Recently, Grand Prix – Copenhagen just finished and a lot of good players made it to the top 8. Most of them were piloting very powerful decks. But a lot of US can only imagine playing all the cards in some of those decks because they are just too expensive. Living with my parents while going to University, and only having time to really work one day a week, puts me in this budget player category. Yet, I still manage to make top 4 or at least come close at Standard tournaments on a regular basis. How do I do it without the money to buy Mutavaults and Tarmogoyfs? How do I do it without spending $200 on just a mana base alone? Today I’ll let you in on a few tips on playing popular decks but replacing some of the expensive cards with more inexpensive options.

First is Mono-red. This deck recently became popular because of the addition of Figure of Destiny.

Tomoharu Saito
Mono Red - Grand Prix Copenhagen 08

Main Deck
60 cards

2  Keldon Megaliths
22  Snow-Covered Mountain
24 lands

4  Ashenmoor Gouger
4  Blood Knight
4  Demigod of Revenge
4  Figure of Destiny
4  Magus of the Moon
4  Magus of the Scroll
24 creatures

4  Flame Javelin
4  Incinerate
4  Skred
12 other spells

First is Mono-red. This deck recently became popular because of the addition of Figure of Destiny. First of all, the mana base is very easy. Keldon Megaliths are 50 cents each and snow land, although tough to find, is generally very cheap. Both Figure of Destiny and Demigod of Revenge are quite pricey, BUT luckily both cards were promotional cards so picking up their promo versions would make it a lot cheaper (trade value mostly). Magus of the Scroll is a bit expensive, but can be replaced by the far cheaper Mogg Fanatic. Both cards occupy the 1-drop slot and can deal an average of 3 damage or more per game.

Guillaume Wafo-Tapa
Quick' n Toast - Grand Prix Copenhagen 08

Main Deck
60 cards

2  Dreadship Reef
1  Fungal Reaches
4  Mystic Gate
4  Reflecting Pool
1  Tolaria West
1  Urza's Factory
4  Vivid Creek
4  Vivid Meadow
3  Yavimaya Coast
24 lands

1  Cloudthresher
3  Mulldrifter
1  Oona, Queen of the Fae
1  Platinum Angel
2  Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
4  Wall of Roots
12 creatures

3  Careful Consideration
1  Coalition Relic
2  Condemn
4  Cryptic Command
2  Firespout
2  Mystical Teachings
2  Pact of Negation
2  Pyroclasm
4  Rune Snag
2  Slaughter Pact
24 other spells

One thing I love about this deck is that although it’s a 5-colour deck, the mana base is surprisingly inexpensive. Vivid Lands are all uncommon, which helps. As for the Mystic Gates and Yavimaya Coasts, you can replace them easily with Calciform Pools and a few other Storage lands, or the Coldsnap dual lands, like Highland Weald. In general, these are budget dual lands even though they come in tapped. But, in the Quick n’ Toast deck, a good chunk of your lands come into pay tapped anyway, so it’s not a very big loss. The only thing I think is ultimately necessary is the Reflecting Pools, so try to get your hands on those if possible.

In terms of creatures, because of the flexible mana base, you can pretty much play any creature. Cloudthresher is easily replaceable by the other instant-speed flyer removal, Squall Line. For Cryptic Command, most of the time another counterspell like Cancel will work just as well. Another card I think should be played a little more is Counterbore and this deck gets up to a lot of mana quickly, so that is also a good replacement. Slaughter Pact is also replaceable by Terror or a similar removal spell.

Another good creatures that can be played instead of expensive creatures: Arbiter of Knollridge. Against a fast deck like mono-red, this guy can be brutal, gaining you around 15 life in one turn is pretty insane against a red deck. Just keep that in mind.

