
# Secret Lair Goblin Storm: One Cantrip to Rule Them All

Most Commander precons give you a pile of cards that vaguely synergize. This one gives you a loaded gun. A loaded gun made of goblins.

On May 18, Wizards drops the **Secret Lair Commander Deck: Goblin Storm** — a $150 mono-red deck helmed by <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2406" title="Zada, Hedron Grinder" /> that turns one-mana cantrips into a storm engine. It's fast, it's chaotic, and it packs roughly $283 in card value before you factor in the premium foil treatments.

Let's break down why this deck is special, how the Zada engine actually works, and which cards make it tick.

<BlogCard cardId="MTG-SLD-2406" size="lg" />

## What Makes This Deck Different

Most precons play fair. They curve out, swing sideways, and win through incremental value. Goblin Storm does none of that. Instead, it plays more like a combo deck disguised as a tribal aggro deck.

The game plan:

1. Deploy cheap goblins
2. Cast Zada
3. Target Zada with a single cantrip
4. Watch it copy for every creature you control
5. Draw your entire deck
6. Win

That's not a meme. That's the actual strategy. And this precon is built to execute it consistently.

## The Zada Engine Explained

Zada's ability reads: _"Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell that targets only Zada, copy that spell for each other creature you control that the spell could target."_

This means a one-mana cantrip like <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-BBD-177" title="Expedite" /> — which normally draws one card — suddenly draws you a card for every creature you control. With Zada and five other creatures in play, <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-SHM-88" title="Crimson Wisps" /> draws six cards for <BlogMana text="{R}" />.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-BBD-177,MTG-PLST-SHM-88,MTG-MH1-123,MTG-KLD-127" />

The deck is loaded with these single-target cantrips: <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-MH1-123" title="Fists of Flame" />, <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-KLD-127" title="Renegade Tactics" />, and more. With Zada out, each one becomes a massive draw spell that fuels the next. You chain cantrip into cantrip until you've drawn most of your deck and generated enough mana to close the game.

## The Storm Payoffs

Once you've drawn twenty cards off a couple of cantrips, you need to actually win. The deck packs several routes to victory:

### Direct Damage

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-SLD-2413,MTG-MH2-142,MTG-MOC-285,MTG-WOT-43" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2413" title="Grapeshot" /> is the classic storm finisher — each spell you've cast this turn adds another copy. Note that Zada's copies don't count toward Storm since they aren't cast, but after a big turn of casting cantrips and rituals from hand, your storm count will still be deep into double digits. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-MH2-142" title="Spreading Insurrection" /> also has Storm — each copy steals an opponent's creature, turning their board against them while you swing for lethal.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-MOC-285" title="Impact Tremors" /> deals damage whenever a creature enters under your control — with <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2412" title="Empty the Warrens" /> generating a pile of goblin tokens off a high storm count, that adds up fast.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-LRW-155" title="Boggart Shenanigans" /> works the other direction — it deals 1 damage to a target player whenever one of your Goblins dies. Pair it with <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2414" title="Skirk Prospector" /> to sacrifice your token army for mana while pinging one opponent for each sacrifice. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-WOT-43" title="Goblin Bombardment" /> lets you do the same thing, flinging goblins at any target for free.

### Go Wide and Swing

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-TSR-169,MTG-ZEN-125" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TSR-169" title="Haze of Rage" /> has both buyback and Storm — each spell you've cast before it creates another copy, and every copy resolves independently to give your creatures +1/+0. Cast it with a storm count of ten and your whole board gets +11/+0. That's lethal.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ZEN-125" title="Goblin Bushwhacker" /> is the quick and dirty version — cast it with kicker for <BlogMana text="{R}{R}" /> total and your whole team gets +1/+0 and haste for the turn. After a Zada chain floods the board with tokens, even a small buff can be enough.

## The Mana Engine

Storm decks need mana, and this deck delivers. The ritual package is critical for going off in a single turn:

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-SLD-2409,MTG-AVR-128,MTG-SOC-247,MTG-9ED-216" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2409" title="Brightstone Ritual" /> adds <BlogMana text="{R}" /> for each Goblin on the battlefield — yours and your opponents'. With a board of tokens, this often generates five or more mana from a single card.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-AVR-128" title="Battle Hymn" /> does the same for all creatures you control. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SOC-247" title="Mana Geyser" /> counts your opponents' tapped lands — in a four-player game this regularly produces 8-12 mana. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-9ED-216" title="Seething Song" /> is the classic ritual, converting <BlogMana text="{2}{R}" /> into <BlogMana text="{R}{R}{R}{R}{R}" />.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2414" title="Skirk Prospector" /> converts extra goblins into <BlogMana text="{R}" /> on demand. Combined with token generators, it's free mana whenever you need it.

