1/15/20 Officially retired with the banning of Mox Opal. What a shame, there is little in the way of a budget version of this deck. Opal made and broke it, giving it the speed to win as fast as other Tier 1s such as Infect or Amulet Titan nut draws, this is what separated it from other aggro and made it legitimately worth playing. without Opal the archetype isn’t necessarily any better than other aggro decks of equal value. Here is a solid Gobot inspired deck and the strongest Moxless version I've seen.
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1636616#paper
RIP to Gobots and all the other poor decks that hinged on Moxen :(
The Ro-Boggart Swarm!
Upgraded from Mono Red for a more versatile sideboard. Still fast, but more resilient now thanks thi to the White splash. Gobots is an aggressive, blitzing, heavily dense, creature focused aggro deck, that uses cheap artifacts and hasty goblins to overwhelm the field of an underdeveloped opponent.
Ramp & Swarm
What makes this deck deadly is the unexpecting explosiveness Mox Opal provides. No one anticipates a Bushwhacker deck to be packing these little jewels that regularly provide crippling acceleration in early turns that most just aren’t prepared to deal with. It’s also a Surge enabler and Rebirth fodder. Holding equal footing here is Kuldotha Rebirth, with the obvious upside of turning weak artifacts like Ornithopter or a shut off Opal into 3 bodies for R. Ramping off of Opal and going wide with this before slamming down a Bushwhacker is what we do and the ability to do it Turn 1 or Turn 2 is what separates it from other, similar aggro decks. However, you’re sometimes only at 2 mana which is better reserved for a Whacker if you have one, so there is a window where Kuldotha can be used as a setup card. Remember that we’re trying to get the job down in 3 or less turns. Don’t spam Rebirths just because you can, if there's an opportunity to commit to a profitable attack. That said, I don’t run a full Opal or Rebirth set because of their polar synergy: Opal needs artifacts to turn on and Kulotha needs to eat them. There’s also times you will draw straight 8 whack hands and they’re just dead cards. You want to seem them, but either as an accompaniment to a solid starting hand or as a final, key piece to the puzzle. This is where Sololobo (see primer below) and my theories diverge a little. He’s adamant about running a full set of both, while not particularly a user of BTE (Bomat instead). My build is focused on maximizing explosive starts, while sacrificing some synergy to improve those possibilities. The former is more about maintaining synergy, speed, and width, while giving Kuldotha every chance it can to be played. You’ll have decide what works best.
Reach or Lack-thereof
The most defining difference between the more commonly known Kuldotha Red and Sololobo’s Gobots, is our build’s dearth of reach/burn spells. There are no Shrapnel Blast , Goblin Grenade , Galvanic Blast , or even Lightning Bolt , as drawing multiples of these actually inhibit the overall goal. It’s a problem creature decks like 8whack or Zoo can fall into, in that they draw burn when they need a creature presence and vice versa. I loved 8 Whack, but found that in equally competitive matches I was always searching for those last points of damage; praying for a lightning bolt or grenade off the top, having been forced to expend my burn and what creatures I had left on the field outsized. It’s a common problem with that deck and others like it. I was reluctant and skeptical at first, but after limiting burn to only 1 or 2 cards, the deck runs notably more effectively and smoother. I do like a small amount of reach and that’s where Boros Charm comes in. The burn cards I mentioned might seem like cheaper or equally powerful alternatives, but Galvanic is not reliable enough to be more than an shock most of the time, and both Shrapnel & Grenade are card disadvantage when we’re wanting to maintain pressure on the field. Plus Grenade is at sorcery speed, so trading 1 potential point of damage is worth Charm’s other modes. Its a Swiss Army knife doubling as a finisher and powerful board protection. Atarka's Command is a great fit as well, coming in handier if facing a Plague Engineer. Path to Exile is in the side for large, early enemy creatures like Goyfs or Thought Knots that could potentially be eating up our big hitters, prolonging the game into unfavorable territory. Which is why there’s no Lightning Bolt: Path and Charm do everything bolt does, but better. Last but not least, Mogg Fanatic fits perfectly into our game plan and does it all; removal on a stick. It will deal a deceptive amount of combat damage throughout the course of a game, as your opponent will have higher value threats to block/target, can attack & sac, ping a dork on a dime, Fog your opponents biggest threat, and will always go out on it’s own terms if targeted. I’ll take it over Fanatical Firebrand any day.
