Alternate Deck name: "Pyroclasm? That's adorable."
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 budget.
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.
I almost was able to fit freaking Loxodon Smiter into this deck. All the other decks are scrambling to pull together a reasonable 3-drop that's not totally understated, and this deck almost played a 4/4 for 3 with no downside. This deck is pretty sweet, and might be one of the strongest in the series. As it turns out, spamming 3/3s for 2 is pretty good, particularly in a "meta" where half the boardwipes are Pyroclasm and Drown in Sorrow (It was actually right after writing that that I found out that Slagstorm is within my budget for these decks. And there was much Rejoycing).
As for budget: Maindeck cost is currently at ~$11.20 (according to the middle blue numbers on this very site under estimated value), sideboard at about ~$2.50, adding up just beneath my $15 limit.
So mostly this section is going to be notes on why I think these are good cards to learn from:
Edit: Looking back, I'm just a little worried about Creature Token confusion in these decks, but the only tokens here are all vanilla green 3/3s, the only difference being creature Type Hippo versus Centaur, which isn't a bit deal. Because all of these tokens can be treated as Identical, it should be fine.
So the stars of the show are the large number of3/3s for 2: Watchwolf, Fleecemane, Kalonian Tusker for GG, and Call of the Conclave in Sorcery/Token form. These are your big cards- they're what you're relying on to win for the most part, and they're what's gonna do the real damage. They hit early, they hit fast, and they're not easy to get rid of. And Topan Freeblade does a workable impression, even though it's not quite the same. Fleecemane also has Monstrous if you need a mana sink, but you probably won't.
Supporting them- Citadel Castellan is going to take a little babying to get through and get that sweet, sweet Renowned without dying, but a 4/5 Vigilance ain't nothin' to shake a stick at. And Renegade Rallier Should enter the battlefield most of the time as a 3/2 and a 3/3 for 3 mana. You might occasionally get cute and bring back a Pacifism with it, but most of the time you're just getting 2 sweet bodies for a cheap cost.
On top of all of that- Mouth to Feed is a sweet card in this deck because a vanilla 3/3 for 3 that you get out of the first half is passable. Useful. You're going to summon the token on a turn when you wouldn't use all your mana otherwise and you'll be happy to have it. Then, if you start to run empty, Feed triggers off of basically the entire deck, so you should be able to make a huge refill for 4 mana.
As far as removal goes- Pacifism is a good way to eliminate blockers, and Puncturing Light should help you get those Castellans through.
Manabase is meant to be a touch lacking, but also super-budget. I'll be doing the same for all of them.
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.
Centaur Healer takes the slot I normally reserve for Arashin Cleric on the grounds that a 3/3 for 3 is much more useful in this style of aggressive deck than a 1/3 defensive creature, so in she goes.
Past that, it's just the usual- Extra Mouth to Feed for value games, Naturalize and Plummet for hate, Reprisal added to the removal suite for use against midrange, and Harm's Way is a sweet sideboard card for against agro.