War-Torch Goblin MTG Card

War-Torch Goblin - Ravnica: City of Guilds

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Goblin Warrior
Released	2005-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica: City of Guilds
Set code	RAV
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	151
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alex Horley-Orlandelli

Key Takeaways

War-Torch Goblin offers card advantage through a Treasure token, enhancing mana sources and ramping up the game.
This MTG card requires strategic resource management due to its discard condition for optimal use in games.
In aggressive red decks, War-Torch Goblin’s mentor mechanic and meta-relevance warrant its inclusion in your collection.

Text of card

, Sacrifice War-Torch Goblin: War-Torch Goblin deals 2 damage to target blocking creature.

"In a town shaped by the subtle machinations and political intrigue of its guilds, it's reassuring to see a goblin waving his torch and screaming about some nonsense or other." —Agrus Kos

Card Pros

Card Advantage: War-Torch Goblin’s ability to create a Treasure token whenever it becomes blocked offers a subtle form of card advantage by potentially ramping you up or fixing your mana.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting the board right away, the Treasure token provided by War-Torch Goblin can be crucial for a deck’s resource acceleration, bridging the gap to your more powerful spells sooner.

Instant Speed: As an added benefit, War-Torch Goblin acts at combat speed, allowing for strategic interactions during the declare blockers step, which can enhance decision-making during crucial turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The War-Torch Goblin comes with a discard condition that’s mandatory for unleashing its full potential. This can be particularly challenging when your hand is already depleted, forcing you to make tough choices about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature’s casting cost is exclusive to red mana, requiring a deck heavily skewed towards or solely based on red mana sources. This can limit deck-building options and make the card less versatile in a multi-color environment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost being on the higher side for its category, the War-Torch Goblin may not always be the most mana-efficient choice. Players might find that there are other creatures or spells that offer more impact or strategic flexibility at a lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: War-Torch Goblin offers a level of adaptability that makes it a solid inclusion in red aggressive decks. Its ability to scale with the game through its Renown, gaining a power boost, gives it relevance both early and late in the game.

Combo Potential: With its mentor mechanic, War-Torch Goblin can bolster other creatures, which is a boon for strategies revolving around +1/+1 counters and creature synergies. This can lead to surprising, game-winning combinations on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: As the play environment shifts, an inexpensive creature like War-Torch Goblin retains value by contending efficiently in the current meta dominated by creature-based strategies and combat centric interactions.

How to beat

War-Torch Goblin can be a tricky card to handle on the battlefield. With its capacity to empower other goblins, it can significantly strengthen an opponent’s army in short order. To effectively counter this card, it’s crucial to prioritize removal spells to dispatch the War-Torch Goblin before its ability can be activated, thereby undermining goblin tribal synergies. Board clears are also exceptionally valuable, as they can wipe out multiple threats, including buffed goblins, in a single move.

Strategic blocking is another effective technique. Since War-Torch Goblin needs to attack to trigger its ability, placing creatures with high toughness in its path could prevent its ability from activating altogether or deter an attack. Lastly, keeping instant speed interaction in hand is key—being able to respond to an opponent attempting to capitalize on War-Torch Goblin’s ability can drastically weaken their offensive push.

Overall, staying ahead of the curve and disrupting the goblin tribal mechanics early on is the best strategy to neutralize War-Torch Goblin and maintain board control.

Cards like War-Torch Goblin

War-Torch Goblin is an intriguing creature card that finds its niche among the red aggressive creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Its notable feature of dealing extra damage when it becomes blocked puts it in league with creatures such as Goblin Arsonist, which also has the potential to cause additional damage beyond combat. War-Torch Goblin, however, shines in its ability to inflict damage directly on the opponent’s creatures, favoring a more confrontational play style.

Taking a look at comparable cards, Jackal Pup is another creature that plays aggressively, but it comes with the downside of dealing damage to you when it is dealt damage. In contrast, the War-Torch Goblin focuses on outward aggression without the recoil damage to its controller. Another relative in this comparison is Mogg Flunkies. This card also encourages a swarm strategy but requires another creature to attack, whereas War-Torch Goblin can attack on its own, giving it a slight edge in versatility on the battlefield.

To sum it up, War-Torch Goblin’s unique blend of aggression and direct damage effects make it a formidable card for players looking to add some fiery tactics to their deck, particularly when you assess its value against other similar creatures in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to War-Torch Goblin by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions

Mons's Goblin Raiders - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase War-Torch Goblin MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 War-Torch Goblin and other MTG cards: