Zadang, that is a nice Coin-Flip sub-theme PRIMER

Commander / EDH Budget Combo Goblins Mono-Red Primer Theme/Gimmick

WilltheFo

CoinFlip (5)

• 1x Chaotic Strike
• 1x Fiery Gambit
• 1x Game of Chaos
• 1x Krark's Thumb
• 1x Molten Birth

Draw (13)

• 1x Accelerate
• 1x Cathartic Reunion
• 1x Chaotic Strike
• 1x Crimson Wisps
• 1x Expedite
• 1x Faithless Looting
• 1x Fists of Flame
• 1x Panic
• 1x Renegade Tactics
• 1x Spark of Creativity
• 1x Stun
• 1x Titan's Strength
• 1x Winds of Change

Goblin (9)

• 1x Dockside Extortionist
• 1x Empty the Warrens
• 1x Goblin Balloon Brigade
• 1x Goblin Dark-Dwellers
• 1x Goblin Rally
• 1x Hordeling Outburst
• 1x Mogg War Marshal
• 1x Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
• 1x Skirk Prospector

Land (33)

• 1x Mishra's Factory
• 30x Mountain
• 1x Path of Ancestry
• 1x Reliquary Tower

ManaHelper (15)

• 1x Battle Hymn
• 1x Brightstone Ritual
• 1x Caged Sun
• 1x Cheering Fanatic
• 1x Dockside Extortionist
• 1x Explorer's Scope
• 1x Fire Diamond
• 1x Hedron Crawler
• 1x Iron Myr
• 1x Kari Zev's Expertise
• 1x Mana Geyser
• 1x Plague Myr
• 1x Ruby Medallion
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Treasonous Ogre

Removal (2)

• 1x By Force
• 1x Chaos Warp

Synergy (5)

• 1x Bonus Round
• 1x Dualcaster Mage
• 1x Goblin Game
• 1x Greater Gargadon
• 1x Impact Tremors

Tutor (1)

• 1x Gamble

ZadaFodder (27)

• 1x Crimson Kobolds
• 1x Crookshank Kobolds
• 1x Dragon Fodder
• 1x Empty the Warrens
• 1x Goblin Balloon Brigade
• 1x Goblin Dark-Dwellers
• 1x Goblin Rally
• 1x Goblin War Party
• 1x Heat Shimmer
• 1x Hedron Crawler
• 1x Hordeling Outburst
• 1x Iron Myr
• 1x Kobolds of Kher Keep
• 1x Krenko's Command
• 1x Memnite
• 1x Mishra's Factory
• 1x Mogg War Marshal
• 1x Molten Birth
• 1x Ornithopter
• 1x Phyrexian Walker
• 1x Plague Myr
• 1x Priest of Urabrask
• 1x Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
• 1x Skirk Prospector
• 1x Tilonalli's Summoner
• 1x Twinflame
• 1x Young Pyromancer

ZadaGo (6)

• 1x Downhill Charge
• 1x Fiery Gambit
• 1x Invigorated Rampage
• 1x Otherworldly Outburst
• 1x Run Amok
• 1x Titan's Strength

Commander (1)

---

Sideboard

Other (2)

• 1x Stoneshaker Shaman
• 1x War's Toll

ZadaFodder (1)

• 1x Beetleback Chief

---

Maybeboard

Defense (4)

• 1x Blood Moon
• 1x Blood Sun
• 1x Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots

Draw (4)

• 1x Boiling Blood
• 1x Rile
• 1x Tormenting Voice
• 1x Wheel of Fortune

ManaHelper (4)

• 1x Chrome Mox
• 1x Mana Crypt
• 1x Mox Diamond
• 1x Mox Opal

Other (4)

• 1x Charmbreaker Devils
• 1x Genesis Chamber
• 1x Grafted Exoskeleton
• 1x Guttersnipe

Removal (3)

• 1x Aftershock
• 1x Blasphemous Act
• 1x Viashino Heretic

Tutor (1)

• 1x Burning Wish

ZadaFodder (2)

• 1x Kindred Charge
• 1x Shield Sphere

ZadaGo (3)

• 1x Built to Smash
• 1x Chandra's Ignition
• 1x Reckless Charge

---

Rules

Step 1: If you lose a flip, drink.

