All of the cards on this list are cards that I've either seen in multiple MTGS users' lists, the latest Power Rankings (but only the top 5 of each guild, and the #1 card from each tri-color category), or the Cubetutor 360 average cube list (http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/492), and they all have at least one tournament legal edition available that costs less than $2 USD based on current TCG Mid pricing. In fact, the overwhelming majority cost less than $1, and at least half are less than $.50. I think it's fair to say that all of these cards are cube staples, or are close enough to be worth a serious look as budget alternatives for some of the more expensive staples. These cards aren't just cheap, they've beaten out some tough competition to earn slots in many of the tightest cube lists in the cube community, so I'm happy to recommend them as good value that should be efficient, powerful, and/or versatile enough to be worth a slot in your cube for years to come.
This list is an ongoing project intended to be a resource for new and cash-strapped cube managers. As new cards and reprints come out, new archetypes emerge, and card prices fluctuate I appreciate any suggestions for new cards for inclusion as well as cuts of any cards that no longer belong on this list.
I've done my best to err on the side of inclusiveness, but feel free to suggest any other solid budget cube cards I may have missed.
One last tip for anyone cubing on a budget: I am only listing tournament-legal versions of cards here, but if that's not a hard requirement for you, you might consider World Championship Edition versions of cards. They're WOTC printed MTG cards, but with non-standard backs that are made for casual-only play. WCE cards have gold borders on the front, and keep in mind that because the backs are different, don't buy these unless you're using opaque sleeves. Nevertheless, this is a way to get some older cube staples at a fraction the price of their tournament-legal counterparts. I wouldn't be running Wasteland, Rishadan Port, Force of Will, or Survival of the Fittest without these.
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Consider that you have a Soul Warden on board and you play Sunmare/Archangel.
With Sunmare, you get 5/5 at end step. With Archangel, you pump your whole army (if you have one).
If Sunmare gets countered, you get nothing. If Archangel gets countered, you get nothing.
If Sunmare gets Terminated, you get nothing. If Archangel gets Terminated, you get nothing (assuming they Terminate with the trigger on the stack, which a lot of people don't know).
With Sunmare: next turn, your opponent plays a creature, you gain life, and you get another 5/5. With Archangel: next turn, your opponent plays a creature, you gain life, and you pump your whole team.
For me, I think Archangel is the better card for that 5 cmc slot.
Oh, and good to speak to you again Mnelson! It's been a while!
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4 Blossoming Defense
3 Become Immense
1 Dismember
4 Glistener Elf
4 Mutagenic Growth
1 Apostle's Blessing
4 Blighted Agent
4 Inkmoth Nexus
2 Twisted Image
1 Distortion Strike
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Misty Rainforest
1 Spell Pierce
1 Verdant Catacombs
4 Noble Hierarch
1 Dryad Arbor
4 Might of Old Krosa
2 Breeding Pool
2 Serum Visions
3 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
2 Forest
1 Rancor
2 Pendelhaven
Sideboard
2 Dissenter's Deliverance
1 Wild Defiance
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Dismember
1 Viridian Corrupter
2 Twisted Image
2 Dispel
1 Spell Pierce
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Dryad Arbor
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I play two Electrolyze too. It does seem slow in a couple of matchups, but overall, the card is great against midrange/control, which I see a ton lately on Cockatrice, especially Abzan.
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I agree with everything that Sonnenrad said about the deck: DS Jund is by far more consistent. So if you're going to play DS, play Jund. Unless someone actually puts some serious results and proving why DS in Grixis is better than Jund.
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Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH2trISpLdA
His decklist is updated and with Fatal Push.
He is also trying out Crumble to Dust !!!
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Link: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/119650737
Kevin Jones vs Affinity with Walking Ballista at 2:57:00.
Kevin Jones vs UWR Control at 4:47:00.
Max Jones vs Eldrazi & Taxes at 7:00:00.
Kevin Jones vs Jund at 7:35:00.
If I'm not mistaken, KJ's playing the exact 75 from his video that I posted on my previous post except: -1 Sleight of Hand, -1 Terminate and +2 Fatal Push.
Unfortunately, I don't think he made Top 8.
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Link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLHQ1ckYAhFEXgUK-gL9ybu04pmulHQ7lR&v=v844YLNeorI
Haven't watched it yet, but I think it's before Fatal Push was legal on MTGO.