Alternate Deck name: "Mono-Grixis 2-for-1s."
So this is a project I wanted to engage in- To make a set of 10+ super-budget 60-card decks that are simple, relatively easy to play, relatively easy to understand, and bring across the fundamentals of how Magic Works. We've since gone way past 10, with tons more in the works, and I've really enjoyed the challenge of trying to make these decks easy to play and understand, fun, and all under a $15 budget, sideboard included.
The main goal here is that you could easily build these deck for a low cost and use them as an easy introduction to how magic works, to teach a group of new players both how to play, and give them a sense of Why, a sense of what fun things they're getting into. These decks aren't gonna be particularly good, or even legal in any particular format if it stops me from including a card I think is good for the deck, but they should be fun and interesting without being too hard to get into. They should be an easily-accessible example of how fun Magic: The Gathering can be.
This is one of the more advanced decks- Not really the first decks you want people learning with, but a sweet, budget deck you can use once new players are already on their feet to really knock their socks off and get them to think about something you can do in Magic that they might not have otherwise realized. Well, that's less true here and more just that this isn't gonna be an easy control deck to pilot, so I wouldn't recommend handing it to a newcomer. There are plenty of control decks in this series that don't have wincons a 7 mana that you could use instead.
So......... Cruel Ultimatum is only, like, 50 cents. So Cruel Ultimatum decks, guys. Even though this deck originally mostly turned out as a worse version of the Dimir Thief Control deck. Thankfully, Cryptic Serpent came in and gave the deck its own identity, plus Izzet Charm and Slagstorm are sweet cards that do sweet things. Oh, and, you know, Cruel Ultimatum remains one of the best "I Win" Cards in the history of Magic.
As for budget: Maindeck cost is currently at ~$12.30 (according to the middle blue numbers on this very site under estimated value), sideboard at about ~$3, and we're about 40 cents over-budget. We almost made it there, but it's hard to run boardwipes on a $15 budget.
So mostly this section is going to be notes on why I think these are good cards to learn from:
So the payoffs here are Cruel Ultimatum, a freaking 8-for-1 for 7 mana that also incidentally drains them for 5, and a few creatures because when you're playing Cruel Ultimatum, you're a little bit obligated to try and make the most of it. Cryptic Serpent I found out was in-budget and rushed back to add it into this deck as a cheap 6/5 that can just beat people silly, and then come back with Ultimatum, because why not? It's nice to have a creature that will get out on the board earlier in this deck, so you can get use out of that reanimation effect.
I love Master of Predicaments, and its occasional ability to let you use superior Mindgames to cast a Cruel Ultimatum for free, which is hilarious, but I've also considered Djinn of Wishes for this deck, as something that has more interesting flavor and also a lot of fun potential. They're the same cost, so you can switch them out easily if you want to, or try to find another Blue value threat if you like, but Master of Predicaments is the one I'd stick with.
Slagstorm is your primary boardwipe, and a damn good one, while Crux of Fate is about as strong as I want boardwipes to get in this series, which is a ways from Damnation, but there you go. It's mostly there to hose midrange, so you can afford to be slow with it, so long as you're being proactive before you resort to tactical nukes.
For Card advantage- I went all-in on Hieroglyphic Illumination, because Cryptic serpent means you really want to be running spells instead of enchantments like Font of Fortunes, my other go-to, and hopefully that will be enough. Illumination is real good though- Cycling lets you get rid of it when you don't want it, and you can hold up your counterspells and still cast the thing at instant-speed.
For answers- Essence Scatter, searing spear and Murder are the usual suspects in these colors, all simple, all powerful, all good. Izzet and Dimir Charms are both versatile, flexible spells that can answer a solid number of different problems, able to both counter spells and remove small creatures at instant speed for a fair mana cost. Murder and Searing Spear need no introduction, they're just good.
Manabase is meant to be a touch lacking, but also super-budget. Look, you try to build a 3-color mana base for less than $2, it's gonna suck, alright? That's the name of the game with budget 3-color manabases.
As for the sideboard, this IS supposed to be a sideboard they learn how to use, to make their deck perform better in the right matchups, or just in general to customize their decks within constraints.
If you want more value and answers, there's an extra Ultimatum, and 3 Soul Ransoms, which I just love as a card, and only left for the sideboard because I wanted the deck to feel like it has a distinct identity from Dimir Thief Control. It lets you mind control a creature for a sweet 2-for-1 for 4 mana, or they can get their creature back by 4-for-1ing themselves. Sick value, love that card.
Against agro, you're mostly all set, honestly, since that's the case the deck needs to be most ready for, but Inferno Trap is good if lots of creatures are coming in and you need to respond for cheap.
And the rest is mostly a little toolbox- Negate is for against decks where there's something non-creature you're really afraid of, Cancel is great against other slow decks, Rakdos Charm can kill artifacts or empty graveyards (or occasionally burn them out if they spam enough tokens, which is funny), extra murder extra essence scatter.