IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE REAL PRICE OF THIS BUDGET DECK, CONSIDER BUILDING IT ON STARCITY GAMES OR TCG PLAYER. FOR SOME REASON, TAPPED OUT ENGINE DOES NOT REPLACE THE CARDS WITH THEIRS CHEAPEST VERSIONS
Since now we have more than 8 Rack effects in most list, the name looks pretty outdated. However, given the popularity of the deck and the list in Tapped Out, I decided to stick with the name
UPDATE APRIL 29 2020
Updating here to check some add some comments. Since modern is changing a lot every 2 or 3 months (with bannings and all), the list here is intended to be an universal template to fight broad metagames.
Keep in mind that 8 Rack cares only for hand control and removal spells to fight creatures. Therefore, sideboard must rely on answers to increase these effects. Plus, ALWAYS PLAY AT LEAST 4 GRAVEYARD HATE EFFECTS.
UPDATE Dec. 4th 2019
After a long hiatus, I think the list still relies pretty solid as it is. Probably the modifications would be in the sideboard, so I'll try my best to cover the best top tier decks of Modern at the moment.
I decided to max out Delirium Skeins mostly because of Big Mana decks and also Urza. Skeins is a good way to wreck their gameplan. Unfortunatelly, it also lets you in top deck mode. But hopefully, if the game goes well, you'll already be empty handed once you cast Skeins. Also, I kept Rain of Tears because it seems pretty good against most tier decks (Tron, Urza, Titan...). I relaxed a bit on graveyard hate to overcome the others decks. If you think you still need 4 copies for graveyard hate, try to stick a Flaying Tendrils or Cry of the Carnarium in exchange of one Languish.
And finally, some people have been asking about the removal package. Hosnetly, is up to your meta. If you want to go budget, I think Bile Blight and Cast Down are still the best ones, but there's also Murderous Cut and Victim of Night. if you want to upgrade a little further your removal package, I'll definetely recomend cards such as Dismember and Fatal Push (I myself run 3 copies of push and 2 o dismember at my main deck).
UPDATE Aug. 4th 2019
I have updated the deck in its budget form with the addition of some really good cards from War of the Spark and Modern Horizons. Personally, I changed Necrogen Mists to Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage, since it does not give a symmetrical effect and it is another rack. I'm still on to the Pack Rat plan on Game 1, because it can give you free wins sometimes, which is nice in a budget deck. Nevertheless, I might want to try Rotting Regisaur as potential creature threat at the sideboard. The rest looks pretty the same as it was a few months ago.
Plus, if you want to survive the Hogaak Winter, consider running more graveyard hate, such as Bojuka Bog or extra Nihil Spellbomb.
So unfortunately I had the bad luck of deleting my 8 Rack budget list that became very popular through the years (along with more than 4 years of information):(. Therefore, I reposted the list here with most of the text and the updated infos that were gathered by me while playing the deck on a budget.
INTRODUCTION
For those who don't know me, I've been playing 8 Rack since 2015, and I believe the deck has tons of potential, specially in budget lists. I'm also pretty active in the Discord group of the deck (Link to join here). If you want to experience the controllish proactive gameplay that 8 Rack provides, this list is a cool beginning to get the flavor of the deck.
MAIN TOPIC
8 RACK in its super budget form intended to be competitive at a FNM level. Most of the core card are here.
In this budget list, 8 Rack suffers because it lacks the power of Liliana of the Veil and/or Ensnaring Bridge. Therefore, one way to overcome such issue is to use Necrogen Mists as a discard clock, along with more spot removals.
War of the Spark might bring a new cotender to budget Liliana: Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage.
Pack Rat is also a star on budget lists that also see play in full lists. It is an alternative win con that can steal some games out of nowhere, it fixes top decks and it can also be used as potential blockers.
Dakmor Salvage is a card that may provide a good discard clock with Raven's Crime. Use it when you have one or two Racks in play to keep the clock going until you win the game.
SIDEBOARD
So the sideboard is oriented to overcome the lack of the expensive cards.
Since this list is intended to be a forum for discussion of a budget 8 rack lists, sideboards may change according to the metagame. 8 Rack is very metagame dependent, and you can check the changes in the History of the deck.
Update(2) for Sideboard 04-08-2019
- Tormod's Crypt is a budget graveyard hate that works well with sweepers. You can play both in the same turn against things like Dredge or UR Phoenix.
- Contaminated Ground or Rain of Tears are budget land destruction hates. Since Tron is very popular, you might want to consider some of these cards on your sideboard.
- 4 to 3 slots are dedicated for sweepers, as they improve the competitiveness of the deck against aggro.
- Waste Not is a secondary win condition, works well with Delirium Skeins and Faithless Looting.
- Delirium Skeins can be also a budget replacement for Lilianas. It works great against Leyline of Sanctity and Control decks.
- Ratchet Bomb is more sweeper against artifact decks and XX creatures (works also well against Chalice of the Void
Other good budget alternatives for main deck and sideboard
Creatures: Abyssal Persecutor, Gurmag Angler, Augur of Skulls, Hypnotic Specter, Asylum Visitor, Nyxathid, Black Cat, Rotting Rats.
Artifacts:: Sun Droplet, Nihil Spellbomb
Removal/Discard/Sweepers: Pharika's Cure, Divest, Murderous Cut, Go for the Throat, Victim of Night, Marsh Casualties, Languish
Want more reading about 8 rack?
Tom Ross 2015 article on the deck
Tom Ross 2017 4th Place List on SCG Modern Open
My Full List 8 Rack Topic (Non-Budget)
Link here!