Step 2: If you win a flip, opponents drink.

Step 3: When you play Krark's Thumb, finish your drink.

Step 4: Change these rules and make your own, I'm not your mother.

Synopsis

A sub-$100 (edit: was well below $100 when I built it... Now apparently it is $150) Zada deck that is both fun and more competitive than you'd expect. However, it has been tuned-down a little in order to incorporate a goblin sub-theme, coin-flip cards and Goblin Game for funsies.

Basic Strategy

Use a typical Zada strategy

• Play 8000 cheap creatures.
• Play Zada, Hedron Grinder.
• Play Crimson Wisps, Panic, Renegade Tactics, etc. targeting Zada.
• Draw 8000 cards.
• Throw out Krark's Thumb and Fiery Gambit for a win (and alcohol poisoning).
• Or, just beat people to death with buffs like Invigorated Rampage.

Mulligans

Due to the low average CMC and 0 cost creatures, it is viable to play with a 2 or 3 land start. It is worth it to Mulligan if our hand does not have any low-cost creatures or card-draw that will allow us to get low-cost creatures. Speed is the name of the game here.

Playstyle

The aforementioned low CMC benefits aggressive play. However, we should aim to keep creatures alive in order to use them with Zada. This can be a tough balancing act, but I would usually recommend taking damage to the face for the first few turns in an attempt to keep our creatures alive. This may feel unnatural at first, but it won't last long (maybe turn 3, 4, or 5) and it will allow us to rebound by making the most of Zada's ability. Also, do not be afraid to use defensive tricks like Titan's Strength, Otherworldly Outburst, etc. to keep our creatures kicking, and our opponents' boards empty.

Disclaimer:

Although I have included a gameplan here, my experience is not infallible. Therefore, I will try to keep this primer on the short side because I am not a god, and I believe that coming up with your own playstyles and interactions is part of the fun ;) Enjoy!

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

• Can win out of nowhere.
• Can win early (turn 4 or 5).
• Has multiple paths to victory (combo, combat damage, non-combat damage).
• Includes coin-flip cards that are actually useful, rather than useless!

Weaknesses:

• Requires Zada to be in play.
• Weak to excessive boardwipes.

Synergies

Excluding Zada

The majority of cards in this deck either combo with Zada, or allow Zada the ability to combo. Excluding those cards, here are some other interactions to keep in mind whilst trying to work towards a point where Zada can win us the game.

• Grenzo, Havoc Raiser + Goblin Balloon Brigade or Invigorated Rampage (Trample)
• Faithless Looting / Cathartic Reunion / Hazoret's Monument + Goblin Dark-Dwellers
• Caged Sun + Downhill Charge (You can afford to sacrifice a land. Don't be stingey)
• Goblin Balloon Brigade + Explorer's Scope
• Greater Gargadon + Otherworldly Outburst
• Impact Tremors + Everything. But, Tilonalli's Summoner in particular.
• Plague Myr + Downhill Charge (Buffs)
• Explorer's Scope / Path of Ancestry / Titan's Strength + Chaos Warp + Creature. As most cards in this deck are below the 3 CMC it takes to cast Chaos Warp it is rarely worth it. But, you could theoretically get an early Caged Sun I guess.

Explaining Greater Gargadon

Greater Gargadon: Not a common include in Zada decks

It is a bit slow. But, I have included it here for three simple reasons:

One: At some point, you WILL get board-wiped (whether this is from an opponent, or your own Fiery Gambit). Greater Gargadon will allow you to sac your creatures in response -- leaving you with a 9/7 threat on-board. This should help dissuade opponents from attacking you until you can rebuild, whilst also acting as another piece of Zada-Fodder. And, that is all for the cost of 1 mana.

