Hello Happy People! I hope you are having an awesomely awesome day today!

Today I want to knock out the 60th iteration of my Budget Commander series, this time building around a Legends rare named Axelrod Gunnarson. My goal is to have this deck be my first Pauper deck in this series. It seems like those two ideas should get along well together.

How does this thing work? Budgets matter at the kitchen table. Starting with my first Budget Commander brew, we began with a deck under $40, and then every deck since then must come in under the previous deck's budget. That was $32.68 in BC59, so we must come in under that.

How does Pauper work in Commander? You are supposed to grab an uncommon or common creature to build around. They let you build around non-legendary stuff, but I don't like that. Instead, we'll be using Axelrod as he was published in Chronicles as an uncommon and is thus eligible for the brew.

Axelrod Gunnarson is an interesting fiscal phenomenon. His Chronicles version is just a bulk card at just $0.25, which is pretty cheap. His original printing is around $13.95 for a near mint version on eBay. My goal is to see if I can run the pimped-out version for you, as the rest of the deck are all going to be commons that are pretty cheap, and the idea is that you can still get an original pimped out Legends rare for a total of less than $32.68 for the entire build.

Ready?

This is our leader. As you can see, he is a fun 8-drop that likely won't come down until later, but he's a nice 5/5 with trample once he does. When Axelrod deals damage to a dork and it dies, you drain a life from that player. Pretty cool right? So, my goal is to play into that Tim effects in red that can shoot down an opposing creature with burn as well as run this as a general control deck that will let you keep alive until you can kill the Giant.

Let's begin our deep dive into Axelrod Gunnarson!

Actually, hold on. I just did a deep dive into cards for Axelrod, and most of the key cards that would work well with him are uncommon but there aren't that many - Nemesis Mask, Arcane Teachings, Burning Anger and Lightning Prowess. That's just four. I cannot run that in Pauper, which is only commons, but I could run those uncommons in Peasant, the pre-runner of Pauper that only allowed commons, basics, and 5 uncommons. I have five uncommons with Axelrod and those four key engine cards. Let's audible to Peasant instead and those in those four uncommons. Actually, Arcane Teachings was a common in its first printing so I have an open uncommon.

Let's look at some key commons for this build. The Whip and the Longbow can turn Axelrod or others into a pinging machine, and you can net your leader's trigger even outside of combat, which is pretty nifty and good. The Longbow is the best of these since you can use it over and over again as Axelrod is answered. And you can tap one dork, spend three mana to equip another dork, and then tap it for damage and repeat as long as you have mana.

Let's add some deathtouch to this build. Axelrod with a Fire Whip or Arcane Teachings can only kill a single X/1 dork, but with deathtouch? He can tap and destroy anything! We have two common auras that can give him deathtouch. The first is the Eidolon that can bestow for five mana and that's gives our Commander +1/+1 and deathtouch. When he is invariably answered, the Eidolon falls off and becomes a normal creature. The Aspect is another aura that can turn Axelrod's Tim machine into a Visara the Dreadful. Also note that trample and deathtouch combine very nicely. You only have to deal one damage to each blocker rather than their toughness to kill them, so that works well too.

There are a lot more instant ways of granting deathtouch in this build than permanents ones, since that's what we have in common. Swing with Axelrod on a naked board and he's likely blocked by a few dorks or maybe a 5/5 but now you can Coat with Venom him and turn him into a 6/7 deathtouch trampler and get some serious virtual card advantage. Lash of Thorns gives you a 7/6 trampler and Virulent Swipe a 7/5 and it will cast itself a second time with its rebound. I also tossed in Bladebrand that can cantrip and replace itself.

This equipment is my final uncommon in the brew. At first this was Diabolic Tutor, but I pulled it for the Head that can give deathtouch over and over again. It's a little pricey at $0.75 but that's doable. This nasty Head will stay around turn after turn with the deaths of your leader. You can really dance with this and the Viridian Longbow at the same time. Good stuff!

Since we are giving away so much deathtouch, do you know what other ability works well with that? Double strike! Yes, good call my reader, but those enablers aren't at common. But we do have first strike enablers at this level. I tossed in three common pieces of equipment that can give first strike. The first card can give both flying and first strike and is the only evasive equipment in this brew. Sometimes you may want to soar up in the sky with Axelrod Gunnarson! The second card can give Axelrod two extra power and turn him into a base 7/5 trampler with first strike and that's pretty good for the damaging, and he'll kill in three Commander hits. The third and final card is just first strike, but you can spend two mana to equip instantly as a combat trick in case someone let your Axelrod through. This is a pretty sweet triad with deathtouch enablers!

