[MCD] Budget Win Conditions

[Mookie]

Slogged through a 3+ hour game today that ended in a semi-draw due to the store closing (two of the four starting players were knocked out), and found myself wishing I had another card or two capable of closing out the game. So, opening up a question for y'all: what are your favorite one-card budget win conditions?

For context, this was with my Kess deck, but I'm open to hearing favorites for any colors.

To start out the conversation, I'll shill for Sepulchral Primordial - a 5/4 evasive body that brings along three friends is a very solid board presence for pretty much any deck. (Diluvian Primordial is also quite nice)

If your commander has any form of evasion, I'm a fan of Blackblade Reforged, which is capable of enabling commander damage on even the smallest of commanders.

The other niche win condition (which I have never seen anyone else run) I'll call out is Colossus of Akros - it's not Blightsteel Colossus, but a 20/20 indestructible trampler is still excellent for closing out games, assuming your deck is generating giant piles of mana.

[pokken]

I'm all in on Dragon Throne of Tarkir in a budget deck =)

[BeneTleilax]

I just played my first game with it in Millicent, and yeah, it's a house. Also, the same people who look at Cathars' Crusade and freak out will look at Dragon Throne and go "oh, that's cute". It has so much text that people miss the word "trample". I'd also point out Strixhaven Stadium as something that turns every go-wide deck into basically infect. Most spellslinger wincons, no matter how janky, tend to be seen as "storm %$#%", and because spellslinger decks don't set up as visibly, potential wincons on board are treated as unknown, and thus serious, threats. Even stuff like Sphinx-Bone Wand raises eyebrows, in my experience. I will shout out Metallurgic Summonings as a solid way to churn out beaters while signalling that the actual win will take place on board, so people don't immediately suspect infinite on the stack when you untap.

[pokken]

oh how did I forget Gray Merchant of Asphodel =P the budgetyiest of budgety wincons.

Another one a buddy of mine clued me into many years ago that is pretty legit is Archetype of Imagination. Group flying and no flying for opponents can be really, really nasty.

[Toshi]

Few things as fun as turning semi-impressive unblocked creatures into lethal swings with Mercadia's Downfall or Rites of Initiation!

Biomass Mutation is for casuals.

[RxPhantom]

Lord of Tresserhorn has a lot of cool synergies, but sometimes I just want to leverage that 10 power. Tainted Strike + Chandra's Ignition have closed out quite a few games for me.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Not in your colors, bur Approach of the Second Sun is the best self-contained wincon of all time.

[TheGildedGoose]

Kess Control? Why not Torment of Hailfire? I guess it's not particularly budget anymore but it's a spell so nice you'll cast it twice.

[toctheyounger]

I too am a fan of Blackblade Reforged. Strong card in any deck that runs beaters or evasion.

Throne of the God-Pharaoh is solid in any token strategy.

Champion of Lambholt is an absolute beating with almost no extra steps involved.

Felidar Retreat is an absolute house that gives you value for what you were going to do anyway.

Specific to Kess theres Guttersnipe, Young Peezy and the muttering birb man. Free value often gets you there alone. Metallurgic Summonings is pretty great too. I guess you could even get Vial Smasher the Fierce in there but thats probably stretching the limit of budget a touch.

Finale of Promise seems good too, and Ignite Memories could be a blowout too.

[Mookie]

Kess Control? Why not Torment of Hailfire? I guess it's not particularly budget anymore but it's a spell so nice you'll cast it twice.

Yeah, Torment is a bit out of budget. It is certainly one of the best non-budget options though.

No idea how I forgot about Metallurgic Summonings, but it does seem like the perfect fit for my build - I think I even have a spare copy lying around.

[Serenade]

Runechanter's Pike is another good cheap equipment in Kess.

[pokken]

In kess could play crackle with power. It's a few bucks but worth it to just need to make 30 or so mana (very achievable).

[toctheyounger]

Crackle does seem like a really solid finisher.

[onering]

As a budget alternative to Torment, Exsanguinate stiller exists.

[RowanKeltizar]

For Kess, you should try Mana Geyser and Reiterate for infinite R and infinite copies of any spell. hehe