Header image by the author

Commander precons are a great entry-level item to help bring people into the format. Since Magic is a complicated game, being able to just pick up a fully playable deck out of the box is great for new, and even long-time players.

However, sometimes the prices of those products can rise to unreasonable heights; which is where I come in! My name is Tyler 'Savesya' Bucks, and I'm going to be showing off some pre-constructed decks that you can pick up right now for a bargain.

As we go through this article, I'll be linking to each deck (feel free to click those blue underlined words) which'll take you to a page right here on EDHREC.

There you'll see the full list, possible upgrades and even a few options for where you can pick them up for yourself.

So, let's kick things off with five decks that were designed to be a bit more budget friendly right off the shelves.

The Two-Color Starter Commander Decks

Typical TCGPlayer Market Price is Under - $30

We're starting with probably the best options for budget Commander precons on the market, since they were specifically made to be good entry level decks.

Since that's the case, these might not be the for more enfranchised players, however they do still offer a great play experience.

If you've been looking to get someone into the format, these are perfect for doing that. I'll briefly go into each deck, and show off an interesting card that's hidden in their 99s:

First Flight: Helmed by Isperia, Supreme JudgeIsperia, Supreme Judge, this deck is filled with flyers, and value pieces that support your air forces. Storm HerdStorm Herd is a wild inclusion here, but would definitely be fun for a new player to resolve, showing just how epic things can get in this format.

Grave Danger: This deck is led by the brother and sister duo of Gisa and GeralfGisa and Geralf, and looks to flood the board with an undead army. This list also has a bit of a graveyard sub-theme, which makes the classic Commander card Havengul LichHavengul Lich a perfect fit for the 99.

Chaos Incarnate: Here's my personal favorite from the bunch, which looks to sew mayhem around the table. Kardur, DoomscourgeKardur, Doomscourge sits in the command zone, just waiting to hit play and force people to attack. Titan HunterTitan Hunter is a great sign-post card for this deck, since it shows just how important is to force creatures into combat.

Draconic Destruction: Now this is a deck for the fans of big stompy threats at heart. Atarka, World RenderAtarka, World Render helms this deck, and pushes things in a Dragon-centric direction. To prove that point, Scourge of ValkasScourge of Valkas is here to add all kinds of burn damage when your creatures hit the board.

Token Triumph: Finally, we have a deck lead by Emmara, Soul of the AccordEmmara, Soul of the Accord, which is all about filling your battlefield with creatures. Since this commander and a lot of the deck can be deployed early, CamaraderieCamaraderie is a perfect late game card that refills your hand, gains you life, and buffs your board.

Aetherdrift Commander Deck - Living Energy

TCGPlayer Market Price - $27

This is a deck that I'm a little bit surprised isn't more sought after, because it can really pack a punch out of the box. The main gameplan for this one is building up energy counters in order to copy your artifacts, and send them into combat.

Which is a great combination of goals, since the more artifacts you cast, the more energy that Saheeli, Radiant CreatorSaheeli, Radiant Creator makes. The backup commander is Pia Nalaar, Chief MechanicPia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic who pushes the deck in a more Vehicle-centric direction.

If you're looking to upgrade this list, it'll be a lot of fun to add in all kinds of artifacts that have interesting enters effects. This is one of those decks where you'll consistently be looking at new cards from upcoming sets and scanning the textboxes of artifacts, just waiting to see if they'll make it into this 99.

Edge of Eternities Commander Deck - Counter Intelligence

TCGPlayer Market Price - $28

From one artifact deck that cares about counters, to another; this time around we're adding Spacecraft to the mix. It's all centered around loading up your permanents with charge counters, which breathed new life into a lot of classic cards from back in the early days of Commander.

Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind has exploded onto the scene, rising to the #108 spot here on EDHREC in less than a year. Your other option to lead the deck is Inspirit, Flagship VesselInspirit, Flagship Vessel, which is a little more convoluted, but still a fun build around if you're going fully into charge counters.

