Budget Alternatives to Saruman of Many Colors
Looking for a functional budget replacement for Saruman of Many Colors ($30.00)? Whether you're brewing a 100-card Commander deck, upgrading a budget league list, or trying to avoid spending over $50 on cardboard, these vector-analyzed substitutes deliver comparable Single-Target Removal power for a fraction of the cost.
Top 3 Substitutes for Saruman of Many Colors at a Glance
Flawless Forgery
Acts as a Sorcery alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and costs 1 less mana (5 MV vs 6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard, #hate-instant.
Flawless Forgery
Acts as a Sorcery alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and costs 1 less mana (5 MV vs 6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard, #hate-instant.
Spelltwine
Acts as a Sorcery alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and shares the exact same mana value (6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard, #hate-instant.
Saruman of Many Colors
How Much Can You Save? (Price & Similarity Matrix)
Direct financial comparison between Saruman of Many Colors and top budget alternatives.
| Card Name | Card Type & CMC | Price | Savings ($) | Savings (%) | Vector Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saruman of Many Colors (Original) | Legendary Creature | $30.00 | — | — | 100% (Baseline) |
| #1 Flawless Forgery | Sorcery (5 MV) | $0.22 | $29.78 | 99% | 79% Match |
| #2 Spelltwine | Sorcery (6 MV) | $0.33 | $29.67 | 99% | 77% Match |
| #3 Arcane Heist | Sorcery (4 MV) | $3.48 | $26.52 | 88% | 78% Match |
| #4 Spellweaver Volute | Enchantment (5 MV) | $1.14 | $28.86 | 96% | 70% Match |
| #5 Blue Mage's Cane | Artifact (3 MV) | $0.22 | $29.78 | 99% | 69% Match |
| #6 Soundwave, Sonic Spy // Soundwave, Superior Captain | Legendary Artifact Creature (4 MV) | $1.99 | $28.01 | 93% | 59% Match |
In-Depth Analysis: Best Alternatives to Saruman of Many Colors
Detailed mechanical similarities, differences, advantages, disadvantages, and ideal deck situations for each substitute.
Flawless Forgery
(Sorcery • 5 MV)
Casualty 3 (As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power 3 or greater. When you do, copy this spell and you may choose a new target for the copy.) Exile target instant or sorcery card from an opponent's graveyard. Copy that card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
Acts as a Sorcery alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and costs 1 less mana (5 MV vs 6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard, #hate-instant.
- • Costs $0.22 (99% savings over Saruman of Many Colors)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (5 MV vs 6 MV)
- • Delivers 79% of the mechanical power ceiling
Spelltwine
(Sorcery • 6 MV)
Exile target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard and target instant or sorcery card from an opponent's graveyard. Copy those cards. Cast the copies if able without paying their mana costs. Exile Spelltwine.
Acts as a Sorcery alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and shares the exact same mana value (6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard, #hate-instant.
- • Costs $0.33 (99% savings over Saruman of Many Colors)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Delivers 77% of the mechanical power ceiling
Arcane Heist
(Sorcery • 4 MV)
You may cast target instant or sorcery card from an opponent's graveyard without paying its mana cost. If that spell would be put into their graveyard, exile it instead. Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)
Acts as a Sorcery alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and costs 2 less mana (4 MV vs 6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #hate-graveyard, #hate-instant, #hate-sorcery.
- • Costs $3.48 (88% savings over Saruman of Many Colors)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (4 MV vs 6 MV)
- • Delivers 78% of the mechanical power ceiling
Spellweaver Volute
(Enchantment — Aura • 5 MV)
Enchant instant card in a graveyard Whenever you cast a sorcery spell, copy the enchanted instant card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. If you do, exile the enchanted card and attach this Aura to another instant card in a graveyard.
Acts as a Enchantment alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and costs 1 less mana (5 MV vs 6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #cast-trigger-you, #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard.
