Exploring MTG’s unluckiest goblin family and their darkly humorous demise across Ixalan expansions
The Doobin Legacy: MTG’s Unluckiest Goblin Clan
Magic: The Gathering’s multiverse balances breathtaking wonder with relentless danger across countless planes of existence.
Even the most powerful Planeswalkers face constant threats in MTG’s dangerous realms, from Phyrexia’s biomechanical horrors to Nicol Bolas’s elaborate schemes. These cosmic-level dangers make survival challenging for beings who can travel between worlds at will.
For ordinary inhabitants of these planes, daily life presents even greater risks. The ongoing narrative in Lost Caverns of Ixalan continues the unfortunate saga of the Doobin bloodline, delivering another tragic installment in this family’s cursed history.
Hailing from Ixalan’s pirate faction, the Doobin clan consists of goblin crew members within the Brazen Coalition. This diverse pirate organization navigates the plane’s treacherous seas under Admiral Beckett Brass’s command, embracing high-risk adventures as part of their lifestyle.
During Magic’s initial Ixalan exploration in 2017, players discovered an ingenious narrative connection between two seemingly unrelated cards. Reprints of Lightning Strike and Hunt the Weak contained the final utterances of Doobin siblings Grick and Brunt, establishing a pattern of family misfortune through flavor text storytelling.
While epitaph cards typically memorialize heroic figures in MTG lore, the Doobin family’s last words serve a different narrative purpose. These goblins never appeared as actual characters elsewhere, making their memorialization purely comedic—a dark humor element highlighting the Brazen Coalition’s reckless approach to piracy and adventure.
Nirk Doobin’s Final Chapter in Lost Caverns of Ixalan
As Lost Caverns of Ixalan card previews commenced, the Magic community speculated whether the Doobin narrative would progress. Many hoped a family member might finally escape their cursed fate, breaking the pattern of humorous demises.
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Unfortunately for the Doobin bloodline, the third sibling Nirk follows the family tradition in Lost Caverns of Ixalan. Despite brief appearances, Nirk meets the same ultimate fate as Grick and Brunt, with their final words immortalized on Hunter’s Blowgun’s flavor text.
Magic’s Ixalan comeback demonstrates remarkable success with players. Featuring stunning artwork and innovative mechanics like discover and craft, future returns to this Mesoamerican-inspired plane seem inevitable. When Wizards revisits Ixalan, expect additional unfortunate Doobin relatives to join the family’s growing list of casualties.
Collector’s Guide to Doobin Family Cards
For collectors pursuing the complete Doobin family narrative, specific card versions are essential acquisitions.
Grick Doobin’s last words appear exclusively on Ixalan’s Lightning Strike reprint (card #150). This common instant features flavor text beginning with “Grick Doobin’s last words…” making it easily identifiable for collectors.
Brunt Doobin’s memorialization occurs on Hunt the Weak’s Ixalan printing (card #167). This green sorcery continues the pattern with “Brunt Doobin’s last words…” in its flavor text, completing the original sibling pair.
Nirk Doobin joins the unfortunate family legacy on Hunter’s Blowgun from Lost Caverns of Ixalan. This common artifact’s flavor text begins with “Nirk Doobin’s last words…” maintaining the established pattern while expanding the tragic family tree.
When collecting these cards, prioritize near-mint condition from original sets rather than reprints. While the cards themselves hold modest monetary value, their narrative significance makes them prized possessions for lore enthusiasts and completionist collectors alike.
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