Goblin Legionnaire MTG Card

Apocalypse (APC)
2001-06-04 - Number 103

Goblin Legionnaire - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Magic Online Promos (PRM)
2002-06-24 - Number 35146

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Goblin Soldier
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Goblin Legionnaire offers card advantage with instant-speed abilities that influence the battlefield on your terms.
Despite its utility, it demands specific mana and may be costlier compared to other aggressive creatures.
Its defensive and offensive versatility makes it a strategic addition to a variety of deck archetypes.

Text of card

o R, Sacrifice Goblin Legionnaire: Goblin Legionnaire deals 2 damage to target creature or player. o W, Sacrifice Goblin Legionnaire: Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Goblin Legionnaire excels at providing strategic advantages on the battlefield. With its ability to deal damage directly to creatures or players, it offers a means to alter the board state in your favor without the need to expend additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of resource acceleration, the flexibility of Goblin Legionnaire can indirectly lead to mana efficiency. By eliminating key threats or protecting your own assets, you preserve the resources vital for maintaining a strong presence in the game.

Instant Speed: The abilities of Goblin Legionnaire can be activated at instant speed, granting you the power to respond promptly to opponents’ actions. This reactive capability ensures that you can adapt to an evolving game state, making it a formidable tool in both offense and defense.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the case of Goblin Legionnaire, there’s no need to discard cards to utilize its abilities. That said, always be aware that similar cards may have this downside, which can be quite limiting if you’re trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both red and white mana to play, which may not fit into multicolor decks that don’t include these colors. It restricts the card’s flexibility and demands a certain deck structure to utilize effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When building a fast-paced, efficient deck, Goblin Legionnaire’s mixed mana cost for a 2/2 creature could be considered high. In the realm of aggressive decks, there are other lower cost creatures that could free up mana to play other spells or creatures in the same turn.

Reasons to Include Goblin Legionnaire in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Legionnaire proves to be a robust addition to a wide array of decks. With its split damage and life-saving abilities, it can adapt to multiple game scenarios, serving as both an offensive and defensive asset.

Combo Potential: Its ability to deal damage or prevent it makes this card a key player in combos. It fits into strategies geared around sacrifice mechanics or where creatures triggering when they deal damage or die are essential.

Meta-Relevance: Given that the metagame often cycles through various creature-based strategies, having a multifunctional card like Goblin Legionnaire can offer great tech options against a multitude of popular decks.

How to beat

Goblin Legionnaire is a versatile creature card that finds its way into many Magic: The Gathering decks thanks to its dual utility for creative players. With the ability to deal damage and also protect your other creatures or itself, this card can be a challenge to handle if you’re unprepared. To effectively beat a Goblin Legionnaire, players need to strategize and select their moves wisely.

A solid strategy is to use removal spells that bypass the Legionnaire’s sacrificial abilities. Instant spells that don’t target, like Wrath of God or Pyroclasm, can sweep away this pesky goblin without giving your opponent the chance to utilize its abilities for their benefit. Moreover, countering it upon casting can prevent it from impacting the board at all. Haste and vigilant creatures can also outpace the Legionnaire, capitalizing on its inability to block multiple threats efficiently.

Ultimately, by understanding the card’s strengths – its sacrificial versatility – and targeting its weaknesses with board-wide removals, efficient counterspells, and aggressive creature tactics, you can ensure that the Goblin Legionnaire doesn’t become a persistent obstacle on your path to victory.

Cards like Goblin Legionnaire

Goblin Legionnaire stands out in the arsenal of creature cards available to players of Magic the Gathering. Within the Goblin tribe, there are numerous relatives such as Goblin Grenade, which also packs a powerful punch, bolstering red decks’ aggressive tactics. However, Goblin Legionnaire is a unique hybrid, blending the Boros colors where direct damage meets combat versatility. Instead of exclusively dealing damage like Goblin Grenade, the Legionnaire can both deal damage and protect your own creatures.

Skirk Prospector is another goblin staple that offers a different kind of utility by trading creatures for crucial mana acceleration. Unlike the Prospector, Goblin Legionnaire leans more toward direct battlefield influence, providing tactical options during combat engagements. Then there’s Goblin Guide, a swift aggressor that can quickly chip away at opponents’ life totals, yet it doesn’t offer the Legionnaire’s defensive abilities.

When comparing these goblin-themed cards, it is evident that Goblin Legionnaire affords a strategic flexibility that is indispensable in MTG, especially in certain deck archetypes where both offensive and defensive options are equally valued.

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

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Legionnaire MTG card by a specific set like Apocalypse and Magic Online Promos, 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 Legionnaire and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Legionnaire Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2001-06-04 and 2001-06-04. Illustrated by Mark Romanoski.