Premodern Chronicles

Budget Premodern Decks (2026)

Premodern has a reputation for Reserved List prices, but the format allows reprints. With the cheapest legal printing of every card, these 21 tournament lists cost $78 to $482, among them Sligh and Goblins, numbers 2 and 3 on our tier list. In the original Premodern-era printings the same lists cost $256 to $1,588. New to Premodern? Our guide to your first Premodern deck picks five of these decks for beginners and explains how they play.

Prices from 28 October 2026, updated daily.

All budget decks at a glance

DeckTier list rankWith reprintsOriginal printingsStyle
Sligh2$410$1,282Aggro
Goblins3$239$1,411Aggro
Landstill7$345$1,107Control
Stasis11$175$383Control
Psychatog13$263$885Control
UG Madness14$89$406Aggro
The Rock15$255$731Midrange
RG Zoo16$321$1,338Aggro
Reanimator17$365$708Combo
Deadguy Ale18$104$519Midrange
Tron19$159$558Control
Clerics20$300$645Midrange
The Solution21$235$1,457Aggro
Dromar Control22$203$1,588Control
Zombies24$244$379Aggro
White Weenie26$482$710Aggro
BW Control27$122$696Control
Pit Rack29$438$633Control
Rebels30$166$882Midrange
Contamination31$351$1,133Control
Fluctuator33$78$256Combo

Reprints or original printings?

The format's rules recommend allowing every tournament-legal reprint of a card from the legal sets, Fourth Edition to Scourge (premodernmagic.com), and most events follow that; ask the organizer if you are unsure. A reprint plays exactly like the original. A Polluted Delta from Khans of Tarkir costs $20, the Onslaught original $126. For the typical deck on this page, reprints cut the price of the list by about 70 percent. Many players still collect the old frames, so every deck shows both prices, and the decklists show both printings of every card.

Sligh

Number 2 on our tier list, aggro. Attack with one-mana creatures, burn blockers or the opponent, and finish with Fireblast.

$410 with the cheapest legal printings, $1,282 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 64, BCDL Open #5, Columbus, Ohio, 23 August 2026.

Most of the price is 2 Cursed Scroll ($184), 4 Wooded Foothills ($69) and 4 Bloodstained Mire ($69). Reprints save the most on Wooded Foothills: $17 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $121 in Onslaught. Cursed Scroll has no cheaper printing ($92 a copy).

Sligh decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Sligh deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Goblins

Number 3 on our tier list, aggro. Goblin Lackey into a free Piledriver, backed by Rishadan Port and Wasteland.

$239 with the cheapest legal printings, $1,411 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 28, Croatian Premodern Nationals, Zagreb, 27 June 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Wooded Foothills ($69), 4 Goblin Lackey ($37) and 2 Wasteland ($29). Reprints save the most on Wooded Foothills: $17 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $121 in Onslaught.

Goblins decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Goblins deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Landstill

Number 7 on our tier list, control. Counterspells answer their spells, Standstill punishes the first one, and Mishra's Factory and Decree of Justice win without casting any.

$345 with the cheapest legal printings, $1,107 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 126, New England Summer Regional, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 11 July 2026.

Most of the price is 1 Humility ($73), 1 Powder Keg ($70) and 4 Flooded Strand ($60). Reprints save the most on Flooded Strand: $15 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $121 in Onslaught. Humility, Powder Keg and Thawing Glaciers have no cheaper printing ($73, $70 and $27 each).

Landstill decklist

Main deck (60)

  • 4 Counterspell: $2.01 (FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages), original printing $2.55
  • 4 Impulse: $0.16 (Game Night: Free For All), original printing $1.38
  • 4 Mana Leak: $0.19 (Magic 2011), original printing $0.54
  • 4 Swords to Plowshares: $1.13 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $6.44
  • 3 Disenchant: $0.08 (Foundations), original printing $0.22
  • 2 Fact or Fiction: $0.19 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $7.01
  • 2 Prohibit: $0.16 (Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska), original printing $0.33
  • 3 Decree of Justice: $0.24 (Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora), original printing $19
  • 2 Wrath of God: $3.21 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $6.89
  • 4 Standstill: $2.18 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $8.67
  • 1 Humility: $73
  • 1 Powder Keg: $70
  • 5 Island: $0.84
  • 4 Adarkar Wastes: $0.32 (Commander: Edge of Eternities), original printing $5.36
  • 4 Flooded Strand: $15 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $121
  • 4 Mishra's Factory: $0.19 (The List), original printing $8.56
  • 4 Plains: $0.66
  • 2 Dust Bowl: $1.09 (Breaking News), original printing $40
  • 1 Coastal Tower: $0.17 (Starter Commander Decks), original printing $2.18
  • 1 Faerie Conclave: $0.53 (The List), original printing $2.80
  • 1 Kor Haven: $18

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Landstill deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Stasis

Number 11 on our tier list, control. No one untaps under Stasis, while Forsaken City pays its upkeep, free spells cost only Islands and Black Vise deals the damage.

$175 with the cheapest legal printings, $383 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 50, Midwest Championship Open, Madison, Wisconsin, 30 August 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Stasis ($38), 4 Chain of Vapor ($35) and 4 Forsaken City ($26). Reprints save the most on Shivan Reef: $0.28 a copy from Commander: Aetherdrift instead of $26 in Apocalypse.

Stasis decklist

Main deck (60)

  • 4 Black Vise: $0.47 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $3.98
  • 4 Chain of Vapor: $8.66 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $12
  • 4 Counterspell: $2.01 (FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages), original printing $2.55
  • 4 Gush: $2.30 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $5.47
  • 4 Impulse: $0.16 (Game Night: Free For All), original printing $1.38
  • 3 Fire // Ice: $0.19 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $2.57
  • 3 Thwart: $3.83
  • 2 Daze: $0.89 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $2.49
  • 1 Flash of Insight: $0.45 (The List), original printing $1.94
  • 3 Portent: $0.36 (Commander 2018), original printing $0.45
  • 4 Stasis: $9.50 (Fifth Edition), original printing $10
  • 1 Root Maze: $2.36 (Special Guests), original printing $12
  • 16 Island: $0.84
  • 4 Forsaken City: $6.53 (The List), original printing $12
  • 3 Shivan Reef: $0.28 (Commander: Aetherdrift), original printing $26

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Stasis deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Psychatog

Number 13 on our tier list, control. Counterspells buy time, Gush and Accumulated Knowledge draw cards, and Psychatog turns your hand and graveyard into damage.

$263 with the cheapest legal printings, $885 in the original printings. Decklist: 2nd of 31, MTGO Premodern Challenge, 19 September 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Polluted Delta ($79), 1 Powder Keg ($70) and 4 Psychatog ($23). Reprints save the most on Polluted Delta: $20 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $126 in Onslaught. Powder Keg has no cheaper printing ($70 a copy).

Psychatog decklist

Main deck (60)

  • 4 Accumulated Knowledge: $0.31 (Masters 25), original printing $1.09
  • 3 Opt: $0.10 (Foundations), original printing $0.78
  • 4 Polluted Delta: $20 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $126
  • 3 Impulse: $0.16 (Game Night: Free For All), original printing $1.38
  • 10 Island: $0.84
  • 4 Gush: $2.30 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $5.47
  • 4 Counterspell: $2.01 (FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages), original printing $2.55
  • 2 Swamp: $0.38
  • 3 Duress: $0.09 (Dragons of Tarkir), original printing $0.64
  • 1 Chain of Vapor: $8.66 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $12
  • 1 Powder Keg: $70
  • 1 Sickening Dreams: $3.23
  • 3 Underground River: $0.64 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $8.35
  • 1 Annul: $0.18 (Theros), original printing $2.47
  • 2 Lim-Dûl's Vault: $2.35 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $5.00
  • 3 Smother: $0.23 (Worldwake), original printing $2.66
  • 4 Portent: $0.36 (Commander 2018), original printing $0.45
  • 4 Psychatog: $5.78
  • 3 Foil: $1.63 (The List), original printing $12

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Psychatog deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

UG Madness

Number 14 on our tier list, aggro. Wild Mongrel discards, Basking Rootwalla and Arrogant Wurm come down cheap through madness, and Daze and Circular Logic protect the lead.

