*this is a repost from MagicIloilo.com
Playing and competing in Magic has been getting tough, especially on the financial aspect. Most powerful cards nowadays, costs you a minimum of 500 pesos, and you really have to spend thousands to build a “so-called” Tier 1 deck. Most people (including myself) blame the Mythic rarity as the cause of this sudden rise in card prices, though we just have to deal with it. The problem now is for the beginners who wants to play competitive Magic but does not have the financial capacity to do so.

With that, I’ve decided to write this article to cite a few budget decks that can compete with the Standard metagame today.

Mono Green Aggro

First up is the Mono Green critters deck. The deck’s simple approach is to ramp with mana guys and play bad-ass fatties and Overrun the opponent. Here’s a list. I’ve also added the breakdown of card prices.

4 Acidic Slime – 4 @25ea = 100php
4 Leatherback Baloth – 4 @30ea = 120php
4 Llanowar Elves – 4 @5ea = 20php
4 Nest Invader – 4 @5ea = 20php
4 Elvish Visionary – 4 @5ea = 20php
4 Kozilek’s Predator – 4 @5ea = 20php

4 Bestial Menace – 4 @25ea = 100php
4 Overrun – 4 @30ea = 120php
4 Vines of Vastwood – 4 @5ea = 20php

3 Khalni Garden – 3 @5a = 15php
3 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood – 3 @70ea = 210php
3 Tectonic Edge – 3 @30ea = 90php
15 Forest – 15@2ea = 30php

Total deck price: P885

The deck that costs less than an Elspeth. Sweet. The possible upgrades would be:
Garruk Wildspeaker – for an additional Overrun option and can also be a critter source. Each costs around 300 to 400php.
Fetchlands (Verdant Catacombs and Misty Rainforest) – the purpose is for deck thinning. Each card would cost you at a minimum of 400php.

Red Deck Wins

Red still has it on the top deck choices for Standard, even with the hate cards like Kor Firewalker and Leyline of Sanctity. You just have to know your local meta and adjust the list based on that. Here’s a budget version:

4 Ember Hauler – 4@30ea = 120php
4 Goblin Guide – 4@150ea = 600php
4 Hellspark Elemental – 4@30ea = 120php
4 Kiln Fiend – 4@5ea = 20php

4 Burst Lightning – 4@10ea = 40php
4 Lightning Bolt – 4@20ea = 80php
4 Searing Blaze – 4@10ea = 40php
4 Staggershock – 4@10ea= 40php
2 Fireball – 2@10ea = 20php
2 Mark of Mutiny – 2@10ea = 20php

4 Teetering Peaks – 4@5ea = 20php
4 Terramorphic Expanse – 4@5ea = 20php
2 Smoldering Spires – 2@5ea = 10php
14 Mountain – 14@2ea = 28php

Total deck price: P1178

The deck’s upgrade would still depend on the build. If you want to utilize Plated Geopede, then you would go with fetchlands (Arid Mesa and Scalding Tarn) for your Mountains. You could also add Earthquake, Ball Lightning and Hell’s Thunder, though I don’t recommend those as they will be rotating out of Standard in a month.

Mono Black Vampires

This deck can compete, though not powerful enough as based on the current meta and will weaken due to the impending rotation of Vampire Nocturnus. That doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of Black. The budgeted list below:

4 Captivating Vampire – 4@75ea = 300php
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir – 4@30ea = 120php
2 Malakir Bloodwitch – 2@150ea = 300php
4 Vampire Hexmage – 4@30ea = 120php
4 Vampire Lacerator – 4@5ea = 20php
4 Vampire Nighthawk – 4@30ea = 120php
4 Kalastria Highborn – 4@125ea = P500php

4 Sign in Blood – 4@5ea = 20php
2 Mind Sludge – 2@25ea = 50php
3 Tendrils of Corruption – 3@5ea = 15php
2 Urge to Feed – 2@20ea = 40php

23 Swamp – 23@2ea = 46php

Total deck price: P1651

Possible card upgrades are Bloodghasts (150-200php), fetchlands for your Swamps (around 400php each) and additional Bloodwitches for the sideboard.

Mono White Life Gain Aggro

This deck first showed up during the US Nationals a few weeks back and was piloted by few pros like Conley Woods. I’ve come up with a list for the budgeted version. I think their current list is budgeted enough, except for the Elspeths.

4 Ajani’s Pridemate – 4@20ea = 80php
4 Kor Firewalker – 4@30ea = 120php
4 Ranger of Eos – 4@150ea = 600php
4 Serra Ascendant – 4@100ea = 400php
4 Soul’s Attendant – 4@5ea = 20php
4 Soul Warden – 4@5ea = 20php

4 Brave the Elements – 4@20ea = 80php
4 Survival Cache – 4@20ea = 80 php
3 Rest for the Weary – 3@5ea = 15php
2 Armored Ascension – 2@10ea = 20php

4 Kabira Crossroads – 4@5ea = 20php
4 Tectonic Edge – 4@30ea = 120php
15 Plains – 15@2ea = 30php

Total deck price: P1605

So there you have with the budget decklists. If you have noticed, most budget decks are on the aggro aspect. I can also consider some combo decks like Blue Red Ascension and Time Sieve combo to be cheaply competitive, though they require Mythics like Time Warp and fetchlands to be more effective.

Until the next time.