What are budget versions of the staples in Magic: The Gathering? Now, staple cards are staples for a reason. They don't really have an equal, hence why they're played over other cards. BUT! What if we tried to get close? We continue with Blue!

Swan Song Budget Options

What is a Blue Staples in Magic: The Gathering? Let's start with a card that isn't too pricey: Swan Song. As of writing this article, it goes for about $15. It is an essential card for so many reasons: It counters enchantments, instants, and sorceries for one Blue. For its great value, it only gives a 2/2 bird in it's resolution to the controller. I really love this aspect of this card because the 2/2 bird isn't nothing, but it's not really much. To stop an Underworld Breech or a Cyclonic Rift for one Blue and gives a 2/2 bird, is staggering.

What are some budget options to play instead of Swan Song? The first budget replacement for this card is An Offer You Can't Refuse. This card goes for about $3-$4. This is a very interesting choice for me because in a lot of ways for one Blue An Offer You Can't Refuse, hits more targets. I like that this card can say no to anything except a creature. Any non-creature spell might be a Bolas's Citadel to an Aetherflux Reservoir combo which would have ended the game nearly decisively. The drawback here is that you give your opponent two treasures. That's ramp into their Commander next turn. That's treasure synergy. All in all, I tend to find that if I use An Offer You Can't Refuse, it is for late game, game ending spells. Giving 2 mana isn't really a major concern.

What are some budget options to play instead of Swan Song? Counterspell ($1.50) and Negate ($0.25) are also great choices. They cost a little more mana, but get the job done. Negate can counter non-creature spells, giving nothing in return, but it's one and a Blue. Counterspell can counter anything, which might be better in many situations -Craterhoof Behemoth situations. The problem is the two Blue pips in the mana cost for Counterspell. Two blue is rough in a deck that isn't two-colored or mono-colored.

Rhystic Study Budget Options

What is a Blue Staples in Magic: The Gathering? The cheapest Rhystic Study I could find was $30. This card is a house! It might be one of the best draw spells in the format. Whenever a player casts a spell, you may draw a card unless the controller pays 1. Any spell. This is a tax on each player for the rest of the game that might change the tempo of each player's win, unless they want to give the controller of Rhystic Study so much card advantage. The spooky thing about this interaction is that with all that card draw and being in Blue means that they are drawing their answers and their win-cons each time you don't pay. It's a spooky, kill-on-sight card.

What are some budget options to play instead of Rhystic Study? It has to be Mystic Remora. It's around $4. Whenever an opponent casts a non-creature spell, you may draw a card unless that player pays. It's not as versatile as Rhystic Study, hitting each spell, but it is harder to pay the cost, at a whopping . It's also only one Blue to cast. turn one or two, you can play this card and when others are non-creature ramping, you can gain that advantage. The problem comes with the Mystic Remora's cumulative upkeep. Each turn having to pay more and more mana to keep it around usually means it has to go at some time. When it goes might be pivotal.

Cyclonic Rift Budget Options

What is a Blue Staples in Magic: The Gathering? Cyclonic Rift is roughly $42. This card is an all-in-one knock-out card. For seven mana, you can reset every player except yourself. Cyclonic Rift-ing is a great way to increase the distance of value, but it is also an instant so it's protection when you need it most. If someone uses Craterhoof Behemoth and goes to combat and you have seven mana open, the game isn't over like one might think. There aren't many cards that do this asymmetrical disruption.

What are some budget options to play instead of Cyclonic Rift? It really depends on what aspect of Cyclonic Rift you'd like to utilize. Inundate ($4.50) is a card that for six mana bounces creatures that aren't Blue. This is helpful to clear the board if you're against other players who aren't playing Blue, but it only gets creatures. Cyclonic Rift gets all non-land permanents. Desynchronization ($4) is another option. It gets rid of non-historic permanents, which means their commanders are usually okay, but if it is a non-artifact token army, it bounces them to oblivion. Aetherize ($0.75), Evacuation ($0.50), and Filter Out ($1) are good options as well, but for the most part, they bounce everything. Aetherize will hit attacking creatures, Evacuation will hit all creatures, and Filter Out will hit all non-creature and non-land.

Fierce Guardianship Budget Option

What is a Blue Staples in Magic: The Gathering? The average cost of Fierce Guardianship is $45. In Commander, this is one of the ultimate counterspells. It's up there with Force of Will and Mana Drain. What makes it so good is that you don't need to have mana available or Blue cards in hand to counter a non-creature spell. All you need, in Commander, a game surrounding a Commander, is your Commander on the battlefield. If you don't, it's only Three mana to still use. It's a bit more for the rate, but it gives you options.

What are some budget options to play instead of Fierce Guardianship? At $8, Flare of Denial is a great choice. Even though you need to have a Blue, nontoken creature available to sacrifice to cast this for free, it counters anything. Having a Blue creature to sacrifice might be difficult in some situations, but it's still only three mana to hard-cast it. It's above the going rate like a counterspell, but it's versatile.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope this helps in your next deck-building session! @cashinds on X.