## Token Generation: Building the Board

Zada's power scales with creature count. The more bodies on board when you start chaining cantrips, the more cards you draw. These are the key token generators:

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-SLD-2407,MTG-PLST-GNT-39,MTG-GNT-42,MTG-PLST-EMA-139" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2407" title="Krenko, Mob Boss" /> is the alternate commander for good reason — one activation doubles your goblin count. Left unchecked for even a single turn cycle, Krenko builds an army that makes Zada terrifying.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-GNT-39" title="Dragon Fodder" />, <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-EMA-139" title="Mogg War Marshal" />, and <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-GNT-42" title="Siege-Gang Commander" /> all provide multiple bodies from a single card. Every token is another Zada trigger waiting to happen.

## The Tribal Toolbox

Beyond the storm plan, the deck packs premium goblin tribal support:

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-SLD-2425,MTG-SLD-2424,MTG-PLST-DOM-130,MTG-SLD-2411,MTG-DMU-142" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2425" title="Goblin Lackey" /> is a Legacy staple that cheats goblins into play on combat damage. In Commander, it drops a free Krenko or Siege-Gang Commander as early as turn two.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2411" title="Conspicuous Snoop" /> lets you cast Goblin spells off the top of your library and gains the activated abilities of any Goblin sitting on top. With <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-MH1-129" title="Goblin Matron" /> or <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-DMU-142" title="Rundvelt Hordemaster" /> providing card advantage, you'll rarely run out of gas even without Zada online.

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-DOM-130" title="Goblin Warchief" /> gives your Goblins haste and reduces their cost by <BlogMana text="{1}" />, while <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2424" title="Goblin Chieftain" /> provides haste plus a +1/+1 anthem — critical for deploying threats the same turn you plan to go off.

## Value Breakdown: Is $150 Worth It?

Let's talk numbers. The deck contains roughly **$283 in card value** at current TCGPlayer prices. The heavy hitters:

| Card                                                            | Approximate Value |
| --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2415" title="Roaming Throne" />   | ~$47              |
| <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2425" title="Goblin Lackey" />    | ~$19              |
| <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SS3-4" title="Past in Flames" />      | ~$12              |
| <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2416" title="Skullclamp" />       | ~$8               |
| <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SLD-2407" title="Krenko, Mob Boss" /> | ~$7               |

And that's before factoring in the **12 foil borderless cards** with new Wizard of Barge artwork, plus **22 panoramic foil Mountains**. Secret Lair foil treatments typically command a significant premium on the secondary market — a foil Secret Lair Sol Ring can sell for $15 versus $1.50 for a standard printing.

<BlogCard cardId="MTG-SLD-2415" size="lg" />

## Key Synergy: Storm-Kiln Artist + Zada

This is the card that ties the whole deck together.

<BlogCard cardId="MTG-CMM-260" size="lg" />

<br/>

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-CMM-260" title="Storm-Kiln Artist" /> creates a Treasure token whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery. Read that again — **or copy**. When you cast <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-BBD-177" title="Expedite" /> targeting Zada with five other creatures in play, the Magecraft ability triggers for the original cast and again for each of the five copies. That's six Treasures. From a one-mana cantrip.

This single card converts your cantrip chains into explosive mana generation. Draw six cards, make six Treasures, use the Treasures to cast more cantrips, each of which draws six more cards and makes six more Treasures. The loop is self-sustaining and often ends the game the turn it starts.

## Full Decklist

Here's the complete 100 — every goblin, cantrip, and ritual ready to storm off.

<BlogDeckList deckListIndex="0" />

## Who Is This Deck For?

**Buy it if you:**

- Love combo-style gameplay in Commander
- Want a precon that can compete at bracket 2-3 out of the box
- Appreciate premium art treatments and foil Mountains
- Have been looking for a Zada or goblin tribal deck without sourcing 50 cards individually

**Skip it if you:**

- Prefer slower, grindy value games
- Don't enjoy tracking storm counts and copy triggers
- Want a deck that plays nicely in casual bracket 1-2 pods

## Final Thoughts

The Secret Lair Commander Deck: Goblin Storm is a notably cohesive precon. It has a clear gameplan, the cards genuinely synergize rather than just sharing a creature type, and the value comfortably exceeds the price tag. Combo kills in a precon are unusual, and this deck delivers several of them.

The deck launches **May 18 at 9 AM PST** exclusively on MagicSecretLair.com with a limit of one per customer. Secret Lair products are limited-run, so don't sit on it if you're interested.

One cantrip. Six copies. Twenty cards drawn. Thirty Treasures made. Forty damage dealt. That's the Zada math, and this deck makes it happen.

Happy storming.


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Secret Lair Goblin Storm: One Cantrip to Rule Them All