Commander Decks on a Budget

Written by Christian Gil Portugalisa

        This truly is Commander Christmas. The new Commander 2019 has just recently arrived and now Throne of Eldraine is releasing new and spicy Commanders for Brawl which can and will be used for our own format. What an exciting time to be playing Magic the Gathering.

        Aside from new Commander cards being printed, our community has also started to grow. Standard players have started to venture into our format and I have heard great feedback from them. Entirely new Magic players have also started to test out the waters down south which is great for our format. However, one common comment I hear is that our format is getting too expensive and hard to build a decent Commander deck around affordable cards. Well look no further my good readers and let me introduce a couple of Commander decks that are below $50 and still bring fun and havoc in a regular pod.

        Please note that the cost of the decks are $50 or below at the time of this writing and is based on either Tapped Out or TCGPlayer.

Tatyova, Bentic Druid

Built and Piloted by: Leo Dineros Berio

Creature (25)
1x Acidic Slime
1x Coiling Oracle
1x Crash of Rhino Beetles
1x Dreamscape Artist
1x Dryad Greenseeker
1x Elvish Rejuvenator
1x Fertilid
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Llanowar Scout
1x Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1x Multani, Yavimaya's Avatar
1x Psychosis Crawler
1x Rampaging Baloths
1x Roil Elemental
1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
1x Skyshroud Ranger
1x Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep
1x Soratami Savant
1x Sporemound
1x Springbloom Druid
1x Terastodon
1x Trygon Predator
1x Uyo, Silent Prophet
1x Walking Atlas
1x Wood Elves

Artifact (2)
1x Simic Locket
1x Simic Signet

Sorcery (16)
1x Broken Bond
1x Circuitous Route
1x Cultivate
1x Explore
1x Explosive Vegetation
1x Far Wanderings
1x Grow from the Ashes
1x Journey of Discovery
1x Kodama's Reach
1x Nissa's Pilgrimage
1x Rampant Growth
1x Repudiate / Replicate
1x Search for Tomorrow
1x Skyshroud Claim
1x Sylvan Awakening
1x Urban Evolution

Instant (10)
1x AEtherize
1x Capsize
1x Counterspell
1x Deprive
1x Growth Spiral
1x Harrow
1x Nature's Claim
1x Negate
1x Return to Nature
1x Rewind

Commander (1)
Tatyova, Benthic Druid

Land (39)
1x Blighted Woodland
1x Coral Atoll
1x Evolving Wilds
21x Forest
9x Island
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Simic Growth Chamber
1x Simic Guildgate
1x Terramorphic Expanse
1x Thornwood Falls
1x Woodland Stream

Enchantment (7)
1x Abundance
1x Khalni Heart Expedition
1x Retreat to Coralhelm
1x Retreat to Kazandu
1x The Mending of Dominaria
1x Trade Routes
1x Zendikar's Roil

        Leo is a veteran in the Commander Community and his take on Tatyova Lands Matter Deck is simply amazing. At an amazing $49.81, this deck can ramp fast and take full advantage of the landfall effects its creatures and spells provide. Blink and you will be seeing double the land count, huge rhinos and looking up at a gigantic Multani, Yavimaya's Avatar. After playing against Leo for a long time you know that when he plays Multani, someone will be shuffling for a new game of Commander.

Selvala, Explorer Returned

Built and Piloted by: Steve Matiga

Creature (32)
1x Arbor Elf
1x Avacyn's Pilgrim
1x Beast Whisperer
1x Devoted Druid
1x Elvish Mystic
1x Elvish Visionary
1x End-Raze Forerunners
1x Famished Paladin
1x Farhaven Elf
1x Fierce Empath
1x Good-Fortune Unicorn
1x Imperious Perfect
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Llanowar Tribe
1x Lys Alana Huntmaster
1x Midnight Guard
1x Mirror Entity
1x Quirion Ranger
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Regal Force
1x Resplendent Mentor
1x Rishkar, Peema Renegade
1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
1x Seeker of Skybreak
1x Selesnya Guildmage
1x Silhana Wayfinder
1x Springbloom Druid
1x Sylvan Ranger
1x Village Bell-Ringer
1x Vizier of Remedies
1x Wirewood Symbiote
1x Wood Elves

Land (35)
1x Blossoming Sands
1x Cryptic Caves
1x Emergence Zone
1x Evolving Wilds
11x Forest
1x Graypelt Refuge
1x New Benalia
10x Plains
1x Quicksand
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Secluded Steppe
1x Selesnya Guildgate
1x Temple of the False God
1x Terramorphic Expanse
1x Tranquil Expanse
1x Tranquil Thicket

Instant (11)
1x Autumn's Veil
1x Eladamri's Call
1x Forsake the Worldly
1x Harrow
1x Nature's Chant
1x Shared Summons
1x Stony Strength
1x To Arms!
1x Veteran's Reflexes
1x Vines of the Recluse
1x Vitalize

Artifact (1)
1x Lifecrafter's Bestiary

Commander (1)
Selvala, Explorer Returned

Sorcery (15)
1x Approach of the Second Sun
1x Camaraderie
1x Cultivate
1x Farseek
1x Harmonize
1x Hurricane
1x Kodama's Reach
1x Nature's Lore
1x Overrun
1x Overwhelming Stampede
1x Primal Command
1x Rampant Growth
1x Shamanic Revelation
1x Sylvan Awakening
1x Winds of Abandon

Enchantment (4)
1x Glare of Subdual
1x Leyline of Abundance
1x Presence of Gond
1x Rites of Flourishing

Planeswalker (1)
1x Vivien, Champion of the Wilds

        Not only did Steve introduce Commander to Cebu, Philippines but he also brought a great budget commander to the table. Coming at $49.99 (what a steal), this deck is all about ramping lands, playing a lot of creatures and drawing cards like there is no tomorrow. The deck's main strategy is to play Selvala and use her Parley ability to generate a lot of mana and draw cards. Then play a spell or ability to untap Selvala and repeat the loop. To close out the game, all you need to do is cast Approach of the Second Sun twice and you win the game. Of course, that's not the only trick this deck contains. Sneaky huh? I won't spoil the party. I will let you figure it out.

        Overall, these budget Commander decks are a great start and can show you that even our local players can create decks of equal or may even be better than the decks Wizards of the Coast have created. I want to thank Leo and Steve for sharing their decklists with us.

        Now, let me challenge you my dear readers. Can you build decks of similar power levels like these at a $50 budget? Till next time.