cheap standard deck mtg arena

Cheap Standard Deck MTG Arena

By Joshua Johnson
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Looking to dive into the world of Magic: The Gathering Arena on a budget? A standard deck is a great place to start, and you don't have to break the bank to build one. With careful planning and a bit of creativity, you can create a competitive deck using the cheap cards available in MTG Arena.

Before we delve into the specifics, let's understand what makes a deck 'standard'. In MTG Arena, the Standard format only includes cards from the most recent sets, typically the last two years' worth. This ensures that the game remains fresh and engaging, with new strategies and combos emerging regularly.

Building Your Deck: The Basics

When building a standard deck, there are a few key components to consider. Firstly, you'll need a balanced mix of creatures, spells, and lands. Creatures make up the bulk of your deck, providing the muscle to attack and defend. Spells, on the other hand, offer a variety of effects, from dealing direct damage to manipulating the game state.

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Lands are the backbone of your deck, providing the mana you need to cast your spells. In standard, you'll typically want a mix of basic lands (Plains, Islands, Swamps, etc.) and non-basic lands that produce colored mana. The exact mix will depend on the colors and mana requirements of your deck.

Choosing a Color Combination

MTG Arena's standard format offers five colors to choose from: White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green. Each color has its unique strengths and weaknesses, and some combinations work better together than others. For instance, White and Blue make a powerful control combination, while Red and Green offer a more aggressive, creature-based strategy.

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When choosing your colors, consider the types of decks you enjoy playing. Do you prefer a grindy control matchup, or a fast-paced aggro deck? The color combination you choose will greatly influence your deck's playstyle and strategy.

Crafting a Budget-Friendly Deck

Building a standard deck on a budget requires a bit of creativity and flexibility. You'll need to make the most of the common and uncommon cards available in MTG Arena's card pool. Thankfully, there are plenty of powerful and affordable options to choose from.

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One strategy is to focus on archetypes that are naturally budget-friendly. For example, Mono-Green Stompy decks can be quite powerful using only the most basic and common creatures and spells. Similarly, Mono-White Humans decks can be built using a combination of common and uncommon cards from recent sets.

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Budget Deck Examples

To give you an idea of what's possible, let's look at a couple of budget-friendly standard deck examples.

**Mono-Green Stompy**

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This deck aims to overwhelm your opponent with a relentless assault of creatures, using its green mana to pump them up and make them even more formidable.

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  • Creatures: 28 (e.g., Llanowar Elves, Pelt Collector, Gemrazer, Yorvo, Lord of Garenbrig)
  • Spells: 8 (e.g., Once Upon a Time, Giant Growth, Primal Might, Overrun)
  • Lands: 24 (e.g., 24 basic lands)

**Mono-White Humans**

This deck focuses on playing a variety of human creatures, using their synergies to create a powerful and resilient board state.

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  • Creatures: 28 (e.g., Soldier of the Pantheon, Dauntless Escort, Adanto Vanguard, Benalish Marshal)
  • Spells: 8 (e.g., Secluded Steppe, Conclave Tribunal, Legion's Landing, Ajani's Pridemate)
  • Lands: 24 (e.g., 18 Plains, 6 non-basic lands like Temple of Plenty or Temple of Triumph)

Remember, these are just starting points. The beauty of MTG Arena is that you can tweak and customize your deck to your heart's content. Don't be afraid to experiment and find the combination that works best for you.

Improving Your Deck Over Time

As you play and gain more experience with MTG Arena, you'll naturally want to improve your deck. This might involve adding rare or mythic cards to boost your deck's power level, or simply refining your deck's strategy based on what you've learned.

One of the great things about MTG Arena is that you can easily update your deck as new sets are released. Keep an eye on the meta and look for cards that might fit well in your deck. You can also earn wildcards by playing games and completing quests, which can be redeemed for any card in the set.

In the world of MTG Arena, the sky's the limit when it comes to building and customizing your standard deck. Whether you're on a budget or looking to compete at the highest level, there's always room to grow and improve. So, grab your deck and get out there – the arena awaits!

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