VI. Final Notes and Additional Reading
VII. Updates and Edits Log
I. Introduction
Introduction
Hello and welcome to the “Getting Started in Legacy- Legacy on a Budget” thread! This thread is here for a few reasons, the main one being to help out anyone who is looking at getting into the Legacy format without spending a ton of money. If you have never played legacy before, or even if it is your “go to” format, you can use this thread to know what your options are for inexpensive decks, should you be looking for any. In this thread you will find a vast amount of information on how to save money while still being able to play at a competitive level. You will also find links to articles and videos that will help you become a better Magic player. Feel free to post in this thread if you have any questions about legacy, a specific archetype, or just have a little advice for me or anyone else. That’s all for this introduction so let’s get started!
II. Tips on How to Save Money
Using what you have
An obvious staring point is to try and find what cards in legacy are most commonly used and then checking to see which ones you own. By doing this you can find out which archetypes you are closest to owning already. You can find a comprehensive list of what cards are commonly used in legacy here and ,here and a nice list of the top decks in legacy and their prices here. That of course, is if you are lucky enough to own a few staples already. More so than anything this thread is here for those of us who don’t really own a lot of (read as “any”) staples, but you can use the list provided to try and match something up with what you do own.
Using What You Don’t Have
Making Proxies
To make a proxy of a card is to use other cards, paper or pretty much anything you can to represent cards that you do not own. Obviously this is not for competitive play purposes and you are not making counterfeits. Rather, doing this lets you prepare for a tournament. Before you spend your entire paycheck on a set of cards, or a deck, proxy that sucker out and play test with it. Doing so can help you understand how the card changes the deck or, in the case of making an entire proxy deck, how the deck plays. Better to spend a couple pages of paper cutting out copies of cards than to spend $250 on a deck only to find that you really don’t like it. I really cannot stress this enough. Making proxies of cards and decks will save you more money than you can ever imagine.
Programs
Similar to making proxies, you can also use a Magic computer program to make a deck and test it before you spend the money on it. I use Cockatrice, but there are a plethora of choices. This all comes down to preference, but it is much easier to test an idea with a buddy over the internet than to call them up and have them drive over and help you cut out pieces of paper.
Borrowing
Yet another extremely important money saving strategy. Sharing is caring. When getting into the legacy scene it’s unrealistic to assume you own every staple card needed to build whatever deck you want to use. You would not be in this thread if you did. You know who does though? Everyone else! This is where borrowing comes into play. When you start going to legacy tournaments it’s good to make some friends here and there at whatever place you regularly go to. Do some trades, get to know people. It’s not rocket science, just try to be a nice person. Help people out by letting them borrow decks or cards that you own. This way, when the time comes, you can borrow decks and cards from them.
Placing high in a tournament usually yields store credit. This means if you place high in enough tournaments you will be able to actually buy any cards you had to borrow in the past without spending any money. Just remember when you finally get your own versions of those cards to thank whoever let you borrow their stuff in the first place. Also, don't forget later on to help newbies that are going through what you are likely to experience soon. Magic is a community, if you are nice to people, they will be nice to you.
Budget Replacements
Of all the tips I can give this one is my least favorite. To quote Drew Levin…
”The problem with budget decks in Legacy is that they often try to be strictly inferior versions of the expensive decks[...] People want to play the 'good' decks, but by constraining the deck to fit your budget, you sacrifice a lot of what makes the deck good to begin with.”
I really agree with this quote, however, sometimes you are pretty close to finishing what is considered an established deck. Maybe you have every card that makes up Legacy Reanimator except for the dual lands and fetch lands. In this case is it ok to make the deck anyways, using a budget land base? I would say yes. Now, what cards can be used to replace others is all very subjective. Because of this I will not be listing any common budget replacements here, but if you have a question regarding what can replace a specific set of cards for your deck just post in this thread and we will help you figure it all out.
Change Jar
On of the most simple, yet helpful things you can do. Find some random jar that can hold a good amount of change and label it "Legacy spending money" or "My shiny new Force of Will Play set". Whatever works for you is fine. Every night, before you go to sleep, empty your pockets into the jar. No matter how small the amount, it all adds up. I promise this will be worth it. Last time I emptied mine it became a play set of Lions Eye Diamonds! Doing this allows you to actually be able to buy food, pay rent, or whatever you need to do to live, while still being able to get good decks for your favorite hobby.
Helpful Links
The Cockatrice Download Location
Cockatrice is the program I use for making and testing decks online with my buddies. You can download it for free here
Magic Cards info site
Magiccards.info is a great site for making proxies of cards to print out, as it sizes them perfectly for you and is easy to navigate. You can find it here.
FubsyGamer
This guy is kind of new to the whole “teaching people how to play” concept, so his videos still have a bit of tweaking and polishing to go through. That being said, he knows what he is talking about and for the most part the information he gives is presented well. Really worth a look if you want to learn more about the format. Really it’s about time someone stepped up and did something like this. You can find his youtube channel here.
Good reading for getting into legacy
My Budget Articles
I write a series of articles for this website that is based on playing the Legacy format on a budget. If you are looking for an in depth look at many of the decks I present here then these articles are probably where you should go. Also, I release articles a lot more than I will be updating this thread, so if you are looking for new decks down the road it would probably be safer to look at my list of articles than to come here every month hoping I updated this thread with new decks. You can like my articles on Facebook to receive notifications when a new article is released, as well as updated deck lists.
The Griffon Events Tournament Primer
Arthur Edson over at Griffonevents.com wrote a really nice primer on getting ready for tournament magic. You can find the primer here. He goes over some basics for anybody that has never been to a Legacy tournament before but are planning on doing it in the future. Definitly something you should check out if you have never played in a Magic tournament.
“What deck should I play?” Thread
Here on MTGSali we have a thread built specifically for people to ask other user’s opinions on what deck they should play. This is definitely a thread to check out if you are not sure what you should be taking to a tournament. You can find the thread here.
“Getting into Legacy” Thread
A nice thread here on MTGSali that can help point you in the right direction as far as where you should look if you are just starting legacy. You can find the thread here.
III - V. Decks
Because of a lack of space the three deck sections have been moved to separate posts. Please see the following three posts for deck lists.
VI. Final Notes and Additional Reading
Price Guides Xeno Ninja Has made a list of a good number of the decks in legacy and exactly how much each would cost you if you hard bought every card. You can find the list here.
The Format
Use these articles, written by the best of the best in terms of magic minds, to get to know the format a little better.
Playing Better Magic
These are some great articles that help you in the actual playing department of magic. Whether it be getting ready for a big tournament, or just plain not forgetting to rez that ichorid before you draw, these guys have it covered for you. I can vouch for every one of these articles and how informative they are. Don't skip over these, read them, you will come out of it with a much better understanding of this game and how to play it.
Eternal On The Other Side Of The Ocean - Building A Gauntlet by Carsten Kotter
-11/14/2012- Separated into 4 separate posts so that all new content could be included. I was not able to fit everything I wanted to fit into the original post as there was too much text. =/ Also added some new decks to the Super budget Section.
-11/19/2012- Fixed a bunch of typos and added a link to the Cascabalance primer.
-2/18/2013-
Updated the Sac Land Tendrils list in the Rogue Section
Updated the Suicide Black list in the Rogue Section (Desecration Demon is good)
Updated the G/B Infect list in the Rogue Section (Price increase of Land base forced changes)
Updated the Black Weenie list in the Rogue Section (First Strike with Jitte is good)
Updated the White Weenie list in the Rogue Section (Turns out Meekstone and Dryad Militant are really good)
Updated Demon Stompy list in the Rogue Section (Changed the land base and added Desecration Demon)
Updated Solidarity list in the Rogue Section
Updated Gruul Aggro in the Super Budget Section (Gatecrash had some new toys. Also, Vexing Devil is good with Bloodbraid Elf)
Updated Mono Black Control in the Super Budget Section (Turns out Sorin Markov is better than I thought he was)
Updated New Alara Aggro in the Super Budget Section (Civic Saber is really good)
Added the White Splash version of Aura Gnarly to the list of decks (Super Budget)
Added Mono Blue Tempo to the list of decks (Rogue)
Added Merfolk to the list of decks (Established)
Fixed some random typos and wording.
-3/15/2013-
Updated the Fangorn Forest list. Turns out Collective Voyage is really good in the deck, and allows for the use of additional bombs. Even better, the deck is $10 cheaper now!
-3/15/2013-
Added deck from my recent Green and Budget Legacy article
Updated the About Face and Twisted Image Lists
Fixed some links
-6/1/2013-
Added Soldier Stompy to the Rogue section
Added Phasenought to the Super Budget section
Added Wildfire to the Super Budget section
-6/28/2013-
Added Landless Dredge to the Rogue section
Added Oops All Spells to the Established section
Updated some lists.
-11/14/2013-
Added Nauseous Grace to the Rogue section
Added Black Plague to the Rogue section
Added DArk Depths to the Rogue section
Added Mono Red Control to the Rogue section
Added Mono Black Reanimator to the Rogue section
Added Helm Enchantress to the Rogue section
Added G/B Pod to the Super Budget section
Added G/B Vengevine to the Super Budget section
Added Varolz Combo to the Super Budget section
Updated Martyrdom Goblins to include Krenko, Mob boss and additional Reckless Abandon. Still iffy about the strength of the deck, but this should help.
Updated Phasenought to Include Delver of Secrets. Tried to avoid it, but the guy is just too good, and Vision Charm was not enough to reliably "transform" Phantasm.
Because I go into pretty good detail on many of these decks in my articles I will only be writing brief descriptions of each of them here. I will however, be providing links to primers, articles, videos or whatever else I can find for each of these decks. Each of these 79 (that’s right! 79!) decks presented will cost at the very most $250, which is my cut off point for whether or not a deck can be classified as “budget.” Also, because prices fluctuate constantly I will provide a link to each list on TCGPlayer.com, where you will be able to see its most up to date price. So, without further ado, let’s get on to what you came here for.
Established Decks
Starting us off are the “established” decks. The decks in this category have all had tournament success and are recognized as high tier decks. Though not necessarily the strongest decks in this primer, these are normally what someone will suggest to you if you are trying to get into competitive magic on a budget.
Burn DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
The go to budget Legacy deck. Fire off as many burn spells as you can and don't let up the pressure until your opponent is dead. Not much else to explain.
Basic Description-
Dredge deck that plays zero lands. Get dredgers into the graveyard by taking advantage of the maximum hand size rule (declaring to go second in your games and then ending the turn after your draw) and Phantasmagorian. Dredge away like any other dredge deck and win with zombies made from Bridge From Below, Ichorid, or any reanimated fatty. Bringing back Balustrade Spy wins you the game on the spot, as it gives you every card in your deck, which you use to bring back Flayer of the Hatebound, followed by either a lethal Golgari Grave-Troll, or lethal reanimation burn on your next upkeep from your four Ichorids and Nether Shadows added to the original damage from Flayer.
Basic Description-
The most aggressive version of affinity. Play aggressive artifact creatures, flooding the board early. Hit them hard with Cranial Plating and finish with Galvanic Blast and Shrapnel Blast.
Basic Description-
While this list is a bit dated, you really can't deny its power. Discard dredgers early and then use draw spells to abuse the dredge mechanic, pouring your deck into your graveyard and triggering Narcomoebas and Ichorids. Dread Return into a Flame-Kin Zealot with zombies spawned from Bridge From Below makes for a nasty finish.
Basic Description-
Oops all spells is a glass cannon combo deck that can be argued to be the fastest in the format. Make four mana as soon as possible and then use it to cast either Balustrade Spy or Undercity Informer. Either one will mill your entire library for you, which gives you 4 narcomoeba. Use these jellyfish to cast Dread Return from your graveyard targeting Angel of Glory's Rise. Once your Angel comes down, she will revive a number of creatures, the most important being Azami, Lady of Scrolls and Laboratory Maniac, who will be used in combination to win you the game.
Basic Description-
Hit your opponent early with discard spells. Keep the field empty of both lands and creatures with the Pox cards and finish with a Tombstalker or by grinding them out with Nether Spirit, Bitterblossom or Cursed Scroll.
Basic Description-
The aggressive form of Elf Tribal in Legacy. Accelerate into as many elves and elf lords as you can and turn them sideways. Ezuri, Renegade Leader gives you a nice aggro finish and Natural Order into Progenitus is a nice combo style option. It should be noted that if you can produce enough mana with your elves Green Sun's Zenith can also find the legendary hydra.
Basic Description-
Probably the most common mono black deck in legacy. This mid range style deck concentrates on controlling your opponent's options through discard and creature removal and then finishing them with Abyssal Persecutor or Phyrexian Obliterator. The deck generates card advantage through the use of utility creatures, Bitterblossom and Liliana.
Basic Description-
The most up to date style of affinity, this version uses Stoneforge Mystic to find your cranial plating and Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas to give you a sort of combo style finish. Beyond this, the deck is much like the older versions. Swarm the board and go aggro until your opponent dies.
