[Budget Decks] -- My Attempts

[4eak]

@ igri_is_a_bk

Interesting build. I am not convinced by Fauna Shaman even in this deck. Although, I think the VV backup plan is a smart idea.


@ Mr. Safety

For the GY-deck, you say you want more of a toolbox, have you tried Genesis? That card is awesome. It gives you some consistent ways to produce 2 creatures for VV recursion, it let's you win attrition wars, and it also is outstanding with Shriekmaw. Genesis is even better than Wonder.

The Goblin Storm deck looks pretty similar to many of my attempts to build budget storm decks. It certainly can win some games in Legacy. I think it is far inferior to the Belcher list I have posted, which costs roughly the same.


@ randomly.anonymous

Thank you for reminding me to try out Past in Flames.


@ Gui

I've tested both. They are both fine cards to play. The removal sweet is something you have to tailor to your metagame.

I think Shade, sadly, is dead. I wish I could use my set in a deck that was worthwhile (I really love Suicide Black), but there isn't one, imho.


peace,
4eak

[Mr. Safety]

@ Mr. Safety

For the GY-deck, you say you want more of a toolbox, have you tried Genesis? That card is awesome. It gives you some consistent ways to produce 2 creatures for VV recursion, it let's you win attrition wars, and it also is outstanding with Shriekmaw. Genesis is even better than Wonder.

The Goblin Storm deck looks pretty similar to many of my attempts to build budget storm decks. It certainly can win some games in Legacy. I think it is far inferior to the Belcher list I have posted, which costs roughly the same.

Yeah, Genesis is definately going to be going in there alongside Wonder.

In regards to the Storm deck...I don't have anywhere near the pieces needed for Belcher, but I can assemble this deck pretty easily with less than 10 cards needed for completion. That's the main reason I'm not going for the Belcher build or another budget combo deck.

[4eak]

Added UR Delver/Counterburn/Blue Sligh.

Updated Dredge.


peace,
4eak

[chipper]

Hi 4eak,

Any chance of seeing a budget Deadguy deck?

[4eak]

I play with/against a good amount of Deadguy. The color requirements for the deck are very high, and the best cards are frankly very expensive. For these reasons, it is hard to go budget. This is about as cheap as I'd want to go with Deadguy:

// Lands - 23
7 Plains
8 Swamp
2 Godless Shrine
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Arid Mesa
4 Marsh Flats

// Creatures - 19
4 Mother of Runes
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Tidehollow Sculler
4 Dark Confidant

// Non-Creature Spells - 18
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Hymn to Tourach
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Swords to Plowshares

Vindicate, Wasteland, and a stronger manabase would be large improvements for the deck.


peace,
4eak

[Gui]

Do you think the monoblack could get value of Sensei's Divining Top?

[chipper]

I play with/against a good amount of Deadguy. The color requirements for the deck are very high, and the best cards are frankly very expensive. For these reasons, it is hard to go budget. This is about as cheap as I'd want to go with Deadguy:

// Lands - 23
7 Plains
8 Swamp
2 Godless Shrine
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Arid Mesa
4 Marsh Flats

// Creatures - 19
4 Mother of Runes
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Tidehollow Sculler
4 Dark Confidant

// Non-Creature Spells - 18
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Hymn to Tourach
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Swords to Plowshares

Vindicate, Wasteland, and a stronger manabase would be large improvements for the deck.


peace,
4eak

Thanks, I like this list although I do agree Deadguy is hard to go on a budget.

Also, could stasis decks be competitively budget and if so, what would be a good decklist?

[4eak]

Do you think the monoblack could get value of Sensei's Divining Top?

Max is 1. I don't even like 1 in the deck though, as you really want shuffle effects to really get good use out of top. Although, even with fetches, MBAC is likely the wrong role. The more control oriented your deck, the more effective Top will be.

Also, could stasis decks be competitively budget and if so, what would be a good decklist?