If you've been looking for a different kind of artifact or counter deck, this is for list is for you. Plus, once we get closer to the Star Trek set, we'll be getting a whole lot of Spacecraft support, which means it might be Inspirit's time to shine.

Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander Deck - Blight Curse

TCGPlayer Market Price - $32

Next up, we have another kind of counter deck, however this one brings a little blight to the party. This list can draw a whole lot of cards when you start loading up your opponent's board with all those -1/-1 counters.

Leading the deck is Auntie Ool, CursewretchAuntie Ool, Cursewretch, who gives you a good amount of card advantage as the game goes on, since this list is aimed at lowering other creature's stats. The backup commander is The Reaper, King No MoreThe Reaper, King No More, which adds a theft twist to the mix.

I love precons like this, because they shine a spotlight on older cards that might not see much play. As you look over the contents of this list, you'll notice a whole lot of singles that don't usually find homes in a broad number of decks, but they put in plenty of work here.

Bloomburrow Commander Deck - Family Matters

TCGPlayer Market Price - $36

Flying in from Bloomburrow, we have the most expensive precon we're talking about today, which's all about copying the creatures you cast. Its jam packed with great enter the battlefield effects, which leads to a lot of interesting plays as the game goes on.

Zinnia, Valley's VoiceZinnia, Valley's Voice allows you to make smaller versions of your creatures, which means you'll be doubling up all the powerful effects in this list. The other option for leading the deck is Arthur, Marigold KnightArthur, Marigold Knight, which offers an interesting way to cheat out more members of your team when you move to combat.

This is another precon that you can consistently upgrade as time goes on, since every new creature you see in these colors could be added to the list. If you've been looking for a new take on a blink or token style deck, then this may be just what you've been searching for.

The New Foundations Starter Decks

Projected MSRP - $30

Let's close things out by looking forward to October of this year, when we'll be getting a new batch of mono colored starter precons. These will follow in the footsteps of the first batch by being cheaper to pick up, and offering solid themes for newer players.

Giada, Font of HopeGiada, Font of Hope leads the white deck, that's all about building an army of Angels. Sai, Master ThopteristSai, Master Thopterist commands the blue list, that looks to be centered around artifacts and token flyers. Ghoulcaller GisaGhoulcaller Gisa is back, this time without her brother, to lead a black deck of Zombies and sacrifice outlets.

Lathliss, Dragon QueenLathliss, Dragon Queen looks to control the game with a mono red horde of Dragons and Treasure tokens. While Ghalta, Primal HungerGhalta, Primal Hunger leads the green deck, which is all about getting big Dinosaurs onto the board.

I'm so happy we're seeing a return of this product, because budget concerns are one of the biggest barriers of entry for new players. Plus, since they're all only one color, it'll hopefully lead to straight forward gameplay, since you won't have to worry about mana fixing. So, if you know someone who's been on the fence about trying this format, be sure to point them in the direction of one of these new decks towards the end of this year.

My Final Thoughts on Budget Precons

As many readers may already know, I make a whole lot of budget decks which are typically designed to cost less than most new precons.

While I do stand behind all of those lists, I still often suggest that newer players buy one of these products if they like the commander, and are just getting into the format.

Usually, these decks have higher priced singles hidden within them, as well as staple level cards that are good to have in your collection.

Plus, you can usually go on YouTube and watch people play that exact deck in order to learn how it works out of the box.

However, if you're not fully interested in the precon's playstyle, and just want to pick them up for value, you're usually better off simply buying the several cards you want from the list and letting the product stay on the shelf.

So, whether you're just interested in having a precon in your collection, buying with an upgrade in mind, or looking for a good gift without breaking the bank, the decks in this list are perfect for you. Let me know in the comments below which one of these is your favorite.

Also, if you're looking for more budget content, you can find my articles here on EDHREC, as well as on my YouTube channel The Pillow Fort; I'd love to see you there!