Basic Description-
The combo version of elf tribal in Legacy. Swarm the board with elves through the Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel interaction, Glimpse of Nature, or just through good old mana acceleration. The deck aims to finish the opponent off with a hard casted Emrakul, The Aeons Torn, Going infinite with Staff of Domination, or simply by attacking with a swarm of pumped elves.
Basic Description-
The go-to blue tribe. Play merfolk, beef them with your 16 merfolk lords and turn everyone sideways. Your counter magic should keep you ahead while you pummel your opponent with fish. This exact list placed in the top 4 of SCG St. Louis on the 15th of July 2012.
Basic Description-
Mid range Mono black tribal deck. Keep your opponent in check with discard and creature destruction while you gain card advantage with various Bloodghast and Bloodline Keeper Tricks. Finish through tribal aggro or Malakir Bloodwitch.
Basic Description-
Pay life through various means of either searching or protection spells. Speed out an early Death's Shadow and attack for lethal infect damage after targeting it with Tainted Strike. It's that simple.
Basic Description-
Storm Combo deck based in the Invasion Sac-Lands. Mana accelerate using the lands, mana fix with the stars, draw cards and storm out your opponent with Tendrils of Agony. Recently went 4-0 at a Legacy daily, proving its power.
Basic Description-
Combo deck with a storm shell that Combines Ad Nauseam and Angel's Grace. This lets you draw your entire deck and kill with Sickening Dreams. You run much more protection than many combo decks, and can use Cunning Wish to find either protection, or a combo piece.
Basic Description-
Cascade Combo deck. Cycle as many creatures as possible into your graveyard in the early turns. By turn 3 or 4 cast any cascade spell, cascading into Living End, which goes off and brings back all of your cycled creatures while destroying all of your opponents. Unmask is a tech for the archetype not often seen that serves to give you some protection from your opponents answers before and after the bomb hits.
Basic Description-
All in creature based combo deck revolving around Kiln Fiend. Find him and get him out as soon as possible, then swing while pumping him with free spells, burn spells and the powerhouse card Assault Strobe. Young Pyromancer is a new addition that feels right at home.
Basic Description-
Infect combo deck that works by casting a free Blazing Shoal, discarding a high cost red card and targeting one of your infect creatures. Because both Searing Wind and Reaper King cost nine or more, your infect damage will be lethal in one swing. The rest of the deck is designed to search for or protect the combo.
Basic Description-
A more aggressive and less combo based infect deck. Play your infect creatures, swing and pump them up with your pump spells. Black provides protection in the form of discard as well as more options in the creature choice department.
Basic Description-
A form of suicide black that concentrates on the interaction between creatures that have protection from white (Swords to Plowshares) and equipment like Umezawa's Jitte. Aether Vial and Dark ritual allow you to get the most out of the mana intensive abilities of your creatures while removal and discard keep you ahead of the game.
Basic Description-
White weenie deck that concentrates on the life gain aspect of white. Specifically, Ajani's Pridemate and Serra Ascendant growing from the life gain provided by the Soul Sisters (Soul Warden, Soul's Attendant, Suture Priest and Martyr of Sands) and becoming major threats. Equipment fetched by Stoneforge Mystic help ensure anything you play can be a threat while the rest of your cards either protect your threats or remove the threats your opponent plays.
Basic Description-
Fatty based combo deck that works by casting either Polymorph or Proteus Staff and sacrificing a token, like the one produced from Flayer Husk. Because the only creature in your deck is Emrakul, hes the guy that comes out of it. The rest of the deck is either protection, acceleration, or something that helps you find the combo.
Basic Description-
Mono Blue deck based on landing early and efficient beaters and riding them tho victory with disruption. The deck placed in the top 8 of an SCG on 08/02/2012.
Basic Description-
Simple Mono Green beatdown deck. Use green sun's zenith as a toolbox while you cast mana dorks, which cast really big beat-sticks. Not much else too it.
Basic Description-
White weenie deck based on equipment and low cost or repetitive cast creatures to take advantage of Quest for the Holy Relic. Go aggro by swarming your opponent and take advantage of the sheer power of cards like Umezawa's Jitte and Argentum Armor.
Basic Description-
Mono Black control deck that plays the slow rolling game with Infect. Because Phyrexian Crusader is so difficult to deal with you can just keep your opponent from doing anything too crazy while you pressure them with his inevitability.
Basic Description-
Elf Ball style combo deck centered around Priest of Titania and Elvish Archdruid creating a large amount of mana as soon as possible. This mana is then used to win through a variety of ways. Weird Harvest gives the deck a unique set of options and a fun surprise factor.
Basic Description-
All in combo deck built more for speed rather than resilience. Cast a Glimpse of Nature or Gamble to find it start playing creatures. Draw cards and use your free mana to play more copies of Glimpse of Nature or Noxious Revival your previous one back. Scapegoat prevents you from fizzling. Eventually you will find your Grapeshot and the mana to cast it, killing your opponent.
Basic Description-
Tribal White weenie deck. The major player in this deck is Knight Exemplar, which gives all of your creatures indestructibility. The deck is very simple in its strategy beyond this. Play creatures, beef them with equipment and enchantments, and swing away.
Basic Description-
Storm based combo deck. Chain your mana accelerators, rituals and cantips until you have a high storm, which fuels Empty the Warrens. Goblin Bushwacker can allow you to kill on the same turn the Warrens are cast, but it does not have to be played. Burning Wish finds whatever you may need, including Warrens. This deck also seeks to go off as soon as possible, and runs little protection.
Basic Description-
Mono black control deck based on Contamination. Because most decks in the format are multi-color and Black is a fairly uncommon color at that, the deck seeks to lock the opponent out the game with the enchantment. Various cards that produce tokens every turn or recur by themselves are used to keep the contamination out. Pretty much everything else in the deck is a discard spell or card that destroys creature threats.
Basic Description-
Another all in and super fast combo deck. Use your mana acceleration to play a cascade spell as soon as possible. Once a cascade spell is cast it will result in the bomb Hypergenesis being cast, which allows you to drop any fatties in your hand onto the field. Warstorm Surge plus Blightsteel Colossus is an instant kill that can happen from time to time as a result.
Basic Description-
White weenie deck based on token producing cards. Swarm your opponent with tokens and beef them with enchantments. The deck seeks to gain advantage through a sort of 2-for-1 card advantage strategy where every token card produces multiple tokens, or is reusable over time. The deck can use its mana acceleration to try and push out a hasty win, or can use its card advantage to grind out games.
Basic Description-
Red control deck that works to constantly keep the board free of creatures. The deck strives to grind out others with card advantage engines like Young Pyromancer, Scrying Sheets, Punishing Fire (in combination with Grove of the Burnwillows) and its two planeswalkers. Burning Wish finds you silver bullet spells and Meekstone stops anything your fire can't kill.
Basic Description-
Mono-blue storm combo deck. This deck aims to storm out on your opponents turn, taking advantage of the interaction between High Tide and Reset. Snapcaster Mage allows your cast re-cast whatever you may want, but key targets are normally Reset or Turnabout. Draw cards and build storm with near infinite mana until you can Brainfreeze for the kill.
Basic Description-
Mono Black version of Chalice Stompy style decks. Use your mana acceleration to play an early Chalice of the Void and/or Trinishphere. Your creatures are expensive, but are either very good beaters or provide you some kind of field or card advantage while you ride the soft lock to victory.
Basic Description-
Basic White weenie deck. Swarm your opponent and buff your small white creatures. Protect your major threats and remove your opponent's. A List Similar to this placed 18th at a recent SCG on 2/3/2013.
Basic Description-
Mono-white deck with two combos in one. Either lock your opponent out of the game with Silence imprinted on Isochron Sceptor or gain infinite life by using either En-Kor creature to give Daru Spiritualist or Task Force infinite toughness and then sacrificing them to Condemn, Worthy Cause or Starlit Sanctum. Top plus fetchlands lets you manipulate your draws while Vial, Abolisher, Mom and Cavern of Souls protect the combos in their respective ways.
Basic Description-
Typical Green Stompy deck. Play a Hexproof or evasive green creature early, beef them up, double the beefing power with Berserk and swing away. Green Sun's Zenith adds some searching to the deck, giving you mana acceleration with Dryad Arbor, whatever beater you want, or Xantid Swarm, which prevents Berserk from being countered.
Basic Description-
The green version of legacy's stompy decks. Green Sun's Zenith gives the deck options that no other stompy deck has in silver bullets. Beyond this the deck is pretty typical. Cast soft lock cards like Trinisphere and Chalice of the Void as early as possible with your mana acceleration and follow them up with some large creatures like Mungha Wurm, whose drawback becomes much less of an issue with Garruk Wildspeaker in play.
Basic Description-
Simple enough, this is a Mono Black combo deck that works by getting a really large creature into the graveyard and then bringing them back to life with a reanimation spell, effectively playing them for a fraction of their casting cost.
Basic Description-
A combination of control and combo that uses Dark Depths with either Vampire Hexmage or Thespian's Stage to make a huge 20/20 flying and indestructible avatar. Most of the deck are cards that help you find the combo, but you also have a good amount of removal in Punishing Fire and Pyroclasm, as well as some protection in Pithing Needle and Steely Resolve. List inspired by Adrien Gamot, AdrienG on the source.
Basic Description-
Combo/Control deck that focuses on Argothian Enchantress and Enchantress's Presence. Once you get one or more of these guy out you have so many enchantments in your deck that things get a little out of hand. Solitary Confinement is you main lock. Sigil of the Empty Throne can sit behind it and pop out angels in no time. The new and faster win however is the combination of Helm of Obedience with Rest in Peace, which mills your opponent's entire deck.
Basic Description-
Aggro Enchantress deck. Play as many auras and Enchantments as you can as early as possible, accelerating into either Aura Gnarlid or Yavimaya Enchantress, which beat your opponent to death. Ancestral Mask is your main bomb, and can end the game a turn or two after it comes down. A version that splashes white for Ethereal Armor and Kor Spiritdancer does exist. However, while still budget, it does drive the cost of the deck up significantly.
Basic Description-
Aura based combo deck. Cast Academy Researchers, who comes into play with either Eldrazi Conscription or Mythic Proportions attached to him. The deck can also enchant a hexproof creature with Arcanum Wings, which will swap itself with either of the two previously mentioned auras. Once either of these plays have been achieved simply use your large creature in the next couple turns to attack for the win.
Basic Description-
Combo deck that works with the interaction between the En-Kor creatures, who's abilities can be used an infinite number of times with no prerequisites, and Daru Spiritualist or Task Force. Once combined, infinite toughness is achieved which can be used in combination with About Face or Inside Out to kill your opponent. You can also use Condemn to gain infinite life. Should you have enough cards in hand Tireless Tribe can also be used to go lethal with About face.
Basic Description-
Pretty much the same deck as About Face combo, only you use Twisted Image instead of About Face, allowing the use of blue instead of red. This allows the use of Cantrips like Ponder and Preordain, as well as the evasion giving Veil of Secrecy and a better mana base.
Basic Description-
A cascade based combo deck that accelerates its mana using the Invasion sac lands. Cascade spells will hit Restore Balance, which forces your opponent to sacrifice most, if not all, of their lands and creatures, as your creatures will not hit the field until after the resolution of the balance and your lands will have been sacrificed to pay for the cascade spell. Any suspended Nihilith will also lose suspend counters as a result, and can be used as finishers when needed.
Basic Description-
Mono red goblins deck that centers around the abuse of Goblin Grenade and its weaker cousin Reckless Abandon. Many of the goblins in your deck can combo with either of these cards in some way, making the sacrifice costs less of a hindrance, and in some cases, a benefit. Goblin Grenade plus Tuktuk the Explorer is the optimal play. Beyond the grenade interactions the deck is very aggressive and can simply overrun an opponent as well.
Basic Description-
Keep your opponent from getting into the game with your counter magic, discard, and creature destruction while you cast rogues. Swarming the opponent with fliers while you buff them and turn them into living Mind Peels with your lords is a strong strategy that gives you a nice match up against most archetypes. The flexibility of this deck is where its strength lies, as it can play the role of aggro, swinging for lethal as early as turns 3-4, or the role of control, with its tri-fecta of counter magic, discard, and creature destruction.
Basic Description-
A green stompy style deck that relies on infect creatures to kill an opponent faster than a normal stompy deck would be able to achieve. Aside from the difference in creatures played, the deck works pretty much identically to the other stompy lists presented. Attack, pump your creatures and get them through for the win.
Basic Description-
A unique combo that revolves around cards like Chromatic Sphere (also known as eggs because of their similarity to the Invasion cycle eggs, such as Skycloud Egg) and their interaction with Second Sunrise and its cousin Faith's Reward. Through chaining your egg spells in combination with one of the two mass recursion spells one is eventually able to deck themselves and set up the infinite damage combo of Conjurer's Bauble + Lotus Bloom + Seal of Fire + Second Sunrise or Faith's Reward.
