Ok basically i want to make a good deck that uses caw blade and then transitions into a spike-shot elder blade to win
I have a different deck already posted, but it costs around 300 dollars, and I don't have that much money
This is my attempt to make it much cheaper without losing power, and since I am actually looking past standard cards, I am hoping for it to actually be better. Comments appreciated
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Estimated amount saved from original deck (not including side board for either)
$100
Cost estimate of original: $255.98
Cost estimate of "budget": $154.10
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major changes
every land is under 5 dollars, only ancient amphitheater will come into play taped
estimated savings: about 15 dollars per land that would have been a zendikar fetch land
yeah also their are fewer types of red/white fetchlands than other color combinations, look it up if you don't believe me
Stoneforge Mystic is replaced by Steelshaper's gift
Stoneforge mystic costs on average around 20 dollars per card and gets the artifact into your hand for 2 and then the field for 2
Steelshaper's gift costs around 50 cents per card and costs 1 white, so you can get the artifact on turn one. You still have to wait until turn 3 to play it, but now your entire turn 2 is open to do other things, such as summoning a hawk squad
oh and you also save about 78 dollars
here I run into the slight problem of still thinking the swords are some of the best artifacts for me to use, I anyone has any older (and cheaper) alternatives, please feel free to suggest them
I thinking having a few extra types of artifacts to equip might be better in my particular deck because of the benefits of having multiple equipments on spikeshot elder than having a few extra planeswalkers, however this may be wrong, but i am taking out some plainswalker spots and putting in some more equipment
However, I personally really like the sword series and do not know of a better alternative for this deck
if anyone has any suggestions here, i would be glad to hear them, as the swords are 12-16 dollars each
Spell wise, there isn't much to say, replace standard spells with legacy spells that are commonly usedand cheap because they are not played in standard
in this case
Mass Hysteria and Swords to Plowshares stick out in particular as nice cards to have
having haste on your hawks just really helps speed up the game, its also a 1 mana drop
Swords to plowshares is a one mana card to delay the opponents creatures is also nice, particularly since its about 10 cents
I still kept lightning bolt and red sun's zenith because its hard to beat the cost effectiveness of lightning bolt and the sheer power of red sun's zenith, both are about 50 cents also, so easily affordable
oh and of course its hard to beat the awesomeness of journey to nowhere in terms of early game removal of any creature without shroud
now here come a card thrown in specifically for spikeshot elder
1 grafted exoskeleton
reason: with this card alone, you get a tap (1)(R)(R) and give your opponent 3 poison counters
Also a Sylvok Lifestaff just because of their amazing abillity to provide a quick power boost and give you life
finally to conclude we have the planeswalkers
I am unsure how to completely avoid these expensive entities, but it just so happens I think Elspeth, Knight-Errant would work best in this deck. It provides a combination of cannon fodder for your low on creature deck and also gives quick boosts to your attacking squadrn hawks or an additional 3 damage a go for your spikeshot elder's abillities
She is about 15 or 16 dollars a pop, so unfortunately she is also one of the problems I have making this deck budget
To recap every thing i cheap except for the swords and the planeswalkers
Alternatives to make this deck cheaper would be greatly appreciated
Thank you for actually having the patience to read this huge deck description
Sideboard is currently in progress of being made, any suggestions would be appreciated
--edits---
took out elspeth, knight-errant and replace with militia's pride, I think this might actually give me more tokens and costs much less money
took out 1 journey to nowhere and 1 sylvok lifestaff and replaced with 2 sunblast angels for the clear field abillity (they are cheaper than day of judgement and can still leave my creatures on the field... but yeah debating going back and replacing them with day of judgement still...)
Deck cost is now $99.88