Budget [Deck]

[df8251]

okay, i just started playing magic again after quitting last year and selling nearly my entire deck so i could buy a bike. but whatever, i would like to get started again. i have nearly 200 hundred bucks, and an acception to five proxies, so i am trying to figure out what is a relatively good deck that i can make under my budget. since i am only 13, its hard for me to get a full set of dual land, so i am really trying to lean towards minimal duals, if thats possible. the tournaments i attend to are very casual, and there are very few serious magic players, so this isnt going to need to be a very competative deck. i have been playing a mono black fish deck that i stole from here and tweaked a little bit to my satisfactionn, and it has been doing pretty well in various situations. but anyway, i would like to make a new deck, however i dont know too much about the top vintage decks lately, because many new sets were released, as well as many new decks were created.

also, if anyone would like to help me playtest on MWS just say so, we can arrange a good time to play. i hope someone can help me out, because i really want to get playing again. 

[Harlequin]

Agro Control is generaly a strong architype.  It lets you move between beging the control deck and the agressive deck quickly and easily.  Here is a deck you could probably build with under $100 (and 5 proxies).  It probably wouldn't win any major events, but as far as local competition goes... it basically has all the tools it needs to compete.


5 Proxy Budget Bazaar Madness:
3  Yavamya Cost
7  Island
7  Forest
1  Lion's Eye Diamond (restricted)
1  Lotus Petal (restricted)
1  Black Lotus*
2  Bazaar of Bagdad**

Beats
4  Basking Rootwalla
4  Wild Mongrel
3  Arrogant Wurm
3  Roar of the Wurm

Draw Engine
1  Ancestral Recall *
1  Timewalk *
4  Merfolk Looter
1  Frantic Search (restricted)
2  Quiet Speculation
2  Deep Analysis

Control
4  Circular logic
4  Rune Snag
3  Chalice of the Void

2  Wonder

======================
Money Alterations:

Mana Base:
1-2 Forests -> Gaea's Cradle
Yavamya/Basics -> 4 Tropical Islands
  Then: Basics -> Green Fetchlands (only do this if you have trops, because there is no Blue/Green fetchland)

Draw Base:
Quiet Speculation -> Intuition
Anything -> Windfall (restricted)

Control Base:
Chalices -> Null Rods
Anything -> Force of will


For sideboard help, it would be good to know what other players in your store are playing.  That way you have all the nessisary tools to win games after sideboarding.

[houseplant]

An ichorid deck could work with 5 proxy and under 200 bucks.

prices in Canadian.

4 bazaars (Proxy)
4 city of brass (about $10 a piece)      $40
4 gemstone mines (about $5 a piece) $20
1 chrome mox (about $15 -20)          $20
1 black lotus (proxy)
1 strip mine (about $5)                     $5
1 lotus petal                                    $2

4 Ichorids (about $5)                        $20
4 Ashen Ghouls ( < $5)                   $15

4 stinkweek imps ($1)                       $4
4 grave trolls ($5)                             $20
4 putrid imp ($1)                              $4


4 cabal therapy($5)                         $20
4 unmasks ($5)                                $20
4 Chalice of the voids ($3)                 $12
1 vampiric tutor                                $20
1 crop rotation                                 $1
1 gamble                                         $3
4 layline of the void                           $20
3 brainstorm/careful study                  $4
2 darkblast/golgari thug                      $2

So that comes to like $252, but all of the prices are just ones I've seen for in stores, you can get all of these cards cheaper. so for sure you could build it for $200,  and personally i find ichroid is a blast to play

EDIT: hit submit by mistake...

[netherspirit]

Hey df8251, I also play budget quite a lot of the time, although I just proxy what I don't have when I need it. I've found (and I know at least one person will probably disagree with me) that blue control is quite easy on a budget. I'm in England so I don't know how much the following would be in dollars, last time I checked the conversion rate was $1 = 80p. So this is going to be a rough estimate.