Basic Description-
Blue artifact based combo deck. Master Transmuter is used to cheat large artifact creatures into play as early as possible. Many of these creatures will end the game within the next few turns. Alternative to Transmuter, the deck can also generate enough mana to hard cast the creatures through Etherium Sculptor, Grand Architect and Vedalken Engineer.
Basic Description-
Nothing too crazy here. Use your discard spells to disrupt your opponent in the early game and keep their field clear of threats with your creature removal. By the mid to late game you should be able to lock things down with Ensnaring Bridge and/or Null Brooch. Sorin Markov is your main finisher, able to kill most problem creatures with his +2 ability, but The Rack gets the job done too.
Basic Description-
Mono green aggro deck based around Dungrove Elder. Get as many forests in play as you can to make Dungrove a large threat that is hard to answer. Aside from the obvious interactions, one can Green Sun early for a Dryad Arbor to accelerate their forest count, or use Veteran Explorer to pay the kicker cost for Primal Growth, resulting in four untapped forests hitting the field. Collective Voyage (or, if you can't find any, New Frontiers) is an insane ramp spell that works wonders with Ambush Commander and/or Rampaging Baloths. With four Dungrove, Green Sun andTreefolk Harbinger you are effectively running 12 Dungrove Elders in the deck. Howl of the Night Pack serves as another win condition that is very hard for your opponent to come back from, should it resolve. Sylvan Primordial is also a fine substitute to Woodfall Primus that also saves you $10, you just can't search for him with your Treefolk Harbinger.
Basic Description-
Budget elf tribal deck. Instead of going the combo route, this list just tries to aggro out your opponent as soon as possible by taking advantage of the vast amount of lords at your disposal. Just play as many elves and elf lords as you can through your mana acceleration and beat face when they get big enough. Joraga Warcaller and Bramblewood Paragon combo nicely and Ezuri, Renegade Leader serves as your main finisher, just don't forget that he is a legend!
Basic Description-
Mana acceleration based combo deck. Either use your land searching cards to assemble the Urza Tron combo of Urza's Mine, Urza's Power Plant and Urza's Tower, or use Overgrown Battlement in combination with your other walls to generate large amouns of mana. Either way, you use this mana to play large game ending creatures like Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre or Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. Fog and friends keep you alive so you can make land drops and Eye of Ugin, which can be found through your land searches, makes sure you always have a fatty to play.
Basic Description-
Mono Blue combo/control deck that abuses the instant speed phase cards Vision Charm and Reality Ripple with Phyrexian Dreadnought to give you a 2-3 CMC 12/12 Trampler. Everything else in the deck protects this combo or helps you find it.
Basic Description-
Aggro deck based on the powerful combination of Knight of New Alara and the tri-color creatures introduced in the New Alara set. Your mana dorks let you accelerate into a Knight while Green Suns's Zenith ensures you have the creatures you need to either overwhelm your opponent, or trump whatever they are trying to do. Civic Saber is a new addition that is right at home in the hands of Marisi's Twinclaws.
Basic Description-
Mono red storm deck that seeks to use as many rituals and other mana accelerators as possible to land an early and game ending Empty the Warrens. Through the use of Past in Flames and Burning Wish the deck can also go lethal through multiple Grapeshots.
Basic Description-
Mono red control deck based on Wildfire and Destructive Force. Use mana rocks like Thran Dynamo to speed out an early fire or force. This puts you ahead, as your opponent will lose most or all of their lands, but you can still produce mana through your artifacts. Finish them off with one of your titans, or even an Earthquake.
Basic Description-
White splash version of Aura Gnarly. Adding white gives you access to a slew of new and powerful cards, most notably Kor Spiritdancer and Ethereal Armor, but increases the price pretty significantly compared to the original.
Basic Description-
Graveyard based aggro deck that seeks to use its unique creature base to pull ahead. Vengevine is sped out early thanks to discard outlet creatures, Basking Rootwalla and Gravecrawler. Buried Alive can make silly things happen with Vengevine, and Blood Scrivener works wonders with your other discard outlets.
Basic Description-
Red and Green aggro deck based on Bloodbraid Elf. The elf provides card advantage and explosive turns that you can use to overwhelm your opponent. Aggression is the name of the game. You can cascade into a number of aggressive spells, but your favorite is probably going to be Myr Superion. The Robot can also come into play off of either Burning Tree Emmissary, or Tinder Wall (which can also ramp you into an elf or rampager). Overall, Your cheap yet efficient beaters, in combination with burn and powerful pump spells, play the game pretty well.
Basic Description-
Two-in-One combo deck that uses Varolz, the Scar-Striped's Scavenge ability with Death's Shadow and Phyrexian Dreadnought allowing for huge a permanent boost to any of your creatures for one mana. You can also use Torpor Orb in combination with Hunted Horror or Phyrexian Dreadnought. Either way, at the end of the day you get a huge creature for little investment that your opponent must deal with fast.
Basic Description-
Mono White control deck. Keep the field clear of threats with your surplus of creature removal spells. Isochron Scepter can end the game with Silence, or just provide you with infinite removal spells. Infinite Fogs can also be achieved when you combine Scepter with Dawn Charm. Island Sanctuary can keep you alive while your token producers overwhelm your foe, which is usually the game ending play.
Basic Description-
Probably the only green storm deck in existence. The deck works much like the your typical Legacy Enchantress deck, but instead of trying to build a wall for yourself to sit behind, you use the enchantress draws to build storm and kill with a lethal Tendrils of Agony. Gaea's Touch being recurred by Rofellos's Gift as well as Early Harvest untapping your Growth enchanted lands keeps your chain going long enough to draw into a Tendrils with plenty of mana to cast it.
Fantastic Primer, Spooky. You help me so much with budget legacy.
Definitely thinking about making Soul Sisters after I finish my standard. I've always wanted a reason to play Stonefore Mystic
Zombie tokens and Shocks for everybody!! Can I get a WTF?!?!?!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Stasis players like me are like those old gray haired convicts that have been locked up for 40 years straight. You can take us in a fight but you know you'll lose a testicle in the process of winning.
Decks I play
Legacy
Dredge 0
DredgeGBRU
AffinityXRUB
GoblinsRWB
10 land StompyG
BurnR
DreadstillURW
BelcherGR
Death and Taxes W
Enchantress GWR
BUILDING
Legacy Lands GBRUW
I'll never tell you the flavor text of Teferi's Imp!!
Noted! I'll take a look into thanks. With the increase in the price of Burning Wish I'm not sure what the price will come out to, but I'll see what I can do.
I'm looking to get into Legacy with a friend who travels around and plays local events, and the occasional SCG tourney. I don't have a ton of money to drop on a Tier 1 deck, but I also don't want to build something that is just going to lose after I pay gas money and entry fees to get to events. How well can you expect to do playing a budget deck in the current Legacy meta, given that you bust your balls to learn how to play your deck optimally against all the common decks in the meta?
It really depends on the deck you are playing in all honesty. I've said it before in one of my articles, but in my opinion Combo is the way to go if you want the best bang for your buck. Unlike other strategies combo decks can win simply because your opponent is unprepared, which makes them perfect for a player on a budget. You don't normally have to worry about force of will or wasteland when playing combo, and fewer interactions with the opponent means you require less knowledge about the format etc. Not that I would condone entering a format with little knowledge about it, but it helps.
Got a slew of new updates to the primer that just finished today. Go ahead and check them out and tell me how many mistakes I made! You can find the full update list in VII. Updates and Edits Log.
I'm pretty excited about some of the changes, so if any of you have any comments I would love to hear them.
Love the article, great for those just getting started.
I know variations exist for each deck, and I also know that budgets vary for those too. However, I thought I'd share my Moldy Cheeri0s with you. It has either a turn 1 or turn 2 kill, and is much more consistent than the "challice + multani's" interaction - that's just too many cards to achieve the draw machine. Basically, i've tuned the deck and added personal tutor's in place of chalice.
Ways to cut the budget - remove 2 summoners' pact for 2 more elvish spirit guides. Serums powder is a card that interests me (in place of PErsonal tutor), but havent had chance to test it. It is clearly more budget, and carries a higher risk - but makes the Turn 1 more possible. When you get the turn 1 (and on the play), you remove the MASSIVE risk of duress-type effects hurting you. Also, 1 Forest + 1 Breeding Pool is an option. Basically, the time it hurts is when you have forest + personal tutor in starting hand, rather than land grant / pool or lotus petal. Its about a 1 in 20 chance of coming up and screwing you over. Maybe worth taking that risk to help your budget!
Hope that i've posted in the right place! Any feedback welcome.
Edit: I should also point out - if you choose to run Serum's powder, basic forests are suitable for both of the land slots!
Thanks for the list! I have been aware for some time that my cheerios list is in need of some updating. I'm still kind of on the edge over a few different builds. Yours is interesting, so thank you for sharing!
Has anybody had any experience with the alara naya deck? I've been proxying it and it is REALLY fun. Does anybody have similar experiences? What are its good/weak matchups?
I have a lot of fun with it. I was kind of cautious about including civic saber, but the card is awesome, especially on twin claws. The deck has given me a reason to play my WPN/Gateway Marisis as well. I have yet to take the deck to a tournament, but I can tell you that combo is your enemy. Your sideboard needs to be pretty stacked if you want to have a chance against them.
Civic Saber is awesome, I've seen the list before and after, it's just want it wants. This deck is really not one that is starved for the mana, that's one of its great strengths. It's just enough of everything - extremely efficient I'd say.
Spooky: One question I have is does Jitte boost or draw back from this deck? Assuming you swap in one or two for civic sabers. I know they say that Jitte is ALWAYS good in creature decks, but I'm not sure here.
I think if you can afford it jitte is a fine addition. The card is insanely strong, no one can deny that. Proxy it and test it, see how it works for you.
I just want to say this is a great primer. Really well put together, with tons of info/deck ideas (almost too many, lol). I don't play Legacy myself; I really like it but 1) I usually can't make it out to any kind of event night thanks to the life-combo that is being a student and a father, and 2) Legacy is all but dead in my area and I don't want to drive 2 hours just to play (even if I had the time, lol).
That said I've always loved Legacy decks, but could never afford, nor justify, the cost/power of a top deck for Casual play. Your lists have given me a few ideas for decks that I can slowly add to my collection over a period of time without feeling guilty about the cost/investment.
Anyways, keep it up man. Between this and Squandered Resources, you're doing a lot for MTG players who want to play a real format (yeah i said it!) but still want to eat, lol.
Huge update today guys. For a full lowdown you can check out the update section. Some highlights include adding 9 new decks to the primer (which gives us an insane 79 decks total!!!) and updating some deck lists. You should seriously check this stuff out!
I. Introduction
II. Tips on How to Save Money
III. Decks- Established
IV. Decks- Rogue
V. Decks- Super Budget
VI. Final Notes and Additional Reading
VII. Updates and Edits Log
An obvious staring point is to try and find what cards in legacy are most commonly used and then checking to see which ones you own. By doing this you can find out which archetypes you are closest to owning already. You can find a comprehensive list of what cards are commonly used in legacy here and ,here and a nice list of the top decks in legacy and their prices here. That of course, is if you are lucky enough to own a few staples already. More so than anything this thread is here for those of us who don’t really own a lot of (read as “any”) staples, but you can use the list provided to try and match something up with what you do own.
Using What You Don’t Have
Making Proxies
To make a proxy of a card is to use other cards, paper or pretty much anything you can to represent cards that you do not own. Obviously this is not for competitive play purposes and you are not making counterfeits. Rather, doing this lets you prepare for a tournament. Before you spend your entire paycheck on a set of cards, or a deck, proxy that sucker out and play test with it. Doing so can help you understand how the card changes the deck or, in the case of making an entire proxy deck, how the deck plays. Better to spend a couple pages of paper cutting out copies of cards than to spend $250 on a deck only to find that you really don’t like it. I really cannot stress this enough. Making proxies of cards and decks will save you more money than you can ever imagine.
Programs
Similar to making proxies, you can also use a Magic computer program to make a deck and test it before you spend the money on it. I use Cockatrice, but there are a plethora of choices. This all comes down to preference, but it is much easier to test an idea with a buddy over the internet than to call them up and have them drive over and help you cut out pieces of paper.
Borrowing
Yet another extremely important money saving strategy. Sharing is caring. When getting into the legacy scene it’s unrealistic to assume you own every staple card needed to build whatever deck you want to use. You would not be in this thread if you did. You know who does though? Everyone else! This is where borrowing comes into play. When you start going to legacy tournaments it’s good to make some friends here and there at whatever place you regularly go to. Do some trades, get to know people. It’s not rocket science, just try to be a nice person. Help people out by letting them borrow decks or cards that you own. This way, when the time comes, you can borrow decks and cards from them.
Placing high in a tournament usually yields store credit. This means if you place high in enough tournaments you will be able to actually buy any cards you had to borrow in the past without spending any money. Just remember when you finally get your own versions of those cards to thank whoever let you borrow their stuff in the first place. Also, don't forget later on to help newbies that are going through what you are likely to experience soon. Magic is a community, if you are nice to people, they will be nice to you.
