Marsh Goblins MTG Card


Marsh Goblins - The Dark
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Goblin
Abilities Swampwalk
Released1994-08-01
Set symbol
Set nameThe Dark
Set codeDRK
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number93
Frame1993
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byQuinton Hoover

Key Takeaways

  1. Marsh Goblins can quietly bolster your board while conserving other cards.
  2. They blend well within goblin and two-color red or black strategies.
  3. Governed by specific mana needs, they compete with other creatives in their bracket.

Text of card

Swampwalk Counts as both a black card and a red card.

Even the other Goblin races shun the Marsh Goblins, thanks to certain unwholesome customs they practice.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With the Marsh Goblins card, you maintain strategic upper hand by having creatures to play without depleting your hand, ensuring you’re never falling behind in terms of on-field presence.

Resource Acceleration: These goblins don’t just occupy the battlefield; they can potentially ramp up your resources. If you’re leveraging synergies with other cards that benefit from having multiple creatures or goblin types, the Marsh Goblins can accelerate your path to more powerful plays.

Instant Speed: While Marsh Goblins don’t cast at instant speed, their low casting cost means keeping mana available for other instant speed interactions is easier. This ensures you stay reactive to the game state while developing your board presence seamlessly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Marsh Goblins’ gameplay can be encumbered by the need to discard cards, presenting a drawback for players who are trying to maintain a full hand of options and strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: The demand for both red and black mana to cast Marsh Goblins restricts its flexibility, necessitating a two-color deck and potentially complicating your mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a combined mana cost that might be seen as steep for its power and toughness, Marsh Goblins face stiff competition from other creatures in the same cost bracket that could bring more value or impact to the game.


Reasons to Include Marsh Goblins in Your Collection

Versatility: Marsh Goblins offers flexibility in deck building, sliding easily into goblin and aggro strategies, as well as bolstering tribal synergies within red or black decks.

Combo Potential: As a low-cost creature, this card works well with various sacrifice mechanics and combos efficiently with cards that profit from goblin or creature counts.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where early board presence is key, the quick setup allowed by Marsh Goblins can be a game-changer, giving the player an edge against slower setup decks.


How to beat

Marsh Goblins, a niche card in the realm of Magic the Gathering, presents a particular set of challenges. Featuring both Goblin and Marsh subtypes, this card offers its controller an advantage in tribal decks. A key strategy to overpowering this card lies in neutralizing its tribal synergy. Removal spells such as Fatal Push or a simple Shock can dispatch these pesky creatures efficiently before their numbers become overwhelming. Additionally, leveraging board wipes such as Wrath of God can reset the playing field, removing the cumulative threat posed by Marsh Goblins and any accompanying tribal buffs.

One must also consider the limitations of Marsh Goblins themselves. As a low-toughness creature, they are highly susceptible to mass removal and damage-based spells, something savvy players can exploit. Timely spot removal when they attempt to engage in combat or when their synergistic abilities are on the stack can be particularly disarming.

Overall, focusing on clearing these creatures before they build a significant presence, either through targeted removal or broader damage spells, proves to be an effective tactic. In games against Marsh Goblins, a proactive removal strategy can mean the difference between victory and being overrun by a seemingly innocuous horde.


Cards like Marsh Goblins

Marsh Goblins is a unique creature card in MTG’s vast collection, reminiscent of other goblins like the steadfast Goblin Balloon Brigade or the mischievous Goblin Grenade. Rooted in the earlier sets, Marsh Goblins presents a flavorful take on the red creature type, possessing the swampwalk ability, allowing it to be unblockable as long as the opponent controls a Swamp.

It bears a similarity to Goblin Mountaineer, which also has a landwalk ability, albeit a different type – mountainwalk. This specific ability can give players a tactical edge depending on the opponent’s deck. When compared to Marsh Goblins, the Mountaineer is less situational but neither provide card advantage. Another close relative is the Frogtosser Banneret, offering a cost-reduction ability for other goblin spells, thereby enabling faster deployment of your goblin army.

To sum up, each goblin card has its own role based on its abilities and synergies within a deck. While Marsh Goblins might shine in a match against a deck with Swamps, other goblins like the Goblin Mountaineer and Frogtosser Banneret could provide more consistent advantages in a broader range of situations. Yet, for those who craft their decks with strategic finesse, Marsh Goblins can be a game swinger in the right context.

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions
Goblin Grenade - MTG Card versions
Goblin Mountaineer - MTG Card versions
Frogtosser Banneret - MTG Card versions
Goblin Balloon Brigade - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Goblin Grenade - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Goblin Mountaineer - Portal Second Age (P02)
Frogtosser Banneret - Morningtide (MOR)

Cards similar to Marsh Goblins by color, type and mana cost

Acidic Sliver - MTG Card versions
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Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor - MTG Card versions
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Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger - MTG Card versions
Juri, Master of the Revue - MTG Card versions
Gobhobbler Rats - MTG Card versions
Sootstoke Kindler - MTG Card versions
Spiteflame Witch - MTG Card versions
Goblin Deathraiders - MTG Card versions
Crimson Muckwader - MTG Card versions
Rix Maadi Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Shred-Freak - MTG Card versions
Spike Jester - MTG Card versions
Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - MTG Card versions
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Dire Fleet Captain - MTG Card versions
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Acidic Sliver - Premium Deck Series: Slivers (H09)
Shivan Zombie - Invasion (INV)
Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor - From Cute to Brute (PCTB)
Rakdos Guildmage - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Juri, Master of the Revue - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Gobhobbler Rats - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Sootstoke Kindler - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Spiteflame Witch - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Goblin Deathraiders - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Crimson Muckwader - The List (PLST)
Rix Maadi Guildmage - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Rakdos Shred-Freak - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Spike Jester - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Tymaret, the Murder King - Theros (THS)
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - The List (PLST)
Olivia's Bloodsworn - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Dire Fleet Captain - Ixalan (XLN)
Rushblade Commander - Battlebond (BBD)
Rix Maadi Reveler - Ravnica Allegiance Promos (PRNA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Marsh Goblins MTG card by a specific set like The Dark, 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 Marsh Goblins and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Marsh Goblins has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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