Goblin Kites MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	1994-11-01
Set symbol
Set name	Fallen Empires
Set code	FEM
Number	57
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Anson Maddocks

Key Takeaways

Offers strategic advantage through instant-speed evasion, elevating combat dynamics and catching opponents off guard.
Resource-friendly activation cost enhances in-game efficiency, making it a clever tactical addition to red decks.
Requires careful management due to discard activation cost, ensuring strategic depth and decision-making in games.

Text of card

oo R A target creature you control, which cannot have a toughness greater than 2, gains flying until end of turn. Other effects may later be used to increase the creature's toughness. At end of turn, flip a coin; opponent calls heads or tails while coin is in the air. If the flip ends up in opponent's favor, bury that creature.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Goblin Kites offers a unique form of card advantage. With its ability to grant creatures the potential to fly, you can bypass your opponent’s blockers and strike directly, gaining an advantage in board presence which can be just as crucial as drawing extra cards.

Resource Acceleration: While Goblin Kites doesn’t directly increase your mana pool, its relatively low casting cost can accelerate your resource allocation by allowing for more freedom to cast other spells in your turn while setting up for strategic aerial attacks in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: The key to Goblin Kites lies in its activation at instant speed, enabling surprise maneuvers and clever combat tricks. By waiting for the perfect moment before unleashing its ability, you maintain the element of surprise, keeping your opponents guessing and on the defensive.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Goblin Kites requires you to discard a card to activate its ability. This can pose a challenge, especially when your hand is running low and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation cost specifically demands red mana. This requirement can restrict its inclusion in multi-colored decks that may not always have red mana readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a relatively steep three mana for its initial casting and additional cost to activate, Goblin Kites may not be as mana-efficient compared to other options in your arsenal that provide similar or better effects.

Reasons to Include Goblin Kites in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Kites offers a unique twist to gameplay, providing a form of evasion which can be essential in decks that center around combat and creature synergy. Its ability to potentially make a creature unblockable for a turn makes it a quirky addition to a variety of red-based decks.

Combo Potential: With the right board setup, this card can be a game-changer. Its ability pairs well with cards that benefit from successful combat damage or combat triggers, enabling surprising combos that can turn the tide of the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where ground stalls are common, Goblin Kites can give you an edge by allowing key creatures to bypass blockers. Its surprise factor and low mana cost can effectively disrupt opponents’ strategies in a meta where flying creatures are less prevalent.

How to beat

Goblin Kites is a quirky card that can give players a tactical edge in Magic: The Gathering. This card’s strength lies in the ability to potentially grant flying to a creature until end of turn, which can be a surprise maneuver during combat. To effectively thwart Goblin Kites, it’s crucial to have instant speed removals or abilities that can counteract the temporary evasion it provides. Cards with reach or ones that can be flashed in as blockers are perfect examples of how to keep the skies clear of any aerial threats Goblin Kites might create.

Another stratagem against Goblin Kites revolves around the fact that it requires a successful coin flip to work – without it, the creature it targets will be destroyed. Utilizing this uncertainty, players can employ spells or abilities that limit the number of activations available to an opponent. By disrupting their mana base or applying pressure to make them commit their resources elsewhere, you’re indirectly reducing the efficacy of their Goblin Kites maneuvers. Strategies that keep the opponent on the defensive or restrict their options will lessen the impact of Goblin Kites on the game’s outcome.

Ultimately, Goblin Kites can be a fun and unpredictable card, but like any other, it has its counters and weaknesses. By being prepared with the right responses and controlling the flow of the game, you can ensure that Goblin Kites doesn’t deter your path to victory.

Cards like Goblin Kites

Goblin Kites is an interesting card within the suite of red enchantments in Magic: The Gathering, drawing parallels to tricks and abilities that similarly offer temporary evasion. Cards like Goblin War Drums provide creatures with the menace ability, forcing opponents to block with two or more creatures, which can be compared to how Goblin Kites gives a creature the potential to evade blocks altogether, albeit with a risk factor.

Leap is another card that grants a creature flying until end of turn, a stable evasion tactic without the coin flip gamble that Goblin Kites requires. However, Leap draws you a card, potentially offsetting the one card disadvantage. Riskier options such as Balduvian Rage exemplify red’s embracing of unpredictability, giving a creature a massive power boost at the expense of targeting restrictions and post-combat card draw, offering a different form of game-finishing potential.

While assessing the cards that share a kinship with Goblin Kites, it’s important to weigh the unique risk-reward elements that embody the essence of red’s strategy in Magic: The Gathering. Goblin Kites may not be the most reliable tool for achieving evasion, but it epitomizes red’s flair for high stakes and game-altering moments.

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

Emblem of the Warmind - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

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