Budget Replacements
Of all the tips I can give this one is my least favorite. To quote Drew Levin… I really agree with this quote, however, sometimes you are pretty close to finishing what is considered an established deck. Maybe you have every card that makes up Legacy Reanimator except for the dual lands and fetch lands. In this case is it ok to make the deck anyways, using a budget land base? I would say yes. Now, what cards can be used to replace others is all very subjective. Because of this I will not be listing any common budget replacements here, but if you have a question regarding what can replace a specific set of cards for your deck just post in this thread and we will help you figure it all out.
Change Jar
On of the most simple, yet helpful things you can do. Find some random jar that can hold a good amount of change and label it "Legacy spending money" or "My shiny new Force of Will Play set". Whatever works for you is fine. Every night, before you go to sleep, empty your pockets into the jar. No matter how small the amount, it all adds up. I promise this will be worth it. Last time I emptied mine it became a play set of Lions Eye Diamonds! Doing this allows you to actually be able to buy food, pay rent, or whatever you need to do to live, while still being able to get good decks for your favorite hobby.
Helpful Links
The Cockatrice Download Location
Cockatrice is the program I use for making and testing decks online with my buddies. You can download it for free here
Magic Cards info site
Magiccards.info is a great site for making proxies of cards to print out, as it sizes them perfectly for you and is easy to navigate. You can find it here.
FubsyGamer
This guy is kind of new to the whole “teaching people how to play” concept, so his videos still have a bit of tweaking and polishing to go through. That being said, he knows what he is talking about and for the most part the information he gives is presented well. Really worth a look if you want to learn more about the format. Really it’s about time someone stepped up and did something like this. You can find his youtube channel here.
Good reading for getting into legacy
My Budget Articles
I write a series of articles for this website that is based on playing the Legacy format on a budget. If you are looking for an in depth look at many of the decks I present here then these articles are probably where you should go. Also, I release articles a lot more than I will be updating this thread, so if you are looking for new decks down the road it would probably be safer to look at my list of articles than to come here every month hoping I updated this thread with new decks. You can like my articles on Facebook to receive notifications when a new article is released, as well as updated deck lists.
Squandered Resources: White Weenie and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Burn and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Combo and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Super Budget Super Series 1
Squandered Resources: Super Budget Super Series 2
Squandered Resources: Super Budget Super Series 3
Squandered Resources: Black and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Super Budget Super Series 4
Squandered Resources: Blue and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Red and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Green and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Super Budget Super Series 5
Squandered Resources: White and Budget Legacy
Squandered Resources: Lands are for Losers
Squandered Resources: Bringing Back the Dead and Making New Friends
Squandered Resources: Super Budget Super Series 6
Squandered Resources: Halloween Special
Breaking Into Eternal
A guide to getting into eternal formats by Brian Demars-Vintage Avant-Garde - Breaking Into Eternal: Getting Cards Without Paying A Fortune by Brian DeMars
The Griffon Events Tournament Primer
Arthur Edson over at Griffonevents.com wrote a really nice primer on getting ready for tournament magic. You can find the primer here. He goes over some basics for anybody that has never been to a Legacy tournament before but are planning on doing it in the future. Definitly something you should check out if you have never played in a Magic tournament.
“What deck should I play?” Thread
Here on MTGSali we have a thread built specifically for people to ask other user’s opinions on what deck they should play. This is definitely a thread to check out if you are not sure what you should be taking to a tournament. You can find the thread here.
“Getting into Legacy” Thread
A nice thread here on MTGSali that can help point you in the right direction as far as where you should look if you are just starting legacy. You can find the thread here.
Because of a lack of space the three deck sections have been moved to separate posts. Please see the following three posts for deck lists.
Price Guides
Xeno Ninja Has made a list of a good number of the decks in legacy and exactly how much each would cost you if you hard bought every card. You can find the list here.
The Format
Use these articles, written by the best of the best in terms of magic minds, to get to know the format a little better.
The Long And Winding Road – The Legacy Cookbook: Spring 2011 by Matt Elias
So Many Insane Plays - Your Complete Guide to Legacy: The 50 Decks of Legacy by Stephen Menendian
Vintage Avant-Garde - What You NEED To Know About 10 Of The Best Legacy Decks by Brian DeMars
Starcitygames.com Legacy / Type 1.5 Article Center
Playing Better Magic
These are some great articles that help you in the actual playing department of magic. Whether it be getting ready for a big tournament, or just plain not forgetting to rez that ichorid before you draw, these guys have it covered for you. I can vouch for every one of these articles and how informative they are. Don't skip over these, read them, you will come out of it with a much better understanding of this game and how to play it.
Eternal On The Other Side Of The Ocean - Building A Gauntlet by Carsten Kotter
The Long & Winding Road – You, But Better by Matt Elias
Flow of Ideas – The Most Important Word in Magic by Gavin Verhey
Flow of Ideas: So You Want To Win A PTQ? by Gavin Verhey
-08-27-2012- Originally posted
-09-24-2012- "Finished"
-11/14/2012- Separated into 4 separate posts so that all new content could be included. I was not able to fit everything I wanted to fit into the original post as there was too much text. =/ Also added some new decks to the Super budget Section.
-11/19/2012- Fixed a bunch of typos and added a link to the Cascabalance primer.
-2/18/2013-
-3/2/2013-
Added information about the new Squandered Resources Facebook page.
-3/15/2013-
Updated the Fangorn Forest list. Turns out Collective Voyage is really good in the deck, and allows for the use of additional bombs. Even better, the deck is $10 cheaper now!
-3/15/2013-
Added deck from my recent Green and Budget Legacy article
Updated the About Face and Twisted Image Lists
Fixed some links
-6/1/2013-
Added Soldier Stompy to the Rogue section
Added Phasenought to the Super Budget section
Added Wildfire to the Super Budget section
-6/28/2013-
Added Landless Dredge to the Rogue section
Added Oops All Spells to the Established section
Updated some lists.
-11/14/2013-
Added Nauseous Grace to the Rogue section
Added Black Plague to the Rogue section
Added DArk Depths to the Rogue section
Added Mono Red Control to the Rogue section
Added Mono Black Reanimator to the Rogue section
Added Helm Enchantress to the Rogue section
Added G/B Pod to the Super Budget section
Added G/B Vengevine to the Super Budget section
Added Varolz Combo to the Super Budget section
Updated Soldier Stompy to include Precinct Captain, Commander Eesha and Soltari Champion.
Updated Kiln Fiend to include Young Pyromancer
Updated Tainted Shadow to include Toxic Deluge and Gitaxian Probe
Updated Knights to include Spectral Rider. Also, removed Flagstones of Trokair because it was not needed.
Updated New Alara Aggro to include Birds of Paradise
Updated Aura Gnarly to include Alpha Authority and Boon Satyr
Updated the Cheerios List- It is now a very different deck.
Changed the name of Quest to reference a relatively unknown band.
Updated the Cockatrice download location
Updated Squandered Resources article list
-12/1/2013-
Updated Gruul Aggro to include My Superion, Burning-Tree Emissary, Flesh // Blood and Tinder Wall. The deck is much better than it used to be. I am really enjoying playing it. Super explosive.
Updated Martyrdom Goblins to include Krenko, Mob boss and additional Reckless Abandon. Still iffy about the strength of the deck, but this should help.
Updated Phasenought to Include Delver of Secrets. Tried to avoid it, but the guy is just too good, and Vision Charm was not enough to reliably "transform" Phantasm.
Updated Boo Berry version 1 to include Phantasmagorian. Brainstorm and Careful Study were not enough to get essential pieces out of your hand.
Updated About Face to include Hearth Charm. The card seems stronger than lightning bolt in the combo deck.
More Updates to come soon!
Like Squandered Resources on Facebook for updates on article releases, deck lists, and more!
Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Because I go into pretty good detail on many of these decks in my articles I will only be writing brief descriptions of each of them here. I will however, be providing links to primers, articles, videos or whatever else I can find for each of these decks. Each of these 79 (that’s right! 79!) decks presented will cost at the very most $250, which is my cut off point for whether or not a deck can be classified as “budget.” Also, because prices fluctuate constantly I will provide a link to each list on TCGPlayer.com, where you will be able to see its most up to date price. So, without further ado, let’s get on to what you came here for.
Established Decks
Starting us off are the “established” decks. The decks in this category have all had tournament success and are recognized as high tier decks. Though not necessarily the strongest decks in this primer, these are normally what someone will suggest to you if you are trying to get into competitive magic on a budget.
Burn
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
The go to budget Legacy deck. Fire off as many burn spells as you can and don't let up the pressure until your opponent is dead. Not much else to explain.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Goblin Guide
4 Vexing Devil
Spells [27]
4 Chain Lightning
4 Fireblast
4 Lava Spike
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Price of Progress
4 Rift Bolt
4 Volcanic Fallout
3 Flame Rift
2 Magma Jet
2 Barbarian Ring
17 Mountain
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Squandered Resources- Burn and Budget Legacy
MTGSalvation Burn Primer
Legacy Burn Wiki
Legacy’s Allure – Legacy Burn: Toward a Fiery Conclusion
GP Columbus Top 32 with BURN by Patrick Sullivan
Landless Dredge
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
Dredge deck that plays zero lands. Get dredgers into the graveyard by taking advantage of the maximum hand size rule (declaring to go second in your games and then ending the turn after your draw) and Phantasmagorian. Dredge away like any other dredge deck and win with zombies made from Bridge From Below, Ichorid, or any reanimated fatty. Bringing back Balustrade Spy wins you the game on the spot, as it gives you every card in your deck, which you use to bring back Flayer of the Hatebound, followed by either a lethal Golgari Grave-Troll, or lethal reanimation burn on your next upkeep from your four Ichorids and Nether Shadows added to the original damage from Flayer.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Balustrade Spy
3 Chancellor of the Annex
1 Flayer of the Hatebound
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
4 Golgari Thug
4 Ichorid
4 Narcomoeba
4 Nether Shadow
4 Phantasmagorian
4 Shambling Shell
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Street Wraith
4 Bridge from Below
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Dread Return
4 Gitaxian Probe
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Deep Analysis – Tuning Legacy Dredge
Unlocking Legacy - Dredging its Way to the Top
The Dark art of Dredge Fu
MTGSalvation Dredge Primer
MTGSalvation Landless Dredge Primer
Sligh-Affinity
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$175
Basic Description-
The most aggressive version of affinity. Play aggressive artifact creatures, flooding the board early. Hit them hard with Cranial Plating and finish with Galvanic Blast and Shrapnel Blast.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Disciple of the Vault
3 Master of Etherium
4 Memnite
3 Ornithopter
3 Signal Pest
2 Vault Skirge
4 Cranial Plating
4 Galvanic Blast
3 Mox Opal
2 Shrapnel Blast
3 Springleaf Drum
4 Thoughtcast
4 Ancient Den
4 Great Furnace
1 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of Whispers
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Affinity Primer
Matt+Elias The Long and Winding Road – The New Kings of Legacy
Insider Information - Affinity for Legacy
Dredge
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$205
Basic Description-
While this list is a bit dated, you really can't deny its power. Discard dredgers early and then use draw spells to abuse the dredge mechanic, pouring your deck into your graveyard and triggering Narcomoebas and Ichorids. Dread Return into a Flame-Kin Zealot with zombies spawned from Bridge From Below makes for a nasty finish.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Flame-Kin Zealot
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
4 Golgari Thug
3 Ichorid
4 Narcomoeba
4 Putrid Imp
1 Sphinx of Lost Truths
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Tireless Tribe
4 Breakthrough
4 Bridge from Below
3 Cabal Therapy
4 Careful Study
2 Dread Return
Lands [14]
4 Cephalid Coliseum
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
2 Tarnished Citadel
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Deep Analysis – Tuning Legacy Dredge
Unlocking Legacy - Dredging its Way to the Top
The Dark art of Dredge Fu
MTGSalvation Dredge Primer
Oops All Spells
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$205
Basic Description-
Oops all spells is a glass cannon combo deck that can be argued to be the fastest in the format. Make four mana as soon as possible and then use it to cast either Balustrade Spy or Undercity Informer. Either one will mill your entire library for you, which gives you 4 narcomoeba. Use these jellyfish to cast Dread Return from your graveyard targeting Angel of Glory's Rise. Once your Angel comes down, she will revive a number of creatures, the most important being Azami, Lady of Scrolls and Laboratory Maniac, who will be used in combination to win you the game.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Angel of Glory's Rise
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
4 Balustrade Spy
4 Chancellor of the Annex
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
1 Laboratory Maniac
4 Narcomoeba
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Undercity Informer
1 Wild Cantor
1 Bridge from Below
4 Cabal Ritual
2 Cabal Therapy
4 Chrome Mox
4 Dark Ritual
1 Dread Return
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lotus Petal
4 Manamorphose
4 Summoner's Pact
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Adam Prosak Article Discussing the Archetype
Primer on MTGSalvation
Pox
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$210
Basic Description-
Hit your opponent early with discard spells. Keep the field empty of both lands and creatures with the Pox cards and finish with a Tombstalker or by grinding them out with Nether Spirit, Bitterblossom or Cursed Scroll.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Nether Spirit
2 Tombstalker
Planeswalkers [4]
4 Liliana of the Veil
Spells [28]
4 Bitterblossom
2 Cursed Scroll
4 Duress
2 Geth's Verdict
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Innocent Blood
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Pox
4 Smallpox
2 Mishra's Factory
22 Swamp
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Pox Primer
Legacy Week - Pox
Introducing Mono-Black Pox In Legacy
Aggro Elves
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$215
Basic Description-
The aggressive form of Elf Tribal in Legacy. Accelerate into as many elves and elf lords as you can and turn them sideways. Ezuri, Renegade Leader gives you a nice aggro finish and Natural Order into Progenitus is a nice combo style option. It should be noted that if you can produce enough mana with your elves Green Sun's Zenith can also find the legendary hydra.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Bramblewood Paragon
4 Elvish Archdruid
3 Elvish Champion
2 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
3 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Imperious Perfect
2 Joraga Warcaller
4 Llanowar Elves
3 Priest of Titania
1 Progenitus
1 Quirion Ranger
3 Sylvan Messenger
1 Viridian Shaman
1 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Natural Order
Lands [19]
1 Dryad Arbor
18 Forest
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Aggro Elves Primer
The Long And Winding Road – Legacy: Elves!
