Goblin Lackey (Repaint)
Featured here is Repaint # 1 of 10 by beloved Magic artist Jerry Tiritilli. The artist has agreed he will never paint any more exact replicas of this original art as it appears on the card, other than this limited edition of 10. Goblin Lackey is a one-mana red creature from Urza’s Saga that can cheat powerful Goblins into play as early as turn two. When it hits an opponent, it lets you put a Goblin from your hand directly onto the battlefield for free. This ability makes it extremely dangerous if unanswered early. It’s mainly played in Legacy/Vintage Goblin decks, which use tribal synergies, cheap threats, and cards like Goblin Matron and Goblin Ringleader to flood the board. The card has been a major part of the classic “turn one threat” legacy play pattern in combination with Aether Vial, though that deck has dropped in tier rankings over time. If the opponent can’t kill Lackey immediately, it can create an overwhelming board presence often ending the game quickly after. It has been part of many tournament winning lists, most notably Jonathan Sonne’s 1st place finish at Legacy Grand Prix Philadelphia 2005. Lackey is also popular in some cEDH Goblin decks like “Krenko, Mob Boss” and “Muxus, Goblin Grandee” and has some play in Premodern. Goblin Lackey is not on the Reserved List. It has had multiple official reprints (From the Vault: Exiled/ Secret Lair Drop Series/Mystery Booster 2).