Looking to put together a Krenko, Mob Boss EDH deck? Look no further! As a die-hard goblin enthusiast with some good years of EDH experience under my belt, I’m brining you this Krenko, Mob Boss EDH guide.
This article isn’t just about giving you a decklist to copy, but rather to ignite your own creativity and provide valuable tips and tricks to help you build an effective and fun Krenko deck. And with new goblins being released regularly, the opportunities to continue tinkering with your deck are endless.
So, get ready to dive into the world of goblin as we break down this mono-red tribal deck.
Table of Contents
The Boss
Krenko, Mob Boss is a true goblin gang leader – the type that will stop at nothing to amass a horde of loyal followers. With just a tap of his finger, he can double your mob of goblins, creating a full-fledged goblin crime syndicate in no time. If you’re looking for a true goblin crime lord to lead your pack, look no further than Krenko.
Krenko can be a high-risk, high-reward commander due to the nature of his ability. With the potential to create a large number of goblin tokens in a single turn, Krenko decks can quickly overwhelm opponents and end the game in a few short turns. However, this also means that Krenko is a prime target for removal, and a well-timed board wipe or targeted removal can leave a Krenko deck struggling to rebuild. While this guide aims to mitigate some of that risk through careful deck building, be aware of the risk involved with using Krenko as a commander.
Krenko’s Goons
Now let’s talk about Krenko’s Goons – these small goblins making up the bulk of your army are essential for powering up Krenko’s ability and overwhelming your opponents. They act as Krenko’s foot soldiers, and you want to get plenty of them out as early as possible.
Not only are these 1CMC or 2CMC goblins essential in building up your army, they also offer a plethora of additional synergies to your deck. For instance, Goblin Chirurgeon allows you to regenerate any goblin, including Krenko himself, providing you with some protection from board wipes or targeted removal. Similarly, cards like Motivator and Torch Courier can give Krenko haste, enabling you to activate his ability the turn he enters the battlefield and start generating goblins immediately.
Other goblins, like Wily Goblin and Skirk Prospector, also serve as sources of ramp to help get Krenko out early. By including a mix of these low-cost goblins with additional utility, you can ensure that your army of goblins is not only numerous but also versatile and capable of adapting to a variety of situations on the battlefield.
Krenko’s Inner Circle
Moving on to Krenko’s inner circle – the Goblin Anthems. These cards represent Krenko’s trusted capos who lead his goblin soldiers into battle. They give your goblins additional perks, making them even more deadly. Cards like Goblin Chieftain, Goblin Warchief, and Goblin Trashmaster are all excellent examples of this category. They give your goblin soldiers haste, extra power, or other useful abilities, making them much more difficult for your opponents to deal with. With these cards in play, your goblin army will be a force to be reckoned with!
One notable presence among Krenko’s inner circle is Muxus, Goblin Grandee. With the help of Goblin Recruiter, you can set up a powerful combo. Simply search your library for Muxus and put him on top, then stack the next five most powerful goblins beneath him. The next time you draw a card, it will be Muxus, and he will bring forth a flurry of goblins onto the battlefield, overwhelming your opponents with sheer numbers. This combo can quickly turn the tide of the game in your favor and lead you to victory.
Mob Mayhem
So you’ve spent all that time and effort building up your goblin army, but what’s next? Well, the answer lies in the powerful finisher cards that can take your army to the next level and secure your victory. These finishers are the ultimate payoff for all your hard work, allowing you to quickly overwhelm your opponents and deal lethal damage. With the right combination of finishers, your goblin army can become an unstoppable force that your opponents won’t be able to handle.
Goblin Snatchers
Our Goblin Snatchers – tutors – can help you find the cards you need to react to specific situations or disrupt your opponent’s plans. While they’re not a necessity, tutors make your deck more consistent and agile, giving you the flexibility to adapt to different game states and come out on top. So having access to cards like Gamble, Imperial Recruiter, and Goblin Matron can be a game-changer in the right situation.
Haste
Although our inner circle and some of our goblin soldiers may provide haste, it’s important to have additional sources to secure a speedy opener. Haste enablers such as Mass Hysteria and Lightning Greaves do this, allowing you to immediately attack or activate Krenko’s ability as soon as he hits the board. It goes without saying that the flavor of Goblin War Drums is simply too good to ignore, capturing the essence of what a goblin tribal deck is set out to do.