The Gate
DeckType- Midrange
Cost-~$220
Basic Description-
Probably the most common mono black deck in legacy. This mid range style deck concentrates on controlling your opponent's options through discard and creature removal and then finishing them with Abyssal Persecutor or Phyrexian Obliterator. The deck generates card advantage through the use of utility creatures, Bitterblossom and Liliana.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Blood Scrivener
2 Desecration Demon
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
2 Phyrexian Obliterator
4 Vampire Nighthawk
3 Bitterblossom
3 Cabal Therapy
3 Ghastly Demise
4 Go for the Throat
4 Hymn to Tourach
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Bojuka Bog
21 Swamp
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Gate Primer
Affinity
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$225
Basic Description-
The most up to date style of affinity, this version uses Stoneforge Mystic to find your cranial plating and Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas to give you a sort of combo style finish. Beyond this, the deck is much like the older versions. Swarm the board and go aggro until your opponent dies.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Arcbound Ravager
3 Etched Champion
3 Master of Etherium
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
3 Signal Pest
2 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Vault Skirge
2 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Spells [15]
4 Cranial Plating
4 Mox Opal
3 Springleaf Drum
4 Thoughtcast
Lands [18]
4 Ancient Den
4 Glimmervoid
2 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of Whispers
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Affinity Primer
Matt+Elias The Long and Winding Road – The New Kings of Legacy
Insider Information - Affinity for Legacy
Owen’s a Win – Affinity’s Legacy
Combo Elves
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
The combo version of elf tribal in Legacy. Swarm the board with elves through the Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel interaction, Glimpse of Nature, or just through good old mana acceleration. The deck aims to finish the opponent off with a hard casted Emrakul, The Aeons Torn, Going infinite with Staff of Domination, or simply by attacking with a swarm of pumped elves.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Birchlore Rangers
3 Elvish Archdruid
3 Elvish Visionary
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
2 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
3 Priest of Titania
3 Quirion Ranger
1 Regal Force
3 Wirewood Symbiote
1 Concordant Crossroads
2 Crop Rotation
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Staff of Domination
Lands [15]
14 Forest
1 Gaea's Cradle
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Combo Elves Primer
Deck Tech: Legacy Elves
Chatter of the Squirrel — Legacy Elves!
The Long And Winding Road – Legacy: Elves!
Merfolk
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
The go-to blue tribe. Play merfolk, beef them with your 16 merfolk lords and turn everyone sideways. Your counter magic should keep you ahead while you pummel your opponent with fish. This exact list placed in the top 4 of SCG St. Louis on the 15th of July 2012.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Coralhelm Commander
4 Cursecatcher
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Merrow Reejerey
3 Phantasmal Image
4 Silvergill Adept
4 AEther Vial
3 Counterspell
3 Daze
3 Spell Pierce
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Cavern of Souls
13 Island
4 Mishra's Factory
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
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Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Vampires
DeckType- Midrange
Cost-~$125
Basic Description-
Mid range Mono black tribal deck. Keep your opponent in check with discard and creature destruction while you gain card advantage with various Bloodghast and Bloodline Keeper Tricks. Finish through tribal aggro or Malakir Bloodwitch.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Bloodghast
3 Bloodline Keeper
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
3 Kalastria Highborn
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
4 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Viscera Seer
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Smother
2 Umezawa's Jitte
20 Swamp
2 Undiscovered Paradise
Helpful Links-
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Tainted Shadow
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$130
Basic Description-
Pay life through various means of either searching or protection spells. Speed out an early Death's Shadow and attack for lethal infect damage after targeting it with Tainted Strike. It's that simple.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Death's Shadow
4 Spellskite
Spells [33]
2 Aphotic Wisps
2 Chrome Mox
2 Toxic Deluge
2 Gitaxian Probe
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lotus Petal
4 Plunge into Darkness
1 Slaughter Pact
4 Spoils of the Vault
4 Tainted Strike
15 Swamp
Helpful Links-
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Suicide Black
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$135
Basic Description-
All out black aggro deck. Start the aggression as early as possible with Dark Ritual into Ashenmoor Gouger or a couple Diregraf Ghoul. Early Discard and Creature removal keeps you ahead while Ashenmoor Gouger, Phyrexian Obliterator and Umezawa's Jitte on anything serve as finishers.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Ashenmoor Gouger
4 Diregraf Ghoul
4 Phyrexian Obliterator
3 Vampire Lacerator
4 Vault Skirge
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Smother
3 Snuff Out
3 Umezawa's Jitte
20 Swamp
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Sac Land Tendrils
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$140
Basic Description-
Storm Combo deck based in the Invasion Sac-Lands. Mana accelerate using the lands, mana fix with the stars, draw cards and storm out your opponent with Tendrils of Agony. Recently went 4-0 at a Legacy daily, proving its power.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lotus Petal
4 Manamorphose
4 Night's Whisper
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
4 Rite of Flame
4 Seething Song
3 Tendrils of Agony
3 Past in Flames
2 Faithless Looting
2 Burning Wish
2 Sign in Blood
1 Ideas Unbound
1 Infernal Tutor
1 Epic Experiment
4 Geothermal Crevice
4 Sulfur Vent
2 Blackcleave Cliffs
2 Gemstone Mine
1 Irrigation Ditch
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Sac-Land Tendrils Primer
Nauseous Grace
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
Combo deck with a storm shell that Combines Ad Nauseam and Angel's Grace. This lets you draw your entire deck and kill with Sickening Dreams. You run much more protection than many combo decks, and can use Cunning Wish to find either protection, or a combo piece.
Sample Deck-list-
3 Ad Nauseam
3 Angel's Grace
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Cunning Wish
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
4 Lotus Petal
2 Pact of Negation
3 Peer Through Depths
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
1 Sickening Dreams
3 Silence
2 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Brass
4 Darkslick Shores
1 Ebon Stronghold
4 Gemstone Mine
2 Seachrome Coast
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Living End
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
Cascade Combo deck. Cycle as many creatures as possible into your graveyard in the early turns. By turn 3 or 4 cast any cascade spell, cascading into Living End, which goes off and brings back all of your cycled creatures while destroying all of your opponents. Unmask is a tech for the archetype not often seen that serves to give you some protection from your opponents answers before and after the bomb hits.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Architects of Will
4 Deadshot Minotaur
3 Faerie Macabre
2 Ingot Chewer
1 Jungle Weaver
4 Monstrous Carabid
2 Shriekmaw
4 Street Wraith
2 Beast Within
4 Demonic Dread
2 Living End
4 Unmask
4 Violent Outburst
Lands [20]
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
4 City of Brass
4 Copperline Gorge
3 Forbidden Orchard
1 Mountain
1 Swamp
2 Verdant Catacombs
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Kiln Fiend
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
All in creature based combo deck revolving around Kiln Fiend. Find him and get him out as soon as possible, then swing while pumping him with free spells, burn spells and the powerhouse card Assault Strobe. Young Pyromancer is a new addition that feels right at home.
Sample Deck-list-
3 Flamekin Harbinger
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Kiln Fiend
3 Spellskite
Spells [27]
3 Aphotic Wisps
4 Assault Strobe
3 Duress
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Manamorphose
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Mountain
4 Sulfurous Springs
3 Swamp
Helpful Links-
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Shoal Infect
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
Infect combo deck that works by casting a free Blazing Shoal, discarding a high cost red card and targeting one of your infect creatures. Because both Searing Wind and Reaper King cost nine or more, your infect damage will be lethal in one swing. The rest of the deck is designed to search for or protect the combo.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Blighted Agent
1 Reaper King
Spells [37]
4 Blazing Shoal
4 Lotus Petal
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Pact of Negation
4 Peer Through Depths
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Searing Wind
4 Spell Pierce
1 Summoner's Pact
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
4 Inkmoth Nexus
11 Island
2 Tolaria West
Helpful Links-
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Infect
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$150
Basic Description-
A more aggressive and less combo based infect deck. Play your infect creatures, swing and pump them up with your pump spells. Black provides protection in the form of discard as well as more options in the creature choice department.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Glistener Elf
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Phyrexian Crusader
4 Plague Stinger
Spells [26]
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Invigorate
4 Lotus Petal
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Rancor
4 Vines of Vastwood
1 Forest
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Overgrown Tomb
1 Pendelhaven
2 Swamp
4 Llanowar Wastes
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Black Weenie
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$170
Basic Description-
A form of suicide black that concentrates on the interaction between creatures that have protection from white (Swords to Plowshares) and equipment like Umezawa's Jitte. Aether Vial and Dark ritual allow you to get the most out of the mana intensive abilities of your creatures while removal and discard keep you ahead of the game.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Hypnotic Specter
3 Black Knight
4 Stillmoon Cavalier
4 Stromgald Crusader
4 Vampire Nighthawk
3 AEther Vial
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Smother
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
3 Umezawa's Jitte
20 Swamp
Helpful Links-
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Soul Sisters
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$170
Basic Description-
White weenie deck that concentrates on the life gain aspect of white. Specifically, Ajani's Pridemate and Serra Ascendant growing from the life gain provided by the Soul Sisters (Soul Warden, Soul's Attendant, Suture Priest and Martyr of Sands) and becoming major threats. Equipment fetched by Stoneforge Mystic help ensure anything you play can be a threat while the rest of your cards either protect your threats or remove the threats your opponent plays.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Ajani's Pridemate
4 Martyr of Sands
4 Mother of Runes
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Soul Warden
4 Soul's Attendant
3 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Suture Priest
1 Batterskull
3 Proclamation of Rebirth
1 Sword of War and Peace
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Umezawa's Jitte
3 Kabira Crossroads
16 Plains
Helpful Links-
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Polymorph Combo
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$190
Basic Description-
Fatty based combo deck that works by casting either Polymorph or Proteus Staff and sacrificing a token, like the one produced from Flayer Husk. Because the only creature in your deck is Emrakul, hes the guy that comes out of it. The rest of the deck is either protection, acceleration, or something that helps you find the combo.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Spells [39]
4 Daze
2 Echoing Truth
4 Flayer Husk
4 Lotus Petal
4 Misdirection
4 Polymorph
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
3 Proteus Staff
2 Spell Pierce
4 Wind Zendikon
4 Ancient Tomb
11 Island
4 Khalni Garden
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Mono Blue Tempo
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$185
Basic Description-
Mono Blue deck based on landing early and efficient beaters and riding them tho victory with disruption. The deck placed in the top 8 of an SCG on 08/02/2012.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Jace's Phantasm
3 Ninja of the Deep Hours
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Spellstutter Sprite
2 Vendilion Clique
4 Daze
2 Dismember
4 Ponder
2 Preordain
4 Spell Pierce
2 Archive Trap
4 Thought Scour
2 Vapor Snag
17 Island
Helpful Links-
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Green Beats
DeckType-Aggro
Cost-~$190
Basic Description-
Simple Mono Green beatdown deck. Use green sun's zenith as a toolbox while you cast mana dorks, which cast really big beat-sticks. Not much else too it.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Dryad Militant
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Khalni Hydra
3 Leatherback Baloth
4 Llanowar Elves
2 Scavenging Ooze
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
4 Terra Stomper
1 Viridian Zealot
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Prey Upon
1 Umezawa's Jitte
Lands [20]
1 Dryad Arbor
18 Forest
1 Yavimaya Hollow
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Soldier Stompy
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$195
Basic Description-
Another of Legacy's Stompy decks. This one uses Chalice of the Void and high cost creatures just like the others, but omits Trinisphere, playing Suppression Field instead. The real power plays of the deck come from Preeminent Captain cheating in high power cards like Captain of the Watch, or Ballyrush Banneret and Daru Warchief making everything cost less to be played easier.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Precinct Captain
4 Captain of the Watch
4 Daru Warchief
4 Enlistment Officer
3 Field Marshal
2 Commander Eesha
1 Soltari Champion
4 Preeminent Captain
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Chrome Mox
4 Suppression Field
Lands [18]
4 Ancient Tomb
14 Plains
Helpful Links-
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A Tribe Called Quest
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$200
Basic Description-
White weenie deck based on equipment and low cost or repetitive cast creatures to take advantage of Quest for the Holy Relic. Go aggro by swarming your opponent and take advantage of the sheer power of cards like Umezawa's Jitte and Argentum Armor.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Glint Hawk
3 Memnite
4 Mother of Runes
4 Ornithopter
3 Puresteel Paladin
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Argentum Armor
1 Batterskull
2 Mox Opal
4 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Ancient Den
15 Plains
Helpful Links-
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Black Plague
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$205
Basic Description-
Mono Black control deck that plays the slow rolling game with Infect. Because Phyrexian Crusader is so difficult to deal with you can just keep your opponent from doing anything too crazy while you pressure them with his inevitability.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Phyrexian Crusader
4 Plague Stinger
Spells [31]
1 Darkblast
4 Duress
4 Hymn to Tourach
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Runechanter's Pike
3 Smother
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Umezawa's Jitte
3 Unearth
4 Victim of Night
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Inkmoth Nexus
16 Swamp
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Helpful Links-
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Weird Elves
DeckType-Combo
Cost-~$205
Basic Description-
Elf Ball style combo deck centered around Priest of Titania and Elvish Archdruid creating a large amount of mana as soon as possible. This mana is then used to win through a variety of ways. Weird Harvest gives the deck a unique set of options and a fun surprise factor.