* = Proxy

4 Mana Leak/Rune Snag - £2
4 Brainstorm - 80p/£1
1 Fact or Fiction - 50p
4 Counterspell - £2
4 Dissipate - £3
4 Force of Will - £72 (Foil will go here if you can't get Force of Will, Foil being about 50p each)
3 Echoing Truth - 60p
1 Ancestral Recall *
1 Time Walk *
4 Ophidian - £3
3 Platinum Angel - £15
3 Propaganda - £1.50
1 Frantic Search - 50p
1 Black Lotus *
1 Mox Sapphire *
1 Chrome Mox *
1 Mana Vault - £4
1 Lotus Petal - 50p
18 Island - 90p

Obviously black would make a nice addition, giving you more anti creature, discard, and tutors. That deck comes to £106.50, so I guess that gives you another £30 to play around with at least. Obviously this is just a basic deck, but it should hold up pretty well, Intuitions would be good if you can get them, and you could seriously consider adding black. If someone could tell me the current conversion rate I could probably post a better deck, but that's it for now. Hope that's of some help.

[Marek]

Hey!

Welcome to TMD by the way 

There are many different decks that you could make for a 200$ budget with 5 proxies.

Oath decks are generally very competitive on a budget.

You could also go with Sneak attack.  That is what i used to do when i played in a casual environment.  Its a very fun deck that can be very explosive and occasionally first turn kill.  Sneak attack--> Serra avatar is very fun.  However it can be inconsistent.

For budget oath:
http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-510868.html

This obviously could be a more optimal budget build, however it will definitely get the basics put down so you can test it out.

Also, to try out decks before you get everything for them I'd reccommend magic work station (sorry to go off topic).  You can get it from www.magicworkstation.com  Its an online program to play magic against other people in the world for free (unless you get the members version) 

Well good luck with the deckbuilding, and once again welcome to TMD 

==> Marek

[df8251]

well i started a deck and i have been testing it on MWS for quitle a while now. i am able to run five proxies so i made one of the few decks that can follow those standards. Fish. i made a mono blue fish deck that does well, its not a very usual fish deck though, it uses a very different creature base, as well as a few other chosen cards. i always thought shadow was a great ability, because it basically means the creature is unblockable (however at the same time, unable to block). it has the basic fish idea, drop a few pests and then bring out standstill. you should be able to see my idea of this deck. it does well in most matchups, several times on Oath decks i have been able to Echoing Truth there bulk after going through a five minute counter-war.

keep in mind that i cant purchase any mana drains, or additional power. it is possible for me to remove a few of the proxies that i am currently using and add drains or another designated card, so that is an option. time walk doesnt really seem to help me i have noticed, because i slowly kill my opponents, the most time walk will do is give me another combat phase, a draw, and two counters on my Jitte.

i use aether vial to be able to sneak creatures through the lock. Jitte is used for creature removal, and occasionally to deal extra damage. i have gotten the Jitte out real late in the game and it allowed me to come back and win after removing my opponents creatures, and gaining a few life to keep me alive.

Here is the Deck:

Creatures 
4   Ninja of the Deep Hours   
3   Rootwater Thief   
3   Thalakos Dreamsower   
4   Thalakos Seer   
2   Waterfront Bouncer   


Card Draw
1   Ancestral Recall   [Proxy.. unfortunately]
1   Gush   
3   Curiosity

Control:
4   Standstill
3   Counterspell   
4   Force of Will
2  Echoing Truth

1   Time Walk [Proxy]

Artifacts 
3   Aether Vial
3   Umezawa's Jitte   


Mana:
12   Island
3    Faerie Conclave (whats Fish without faeries?
1   Mox Sapphire [Proxy]
1   Lotus [Proxy]
1   Strip Mine   
2   Wasteland   

Side:

3 Pithing Needle (Belcher/Orb hate)
3 Chalice of the Void (bite it Moxen)
2 Annul (Oath)
1 Jitte (i <3 the Jitte)
1 Rootwater Thief (works great for combo, because there is a Crucible/Bond/Orb deck in my tourny)
2 Stifle
1 Waterfront Bouncer (Colossus loves to be bounced)
2 Echoing Truth (Like I said, colossus loves to be bounced)

this sideboard is basically random, much of it is metagame hate, however some of it like the Needle arent used so often, but when i come across a Belcher deck, it'll be necessary.


