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MTG Arena Budget Standard Decks for Beginners

The best budget decks for Standard, with cheap common and uncommon cards only. Each deck comes complete with its own upgrade guide.

If you’re new to MTG Arena, building a cheap budget competitive deck can be challenging, especially if you’re looking to spend as little real-world gold as you can! Magic’s myriad different cards can be overwhelming, and Wildcards are a precious resource that you can’t always afford to waste on the wrong decks, no matter how enticing! Placing small bets on crafting and gradually opening cards until you find an expensive deck you’re sure you’ll love is the best way to go, at least while your resources are so limited.

Dominaria United Standard post-rotation has been an absolute blast to play, but admittedly, it’s not the easiest on the Wildcards. It’s much better than previous Standard environments in my opinion, but for those who don’t have large collections, it could still be a struggle. Well fret not! I spent hours upon hours making a large amount of budget decks that can be easily made no matter your collection size and the most competitive version of the deck you can make as well!

In this guide, you’ll find our exclusive curated list of some fantastic budget Standard decks from various archetypes, with a brief explanation of the deck, an upgrade guide, and sample decklists for each one. Visit our Standard deck page if you’d like to see what some of the finished products look like. You can also go straight to the Budget deck section itself for the complete list, and for more ideas, be sure to visit our Standard Artisan section (a format where you are only allowed commons and uncommons).

Historic and Explorer is a format where your cards never rotate out, but has a much wider card pool and can be intimidating for players that wish to start out. Click here for our dedicated guide to Historic Budget decks and Explorer decks!

If you need any help, you can always join the MTG Arena Zone Discord server, leave a question in the comments, or follow the site’s Twitter to catch up on any updates!


Budget Deck Aims

Here’s a set of parameters we build our budget Standard decks around, to ensure they’re at their most useful to you:

  • The base deck will aim to have as few rares as possible, but if one or two different cards are exceptionally important to the archetype and there’s no easy replacement, then you might see them. For each deck, we provide pathways or a link to upgrade into more competitive versions. Upgrades depend on your collection and Wildcard availability, so we’ll provide different options to tailor to your specific needs!
  • Each deck is geared towards best-of-one, and players can now have up to seven cards in their sideboard. For best-of-three, do check out our budget sideboard guide at the end to help you build a sideboard.

How Do I Decide What To Craft?

This is a great question that doesn’t have a concrete answer, but I believe there’s an order you should upgrade your decks in. In totality, you should look to craft the most ubiquitous cards first and then keep going until you’re crafting highly specific cards to finish your particular deck. With that in mind, we can go even more specific.

1. Lands

Lands should always be your first priority as those are generally going to be the most ubiquitous cards in Standard.

The Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty channel lands, the Innistrad duals, the new 3 color lands, and the Fastlands are also extremely safe crafts. However, these don’t always need 4 depending on what deck you’re building, so keep that in mind.

2. Ubiquitous Rares

This is a pretty general category, but what I mean here is to next craft Rares you see in multiple decklists. Examples of this could include Wedding Announcement as they see play in functionally any deck that can cast them. Furthermore you want to start with Rares as Mythics are going to be much harder to stockpile.

3. Ubiquitous Mythics

Although you generally want to avoid crafting Mythics if you’re just upgrading budget decks, there are plenty of Mythics that see so much play they are very safe crafts. The most popular ones that come to mind are something like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse or The Wandering Emperor as they’re cards that have literally no replacement.

4. Specific Rares

These are Rares that may see minimal play or only see play in one to two strategies. They can be good cards, just narrow, such as Halana and Alena, Partners or Edgar, Charmed Groom.

5. Specific Mythic Rares

These are Mythics that see minimal or small amounts of play. These are definitely the last thing you want to craft as these will be hard to use in other strategies with cards like Spectral Adversary or Elspeth Resplendent.

This is more or less the strategy to go by. If you’re unsure where something lies, you can check out lists here to get an idea of what cards see the most play, but I’ll also give you my opinions as well. With that, let’s get into the decks.


Budget Standard Decks

Mono Blue Tempo

Mono Blue Tempo
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $81.27
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
4 rare
16 uncommon
40 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (12)
4
Haughty Djinn
$7.96
4
Tolarian Terror
$3.96
Instants (27)
3
Spell Pierce
$2.37
4
Consider
$3.16
4
Fading Hope
$5.96
3
Essence Scatter
$1.05
2
Impulse
$0.78
3
Make Disappear
$2.97
Lands (21)
21
Island
$7.35
60 Cards
$47.28

We’re starting off here with mono blue tempo since the full version of the deck only requires 4 rares to complete so this is a very cheap deck to buy into if you’re a fan of tempo strategies.

