Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift | Art by Isis

When the Game Changer list was first released, players were quick to notice that Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift was firmly planted among some of the strongest cards in the format. There's no denying that this spell is incredibly powerful, especially since it's been the go-to sweeper for blue mages since the early days of Commander.

Even though it's officially reached staple status, there's still a few budget options out there that can take its place.

My name is Tyler 'Savesya' Bucks, and it's my goal to show you some great spells that you can reach for if you're looking to Bracket down a deck, or you just need more interaction on a budget. While the cards I'll cover today can't completely replace Rift, they can still add the desired effect you're looking for, without breaking your bank.

Let's get right into it by looking at this blue powerhouse first and foremost.

Cyclonic Rift

There's no doubt about it, Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift is an incredibly powerful, game warping spell. It has the versatility to hit only one target, while also having the ability to wipe everyone else's boards clean off the table. The instant speed nature of it makes for huge blowouts, since it can halt someone's entire turn in its tracks.

When I started to think about budget replacements for this card, a few important qualifiers came to mind. Each option had to be able to be cast at instant speed, and they all needed to be mono-blue. With both of those things in mind, I was able to find good comparisons for Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift that didn't come close to costing the same amount as this Game Changer.

In fact, if you were to buy all nine cards I'm about cover here, it would only run you about $10, which is a steal compared to this staple. So, without further ado, let's get right into the list!

Evacuation

Let's kick things off with my personal favorite budget replacement for Rift, EvacuationEvacuation. This five-mana instant bounces all creatures to their owners' hands, which makes this great to cast on the end step before your turn. It's also cheap enough that you could cast it on your own turn, and then re-deploy some of your threats all over again in the late game.

The best thing going for this spell is that price tag. Having a solid option that costs less than a dollar ensures that you can pick up a few copies of the card to have on hand for the next time you have a blue deck that needs a sweeper.

Desynchronization

Next up, we have a bounce spell that fits right in with any deck built around artifacts, legends, or Sagas. DesynchronizationDesynchronization returns each nonland permanent that's not historic to their owners hands, which could leave you relatively untouched in the right list.

Another big benefit of this card is the fact that it only costs four to cast. Holding up that amount of mana is something that several blue strategies like to do anyway, so having the option to fire off a board wipe at any point is a lot of power to play with.

Perplexing Test

I hope you've been studying, because it's time for a Perplexing TestPerplexing Test. This card is perfect for any token deck you might have in your arsenal, since it can feel like a one-sided board wipe in a list the pumps out a wide team of creatures.

It can also be used very proactively, since you can wait until the very last minute to fire it off. Simply move to combat, attack with your whole board, and see if anyone has tricks to play. Then, when the time is right, you can go for a full blowout that no one will be ready for.

Zimone's Hypothesis

Here's a card that makes for a very interesting conundrum to solve. Zimone's HypothesisZimone's Hypothesis puts a counter on a creature, then bounces everything with even or odd power on the board. Which may seem a little specific, but I think it'll perform well in several popular architypes, such as Spellslinger, +1/+1 Counters and even Token lists.

Another tricky thing you can do with this card is put that counter on a creature an opponent controls, which would change its power to odd or even, ensuring it gets swept up with the rest of the board.

Engulf the Shore

This option will likely only fit in a mono-blue deck, but it's still worth a mention here. Engulf the ShoreEngulf the Shore bounces everything that has toughness less than or equal to the number of Islands you control, and only costs four mana. While this may be a little narrow in its uses, it's still a very powerful spell to have in your back pocket.

Be sure to keep this in mind if you're working on a Toughness Matters deck, like Arcades, the StrategistArcades, the Strategist or Plagon, Lord of the BeachPlagon, Lord of the Beach. Since Engulf the Shore bounces based on the size of a creature's uh... rear end... this could wipe away a lot of small creatures in order to turn your good defense into a powerful offense.

Bounce Those Attackers

If your playgroup has a lot of aggressive players, then AetherizeAetherize and AetherspoutsAetherspouts are the spells for you. These cards do two beneficial things for you: they get rid of all attacking creatures coming at you, and also installs a little bit of fear in your opponents whenever they move to combat.

Sometimes making a player think twice about attacking you is all you need for them to send their team somewhere else. The more times you bounce someone's board after they try taking you out of the game, the less likely it'll be that they'll send things your way in the future.

Corner Cases

Finally, we have two corner case examples of this kind of effect. Devastation TideDevastation Tide can possibly be cast at instant speed, if you happen to draw it as your first card on another player's turn. Which could work out if you have a deck that consistently puts cards in your hand.

Filter OutFilter Out may not bounce creatures, but it does hit everything else for only three mana. If you have a list that floods the board with critters, and doesn't care too much about other permanent types, then this could be a nice silver bullet to have at your disposal.

My Final Thoughts on Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift

Well, there you have it, my picks for nine great budget cards that you can use to replace Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift. I know that these spells can't completely match the power level of this Game Changer, but they can still put in a lot of work for the right deck. If you're looking for more cheap replacements for expensive staples, you can check out my lists for Smothering Tithe and Doubling Season right now.

Also, if you want to see more budget content from me, you can check out my YouTube channel The Pillow Fort, where it's my mission to make Magic more accessible for everyone. On top of fun deck techs, I also do video versions of some of the topics I cover in my articles here on EDHREC.

Speaking of this list, did I miss any good budget alternatives? Let me know, in the comments below.