$89 with the cheapest legal printings, $406 in the original printings. Decklist: Top 4 of 64, Bay Area Eternal 3K Open, San Carlos, California, 23 August 2026.

No single card costs much: the priciest is Cave-In at $17 a copy. Reprints save the most on Yavimaya Coast: $0.30 a copy from Secrets of Strixhaven Commander instead of $28 in Apocalypse. Cave-In has no cheaper printing ($17 a copy).

UG Madness decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern UG Madness deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

The Rock

Number 15 on our tier list, midrange. Take their best cards with Duress and Cabal Therapy, sweep the board with Pernicious Deed and win the long game with bigger creatures.

$255 with the cheapest legal printings, $731 in the original printings. Decklist: 3rd of 41, MTGO Premodern Challenge, 10 September 2026.

Most of the price is 1 Deranged Hermit ($88), 1 Recurring Nightmare ($81) and 4 Engineered Plague ($25). Reprints save the most on Llanowar Wastes: $0.66 a copy from Secret Lair Drop instead of $29 in Apocalypse. Deranged Hermit and Recurring Nightmare have no cheaper printing ($88 and $81 each).

The Rock decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern The Rock deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

RG Zoo

Number 16 on our tier list, aggro. Sligh's one-drops and burn, plus green threats that outgrow them: Quirion Dryad, Call of the Herd and Treetop Village.

$321 with the cheapest legal printings, $1,338 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 156, 4Seasons Spring Edition, Bologna, 13 June 2026.

Most of the price is 3 Sylvan Library ($79), 4 Wooded Foothills ($69) and 4 Wasteland ($59). Reprints save the most on Wooded Foothills: $17 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $121 in Onslaught.

RG Zoo decklist

Main deck (60)

  • 4 Basking Rootwalla: $0.22 (Mystery Booster 2), original printing $0.93
  • 4 Mogg Fanatic: $0.24 (Eternal Masters), original printing $0.98
  • 3 Grim Lavamancer: $0.32 (Jumpstart), original printing $20
  • 3 Wild Mongrel: $0.22 (Ultimate Masters), original printing $0.36
  • 4 Lightning Bolt: $0.71 (FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages), original printing $2.45
  • 3 Fire // Ice: $0.19 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $2.57
  • 3 Naturalize: $0.06 (Magic 2015), original printing $1.63
  • 4 Call of the Herd: $0.17 (The List), original printing $22
  • 3 Seal of Fire: $0.21 (Dissension), original printing $0.55
  • 3 Sylvan Library: $26 (Secret Lair Drop), original printing $33
  • 2 Rancor: $1.02 (The List), original printing $1.52
  • 4 Karplusan Forest: $0.42 (Commander: Aetherdrift), original printing $4.68
  • 4 Treetop Village: $0.33 (Duel Decks: Garruk vs. Liliana), original printing $4.43
  • 4 Wasteland: $15 (Secret Lair Countdown), original printing $46
  • 4 Wooded Foothills: $17 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $121
  • 3 Mountain: $0.33
  • 2 Bloodstained Mire: $17 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $85
  • 2 City of Brass: $12 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Eternal), original printing $33
  • 1 Forest: $0.32

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern RG Zoo deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Reanimator

Number 17 on our tier list, combo. Discard Akroma or Phantom Nishoba, return it with Reanimate or Exhume, and attack on turn one or two.

$365 with the cheapest legal printings, $708 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 74, Nantuko League, 31 August 2026.

Most of the price is 2 Powder Keg ($140), 4 Multani, Maro-Sorcerer ($64) and 4 Reanimate ($33). Reprints save the most on Akroma, Angel of Wrath: $2.17 a copy from The List instead of $21 in Legions. Powder Keg and Multani, Maro-Sorcerer have no cheaper printing ($70 and $16 each).

Reanimator decklist

Main deck (61)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Reanimator deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Deadguy Ale

Number 18 on our tier list, midrange. Duress, Gerrard's Verdict and Hypnotic Specter empty their hand, then Phyrexian Arena and Exalted Angel win the long game.

$104 with the cheapest legal printings, $519 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 32, Lega Premodern La Contea, Rolo, Italy, 3 July 2026.

No single card costs much: the priciest is Phyrexian Furnace at $6.34 a copy. Reprints save the most on Exalted Angel: $2.46 a copy from Commander: Murders at Karlov Manor instead of $33 in Onslaught.

Deadguy Ale decklist

Main deck (60)

  • 4 Exalted Angel: $2.46 (Commander: Murders at Karlov Manor), original printing $33
  • 4 Hypnotic Specter: $1.94 (Ninth Edition), original printing $6.94
  • 2 Desolation Angel: $1.64 (The List), original printing $3.42
  • 1 Blinding Angel: $5.05 (Eighth Edition), original printing $7.07
  • 4 Dark Ritual: $3.90 (Urza's Saga), original printing $4.99
  • 4 Swords to Plowshares: $1.13 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $6.44
  • 2 Disenchant: $0.08 (Foundations), original printing $0.22
  • 4 Duress: $0.09 (Dragons of Tarkir), original printing $0.64
  • 4 Gerrard's Verdict: $0.12 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $0.95
  • 4 Vindicate: $0.34 (Commander: FINAL FANTASY), original printing $12
  • 2 Wrath of God: $3.21 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $6.89
  • 2 Phyrexian Arena: $2.56 (Magic: The Gathering Foundations: Promos), original printing $20
  • 10 Swamp: $0.38
  • 6 Plains: $0.66
  • 4 Caves of Koilos: $0.33 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $16
  • 3 Tainted Field: $0.33 (Duel Decks: Sorin vs. Tibalt), original printing $1.38

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Deadguy Ale deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Tron

Number 19 on our tier list, control. Once all three Urza lands are out, Tron holds up a counterspell and still has mana to cycle Decree of Justice for Soldiers at the end of their turn.

$159 with the cheapest legal printings, $558 in the original printings. Decklist: Top 4 of 34, Magico Conclave Etrusco league, Riparbella, Italy, 21 August 2026.

Most of the price is 2 Enlightened Tutor ($67), 1 Masticore ($37) and 2 Hydroblast ($9). Reprints save the most on Decree of Justice: $0.24 a copy from Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora instead of $19 in Scourge. Masticore has no cheaper printing ($37 a copy).

Tron decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Tron deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Clerics

Number 20 on our tier list, midrange. Dark Supplicant sacrifices three Clerics for Scion of Darkness, and Rotlung Reanimator gives you a 2/2 Zombie for every Cleric that dies.

$300 with the cheapest legal printings, $645 in the original printings. Decklist: 7th of 185, Czech Premodern Nationals, Prague, 26 September 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Rotlung Reanimator ($77), 2 Phyrexian Tower ($61) and 2 Diabolic Intent ($27). Reprints save the most on Tormod's Crypt: $0.40 a copy from Core 2021 instead of $30 in The Dark. Rotlung Reanimator has no cheaper printing ($19 a copy).

Clerics decklist

Main deck (65)

Sideboard (15)

  • 3 Gloom: $0.42 (Fourth Edition), original printing $0.63
  • 3 Engineered Plague: $6.19 (Urza's Legacy), original printing $7.03
  • 2 Tormod's Crypt: $0.40 (Core 2021), original printing $30
  • 2 Terror: $0.11 (Duels of the Planeswalkers Decks), original printing $0.19
  • 2 Cabal Therapy: $4.78 (Eternal Masters), original printing $19
  • 1 Perish: $0.40
  • 1 Nevinyrral's Disk: $0.25 (Foundations Commander), original printing $4.55
  • 1 Grave Pact: $24 (Secret Lair Drop), original printing $32

Full Premodern Clerics deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

The Solution

Number 21 on our tier list, aggro. Meddling Mage stops their key card, Mother of Runes protects your creatures, and Lightning Angel attacks from turn four.

$235 with the cheapest legal printings, $1,457 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 95, Polish Premodern Nationals, Poland, 25 July 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Polluted Delta ($79), 4 Flooded Strand ($60) and 3 Mother of Runes ($24). Reprints save the most on Polluted Delta: $20 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $126 in Onslaught.

