<p style="text-align: right;"><em> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom, the Balancer" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom, the Balancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.rahnart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Rahn</a></em></p>
<p>Flying in from the swamplands of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/sos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Strixhaven</em></a> campus is the dean of the goth healers of the plane, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom, the Balancer" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom, the Balancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This commander is currently leading the pack as the most popular legend to build around from the latest set, so I wanted to jump in with a budget brew for this Elder Dragon.</p>
<p>Join me, <a href="https://linktr.ee/pillowfortmtg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tyler 'Savesya' Bucks</a>, as I cover a powerful budget 99 that you can pick up for about $45 (or $60, if you need to purchase Witherbloom as well).</p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom, the Balancer" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom, the Balancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Bring to the Table?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witherbloom, the Balancer"></div></div>
<p>As previously mentioned, this commander has exploded in popularity, all thanks to three words: affinity for creatures. Both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom, the Balancer" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom, the Balancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and all your instants and sorceries gain the ability to be cast for a whole lot less, based on how many creatures you have in play.</p>
<p>With that in mind, you'll see that this deck is jam packed with ways to flood the board with bodies, and big spells that are perfect for having their costs reduced. So, let's get right into it by looking at a few powerful cards that make up the top end of this deck.</p>
<h2>Big Splashy Spells for Witherbloom</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="In Garruk&#039;s Wake"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ezuri&#039;s Predation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Szat&#039;s Will"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="In Garruk&#039;s Wake" href="#" target="_blank">In Garruk&#039;s Wake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: When it comes to powerful effects that feel broken when their price is reduced, this has to be at the top of the list. Destroying everyone else's team for only two mana sets you up for clear attacks with your wide board of creatures.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri&#039;s Predation" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri&#039;s Predation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Here's a card that can also clear the board, while reducing your costs even more, since it loads up your battlefield with those big Beast tokens once the dust settles.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szat&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Szat&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Getting rid of your opponents' most powerful creatures, while making a team of Thrulls at instant speed, is such a powerful thing to do, especially for as little as one mana.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return of the Wildspeaker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overwhelming Stampede"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exsanguinate"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return of the Wildspeaker" href="#" target="_blank">Return of the Wildspeaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: This card is incredibly versatile in this list. Yes, it could draw you five cards with your commander, however it can also pump up your entire board of non-Humans in order to close out a game.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overwhelming Stampede" href="#" target="_blank">Overwhelming Stampede</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: When it comes to finishers, this is an all-time classic. If you have your commander out, this'll give out +5/+5 and trample to your board, for just two mana.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Back in the day, this was my favorite way to close out a game, and it's great in this list. It can make for some truly unbeatable moments, where you bring everyone else's life down to single digits, all while padding your own.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Build Up the Board</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arasta of the Endless Web"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quina, Qu Gourmet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Twitching Doll"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arasta of the Endless Web" href="#" target="_blank">Arasta of the Endless Web</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: This legend can be a board in a box. Creating a Spider every time an opponent casts an instant or sorcery makes it so you're consistently benefiting off of anyone else's success.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quina, Qu Gourmet" href="#" target="_blank">Quina, Qu Gourmet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: As you fill your board with tokens, Quina will be giving you an additional Frog to add to the mix. That'll ensure you're supercharging all of the token makers in this deck, which gets you one step closer to landing Witherbloom and some big spells as early as possible.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twitching Doll" href="#" target="_blank">Twitching Doll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Here's an example of a great mana dork for this list, since it lowers your costs while tapping for mana. Eventually, it can be sacrificed in order to release that huge influx of Spiders to the board... Gross!</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brightcap Badger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nest Invader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rootcast Apprenticeship"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brightcap Badger" href="#" target="_blank">Brightcap Badger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: This creature is one of the best cards in the deck, since it's both an instant and a way to make additional mana dorks as the game goes on.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nest Invader" href="#" target="_blank">Nest Invader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Here's two friends for the price of one, which helps get your commander out even faster, making this a small but mighty common for the list.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootcast Apprenticeship" href="#" target="_blank">Rootcast Apprenticeship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Modality is always important in a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spellslinger</a> deck, and this card definitely offers that. Counters, tokens, and a little bit of removal all on one text box.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Refilling Your Hand</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stargaze"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rishkar&#039;s Expertise"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shamanic Revelation"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stargaze" href="#" target="_blank">Stargaze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: When it comes to refilling your hand, this is one of my all-time favorites. Since you dig twice X cards deep with this spell, there's a good chance you'll find exactly what you need after it resolves - if your board is big enough, of course.