Ratadrabik of UrborgRatadrabik of Urborg | Art by Nino Vecia 

Hello, fellow Dominaria debutants! I'm back to continue the search for budget rares from previous sets, and this time we're going to revisit Dominaria United (DMU).

Why this set of all sets? Because my all-time favorite commander is from the set, and is only $0.82, so I wanted to take the chance to write about him (again). But don't worry; after going through the other rares (and even some uncommons) in the set, I've found plenty of other goodies that you may want to consider for your own decks!

Ratadrabik of UrborgRatadrabik of Urborg ($0.82)

You complete (not compleat) me.

Ratadrabik has been my favorite commander since his release, and I've spent a lot of time working on the deck list for my usual Commander nights, Arena, and even a cEDH version (the link is there but the deck is very outdated).

His last ability is the important part of the card, which crucially does not exile the legendary creature when it dies, unlike many similar effectsmany similar effects. This opens up the possibility to Aristocrats and Reanimator loops, including some with ring tempt creatures that go infinite:

Costing four mana and having ward makes casting him less risky if you're running him out from the command zone, but even if you're not, I encourage you to check your legendary creature count in Orzhov () decks and see if getting copies of them are a good idea.

Some examples I run are Junji, the Midnight SkyJunji, the Midnight Sky, and Wernog, Rider's ChaplainWernog, Rider's Chaplain. Throw in some ways to double your tokens like Mondrak, Glory DominusMondrak, Glory Dominus or double your triggers like Gandalf the WhiteGandalf the White, and the game ends pretty quick.

The Defilers ($3.10 and under)

Regardless of your feelings on Phyrexian mana, these cards are sweet.

• Defiler of FaithDefiler of Faith
• Defiler of DreamsDefiler of Dreams
• Defiler of FleshDefiler of Flesh
• Defiler of InstinctDefiler of Instinct
• Defiler of VigorDefiler of Vigor

Defiler of Vigor is the only one that's over a dollar, and that's because it's so impactful in green decks. Most green decks are permanent heavy, and this can act as mana acceleration and a finisher. The others are nothing to scoff at either.

Defiler of Faith is great for go-wide strategies, bringing a 1/1 with any white permanent you cast. Defiler of Dreams is excellent card draw, assuming you're in a more permanent heavy blue deck, like artifacts or even Sphinx-typal. Defiler of Instinct does red things, pinging for damage but as a 4/4 first strike it both attacks and blocks well too.

Defiler of Flesh's second ability is the only one that's lackluster. But more than any other color, black wants to trade life for resources, so this can be a really sweet mana acceleration / synergy piece in the right deck.

Activated SleeperActivated Sleeper ($1.17)

DMU Commander brings us another combo-tacular card.

I'm surprised the Sleeper isn't more expensive, given that it goes infinite with a sac outlet and basically any creature that reanimates another. It even has zero power in the graveyard for cards like ReveillarkReveillark.

Infinites aside, this guy also belongs in any Clone deck that touches black (any of the Lazavs come to mind). It can copy a creature from any graveyard, so if an opponent had something valuable die (either by your hand or someone else), only three mana to flash this in and get your own copy is a pretty great rate.

Most clones that let you copy your opponents' stuff tend to start around four mana, so with just a small hoop to jump through, you can grab something juicy even if you don't have something that died. Even better if you convince opponent A to kill opponent B's big threat and then copy it for yourself. Cue evil laugh.

Academy LoremasterAcademy Loremaster ($0.26)

I wanted to highlight the Loremaster because of the wide breadth of archetypes it fits into.

Giving your opponents extra resources is typical in Group Hug strategies, but this does actually come with a downside for them as opposed to something like a Howling MineHowling Mine. Making spells cost extra is powerful, probably limiting anyone who takes the card to one spell that turn.

"That turn" being the optimal phrase for the place this really shines: draw-go. If your plan is to play entirely on opposing turns (Faeries for example), you don't care if your spells cost extra mana when you draw the card; you weren't planning on playing anything anyway. Meanwhile, your opponents are stuck choosing between the card and the mana.