The Solution decklist

Main deck (60)

  • 4 Meddling Mage: $1.56 (The List), original printing $35
  • 4 Mesmeric Fiend: $0.73 (The List), original printing $1.43
  • 3 Mother of Runes: $8.09 (The List), original printing $13
  • 3 Shadowmage Infiltrator: $0.28 (Modern Masters 2015), original printing $5.40
  • 2 Exalted Angel: $2.46 (Commander: Murders at Karlov Manor), original printing $33
  • 1 Willbender: $0.12 (Commander 2014), original printing $0.27
  • 4 Mana Leak: $0.19 (Magic 2011), original printing $0.54
  • 4 Swords to Plowshares: $1.13 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $6.44
  • 2 Fact or Fiction: $0.19 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $7.01
  • 2 Skeletal Scrying: $0.27 (Commander 2014), original printing $3.86
  • 1 Dromar's Charm: $0.31
  • 4 Duress: $0.09 (Dragons of Tarkir), original printing $0.64
  • 3 Portent: $0.36 (Commander 2018), original printing $0.45
  • 2 Vindicate: $0.34 (Commander: FINAL FANTASY), original printing $12
  • 4 Flooded Strand: $15 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $121
  • 4 Polluted Delta: $20 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $126
  • 3 Island: $0.84
  • 2 Adarkar Wastes: $0.32 (Commander: Edge of Eternities), original printing $5.36
  • 2 Caves of Koilos: $0.33 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $16
  • 2 Plains: $0.66
  • 2 Swamp: $0.38
  • 1 Dromar's Cavern: $0.20 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $0.57
  • 1 Underground River: $0.64 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $8.35

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern The Solution deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Dromar Control

Number 22 on our tier list, control. Meddling Mage keeps their key card from being cast, Swords to Plowshares and Vindicate remove one threat at a time, and Shadowmage Infiltrator draws a card each time it hits the opponent.

$203 with the cheapest legal printings, $1,588 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 27, Monthly Premodern Beagá, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 30 June 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Polluted Delta ($79), 4 Flooded Strand ($60) and 2 Engineered Plague ($12). Reprints save the most on Polluted Delta: $20 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $126 in Onslaught.

Dromar Control decklist

Main deck (60)

  • 4 Exalted Angel: $2.46 (Commander: Murders at Karlov Manor), original printing $33
  • 4 Meddling Mage: $1.56 (The List), original printing $35
  • 1 Crypt Angel: $2.38
  • 4 Dromar's Charm: $0.31
  • 4 Swords to Plowshares: $1.13 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $6.44
  • 3 Impulse: $0.16 (Game Night: Free For All), original printing $1.38
  • 3 Mana Leak: $0.19 (Magic 2011), original printing $0.54
  • 2 Fact or Fiction: $0.19 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $7.01
  • 2 Skeletal Scrying: $0.27 (Commander 2014), original printing $3.86
  • 4 Duress: $0.09 (Dragons of Tarkir), original printing $0.64
  • 2 Vindicate: $0.34 (Commander: FINAL FANTASY), original printing $12
  • 2 Wrath of God: $3.21 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $6.89
  • 1 Decree of Justice: $0.24 (Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora), original printing $19
  • 4 Flooded Strand: $15 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $121
  • 4 Polluted Delta: $20 (Khans of Tarkir), original printing $126
  • 3 Adarkar Wastes: $0.32 (Commander: Edge of Eternities), original printing $5.36
  • 3 Island: $0.84
  • 3 Plains: $0.66
  • 3 Underground River: $0.64 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $8.35
  • 2 Caves of Koilos: $0.33 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $16
  • 2 Swamp: $0.38

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Dromar Control deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Zombies

Number 24 on our tier list, aggro. Two-power one-drops, a lord that brings Zombies back, and a Shepherd that drains for every Zombie on the table.

$244 with the cheapest legal printings, $379 in the original printings. Decklist: 4th of 24, La Parroquia Friday Night, Palma, Spain, 17 July 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Rotlung Reanimator ($77), 4 Sarcomancy ($65) and 4 Cabal Therapy ($19). Reprints save the most on Cabal Therapy: $4.78 a copy from Eternal Masters instead of $19 in Judgment. Rotlung Reanimator and Sarcomancy have no cheaper printing ($19 and $16 each).