No Bo
Judging by the opening of this write up calling for artifacts and hasty goblins, one would think Bomat Courier would be a go-to, but I think it’s just a shiny, elaborate Raging Goblin that’s likely to eat a bolt sandwich and potentially take precious cards with it. We’re usually tapping out, not holding back mana to crack him for his ability. Some love it, the deck’s creator being one of them, and some even use it in place of Goblin Guide (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zIv704yleLY), but I’m definitely not one of them. In that valuable slot, I opt for Zoo and 8Whack’s favorite little sister, Burning-Tree Emissary. If there is a card that embodies the nature of this deck, IMO it’s not Kuldotha Rebirth, it’s BTE. Let alone the key to the classic Reckless Bushwhacker chain, this pseudo-zero costing 2/2 letting you play RG off her back (multiples ending in Signal Pest + Guide) is a serious threat that can lead to a damning board state for your opponent. It’s also less costly counter bait than Kuldotha, as most will look to Mana Leak whatever you’re playing after her. It doesn’t however synergize with either Goblin Bushwhacker or Boros Charm, but this is offset by the 2/2 punch she packs and explosiveness she provides. Against uninteractive decks, she can easily become a 5/2. Goblin Bushwhacker is a must play, but if concerned about the Boros synergy, most Gobot versions play RG and use Atarka’s Command instead, which is a great payoff card to use in conjunction. In my experience, and I’ve played this a lot, the choices are usually clear to make on what/when to play individually if a choice has to be made on one or the other.
Reckless B’s Complimentary Creatures!
(free stuff)
Moxen, Mishra's Bauble, Memnite, and Ornithopter are the engine of the whole deck and keep it from just being janky 8 Whack without Grenade.
Bauble is a diamond; a surge & metalcraft enabler, card redraw, Rebirth fodder, and a one time Lantern of Insight, a sneaky synergy with aGoblin Guide. Memnite and Ornithopter although underwhelming on the surface, can be some of the most impactful cards you will see given the right opening; emptying your hand, saturating the field, enabling Surge, and making those Thoughtseize’s in the guy across the tables hand worthless. Memnite plays similar to BTE, but I usually hold onto Ornithopter for Surge in case I draw Reckless. Of course Mox Opal is what it is and all the good things that come with it. These 0 costers make Gobots on par, if not faster than the best Dredge hands. Their presence (coupled with BTE) make Reckless Bushwhacker a threat on turn 1. Reckless is often criticized for the Surge tax being too expensive/hard to set up; a win more, punisher card. That maybe true in 8 whack/Zoo, but is simply a farse here. With ~11 free creatures and 4 Burning Trees, it’s near effortless to send him out pumping the team. 12 points of damage is a real possibility before your opponent even has a chance to react, just using these cards mentioned. I’ve netted 15 damage on the draw t1 before with Mountain, Mox, Memnite x2, BTEx3, Reckless surged. Hands like that show that Kuldotha doesn’t even have to be played. Watch Forrest Taylor’s videos below for your own confirmation on the decks speed.
Flex Slots
You could have as many as 10 slots if choosing not to got he BTE/Manamorphose route. LUTs/Bauble is also a preference for me, as are Boro's Charm and Mogg Fanatics. Maintaining a cheap, fast creature density is the main focus, so therefore your choices should maintain some facilitation of that goal and also keep in mind that in order for a decent Opal/Rebirth probability, artifact density needs to stay between 18-24. This is where card's like Gingerbrute come in for it's ability to satisfy all of the needed parameters, even taking the place of the 4th Goblin Guide. You’ll also be working off two mana regularly and factor that in, staying away from 3cmc Lords and things like Shared Animosity as tempting as they seem. You could make a case to limit the number of Hope of Ghirapur & Legion Loyalist as well, but I would advise against it. HoG is a cheap, evasive attacker, Metalcraft enabler, and Kuldotha ammunition that can sometimes just turn off an opponents entire next turn. It’s incredibly powerful sacing post combat to keep suspended spells like a Rift Bolt or Ancestral Vision from resolving and is deceivingly powerful vs Amulet Titan and any other combo/ramp decks lacking much early interaction, who’s beginning plays are pivotal; shutting them off early essentially gives us an extended turn and a “free hit”. Being Legendary does keep the number down a bit, but could justifiably be a 3 of depending on the meta scene. We all can speak to the effectiveness of Loyalist, a powerful auto include that can be a devastating piece to an attacking party for a number of relevant reasons. I do find that the more number of Kuldotha you carry, the less impactful it can seen. Sometimes the deck goes so wide, Battalion can feel like a win more, but as I’ve decreased the Rebirth # to 2 copies, I feel like I've struck the balance. Running 3-4 is a staple nonetheless.
To note, I've had a success with as low as 15 lands, so shaving 1 could also add some wiggle room. However, I did have a higher artifact count (22), and thus a means to turn on Opal very reliably.
Fetchless Manabase
I’m not a master deck builder by any stretch and wanted to try fetchless exclusively for budget reasons, but this set up works extremely well and I have no issues with W sources with Moxen contributing in part to that. Sunbaked Canyon is an excellent source of card draw and flood insurance while City of Brass allows for reliable color fixing and expanded Side Board options. Fetchless can work and work very well. Up to the point of my pre Manamorphose version of this deck, I had zero intention to ever include Fetch lands. Now however, I have so much draw power in Bauble, LUTs, Morphose, and Canyon that the deck could be more optimal with some thinning.