Sample Deck-list-
3 Arbor Elf
1 Progenitus
4 Elvish Archdruid
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Fierce Empath
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Priest of Titania
4 Quirion Ranger
2 Wirewood Channeler
1 Wirewood Symbiote
2 Concordant Crossroads
2 Crop Rotation
3 Genesis Wave
4 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Staff of Domination
3 Weird Harvest
14 Forest
1 Gaea's Cradle
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Cheerios
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$205
Basic Description-
All in combo deck built more for speed rather than resilience. Cast a Glimpse of Nature or Gamble to find it start playing creatures. Draw cards and use your free mana to play more copies of Glimpse of Nature or Noxious Revival your previous one back. Scapegoat prevents you from fizzling. Eventually you will find your Grapeshot and the mana to cast it, killing your opponent.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Crimson Kobolds
4 Crookshank Kobolds
3 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Kobolds of Kher Keep
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Phyrexian Walker
1 Skyshroud Cutter
2 Wild Cantor
4 Gamble
4 Glimpse of Nature
1 Grapeshot
3 Land Grant
4 Lotus Petal
4 Noxious Revival
4 Scapegoat
4 Summoner's Pact
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
Helpful Links-
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Knights
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$210
Basic Description-
Tribal White weenie deck. The major player in this deck is Knight Exemplar, which gives all of your creatures indestructibility. The deck is very simple in its strategy beyond this. Play creatures, beef them with equipment and enchantments, and swing away.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Hero of Bladehold
4 Knight Exemplar
4 Leonin Skyhunter
4 Mirran Crusader
4 Student of Warfare
4 Spectral Rider
4 White Knight
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Spells [10]
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Umezawa's Jitte
20 Plains
Helpful Links-
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Goblin Storm
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$215
Basic Description-
Storm based combo deck. Chain your mana accelerators, rituals and cantips until you have a high storm, which fuels Empty the Warrens. Goblin Bushwacker can allow you to kill on the same turn the Warrens are cast, but it does not have to be played. Burning Wish finds whatever you may need, including Warrens. This deck also seeks to go off as soon as possible, and runs little protection.
Sample Deck-list-
3 Goblin Bushwhacker
Spells [42]
4 Burning Wish
4 Desperate Ritual
3 Empty the Warrens
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lotus Petal
3 Manamorphose
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Pyretic Ritual
4 Rite of Flame
4 Seething Song
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
1 Island
1 Mountain
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Contamination Control
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$225
Basic Description-
Mono black control deck based on Contamination. Because most decks in the format are multi-color and Black is a fairly uncommon color at that, the deck seeks to lock the opponent out the game with the enchantment. Various cards that produce tokens every turn or recur by themselves are used to keep the contamination out. Pretty much everything else in the deck is a discard spell or card that destroys creature threats.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Creakwood Liege
2 Nether Spirit
2 Tombstalker
Planeswalkers [4]
4 Liliana of the Veil
4 Bitterblossom
4 Contamination
2 Cursed Scroll
4 Duress
2 Geth's Verdict
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Innocent Blood
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Mutilate
23 Swamp
Helpful Links-
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Hypergenesis
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$230
Basic Description-
Another all in and super fast combo deck. Use your mana acceleration to play a cascade spell as soon as possible. Once a cascade spell is cast it will result in the bomb Hypergenesis being cast, which allows you to drop any fatties in your hand onto the field. Warstorm Surge plus Blightsteel Colossus is an instant kill that can happen from time to time as a result.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Blightsteel Colossus
4 Chancellor of the Annex
4 Chancellor of the Tangle
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
2 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
2 Griselbrand
2 Progenitus
4 Shardless Agent
4 Simian Spirit Guide
3 Ardent Plea
2 Hypergenesis
4 Violent Outburst
2 Warstorm Surge
Lands [19]
4 City of Brass
3 Gemstone Caverns
4 Gemstone Mine
2 Karplusan Forest
4 Pillar of the Paruns
2 Yavimaya Coast
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
White Tokens
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$235
Basic Description-
White weenie deck based on token producing cards. Swarm your opponent with tokens and beef them with enchantments. The deck seeks to gain advantage through a sort of 2-for-1 card advantage strategy where every token card produces multiple tokens, or is reusable over time. The deck can use its mana acceleration to try and push out a hasty win, or can use its card advantage to grind out games.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Thraben Doomsayer
Spells [37]
1 Elspeth Tirel
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
4 Gather the Townsfolk
2 Honor of the Pure
3 Hour of Reckoning
4 Intangible Virtue
2 Path to Exile
4 Raise the Alarm
4 Spectral Procession
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Timely Reinforcements
3 Umezawa's Jitte
22 Plains
Helpful Links-
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Mono Red Control
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$235
Basic Description-
Red control deck that works to constantly keep the board free of creatures. The deck strives to grind out others with card advantage engines like Young Pyromancer, Scrying Sheets, Punishing Fire (in combination with Grove of the Burnwillows) and its two planeswalkers. Burning Wish finds you silver bullet spells and Meekstone stops anything your fire can't kill.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Young Pyromancer
Spells [34]
3 Chandra, Pyromaster
4 Koth of the Hammer
4 Burning Wish
2 Flames of the Firebrand
4 Meekstone
4 Punishing Fire
3 Ratchet Bomb
4 Skred
4 Slagstorm
4 Grove of the Burnwillows
4 Scrying Sheets
16 Snow-Covered Mountain
Helpful Links-
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Solidarity
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$245
Basic Description-
Mono-blue storm combo deck. This deck aims to storm out on your opponents turn, taking advantage of the interaction between High Tide and Reset. Snapcaster Mage allows your cast re-cast whatever you may want, but key targets are normally Reset or Turnabout. Draw cards and build storm with near infinite mana until you can Brainfreeze for the kill.
Sample Deck-list-
3 Snapcaster Mage
Spells [38]
1 Brain Freeze
4 Brainstorm
3 Cunning Wish
4 High Tide
2 Impulse
2 Peer Through Depths
4 Meditate
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
3 Opt
2 Pact of Negation
2 Remand
4 Reset
3 Snap
3 Turnabout
19 Island
Helpful Links-
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Demon Stompy
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
Mono Black version of Chalice Stompy style decks. Use your mana acceleration to play an early Chalice of the Void and/or Trinishphere. Your creatures are expensive, but are either very good beaters or provide you some kind of field or card advantage while you ride the soft lock to victory.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Demonic Taskmaster
4 Desecration Demon
2 Graveborn Muse
4 Plague Spitter
4 Shriekmaw
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Chimeric Idol
4 Chrome Mox
4 Dark Ritual
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
2 Tribute to Hunger
3 Trinisphere
2 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Peat Bog
8 Swamp
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Helpful Links-
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White Weenie
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
Basic White weenie deck. Swarm your opponent and buff your small white creatures. Protect your major threats and remove your opponent's. A List Similar to this placed 18th at a recent SCG on 2/3/2013.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Dryad Militant
3 Serra Avenger
4 Knight of Meadowgrain
3 Mirran Crusader
4 Mother of Runes
4 Squadron Hawk
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Spells [16]
4 AEther Vial
2 Path to Exile
3 Meekstone
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of War and Peace
20 Plains
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Chant Life
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
Mono-white deck with two combos in one. Either lock your opponent out of the game with Silence imprinted on Isochron Sceptor or gain infinite life by using either En-Kor creature to give Daru Spiritualist or Task Force infinite toughness and then sacrificing them to Condemn, Worthy Cause or Starlit Sanctum. Top plus fetchlands lets you manipulate your draws while Vial, Abolisher, Mom and Cavern of Souls protect the combos in their respective ways.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Daru Spiritualist
3 Grand Abolisher
4 Mother of Runes
4 Nomads en-Kor
2 Shaman en-Kor
2 Task Force
3 AEther Vial
4 Condemn
1 Gaea's Blessing
3 Isochron Scepter
3 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Silence
1 Test of Endurance
2 Worthy Cause
2 Arid Mesa
2 Cavern of Souls
4 Marsh Flats
8 Plains
4 Starlit Sanctum
Helpful Links-
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Berserk Stompy
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
Typical Green Stompy deck. Play a Hexproof or evasive green creature early, beef them up, double the beefing power with Berserk and swing away. Green Sun's Zenith adds some searching to the deck, giving you mana acceleration with Dryad Arbor, whatever beater you want, or Xantid Swarm, which prevents Berserk from being countered.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Gladecover Scout
4 Kavu Predator
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk
4 Slippery Bogle
1 Xantid Swarm
4 Berserk
3 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Invigorate
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Rancor
2 Seal of Strength
1 Dryad Arbor
16 Forest
1 Pendelhaven
Helpful Links-
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Green Stompy
DeckType-Aggro
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
The green version of legacy's stompy decks. Green Sun's Zenith gives the deck options that no other stompy deck has in silver bullets. Beyond this the deck is pretty typical. Cast soft lock cards like Trinisphere and Chalice of the Void as early as possible with your mana acceleration and follow them up with some large creatures like Mungha Wurm, whose drawback becomes much less of an issue with Garruk Wildspeaker in play.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Acidic Slime
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
1 Llanowar Elves
4 Mungha Wurm
4 Obstinate Baloth
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Silklash Spider
4 Spawnwrithe
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Wickerbough Elder
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Chrome Mox
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Trinisphere
2 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Ancient Tomb
1 Dryad Arbor
9 Forest
4 Hickory Woodlot
Helpful Links-
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Mono Black Reanimator
DeckType-Combo
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
Simple enough, this is a Mono Black combo deck that works by getting a really large creature into the graveyard and then bringing them back to life with a reanimation spell, effectively playing them for a fraction of their casting cost.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
2 Griselbrand
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Stormtide Leviathan
4 Putrid Imp
1 Tidespout Tyrant
2 Oona's Prowler
2 Animate Dead
3 Buried Alive
2 Cabal Therapy
2 Chrome Mox
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
4 Entomb
4 Exhume
4 Lotus Petal
4 Reanimate
14 Swamp
Helpful Links-
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Dark Depths
DeckType-Combo/Control
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
A combination of control and combo that uses Dark Depths with either Vampire Hexmage or Thespian's Stage to make a huge 20/20 flying and indestructible avatar. Most of the deck are cards that help you find the combo, but you also have a good amount of removal in Punishing Fire and Pyroclasm, as well as some protection in Pithing Needle and Steely Resolve. List inspired by Adrien Gamot, AdrienG on the source.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Vampire Hexmage
Spells [32]
4 Crop Rotation
3 Expedition Map
3 Duress
2 Into the North
3 Pithing Needle
3 Punishing Fire
4 Pyroclasm
3 Steely Resolve
3 Sylvan Library
4 Sylvan Scrying
1 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Bojuka Bog
3 Copperline Gorge
3 Dark Depths
1 Ghost Quarter
4 Grove of the Burnwillows
1 Sejiri Steppe
4 Snow-Covered Forest
4 Thespian's Stage
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Helpful Links-
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Video of a similar list being played
Heml Enchantress
DeckType-Combo/Control
Cost-~$250
Basic Description-