Card Draw
Card advantage is always important in EDH, and for Krenko Mob Boss EDH decks this is the case as well. You need to have ways to refill your hand after you’ve dumped it onto the board. In this deck, we have access to some excellent card draw options like Wheel of Fortune, Cathartic Reunion, and Sensation Gorger. These cards allow you to draw multiple cards at once, which is exactly what you need to keep your army of goblins coming.
We cannot ignore that Wheel of Fortune is an extremely pricey card, and needless to say budget-conscious players can always divert to cheaper alternatives like Wheel of Misfortune or Ignite the Future to achieve similar effects.
Acceleration
Moving on to acceleration, cards that help you ramp up your mana are essential for getting Krenko out quickly and getting your goblin army up and running. Artifacts are your friends when you want to ramp in mono red. Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, and Mana Vault are all excellent options for ramping up your mana production. These cards can help you get Krenko out early and start pumping out goblins before your opponents can even get their footing.
By running around 15 ramp spells in this deck, we can achieve a high probability of having a ramp spell in our opening hand or by turn 2. It gives us around an 80% chance of having a ramp spell on turn 2, which is crucial for getting Krenko out on turn 3 and starting to build our goblin army. If you want to dive further into figuring out the ideal ratios in your deck, check out our helpful article on the Commander deck building template.
In addition to those early-ramp staples, there are some other powerful big mana options that can take your Krenko, Mob Boss EDH deck to the next level. Some of the most potent cards for this strategy are Mana Echoes, Jeska’s Will and Treasounous Ogre. These cards can generate a huge amount of mana very quickly, allowing you to cast multiple spells in a single turn.
Removal
Removal is another important category in any EDH deck, and Krenko Mob Boss EDH decks are no exception. You need to be able to deal with your opponents’ threats in order to keep your army of goblins safe. Cards like Vandalblast, Chaos Warp, and Pyroblast all give you ways to remove problematic permanents or deal with your opponents’ spells. Check out our article on the best red removal for EDH if you want to get more inspiration on equiping your deck against outside threads.
Budget Considerations
As with any EDH deck, building a Krenko Goblin Tribal deck can get as expensive as you want it to be. Cards like Mana Vault, Imperial Recruiter, Wheel of Fortune, and Ancient Tomb can put a dent in your wallet. However, as long as you include enough ramp, haste, and other support cards, these expensive options can be easily switched out for slightly less pricey alternatives.
Fortunately, the real meat and potatoes of the deck are the Krenko’s goons and Krenko’s inner circle, which are all reasonably affordable cards. You can build a strong and effective Krenko Goblin Tribal deck without breaking the bank. Of course, if you have the means and desire to splurge on those expensive cards, they can certainly give you an edge in gameplay. But for those on a budget, there are still plenty of options to make a formidable goblin army and wreak havoc on your opponents.
A Word on Infinite Combos
It’s worth noting that this particular deck doesn’t rely on any infinite combos to win, since our playgroup doesn’t allow them. However, Krenko, Mob Boss is notorious for its ability to create infinite combos, and a quick search on the Commander Spellbook website will reveal at least 23 potential combinations. If your playgroup allows for it, cards like Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker can open up a whole new realm of infinite combo possibilities. Cards like Staff of Domination or Ashnod’s Altar are also notorious for enabling infinite tokens and mana.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that Krenko’s ability to create infinite combos has made him a beloved commander in the competitive EDH (cEDH) community. With the right cards and setup, Krenko can easily take over the game and secure a win in just a few turns. Of course cEDH is a very different format from casual play, and the power level of the decks is much higher. If you’re interested in exploring the competitive side of EDH, Krenko is definitely a commander worth considering.
Conclusion
This concludes our Krenko, Mob Boss EDH deck guide write up. Thank you for taking the time to read our guide, and we wish you luck in all your future battles with Krenko at your side.
Our Playgroup started tracking our EDH games with playgroup.gg, find my Krenko deck here.
And check out my full deck list here:
