With Modern growing in popularity and prices growing with it, we want players to have the option of investing in the format without shelling out for some of its most expensive staples. This thread will collect possible budget replacements for key staples with big price tags. Feel free to nominate your own replacement ideas!
Liliana of the Veil (NOTE: Budget replacements for walkers are always tricky because nothing quite emulates their abilities. So bear that in mind when evaluating budget alternatives)
Pain Seer as a cheap Dark Confidant. In an abusing shell, it can draw more, while in an aggro shell that is consistently attacking, it's about the same.
I think running Rewind would be a lot better then either Scatter Arc or Bone to Ash for a Cryptic Command replacement. The lack of card draw sucks, but for the mana cost you untap the lands used to cast it and further more it's a lot less limiting then either of those. Even Counterbore or Dissipate would be better alternatives.
Would also be a bonus if you could possibly update the list when a staple goes on sale or post it as a announcement so people have a heads up. So that way people can get the real cards when the price drops some. I recently ran across a guy at a LGS who ran a lot of budget options for his deck to the point i was not really sure what i was up against till he told me it was a Jund deck. So it would be helpful to remind people that running budget options are best in small to limited doses for temporary solutions.
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Standard: No Time
Modern: Jund Midrange BRG
Legacy: Shardless Bug BUG
Pain Seer as a cheap Dark Confidant. In an abusing shell, it can draw more, while in an aggro shell that is consistently attacking, it's about the same.
Added. Arena is definitely better but if you need legs, Seer is the best of the bad options.
I think running Rewind would be a lot better then either Scatter Arc or Bone to Ash for a Cryptic Command replacement. The lack of card draw sucks, but for the mana cost you untap the lands used to cast it and further more it's a lot less limiting then either of those. Even Counterbore or Dissipate would be better alternatives.
Would also be a bonus if you could possibly update the list when a staple goes on sale or post it as a announcement so people have a heads up. So that way people can get the real cards when the price drops some. I recently ran across a guy at a LGS who ran a lot of budget options for his deck to the point i was not really sure what i was up against till he told me it was a Jund deck. So it would be helpful to remind people that running budget options are best in small to limited doses for temporary solutions.
I added some cards and notes to the CC section. This should give some other options and a quick explanation of why one option might be picked over another.
As for the staple update, I'm happy to update things if someone else notices them. I personally don't really have the hours to look for that sort of fluctuation (I'm already spending a ton of time on metagame and other forum organization stuff). But I'd be happy to update as it got noticed.
This is just a suggestion, could we get some ideas on budget mana?
One of the biggest restrictions to many players (myself included) is that even if the majority of a deck might be very cheap (such as pre-ban UR Delver) the mana base costs a small fortune.
Finally, Quirion Dryad is my favorite budget Goyf in the right shell...
Remand -> Delay is a reasonable tempo play, it may not draw you a card but the thing you countered isn't played next turn whcih can sometimes just net you the win.
Feels filthy to suggest it as a 'budget' card, but Voice of Resurgence can often replace Tarmogoyf and performs well in many decks that would have run Goyf. It's sub 20 USD now.
For Liliana of the Veil, Raven's Crime does one part of Lili's ability well.
One thing to consider when suggesting budget alternatives is the deck context. For instance, Punish Ignorance seems like a semi-decent alternative to Cryptic Command, but it's restricted to Esper colors. Given that the primary Command decks are UWR Control and Scapeshift, that's a big problem. Similarly, Garruk Relentless doesn't replace Lilly's abilities, but he's an on-color alternative that synergizes with lots of other cards in a BGx deck, has been used in BGx decks before, and fits into many current BGx strategies.
Delay is actually a not bad replacement for Remand. Though you don't get the card draw, you do as the spell is named, delay it more turns (which may net you more draw steps and may fizzle the spell when it comes out of suspend).
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My Modern decks: B/R/G Living End G/R/B G/R Tron R/G U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R
I really like Delay the more I think about it. In something like combo, you are usually countering to save a combo piece, or the final spell. By the time the spell were to come back onto the stack the game should already be decided, even if it's not yet over. If storm counters a spell on turn three, and is still playing on turn six, they are dead anyways.
