Purphoros's Relic Heist

A jank mono-red Goblin deck that weaponizes Relic Robber by stealing the Goblin Construct tokens it creates for the opponent and sacrificing them to trigger Purphoros, God of the Forge for repeated damage.

Relic Robber creates a 0/1 Goblin Construct token under the opponent's control on combat damage. Jeering Instigator or The Akroan War steal that token, and when it enters under your control, Purphoros, God of the Forge triggers, dealing 2 damage to each opponent. The stolen token (now a Goblin) can be sacrificed to Goblin Bombardment for additional damage and to clear the way for Relic Robber's next attack. Krenko, Mob Boss counts all Goblins you control (including the stolen token) to create a massive army, with each new Goblin triggering Purphoros. Subira, Tulzidi Caravanner makes Relic Robber and other low-power creatures unblockable, ensuring consistent token generation. Goblin Rabblemaster and Magda, Brazen Outlaw provide additional Goblin tokens and Treasure ramp. Embercleave on a trampling Goblin (such as a buffed Krenko or Trashmaster lord) closes games.

Keep hands with 2–3 lands, a one- or two-drop Goblin (Magda, Subira, or Goblin Rabblemaster), and either Relic Robber or a steal effect (Jeering Instigator, The Akroan War). Hands with Purphoros plus a token generator are also keepable. Mulligan any hand lacking early plays or with multiple four-drops and no ramp.

Early game: deploy cheap Goblins (Magda, Subira) to generate Treasure and pressure. Use Light Up the Stage to dig. Mid game: play Relic Robber and attack with Subira making it unblockable to start generating tokens. Steal the token with Jeering Instigator or The Akroan War, triggering Purphoros if in play. Sacrifice the token to Goblin Bombardment for additional reach. Develop Krenko to build a token army. Late game: overwhelm with huge numbers of Goblins, multiple Purphoros triggers, and Embercleave on a key attacker. Use Skewer the Critics and The Akroan War's fight clause to clear blockers. Man-lands (Den of the Bugbear, Castle Embereth) provide resilience against board wipes.

Relies heavily on Relic Robber connecting; cheap removal or flyers can shut it down if Subira isn't active. Board wipes that destroy all creatures hit your token army, though Purphoros is indestructible. Graveyard hate can disrupt recursion if stolen tokens are sacrificed but that's rarely an issue. Instant-speed removal on Jeering Instigator or The Akroan War's trigger can fizzle the steal. The combo is mana-hungry; missing land drops early is punishing. Decks with consistent lifegain can outpace Purphoros triggers.