospector for mana generation or Krenko, Mob Boss for token multiplication, making your deck more consistent and dangerous.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where tribal decks or creature-based strategies prevail, Goblin Matron’s tutoring capability is invaluable. She allows for immediate adaptation and reaction to the prevalent decks, by ensuring that you have the best goblin for any situation at your fingertips.


How to beat

Goblin Matron is a staple in MTG decks that revolve around goblins, admired for her utility in tutoring any goblin card straight into your hand. This type of card advantage can be tough to counteract, but not impossible. The key lies in timing your removal spells to disrupt the play before your opponent can make use of the goblin they fetch. Spot removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can neutralize the Matron the moment she hits the battlefield.

Moreover, graveyard disruption tactics can be very effective. By utilizing cards such as Relic of Progenitus or Rest in Peace, you cut off access to any combo pieces or important goblins your adversary might recur from their graveyard later. This can severely hamstring strategies heavily reliant on synergies with Goblin Matron.

Understanding the ecosystem of cards that Goblin Matron can potentially bring into play is also crucial. If you can anticipate what your opponent is searching for, you can prepare your countermeasures accordingly. Strategic planning and reactive measures are your best tools for overcoming the challenges posed by the cunning Goblin Matron.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the strategic depth MTG offers, cards like Goblin Matron can shift the tide of a duel with their unique abilities. Charming in its specificity, the Matron is key in any Goblin-centric deck and acts as a focal point in harnessing the tribe’s potential. By fetching the perfect Goblin card, you reinforce your strategic options and dictate the flow of play. Whether it’s building combos or enhancing board presence, this card is pivotal. Dive deeper with us into the realm of MTG tactics and discover how to optimize your deck with cards like Goblin Matron—become the strategist your opponents fear.


Cards like Goblin Matron

Goblin Matron is a key card for any deck built around Goblins in MTG. It’s often compared with other creature-based tutors such as Imperial Recruiter, which allows for the search of any creature card with power 2 or less. However, Goblin Matron’s specificity to the Goblin tribe is what gives it an edge in those archetypes, ensuring a seamless deck synergy and strategy execution.

Similarly, Moggcatcher is another tribal tutor, but it trades immediate impact for a repeatable effect, requiring activation and thus a slower setup. Goblin Matron stands out with its direct and immediate tutor ability that activates upon entering the battlefield, making it more efficient in the fast-paced Goblin strategies. It’s also important to note that Goblin Matron’s lower casting cost compared to Moggcatcher allows a quicker integration into the game.

In essence, Goblin Matron shines in tribal Goblin decks by offering immediate access to key components and maintaining tempo, making it a superior choice for players who aim to unleash their goblin horde swiftly and effectively.

Imperial Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Moggcatcher - MTG Card versions
Imperial Recruiter - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Moggcatcher - Nemesis (NEM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Matron MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age and Urza's Saga, 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 Matron and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Matron Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1998-06-24 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by 5 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-24Portal Second AgeP02 1001997normalblackDaniel Gelon
21998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 1911997normalblackDiTerlizzi
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1911997normalwhiteDan Frazier
42001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 191★1997normalblackDan Frazier
52007-11-16Duel Decks: Elves vs. GoblinsDD1 392003normalblackDaniel Gelon
62014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 1682015normalblackDan Frazier
72014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Elves vs. GoblinsEVG 392015normalblackDaniel Gelon
82019-06-05Modern Horizons Art SeriesAMH1 172015art_seriesborderlessJesper Ejsing
92019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 1292015normalblackJesper Ejsing
102019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 9562015normalblackJesper Ejsing
112019-11-21Historic Anthology 1HA1 112015normalblackJesper Ejsing
122019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 1312★2015normalborderlessWizard of Barge
132019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 13122015normalborderlessWizard of Barge
142020-09-26The ListPLST MH1-1292015normalblackJesper Ejsing
152023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 3231997normalblackJesper Ejsing
162023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 1232015normalblackJesper Ejsing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Matron has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don't have to find the card if you don't want to.
2019-06-14 If an effect refers to a “
-ubtype] spell” or “
-ubtype] card,” it refers only to a spell or card that has that subtype. For example, Goblin War Party is a card that references and creates Goblins, but it isn't a Goblin card.

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