Wheel decks like the infamous Nekusar, the MindrazerNekusar, the Mindrazer also might want to dabble in some lore mastery. If the idea is to draw your opponents to death, then everyone getting the extra card pushes your game plan. Of course, at some point your opponents will choose not to take the card, but by that point it might be too late.

Leyline BindingLeyline Binding ($0.49)

I never expected this to show up as a budget card.

For whatever reason, I just assumed this card would be expensive. It hasn't even had that many reprints! This checks everything I want for spot removal: cheap (or ability to be), flexibile with targets (hits any nonland permanent) and has additional synergy with certain decks.

Binding's obvious home is any three-color Enchantment deck that includes white. And let's be honest, what three color Enchantment deck doesn't include white? With the prevalence of more typed dual lands, this very easily becomes a three-mana removal spell that triggers other enchantment stuff at instant speed.

Of course, five-color decks can make use of it too, bringing the cost down to one mana with ease. I've also got it in my Bracket 1, six-mana-value-typal list, where every nonland card has to have mana value equal to six.

I would shy away from this is most two-color decks. If you can only bring the cost down to four mana, I'd rather be running a board wipe that can take out multiple opposing threats instead of just one.

Tear AsunderTear Asunder ($0.26)

Getting into the uncommons, here is your newest addition of "never play X card" again.

If you're in a Golgari () deck and still running NaturalizeNaturalize, can I ask why? We just talked about target flexibility with Leyline BindingLeyline Binding, and while the four mana mode is indeed more mana than I ever want to pay for spot removal, this makes up for it with exile and flexibility. If you've never stared down an opposing deck with a key artifact or enchantment that needs to stay gone, I'd say you're playing in a very unique meta.

I've used this to exile an opposing Krark's ThumbKrark's Thumb out of my buddy's Yusri, Fortune's FlameYusri, Fortune's Flame deck and he almost scooped on the spot. Krark-Clan IronworksKrark-Clan Ironworks, Bolas's CitadelBolas's Citadel, PurphorosPurphoros... the list of irreplaceable effects goes on and on. This card is strictly better than NaturalizeNaturalize if your color identity supports it, unless you're trying to kill and reanimate opposing artifacts and enchantments, which again... really unique meta. And send me that list!

Defender Cards ($0.34 or less)

I want to cover two more groups of cards that DMU gave us, starting with the defenders

• Wingmantle ChaplainWingmantle Chaplain
• Blight PileBlight Pile
• Coral ColonyCoral Colony
• Shield-Wall SentinelShield-Wall Sentinel

These are a little goofy, but ever since I won a Conspiracy draft with Vent SentinelVent Sentinel, Defenders as an archetype has always held a special place in my heart. While Arcades, the StrategistArcades, the Strategist is usually the go-to commander for defenders, I wrote an article a while ago for a five-color defender list to make use of the red and black payoffs that exist for the archetype.

Obviously these don't go into many decks, but I wanted to highlight them as fun additions to a fun archetype.

Typal Commanders ($1.67 or less)

Lastly, I wanted to cover the Legends Retold cards, specifically the unique typal commanders. There are a few of these new twists on original creatures from Legends that are the obvious leaders of wacky typal decks.

If you've always wanted a commander to lead your Wurm list (Defiler of VigorDefiler of Vigor counts!) then look no further than Baru, WurmspeakerBaru, Wurmspeaker. Even with the Assassin's Creed set, I think Ramses, Assassin LordRamses, Assassin Lord is still the sweetest commander for them. Kobolds? Rohgahh, Kher Keep OverlordRohgahh, Kher Keep Overlord. Griffins? Zeriam, Golden WindZeriam, Golden Wind. Heck, you can even play Archers with Ohabi CaleriaOhabi Caleria.

Don't even get me started on putting some combo of these into a Changeling deck. If you're having trouble building a deck for lower-powered tables, I'd recommend one of these commanders as a good starting point since they've got less overall support, and it will be a fun deckbuilding puzzle for you.

So what do you think? Are there any cards that I missed? Do you have a set you want me to explore next? Let me know down in the comments and I'll see you next time!