Let's move from enablers to actual creatures with deathtouch like this pair. I tossed in a ton of common deathtouch. Not only is this synergetic with other cards in the build, but they can trade up with the big boys and you could play this outside of Pauper or Peasant and it should still give you creature trades. A Fire Whip on your natural deathtouchers will turn them into machine guns of love and power. With the first strike equipment they will kill anyone that they hit first and will really gum up the works and play keep away defensively, especially the instant-equipping Sparring Collar.

Check put the Ripper. You can cast it as a 1-drop 1/1 deathtouch and that will play nicely, or you can morph it and reveal it later by revealing a black card from your hand and then hit someone for life loss. The Scorpion can be cycled if you need a key card, land, or a three mana 2/2 deathtouch won't impact the board. But it works well too as well!

Alright, now that I have added in deathtouchers, let's add in actual, proper Tims. We have a load of common creatures in red that will tap to deal damage to a target like Prodigal Pyromancer and this duo. You can use your deathtouch stuff on this force and tap and kill anything. They are really good with Gorgon's Head as you can equip another damage tapper and keep on going. The Thrull can tap to deal a damage to a creature and then shoots the creature's owner for a life loss and well, which is pretty good. The Human Shaman can arrive with haste and tap to deal damage to any target. Pretty nice, right?

We continue the "damage from creature" theme with this common duo. The former was an uncommon in its first appearance but was reprinted in a Core Set as a common. You can spend three mana to shoot a target for a damage and you'll take it yourself. If you gave it deathtouch you can spend as much mana as you have to machine down a bunch of stuff, and if not, you can combine your damage to kill bigger things like X/2s and X/3s. The latter card will only tap and deal a damage to a player, but you untap it over and over again for more and more damage. It's only a quarter despite getting play at the kitchen table. Good stuff!

Check out another tap to deal damage common. This one will deal damage equal to its power, which is normally just one, but we do have some ways here and there to pump it up like our deathtouch auras and Jousting Lance. Good Goblin Shaman!

Did you know that this Dinosaur existed? It's a powerful game-ending force in a deck with a bunch of tappers for damage. When you tap something like Frostwielder to deal a damage to this, then all of your foes will take 3 damage! Just a few Tims turn this into a game ending powerhouse. I love it here!

I also have some mana sinks that can burn with the best of them. These are for the late game when you may have some extra mana hanging around. The Invoker is a three drop 2/3 that can swing and block with the best of them and then you can shoot any target for 3 damage with 8 generic mana. It's a good mana sink later in the game. If you can cast your leader, then you have the mana for this ability. The Zealot can spend 5 mana to shoot a player or their buddy for 2 damage each iteration. Both are good at closing out games that have gone long.

Check out this aura! The Ghostform can give an enchanted creature a death or exile trigger that will bring it back to play again. Why am I running this? Because Axelrod Gunnarson costs me eight mana already, and that's a rough Commander tax. This will help with that. It can also keep a key creature like Spikeshot Goblin or Sun-Crowned Hunters out and about with the best of them. This is the only card I added to my deck from Axelrod's EDHREC.com page which you can check out here.

Note that CoolStuffInc.com's prices are listed over there in the recommended section which help building budget decks like this one.

Now I have 15 slots left and I've added in Tims, deathtouch, first strike, and loads more. Now where do I go?

How about triggers?

Let's look two ways to slowly whittle away your foe's life total! The Lizard can shoot a player or their walker of planes whenever another creature dies, which should be a lot in this deck. A lot. That's pretty good. And then the Vampire Noble will drain a life from a player after any creature dies. Both will target and won't hit all of your foes at the same time, but any shelter in a storm is doable.

Check out this piece of equipment. As you can see, the Harness grants +1/+1 and haste for just one mana to equip. Why is it here? Well, because of that haste. You can tap a tapper of damage on the turn that you drop it. It can also pump your leader, give him haste, and pump Spikeshot Goblin. Good stuff!

Hmmm...

How about the Gray Merchant! He is a bit pricey for a common, and that's $0.75 but that's doable on the budget, and the Zombie can drain for a lot of damage. It's a powerhouse in Commander and with just the pips on Axelrod and this that's four-life drain. I also tossed in another black devotion card - Blight-Breath Catoblepas which can kill a creature on arrival to the battlefield through a non-damage method in case you run into an indestructible threat. There are no common Red cards with devotion.

Now what?

How about some flyers? We have a pair of Dragons I tossed into this brew. Both give a 3/3 flying body to a 5 drop, which is rare in this build. The Rapacious one is the best as it can create two Treasure tokens when it arrives. If you dropped it on turn 5 without any mana rocks, then the two-mana ramp can net you a sixth-turn Axelrod Gunnarson. If you have an earlier Dragon with rocks than your Commander will be earlier as well. The Sparktongue can let you spend some extra mana to shoot any target like a Lightning Bolt and adds to your burn and anti-planeswalker suite. Good duo!

Let's look at two more cards and call it!

Check out this Standard-legal duo! The Helm is from Kaldheim and can drop for one mana and equip for one mana. It's better than a Short Sword as you get the same one mana drop, one mana equip and +1/+1 growth, but you can also shoot a foe when you are blocked, which you will love when Axelrod Gunnarson wears a Nemesis Mask. Check out the D&D: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms piece of equipment, the Axe of Love! It's a one drop you can get down easily, and then later you can spend 5 to equip something. If you have the mana for Axelrod, then you'll have the mana for this and you'll get a nasty 9/5 base trampler with maybe deathtouch and first strike. That's pretty game changing. This duo is great at increasing the power of a Spikeshot Goblin and I love it with Greataxe! That's nasty!

And there we have it! Want to check out my brew? I got 'cha!

Axelrod Peasantson | Commander | Abe Sargent

• Commander (1)
• 1 Axelrod Gunnarson

• Creatures (29)
• 1 Baleful Eidolon
• 1 Bone Picker
• 1 Boot Nipper
• 1 Bright-Breath Catoblepas
• 1 Brothers of Fire
• 1 Cinder Pyromancer
• 1 Faceless Butcher
• 1 Falkenrath Noble
• 1 Frostwielder
• 1 Ghitu Slinger
• 1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• 1 Hand of Silumgar
• 1 Hired Poisoner
• 1 Hissing Iguanar
• 1 Pharika's Chosen
• 1 Prodigal Pyromancer
• 1 Rapacious Dragon
• 1 Rakdos Ickspitter
• 1 Ruthless Ripper
• 1 Sparktongue Dragon
• 1 Spikeshot Goblin
• 1 Sun-Crowned Hunters
• 1 Thorn of the Black Rose
• 1 Typhoid Rats
• 1 Valakut Invoker
• 1 Viashino Fangtail
• 1 Vulshok Sorcerer
• 1 Wasteland Scorpion
• 1 Zealot of the God-Pharaoh

• Spells (12)
• 1 Bladebrand
• 1 Coat with Venom
• 1 Faithless Looting
• 1 Foreboding Fruit
• 1 Funeral Rites
• 1 Lash of Thorns
• 1 Necrobite
• 1 Painful Lesson
• 1 Read the Bones
• 1 Sign in Blood
• 1 Soul's Fire
• 1 Virulent Swipe

• Enchantments (7)
• 1 Arcane Teachings
• 1 Aspect of Gorgon
• 1 Burning Anger
• 1 Fire Whip
• 1 Lightning Prowess
• 1 Kaya's Ghostform
• 1 Power of Fire

• Artifacts (13)
• 1 Armillary Sphere
• 1 Bladed Pinions
• 1 Commander's Sphere
• 1 Gorgon's Head
• 1 Greataxe
• 1 Jousting Lance
• 1 Nemesis Mask
• 1 Rakdos Cluestone
• 1 Rakdos Locket
• 1 Renegade Map
• 1 Sparring Collar
• 1 Strider Harness
• 1 Viridian Longbow

• Lands (37)
• 1 Ash Barrens
• 1 Bloodfell Caves
• 1 Cinder Barrens
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Drossforge Bridge
• 1 Dwarven Mine
• 1 Evolving Wilds
• 1 Opal Palace
• 1 Rakdos Carnarium
• 1 Rakdos Guildgate
• 1 Sulfurous Mire
• 1 Terramorphic Expanse
• 1 Thriving Bluff
• 1 Thriving Moor
• 1 Witch's Cottage
• 11 Mountain
• 11 Swamp

Buy This Deck Export text format

Budget - Target, $32.68 and I came in at...$32.65!

And there you go! I really enjoyed this one as we were forced by commonality to chase some unusual directions. This is a very cool deck! I hope that you enjoyed it as well! Anything in here that I missed or that you liked? Are you inspired to make your own Axelrod Gunnarson budget build? Just let me know!

APPENDIX

If you enjoyed today's deck, great! Here are the first 57 Budget Commander options for your wallet-friendly happiness and joy:

1. We kicked things off with Brion Stoutarm came in at $37.71
2. Next up was Ghave, Guru of Spores, with a budget of $36.48, is a lot of fun!
3. Talrand, Sky Summoner - $49.37. I increased the budget for this project due to the nature of the challenge, and it's the only entry in the series where the cost is increased rather than decreased.
4. Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius is the next for our list rocking that $36.37 pricetag.
5. Princess Lucrezia and Riven Turnbull feature in this fun throwback Commander deck that is just $35.68.
6. Roon of the Hidden Realm demonstrates one of the Commander 2013 dorks in a $35.29 shell.
7. Vhati il-Dal runs the table for just $35.17. It's also one of the more unique entries in this project.
8. With all of the latest draconic lovin', Bladewing the Risen comes just a few cents less at $35.13. http://www.gatheringmagic.com/abesargent-042114-budget-commander-8-budget-bladewing/
9. Lu Xun, Scholar General may not be a powerhouse, but there's enough utility under here to spark a very interesting EDH deck for just $35.07.
10. Bosh, Iron Golem was a fun mono-red artifact centric deck that hits $35.06. That's right, one cent cheaper! It's a fun and different take on artifacts than good ol' Brago will be next.
11. Brago, King Eternal is featured with a different artifact theme and a $35.04 budget.
12. Let's finally get below that $35 mark with Lin Sivvi and her rebel horde! $34.98 for the witness.
13. Wedges are cool. So is Teneb, the Harvester! $34.94 gets us a deck that wins and has fun.
14. Who likes Surrak Dragonclaw? Who likes making a face-smashing deck for just $34.83? This guy!
15. Tolsimir Wolfblood? $34.73? Selesnya aggro? We've got it in spades!
16. Alesha, Who Smiles at Death is ready to bring some serious recursion, beats, and a modest budget to boot at $34.62.
17. Want to Dragon up your deck? Why not roll with Dragonlord Kolaghan for $34.47.
18. Who's thumping those mono-green beats with the Yeva, Nature's Herald stylings? Who clocks in at just $34.39? This article!
19. Want to donate some stuff, play some politics, and draw a ton of cards? Then check out this Zedruu the Greathearted deck that came in at $34.29.
20. I have a notion that a Five Color deck would be a fun budget challenge. Horde of Notions is a blast of Elemental fun that clocks in at $34.17. Check it out!
21. Five color doesn't have to end with tribes. There are so many options that this Five Color Cromat deck with a bit of a smash-y board presence is ready to introduce itself to the red zone, and to winning. It also is just $34.20.
22. Sometimes it's really nice to see how far we can push a popular commander with a cheaper budget. That's where this Nekusar, the Mindrazer deck comes in, clocking in at $34.03
23. With a budget of just $33.98, this Daxos of Meletis deck is pretty cool without being too expensive. Check it out!
24. We have a Snake flavored Kaseto, Orochi Archmage deck with a lot of fun, Snakes, and budget goodness at $33.91.
25. Nahiri, the Lithomancer is calling for an equipment and Solider focused mono-white build that's just $33.85.
26. Who's Born to be Wild? Mina and Denn are! Check out this Gruul Smash deck with lands and fun for just $33.75.
27. Gods are cool, especially when they make you berries, fruits, and tasty veggies. Karametra, God of Harvests might fetch you a lot of lands and good times, but she won't set back your wallet. Check out her budget build, clocking in at $33.74
28. She beats with auras and fun, sailing over her foes. It's Bruna, Light of Alabaster! She's bringing a strong game at a cheap $33.69.
29. Rosheen Meanderer at $33.63 clocks in with a bunch of X spells and activations with a different take on the classic Elf-Ball deck.
30. We take a look at a very old school sort of guy, Boris Devilboon, from the original Legends set, and then build a $33.58 deck around our good demonic friends.
31. It's time for a bit of an Orzhov Control loving, built around Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts and featuring a ton of removal, control, and more, all for the low, low price of $33.56.
32. Captain Sisay leads a fun, legendary infused deck that has a lot of great cards and synergy, but a light price, checking in at $33.46.
33. Ertai, the Corrupted sacrifices creatures and enchantments to counter spells. For $33.35, we have a great control-esque deck with some groovy sacrificing love.
34. With a modest budget of $33.32, Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis have a fun event and morph focused theme, without running a bunch of cards from their Commander 2016 Appearance. Check them out!
