Hellraiser Goblin is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Creatures you control have haste and attack each combat if able.
Complete guide
Hellraiser Goblin is a chaotic red creature that pushes your entire army into an aggressive frenzy. By granting haste and a mandatory attack clause, it ensures the game moves quickly, for better or worse. Understanding the nuances of this card is essential for any player looking to master aggressive red strategies.
Unpacking the Frenzy
Hellraiser Goblin provides two static abilities that apply to all creatures you control, including itself. First, it grants haste, allowing creatures to tap or attack the turn they enter the battlefield. Second, it imposes a requirement: every creature you control must attack each combat if able. This means as long as this Goblin is on the battlefield during your declare attackers step, you cannot choose to hold your creatures back to block unless they are physically unable to attack.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When you enter your combat phase, the game checks for any legal attackers. Since Hellraiser Goblin has haste, it is eligible to attack the turn it is played. During the 'Declare Attackers' step, you must choose all creatures you control to attack. If a creature is already tapped, or if an effect like 'defender' or a 'can't attack' restriction is active, that creature is not 'able' to attack and stays back. Once attackers are declared, the mandate is satisfied, and the game proceeds to the 'Declare Blockers' step as usual.
Navigating Costs and Restrictions
A common point of confusion is how this interacts with costs. If an opponent has an effect that requires you to pay mana to attack, you are not forced to pay that cost. If you don't pay, the creature isn't 'able' to attack, so the requirement is ignored. Similarly, if Hellraiser Goblin enters the battlefield after you have already completed your combat phase, its requirement won't apply until your next turn's combat.
When to Deploy the Chaos
The best time to play Hellraiser Goblin is when you have a superior board state and want to capitalize on surprise speed. Because it forces an attack, you should avoid playing it if your opponent has a significantly larger creature that would safely eat your key utility creatures in combat. Remember, the haste it provides is a powerful tool, but the lack of choice in combat can be a double-edged sword.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf you play Solemn Simulacrum while Hellraiser Goblin is on the battlefield, the Golem gains haste immediately. After you search for your land, you proceed to combat. Because of the Goblin's second ability, Solemn Simulacrum must attack during your declare attackers step if it is able to do so.
Roaming ThroneWhen Roaming Throne enters, you may choose 'Goblin'. Roaming Throne now counts as a Goblin and gains haste from Hellraiser Goblin. During your combat phase, both the Goblin and the Throne are forced to attack. Note that since Hellraiser Goblin uses static abilities rather than triggered abilities, Roaming Throne's doubling effect does not change how the haste or attack requirement works.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Hellraiser Goblin
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Hellraiser Goblin's ability also affects itself. If it enters before combat, it will have to attack that combat if able.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If, during your declare attackers step, a creature you control is tapped or is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having a creature attack, you aren't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Hellraiser Goblin + Krenko, Mob Boss + Skirk Prospector
- 1Activate Krenko by tapping it, creating a number of 1/1 Goblin creature tokens equal to the number of Goblins you control.
- 2Activate Skirk Prospector by sacrificing Krenko, adding
. - 3Choose to return Krenko to the command zone from your graveyard.
- 4Activate Skirk Prospector by sacrificing a Goblin, adding .
- 5Repeat step 4 until you have enough mana to cast Krenko.
- 6Cast Krenko from the command zone by paying
plus commander tax. - 7Repeat.
Krenko, Mob Boss + Hellraiser Goblin + Breath of Fury
- 1Activate Krenko by tapping it, creating that many 1/1 Goblin tokens equal to the number of Goblins you control.
- 2Cast Breath of Fury by paying , enchanting a Goblin token.
- 3Move to combat.
- 4Attack with enchanted Goblin token, dealing damage to player.
- 5Breath of Fury triggers, sacrificing the enchanted Goblin and enchanting other Goblin token, untapping your creatures and gaining an additional combat phase after this one.
- 6Activate Krenko by tapping it, creating that many Goblin tokens equal to the number of Goblins you control.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Breath of Fury + Battle Cry Goblin + Hellraiser Goblin
- 1Declare Battle Cry Goblin, the creature with Breath of Fury attached, and any number of other creatures as attackers.
- 2Battle Cry Goblin triggers, creating a 1/1 Goblin creature token that is tapped and attacking.
- 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
- 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to the Goblin token, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
- 5Repeat each combat phase.
Squee, Dubious Monarch + Breath of Fury + Hellraiser Goblin
- 1Declare Squee and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
- 2Squee triggers, creating a 1/1 Goblin creature token that is tapped and attacking.
- 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
- 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to the Goblin token, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
- 5Repeat each combat phase.
Gerrard, Weatherlight Hero + Adarkar Valkyrie + Hellraiser Goblin + Goblin Bombardment
- 1Activate Adarkar Valkyrie by tapping it, causing Gerrard to be returned from your graveyard to the battlefield the next time it dies this turn.
- 2Activate Goblin Bombardment twice by sacrificing Gerrard and Adarkar Valkyrie.
- 3Adarkar Valkyrie and Gerrard trigger.
- 4Resolve the Adarkar Valkyrie trigger, returning Gerrard from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 5Resolve the Gerrard trigger, returning all artifact and creature cards that were put into your graveyard this turn from your graveyard onto the battlefield.
- 6Resolve the Goblin Bombardment abilities, dealing 2 damage to any target(s).
- 7Repeat.
Ghired, Conclave Exile + Combat Celebrant + Flamerush Rider + Hellraiser Goblin
- 1Declare Flamerush Rider, Combat Celebrant and Ghired as attackers, choosing to exert Combat Celebrant as it attacks.
- 2Combat Celebrant, Ghired's second ability and Flamerush Rider trigger.
- 3Resolve the Flamerush Rider trigger, creating a token copy of Combat Celebrant that is tapped and attacking.
- 4Resolve the Ghired trigger, creating a copy of the Combat Celebrant token.
- 5Resolve the Combat Celebrant trigger, untapping all other creatures you control and causing you to get an additional combat phase after this one.
- 6Move to your next combat phase, and declare the Combat Celebrant token created in step 4 and Ghired as attackers, choosing to exert the Combat Celebrant token as it attacks.
- 7Repeat from step 4.
- 8Optionally, you may also attack with Flamerush Rider to get infinite copies of any other attacking creatures you control.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Hellraiser Goblin
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.