General Kreat, the Boltbringer
A mono-red Goblin commander that turns attacking into more bodies and turns every friendly creature entering into table-wide chip damage.
Public decks: 2Bracket: 4
Overview
- Wants a steady stream of Goblins to attack so you keep snowballing extra tapped-and-attacking tokens.
- Rewards any kind of creature production (tokens included) by pinging each opponent when another creature enters under your control.
- Typically pressures life totals on two axes: combat damage from a growing swarm plus incremental ETB damage to the whole table.
- Plays best when you can rebuild quickly after removal and keep attacks flowing turn after turn.
- Often closes by going wide with pumps or by converting a board of small creatures into direct damage.
Common lines
- Deploy early Goblins, land the commander, then attack to immediately add another attacker and grow your board without spending more cards.
- Follow up with token-makers so the ETB trigger chips the table while also stocking more attackers for future turns.
- Use a damage outlet or combat pump to make each new body matter even when the red zone gets clogged.
Strengths
- Naturally snowballs: one attack can become multiple bodies, which enables bigger future attacks.
- Incidental reach: creature entries translate into damage to each opponent, helping finish games through stalled boards.
- Mono-red tempo: can come out fast and punish slower setups with early pressure.
- Token-heavy plan can leverage tribal payoffs and sacrifice synergies when available.
Weaknesses
- Reliant on combat steps to maximize the token-making trigger; fogs and pillowfort effects can blunt the core engine.
- Board wipes can be rough if you overcommit to the battlefield without a way to reload.
- Small creatures can get outclassed by larger blockers, forcing you to find pump, evasion, or noncombat reach.
- Commander-centric pressure: removing Kreat reduces both the swarm growth and the table-wide pinging.
Rule zero notes
- Disclose that the deck can pressure all opponents at once via repeated ETB pings, even without attacking well.
- If you run heavy go-wide payoffs or big damage finishers (e.g., Coat of Arms, Fireball/Disintegrate-style effects), mention the burst potential.
- If you include sacrifice-to-damage plans (e.g., Goblin Bombardment as an example), note that the deck may convert boards into direct damage to close games.
Matchups
Best into
- Slow, tap-out value pods that need time to assemble engines
- Creature-light decks that struggle to block early swarms
- Tables where incremental damage adds up because life totals are already pressured
Struggles against
- Frequent sweepers and repeatable mass damage that clears small creatures
- Defensive shells with strong combat deterrents (fogs, pillowfort, taxation)
- Decks that race with faster noncombat wins before your combat clock matters
FAQ
How does General Kreat usually win?
Most wins come from overwhelming combat with a widening Goblin board, plus the steady table-wide damage from creatures entering. Some lists may also finish with a big burn spell or by converting creatures into direct damage.
Do I need to be all-in on Goblins?
Kreat strongly rewards Goblins for the attack trigger, but the damage trigger cares about any other creature entering. You can stay mostly Goblin-focused and still benefit from generic token-making.
Does the attacking-token trigger work on each Goblin or just once per attack?
It triggers when one or more Goblins you control attack, so you typically get a single token each time you declare attackers with at least one Goblin.
What kind of cards support the plan?
Token makers and low-cost Goblins help keep attacks flowing, while payoffs for going wide or sacrificing creatures can provide reach. Example inclusions from the snapshot include Dragon Fodder, Goblin Chieftain, and Goblin Bombardment.
What should I watch out for when piloting it?
Don’t overextend into a wipe if you can help it, and try to sequence so you can keep presenting attackers each turn. If combat is getting shut down, lean harder on creature-entry damage and direct-damage closing lines.