I love Stasis. Barring some unforeseen card prints targeting Stasis specifically, Stasis will never be competitive. That said, this deck reminds me a lot of Stasis, and it is semi-competitive:

// Lands - 22
11 Plains
11 Forest

// Draw Engine - 16
4 Howling Mine
4 Anvil of Bogardan
4 Rites of Flourishing
4 Font of Mythos

// Defense - 22
4 Orim's Chant
4 Peace Talks
4 Tangle
4 Moment's Peace
2 Constant Mists
4 Leyline of Sanctity

// Sideboard
SB: 4 Krosan Grip
SB: 4 Ivory Tower
SB: 3 Elixir of Immortality
SB: 2 Peace of Mind
SB: 2 Glacial Chasm

Anvil of Bogardan and Orim's Chant are the expensive cards, and you can always find replacements for them (Temple Bell for Bogardan, for example).

It wins an enormous number of game 1's. Part of its viability would be rogue factor in that some players will not know how to play against it. That said, once they know how to play against it, or if you happen to face one of the many auto-losses for this deck, then its performance takes a nosedive. The deck is still fun and dangerous, however, against a surprising amount of the format.


peace,
4eak

[GenioDeArena]

Great thrad!!

I´m on tight budget right now, however I´would like to build something like this:

3_Orcish Settlers
4_Leonin Arbiter
4_Aven mindcensor
3_Mirror Entity

4_Limited Resources
4_Stone Rain
2_Oblivion Ring
4_Lightning Bolt
4_Swords to Plowshares

4_Mind Stone

4_Arid Mesa
14_Plains
6_Mountain

The basic idea is to lock the opp lands with hatebears and/or Limited Resources+landkill. Add a small control package. Are dual lands substitutions really necesary? I don´t own any Plateaus, but I rather save money for them than spanding it on Shocklands or something, Am I right or there are any good ones?
I also like to have SB ideas, Besides REB I´m black ´cause I never played control-ish archetypes with this colors?
The metagame is 50%casual homebrews and 50% netdecks, Merfolk, Combo Elves, Ichorid, Eva, Zoo, Lands, MUC.

Thanks in Advance.

Ale.

[Mr. Safety]

I'm cooking something up for casual right now that uses Root Maze, Leonin Arbiter, Back to Basics, and Azorious Guildmage to be a deterrent for opponent's lands. I'm also using Ghost Quarter because it turns into Strip Mine with Leonin Arbiter on the battlefield.

I forgot about Aven Mindcensor though...thanks for the note!

[Grigory]

This list was an attempt to make a REALLY budget legacy storm deck. Warning: its pretty inconsistent and loses automatically vs blue pre-board.

4x Lotus Petal

4x Shield Sphere
4x Ornithopter
4x Memnite
4x Phyrexian Walker

3x Ad Nauseam
3x Cabal Ritual
4x Culling the Weak
4x Dark ritual
3x Plunge into Darkness

4x Glimpse of Nature
2x Tendrils of Agony

4x Llanowar Wastes
2x Phyrexian Tower
3x Forest
8x Swamp

Sideboard
4x Xantid Swarm
4x Krosan Grip
4x Cabal Therapy
3x Deathmark

The ONLY expensive card in this deck is glimpse. All in all the deck should cost less than $100. The other thought I had for the mana base was tainted wood. Autumn's veil could be substituted for swarm in the sideboard if you expect to see removal, though its bad w glimpse and culling.

The original version of the deck was more boss and ran 12x kobolds instead of the better artifact guys. This of course allows you to side in the dreaded kobold taskmaster/ contested war zone man plan :p.

[Mr. Safety]

This is very similar to Cheerios (kobolds/glimpse/beastmaster ascension) and I've seen Cheerios turned into a storm deck before. It's fun, for sure...but a definate glass cannon. You either win or lose on the spot when you combo out.

[Gui]

Max is 1. I don't even like 1 in the deck though, as you really want shuffle effects to really get good use out of top. Although, even with fetches, MBAC is likely the wrong role. The more control oriented your deck, the more effective Top will be.

I agree, although this list looks quite defensive to me, already. I mean, these creatures are not exactly groundbreaker offensive creatures... I was thinking exactly about the miser singleton.

Last question (I promise =P), I may even have asked that already, but the list changed a bit... If you were to use Wastelands, would you simply -4 Swamp +4 Wasteland? And, do you still think the deck could get power out of wasteland? (disconsidering the high cost involved) (Also, asking this mainly because of the cost/benefit regarding Malakir and Tourachs)

[chipper]

I love Stasis. Barring some unforeseen card prints targeting Stasis specifically, Stasis will never be competitive.

How about a casual budget stasis decklist?