Zombies decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

  • 3 Zombie Master: $0.49 (Commander: Aetherdrift), original printing $4.69
  • 3 Snuff Out: $4.86 (Commander: FINAL FANTASY), original printing $7.05
  • 3 Engineered Plague: $6.19 (Urza's Legacy), original printing $7.03
  • 3 Ebony Charm: $0.19
  • 3 Duress: $0.09 (Dragons of Tarkir), original printing $0.64

Full Premodern Zombies deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

White Weenie

Number 26 on our tier list, aggro. Cheap white creatures with shadow and protection, then Armageddon once the board is yours.

$482 with the cheapest legal printings, $710 in the original printings. Decklist: Top 8 of 27, Geddon Gang Fall 1K, Warrior, Alabama, 26 September 2026.

Most of the price is 2 Cursed Scroll ($184), 3 Tithe ($112) and 2 Enlightened Tutor ($67). Reprints save the most on Exalted Angel: $2.46 a copy from Commander: Murders at Karlov Manor instead of $33 in Onslaught. Cursed Scroll and Tithe have no cheaper printing ($92 and $37 each).

White Weenie decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern White Weenie deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

BW Control

Number 27 on our tier list, control. Answer everything, sweep the board, then let Decree of Justice and a recurring Eternal Dragon win the long game.

$122 with the cheapest legal printings, $696 in the original printings. Decklist: Top 4 of 125, Buckeye Brawl II, Columbus, Ohio, 12 September 2026.

No single card costs much: the priciest is Enlightened Tutor at $34 a copy. Reprints save the most on Exalted Angel: $2.46 a copy from Commander: Murders at Karlov Manor instead of $33 in Onslaught.

BW Control decklist

Main deck (61)

  • 4 Exalted Angel: $2.46 (Commander: Murders at Karlov Manor), original printing $33
  • 3 Eternal Dragon: $0.43 (Commander: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms), original printing $10
  • 2 Phyrexian Furnace: $6.34 (The List), original printing $9.86
  • 4 Swords to Plowshares: $1.13 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $6.44
  • 2 Skeletal Scrying: $0.27 (Commander 2014), original printing $3.86
  • 1 Diabolic Edict: $0.15 (Jumpstart 2022), original printing $0.36
  • 4 Duress: $0.09 (Dragons of Tarkir), original printing $0.64
  • 4 Gerrard's Verdict: $0.12 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $0.95
  • 4 Vindicate: $0.34 (Commander: FINAL FANTASY), original printing $12
  • 3 Decree of Justice: $0.24 (Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora), original printing $19
  • 2 Cabal Therapy: $4.78 (Eternal Masters), original printing $19
  • 2 Wrath of God: $3.21 (Dominaria Remastered), original printing $6.89
  • 1 Decree of Pain: $0.33 (Commander 2017), original printing $3.72
  • 1 Infest: $0.10 (Conspiracy: Take the Crown), original printing $0.40
  • 8 Plains: $0.66
  • 8 Swamp: $0.38
  • 4 Caves of Koilos: $0.33 (Reality Fracture Commander), original printing $16
  • 2 Dust Bowl: $1.09 (Breaking News), original printing $40
  • 1 Barren Moor: $0.16 (Archenemy), original printing $0.32
  • 1 Secluded Steppe: $0.11 (Archenemy), original printing $0.27

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern BW Control deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Pit Rack

Number 29 on our tier list, control. Empty their hand with discard, then The Rack and Bottomless Pit keep it empty and make every upkeep hurt.

$438 with the cheapest legal printings, $633 in the original printings. Decklist: Top 4 of 47, Tremor Cup, Groningen, Netherlands, 20 September 2026.

Most of the price is 2 Cursed Scroll ($184), 2 Dystopia ($90) and 3 Phyrexian Negator ($42). Reprints save the most on Wasteland: $15 a copy from Secret Lair Countdown instead of $46 in Tempest. Cursed Scroll and Dystopia have no cheaper printing ($92 and $45 each).

Pit Rack decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Pit Rack deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Rebels

Number 30 on our tier list, midrange. Rebels that search for Rebels: every searcher that survives puts another creature onto the battlefield, and Counterspell cannot stop it.

