First time writing about Magic the Gathering on this blog! I have been playing Magic Arena a lot for the past few months and have been pleasantly surprised with how generous the game is. Unlike Shadowverse, it does not give you a bunch of things upfront, but it is very easy to make a strong deck quickly with the proper amount of planning. Being good at draft also helps a lot too.
The criteria for budget decks is different from paper Magic compared to Magic Arena. In paper, prices of cards are purely determined by supply and demand, as well as what decks are top tier in the various Constructed formats. So it is possible for weak mythics and rares to be low price, while even some commons and uncommons can have high prices. In Arena, every card of a certain rarity costs the same as the others due to the Wildcard system. So my standard for a budget deck in Magic Arena is one that minimizes the amount of rares and mythics.
However it is still important to be able to win, so I have trimmed down and made a list of the most competitive budget decks in the current War of the Spark meta. Given enough play time, each of these decks should be capable of reaching Platinum rank every season in the best-of-one Ranked queue.
Mono Red Aggro AKA Red Deck Wins
4 Lightning Strike (XLN) 149
4 Shock (M19) 156
4 Viashino Pyromancer (M19) 166
2 Risk Factor (GRN) 113
4 Runaway Steam-Kin (GRN) 115
4 Light Up the Stage (RNA) 107
2 Skewer the Critics (RNA) 115
20 Mountain (WAR) 261
4 Ghitu Lavarunner (DAR) 127
4 Goblin Chainwhirler (DAR) 129
4 Wizard’s Lightning (DAR) 152
4 Fanatical Firebrand (RIX) 101
This is by far the most popular deck in Magic Arena, and also quite possibly the strongest deck in the BO1 format. This is a very fast aggressive deck utilizing cheap, efficient creatures combined with a ton of burn spells to win games quickly. It is a fairly easy deck to play but a big part of the learning curve is determining when it is optimal to use burn spells to get rid of blockers vs using them for face damage.
The most notable card that will be lost in Rotation is Goblin Chainwhirler from Dominaria, who is a powerhouse of a 3 drop. Seeing as how aggressive low cost creatures and burn are part of Red’s color identity, some form of RDW will be viable in every single meta. So this is a great investment if you enjoy playing this type of deck.
If you have all of the NPE prebuilt decks unlocked, they should have already given you 2 Viashino Pyromancer, 4 Shocks, and 4 Lightning Strikes(from Primal Fury and Strength in Numbers combined). While it is not in the decklist shown, the 1 copy of Rekindling Phoenix(from Chaos and Mayhem) is a great inclusion if you are missing some of the top end cards.
There is some debate over what the correct late game card advantage engine is for this deck. Experimental Frenzy is the slowest one, but also has the highest power ceiling. It is capable of enabling some truly nutty plays and allows you to come back from games that would normally be unwinnable. However it is risky in this WAR meta because lots of decks are running Enchantment removal. Chandra, Fire Artisan is a new card from the set who is basically a ticking timebomb: she provides card advantage but discourages your opponent from attacking her, since the damage she takes is reflected back. However she is very weak to hard removal. Then there is Risk Factor, which is the most aggressive card here costing a whole 1 mana less than both Frenzy and Chandra. If you really have no wildcards left to spare you can try Flame of Keld as a budget replacement, but be aware that this card is generally inferior to the previous 3. I have went with Risk Factor in the decklist shown due to how much burn we are running, but honestly just pick whichever option suits your playstyle the best.
