Cardsplain

[Gandalf, Goblins' Bane] — Creature — Avatar Wizard

Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, Gandalf gets +1/+1 until end of turn and deals 1 damage to each opponent.

[Flameshape] — —

Look at the top two cards of your library and them face down. For as long as they remain exiled, you may play them if you control a Wizard.

Grade B- Grade from the win rate

Win rate when drawn 57.3% +1.1 vs average 3,275 games

Win rates and picks

55.9% 7,866 games
Average pick ()
2.1

By deck

  • Goblin Army 58.3% 1,749 games
  • Dwarves & Equipment 57.5% 978 games

Win rates from , 323,114 games. This card is compared with the set average (56.2%).

Reviews

Neither Gandalf, Goblins' Bane nor Flameshape are all that exciting on their own, but getting both of them on the same card looks very good. If you get to cast both, then Gandalf will end up being a pretty decent prowess-esque creature that also drew you two cards, which is a really awesome deal. Gandalf feels like more of a Constructed card, but there's more than enough value here to make it good in Limited, too.

Having a Gandalf, Spark Starter or two lets you be much more liberal with Gandalf, Goblins' Bane because you'll be able to replay whatever spells you hit later (in case Gandalf ). I tend to sequence this Gandalf around land drops if possible either way.

How to draft it

Roles in each deck

  • Goblin Army Gets you extra cards

    Two extra cards come first and a threat later. Flameshape exiles your top two cards face down, and you may play them as long as they stay and you control a Wizard. The 3-mana 2/3 Wizard then gets +1/+1 until end of turn and deals 1 damage to each opponent whenever you cast a noncreature spell, and this deck's cheap and spells trigger him often.

    How to play it

    Flameshape on turn 2 and Gandalf on turn 3 is the usual line. Once he is out the two cards are yours to play, and a land among them can be your land drop. If he they are stuck until you control another Wizard, and Gandalf, Spark Starter is a Wizard with a different name, so both can stay out together.

    Learn the Goblin Army deck