What is the best cheap budget alternative to Sauron, the Lidless Eye?

The top vector-matched budget alternative to Sauron, the Lidless Eye is Molten Primordial ($1.55), offering a 75% functional match while saving $22.33.

How can I replace Sauron, the Lidless Eye in MTG Commander on a budget?

You can replace Sauron, the Lidless Eye ($23.88) in EDH by swapping in lower-cost cards that share key Scryfall oracle tags like #activated-ability, #bottomless-mana-sink, #firebreathing and identical color identity (B, R).

Articles/Budget Analysis

Best Multicolor budget alternatives to Sauron, the Lidless Eye

Automated Vector Analysis• 5 min read•Updated August 3, 2026

Sauron, the Lidless Eye

$23.88 Market

Card Breakdown: Sauron, the Lidless Eye (Legendary Creature — Avatar Horror) is a high-demand MTG card. At $23.88, budget-conscious players can leverage vector embedding similarity to achieve similar game actions for under $5.00.

#activated-ability#bottomless-mana-sink#firebreathing#gives-haste#group-slug#opponent-loses-life#power-boost-to-all#threaten#triggered-ability#untapper-creature

Top Vector-Ranked Budget Swaps

#1 Best Swap

Molten Primordial

(Creature — Avatar)

$1.55

75% Vector Match

Haste When this creature enters, for each opponent, gain control of up to one target creature that player controls until end of turn. Untap those creatures. They gain haste until end of turn.

Vector Synergy Breakdown

Functions as a Creature alternative to Sauron, the Lidless Eye's Legendary Creature and costs 2 more mana to cast (7 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-haste, #threaten, #triggered-ability.

#gives-haste #threaten #triggered-ability #untapper-creature

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#2 Best Swap

Firbolg Flutist

(Creature — Giant Bard)

$0.33

73% Vector Match

Enthralling Performance — When this creature enters, gain control of target creature you don't control until end of turn. Untap it. It gains haste and myriad until end of turn. (Whenever it attacks, for each opponent other than defending player, you may create a token copy that's tapped and attacking that player or a planeswalker they control. Exile the tokens at end of combat.)

Vector Synergy Breakdown

Functions as a Creature alternative to Sauron, the Lidless Eye's Legendary Creature and costs 1 more mana to cast (6 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-haste, #untapper-creature.

#gives-haste #untapper-creature

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#3 Best Swap

Scourge Devil

(Creature — Devil)

$0.18

72% Vector Match

When this creature enters, creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn. Unearth {2}{R} ({2}{R}: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)

Vector Synergy Breakdown

Functions as a Creature alternative to Sauron, the Lidless Eye's Legendary Creature and shares the exact same mana value (5 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #power-boost-to-all.

#power-boost-to-all

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#4 Best Swap

Neural Network

(Artifact — Contraption)

$0.17

72% Vector Match

Whenever you crank this Contraption, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than or equal to the number of creature cards in its controller's graveyard until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.

Vector Synergy Breakdown

Functions as a Artifact alternative to Sauron, the Lidless Eye's Legendary Creature and costs 5 less mana to cast (0 MV vs 5 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-haste, #triggered-ability, #untapper-creature.

#gives-haste #triggered-ability #untapper-creature

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