Two: Otherworldly Outburst is great value. As such, you might as well get ALL of the value. Oh, and play Impact Tremors whilst you're at it.

Three: Who's a great gargadon? He is. Yes he is. Good boy.

Infinite Combo

Twinflame/Heat Shimmer + Dualcaster Mage combo wombo

Twinflame copies your Dualcaster which copies your Twinflame which copies your Dualcaster which copies your Twinflame which copies your Dualcaster which copies your Twinflame which copies your Dualcaster which copies your Twinflame... you get it.

Sideboard

War's Toll and Stoneshaker Shaman

Definitely meta-dependent. A bit of a nonbo with one-another and with our Zada gameplan (not attacking, and using defensive combat tricks), but they work well with Mana Geyser. I have found that shutting down opponents' instants has been quite helpful for my survivability and for preventing Counterspells. Plus, every once in a while someone forgets to tap their land and you get some free land destruction. Hey, why not throw in the rule "If you forget to tap all your lands, drink"? Hopefully, by the end of the game, they'll be drunk enough that they won't be mad about your stax land BS.

Possible Upgrades (Non-Budget)

Shield Sphere

Value blocker and more 0 CMC Zada Fodder.

Blood Moon effects

Always offers value in mono-red.

Burning Wish

Another tutor if your meta allows it.

Mox Diamond Mox effects / Mana Crypt

Replace Fire Diamond to speed up our ramp. Sadly, I'm not doubling the cost of the deck for one card.

Wheel of Fortune effects

Speed up the deck by allowing us to rotate through EVEN more cards. Again, sadly, I'm not doubling the cost of the deck for one card. Consider Wheel of Fate, Magus of the Wheel for cheaper, not-nearly-as-viable alternatives.

Grafted Exoskeleton infect effects

Although the deck already includes Plague Myr, we can always find more dirty ways to instakill opponents with our buffs and combat tricks. Try infect + Chandra's Ignition, Invigorated Rampage, Titan's Strength, etc.

Alternatively

We could move away from the Goblin and Coin-Flip subthemes and try artifacts instead. Mainboard Goblin Welder again, throw in some Affinity cards, and start using artifact lands. Perhaps try Memnite, Mox Opal, etc.

Possible Substitutions (Budget)

Path of Ancestry

Can be replaced with a Mountain. The Goblin sub-theme isn't super prevalent and any land that comes into play tapped is potentially slowing us down. We just saved ourselves $6! Yay!

Caged Sun

Has a higher CMC than most cards in the deck, so it can feel out-of-place during early turns. Although it is one of the only cards I have included in the deck in order to offer some mid-to-late-game staying-power, it could be cut for a cheaper defensive card like Stoneshaker Shaman or a cheaper offensive card like Memnite. We just saved ourselves $7! Yay!

Chaotic Strike

Replace it with Rile. It does damage to our creatures... which sucks unless when we have Otherworldly Outburst... But, we just saved ourselves $4! Yay!

...In fact...

If we remove the SUPER FUN AND COOL coin-flip sub-theme and replace it with cheap creatures we'll save like $20. BUT WHO WOULD DO THAT? ONLY A MANIAC WOULD DO THAT.

Feel free to offer any suggestions (coin-flip especially) or just have a chat in the comments :)

This primer is still a work in progress; I am currently trying to keep the deck fairly budget as I am a poor little man, but I expect to upgrade certain aspects over time.

This deck has been sponsored by my good friend, the Upvote Button. Well, sort of. We are more business partners than friends.

Date added	6 years
Last updated	3 years
Exclude colors	W
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	18 - 1 Rares 18 - 2 Uncommons 34 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.22
Tokens	City's Blessing, Copy Clone, Eldrazi Horror 3/2 C, Elemental 1/1 R, Goblin 1/1 R, Treasure
Folders	Real actual decks what I own, Interesting Deck Ideas, Test, Decks to build, decks that i need