Combo/Control deck that focuses on Argothian Enchantress and Enchantress's Presence. Once you get one or more of these guy out you have so many enchantments in your deck that things get a little out of hand. Solitary Confinement is you main lock. Sigil of the Empty Throne can sit behind it and pop out angels in no time. The new and faster win however is the combination of Helm of Obedience with Rest in Peace, which mills your opponent's entire deck.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Argothian Enchantress
Spells [37]
4 Abundant Growth
3 Elephant Grass
4 Enchantress's Presence
2 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Helm of Obedience
2 Mirri's Guile
4 Rest in Peace
1 Seal of Primordium
2 Sigil of the Empty Throne
4 Solitary Confinement
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Wild Growth
11 Forest
3 Plains
2 Serra's Sanctum
3 Temple Garden
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
MTGSalvation Enchantress Primer
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Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
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Aura Gnarly
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$18
Basic Description-
Aggro Enchantress deck. Play as many auras and Enchantments as you can as early as possible, accelerating into either Aura Gnarlid or Yavimaya Enchantress, which beat your opponent to death. Ancestral Mask is your main bomb, and can end the game a turn or two after it comes down. A version that splashes white for Ethereal Armor and Kor Spiritdancer does exist. However, while still budget, it does drive the cost of the deck up significantly.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Aura Gnarlid
4 Boon Satyr
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Yavimaya Enchantress
4 Ancestral Mask
2 Alpha Authority
4 Canopy Cover
2 Keen Sense
4 Rancor
2 Spider Umbra
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Wild Growth
18 Forest
Helpful Links-
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Aura Combo
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$40
Basic Description-
Aura based combo deck. Cast Academy Researchers, who comes into play with either Eldrazi Conscription or Mythic Proportions attached to him. The deck can also enchant a hexproof creature with Arcanum Wings, which will swap itself with either of the two previously mentioned auras. Once either of these plays have been achieved simply use your large creature in the next couple turns to attack for the win.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Academy Researchers
4 Invisible Stalker
1 Iridescent Drake
4 Slippery Bogle
4 Arcanum Wings
2 Dismember
4 Eldrazi Conscription
4 Mythic Proportions
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Spell Pierce
2 Vapor Snag
19 Island
Helpful Links-
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Boo Berry Version 1
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$40
Basic Description-
Graveyard based combo deck similar to Cephalid Breakfast or The 4 Horsemen. Find and resolve Cephalid Illusionist and Shuko. Shuko targets Illusionist infinite times, causing you to mill your deck. This results in Narcomoeba hitting the field and Angel of Glory's Rise, Azami, Lady of Scrolls, Laboratory Maniac and Dread Return in your graveyard at the same time. Dread Return will be cast off of the Narcomoebas, targeting Angel of Glory's Rise, who brings back Azami, Lady of Scrolls and Laboratory Maniac upon hitting the field. Because you have milled yourself to begin this combo Azami and Laboratory Maniac can be combined for the win. The rest of the deck consists of cards that find the two initial combo pieces or cards that protect them.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Angel of Glory's Rise
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
4 Cephalid Illusionist
1 Laboratory Maniac
3 Narcomoeba
2 Trinket Mage
4 Vedalken Aethermage
1 Phantasmagorian
4 Brainstorm
4 Careful Study
4 Daze
4 Dispel
1 Dread Return
4 Shuko
22 Island
Helpful Links-
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About Face
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$45
Basic Description-
Combo deck that works with the interaction between the En-Kor creatures, who's abilities can be used an infinite number of times with no prerequisites, and Daru Spiritualist or Task Force. Once combined, infinite toughness is achieved which can be used in combination with About Face or Inside Out to kill your opponent. You can also use Condemn to gain infinite life. Should you have enough cards in hand Tireless Tribe can also be used to go lethal with About face.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Benevolent Bodyguard
4 Daru Spiritualist
4 Nomads en-Kor
2 Shaman en-Kor
2 Task Force
4 Tireless Tribe
4 About Face
4 Condemn
4 Emerge Unscathed
4 Inside Out
4 Hearth Charm
4 Battlefield Forge
4 Clifftop Retreat
3 Mountain
9 Plains
Helpful Links-
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Twisted Image
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$50
Basic Description-
Pretty much the same deck as About Face combo, only you use Twisted Image instead of About Face, allowing the use of blue instead of red. This allows the use of Cantrips like Ponder and Preordain, as well as the evasion giving Veil of Secrecy and a better mana base.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Mother of Runes
4 Daru Spiritualist
4 Nomads en-Kor
4 Tireless Tribe
4 Condemn
4 Inside Out
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Twisted Image
4 Brave the Elements
4 Adarkar Wastes
6 Island
6 Plains
4 Seachrome Coast
Helpful Links-
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CascaBalance
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$55
Basic Description-
A cascade based combo deck that accelerates its mana using the Invasion sac lands. Cascade spells will hit Restore Balance, which forces your opponent to sacrifice most, if not all, of their lands and creatures, as your creatures will not hit the field until after the resolution of the balance and your lands will have been sacrificed to pay for the cascade spell. Any suspended Nihilith will also lose suspend counters as a result, and can be used as finishers when needed.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Enlisted Wurm
4 Nihilith
3 Shardless Agent
Spells [16]
3 Ardent Plea
2 Captured Sunlight
4 Deny Reality
4 Restore Balance
3 Violent Outburst
4 Ancient Spring
4 Archaeological Dig
4 Crystal Vein
2 Ebon Stronghold
4 Geothermal Crevice
4 Irrigation Ditch
4 Sulfur Vent
4 Tinder Farm
Helpful Links-
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MTGSalvation Primer for the deck
Martyrdom Goblins
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$55
Basic Description-
Mono red goblins deck that centers around the abuse of Goblin Grenade and its weaker cousin Reckless Abandon. Many of the goblins in your deck can combo with either of these cards in some way, making the sacrifice costs less of a hindrance, and in some cases, a benefit. Goblin Grenade plus Tuktuk the Explorer is the optimal play. Beyond the grenade interactions the deck is very aggressive and can simply overrun an opponent as well.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Gempalm Incinerator
4 Goblin Arsonist
4 Goblin Chieftain
4 Goblin Guide
1 Krenko, Mob Boss
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Mogg War Marshal
3 Tuktuk the Explorer
2 Warren Instigator
4 Goblin Grenade
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Reckless Abandon
Lands [20]
20 Mountain
Helpful Links-
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Rogues
DeckType- Midrange
Cost-~$60
Basic Description-
Keep your opponent from getting into the game with your counter magic, discard, and creature destruction while you cast rogues. Swarming the opponent with fliers while you buff them and turn them into living Mind Peels with your lords is a strong strategy that gives you a nice match up against most archetypes. The flexibility of this deck is where its strength lies, as it can play the role of aggro, swinging for lethal as early as turns 3-4, or the role of control, with its tri-fecta of counter magic, discard, and creature destruction.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Cold-Eyed Selkie
3 Frogtosser Banneret
2 Invisible Stalker
4 Nightshade Stinger
4 Oona's Blackguard
4 Oona's Prowler
4 Prickly Boggart
4 Stinkdrinker Bandit
4 Duress
4 Mana Leak
4 Smother
Lands [21]
4 Darkslick Shores
5 Island
8 Swamp
4 Underground River
Helpful Links-
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Green Infect
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$60
Basic Description-
A green stompy style deck that relies on infect creatures to kill an opponent faster than a normal stompy deck would be able to achieve. Aside from the difference in creatures played, the deck works pretty much identically to the other stompy lists presented. Attack, pump your creatures and get them through for the win.
Sample Deck-list-
3 Blight Mamba
2 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Glistener Elf
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Necropede
1 Crop Rotation
4 Invigorate
4 Lotus Petal
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Mutagenic Growth
3 Rancor
2 Revenge of the Hunted
4 Vines of Vastwood
12 Forest
4 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Pendelhaven
Helpful Links-
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Eggs
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$75
Basic Description-
A unique combo that revolves around cards like Chromatic Sphere (also known as eggs because of their similarity to the Invasion cycle eggs, such as Skycloud Egg) and their interaction with Second Sunrise and its cousin Faith's Reward. Through chaining your egg spells in combination with one of the two mass recursion spells one is eventually able to deck themselves and set up the infinite damage combo of Conjurer's Bauble + Lotus Bloom + Seal of Fire + Second Sunrise or Faith's Reward.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Chromatic Sphere
4 Chromatic Star
4 Conjurer's Bauble
4 Faith's Reward
4 Ideas Unbound
4 Lotus Bloom
4 Lotus Petal
4 Reshape
1 Seal of Fire
4 Second Sunrise
2 Silence
3 Skycloud Egg
4 Archaeological Dig
2 Cephalid Coliseum
4 Crystal Vein
7 Island
1 Plains
Helpful Links-
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Transmuter Combo
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$75
Basic Description-
Blue artifact based combo deck. Master Transmuter is used to cheat large artifact creatures into play as early as possible. Many of these creatures will end the game within the next few turns. Alternative to Transmuter, the deck can also generate enough mana to hard cast the creatures through Etherium Sculptor, Grand Architect and Vedalken Engineer.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Blightsteel Colossus
2 Copper Gnomes
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Grand Architect
4 Inkwell Leviathan
4 Master Transmuter
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Platinum Emperion
2 Steel Hellkite
4 Vedalken Engineer
3 Fabricate
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
Lands [22]
4 Crystal Vein
14 Island
4 Seat of the Synod
Helpful Links-
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Mono Black Control
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$75
Basic Description-
Nothing too crazy here. Use your discard spells to disrupt your opponent in the early game and keep their field clear of threats with your creature removal. By the mid to late game you should be able to lock things down with Ensnaring Bridge and/or Null Brooch. Sorin Markov is your main finisher, able to kill most problem creatures with his +2 ability, but The Rack gets the job done too.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Darkblast
4 Duress
3 Ensnaring Bridge
4 Geth's Verdict
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Innocent Blood
4 Mutilate
3 Null Brooch
2 Smother
4 The Rack
3 Sorin Markov
2 Cabal Pit
22 Swamp
Helpful Links-
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Fangorn Forest
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$80
Basic Description-
Mono green aggro deck based around Dungrove Elder. Get as many forests in play as you can to make Dungrove a large threat that is hard to answer. Aside from the obvious interactions, one can Green Sun early for a Dryad Arbor to accelerate their forest count, or use Veteran Explorer to pay the kicker cost for Primal Growth, resulting in four untapped forests hitting the field. Collective Voyage (or, if you can't find any, New Frontiers) is an insane ramp spell that works wonders with Ambush Commander and/or Rampaging Baloths. With four Dungrove, Green Sun and Treefolk Harbinger you are effectively running 12 Dungrove Elders in the deck. Howl of the Night Pack serves as another win condition that is very hard for your opponent to come back from, should it resolve. Sylvan Primordial is also a fine substitute to Woodfall Primus that also saves you $10, you just can't search for him with your Treefolk Harbinger.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Dungrove Elder
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Viridian Zealot
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Silklash Spider
1 Starved Rusalka
4 Treefolk Harbinger
4 Veteran Explorer
1 Woodfall Primus
4 Collective Voyage
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Howl of the Night Pack
1 Lignify
4 Primal Growth
1 Dryad Arbor
21 Forest
Helpful Links-
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Aggro Elves
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$80
Basic Description-
Budget elf tribal deck. Instead of going the combo route, this list just tries to aggro out your opponent as soon as possible by taking advantage of the vast amount of lords at your disposal. Just play as many elves and elf lords as you can through your mana acceleration and beat face when they get big enough. Joraga Warcaller and Bramblewood Paragon combo nicely and Ezuri, Renegade Leader serves as your main finisher, just don't forget that he is a legend!
