Fire, sparks, wars. Purphoros is fond and familiar with these, and he does not hesitate to send out his massive battalions. This is a very fast and very aggro deck, focused on killing your opponent(s) through hordes of goblins and Purphoros's rage.
Overview
Reading the Decklist
Reading the Decklist
This deck list is organized into custom categories. Cards that have cross-category functionality will appear in their respective categories (will be displayed more than once).
- Land: Land.
- Evasion: Includes different types of unblockability. Any card(s) that help you get through and deal damage.
- Utility: Includes card draw, damage dealing effects, and spot and board removal.
- Control: Includes counterspells and anti-counterspells, bounce effects, land destruction and hose, and overall control.
- Cheater: Creatures that let you get other creatures out without paying their mana costs or casting them.
- Tutor: Cards that find specific cards or creatures; primarily used to get my combo pieces or control cards.
- Ramp: Spells or permanents that generate mana. This pushes tempo to allow you to finish faster.
- Token: Spells or permanents that give us more token creatures and help build up our armies or trigger Purphoros, God of the Forge.
- Synergy: Permanents that give our legion of goblins different advantages. Things that give us haste, counters (+X/+X's), doubles damage, etc.
- Combo: These are the combo pieces required to go infinite. They are decent cards on their own, but are used mainly to combo off.
Why ?
Why ?
I originally started out playing mono-red because it best suited the style that I enjoyed most: fast (aggro), consistent damage (burn), and overall puts people on tilt (embodies my inner Spike).
I now play it for those same aforementioned reasons, as well as how it is fairly interactive, if built right, and is decently resilient due to how fast it is.
Why Purphoros?
Why Purphoros?
I know many of you are thinking, "Oh, he isn't using Krenko, Mob Boss or Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, this deck must be bad." Well, that is where you are wrong.
Krenko, Mob Boss is the epitome of goblin tribal, but any kill spell takes him out over and over again. He does not have the protection a commander needs, and Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker is just as vulnerable but even weaker.
I chose Purphoros, God of the Forge because he is overall more powerful. Firstly, he is indestructible, so he is much harder to deal with than either Krenko or Kiki-Jiki. Secondly, he is more versatile across the board, and can fluctuate between being an enchantment or enchantment creature fairly easily (providing evasion when needed).
Every time you weasel out a goblin, Purphoros punishes all of your opponents for 2. If you manage to pump out three, four, or goblins at a time, your opponents are going to hurt.
After you get your army big and full, Purph wants you to burn that extra mana to hook them up with +1/+0's that he forges up. This can make your pesky 1/1's swing for massive damage, even without your counter-granting artifacts.
Deck Strengths
Deck Strengths
This deck is extremely fast and powerful, pushes tempo, and is fairly resilient. The mana curve of this deck is extremely low, while still providing powerful cards. This efficiency allows you to play a very interactive game and never miss a beat on casting something, while your opponents may be building up there mana.
This deck can win as early as turn three if done correctly, but more likely is around the fifth, sixth, or seventh turn when piloted correctly. It accelerates quickly, it is explosive, and it is relatively simple to play.
Deck Weaknesses
Deck Weaknesses
My biggest weakness is enchantments. In mono-red there are very few answers to these. Enchantress decks, like Sigarda, Host of Herons or Bruna, Light of Alabaster for example, can get out of hand and shut me down completely if I can't outspeed them.
The Strategy
General Strategy
General Strategy
This deck is designed to play in three different ways.
- Dependent on Purphoros
- Not Dependent on Purphoros
- If it is in your hand, play it.
- Aim to build up board presence and pump your goblins.
- Combo Centered
- Tutor up combo pieces.
- Combo off. (See )
Whichever way you play it, there will be obvious cards to play at certain times, and the way you play things will vary depending on your matchups. More specifics on this process are below.
Early Game
Early Game
Early game is for getting your board set up. Tutor for combo pieces, generate tokens, play your control spells, and generally you will want to get Purphoros, God of the Forge out as soon as possible.
Mid Game
Mid Game
At this stage of the game you should be gaining the upper hand and preparing to finish it. You should be shocking enemies with Purphoros, swinging in with goblin tribal, or comboing off.
Turn 3 Win
Infinite Combos
Infinite Combos
Combat Celebrant Combo
- Play Combat Celebrant or Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker.
- Play whichever remains from the above step.
- Tap Kiki-Jiki and copy Celebrant to create a copy of Celebrant with haste.
- Attack with the Celebrant copy and exert him to take an extra combat phase.
- Repeat steps 3 through 4, untapping and swinging with infinite Combat Celebrants until victorious.
