Budget Partner Scrying Tribal
Budget Deck Challenge
Commander(s) must be from Commander Legends and under $10
All cards in the 99 under $.42 cents
Goal: Flood the board with cheap flyers and amass a scary amount of card advantage.
September 2021 Deck Changes
Out
Unsubstantiate - useful but cuttable
Ugin's Insight - amazing when eligeth is down, but pretty rough to cast without him. so win more
Atemsis, All-Seeing - thought i needed larger cmc win cons, but going wide is the way here
Stormtide Leviathan - see above
In
Fact or Fiction - likely my favorite magic card
Reconnaissance Mission - turn on the draw with the flying swarm
Military Intelligence - see above
Foil - budget force of will to protect eligeth - and i should have the cards to pitch
October 2021 Deck changes
In
Abjure - Realizing the play pattern here is 1) I want my cmc to start creeping down as I draw so many cards I'd rather cast a handful of things in a turn vs. 1 or two things. 2) I want to protect Eligeth at all costs once he is down. Just like Foil, added last month, is a budget Force of Will - Abjure is a budget Swan Song. And I should always have a little 1/1 i can sac.
Disdainful Stroke - See above - board wipe protection.
Jwari Disruption
- Looking forward to someone getting SUPER salty getting countered with this. Very low cost to include, nice upside.
Disperse - Don't have a ton of ways to impact the board if something problematic is down. I actually want to replace this and Boomerang though with Into the Roil and Blink of an Eye.
Crashing Drawbridge - Only way to squeeze haste into the deck in budget mono blue.
Spectral Deluge - One sided board wipe on a budget.
Out
Prognostic Sphinx - best art in the deck, a shame to cut it. but 5 cmc, hits, does nothing, weak stats. just not worth it even though once it starts attacking its a beast.
Dungeon Geists - meh ability at 4 cmc that isn't very fun to play against. kefnet's monument is enough of a version of this effect in the deck for me
Study Hall - this card sucks tbh. and if it sucks in this deck - it is good in no decks
Explorer's Scope - i squeezed in enough good ramp that this card isn't reliable enough to be worth it
Fact or Fiction - maybe my fave magic card, but not synergistic enough here for 4 mana
Sprite Noble - thought this card was better than it was. the passive effect is meaningless. and have to wait a turn to tap it for potentially a minimum boost.
October 2021 Deck changes Part II
In
Blink of an Eye - upgrade over Boomerang to me
Into the Roil - upgrade over Disperse to me
Triskaidekaphile (MID) - another no maximum hand size - only other budget option to body of knowledge
Out
Boomerang - see above
Disperse - see above
Djinni Windseer (AFR) - these higher cmc flyers I don't really want to cast when my engine is running
November 2021 Deck Changes
In
Lantern Bearer
- love me some 1 cmc fliers in this deck. The disturb ability is narrow but better to have it than not.
Suspend - think it is really powerful and efficient for a budget deck. think it was like $10 when originally spoiled in MH2.
Out
Sturmgeist - going out on a high note - helped win me the last game i played by bashing face. but realizing these high cmc flyers with no impactful effect i dont really want at any point in the game - i want to go wide.
Kefnet's Monument - the ramp only impacts like 1/5th of my deck. and the effect is really unfun for my opponents
December 2021 Deck Changes
In
Arcane Denial - thrilled this fell to 40 cents with its last reprint. one of my fave counterspells budget aside.
Ornithopter of Paradise - i like the utility this ramp piece provides - even though i don't usually like playing 2 cmc dorks. produces any color and flies, which is particularly relevant in this deck
Scourge of Fleets - amazing one sided board wipe in my non-budget mono blue deck - and i have more islands here. similar to spectral deluge.
Out
Disdainful Stroke - ultimately i don't this card does enough. too many things i want to counter for less
Commander's Sphere - prefer flipping this to the 2 cmc, flying, ornithopter
Triskaidekaphile - realizing the no maximum hand size clause, even though very rare/non-existent in budget - is not worth an essentially vanilla two drop
February 2022 Deck Changes
In (Maybe)
Ethereal Investigator - its own engine, like faerie formation.
Resculpt - misevaluated this removal - think its great
Network Disruptor - another flying man
Out
1x Inscription of Insight
1x Tempest Djinn
1x Body of Knowledge
May 2022 Deck Changes
In
Donal, Herald of Wings - so happy this dropped below 40 cents. He doubles up all my flying men! And I have ~27 flying non-legendary creatures in here.
Out
Faerie Vandal - not impactful enough, cuttable.
May 2022 Deck Changes Part II
In
Ebony Fly - lets squeeze some more 2 cmc ramp in here, why not.
Guardian Idol - see above
Out
Faerie Formation - cutting from the high cmc slots. this is an engine on its own but 9 cmc before any value... thats expropriate
Oneirophage - cutting from the high cmc slots. this guy is just a big vanilla dumby. give me the ramp instead
June 2022 Deck Changes
In
Wayfarer's Bauble - ramp staple finally under 40 cents
Young Blue Dragon - scrying cantrip + a desperation flyer if i need it
Out
Ethereal Investigator - i love the card, right on the bubble, 4 cmc is rough here
Stolen by the Fae - card has always performed great tbh, but so much mana
July 2022 Deck Changes
In
Candlekeep Inspiration - blue overrun, a way to win the game
Deepfathom Skulker - a backup eligeth essentially, for the same cmc
Depart the Realm - realizing with all the card advantage / efficiency in this deck, bouncing a 5/6/7 cmc thing back to someone's hand for two mana is such a huge tempo swing. this one i can foretell which is great when i have to discard to hand size
Expel from Orazca - another exciting bounce option - with the city's blessing this is pure removal vs. a bounce
Out
Tide Skimmer - i like the effect.. but on turn 4 i want to cast siani. and once my engine is going i have no room to be playing 4 cmc flyers - i want 1 cmc flyers.
