30 Casual Decks under $20 for Magic: the Gathering Core Set 2019
Today we have 30 Magic: the Gathering decks that are $20 or under, perfect for new players or for fun casual play without breaking the bank. We've broken the decks into two categories: First up, we have 20 Standard decks which use cards released roughly in the last two years. Second, we have 10 Core Set 2019 decks, which use only cards found in the latest Magic: the Gathering expansion set, Core Set 2019. We tried to minimize the number of rares that show up in decks to make them easier to acquire, and for the Core Set 2019 decks specifically, none of the decks have more than one of each rare, since those are the numbers you're likely to open if you crack a couple of boxes.
These decks are appropriate for fun casual play and new players. If you're looking for higher-powered decks (more appropriate for FNM), we play budget decks every week on the Budget Magic series with a typical budget of $100. If you want to go all out, you can check out fully-powered decks used by tournament players and pro players.
Standard Decks
The following decks are for Core Set 2019 Standard. Each deck is under $20, and the goal is to minimize the number of rares and avoid mythics altogether. The upside of this strategy is that along with being super cheap in paper and on Magic Online, these decks should also be pretty budget friendly on Magic Arena (a new free-to-play online Magic game) if you are looking for something different to play in the free-play room. Since the decks are mostly designed for beginners and casual play, I'm not going to break down each deck card by card, so if you have questions about any of the decks, make sure to ask in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer!
Core Set 2019 Decks
Finally, we've got 10 decks made only from Core Set 2019 cards. If you're brand new to Magic, Core Set 2019 is the newest Magic set, and it's even designed with new players in mind, which makes it the perfect starting point if you are interested in trying out the game! While limiting the decks to just one set makes them less powerful than the all-Standard decks we just talked about, the upside is simple: you should (on average) get the cards you need to build all of these decks by cracking a couple of boxes of Core Set 2019. Again, these decks won't compete at the FNM level (or on Magic Online), but if you're looking for a way to stretch the amount of fun you get from your Core Set 2019 booster boxes, these decks will be great starting points!
One last thing before the decks: unlike the Standard decks, for the Core Set 2019 decks, each rare only shows up as a one-of, no matter how good it might be in the deck. This is not only to keep the price down but because if you crack two boxes, you'll get about one of each rare, on average. If you happen to open multiple copies of one of the rares in the decks, don't be afraid to upgrade by sticking it in over one of the less powerful cards!
Conclusion
Anyway, that's all for today. A quick reminder on the way out the door: all the decks we talked about today are designed to be for casual play, like having fun with a friend on your kitchen table, and aren't really designed for competitive play. If you're looking for more powerful (but still budget-friendly) decks that are perfect for Friday Night Magic (or starting out on Magic Online), make sure to check out our Budget Magic series. If you are looking for competitive tournament-staple decks, you can find them on the metagame page. Hopefully, these super-cheap deck lists for Core Set 2019 Standard are helpful and fun! If you have any questions, make sure to let me know in the comments. As always, leave your thoughts, ideas, feelings, and suggestions, and you can reach me on Twitter @SaffronOlive or at SaffronOlive@MTGGoldfish.com.