Also, would mono green infect benefit from the inclusion of virulent sliver?

[4eak]

@ GenioDeArena

I have bad news for you: that deck simply isn't good enough, and (as far as I can tell) it can't be made competitive. This doesn't even look like the appropriate role against the decks you listed. This list will either evolve into Ponza (and then die out) or Death and Taxes (and eventually lose the anti-search). Sorry man, thems the breaks.

If you are on a tight budget, I highly suggest Mono Red Sligh. That is a very cheap deck, and it is far more competitive than most people realize. You could transition into UR Delver and actually have what I believe is a tier one deck for just a bit more.


@ Grigory

I goldfished this deck. Unfortunately, it is very inconsistent, which is a vital concern for competitiveness. Your deck reminds me of proto-type of Spanish Inquisition. That deck is very fast, very consistent, and also folds to FoW. If you want consistency you have to pay for it in this kind of deck. Unfortunately, to be competitive with this deck, you can't go budget. Charbelcher is the only storm deck I've found so far that can be built as both competitive and budget.


@ Gui

The list is defensive and it plays more of a control role than many people realize (obviously, not you). It still doesn't play the control role enough for Top to be that impressive. It isn't until you start splashing white with MBAC, converting to Deadguy, and a heavy control Deadguy at that, where I find Top worthwhile.

Even in straight Mono Black Control, I don't use top. I prefer something like Staff of Domination (because MBC is notoriously good at producing mana) or Phyrexian Arena (because MBC has excellent lifegain options).

Yup, -4 Swamp, +4 Wasteland. The wastelands are definitely powerful in the deck. The coloration is fine. There will be times when and are hard to come by, but that is outweighed by the benefits of wasteland.


@ chipper

I'll be happy to try to build a stasis deck for you.

First question: Do time limits matter? If they do, then Stasis needs to be built to win quickly, and that changes the construction and the sort of lock (which will be weaker) we can expect. No time limits, the deck may drop a lock and literally wait 45 turns to deck an opponent out. Let me know, and I'll try to build to those requirements.

In the mean time, there is a Stasis thread here.

Virulent Sliver is a no go. Poisonous and Infect are very different mechanics. Infect actually scales with pump spells, but it doesn't stack like Poisonous. Virulent Sliver has no home in an Infect deck, although might find a home in Protean Hulk decks (unlikely on multiple accounts).



peace,
4eak

[Kich867]

I made a pretty nifty turbo-fog stasis deck that actually worked out pretty well barring a super good deck haha.

It was something like this:

//Draw Engine: 12
4x Howling Mine
4x Anvil of Bogardan
4x Jace Beleren

//Lock: 7
4x Stasis
3x Orb of Dreams

//Fog Stuff: 19
3x Leyline of Sanctity
4x Orim's Chant
4x Peace Talks
4x Ethereal Haze
4x Pollen Lullaby

//Lands:
8x Snow-Covered Island
9x Snow-Covered Plains
4x Forsaken City
1x Kor Haven

With some sideboard. It worked out pretty well actually, you basically just play like turbo fog does, drop orb of dreams, drop stasis, hang out and win. Forsaken City covers your stasis costs, ultra-drawing covers Forsaken City + you win. They draw themselves to death.

[TheMightyQuinn]

4eak, have you tried Scent of Ivy in your mono green infect deck? It seems like it could be super good sometimes and super bad other times. Worth running the numbers on?

[Mr. Safety]

4eak, have you tried Scent of Ivy in your mono green infect deck? It seems like it could be super good sometimes and super bad other times. Worth running the numbers on?

Wouldn't Bounty of the Hunt be a better option?

[TheMightyQuinn]

Wouldn't Bounty of the Hunt be a better option?

I don't think Bounty is playable since it costs another card. But yeah...I just woke up from a nap after posting thinking "Scent of Ivy was a really dumb suggestion."

[4eak]

Hehe, those pump spells aren't worthy.

After enough requests, Pox has been added to the opening post. It is not the deck I would suggest for pure Spikes, but winning on your own terms while remaining fairly competitive is still a sub-game of Magic. Pox has a very unique playstyle which some people (myself included) enjoy. You don't get a lot of bang-for-your-buck with end-game Pox, but it is still budget, and in the right metagame, it is a strong contender.


peace,
4eak