Goblin Glider MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Goblin
Abilities Flying
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Goblin Glider’s evasion ability consistently pressures opponents, indirectly creating card advantage over turns.
  2. Its low mana cost blends well with quick strategies, maintaining momentum with efficient resource deployment.
  3. Including Goblin Glider in decks offers tactical advantages and synergies, especially within Goblin tribal strategies.

Text of card

Flying Goblin Glider can't block.

The goblins call the gliders "death from above." Everyone else calls them "clods in the clouds."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Goblin Glider may not directly offer card draw, but its potential to consistently deal damage to opponents without being blocked ensures its value over multiple turns, indirectly contributing to your advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Goblin Glider itself doesn’t accelerate resources, its low casting cost makes it an efficient early game play, allowing you to deploy other threats or resources swiftly without investing heavily mana-wise, maintaining momentum for a smoother game progression.

Instant Speed: While the Goblin Glider is not an instant itself, its flying ability means it synergizes well with cards played at instant speed that can clear the path of potential blockers, essentially providing an uninterrupted attacking channel for consistent pressure on opponents during each combat phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Packing Goblin Glider into your deck means you’ll have to be ready to toss other cards from your hand. This can put you at a strategic shortfall, especially during tight scenarios where every card in hand matters.

Specific Mana Cost: The Goblin Glider demands a precise blend of mana to take flight. Its red mana cost roots it firmly in a mono-red or compatible multicolor deck, which may not align with your deck’s strategy or mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With numerous cards vying for a slot in your deck, the mana efficiency of each selection is crucial. Goblin Glider’s cost might be weighty for the impact it brings to the board, potentially overshadowing it with other, more efficiently costed creatures or spells.


Reasons to Include Goblin Glider in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Glider can seamlessly integrate into various red-based deck archetypes. Its flying ability offers a tactical advantage in reaching over ground-based defenses, making it a useful card against decks lacking in aerial defense.

Combo Potential: This card’s synergistic value is heightened in Goblin decks that capitalize on tribal bonuses. Pairing Goblin Glider with cards that buff your entire squad can lead to unexpectedly strong offensive capabilities.

Meta-Relevance: As metagames fluctuate, having evasive creatures like Goblin Glider could shift a match in your favor. It can be particularly effective in environments where slower, less interactive decks, and thus fewer flying blockers, are the norm.


How to Beat

Goblin Glider is an intriguing card often seen in decks that thrive on quick and aggressive strategies within Magic: The Gathering. With its evasion ability, allowing it to avoid being blocked except by creatures with flying, the Goblin Glider can be a consistent source of chip damage to an opponent’s life total. Its presence can quickly escalate the pressure in an early game scenario, particularly when combined with other goblins or haste enablers.

To successfully counteract the Goblin Glider, consider incorporating cards that can either remove it swiftly, such as instant-speed removal spells, or create a flying defense barrier to negate its evasion trait. Spells like Shock or Lightning Bolt can remove the Glider before it has the chance to accumulate damage. Alternatively, deploying flying creatures of your own, even if just tokens or utility flyers, can continuously thwart the Glider’s attacks, stalling that crucial damage and maintaining board control to your advantage.

The key lies in understanding the tempo of the game and being prepared. With the right interaction and board presence, overcoming the Goblin Glider’s potential aggressiveness becomes a manageable task.


Cards like Goblin Glider

Goblin Glider provides a unique angle in the pantheon of MTG creatures, standing out with its simple flying ability that creates obstacles for opponents. Its most direct competitor in the realm of Goblins with flying could be considered Goblin Balloon Brigade, which requires an additional mana investment to gain flight for just a single turn. Goblin Glider, on the other hand, consistently soars over ground-based defenses without further costs.

Looking into other comparable cards, we find Mogg Sentry, a Goblin that while lacking in flying, can become a formidable threat when your opponent casts spells. The Sentry’s power increases, making it a versatile defender and an adaptable challenger. Here, the choice between continuous evasion and reactive power boost can pivot a player’s strategy.

It’s evident that within the diverse strategies available to MTG players, Goblin Glider carves its niche offering persistent aerial assault capabilities. In contrast, cards like Goblin Balloon Brigade and Mogg Sentry delineate alternate tactical paths, illustrating the rich tapestry of choices Goblin tribal decks can weave into their gameplay narratives.

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions
Mogg Sentry - MTG Card versions
Goblin Balloon Brigade - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Mogg Sentry - Planeshift (PLS)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Glider MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age and Starter 1999, 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 Glider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Glider Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1998-06-24 and 2003-07-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-24Portal Second AgeP02 981997normalblackPete Venters
21999-07-01Starter 1999S99 1021997normalwhitePete Venters
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 189★1997normalblackPatrick Faricy
42001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1891997normalwhitePatrick Faricy
52003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 1892003normalwhitePatrick Faricy
62003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 189★2003normalblackPatrick Faricy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Glider has restrictions

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

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