Warden of Evos Isle - ramp that only applied to a % of my cards.
Donal, Herald of Wings - i waited so long for this guy to be budget. but again, a 4 drop is no good with siani. and actually copying my flying men isn't that impactful
Loyal Drake - often worse than a divination i'd imagine?
September 2022 Deck Changes
In
Serum Visions - patiently waited for this to be a budget card, the deck runs on these scrying cantrips. early game - make sure you hit land drops. late game, potential crazy value with eligeth
Thousand-Faced Shadow - patiently waited for this one too. flying man with upside
Crystal Grotto - perfect card for this deck, gives me another zhafrin void, pull an island for it
Out
Mana Geode - optimizing the deck, with the 3 cmc it just doesn't make the cut despite the synergy
Dissolve - ""
October 2022 Deck Changes
In
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Reconsidering this. Recon mission is one of the best cards in the deck. If I split my attacks I should draw at least two a turn from this engine. Similar to military intelligence. Also a good cmc with my commanders, doesn't fight for 4 or 6.
Out
Path of Ancestry - not worth a slot to come in tapped, literally one of my creatures shares a type with my commander. put in an island for it
Sentinel Totem - without the possible cantrip the card isn't good enough for the deck, so very cuttable
November 2022 Deck Changes
Out
Blink of an Eye - unsummon is an upgrade IMO
Desert of the Mindful - too many tapped lands
Jwari Disruption
- ""
Remote Isle - ""
In
Unsummon + 3 islands for the above. So efficient- it’s like fog or swords to plowshares. such a big tempo swing and i have the card advantage to back it up
November 2022 Deck Changes Part II
In
Keep Watch - this is like a one time use backup eligeth/reconnaissance mission. excited to try it out. and if someone has a bigger board than me - i can hold it for when they swing.
Zephyr Sentinel - unlike the 2 cmc fliers i am cutting below, this can protect eligeth or psychosis crawler. and it has flash
Plus another island - adding a land to all of my decks this month to increase land count
Out
Into the Roil - realize, like its twin that i cut earlier this month, that i just never use the 4 cmc mode - it is too much mana for that effect. so without that, it is unextraordinary
Spiketail Hatchling - this counter is not actually helpful, i dont love on board tricks, and the flyer is 2 cmc
Cerulean Drake - ""
January 2023 Deck Changes
In
Cloud of Faeries - one of my fave cards from back in the day. excited it is now budget. free flying man
Vapor Snag - another copy of unsummon which is a huge tempo swing in the deck
Defiler of Dreams - 5m cmc is the risk. but boy - this thing flies, draws cards, and makes my flying men free
Snapback - gotta love free spells in budget decks. so unexpected
Swiftfoot Boots - i want to protect eligeth definitely
Counterspell - now budget after dominaria remastered reprint. yes please!
And actually, going to add these back in. Previously cut. I want low cmc nonland permanent removal.
Into the Roil
Blink of an Eye
Out
Voyage's End - 2 cmc to bounce a creature just ain't good enough
Young Blue Dragon - worst scrying cantrip - upside is not appealing
Ebony Fly - get rid of tapped colorless rocks
Favorable Winds - not impactful enough
Glimmer of Genius - just too much cmc, deck is really low to the ground
Guardian Idol - get rid of tapped colorless rocks
Candlekeep Inspiration - think its just too niche. only good in one single point in the game
Sky Diamond - pretty light on ramp in this deck but mostly low cmc and the list is getting tight
February 2023 Deck Changes
In
High Tide - the most slam dunks of slam dunks. in a deck with 30+ islands and a ton of draw, this is now one of the best cards in the deck now that it is budget
Mystery Key - i think this is quite good actually? i have ~15 1 cmc flying men. very often will be 3 cmc draw 3. can pay in installments. worst comes to worst someone removes my flying man - just hit them next turn.
Out
Blink of an Eye - good card, but just short
Into the Roil - ""
May 2023 Deck Changes
In
Fractured Powerstone - yay, now budget, 2 cmc mono colored staple rock for me
Reality Shift - yay, now budget, mono blue removal staple
Out
Behold the Multiverse - have a lot of ways to draw here, ceiling isnt worth the 4 cmc
Mystery Key - same, lots of ways to draw, this one has a decent number of ways to go wrong
July 2023 Deck Changes
In
The Grey Havens - untapped scry land! yes please! took an island out. first LOTR card placed in a deck of mine
September 2023 Deck Changes
In
Arcane Signet - amazing ramp now budget
Fellwar Stone - ""
Snaremaster Sprite - all flying men welcome
Out
Ornithopter of Paradise - ramp at risk of board wipe - and summoning sickness
Scour All Possibilities - only sorcery speed version of this in the deck
Zephyr Sentinel - good but not great
January 2024 Deck Changes
In
Bident of Thassa - one of my best Eligeth backups
Fading Hope - strictly better unsummon
Spyglass Siren - flying man, slam dunk
Out
Crashing Drawbridge - niche
Deliberate - 2 mana scry cantrip - not sure it does the trick
Omen of the Sea - ""