Lightning Crafter Combo
This combo can be played two different ways:
- With a sac outlet:
- Have a random goblin out.
- Play Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker.
- Play your sac outlet (Skirk Prospector or Goblin Bombardment or Ashnod's Altar or Goblin Chirurgeon).
- Play Lightning Crafter.
- When Lightning Crafter enters the battlefield, he will make you Champion a goblin. Champion the random goblin.
- Then, tap Kiki-Jiki to copy your Lightning Crafter. The copy will, again, cause you to Champion a goblin. This time, Champion your Kiki-Jiki.
- Tap the copy of Crafter to deal 3 damage to your opponent, and then sacrifice him to your sac outlet.
- By doing this, the second clause of Champion resolves and brings back your Kiki-Jiki, allowing you to repeat this process for infinite 3 damage to deal to your opponent(s) or creatures.
- Without a sac outlet:
- Have Purphoros, God of the Forge out.
- Have a random goblin out.
- Play Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker.
- Play Lightning Crafter.
- When Lightning Crafter enters the battlefield, he will make you Champion a goblin, so Champion the random goblin.
- Tap Kiki-Jiki to copy your Lightning Crafter. The copy will, again, cause you to Champion a goblin. This time, Champion your Kiki-Jiki.
- When the copy enters the battlefield, Purphoros will deal 2 damage to your opponent(s). You will then tap the copy of Crafter to deal 3 damage to himself.
- The copy will die and the second clause of Champion resolves, bringing back your Kiki-Jiki and allowing you to repeat this process for infinite 3 damage to deal to your opponent(s) or creatures.
Zealous Conscripts Combo
- Play Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker or Zealous Conscripts.
- Play the remaining creature from the above step.
- Tap Kiki-Jiki to make a copy Zealous Conscripts.
- With the copy of Zealous Conscripts, of Kiki-Jiki and untap him.
- Now since Kiki-Jiki is untapped, repeat this process and make infinite Zealous Conscript tokens.
This combo can win the game by having Purphoros, God of the Forge out and shocking your opponent(s) to death or by swinging at your opponent(s) with a billion 3/3's with haste.
Card Choices Explained
Lands
Lands
As I have stated, mono-red does not need mana fixing. This means that I don't need super expensive lands to make this deck run more efficiently. Mountains alone can do the trick; however, I do have these lands:
- Mountains
We play red, so here is some red mana! (Theros Mountains for extra spicy flavor!)
- Cavern of Souls
This land makes it impossible to counter my goblins, providing protection when casting my goblin combo pieces or any goblin in general.
- Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
This land can be a great way to get a ton of mana from all of my devotion, allowing us to ramp later on. (See )
Evasion
Evasion
- Goblin King and Goblin Piledriver
These give you unblockability in specific situations. Goblin King makes all your goblins unblockable if your opponent(s) controls a Mountain; whereas, Goblin Piledriver cannot be blocked by blue creatures.
- Goblin War Drums
This gives all your creatures Menace, making it a lot more difficult to fend off hordes of goblins.
Utility
Utility
- Apocalypse and Mogg Infestation
These are two possible board wipes; however, Mogg Infestation will be primarily used on yourself to double your creatures for a massive Purphoros, God of the Forge trigger.
Apocalypse is a reset card. When playing against heavy enchantment decks or cards are going to win the game, this is the last line of defense.
- Goblin Bombardment and Impact Tremors
Impact Tremors is a pseudo-Purphoros, God of the Forge, whereas Bombardment is a possible combo piece and pinger. (See )
- Goblin Ringleader
Tutor this guy out with Goblin Recruiter, as well as four other goblin cards that you want (perhaps your combo pieces, maybe?), then cast him and draw your four goblins and/or combo pieces at once!
- (Panharmonicon)
This could be in this section just as much as the category. It does double my token-generating ETBs, but it also double triggers Purphoros' ability and all other ETBs.
- Skullclamp
Card draw, card draw, card draw.
- Smash to Smithereens
Artifact removal and Lightning Bolt, all in one.
- Vandalblast
More artifact removal, and can be a one sided artifact board wipe whenever necessary.
- Wheel of Fortune
Wheel effect for those occasional times that things get sticky. Everyone pitch their hand, then draw 7 cards. It disrupts your opponent's hand, while only giving you benefit.
Control
Control
- Blood Moon
- Price of Glory
- Cavern of Souls
- Goblin Guide
Now you can be nice and let your opponent(s) get some land back. Just kidding. Get insight on what your opponent is drawing.
