Budget decks for the kitchen table

Deck Help forum

Posted on Feb. 25, 2014, 9:02 a.m. by mgrinshpon

So I've been working on putting some really, really cheap kitchen table decks together for when my friends come over and want to play a few games. I set this arbitrary rule of $20 for the 60 cards, pre and post-board using the TCGPlayer mid price. Basic lands are free. So far, I've made $20 WB Tokens and $20 BRG Jund. I'm working an Enduring Renewal combo deck among others, as well.

Have any of you made similarly priced decks? I'm looking for ideas before I buy my 5-8 $20 decks. I'm especially looking for a classic blue control deck for friends to play with but haven't managed to come up with a playable 60.

SharuumNyan says... #2

There are lots of pauper builds out there that cost $20 or less. Mono-blue tempo can be turned into more of a control deck, and there is a great U/W blink deck list.

Here's a list of the top deck archetypes in Pauper. Some of them cost more than $20, but I bet you could adapt them all into fun casual decks: Pauper decks

February 25, 2014 9:13 a.m.

SharuumNyan says... #3

And ignore the price sticker on those decks. Those are the online card prices, and most of the pauper staples are cheaper in paper.

February 25, 2014 9:15 a.m.

Dalektable says... #4

This deck is standard legal and petty fun


Rise of House Dimir Playtest

Standard Dalektable

SCORE: 19 | 23 COMMENTS | 2368 VIEWS

based around Artisan of Forms Agent of the Fates and heroic triggers. Very annoying creature control-ish deck, although it does come out to be a few over twenty dollars now but you could easily fix that by switching out Dissolve s for a simple Cancel or even a Mana Leak since it wont have to be standard legal.

February 25, 2014 9:35 a.m.

ezra125 says... #5

My playgroup once did something similar, but set the limit at $30. This is what I came up with.


$30 Counters Playtest

Modern ezra125

SCORE: 1 | 1 COMMENTS | 558 VIEWS

It's a midrange-y sort of deck that has fun moving counters around. Also, Simic Guildmage is amazingly fun for combat tricks.

February 25, 2014 11:06 a.m.

Are you looking for something standard legal or just cheap (price) decks? I made an Esper Pauper a while back using the Strix's from the Shards of Alara Block and Sanctum Gargoyle and it was a lot of fun to play (and pretty competitive too). I can post a more detailed list if you're interested.

I've also always found milling fun, and am currently working on Perfection of Milling 2.0 which is a standard mill deck with a price set at $50. The original version of the deck is more control oriented and can be built for pretty cheap, and it's Perfection of Milling.

February 25, 2014 11:18 a.m.

vohros says... #7

I would suggest checking out for some of the theros blue white heroic creatures and the spells, you can make really fun decks with lots of combat tricks for really cheap.

February 25, 2014 11:20 a.m.

Korombos says... #8

This could be fun:$20 Budget Enchantments Standard

Mono white enchantments-tribal. All cards are standard-legal. ( Pared it down from my Enchantment Shenanigans which splashes red and has Heliod and a full contingent of Eidolon of Countless Battles .)

February 25, 2014 12:36 p.m.

This discussion has been closed