Overall weaknesses
Now is probably the worst time ever for x/1 decks due to the print of Plague Engineer and Witch's Vengeance. Jund is a tough match up anyway, but now that anyone splashing black will likely have at least 1 of these SB, fighting midrange is an even more uphill battle. The Gobot army is a diverse one however, so it won’t take as much of a hit from these cards as some Tribals, but it still will make Kuldotha a hard play. It’s not an unwinnable fight by any means, but I’ve learned to ditch the Rebirths for your Sideboard slots. Maelstrom Pulse and the previous cards mentioned are too much to gamble on the Kuldotha post board. But we’re naturally faster and our out is to race, attack fast with a diversity of creatures, take advantage of HoG’s sac/lock ability, and ideally inflict a crippling amount of damage before their turn 3. They’re lands pinging themselves 5-7 damage by that point help achieve this, just play the key pieces cards before their stripped from you. Being empty handed early with a solid boardstate isn't a bad thing against hand destruction. Similar difficulties with Rebirth and counter magic. I don’t side it out completely, but obviously be mindful of getting yourself 2 for 1’d. Against Control, if you can sink the Surge/Kicker, successive Memnites/BTEs with a Signal Pest or Loyalist leading the charge should close the show, as we throw out more creatures than they can counters. A Cavern of Souls or 2 would help if it’s in your budget, but be careful with how many so it doesn’t inhibit your delicate noncreature spell performance.
Another downside and byproduct of being so fast, is simply just running out of creatures to play and in top deck mode early. That’s where a conservative amount of card draw can achieve some balance. Personally I like a 2-2 Mishra’s Bauble/Light Up the Stage split. Bauble could easily be a 4 of, taking up the 2 thopter spots and Lights is one of the most impactful weapons we have, providing card advantage and balancing the low land count, but any amount of LUTs should be done so with the Spectacle cost in mind, as you won’t always have a way to turn it on. Regardless, 3-5 slots dedicated to some sort of card draw has shown to provide positive results. Sunbaked Canyon is also a hell of an addition, but I don’t think a full set is necessary. 2-3 feels right to me.
To update. I’m finding that Venerated Loxodon SB can effectively battle against Engineer and any other negative counters. With the 0 cost creatures you can have him out t1. It’s makes for a slower, grindier style with noticeable added resistance. Thanks to Jim Davis for the idea, even though he wasn’t much for using it with Goblins. I did have to trim down a Kuldotha, +1 thopter, and cut quite a few SB slots to fit 3 Lox in the side, but it is worth it. Side out 3 or all Reckless for Lox and the additional SB. The two don’t jive well. I usually -3 Reckless, -1 BTE. +3 Loxodon, +1 Path for Jund/Abzan.
Other Bot Representations
There’s been many poor attempts at the Kuldotha archetype and it’s mostly from trying to jam too much burn that it makes it the deck look and perform poorly. A prime example of the inconsistency and speed hinderance stuffing Galvanic Blasts and Goblin Grenades is Jeff Hoogland’s 1st video below. In all fairness, I don’t think he was taking it too seriously, but compare how clumpy and borderline unplayable his build plays out to Forrest’s Taylor videos I’ve listed in the References section. Forcing yourself to work around one dimensional cards like Goblin Grenade give you no choice but to play inherently lower quality Goblins in order to utilize it with consistency. If you watch his video, notice how often Grenade ends up being a dead card or he’s forced to blow up his own creature threat just for the sake of making use of it. Shrapnel and Galvanic blast are the same in a non Affinty deck, especially here, as you are pool of artifacts goes up, down, to non existent. Yet in almost all deck lists running Goblin/Affinty or Kuldotha, these cards are thrust in. The 2nd video is a tweaked Loxobot version thats seeing some play and performs better, piloted by Jeff where he comes to this same conclusion concerning his first attempt. Jim Davis has been running a similar variant for the last year or so, enjoying some success at an SCG Invitational. His is a disruptive variant that did not contain Kuldotha or Bushwhackers (But does have videos of experimental decks, that he didn’t care for), but played out with the same overall strategy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3a2uhTBnqeI
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GvY2Q2q_wsM
References
Sololobo’s Gobot Primer
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/799145-gobots-overwhelming-rage-and-shimmering-steel#SUPPORT
Article write up
http://www.masterofmagics.co.uk/mtgarticles/rise-of-the-go-bots/
OG Gobots in Action!
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC8IlmKQkEqQYjRAXXvQ9srw
A more burn focus list...with Tarmagoyf!
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC7uwDNsflXEVu1l6D6Zluzw
Edit: More to add later.
