Budget Alternatives to Strago and Relm
Looking for a functional budget replacement for Strago and Relm ($0.18)? Whether you're brewing a 100-card Commander deck, upgrading a budget league list, or trying to avoid spending over $50 on cardboard, these data-ranked substitutes cover the Mana Accelerator & Ramp role for a fraction of the cost.
Top 3 Substitutes for Strago and Relm at a Glance
Summon: Esper Valigarmanda
Acts as a Enchantment Creature alternative to Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature and costs 1 more mana (4 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #cast-on-resolution, #hate-instant, #hate-sorcery.
Korvold and the Noble Thief
Acts as a Enchantment alternative to Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature and costs 1 more mana (4 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-castable-from-exile, #mill-exile, #mill-opponent.
Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
Matches Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 less mana (2 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-castable-from-exile, #nightveil-theft, #repeatable-card-advantage.
Strago and Relm
30-day $0.18–$0.18 · +0% (10 snapshots)
Prices as of 2026-10-22
How Much Can You Save? (Price & Similarity Matrix)
Direct financial comparison between Strago and Relm and top budget alternatives.
| Card Name | Card Type & CMC | Price | Savings ($) | Savings (%) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strago and Relm (Original) | Legendary Creature | $0.18 | — | — | Original |
| #1 Summon: Esper Valigarmanda | Enchantment Creature (4 MV) | $0.27 | $0.00 | 0% | Strong match |
| #2 Mindclaw Shaman | Creature (5 MV) | $0.26 | $0.00 | 0% | Strong match |
| #3 Korvold and the Noble Thief | Enchantment (4 MV) | $0.22 | $0.00 | 0% | Strong match |
| #4 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser | Legendary Creature (2 MV) | $0.35 | $0.00 | 0% | Strong match |
| #5 Breeches, Brazen Plunderer | Legendary Creature (4 MV) | $0.22 | $0.00 | 0% | Strong match |
| #6 Plargg and Nassari | Legendary Creature (5 MV) | $0.34 | $0.00 | 0% | Very strong match |
In-Depth Analysis: Best Alternatives to Strago and Relm
Detailed mechanical similarities, differences, advantages, disadvantages, and ideal deck situations for each substitute.
Summon: Esper Valigarmanda
(Enchantment Creature — Saga Drake • 4 MV)
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after IV.) I — Exile an instant or sorcery card from each graveyard. II, III, IV — Add {R} for each lore counter on this Saga. You may cast an instant or sorcery card exiled with this Saga, and mana of any type can be spent to cast that spell. Flying, haste
Acts as a Enchantment Creature alternative to Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature and costs 1 more mana (4 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #cast-on-resolution, #hate-instant, #hate-sorcery.
- • Costs $0.27 (0% savings over Strago and Relm)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Costs 1 additional mana to cast
- • Different card type, so it answers different removal and misses type-based synergies.
Mindclaw Shaman
(Creature — Lizard Shaman • 5 MV)
When this creature enters, target opponent reveals their hand. You may cast an instant or sorcery spell from among those cards without paying its mana cost.
Acts as a Creature alternative to Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature and costs 2 more mana (5 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #cast-on-resolution, #free-cast-another, #hate-instant.
- • Costs $0.26 (0% savings over Strago and Relm)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Costs 2 additional mana to cast
- • Different card type, so it answers different removal and misses type-based synergies.
Korvold and the Noble Thief
(Enchantment — Saga • 4 MV)
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I, II — Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.") III — Exile the top three cards of target opponent's library. You may play those cards this turn.
Acts as a Enchantment alternative to Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature and costs 1 more mana (4 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-castable-from-exile, #mill-exile, #mill-opponent.
- • Costs $0.22 (0% savings over Strago and Relm)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Costs 1 additional mana to cast
- • Different card type, so it answers different removal and misses type-based synergies.
Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
(Legendary Creature — Goblin Rogue • 2 MV)
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, choose one — • Goad target creature that player controls. • Exile the top card of that player's library. Until end of turn, you may cast that card and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell.
Matches Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 less mana (2 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-castable-from-exile, #nightveil-theft, #repeatable-card-advantage.
- • Costs $0.35 (0% savings over Strago and Relm)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Faster casting curve (2 MV vs 3 MV)
- • Overlaps 6 of 18 tracked mechanics; the rest is lost in translation.
Breeches, Brazen Plunderer
(Legendary Creature — Goblin Pirate • 4 MV)
Menace Whenever one or more Pirates you control deal damage to your opponents, exile the top card of each of those opponents' libraries. You may play those cards this turn, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast those spells. Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
Matches Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature card type and costs 1 more mana (4 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #gives-castable-from-exile, #nightveil-theft, #repeatable-card-advantage.
- • Costs $0.22 (0% savings over Strago and Relm)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Costs 1 additional mana to cast
- • Costs 1 more mana, arriving a full turn later on curve.
Plargg and Nassari
(Legendary Creature — Orc Efreet • 5 MV)
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player exiles cards from the top of their library until they exile a nonland card. An opponent chooses a nonland card exiled this way. You may cast up to two spells from among the other cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs.
Matches Strago and Relm's Legendary Creature card type and costs 2 more mana (5 MV vs 3 MV). Overlaps on functional mechanics including #cast-on-resolution, #consult-cast, #free-cast-another.
- • Costs $0.34 (0% savings over Strago and Relm)
- • Fills the Legendary Creature curve slot cleanly
- • Costs 2 additional mana to cast
- • Costs 2 more mana, arriving a full turn later on curve.
Which Alternative Should You Choose?
Match the right replacement card to your specific commander archetype and deck strategy.
Maximizes mana efficiency and replicates Strago and Relm'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 Strago and Relm Irreplaceable?
If your deck relies on specific infinite combo lines that require Strago and Relm'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 $0.18 price tag.
Frequently Asked Questions About Strago and Relm Alternatives
Answers to the most common deckbuilding and replacement queries.
Match scores blend rules-text similarity, shared mechanics, mana-curve proximity, and card-type fit. They rank budget picks against each other — they are not a measurement of competitive power.
What is the best budget alternative to Strago and Relm?+
Summon: Esper Valigarmanda ($0.27) is the best overall alternative to Strago and Relm ($0.18), saving $0.00 (0% savings), rated a strong match for this swap.
What cards are like Strago and Relm in MTG?+
Cards like Strago and Relm include Summon: Esper Valigarmanda ($0.27), Mindclaw Shaman ($0.26), Korvold and the Noble Thief ($0.22), Grenzo, Havoc Raiser ($0.35). These cards share similar mana curves, mechanics, and strategic roles in Commander.
What is the cheapest replacement for Strago and Relm?+
Korvold and the Noble Thief ($0.22) is the most affordable replacement, saving over 0% compared to Strago and Relm.
Why would a player want a replacement for Strago and Relm?+
At $0.18, Strago and Relm 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 Strago and Relm?+
The closest pick, Summon: Esper Valigarmanda, still has limits: different card type, so it answers different removal and misses type-based synergies. In top-tier competitive pods where those edges decide matches, the original 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.