The world of Bloomburrow has officially opened its gates, and with it comes a delightful wave of anthropomorphic animal folk ready to jump into your next Magic: The Gathering Commander game. If you've been eyeing these charming new decks, you're in for a treat. Four distinct Commander decks are ready to hit the table on August 2nd, each offering a unique flavor of the Valley's adventures.
We've got 'Animated Army' (Red-Green), 'Family Matters' (Blue-Red-White), 'Peace Offering' (Green-White-Blue), and 'Squirreled Away' (Black-Green). Each of these pre-constructed powerhouses comes packed with a 100-card deck, featuring a borderless foil face commander and an alternate foil commander to really make your presence known. Plus, you'll find a special borderless foil 'Imagine: Courageous Critters' card, 10 brand-new cards exclusive to Magic, and a Bloomburrow Collector Booster sample. It's a complete package designed to get you right into the action.
But what if you're looking to build something truly your own, perhaps on a bit of a budget? That's where Bloomburrow really shines. The set is built around creature-centric strategies, with a strong emphasis on tribal synergies. Think squirrels, rabbits, mice, and badgers – they all get some love, with mechanics that buff them up, help you draw cards, or give you an edge in combat. And the best part? You don't need to break the bank to make these tribes sing. Many of the most impactful cards are actually uncommons and commons that punch way above their weight.
Take commanders like Flick, Swift Scout, Brambleclaw, Bushwhacker, or Pip, Fable Seeker. These are all fantastic leaders for tribal strategies and can often be found for under $5. They provide a clear direction for your deck and scale nicely as the game progresses. And it's not just the commanders; many non-legendary cards offer incredible value for under $3. It's a smart move to grab playsets of key uncommons early, as their prices can climb as more players discover their power.
Building a cohesive deck doesn't mean you need every expensive rare. The real magic happens when you maximize the interactions between these lower-cost cards. For instance, pairing cards that generate treasures with sacrifice outlets can create a neat loop of resources and card advantage. Or, you can use effects that bounce creatures back to your hand to protect your commander multiple times a game. Even something as simple as choosing budget-friendly mana bases, like Path of Ancestry, can make a huge difference in consistency without costing a fortune.
I recall a player, Mark, who managed to build a really solid $60 Squirrel tribal deck around Flick, Swift Scout. He focused on a good number of squirrel creatures, some lords to boost them, a few sacrifice outlets, and some interaction. His mana base was also carefully chosen for affordability. He found it performed quite well, proving that you can absolutely have a blast and be competitive in Commander with a smart budget build from Bloomburrow.