Mono White Humans

Budget Mono White Humans
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $68.92
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
0 rare
32 uncommon
28 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Sorceries (4)
4
Lay Down Arms
$1.56
Enchantments (4)
4
Ossification
$3.16
Lands (20)
20
Plains
$7.00
60 Cards
$27.56

This is a low to the ground aggro deck that is looking to go wide and kill the opponent before they get a chance to stabilize.

There are multiple builds of mono white aggro in the format but this one is looking to leverage human synergies off cards like Coppercoat Vanguard and Adeline, Resplendent Cathar. The above list is the budget version and check below for the fully powered version if you want to make upgrades.

Mono White Humans
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $184.52
Standard
best of 3
4 mythic
25 rare
10 uncommon
21 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
60 Cards
$170.76

Mono Red Burn

Budget Mono Red Burn
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $97.4
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
0 rare
24 uncommon
36 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (16)
4
Phoenix Chick
$2.36
Instants (12)
4
Play with Fire
$17.96
Sorceries (8)
Enchantments (4)
Lands (20)
20
Mountain
$7.00
60 Cards
$54.84

This is burn deck looking to apply pressure to the opponent using both creatures and burn spells which have the flexibility of being able to target the opponent’s creatures and planeswalkers, or their life total which gives you great reach in the lategame.

This is another list where the full version doesn’t have that many rares, but Mechanized Warfare is quite an integral part of the deck so that would definitely be the card I would look to upgrade first if you don’t mind spending your wildcards on a specific rare. The above list is the budget version and check below for the fully powered version if you want to make upgrades.

Mono Red Burn
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $111.02
Standard
best of 3
1 mythic
8 rare
16 uncommon
35 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Planeswalkers (1)
Instants (8)
4
Play with Fire
$17.96
Sorceries (8)
Enchantments (8)
Lands (20)
19
Mountain
$6.65
60 Cards
$76.14

Mono Black Aggro

Budget Mono Black Aggro
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $82.52
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
0 rare
29 uncommon
31 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (24)
4
Clay Revenant
$1.40
4
Cult Conscript
$1.40
4
Fell Stinger
$2.36
Instants (9)
4
Cut Down
$9.16
1
Infernal Grasp
$2.49
Enchantments (4)
Lands (23)
23
Swamp
$8.05
60 Cards
$36.42

This is an aggro deck that combines powerful and fast creatures with very versatile interaction to apply pressure very quickly.

The full powered version of this list contains a lot of rares and mythics but thankfully most of the removal is uncommon, and a decent number of the rares and mythics are ubiquitous too. The above list is the budget version and check below for the fully powered version if you want to make upgrades.

Mono Black Aggro
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $493.68
Standard
best of 3
10 mythic
20 rare
11 uncommon
19 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Planeswalkers (2)
Instants (8)
4
Cut Down
$9.16
1
Infernal Grasp
$2.49
Lands (24)
19
Swamp
$6.65
60 Cards
$543.92

Rakdos Anvil

Budget Rakdos Anvil
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $67.88
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
0 rare
22 uncommon
38 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (12)
Instants (12)
4
Voltage Surge
$1.40
Lands (22)
8
Mountain
$2.80
10
Swamp
$3.50
4
Tramway Station
$1.40
60 Cards
$33.16

This is a high synergy sacrifice deck that is looking to swarm the board with tokens from Oni-Cult Anvil, get repeated card advantage from it’s engine cards like Mishra's research Desk and Experimental Synthesizer, and apply pressure by attacking or with direct damage from Oni-Cult Anvil and Ob Nixilis, the Adversary.

The budget list has a lot of competitive options at the common and uncommon slot, but the upgrades are still very meaningful and a lot of them are lands or ubiquitous so are good investments. The above list is the budget version and check below for the fully powered version if you want to make upgrades.

