Near-Budget Experience

Modern

Lukus

Creature (11)

• 4x Fortune Thief
• 4x Wall of Blood
• 3x Wall of Omens

Land (24)

• 1x Clifftop Retreat
• 1x Dragonskull Summit
• 1x Exotic Orchard
• 4x Mirrodin's Core
• 2x Mountain
• 4x New Benalia
• 3x Nomad Outpost
• 5x Plains
• 1x Sulfurous Springs
• 2x Swamp

Enchantment (12)

• 2x Ethereal Armor
• 4x Greater Auramancy
• 4x Near-Death Experience
• 2x Worship

Artifact (5)

• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 3x Prophetic Prism
• 1x Staff of Nin

Instant (7)

• 4x Angel's Grace
• 2x Manamorphose
• 1x Plunge into Darkness

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Diabolic Tutor

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In all games of magic, it is commonly appreciated that only the last life counts. The first two you pay for a shock land, or that middle game lava axe to your face, count for naught as long as you still have 1 life. This deck takes that fact and rubs it with salt in your opponents face. In short, this is a budget Near-Death Experience deck of my own brewing.

What makes this deck budget is essentially the land base - it could be greatly improved with shock/scry/pain lands. With enough real lands, you also won't need the prophetic prisms that are in here for fixing. (I prefer fixing in that manner over playing too many budget tap lands.)

Near-Death Experience is more or less this decks only win condition, unless you by some weird twist of fate manage to beat an opponent down with 2/2 morph damage.

Getting to the win con is mainly done by, well, not losing the game. Early defense from Wall of Omens works well against aggressive opposition, as well as cantrips to your combo cards.

Worship and Fortune Thief essentially do the same thing: prevent your life total from dropping below 1. When combined with stuff like Greater Auramancy and Ethereal Armor, or Lightning Greaves, it will be extremely hard for your opponent to win - at least with damage. With these, I've stalled successfully against a hunded flying vampires with lifelink and deathtouch. Your opponent can gain a million life for all you care, as long as you don't go to 0. Angel's Grace also provides split second, uncounterable 1 life at your opponents end step or on your upkeep.

With Near-Death Experience out - and some of the aforementioned protection - pay up to 19 life with Wall of Blood or Plunge into Darkness, to get to exactly 1. If your opponent tries to lightning bolt you, take comfort in either Worship or Fortune Thief, or cast Angel's Grace if in a real pinch.

Date added	10 years
Last updated	10 years
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	24 - 0 Rares 24 - 0 Uncommons 3 - 0 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.89
Tokens	Morph 2/2 C