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Lite is an interesting concept – basically stated, there are no rares in the deck, and a limited amount of uncommons. Think about that, for a second. No rares. A deck that is as cheap as possible to build. If that doesn’t capture the spirit of Raiding the Dollar Bins, I don’t know what does! That’s why this week, I’m presenting to you, the first of a hopeful many “Raiding the Dollar Bins – Lite Edition.” The concept of Lite decks has been around since the game of Magic started way back in ‘93. Players would throw together the measly collections they had into decks, and a lot of times, you’d get only one or two rares to work with, and if you were extremely lucky, they were the same color. Kids would throw together their Craw Wurms, Giant Growths, and Grizzly Bears, and play.
The idea really came to focus in early 2002, when the-ever-so-infamous Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar (try saying that three times fast) started making casual decks that contained no rares in his House of Cards column. This was a big deal for all kitchen-table players, and the column has continued to make Lite decks for the 3½ years that it’s been under the writership of three different authors. Its original form and function was the brilliant brainchild of Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar, who fully developed the idea of casual Lite decks. In late 2003, about a year after the House of Cards was built, Moldenhauer-Salazar left the column to pursue a writing career, among other reasons. Picking up in early March of the same year, Mark Gottlieb, affectionately known to casual players the world around as MaGo, took the idea of the House of Cards and Lite, and took it that one step further. If Jay had made the column respectable, then Mark made it popular. It was a great read, and I used to spend afternoons just looking at decklist after decklist, pruning and picking ideas, mutating and manipulating deck builds, and generally having a blast playing Magic. But the reign of the good Doctor Wombat (Mark’s Magic Online username) could not last. In mid July of 2005, MaGo stepped out of column mode and into Rules Manager mode. The House had fallen, it seemed. Then, early this year, a relative unknown, Chris Millar, took up the House of Cards banner – Lite lives on with a new master. Hopefully he shall prove himself to be a worthy flag-bearer. But enough of my rambling – For the three of you who haven’t already skipped to the first decklist, here we go!
Surprised? Shocked? Mystified? Awed? Wonderstruck? Bamboozled? No? Eh, it was worth a shot. Glazed Donuts is a deck that primarily likes and uses a fun uncommon from Ravnica – Halcyon Glaze. I have to admit, ever since I’ve seen Halcyon Glaze, I’ve been secretly collecting every one I could find. Whether it’s the art, the idea, the 4/4 flying body for three measly mana, the illegal drugs they mix in with the card ink, or my fondness of glazed donuts, I’ve been enamored with it since the day I pulled one from a pack of Ravnica. It also happens to be a great beater when you package it with a little spirit from Saviors of Kamigawa. So, from perspectives unknown, an addiction to card ink, and the love of glazed donuts, the idea was born: build a deck that activates Halcyon Glaze each turn, and do it with only commons and uncommons. Viashino Sandstalker became my third card inclusion because
of its similarity to Glitterfang (that little spirit from Saviors of Kamigawa I
was talking about), and its significant 4 power for three mana. (This deck has a
thing for cheap 4 power creatures). Steamcore Weird and Ogre Savant were both
added to clear the way for your Illusions and Viashinos. The Izzet were very
kind to this deck, giving it not only the Weirds and Ogres, but also one of the
best burn spells to be printed in quite a long time – Electrolyze. Who doesn’t
like dealing damage and drawing cards at the same time?
1) Remember the many uses of Electrolyze. Electrolyze can kill smaller threats with 2 toughness, two creatures with 1 toughness apiece (mana accelerators like Birds of Paradise and Llanowar Elves come readily to mind), or in a pinch, deal 2 damage to a player’s dome (life total). As long as the spell resolves, it will replace itself with a shiny new card! 2) Play creatures first. Normally, you want to play creatures after your attack step so you can have mana open to do combat tricks and the like. In this deck, that is not the case. You need to drop a creature in your first Main phase so that you can get the full effect of Halcyon Glaze. Plus, it’d be just silly to play Viashino Sandstalker or Glitterfang after you attack, wouldn’t it? Card Suggestions Pleasant peasant suggestions include: Counterspell, Hearth Kami, Izzet Chronarch, Mana Leak, Martyr of Ashes, Mistblade Shinobi, Ninja of the Deep Hours, Oppressive Will, Pyromatics, Remove Soul, Repeal, Rune Snag, Seal of Fire, Shatter, Shock, Snapping Drake, Sokenzan Spellblade, Surging Flame, Train of Thought, Vision Skeins, Volcanic Hammer, and WEEEEEEE!!!!!!! (Dragonauts, that is.) And, if you aren’t satisfied with that long-winded list of commons, maybe you’d like to break the mold a bit. In that case, some rares might stir your fancy.
A great way to protect your bouncing critters from spot removal is to give them the help of Kira, the Great Glass Spinner. Sure, it looks like a giant floating mushroom incased in Jello, but it’s ability makes it worth the 1UU you’ll pay to play it. There’s nothing like fresh card advantage in the morning! Another more controlish option is Suffocating Blast. At four mana, it’s an expensive counterspell, but it’s almost guaranteed card advantage. Who wouldn’t like to torch an opponent’s Firemane Angel while they’re countering a Zur’s Weirding? Leyline of Lightning is a fun little enchantment in this deck. Sure, it’s no Lightning Rift, but you will be playing creatures over and over again. Why not get a little pain (well, pain for your opponent) out of the process? Niv-Mizzet may not fit the idea of the deck, but he certainly likes the card drawing from Accumulated Knowledge and Compulsive Research. He might join the party if you praise and beg him enough. That, or shell out the 5 dollars it costs to get one at your local hobby shop. Prophetic Bolt is a nice bit of damage, and so is Char. More creature control in this deck may be a good idea, as you want to keep the ground clear for all your Viashinos and Glitterfangs. Well, that was fun! Hey, wait a minute, who ate all my donuts? This next deck uses a little 5 mana enchantment from Dissension. While it isn’t terribly good in Limited, and it costs too much for Standard, this little gem is a blast in a casual Lite deck. The card I’m thinking of? Palliation Accord. Let’s take a look at the deck.