Rakdos Anvil
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $146.43
Standard
best of 3
4 mythic
26 rare
16 uncommon
14 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Planeswalkers (4)
Creatures (12)
Instants (8)
4
Pile On
$1.96
Artifacts (12)
4
Oni-Cult Anvil
$1.96
Lands (24)
2
Mountain
$0.70
4
Swamp
$1.40
4
Haunted Ridge
$37.96
4
Mirrex
$39.96
60 Cards
$180.2

Selesnya Toxic

Budget Selesnya Toxic
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $66.04
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
0 rare
24 uncommon
36 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (22)
4
Crawling Chorus
$1.56
4
Jawbone Duelist
$1.40
4
Annex Sentry
$1.40
2
Flensing Raptor
$0.70
Instants (12)
4
Tyvar’s Stand
$9.16
4
Infectious Bite
$1.96
Sorceries (4)
4
Viral Spawning
$1.40
Lands (22)
8
Forest
$2.80
10
Plains
$3.50
4
Botanical Plaza
$1.40
60 Cards
$29.48

This is an aggressive deck that is looking to win via poison rather than direct damage, and has a lot of good tools to set this up including combat tricks and protection spells to ensure you can connect with your toxic creatures.

This is a list where a lot of the most high impact cards are rares or mythics such as Venerated Rotpriest, Skrelv's Hive, and Skrelv, Defector Mite, so those are probably some of the more important upgrades to make. The above list is the budget version and check below for the fully powered version if you want to make upgrades.

Selesnya Toxic
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $179.31
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
37 rare
16 uncommon
7 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (28)
4
Crawling Chorus
$1.56
4
Jawbone Duelist
$1.40
4
Annex Sentry
$1.40
Instants (7)
4
Tyvar’s Stand
$9.16
3
Soul Partition
$2.97
Enchantments (3)
3
Skrelv’s Hive
$13.47
Lands (22)
1
Forest
$0.35
2
Plains
$0.70
4
Brushland
$13.96
2
Mirrex
$19.98
3
The Seedcore
$3.87
60 Cards
$234.4

Boros Heroic

Budget Boros Heroic
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $90.9
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
0 rare
22 uncommon
38 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Instants (12)
4
Play with Fire
$17.96
Sorceries (8)
4
Ancestral Anger
$1.96
Enchantments (4)
Lands (22)
12
Mountain
$4.20
10
Plains
$3.50
60 Cards
$43.32

This is an aggressive deck that is looking to buff its own creatures using cheap instants and sorceries to force through a bunch of damage incredibly fast.

This is another deck where the full powered version doesn’t require many rares or mythics, however I would definitely look at upgrading the manabase as a priority since this deck can’t really afford to be playing tapped lands early on and so the red white rare dual lands are very valuable in terms of consistency. The above list is the budget version and check below for the fully powered version if you want to make upgrades.

Boros Heroic
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $135.6
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
14 rare
22 uncommon
24 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Instants (8)
4
Play with Fire
$17.96
Sorceries (12)
4
Ancestral Anger
$1.96
Enchantments (4)
Lands (22)
7
Mountain
$2.45
5
Plains
$1.75
4
Sundown Pass
$47.96
60 Cards
$117.28
  • Angelfire Ingnition – Specific Rare

Mono Green Stompy

Budget Mono Green Stompy
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $77.4
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
0 rare
34 uncommon
26 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (30)
4
Cankerbloom
$1.96
4
Jewel Thief
$1.40
2
Burly Breaker
$0.70
4
Blossom Prancer
$1.40
Instants (4)
4
Tyvar’s Stand
$9.16
Sorceries (4)
4
Bushwhack
$2.76
Lands (22)
22
Forest
$7.70
60 Cards
$31.24

This is an aggressive deck looking to leverage big creatures to beat down the opponent and get ahead on the board.

There are a lot of big upgrades moving from the budget list to the full powered version, unfortunately most of them are specific but mono green overall is still a decent deck so it’s worth the investment if you’re a fan of the deck. The above list is the budget version and check below for the fully powered version if you want to make upgrades.

Mono Green Stompy
by Altheriax
Buy on TCGplayer $168.74
Standard
best of 3
0 mythic
25 rare
12 uncommon
23 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Instants (4)
4
Tyvar’s Stand
$9.16
Enchantments (3)
Lands (24)
23
Forest
$8.05
60 Cards
$141.62

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Altheriax
Altheriax

Alth is an MTG Arena grinder who has been #1 on the ladder multiple times and is always looking to bring new ideas and archetypes to the format and push them to the top spots on the ladder. You can follow him on Twitter and YouTube.

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