As the card Goblin Offensive puts it in its flavor text, "They certainly are." However, as one of Magic's oldest typal decks, there's more goblins than you can shake a stick at. In this article, I want to look at the goblins that aren't just there for the flavor text, but can really swing a game in your favor.

10. Goblin Piledriver

Protection from Blue certainly helps (since they can't just bounce it back to your hand), but the real power in this juggernaut comes from all the other goblins you're likely to have on the field. By itself, it doesn't have trample, but even with a small board, it can threaten to hit really hard. At the very least, it's going to eat something that your opponents would prefer not having to sacrifice, once you choose your attacks properly.

9. Siege-Gang Lieutenant

The best goblins are those that make other goblins. Once your commander is in play, Siege-Gang Lieutenant will consistently make two 1/1s each turn. While you do have to sacrifice them end of turn, you can turn them into direct damage using the Lieutenant's built-in Goblin Bombardment-like effect. Sure, it costs mana, but it beats having to just throw away the tokens. If you're building a goblins deck, the tokens are expendable anyway, so having more of them (especially for free) is never a bad thing.

8. Goblin Matron

Tutors are always some of the most powerful cards you can find, and this one is no exception to the rule. Imagine finding any goblin in your deck, any situational piece you might need to deal with a threat, and you see why this card is in the list. Got a creature that needs removing? Get a Gempalm Incinerator or a Volley Veteran and get rid of it. Got an artifact making your life hell? Get a Goblin Trashmaster or a Goblin Vandal. The possibilities with this card are limited only by what you have in your deck.

7. Treasure Nabber

What's more fun than blowing up your opponents' artifacts? How about stealing them? Treasure Nabber makes your opponents think twice about using their ramp artifacts because, if they do, you get to "borrow them" until the end of your turn. Not only does it make you ramp harder than anyone else at the table (something Red isn't too good at doing on its own), it also comes on a 3/2 body that can dish out some damage, depending on who has the least amount of blockers.

6. Conspicuous Snoop

One of the biggest problems with goblin decks is lack of card advantage. Yes, there are discard-and-draw effects, but you still lose a card out of the bargain. Conspicuous Snoop allows the top card of your library to be played, provided it's a goblin card. Not only does it give you a little card advantage, but it also allows you to activate Snoop to copy the ability of a goblin on top of your deck. It's useless in anything that's not a goblin typal deck, but in one, it shines.

5. Skirk Prospector

Remember what I said about tokens being expendable? Skirk Prospector is a good example of this. It turns those 1/1 goblin tokens into mana when you need it, allowing you to ramp out your big threats or have multiple plays on a single turn. It also hits all your other goblins, including itself! The most iconic play you'll find in a goblin deck is using your Prospector to sac a handful of goblins to play Muxus, Goblin Grandee as fast as possible and rebuild your board.

4. Krenko, Mob Boss

The only thing better than having goblins is having twice as many goblins. Krenko can make your board snowball rapidly if he isn't kept in check. Opponents that let your Krenko survive to tap on your turn quickly realize why that's a bad idea. While he's been one of the go-to goblin typal deck commanders, he's also useful in any goblin typal deck, period. In the space of a few turns, Krenko can rebuild your board to ridiculous levels. He's such a menace that there are whole guides dedicated to beating him in Commander.

3. Muxus, Goblin Grandee

Muxus is overcosted as far as goblins go (6 mana!), but for a good reason. When he enters, he drops any goblins that cost five or less (so, all of them), from the top six cards of your deck. Aside from being a board-in-a-box, he's also got some decent stats. What's more, on attack he gets huge, counting each goblin you control to add to his power and toughness. If he's not the commander for your goblin typal deck, he's definitely a must-include in the 99.

2. Goblin Lackey

Goblins are usually low-cost, so you don't need this guy's ability...until you need this guy's ability. Imagine getting a Muxus or a Krenko out on turn two, just for landing a hit on an opponent? Lackey doesn't get mentioned enough in top tens covering goblins, but this card is underrated as it is powerful. The catch is that you need to have something impressive to put into play with him. Landing a hit and cheating out a Goblin Balloon Brigade isn't where you want to be with your Lackey.

1. Sensation Gorger

Another poorly-represented card that can do a lot of work for you is this one. In any typal deck, Kinship is an underrated keyword, and Sensation Gorger takes full advantage of it. Not only will it draw you four cards (defeating the huge card advantage problem goblin decks have), it'll also force your opponents to discard their hand and draw four. Even if all it does is throw away your opponents' hands turn after turn, it's netting you benefits. It should show up in more decks than it already does.

Scryfall says that there are 524 goblins printed in Magic. These ten are among the best in my opinion, but there are so many that didn't get mentioned here. Cards like Vexing Shusher, Pashalik Mons, and about two dozen others earn their place in goblin typal decks. It all comes down to what you want to do with them. Which goblins are your favorite to play?