***One proxy slot is open.***

I am aware i have a few too many cards, like 63 total i think. idk, it does well how it is. Only three strips, two wastelands are in the sideboard for decks using only Nonbasics (quite a bit of my metagame uses very few). but yeah, i think two many strips doesnt really help because it screws you on mana, because often times i need blue, not colorless.

help me out guys, you all know Vintage hundreds of times better than me, but keep in mind that this is basically casual type one, nothing real competative. Thanks

Edit: had to fix decklist

[df8251]

does anyone think sol ring would be any good, i have one in my binder from one of my old decks. i could also get my hands on Chrome Mox and possibly Mox Diamond, whatever seems better. one person told me to take out brainstorm because i had too much draw, i really dont understand that, i need to find slots to put them back. any suggestions?

back to basics, its mono blue, usually this is something you should take advantage of. idk though, i am a noob and a half. it would screw over my Faerie Conclaves and strips, but it just may be worth it.

[Harlequin]

A few things.

First off, good start.

Here are some cards to consider.

- Voidmage Prodigy (over counterspell) -- He basicially IS a counterspell when you have Vial at 2.  You Vial him into play, and then use his ability to sacrifice himself and counter a spell.  Essentially he is an uncouterable counterspell... with feet if needed.  That costs {t}: Vial @ 2 & .

- Chalice of the Void -- Very strong agian, along side vial.  It also means you have a turn 1 answer to moxen (if you cast it as 0) that is not Null Rod (wich clearly hurts vial and Jite).

- Curfew (over waterfront &/Or ETruth) -- With oath haveing access to Simic Sky Swallower, Curfew is probably one of the best bouce spells you can run.  __Especially__ If your going to run the Seer.

- Thalakos Dreamsower (and not running it) -- You can probaly get away with not running this guy.  He is more or less simply worse than alot of cards on the market.  I think Vendalken Shackles would go alot further than the Dreamsower.  I would highly suggest putting this guy on the chopping block.

[df8251]

Creatures 
4   Ninja of the Deep Hours   
3   Rootwater Thief   
3   Voidmage Prodigy   (works well with Seer btw, draw a card, counter a spell.)
4   Thalakos Seer   
2   Waterfront Bouncer   


Card Draw
1   Ancestral Recall   [Proxy.. unfortunately]
1   Gush   
3   Curiosity

Control:
4   Standstill
3   Counterspell   
4   Force of Will
1  Echoing Truth

1   Time Walk [Proxy]

Artifacts 
3   Aether Vial
3   Umezawa's Jitte   


Mana:
13  Island
2   Faerie Conclave (whats Fish without faeries?
1   Mox Sapphire [Proxy]
1   Lotus [Proxy]
1   Strip Mine   
2   Wasteland

i am thinking about taking out my Conclaves and adding Back to Basics, since my entire mana base will consist of Islands. (discluding Strips that is)

i never come across too many creatures that cant be targeted by spells or ability, usually just colossus. so i am going to stick with echoing truth.

[df8251]

New Sideboard:

3 back to basic (take out Conclaves, add one island and wasteland): for nearly all decks using nonbasics.
1 Jitte (take out one Curiosity, or Bouncer): for high elf, goblin, or ever Dark Confidant play
3 Chalice of the Void (vs high powered decks)
2 Pithing Needle (versus Belcher and Orb Combo)
1 Rootwater Theif (versus combo)
1 Wasteland (versus man-lands and multiple nonbasics)
1 Aether Vial (for heavy counter disruption)
3 Annul (versus Oath, and my friends Enchantress, hehe)

Edit: B2B has been added to maindeck, it works so well.

I am not so great at making sideboards, but this is pretty much my metagame. if anyone knows better cards versus Oath decks, Combo, and Enchantress, tell me.

[df8251]

Another Version i have been playing on MWS a bit that doesnt do half bad:

10-15 proxies legal.

mana base:

10 Island
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland
1 Library of Alexandria [proxy]
4 Polluted Delta
1 Mox Sapphire [proxy]
1 Lotus [proxy]
1 Sol Ring

Disruption:
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain [proxy]
2 Daze
4 Chalice of the Void
3 Jittes
2 Back to Basics

Creatures:
3 Martyr of Frost (testing a bit, seems like a good turn 1 drop)
3 Thalakos Seer
3 Ninja of the deep hours
3 Rootwater Thief
2 Waterfront Bouncer

Card Draw:
4 Standstill
1 Ancestral Recall [proxy]

misc good stuff:
1 Time Walk [proxy]
3 Aether Vial


the total comes out to 65 cards, way too many. what should i remove? i only have 12 creatures, so i dont think i should drop any of them. i think i am only going to go with four strips, but at the same time i really would like to use them all.

Edit: took out 1 drain and 1 wasteland. is that going to effect the deck too greatly?