Dr. Chris Stocking
Hippies Use the Side Door - Great Britain National Championships

Main Deck
60 cards

5  Forest
4  Gilt-Leaf Palace
4  Llanowar Wastes
2  Mutavault
1  Pendelhaven
3  Swamp
4  Treetop Village
1  Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
24 lands

3  Chameleon Colossus
4  Imperious Perfect
3  Kitchen Finks
4  Llanowar Elves
4  Murderous Redcap
4  Tarmogoyf
4  Wren's Run Vanquisher
26 creatures

4  Eyeblight's Ending
4  Profane Command
2  Slaughter Pact
10 other spells

The mana base for the G/B Elf deck is a bit tough to get around because it’s an enemy coloured deck and there aren’t a lot of enemy coloured dual lands. Adding another Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth along with more forests should help. A couple Vivid lands would work but not a full set of 4 for each because the 1st turn Llanowar elf is important for accelerating fast enough into Chameleon Colossus and Profane Command.

As for Colossus, try the underrated Quagnoth who is also very difficult to remove and counter and is quite large. Tarmogoyf should probably be replaced with another underrated card, Quiron Dryad who also fills a similar role. There are also enough hybrid cards in here to make its ability trigger quite often.

Profane Command can always be replaced with Consume Spirit since now we are adding a few more Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth.

Jonathan Randle
Fae - Great Britain National Championships

Main Deck
60 cards

8  Island
3  Mutavault
1  Pendelhaven
2  River of Tears
4  Secluded Glen
4  Sunken Ruins
3  Swamp
25 lands

4  Mistbind Clique
3  Scion of Oona
4  Spellstutter Sprite
11 creatures

4  Ancestral Vision
4  Bitterblossom
4  Cryptic Command
4  Nameless Inversion
2  Remove Soul
4  Rune Snag
2  Slaughter Pact
24 other spells

For the budget Faeries player, Frost Marsh is the budged dual land of choice and Mutavault can be replaced with Faerie Conclave. Now, for 2 mana, you can have a flying Mutavault!

Bitterblossom, unfortunately is the only card in the deck that really can’t go. It’s very expensive, but after that investment, your Faeries deck will be very good. A good replacement for Ancestral Vision is Shadowmage Infiltrator, that U.S. Pro Player Paul Cheon recently added to the deck. Scion of Oona is roughly 5 bucks, but if that’s still out of your range, Glen Elendra Liege is another good creature for pumping up all of your Faeries. Savor the Moment is also not too bad of a card in this deck. You get a few benefits for 3 mana. You get an extra draw step, you get an extra upkeep for another Mistbind Clique, you get to make an extra Faerie token with Bitterblossom and you get to attack with one Faerie token that you made last turn. Again, Cryptic Command can be replaced by another counterspell like Cancel.

Matteo Orsini-Jones
WCK's New Wave - Great Britain National Championships

Main Deck
60 cards

4  Fungal Reaches
4  Molten Slagheap
8  Mountain
4  Spinerock Knoll
20 lands

0 creatures

4  Empty the Warrens
4  Grapeshot
4  Lotus Bloom
4  Manamorphose
4  Pyromancer's Swath
4  Rift Bolt
4  Rite of Flame
4  Shard Volley
4  Shock
4  Tarfire
40 other spells

Luckily, the Storm combo deck is very inexpensive to build. The only really expensive card in the deck is Lotus Bloom and if you can get cheaper trades for the Time Spiral Release Promo, then you get a bonus. Some versions will splash blue for Ponder because it’s a great way to perfectly time your deck to combo off on one turn, but that would require 8 dual lands, which I don’t have the money for. This deck is also a lot of fun to play, so it’s a great deck for anyone on a budget. In fact, I think I am going to go build it now!

This article is by no means comprehensive. As you play more and more games, experience will teach you many more lessons than this article can. Your local gaming scene may be different, so take that into account also.

What else do you think is essential for winning MTG games? Got a good idea? Please Share in the comments. We'd love to hear from you!

Written for Two Headed Dragon by Andrew Newby.