Review - Robbin' Goblin: The King of Hand Control.

Robbin’ Goblin is a hand control card that I have used since its release. Yet I never see it receive the respect it deserves as a card that can wipe an opponent’s hand clean. Robbin’ Goblin is mocked because it’s a trap (“Too slow! Jinzo!”), and permanent (“MST/Dust Tornado fodder!”). I don’t believe traps are particularly slow. If waiting until your opponent’s next draw phase is too difficult for you, you are too impatient. Jinzo is a threat to traps, true, but he’s wide open to all kinds of spell- and monster-based removal (some permanent, like the D.D. Folks), as his controller won’t be able to protect him with traps. And as soon as Jinzo’s taking a dirt nap, the Goblin can go right back to robbin’.

For some odd reason, Don Zaloog and Spirit Reaper (and for a while after it’s release, White Magical Hat) have received all kinds of praise for their ability to nibble away at the opponent’s hand while doing what monsters were made to do: LP damage. Yet all of these monsters have relatively horrible stats. Wouldn’t it be nice if Mobius the Frost Monarch also had a hand nibbling effect? If only there was a card that could give it to him!

Even when Robbin’ Goblin is unable to perform its intended task of pilfering the opponent’s hand, it can serve other purposes as well. It makes an excellent bluff, perhaps scaring an opponent out of attacking until he can draw some removal. Even when it’s destroyed by a Space Typhoon or Dust Tornado while face-up, it contributes a 1-for-1, and a very important one, as the opponent has used a valuable removal card that won’t become a problem later in the duel. If a Robbin’ Goblin can stick around for a couple of turns in an Aggro Deck, the advantage it can generate is astonishing. An army of buff Don Zaloog clones, each with their own effects in tow, can strip an opponent’s options to nothing, cause early topdecking, and win games. Let’s see the one-shot wonders, Delinquent Duo and Confiscation, do that!

Rating: 4/5