$166 with the cheapest legal printings, $882 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 24, Liga Paulista, São Paulo, 7 June 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Flooded Strand ($60), 3 Mother of Runes ($24) and 2 Phyrexian Furnace ($13). Reprints save the most on Flooded Strand: $15 a copy from Khans of Tarkir instead of $121 in Onslaught.

Rebels decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Rebels deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Contamination

Number 31 on our tier list, control. Every land on the table taps for black mana only: Contamination starves the other colors, and a returning Nether Spirit keeps paying for it.

$351 with the cheapest legal printings, $1,133 in the original printings. Decklist: 1st of 17, UC Late Night, Nuremberg, 21 August 2026.

Most of the price is 4 Dystopia ($180), 3 Wasteland ($44) and 4 Engineered Plague ($25). Reprints save the most on Rishadan Port: $6.89 a copy from Mystery Booster 2 instead of $106 in Mercadian Masques. Dystopia has no cheaper printing ($45 a copy).

Contamination decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

Full Premodern Contamination deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Fluctuator

Number 33 on our tier list, combo. Fluctuator makes every cycle free: discard twenty blue creatures, then turn them into black mana and one lethal Haunting Misery.

$78 with the cheapest legal printings, $256 in the original printings. Decklist: 2nd of 27, Magico Conclave Etrusco, Cecina, Italy, 12 June 2026.

No single card costs much: the priciest is Misdirection at $12 a copy. Reprints save the most on Misdirection: $12 a copy from Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. Goblins instead of $49 in Mercadian Masques.

Fluctuator decklist

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (15)

  • 4 Misdirection: $12 (Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. Goblins), original printing $49
  • 4 Miscalculation: $0.31 (The List), original printing $0.45
  • 2 Twilight's Call: $0.67 (Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari), original printing $1.66
  • 2 Gilded Light: $0.18 (Modern Horizons), original printing $0.35
  • 2 Expunge: $0.12 (The List), original printing $0.23
  • 1 Songs of the Damned: $1.98 (Ice Age), original printing $2.01

Full Premodern Fluctuator deck guide with matchups, mulligans and a sideboard plan.

Decks that cost more

The rest of the tier list costs more even with reprints, because these decks need cards that were never reprinted cheaply.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest competitive Premodern deck?

Fluctuator. Its tournament list (2nd of 27, Magico Conclave Etrusco, Cecina, Italy, 12 June 2026) costs about $78 with the cheapest legal printings and $256 in the original printings.

What is the best budget Premodern deck?

Sligh, number 2 on our tier list, costs about $410 with reprints ($1,282 in the original printings). Goblins, number 3, costs about $239.

How much does a competitive Premodern deck cost?

With reprints, the 21 decks on this page cost $78 to $482; in the original printings the same lists cost $256 to $1,588. Decks built around Reserved List cards cost far more either way: Gaea's Cradle alone is about $1,631 a copy.

Can you play reprints in Premodern?

Yes. The format's rules recommend allowing all tournament-legal reprints of cards from the legal sets, so newer printings with the modern card frame are fine at most events. Ask the organizer if you are unsure.

Which cards keep Premodern decks expensive?

Cards that were never reprinted cheaply, most of them on the Reserved List: Gaea's Cradle ($1,631), Mox Diamond ($1,121), City of Traitors ($553), Survival of the Fittest ($437), Intuition ($356) and Phyrexian Dreadnought ($272).

Can gold-bordered cards make a Premodern deck cheaper?

Sometimes. Most Premodern events allow gold-bordered World Championship Deck cards, sanctioned ones do not, and they mainly save money on Reserved List cards. Our article on gold-bordered cards compares the prices and the rules of the big events.

How are these prices calculated?

For every card we take the cheapest tournament-legal printing: the TCGplayer market price in US dollars and the Cardmarket trend price in euros, updated daily. Gold-bordered, Collectors' Edition and oversized cards don't count. The second price uses the Premodern-era printing shown on our card pages. Both prices are for all 75 cards including the sideboard.

Anno MMXXVI · Estd. 1995–2003

The Premodern Chronicles

Tournament decklists, card prices and the spiciest brews of Premodern: Magic with old-border cards.