- Goblin Chirurgeon
Another sac outlet and lets you regenerate any creature you want. Someone tries to Doom Blade your combo piece or your cheater just sac a token, or any unimportant creature, and regenerate.
- Stingscourger
If your opponent plays something you don't like, just give it back to them. It's always fun to bounce things in mono-red.
- Stranglehold
The first half of this card alone is worthy of being in this deck. Your opponent(s) can no longer tutor, but you can? Fantastic. Add in the second clause of no extra turn shenanigans, and you got yourself a powerful card.
- Sulfuric Vortex
Everyone is going to get shocked and no one is going to gain life. We are fine with this, we're fast and are going to burn everyone before they even get started.
Cheater
Cheater
- Goblin Lackey and Warren Instigator
There is nothing better than a Turn 1 Lackey and a Turn 2 Instigator. Putting goblins into play for free and avoiding getting countered is icing on the cake. And who doesn't like icing?
- Moggcatcher
These ladies come pretty close to the power level of Lackey or Instigator. Yes, you have to pay, but you get to tutor and put it on the field. Why not get a missing combo piece like Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and save yourself 2 mana?
Tutor
Tutor
- Goblin Matron
This girl is the notorious goblin tutor. Play her, get a goblin. Can't get much better than that.
- Goblin Recruiter
Do you want to go infinite? Do you want to fill the board with goblin tokens? Whatever you are in the need for, Recruiter will take care of it.
Ramp
Ramp
- Ashnod's Altar and Skirk Prospector
Both of these are essential sac outlets that provide ramp. They can help us push tempo as well as combo off. (See )
- Brightstone Ritual
This is some quick mana when you are in a pinch.
- Mana Echoes
When a creature enters the battlefield, adding to your mana pool where X is the number of creatures you control that share a creature type is good.
This card, however, goes infinite in providing generic mana, making it that much more powerful. (See )
- Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Very useful land. Since everything in this deck is five or less mana, we will be able to fill the board. If the board is full, then we will have some good devotion and Purphoros will bless us for it!
Token
Token
All of the cards in this category will generate goblin tokens. This helps us if our strategy is to deal loads of damage triggering Purphoros, God of the Forge, to go wide, or a bit of both.
Two Creatures
Three Creatures
Four Creatures
Doublers
Synergy
Synergy
- Coat of Arms
Establish a good board presence then swing for seven damage each with your 1/1 goblin tokens.
- Fervor
You need to be fast. Haste is fast. Fervor gives your creatures haste. Fervor is fast. Play it. Plus, there are goblins on the card, so you know it has to be good!
- Goblin Chieftain
He is a haste enabler for my goblins, plus an anthem. Good stuff, good goblin.
- Goblin Warchief
Haste enabler and makes my goblins cost 1 generic less. My curve is low already, but this definitely helps still.
- Hammer of Purphoros
Have I mentioned that I like haste? Well, here is more of it. Also, if I am desperate I can make some 3/3 Golem token. The latter ability is pretty costly and not going to be used, but it is always nice to have a contingency plan.
- Legion Loyalist
When swinging with your horde of goblins, getting first strike and trample is fantastic. Especially if you have Coat of Arms out.
- Mardu Scout
The Norin the Wary of all goblins. Dash him in, deal some damage, and he's back in your hand.
- Shared Animosity
This is basically the enchantment version of Coat of Arms except better. Cheaper CMC and only helps me. In layman terms, a great tribal card.
Combo
Combo
- Combat Celebrant
This guy provides the deck with infinite extra combat phases.
Combat Celebrant + Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
(See )
- Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
This guy is famous for going infinite, and in this deck he definitely shows us why. (See )
Kiki is needed for three of our infinite combos, so needless to say, he is pretty important. Cheat him out through any of your creatures or protect him with Cavern of Souls.
- Lightning Crafter
Lightning Crafter combos to deal 3 damage, a , an infinite amount of times.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Lightning Crafter
(See )
- Zealous Conscripts
Zealous Consctipts combos to create an infinite amount of 3/3's, copies of herself, and then swing in to deal lethal.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Zealous Conscripts
(See )
Other Information
Possible Cuts
Possible Cuts
Currently empty.
Possible Additions
Change Log
Change Log
28 October 2016
14 January 2017
10 March 2017
28 March 2017
8 April 2017
7 August 2017
20 August 2017
14 November 2017
2 March 2018
I am always looking for suggestions, feedback, comments, anything. Keep in mind that this is competitive, so suggest only the best if you think I missed anything.
This deck will ensure that you do not have too many friends...
For more information about the power of generals in Commander / EDH, be sure to check out this deck that I am honored to be featured in:
