This is a resource library for Magic: The Gathering players who want to build fun, effective, budget-friendly (less than $50 USD) decks, using cards that are easy to find. It’s an ongoing project that’ll grow and change as new Magic sets are released. Most of the cards in these lists were released within the past five years, making them a common sight in your local game store’s bargain bins and bulk bundles; you may even have them already. Plus, if you play Magic: The Gathering Online (not to be confused with the newer platform, Magic: The Gathering Arena), the cards are even cheaper there. You might also be able to get them from Magic-playing friends with spare stock, especially if they play Draft regularly or buy their cards in bulk. (Shout-out to Chelsea, Adrian, Jan, Stefan, Ariel, Phil, Mickey, Brian, and Alex, whose card contributions fueled my Magic journey!)

Feel free to use these deck lists as they are, or change as much or as little as you’d like. At the end of the day, the goal is to help you build a deck that works for you, using the cards available to you. Each of the below links opens a new tab with the corresponding deck list. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of each list– you’ll find handy tips and several alternative card suggestions. These lists are intended for casual play, but you can certainly try them in sanctioned/store-organized Pioneer events.

Happy building, all!

Budget Deck Master List

(Last updated: 4/13/2020)

White Mono-White Lifegain White Weenie
Blue Mono-Blue Mill Mono-Blue Tempo
Black Mono-Black Devotion Mono-Black Midrange
Red Mono-Red Aggro Mono-Red Cavalcade Runaway Red
Green Mono-Green Elves Mono-Green Stompy
Multicolored Simic Merfolk *NEW!* Orzhov Vampires *NEW!* 4-Color Gates Heroic Auras