Mono Blue Tempo
3 Dive Down (XLN) 53
20 Island (DAR) 256
1 Essence Capture (RNA) 37
4 Pteramander (RNA) 47
2 Callous Dismissal (WAR) 44
4 Merfolk Trickster (DAR) 56
4 Opt (DAR) 60
4 Tempest Djinn (DAR) 68
4 Wizard’s Retort (DAR) 75
4 Curious Obsession (RIX) 35
2 Mist-Cloaked Herald (RIX) 43
4 Siren Stormtamer (XLN) 79
4 Spell Pierce (XLN) 81
This deck was extremely popular in the previous Ravnica Allegiance meta, at one point even considered the best deck in Standard. In War of the Spark, it has fallen off quite a bit due to cards like Teferi, Time Raveler and Blast Zone. But it is still a strong deck in the right hands. The playstyle of this deck involves playing a lot of evasive creatures(with unblockable or flying), enchanting them with Curious Obsession for a card advantage engine, and then protecting your creatures from enemy removal using counterspells. This is by far the most difficult deck to play out of all the ones listed here. However playing this deck forces you to master the fundamentals of the game, so I would say that this is the deck to play if you want to improve at Magic. In particular it teaches the importance of playing at Instant speed and the risk/reward assessment of tapping out vs leaving up mana for counters.
Unfortunately, almost this entire deck gets destroyed by Rotation. Tempo based blue decks are kind of an anomaly so it is very unlikely that some form of this deck will still exist after Rotation. However, Mono Blue Tempo is also the cheapest deck listed in this post by far with a grand total of only 4 rares(Tempest Djinn). 1 of those Djinns you get for free too, from the Arcane Inventions prebuilt. So it really is a small investment.
If you are running into a lot of aggro in your local meta, it can be worth replacing some of the low cost creatures with Surge Mare. The 5 health from the mare provides an amazing blocker in the early game.
Mono White Weenie
2 Adanto Vanguard (XLN) 1
4 Conclave Tribunal (GRN) 6
4 Venerated Loxodon (GRN) 30
2 Unbreakable Formation (RNA) 29
4 Law-Rune Enforcer (WAR) 20
4 Benalish Marshal (DAR) 6
20 Plains (WAR) 252
4 Dauntless Bodyguard (DAR) 14
4 History of Benalia (DAR) 21
4 Skymarcher Aspirant (RIX) 21
4 Snubhorn Sentry (RIX) 23
4 Legion’s Landing (XLN) 22
This is probably the 2nd or 3rd most popular deck in Magic Arena. This is an aggressive deck that floods the board with cheap, efficient creatures and then buffs them to win the game quickly. Fairly simple deck that does not have to worry about playing at Instant speed for the most part.
This is one of the most expensive decks in this post, with 4 Mythics(History of Benalia) and a sizeable number of rares. In addition, a lot of key cards are going away in the upcoming Rotation including History, Benalish Marshal, and Legion’s Landing. However good early game creatures and buffs are part of White’s color identity, so White Weenie is an eternal archetype that is playable in basically every meta. Some cards already have functional replacements, like Gideon Blackblade from the new set as another 3 mana powerhouse alongside Benalia and Marshal.
The decklist shown has 4 History of Benalias. Luckily you get one copy for free from the Auras of Majesty prebuilt. In addition if you have all of the NPE prebuilts unlocked, you should have 3 copies of Leonin Warleader, 1 Shalai, and 1 copy of Resplendent Angel. These are decent substitutions if you are missing some of the top end cards from the list shown above.
Mono Green Stompy
3 Blanchwood Armor (M19) 169
4 Vine Mare (M19) 207
4 Llanowar Elves (M19) 314
4 Kraul Harpooner (GRN) 136
4 Nullhide Ferox (GRN) 138
4 Pelt Collector (GRN) 141
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian (RNA) 128
22 Forest (RNA) 264
4 Ghalta, Primal Hunger (RIX) 130
4 Steel Leaf Champion (DAR) 182
3 Thrashing Brontodon (RIX) 148
This deck gets the name from its general playstyle of summoning a bunch of big creatures(some with Trample), and then just crushing the opponent with them.
In my opinion, not only is this the weakest deck in this post, it is also the most boring one. It is also the most expensive deck as well. This is an extremely one dimensional deck with basically zero interaction, as the gameplan is always just to curve out into big creatures and hope that your opponent cannot deal with them. However if you enjoy playing this type of deck for some reason, it can be a decent investment because ramp and big creatures are part of Greens color identity. So some form of green stompy will always be viable in every meta.
