Building Competitive EDH on $100: The Complete Guide

Think you need deep pockets to play competitive Commander? Think again! With smart card choices and strategic building, you can construct a powerful EDH deck for under $100 that holds its own at most tables. Here's how.

Why Budget Commander is Worth It

Building on a budget forces creativity and smart deckbuilding. You learn to maximize synergy, identify undervalued cards, and build resilient gameplans. Plus, budget decks are:

• Upgradeable: Start at $100, grow to $200, then $500 as you acquire pieces
• Fun: Winning with jank feels better than winning with cEDH staples
• Accessible: Get friends into the format without requiring a huge investment

The $100 Breakdown Strategy

Here's how to allocate your budget across essential categories:

• Lands ($10): 35 basics + 2-3 budget duals (Command Tower, Exotic Orchard, etc.)
• Ramp ($15): Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, Wayfarer's Bauble
• Removal ($15): Beast Within, Generous Gift, Chaos Warp, board wipes
• Card Draw ($20): The bread and butter of Commander—never skimp here
• Win Conditions ($20): Your primary threats and combo pieces
• Synergy Pieces ($20): Cards that make your strategy hum

Top 3 Budget Commander Picks

1. Zada, Hedron Grinder (~$0.25)

Strategy: Copy spells that target Zada to every creature you control Budget Power: Turn a $0.10 cantrip into drawing 10+ cards Key Cards: Crimson Wisps, Expedite, Fists of Flame, Young Pyromancer Win Con: Go-wide tokens + pump spell + Zada = lethal damage

Why it's strong: Explosive turns, cheap deck, resilient to removal. You can rebuild fast and goldfish wins on turn 5-6.

2. Talrand, Sky Summoner (~$0.30)

Strategy: Counter spells, make 2/2 flyers, beat down Budget Power: Every counterspell is also a threat Key Cards: Counterspell, Pongify, Rapid Hybridization, Mystic Sanctuary Win Con: 20+ flying drakes overwhelm opponents

Why it's strong: Plays control and wins through inevitability. Extremely budget-friendly since most of your deck is commons and uncommons.

3. Krenko, Mob Boss (~$1.50)

Strategy: Make infinite goblins, swing for lethal Budget Power: Exponential growth with tribal synergy Key Cards: Skirk Prospector, Goblin Chieftain, Siege-Gang Commander, Impact Tremors Win Con: Untap Krenko multiple times = massive goblin army

Why it's strong: Tribal decks are cheap to build, and Krenko can win out of nowhere. One untap and you've got 50+ goblins.

Where to Save Money

1. Basics Over Duals

Shock lands and fetch lands are expensive. Basics are free. In 2-color decks, you can easily run 30+ basics and be perfectly fine. Save your budget for spells that win games.

2. Commons and Uncommons

Many of Magic's best cards are common rarity: Counterspell, Lightning Bolt, Rampant Growth, Opt. Don't overlook these workhorses.

3. Recent Reprints

Commander precons reprint powerful cards every year. Cards like Arcane Signet, Sol Ring, and Command Tower are now pennies thanks to reprints.

Where to Splurge

1. Card Draw

Rhystic Study is expensive, but cheaper draw engines like Phyrexian Arena, Mystic Remora, and The Immortal Sun are worth prioritizing. Card advantage wins games.

2. Ramp

Sol Ring and Arcane Signet are cheap now, but even if they weren't, they'd be worth it. Getting ahead on mana is how you win Commander.

3. Your Commander

If your commander costs $5-10, it's probably worth it. Your commander is the one card you're guaranteed to have access to every game—make it count.

The Upgrade Path: $100 → $200 → $500

$100 to $200: Upgrade your manabase. Add pain lands, check lands, and budget fetches like Evolving Wilds. Add 2-3 powerful staples (Cyclonic Rift, Dockside Extortionist).

$200 to $500: Now you can afford the big hitters. Tutors (Vampiric Tutor, Demonic Tutor), fast mana (Mana Crypt if you're feeling spicy), and format staples (Smothering Tithe, Rhystic Study).

Find Budget Alternatives with ManaTap AI

Want to build on a budget but don't know which expensive cards to cut? ManaTap's Budget Swaps feature finds cheaper alternatives that maintain your deck's strategy and power level.

How it works:

• Import your deck to ManaTap
• Click "Budget Swaps" and set your threshold
• Review AI-generated alternatives
• See how much you're saving

Try it now at manatap.ai/deck/swap-suggestions

Conclusion

Building a $100 Commander deck doesn't mean building a weak one. Smart card choices, tight synergy, and explosive commanders like Zada, Talrand, and Krenko prove you don't need to break the bank to compete. Start budget, learn the format, and upgrade over time.

What's your favorite budget commander? Share your $100 builds in the comments!

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Looking for more budget deck-building advice? Check out our other articles on maximizing value and finding hidden gems.