Hobgoblin, Mantled Marauder

Gameplan

Hobgoblin is a 2-mana mono-red evasive beater that snowballs into lethal combat damage by chaining discard triggers in a single turn. You cast cheap rummaging, looting, and discard outlets, each one pumping Hobgoblin +2/+0, then connect for huge flying damage—often as a commander-damage Voltron kill. Curve into a discard engine, swing with haste, and stack triggers before blocks.

Key Cards

• Faithless Looting — Cheap double-discard that triggers Hobgoblin twice and digs for action.
• Thrill of Possibility — Instant-speed discard for a +2/+0 pump during combat to push lethal.
• Wild-Magic Sorcerer — Foretell and impulse synergy fuel repeated discards while generating value.
• Key to the City — Repeatable discard outlet that also makes Hobgoblin unblockable for the kill.
• Containment Construct — Turns each discard into card advantage, fixing the deck's biggest weakness.
• Rummaging Goblin — Recurring discard outlet that lets you pump every turn and dig.
• Sneak Attack — Cheats huge attackers in alongside Hobgoblin to broaden the damage threat.

Upgrade Path

Add free or instant-speed discard outlets (Key to the City, Cathartic Reunion, Thrill of Possibility) and unblockable enablers (Rogue's Passage, Whispersilk Cloak) to guarantee Hobgoblin connects. Include card-advantage discard like Containment Construct and Bag of Holding so rummaging doesn't deck you out, plus protection (Heroic Intervention, Tibalt's Trickery, swiftfoot boots) to keep your sole threat alive. For higher power, lean into double-strike effects (Fireshrieker) and a madness reanimator package to convert discards into immediate board impact.