RakdosLegendary Creature — Goblin Warlock // Legendary Creature — Goblin WarriorGrub, Storied Matriarch // Grub, Notorious Auntie
Mana value3Rank#11,094
The Commander
Menace
Whenever this creature enters or transforms into Grub, Storied Matriarch, return up to one target Goblin card from your graveyard to your hand.
At the beginning of your first main phase, you may pay . If you do, transform Grub.
Menace
Whenever Grub attacks, you may blight 1. If you do, create a tapped and attacking token that's a copy of the blighted creature, except it has "At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice this token."
At the beginning of your first main phase, you may pay . If you do, transform Grub.
Guide
Gameplan
Grub is a flexible BR Goblin engine that flips back and forth each turn: the Matriarch side rebuys Goblins from your graveyard for relentless value, while the Auntie side turns combat into a token-copy machine that duplicates your best creature for a single attack. You curve out cheap Goblins and sacrifice fodder, then flip to Auntie to swing wide with menace and copies that trigger ETB/attack abilities before sacrificing at end step. Grind opponents out with recursion, then close with copied threats, sacrifice payoffs, or a wide Goblin alpha strike.
Strengths
- Card-advantage engine: front side returns a Goblin from your graveyard every time it enters or transforms.
- Free repeatable value—transform only costs R or B, so you get triggers nearly every turn.
- Token copies generate huge tempo and ETB/attack abuse before sacrificing themselves.
- Menace on both sides makes it hard to block and pushes consistent combat damage.
- Cheap three-mana commander that fits aggressive, low-curve Goblin shells.
Weaknesses
- Both sides are small bodies that die to almost any removal, interrupting the loop.
- The copy tokens are temporary, so without payoffs the value is fleeting.
- Wants a graveyard full of Goblins—graveyard hate shuts the engine off.
- Mana-hungry: you pay every turn to flip and want extra mana for the recurred cards.
- Relies on connecting in combat, so fogs, big blockers, and board wipes blunt it.
Key Cards
- Krenko, Mob Boss — A premium creature to copy with Auntie for a flood of Goblin tokens each attack.
- Goblin Bombardment — Turns the end-of-turn sacrificed copies and surplus Goblins into reliable, removal-proof damage.
- Skullclamp — Draws two off every dying Goblin token, supercharging the recursion plan.
- Pashalik Mons — Dealing damage whenever a Goblin dies pairs perfectly with the disposable copy tokens.
- Purphoros, God of the Forge — Each copy token entering pings every opponent, converting tokens into direct damage.
- Conspicuous Snoop — A Goblin toolbox engine that's easy to rebuy and great to copy off the top of your library.
Upgrade Path
Add fast mana (Sol Ring, Jeska's Will, Goblin recruiters) and strong copy targets like Krenko, Pashalik Mons, and Conspicuous Snoop to maximize each Auntie attack. Lean into sacrifice payoffs—Skullclamp, Goblin Bombardment, Mayhem Devil, Bastion of Remembrance—so the disposable tokens always convert to value or damage. Round out with protection (Lightning Greaves, Boots) and efficient removal to keep Grub alive and the engine humming.
Core Cards
The most-played cards for this commander, built from aggregated deck data (the Mythic Graph). Build public decks to seed it.
Win Conditions
- ▸Wide Goblin swarm with menace closing through unblockable attacks.
- ▸Aristocrats damage from Purphoros, Pashalik Mons, or Goblin Bombardment triggered by dying tokens.
- ▸Krenko or other token-maker copies snowballing into a lethal board.
- ▸Recurring evasive or oversized threats to chip opponents out over multiple turns.
Archetypes
- Goblin Tribal — It rebuys Goblins from the yard and floods the board with token copies, rewarding a dense Goblin shell.
- Aristocrats — The self-sacrificing copy tokens feed sacrifice outlets and death-trigger payoffs every turn.
- Tokens / Go-Wide — Copying token-makers like Krenko and swinging with menace builds an overwhelming board fast.
- Value/Attrition — Constant graveyard recursion grinds opponents out in longer, midrange games.
Combos
- Grub, Storied Matriarch // Grub, Notorious Auntie + Breath of Fury
→ Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite combat damage
- Grub, Storied Matriarch // Grub, Notorious Auntie + Combat Celebrant + The Fire Crystal
→ Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite combat phases
- Grub, Storied Matriarch // Grub, Notorious Auntie + Combat Celebrant + Anger
→ Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite combat phases
- Grub, Storied Matriarch // Grub, Notorious Auntie + Combat Celebrant + Rising of the Day
→ Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite combat phases
- Grub, Storied Matriarch // Grub, Notorious Auntie + Combat Celebrant + Urabrask the Hidden
→ Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite combat phases
Combos via Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (BR), by popularity.