- • Costs $1.14 (96% savings over Saruman of Many Colors)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (5 MV vs 6 MV)
- • Delivers 70% of the mechanical power ceiling
Blue Mage's Cane
(Artifact — Equipment • 3 MV)
Job select Equipped creature gets +0/+2, is a Wizard in addition to its other types, and has "Whenever this creature attacks, exile up to one target instant or sorcery card from defending player's graveyard. If you do, copy it. You may cast the copy by paying {3} rather than paying its mana cost." Spirit of the Whalaqee — Equip {2}
Acts as a Artifact alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and costs 3 less mana (3 MV vs 6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard, #hate-instant.
- • Costs $0.22 (99% savings over Saruman of Many Colors)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (3 MV vs 6 MV)
- • Delivers 69% of the mechanical power ceiling
Soundwave, Sonic Spy // Soundwave, Superior Captain
(Legendary Artifact Creature — Robot // Legendary Artifact • 4 MV)
More Than Meets the Eye {2}{W}{U}{B} (You may cast this card converted for {2}{W}{U}{B}.) Whenever one or more creature tokens you control deal combat damage to a player, exile target instant or sorcery card with mana value equal to the damage dealt from their graveyard. Copy it. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. If you do, convert Soundwave. // Whenever you cast a spell with an odd mana value, convert Soundwave. If you do, create Ravage, a legendary 3/3 black Robot artifact creature token with menace and deathtouch. Whenever you cast a spell with an even mana value, convert Soundwave. If you do, create Laserbeak, a legendary 2/2 blue Robot artifact creature token with flying and hexproof.
Acts as a Legendary Artifact Creature alternative to Saruman of Many Colors's Legendary Creature and costs 2 less mana (4 MV vs 6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #cast-trigger-you, #demilich-effect, #hate-graveyard.
- • Costs $1.99 (93% savings over Saruman of Many Colors)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (4 MV vs 6 MV)
- • Delivers 59% of the mechanical power ceiling
Which Alternative Should You Choose?
Match the right replacement card to your specific commander archetype and deck strategy.
Maximizes mana efficiency and replicates Saruman of Many Colors's primary trigger role.
Reduces total deck cost below $50 while keeping the curve active.
Interacts directly with creature types, enchantments, or artifact themes.
When Is Saruman of Many Colors Irreplaceable?
If your deck relies on specific infinite combo lines that require Saruman of Many Colors's exact mana cost, unconditional timing, or unique text interaction, budget alternatives may not provide 100% parity. For casual Commander, mid-power EDH, and local game store play, the substitutes above deliver 90%+ functionality without the $30.00 price tag.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saruman of Many Colors Alternatives
Answers to the most common deckbuilding and replacement queries.
What is the best budget alternative to Saruman of Many Colors?+
Flawless Forgery ($0.22) is the best overall alternative to Saruman of Many Colors ($30.00), saving $29.78 (99% savings) with a 79% functional vector match.
What cards are like Saruman of Many Colors in MTG?+
Cards like Saruman of Many Colors include Flawless Forgery ($0.22), Spelltwine ($0.33), Arcane Heist ($3.48), Spellweaver Volute ($1.14). These cards share similar mana curves, mechanics, and strategic roles in Commander.
What is the cheapest replacement for Saruman of Many Colors?+
Flawless Forgery ($0.22) is the most affordable replacement, saving over 99% compared to Saruman of Many Colors.
Why would a player want a replacement for Saruman of Many Colors?+
At $30.00, Saruman of Many Colors represents a substantial financial barrier for casual Commander decks, budget league builds, or players testing new color identities.
When should a player NOT use a cheaper alternative to Saruman of Many Colors?+
In top-tier competitive cEDH pods or tournaments where minor efficiency differences (such as 1-mana differences or unconditional instant speed) decide matches, the original staple remains optimal.
Explore More Budget MTG Guides & Tools
Continue optimizing your deck with our dedicated strategy hubs, card replacement engines, and price filters.
Find Swaps for Any Card with the MTGCheap Engine
Use our local PostgreSQL pgvector engine to search any card in Magic: The Gathering and filter by custom price ceilings, strict card types, and Commander color identity.