For anyone interested in budget Wurmcoil Engine (although it is currently fairly cheapish, yay commander reprints) I'd look at either Steel Hellkite or Thopter Assembly both have their upsides but if the reason you want Wurmcoils (as in Mono Green Belcher) is to stunt aggro then Thopter Assembly does a reasonable job (it even just folds to path :D).
Added some ideas for Remand and Wurmcoil to the OP. As I'm sure we are all learning, it's really hard to come up with decent replacements for key Modern cards haha.
If Into the Roil gets a nod to a replacement as Cryptic Command, I feel like Repeal should be on the list as well. Most cards in modern are ~3 mana or less anyways and the added bonus of being able to bounce a turn earlier matter in some decks. It can't bounce manlands, but neither can Into the Roil. If off-color cards are also fine, Far//Away is a fine bounce + advantage card that can see play in modern UB base control decks.
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(Alphabetized by card name)
Abrupt Decay
(NOTE: Budget replacements for walkers are always tricky because nothing quite emulates their abilities. So bear that in mind when evaluating budget alternatives)
Would also be a bonus if you could possibly update the list when a staple goes on sale or post it as a announcement so people have a heads up. So that way people can get the real cards when the price drops some. I recently ran across a guy at a LGS who ran a lot of budget options for his deck to the point i was not really sure what i was up against till he told me it was a Jund deck. So it would be helpful to remind people that running budget options are best in small to limited doses for temporary solutions.
Modern: Jund Midrange BRG
Legacy: Shardless Bug BUG
Added. Arena is definitely better but if you need legs, Seer is the best of the bad options.
I added some cards and notes to the CC section. This should give some other options and a quick explanation of why one option might be picked over another.
As for the staple update, I'm happy to update things if someone else notices them. I personally don't really have the hours to look for that sort of fluctuation (I'm already spending a ton of time on metagame and other forum organization stuff). But I'd be happy to update as it got noticed.
One of the biggest restrictions to many players (myself included) is that even if the majority of a deck might be very cheap (such as pre-ban UR Delver) the mana base costs a small fortune.
Finally, Quirion Dryad is my favorite budget Goyf in the right shell...
Vendilion Clique -> Crookclaw Transmuter the same flashing body with some disruption
Liliana of the Veil -> Necrogen Mists if you are using it as a discard engine? Perhaps Liliana Vess if that isn't too bank breaking.
Another Tarmogoyf -> Skinshifter
And then some of the staples which are a bit cheaper but still add up:
Serum Visions -> Telling Time cantrips and sets up your draws at a higher CMC but with instant speed
Abrupt Decay -> Smother or Putrefy hit a lot of the same targets and you could even rock Mortify in Abzan
Remand -> Delay is a reasonable tempo play, it may not draw you a card but the thing you countered isn't played next turn whcih can sometimes just net you the win.
What about Dungrove Elder, Frostburn Weird, Stitched Drake, or Skaab Ruinator as a Goyf alternative?
For Liliana of the Veil, Raven's Crime does one part of Lili's ability well.
One thing to consider when suggesting budget alternatives is the deck context. For instance, Punish Ignorance seems like a semi-decent alternative to Cryptic Command, but it's restricted to Esper colors. Given that the primary Command decks are UWR Control and Scapeshift, that's a big problem. Similarly, Garruk Relentless doesn't replace Lilly's abilities, but he's an on-color alternative that synergizes with lots of other cards in a BGx deck, has been used in BGx decks before, and fits into many current BGx strategies.
Voice of Resurgence: Fleecemane Lion
Leyline of Sanctity: Witchbane Orb, Ivory Mask, Aegis of the Gods
Blood Moon: Burning Earth
Thrun: Deadbridge Goliath, Dungrove Elder
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My Modern decks:
B/R/G Living End G/R/B
G/R Tron R/G
U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U
R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R
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Reid Duke's Level One
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Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
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