The premise of According to the Decoy is actually pretty simple. In the early game, you keep busy by playing out your cheap creatures, and then stall the game by using those said creatures to tap your opponent’s creatures. If there are no creatures out, attack attack attack! Snapping Drake and Thieving Magpie help finish the game and get card advantage respectively, Eventually, You can drop Palliation Accord, and stop having to take any damage from your opponent’s spells or creatures, since you’ll be building up shield counters every time you use your Minister of Impediments or Azorius Guildmage. Faith’s Fetters and Mana Leak give a little control option to the deck, letting it take care of pesky threats. Creatures that can’t be targeted by spells are abilities are a pain for this deck, so make sure if you’re facing a green fading deck that you counter those Blastoderms. Things to Remember 1) Palliation Accord stacks. Double Palliation Accord means double your fun! This, in laymans terms, means double the shield counters, which means double the prevented life. Grizzly Bears causing you trouble? Not without some help they aren’t! 2) Use your tappers at the end of your opponent’s turn. Your Decoys, Ministers, and Guildmages all should be getting workouts at the end of your opponents turn. Use that time to use up extra mana with the Azorius Guildmage and Master Decoy. You’ll collect shield counters, and have everything untapped for your next turn. 3) Palliation Accord activates even if you don’t have your tappers. Say your opponent tapped his Prodigal Sorcerer to deal you 1 damage. Your Accord gets a counter when the Sorcerer tapped, so you can prevent that damage. Keep that kind of thing in mind whenever your opponent Convokes out their Seige Wurm. Card Suggestions
Ready and “rare”ing to go? Check out Teferi's Moat, for starters. It’s a great way to keep opponents at bay, and it’s pretty good on the budget. Like the Moat? Check out Blazing Archon as a finisher. Creatures can’t attack you? That’s great. A 5/6 flying body to go along with it? Even better! Glorious Anthem is always a nice creature booster, and it’ll keep most of your tappers away from Pyroclasm and Infest shenanigans. It’s not as pricey as it used to be, and it’s a great addition to any collection. A playset of Anthems is something every player should have, casual or not. (Same goes with Wrath of God, by the way) Grand Arbiter Augustin IV goes into this deck without much effort. He can replace your Familiars and make all your guys cheaper. Plus, he slows your opponent down. What’s not to love? Jushi Apprentice is a cute way to draw an extra card each turn. He’s worth the slot, or, if you prefer, you could check out Kami of the Crescent Moon or Howling Mine. Marble Titan is also a great addition to this deck. If your opponent has a crazy big creature you don’t want to see attack ever again, tap it with one of your guys and watch it never wake up again. Impressive for a Giant rock, eh? That’s it for me this time around. The contest results are finally done, and now it’s Raiding the Dollar Bins 24/7!!! Well, maybe not quite. I’ll be doing a special for Avatar Week sometime soon, so keep your eyes peeled for more Raiding the Dollar Bins down the road! Death_By_Beebles Death_By_Beebles is really a nice guy, no matter what people say. He lives on a farm sometimes, and goes to school the rest of the time. He enjoys playing casual magic online, so if you see him on MTGO or MWS (addy DeathByBeebles), give him a shout. He thinks kittens are cute. If you have a supposed junk or dollar rare that you would like Death_By_Beebles to cover in Raiding the Dollar Bins, contact him at : deathbybeebles@yahoo.com You can discuss this article in the MDV forums here. Articles
Spotlights from 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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When
I began this column around this time last year, I never thought I’d have written
this much, or this little, about casual Magic. It was always my goal in my
playgroup to make decks on the cheap. Having a lot of goals and a little cash,
it was hard to play some of the expensive decks my friends were putting
together. Thus, building a deck around a rare you could get a play set of for
fewer than four dollars became a hobby, and then a passion of mine. But, the
more you think about it, four dollars is still the price of a booster for only
four cards. That’s still pretty expensive for some players. That’s why Lite
decks were invented.
Glazed
Donuts. 
Things
to Remember
Pandemonium?
That’s a card with style. Sure, your opponent gets to deal damage with their
creatures too, but in all honesty, yours don’t stick around. That means an
additional four damage for 1RR, one damage for R, plus the possibility of an
attack. Talk about a great deal! And, if you’re all about Pandemonium tricks,
check out Imaginary Pet, recently printed in Ninth Edition. I’ll pay 1U to deal
four damage any day.
According
to the Decoy. 
Powerful
pauper paper pieces include, but are not limited to: Azorius First-Wing, Choking
Tethers, Counterspell, Galina’s Knight, Loxodon Mystic, Mystic Restraints,
Overrule, Plumes of Peace, Remove Soul, Repeal, Rhystic Deluge, Rune Snag,
Squall Drifter, and Stormscape Apprentice.