Too-Specific Top 10 - X-Cost Artifacts

Nearly Identical - Tatyova or Aesi?

Recross the Paths - The Scorpion God

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=artist%3A%22ron+brown%22">Ron Brown</a>)</h6>
<h1>A New Method for Budget Brews</h1>
<p>Hello, fellow brewer! Welcome to the first in a series of articles designed to help you save money. My name is Brian, and I started playing <em>Magic</em> way back in 2003, around the release of <em>Mirrodin</em>. I left and came back to the game a few times since then, but I’ve been hooked on Commander ever since I opened a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grenzo, Dungeon Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Grenzo, Dungeon Warden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a <em>Conspiracy </em>booster. I loved cooking up ways to exploit the rarely explored design space sitting at the bottom of my library. Grenzo opened the Commander floodgates for me, and now it's the only format I play outside of the occasional Arena draft.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grenzo, Dungeon Warden"></div></div>
<p>With the entirety of the internet at our disposal, it’s easy to find budget brews for any deck, but that often comes at the price of functionality and power. Plus, you might end up spending more over time, buying expensive cards to make incremental upgrades. Say you buy a $100 version of a deck, then spend another $200 updating it over the course of the next year, when you could have spent $150 on most of the cards you needed and only a few budget substitutes. You’d have $50 more in your pocket and a comparably powerful deck <strong>right away</strong>.</p>
<p>Here’s how it works: I’ll pick a commander and start with the average decklist from its page on EDHREC. Then, we’ll remove the ten most expensive cards in the deck and substitute in our budget package, so we save the most amount money while sacrificing the least amount of function, power, and efficiency. The new cards won’t just save you money, they'll also give the deck unique flavor and play patterns compared to its more expensive, “stock” list. And if you need to save more, simply go further than the top ten most expensive cards.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Set-Up and Subtractions</h2>
<p>Now that the stage is set, let’s dive in. One of the coolest commanders to be released recently is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ratadrabik of Urborg" href="#" target="_blank">Ratadrabik of Urborg</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The twist on classic aristocrats with the legendary theme is really fun, and there are interesting ways to abuse his ability. More on that in a minute.</p>
<p>EDHREC’s average deck list costs $526.94 at time of writing, so let’s see how we can cut that down.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ratadrabik of Urborg"></div></div>
<p>First, let’s remove our top ten most expensive cards. Most of these make a ton of sense as inclusions in the 99, but removing them will save us nearly half the cost of the entire deck!<a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.44.44.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-94177 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.44.44-300x292.png" alt="" width="300" height="292" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.44.44-300x292.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.44.44.png 582w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<p>Now for the fun part: deciding on our budget package. As I alluded to before, Ratadrabik’s ability doesn’t exile the original card that it copies, unlike most similar effects. While the list has many ways to abuse this, the best ones are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Luminous Broodmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Luminous Broodmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mikaeus, the Unhallowed" href="#" target="_blank">Mikaeus, the Unhallowed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Having our legends return to the battlefield immediately to stack their effects on top of the token copy is incredibly powerful, but wouldn’t it be great if we could remove the counters to re-use those effects repeatedly? Sounds like an infinite combo to me!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Additions</h2>
<p>In addition to Mothra and Mikaeus, let’s add some cards that grant our creatures <em>Persist</em>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($3.52) is repeatable, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron Haze" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron Haze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.72) can make a board wipe (even our own) one-sided for just two mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Antler Skulkin" href="#" target="_blank">Antler Skulkin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.19) can target sixteen of our creatures after the rest of our additions. Note that all of these can target our opponents’ creatures as well. Bonus points if you use them politically!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cauldron of Souls"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cauldron Haze"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Antler Skulkin"></div></div>