If you have all of the NPE decks unlocked, you should already have the full 4 copies of Llanowar Elves, 2 copies of Blanchwood Armor, and 1 copy of Ghalta from Forest’s Might. In addition if you were around for when the GameAwards promo code was still active, then you should have a 2nd copy of Ghalta. If you are running low on Wildcards, other free cards that you can use as substitutions include Carnage Tyrant(from Primal Fury) and Thorn Lieutenant(from Auras of Majesty).
Izzet Drakes
4 Chart a Course (XLN) 48
3 Dive Down (XLN) 53
4 Shock (M19) 156
3 Enigma Drake (M19) 216
4 Lava Coil (GRN) 108
1 Beacon Bolt (GRN) 154
4 Crackling Drake (GRN) 163
3 Discovery // Dispersal (GRN) 223
4 Steam Vents (GRN) 257
3 Pteramander (RNA) 47
8 Island (RNA) 261
5 Mountain (RNA) 263
3 Augur of Bolas (WAR) 41
4 Opt (DAR) 60
4 Sulfur Falls (DAR) 247
3 Spell Pierce (XLN) 81
The playstyle of Izzet Drakes can best be described with the phrase Protect the Queen. Every single drake in the deck starts off weak but can turn into a potential game ending threat. The deck plays a lot of sorceries and instants that draw cards, which also make the drakes stronger. The main goal is then to get some drakes on board and then protect them with 1 mana instants(Dive Down and Spell Pierce), and turn the corner into a win.
Seeing as how Izzet Drakes is 2 colors, this is an amazingly cheap deck. No mythics and the only rares are in the manabase. In addition, unlocking all of the NPE prebuilts gives you a fair number of the required cards. You get 1 Sulfur Falls, 4 Shocks, 3 Enigma Drakes, and 2 Chart a Course. If you do not have the full playsets of Sulfur Falls and Steam Vents, you can replace them with the taplands Izzet Guildgate and Highland Lake. But do be aware that it hits the consistency of the deck.
Izzet Drakes was fairly popular in the past 2 metas, but has unfortunately taken a hit in War of the Spark. The biggest reason is that this format contains lots of planewalkers, and the deck has a lot of trouble interacting with them. In addition Teferi, Time Raveler is seeing lots of play and that card single handedly shuts down this entire deck. Lava Coil is the best red removal available at 2 mana, but it is a completely dead card against Control decks and planeswalkers. So it can be worth replacing it with Lightning Strike if you see a lot of them in your local meta. Lightning Strike gives this deck extra reach and also allows us to snipe off planeswalkers after they use their minus ability.
Boros Feather Heroic
3 Lightning Strike (XLN) 149
4 Adanto Vanguard (XLN) 1
6 Mountain (RIX) 195
4 Shock (M19) 156
6 Plains (M19) 261
3 Gird for Battle (GRN) 12
2 Boros Guildgate (GRN) 243
4 Sacred Foundry (GRN) 254
4 Defiant Strike (WAR) 9
4 Dreadhorde Arcanist (WAR) 125
4 Feather, the Redeemed (WAR) 197
4 Tenth District Legionnaire (WAR) 222
4 Clifftop Retreat (DAR) 239
4 Reckless Rage (RIX) 110
4 Sheltering Light (XLN) 35
A new deck archetype pushed in War of the Spark, this is a somewhat aggressive deck that relies on Dreadhorde Arcanist and the namesake Feather to beat the opponent on board by constantly recurring pump and protection spells.
There are no mythics but quite a bit of rares in this deck, clocking in at a total of 16. However it is not actually that important to play creatures on curve with this deck, so you can kind of get by without the full playset of the rare lands. So substituting them with the taplands Boros Guildgate and Stone Quarry is acceptable.
If you have all of the NPE decks unlocked, you should already have a full playset of both the Shocks and Lightning Strikes. Adanto Vanguard is an amazing card against control but is a liability against aggro. So if you are seeing mostly aggro in your local meta, it can be worth substituting it for Burning Prophet. If you sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime, you can unlock a free Boros Legion deck by linking your Amazon and Twitch accounts for Twitch Prime. Legion Warboss and Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice are excellent additions to this deck and can replace some of the pump spells.
Lovers Arcana Yamada Lvl99 