Sample Deck-list-
4 Bramblewood Paragon
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Elvish Champion
4 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Imperious Perfect
4 Joraga Warcaller
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Arbor Elf
2 Viridian Zealot
4 Lead the Stampede
Lands [18]
18 Forest
Helpful Links-
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Urza Tron
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$85
Basic Description-
Mana acceleration based combo deck. Either use your land searching cards to assemble the Urza Tron combo of Urza's Mine, Urza's Power Plant and Urza's Tower, or use Overgrown Battlement in combination with your other walls to generate large amouns of mana. Either way, you use this mana to play large game ending creatures like Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre or Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. Fog and friends keep you alive so you can make land drops and Eye of Ugin, which can be found through your land searches, makes sure you always have a fatty to play.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Overgrown Battlement
4 Wall of Blossoms
4 Wall of Roots
1 Platinum Angel
1 Sundering Titan
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 It That Betrays
4 Ancient Stirrings
4 Sylvan Scrying
4 Crop Rotation
3 Moment's Peace
2 Beast Within
2 Fog
11 Forest
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Tower
1 Eye of Ugin
Helpful Links-
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Phasenought
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$85
Basic Description-
Mono Blue combo/control deck that abuses the instant speed phase cards Vision Charm and Reality Ripple with Phyrexian Dreadnought to give you a 2-3 CMC 12/12 Trampler. Everything else in the deck protects this combo or helps you find it.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Counterspell
4 Ponder
4 Reality Ripple
4 Spell Pierce
4 Preordain
4 Vapor Snag
4 Vision Charm
20 Island
Helpful Links-
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New Alara Aggro
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$90
Basic Description-
Aggro deck based on the powerful combination of Knight of New Alara and the tri-color creatures introduced in the New Alara set. Your mana dorks let you accelerate into a Knight while Green Suns's Zenith ensures you have the creatures you need to either overwhelm your opponent, or trump whatever they are trying to do. Civic Saber is a new addition that is right at home in the hands of Marisi's Twinclaws.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Bant Sureblade
4 Dryad Militant
1 Gaddock Teeg
4 Knight of New Alara
4 Marisi's Twinclaws
3 Naya Hushblade
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
4 Civic Saber
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Swords to Plowshares
Lands [21]
4 Brushland
1 Dryad Arbor
6 Forest
4 Plains
4 Razorverge Thicket
2 Temple Garden
Helpful Links-
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Red Storm
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$90
Basic Description-
Mono red storm deck that seeks to use as many rituals and other mana accelerators as possible to land an early and game ending Empty the Warrens. Through the use of Past in Flames and Burning Wish the deck can also go lethal through multiple Grapeshots.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Simian Spirit Guide
Spells [40]
4 Burning Wish
4 Desperate Ritual
3 Empty the Warrens
4 Gitaxian Probe
2 Grapeshot
4 Lotus Petal
4 Manamorphose
3 Past in Flames
4 Pyretic Ritual
4 Rite of Flame
4 Seething Song
16 Mountain
Helpful Links-
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Boo Berry Version 2
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$90
Basic Description-
Similar to the earlier version of Boo Berry. This deck mills itself to zero cards in the deck and then wins through the combination of Dread Return, Angel of Glory's Rise, Azami, Lady of Scrolls and Laboratory Maniac. Aphetto Alchemist or Basalt Monolith in combination with Mesmeric Orb give you your mill and win. Phantasmagorian works to make sure every card that is needed in the graveyard can get there, even if they are stuck in your hand.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Angel of Glory's Rise
3 Aphetto Alchemist
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1 Laboratory Maniac
1 Phantasmagorian
4 Narcomoeba
4 Basalt Monolith
4 Daze
4 Careful Study
1 Dread Return
4 Fabricate
4 Mesmeric Orb
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
2 Spell Pierce
4 Ancient Tomb
14 Island
Helpful Links-
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Wildfire
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$95
Basic Description-
Mono red control deck based on Wildfire and Destructive Force. Use mana rocks like Thran Dynamo to speed out an early fire or force. This puts you ahead, as your opponent will lose most or all of their lands, but you can still produce mana through your artifacts. Finish them off with one of your titans, or even an Earthquake.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Inferno Titan
3 Sundering Titan
Spells [33]
2 Coalition Relic
4 Destructive Force
3 Earthquake
4 Fissure
3 Gilded Lotus
4 Gruul Signet
4 Pyroclasm
2 Talisman of Impulse
3 Thran Dynamo
4 Wildfire
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Crystal Vein
8 Mountain
4 Sandstone Needle
Helpful Links-
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Kithkins
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$95
Basic Description-
Tribal White Weenie deck. Nothing too complicated here. Play your Kithikins and overrun your opponent. Cloudgoat Ranger and Spectral Procession give you some great field presence while Goldmeadow Harrier and Swords to Plowshares limit your opponent's. Ajani Goldmane, Wizened Cenn and Honor of the Pure make sure even your smallest creatures become threats that need to be dealt with.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Cloudgoat Ranger
4 Figure of Destiny
2 Goldmeadow Harrier
4 Goldmeadow Stalwart
4 Knight of Meadowgrain
1 Ranger of Eos
4 Wizened Cenn
2 Ajani Goldmane
Spells [12]
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Spectral Procession
4 Swords to Plowshares
19 Plains
4 Rustic Clachan
Helpful Links-
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G/W Gnarly
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$95
Basic Description-
White splash version of Aura Gnarly. Adding white gives you access to a slew of new and powerful cards, most notably Kor Spiritdancer and Ethereal Armor, but increases the price pretty significantly compared to the original.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Aura Gnarlid
4 Kor Spiritdancer
2 Silhana Ledgewalker
3 Tethered Griffin
4 Yavimaya Enchantress
4 Ancestral Mask
4 Ethereal Armor
4 Flickering Ward
4 Rancor
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Wild Growth
11 Forest
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Temple Garden
Helpful Links-
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G/B Pod
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$95
Basic Description-
Toolbox control deck that uses Birthing Pod and Green Sun's Zenith to find silver bullet creatures, answering whatever your opponent throws at you. Eventually you pod into a large win condition like Grave Titan, Massacre Wurm or Sheoldred, Whispering One. Using Birds of Paradise and Veteran Explorer you can also hard cast these fatties.
Sample Deck-list-
1 Acidic Slime
4 Birds of Paradise
1 Bone Shredder
1 Brutalizer Exarch
1 Entomber Exarch
1 Eternal Witness
1 Glissa, the Traitor
1 Grave Titan
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Skinrender
1 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Strangleroot Geist
4 Veteran Explorer
2 Viridian Emissary
1 Vorapede
4 Wall of Blossoms
1 Wickerbough Elder
4 Birthing Pod
4 Cabal Therapy
3 Green Sun's Zenith
Lands [20]
1 Dryad Arbor
7 Forest
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Swamp
4 Woodland Cemetery
Helpful Links-
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White Weenie
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$100
Basic Description-
Typical White Weenie deck. Gideon's Lawkeeper, Leonin Relic-Warder, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Oblivion Ring and Swords to Plowshares keep your opponent in check while Hero of Bladehold and Spectral Procession do the damage for you.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Dryad Militant
4 Gideon's Lawkeeper
3 Hero of Bladehold
3 Judge's Familiar
3 Leonin Relic-Warder
3 Mirran Crusader
4 Mother of Runes
2 Crusade
4 Honor of the Pure
2 Path to Exile
4 Spectral Procession
4 Swords to Plowshares
20 Plains
Helpful Links-
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G/B Vengevine
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$100
Basic Description-
Graveyard based aggro deck that seeks to use its unique creature base to pull ahead. Vengevine is sped out early thanks to discard outlet creatures, Basking Rootwalla and Gravecrawler. Buried Alive can make silly things happen with Vengevine, and Blood Scrivener works wonders with your other discard outlets.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Basking Rootwalla
4 Blood Scrivener
4 Gravecrawler
4 Lotleth Troll
4 Oona's Prowler
1 Carrion Feeder
4 Vengevine
4 Buried Alive
4 Cabal Therapy
3 Grisly Salvage
4 Smother
1 Darkblast
5 Forest
4 Llanowar Wastes
7 Swamp
4 Woodland Cemetery
Helpful Links-
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Gruul Aggro
DeckType- Aggro
Cost-~$100
Basic Description-
Red and Green aggro deck based on Bloodbraid Elf. The elf provides card advantage and explosive turns that you can use to overwhelm your opponent. Aggression is the name of the game. You can cascade into a number of aggressive spells, but your favorite is probably going to be Myr Superion. The Robot can also come into play off of either Burning Tree Emmissary, or Tinder Wall (which can also ramp you into an elf or rampager). Overall, Your cheap yet efficient beaters, in combination with burn and powerful pump spells, play the game pretty well.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Burning Tree Emissary
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Goblin Guide
4 Myr Superion
4 Vexing Devil
4 Tinder Wall
4 Colossal Might
4 Forked Bolt
2 Blood (Flesh/Blood)
4 Lightning Bolt
Lands [20]
4 Copperline Gorge
5 Forest
4 Karplusan Forest
5 Mountain
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Varolz Combo
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$100
Basic Description-
Two-in-One combo deck that uses Varolz, the Scar-Striped's Scavenge ability with Death's Shadow and Phyrexian Dreadnought allowing for huge a permanent boost to any of your creatures for one mana. You can also use Torpor Orb in combination with Hunted Horror or Phyrexian Dreadnought. Either way, at the end of the day you get a huge creature for little investment that your opponent must deal with fast.
Sample Deck-list-
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Death's Shadow
4 Oona's Prowler
4 Hunted Horror
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
4 Duress
3 Worldly Tutor
4 Smother
4 Torpor Orb
1 Ghastly Demise
5 Forest
4 Llanowar Wastes
7 Swamp
4 Woodland Cemetery
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
White Control
DeckType- Control
Cost-~$100
Basic Description-
Mono White control deck. Keep the field clear of threats with your surplus of creature removal spells. Isochron Scepter can end the game with Silence, or just provide you with infinite removal spells. Infinite Fogs can also be achieved when you combine Scepter with Dawn Charm. Island Sanctuary can keep you alive while your token producers overwhelm your foe, which is usually the game ending play.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Dawn Charm
4 Day of Judgment
2 Disenchant
2 Humility
4 Island Sanctuary
3 Isochron Scepter
2 Luminarch Ascension
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Path to Exile
1 Pulse of the Fields
2 Sacred Mesa
4 Silence
1 Story Circle
4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
23 Plains
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Green Storm
DeckType- Combo
Cost-~$100
Basic Description-
Probably the only green storm deck in existence. The deck works much like the your typical Legacy Enchantress deck, but instead of trying to build a wall for yourself to sit behind, you use the enchantress draws to build storm and kill with a lethal Tendrils of Agony. Gaea's Touch being recurred by Rofellos's Gift as well as Early Harvest untapping your Growth enchanted lands keeps your chain going long enough to draw into a Tendrils with plenty of mana to cast it.
Sample Deck-list-
2 Argothian Enchantress
Spells [41]
4 Abundant Growth
3 Early Harvest
4 Elephant Grass
4 Enchantress's Presence
2 Gaea's Blessing
4 Gaea's Touch
4 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Multani's Presence
4 Rofellos's Gift
2 Tendrils of Agony
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Wild Growth
17 Forest
Helpful Links-
For Up-to-date Prices on the deck click here
Like Squandered Resources on Facebook for updates on article releases, deck lists, and more!
Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Definitely thinking about making Soul Sisters after I finish my standard. I've always wanted a reason to play Stonefore Mystic
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Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
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Land Tax for the LULZ!!
4 Land Tax
4 Seismic Assault
4 Zombie Infestation
4 Howling Mine
13 Mountain
14 Plains
13 Swamp
4 Disenchant
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Pithing Needle
Zombie tokens and Shocks for everybody!! Can I get a WTF?!?!?!
Decks I play
Legacy
Dredge 0
DredgeGBRU
AffinityXRUB
GoblinsRWB
10 land StompyG
BurnR
DreadstillURW
BelcherGR
Death and Taxes W
Enchantress GWR
BUILDING
Legacy Lands GBRUW
I'll never tell you the flavor text of Teferi's Imp!!
Muellermilch (4-0)
Legacy Daily #4877286 on 01/10/2013
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Digital/MagicOnlineTourn.aspx?x=mtg/digital/magiconline/tourn/4877286
Nexus MTG News // Nexus - Magic Art Gallery // MTG Dual Land Color Ratios Analyzer // MTG Card Drawing Odds Calculator
Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
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Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
R.I.P. Sundering Titan (6/20/12) and Braids, Cabal Minion (9/12/14)
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Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Got a slew of new updates to the primer that just finished today. Go ahead and check them out and tell me how many mistakes I made! You can find the full update list in VII. Updates and Edits Log.
I'm pretty excited about some of the changes, so if any of you have any comments I would love to hear them.
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Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Like Squandered Resources on Facebook for updates on article releases, deck lists, and more!
Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Thanks for the list! I have been aware for some time that my cheerios list is in need of some updating. I'm still kind of on the edge over a few different builds. Yours is interesting, so thank you for sharing!
Like Squandered Resources on Facebook for updates on article releases, deck lists, and more!
Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Like Squandered Resources on Facebook for updates on article releases, deck lists, and more!
Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Like Squandered Resources on Facebook for updates on article releases, deck lists, and more!
Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
Like Squandered Resources on Facebook for updates on article releases, deck lists, and more!
Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.
I just want to say this is a great primer. Really well put together, with tons of info/deck ideas (almost too many, lol). I don't play Legacy myself; I really like it but 1) I usually can't make it out to any kind of event night thanks to the life-combo that is being a student and a father, and 2) Legacy is all but dead in my area and I don't want to drive 2 hours just to play (even if I had the time, lol).
That said I've always loved Legacy decks, but could never afford, nor justify, the cost/power of a top deck for Casual play. Your lists have given me a few ideas for decks that I can slowly add to my collection over a period of time without feeling guilty about the cost/investment.
Anyways, keep it up man. Between this and Squandered Resources, you're doing a lot for MTG players who want to play a real format (yeah i said it!) but still want to eat, lol.
Cheers.
U FaerieNinjaStandstill U
B Swag Flu B
In Development
BG Nightmare Survival GB
B The Gate B
BRG Jund GRB
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Getting Started in Legacy and Legacy Budget Primer 5!
Special thanks to Bornnover for the banner used in those articles.