35. Built around the Old-School combo of Prodigal Sorcerer and Fungusaur, this Commander deck features a number of cards that deal damage to your own creatures so they get better. It clocks in at a humble $33.26.
36. With a Golgari Toughness-Matters theme, this Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper deck won't hurt your budget, but will do some damage for $33.15.
37. Grenzo, Dungeon Warden goes all crazy with graveyard and deck restocking shenanigans for a cheap $33.12. We even have an infinite combo in here!
38. Commander 2017 brings some powerful new options for Commander players everywhere. I put together a multiplayer-friendly control deck around Mathas, Fiend Seeker for just $33.10.
39. Don't you love the Izzet madness of Arjun, the Shifting Flame? No deck has more card drawing, or card drawing triggers, than this one! It clocks in at $33.04.
40. It doesn't have to be Halloween for you to enjoy the Monster Mash. Here we have a Grusilda, Monster Mash deck that enjoys mashing your dorks together, but not mashing your budget. It clocks in at $32.98
41. Don't Shatter your Budget with this build of the Shattergang Brothers, who's sacrificial ways won't sacrifice wallet, and just cost $32.94.
42. I saw Muldrotha, the Gravetide and I just fell in love with that face. Who wouldn't? Here's a graveyard abuse deck that won't break your bank, just your battlefield. And maybe some friendships. It was $32.89.
43. Who likes some Saprolings and having Fungal Fun? I do! Slimefoot, the Stowaway leads this cheap, flavorful deck that clocks in at $32.80. Every addition to the deck has to support the flavor of the Fungal concepts!
44. Who wants to untap and en-creature Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle? Who wants a fun budget build that's just $32.77? ME!
45. Next up is a budget build of Emmara, Soul of the Accord which is cheap and clocks in at $32.77. Check out it's token majesty!
46. I randomly selected Kefnet the Mindful for a random Commander challenge, and was inspired to combine my two series and build a Budget Commander deck around card-drawing and fun times with Kefnet! Check it out and it's $32.73 glory.
47. Let's build a fun graveyard and Mono-Green build around my second Portal: Three Kingdoms leader - Hua Tuo, Honored Physician. I really like this build, and for just $32.65, I hope you will too!
48. I built a fun budget Burn and Life gain deck around Firesong and Sunspeaker for a price tag of only $32.57! Want to check it out?
49. I built a fun deck around the partners Gorm the Great and Virtus the Veiled. This deck ran some cool cards, including the old school Basilisk and Lure combos. But it only cost $32.51. Don't you wanna check it out? Of course ya do!
50. For my 50th Budget Commander article, I decide to do something crazy! Let's build a Warrior themed deck around a very expensive Najeela, the Blade-Blossom, rather than my normal way of a budget leader. We come in at $42.45. You know you want to read it...
51. Want a Naya Gold deck? Literally? Built around the multicolored loving Rienne, Angel of Rebirth. It clocks it at $32.39. I know you want to find out how I ever could do that! Check it out!
52. I built a fun +1/+1 counter and enchantment-matters build around Eutropia the Twice-Favored for $32.33. Don't you wanna check it out?
53. I took the Skirmish deck I designed, Defy Death, and turned it into a Commander deck featuring Tariel, Reckoner of Souls for $32.28. Take a look and see what you think!
54. I created a fun token creature deck around Akim, the Soaring Wind from Commander 2020. It came in at $32.27! Enjoy it here!
55. I built a Mono-Blue scry and flying matters deck around the partners Eligeth, Crossroads Augur and Siani, Eye of the Storm, that came in under $32.23. It was fun! You can find it here!
56. I love a good crazy Commander to build around, like Hans Eriksson. My version of him ran cards like enrage led Dinosaurs, and mid-range cards you'd want to drop onto the battlefield with aplomb. The deck came in at $32.29. Want to check it out?
57. For my Selensya fans I built this crazy life gain and going wide build around Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn! It came in at $32.27 just two cents fewer than #56! Enjoy it here!
58. I built a big spells matter and ramp Simic deck around partners from Commander Legends Brinelin, the Moon Kraken and Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood. It features X spells like Hydras and big spells a go go! The budget? Just $32.73! Check it out here.
59. If you want to check out a cheap Orzhov +1/+1 Counters Matter brew, great! I've got you covered! I built around Shaile, Dean of Radiance and Embrose, Dean of Shadow. The total for this awesome build is $32.68. You can view it here.
60. That's this article you silly goof!