<p>Next, let’s add cards that let us remove those pesky counters that will stop our sweet mechanics from triggering. We pretty much have to add <em>Persist</em>’s best friend, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vizier of Remedies" href="#" target="_blank">Vizier of Remedies</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.21), which enables some pretty crazy turns with <em>Persist</em> and a sacrifice outlet. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fain, the Broker" href="#" target="_blank">Fain, the Broker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.18) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scholar of New Horizons" href="#" target="_blank">Scholar of New Horizons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.41) can ramp us when we remove counters. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctuary Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctuary Warden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.17) is a nigh-indestructible flying beat stick with card draw and sacrifice fodder built in. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nesting Grounds" href="#" target="_blank">Nesting Grounds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.04) gives us a counter-moving ability in our mana base.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vizier of Remedies"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scholar of New Horizons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nesting Grounds"></div></div>
<p>Finally, our last two cards will give us some extra benefits from being repeatedly reanimated. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triarch Praetorian" href="#" target="_blank">Triarch Praetorian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.85) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Canoptek Tomb Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Canoptek Tomb Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.93) are two sweet new cards from the <em>Warhammer 40K</em> Necron deck that are just begging to be bouncing in and out of the graveyard. Not only will they work with our <em>Persist</em> package, but they’ll synergize well with the rest of the reanimation effects in our deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triarch Praetorian"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Canoptek Tomb Sentinel"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Wrap-Up and Savings</h2>
<p>Let’s look at our savings after we swap in our budget package:<a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.49.48.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-94179 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.49.48-300x225.png" alt="" width="485" height="364" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.49.48-300x225.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.49.48-1024x767.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.49.48-768x576.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.49.48-1536x1151.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Screen-Shot-2023-01-30-at-13.49.48.png 1628w" sizes="(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px" /></a></p>
<p>With just swapping out the top ten most expensive cards, we saved $261.38, got most of the cards we wanted anyway, and gave the deck a unique synergistic twist. Not bad at all! One note I will say about the original and new lists is that both are low on lands in my opinion, so removing some of the other expensive cards and replacing them with basic lands is an easy way to save more.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="BFYB01" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ratadrabik of Urborg
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Antler Skulkin
*1 Ao, the Dawn Sky
*1 Athreos, God of Passage
*1 Ayara, First of Locthwain
*1 Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
*1 Braids, Arisen Nightmare
*1 Canoptek Tomb Sentinel
*1 Commissar Severina Raine
*1 Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim
*1 Elenda, the Dusk Rose
*1 Fain, the Broker
*1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
*1 Gisa, Glorious Resurrector
*1 God-Eternal Bontu
*1 God-Eternal Oketra
*1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
*1 Illuminor Szeras
*1 Junji, the Midnight Sky
*1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
*1 Liesa, Forgotten Archangel
*1 Loran of the Third Path
*1 Luminous Broodmoth
*1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
*1 Ravos, Soultender
*1 Sanctuary Warden
*1 Scholar of New Horizons
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Teysa Karlov
*1 Triarch Praetorian
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Vizier of Remedies
*1 Whisper, Blood Liturgist
*1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Cauldron Haze
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Despark
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Malakir Rebirth
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Village Rites
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
*1 Song of the Worldsoul
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Blade of Selves
*1 Cauldron of Souls
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Relic of Legends
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Damn
*1 Dread Return
*1 Living Death
*1 Primevals&#039; Glorious Rebirth
*1 Reanimate
*1 Urza&#039;s Ruinous Blast
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Kaya the Inexorable
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Brightclimb Pathway
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fetid Heath
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 High Market
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Nesting Grounds
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*6 Plains
*1 Shattered Sanctum
*12 Swamp
*1 Tainted Field
*1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
*1 Vault of Champions
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>What do you think? Is there anything for the <em>Persist</em> package that I missed? Would you take the budget package in a different direction? Be sure to let me know in the comments, and tune in next week as we <em>Brew for Your Buck</em>!</p>


Articles

Too-Specific Top 10 - X-Cost Artifacts

Nearly Identical - Tatyova or Aesi?

Recross the Paths - The Scorpion God

Brew For Your Buck - The Legend Persists

Achievement Unlocked - Building a "Rule 0" Deck

Too-Specific Top 10 - Bitterblossoms

Power Sink - Slicer's Deep Cuts

Ranking Every Battlecruiser Card (8 CMC+) with EDHREC- 2022 Edition

The 600 - Predicting the Popularity of Phyrexia Commanders

Phyrexia: All Will Be One Set Review - Enemy Colors and Wedges