Fresh from the tables

All decks
Anno MMXXVI · Estd. 1995–2003

Premodern Decks

Every deck in the archive: winning and Top 8 decklists from Premodern tournaments and Magic Online leagues around the world, with full mainboards and sideboards.

Fresh from the tables
Colors
Placement
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The Format

What is Premodern?

Premodern is a Magic: The Gathering format played with cards from Fourth Edition through Scourge (1995–2003), the game's golden era. It captures the feel of early competitive Magic: iconic old-border cards, meaningful decisions and a rich, interactive metagame, free of the power creep of later sets.

1995 — 2003

How it plays

Premodern is an eternal, non-rotating format. Games reward tight play, deckbuilding skill and knowledge of the metagame rather than raw speed. Combo, control, aggro and midrange all have a home, from Goblins and Stiflenought to Landstill, Replenish and The Rock.

Looking for a first deck? Our guide to your first Premodern deck suggests five that are easy to learn, with real tournament lists and prices.

AggroControlComboMidrange
Deck construction 60 card main deck (min.) 15 card sideboard (max.) 4 copies per card (basics excepted)

Legal Sets

29 expansions · 1995–2003

A card is legal as long as its name appears in one of these sets. (Reprints in newer sets are legal too, but on Premodern Chronicles we always show the period-correct old-frame printing.)

1995–96
Fourth Edition
Ice Age
Chronicles
Homelands
Alliances
Mirage
Visions
1997–98
Fifth Edition
Weatherlight
Tempest
Stronghold
Exodus
Urza's Saga
1999–00
Urza's Legacy
Sixth Edition
Urza's Destiny
Mercadian Masques
Nemesis
Prophecy
Invasion
2001–02
Planeshift
Seventh Edition
Apocalypse
Odyssey
Torment
Judgment
Onslaught
2003
Legions
Scourge

Current Banlist

33 cards

To keep the format diverse and interactive, these cards are banned, including the classic ante cards.

Why each card is banned, and every change since 2018 →

Banlist is maintained by the Premodern format committee, check premodernmagic.com for official updates.

Learn more premodernmagic.com → playpremodern.com →
← What is Premodern?
The Format

Premodern Banlist

33 cards are banned in Premodern. The list is kept by Martin Berlin, who created the format in 2012, with input from the community, and every change is announced on premodernmagic.com. Below: what each card does that got it banned, and every change since 2018.

Last change

Reports

Premodern Articles

Monthly metagame reports, tournament roundups and price reports, built on our archive of tournament decks and our daily price tracking.

From the Brewer's Cauldron

Spicy Brews

Unusual, rarely-seen Premodern decks: the spicy lists you won't find on any tier list.

Handle with oven mitts
Competitive on a Budget

Budget Premodern Decks

Every competitive deck you can build for under $500, priced card by card from a real tournament list, with reprints and in the original printings.

The Card Index

Premodern Card List

Every card from the tournament decks, spicy brews and archetype guides we track, each with its printing, price and the decks that play it.

Premodern Staples

The most played cards across the tournament decks and archetypes we track. Maindecks and sideboards are counted separately: a card in half the sideboards is a hate card, not a format staple.

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The Metagame

Premodern Tier List

Rankings are our own read of tournament results and league play, refreshed a few times a year. Card art © Wizards of the Coast, shown in the period-correct old-frame printing.

Get in touch

Contact

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Community Vote

The Most Iconic
Cards in Premodern

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About

About & Legal

Premodern Chronicles is an independent, non-commercial archive of Magic: The Gathering Premodern tournament results: winning decklists, a metagame tier list with deck guides, card prices and the banlist. Card images and card data come from Scryfall.

Fan Content Policy

Premodern Chronicles is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Trademarks

Magic: The Gathering, its card names, card images, and mana symbols are trademarks and copyrights of Wizards of the Coast LLC. Premodern Chronicles is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Get in touch

Corrections to a decklist, a tournament result we have missed, or anything else: use the contact form or reach us on Instagram. What you send through the form is stored on our own server (message, reply address, the page it was sent from, and a shortened hash of your IP address to limit abuse) for as long as it takes to deal with it, and is forwarded to us as a private notification. Nothing is shared with third parties.