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rishkar&#039;s Expertise" href="#" target="_blank">Rishkar&#039;s Expertise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Lowering the cost of this sorcery is huge, since you'll draw a good number of cards, while still casting something with mana value five or less from your hand for free.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shamanic Revelation" href="#" target="_blank">Shamanic Revelation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: The goal of this deck is to go wide, which sets you up to benefit greatly from this spell. Drawing a card for each creature you control and gaining a little bit of life is the type of thing that could save you the game when you need it the most.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Audience with Trostani"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Craving"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Outrageous Robbery"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Audience with Trostani" href="#" target="_blank">Audience with Trostani</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Here's a card that really needs to be in the right home to perform well, and this is a great example of that. Since you're making a lot of tokens and not really worried about them all matching, you'll be in a good spot to draw several cards off of this bulk rare.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Craving" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Craving</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: With the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodline Recollector" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodline Recollector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> being spoiled recently, here's a way to cast that Ancestral Craving a few months early. A one-mana draw-three sounds <em>pretty</em> nice to me.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Outrageous Robbery" href="#" target="_blank">Outrageous Robbery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: While this deck is very powerful, you're still only in two colors - but that's where this card comes in. Stealing a big chunk of an opponent's library at instant speed will give you access to some spicy spells outside of your color combo that you'll get to cast for far cheaper than anyone else.</li>
</ul>
<h2>My Favorite Little Tech Pieces</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defend the Rider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rotten Reunion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Khalni Garden"></div></div>
<p>Before we take a look at the entire list, I wanted to highlight a few fun cards that seem unassuming, but can pack a punch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defend the Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Defend the Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> protects your commander, but it could also add to your creature count. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rotten Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Rotten Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings some graveyard hate to the list, as well as a couple Zombie tokens along the way, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Khalni Garden" href="#" target="_blank">Khalni Garden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> offers up a Plant for simply hitting play.</p>
<p>All of these cards are small but mighty in a deck like this, pushing your game plan forward without asking too much in return.</p>
<h2>Witherbloom, the Balancer Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Witherbloom, the Balancer - by Tyler &#039;Savesya&#039; Bucks" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Witherbloom, the Balancer
[/Commander]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ambition&#039;s Cost
*1 Ancient Craving
*1 Animist&#039;s Awakening
*1 Audience with Trostani
*1 Call the Scions
*1 Chatterstorm
*1 Circle of Power
*1 Damnable Pact
*1 Dregs of Sorrow
*1 Exsanguinate
*1 Ezuri&#039;s Predation
*1 For the Common Good
*1 Harmonize
*1 Hunting Triad
*1 In Garruk&#039;s Wake
*1 Lab Rats
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Overwhelming Encounter
*1 Overwhelming Stampede
*1 Pest Infestation
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Rootcast Apprenticeship
*1 Saproling Migration
*1 Shamanic Revelation
*1 Skyshroud Claim
*1 Spry and Mighty
*1 Stargaze
*1 Sylvan Offering
*1 Titania&#039;s Command
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Arasta of the Endless Web
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Brightcap Badger // Fungus Frolic
*1 Devoted Druid
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Haywire Mite
*1 Ilysian Caryatid
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Marionette Apprentice
*1 Nest Invader
*1 Ophiomancer
*1 Ornithopter
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Prosperous Innkeeper
*1 Quina, Qu Gourmet
*1 Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth
*1 Tangled Florahedron // Tangled Vale
*1 Tender Wildguide
*1 Twitching Doll
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Black Sun&#039;s Twilight
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Defend the Rider
*1 Fake Your Own Death
*1 Outrageous Robbery
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Rotten Reunion
*1 Scatter the Seeds
*1 Spore Swarm
*1 Szat&#039;s Will
*1 Tear Asunder
*1 Transpose
*1 Verdant Command
*1 Wrap in Vigor
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Black Mage&#039;s Rod
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Conduit Pylons
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Festering Thicket
*1 Grim Backwoods
*1 Khalni Garden
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Necroblossom Snarl
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Temple of Malady
*1 Twilight Mire
*1 Vernal Fen
*1 Viridescent Bog
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*1 Zanarkand, Ancient Metropolis // Lasting Fayth
*15 Forest
*6 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Final Thoughts on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom, the Balancer" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom, the Balancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>So, there you have it, a budget 99 built around <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom, the Balancer" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom, the Balancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for about $45. This commander has already taken the format by storm, so hopefully this list helped give you some fun ideas for building a strong deck, without breaking the bank.</p>
<p>If you're looking for more budget content from me, you can find it right <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/tyler-bucks?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here on EDHREC</a> as well as on my YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzUtnBZogc1TSttr8eLUK_w/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Pillow Fort</a>, where I do everything I can to make <em>Magic</em> more accessible for everyone.</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WITHERBLOOM-THE-BALANCER-ON-A-BUDGET-Textless.png

affinity for creatures

Witherbloom, the Balancer - Spellslinger & Go-Wide on a Budget