Budget Commander Staples: Golgari

Continuing this month's series looking at budget Commander staples, today I focus on Golgari colors (black/green). I focus on four categories: ramp, card draw, targeted removal, and board wipe. And this is budget, so cards cost under $2.

Ramp

Ramp is about accelerating land deployment and/or mana access. Llanowar Dead, Leyline Prowler, and Skull Prophet are creatures that have mana abilities. Deathsprout is a great combo card: both removal and ramp.

Card draw

Card draw in Golgari colors often involves sacrificing one of your own permanents.

Targeted removal

This is where Golgari shines. It has many budget cards (I show eight below) that destroy permanents.

Board wipe 

Golgari has a few board wipe options.

Conclusion

The 17 cards shown above are worth considering for any Golgari Commander deck, and won't break your bank to include.

Budget Commander Staples: Izzet

Continuing this month's series looking at budget Commander staples, today I focus on Izzet colors (blue/red). I focus on four categories: ramp, card draw, targeted removal, and board wipe. And this is budget, so cards cost under $2.

Ramp

Ramp is about accelerating land deployment and/or mana access. Abstract Paintmage, from the latest set, fits the bill here.

Card draw

Card draw in Izzet colors often involves discarding, too, which can be a boon for decks leveraging the graveyard.

(Card draw and/or) Targeted removal

This is where Izzet shines. It has many budget cards (I show eight below) that can do damage or counter spells and/or enable card draw.

Board wipe 

Izzet board wipes are about doing damage to all creatures. Sometimes you get get a card draw bonus to boot.

Conclusion

The 17 cards shown above are worth considering for any Izzet Commander deck, and won't break your bank to include.

Budget Commander Staples: Orzhov

Last year (see May and September), I did a series of posts on Budget Commander Staples, each focusing on a different color (or color pair). Then, I covered only half of the two-color combinations. This month, I'll complete that series and look at the remaining two-color 'enemy' [non-adjacent color pairs on the color wheel] combos. Today I look at budget Commander staples in Orzhov colors (white/black). I focus on four categories: ramp, card draw, targeted removal, and board wipe. And this is budget, so cards cost under $2.

Ramp

Ramp is about accelerating land deployment and/or mana access. There are no budget ramp cards in exactly Orzhov colors.

Card draw

Pickings are slim here, too. Hardened Tactician counts but only makes sense if you are playing a sacrifice/token deck.

Targeted removal

This is where Orzhov shines. It has many cards (I show eight below) that can destroy or exile permanents, sometimes requiring additional costs of sacrificing one of your own or paying life. The other two cards featured: 1) Death Grasp does damage (and pairs it with life gain) and 2) Castigate exiles a card from your opponent's hand. 

Board wipe 

This is another Orzhov specialty. Sometimes you get treasure (Covetous Elegy) or gain life (Kaya's Wrath) to boot.

Combination

Doom Foretold is a 'slow' board wipe that could also count as targeted removal and card draw, depending on how long it stays on the board.

Conclusion

The 16 cards shown above are worth considering for any Orzhov Commander deck, and won't break your bank to include.