[Brainstorming] Designing a Budget Legacy Deck - Part 2

In part 1, I mentioned that many budget Legacy decks tend to be weaker versions of established decks. In this 2nd part of the series, let's zoom in to aggro decks and see why there's a point in playing budget aggro decks in Legacy.


Note: many decks in this series reference spooky's awesome post on Legacy budget decks over at MTG Salvation.

Legacy Budget Aggro Decks

Boros/Sligh/White Weenie

We already have a Lightning Bolt on legs in Zoo and I don't see any reason in playing any other creatures + burn deck that is inferior to it. Sure, Zoo is 3 colors due to Wild Nacatl but the tradeoff of a weaker manabase in favor of power is definitely worth it. We're talking a free Lightning Bolt every turn here! How will Burn ever achieve that?

Also, Zoo has the flexibility to use Tarmogoyf and Knight of the Reliquary, 2 cheap (in mana cost) and big threats in Legacy right now. Any other creature won't match the power of these cards at the same mana cost. A simple aggro deck that focuses on ending the game via dealing fast damage simply has no point limiting itself to budget options like Boros or Sligh.

Unless it has tricks up its sleeves...

Remember Gaea's Might Get There?

Gaea's Might Get There - Raphael Levy (2007)

Mana (20)
2 Bloodstained Mire
1 Breeding Pool
2 Flooded Strand
1 Godless Shrine
1 Mountain
2 Sacred Foundry
1 Steam Vents
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

Creatures (24)
4 Boros Swiftblade
4 Grim Lavamancer
3 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
2 Kataki, War's Wage
4 Kird Ape
1 Savannah Lions
4 Watchwolf
2 Wild Mongrel

Others (16)
2 Armadillo Cloak
1 Brute Force
1 Firebolt
4 Gaea's Might
4 Sudden Shock
4 Tribal Flames

Sideboard (15)
1 Armadillo Cloak
2 Jotun Grunt
2 Kataki, War's Wage
2 Krosan Grip
2 Lightning Helix
1 Loxodon Hierarch
3 Meddling Mage
2 Umezawa's Jitte

Question: What's a faster clock than Wild Nacatl, Tarmogoyf, and Knight of the Reliquary? Answer: Double-striking Boros Swiftblade + a pump spell/equipment! It's out of budget, but imagine a double-striking creature wielding a Jitte. Beat that, Zoo!

I don't see a point playing plain old Boros with Wild Nacatl and Tarmogoyf wanna-bes, but load up on the double-striking Boros Swiftblade, Mirran Crusader, even Kor Duelist and you might have a winner! You can go the Metalcraft route with Flayer Husk, artifact lands, Galvanic Blast, Auriok Edgewright, and Shrapnel Blast. Another route is to have Blazing Shoal + Greater Gargadon/Reaper King for that 1 hit kill.

Point is, though a Legacy budget deck uses less powerful cards than the usual suspects, we can abuse the unique abilities they possess. Incorporating a combo plan makes the budget deck not just a weaker Zoo as it can actually kill faster (double-strike + Shoal) and have burn spells that deal more damage (Galvanic/Shrapnel).

Making alterations to the deck's strategy via budget options opens up to new ways of winning, some of which will fit the metagame better. If your meta is wide open for this kind of deck, seize the opportunity and beat thousand dollar decks with a budget Legacy deck!

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