Looking for a dirt-cheap but dangerously explosive deck on MTG Arena? Say hello to 8 Wack, a classic archetype reimagined for the digital age—without a single rare. That's right. This version of 8 Wack costs almost nothing to build but can still run circles around unsuspecting opponents. It's fast, it's aggressive, and it wins games before your opponent even knows what's happening.
The Deck
At the core of the strategy is a simple philosophy: flood the board with creatures, then slam down a hasty finisher like Goblin Bushwhacker or Reckless Bushwhacker to swing in for lethal. Let's break down how it works and why it's the best cheap MTG Arena deck around.
The Creatures
The deck gets its name from running eight Bushwhackers—Goblin Bushwhacker and Reckless Bushwhacker—your primary finishers. These cards turn a bunch of 1/1 tokens into a lethal army in the blink of an eye.
Goblin Bushwhacker is a one-mana 1/1 that, when kicked for an extra red mana, gives your entire team +1/+0 and haste. It turns your goblin tokens into a deadly mob that crashes in before your opponent can react. Meanwhile, Reckless Bushwhacker brings the same boost, but with surge instead of kicker. If you've played any other spell first, you can cast it for just two mana and get that team-wide buff instantly. These cards are the reason your opponent always has to fear your next combat phase.
Voldaren Epicure adds to your board early while also giving you a Blood token for later synergy. That small bit of incidental damage from the ETB effect adds up, and the token helps power your other spells.
Lastly, Ornithopter is a zero-mana creature that's perfect to sacrifice.
Speaking of tokens and sacrifice fodder, let's now talk about the cards that take full advantage of them: The Token Generators.
Token Generators
To take full advantage of your Bushwhackers, you need to go wide—and this deck does that better than just about anything.
Kuldotha Rebirth is a powerhouse in this deck. For one red mana, you sacrifice an artifact and get three 1/1 Goblins. That's an incredible rate, especially since you run plenty of cheap artifacts to feed it.
Gleeful Demolition works similarly—it also converts one artifact into three Goblins. You can even use it to target an opponent's artifact in a pinch if needed.
The Burn Spells
While your main goal is to go wide and overwhelm your opponent with creatures, you also pack some serious burn to finish off games or clear the way.
Shrapnel Blast is a devastating finisher. It deals five damage for just two mana if you sacrifice an artifact—a price this deck pays gladly. Whether it's your opponent's face or a troublesome blocker, Shrapnel gets the job done. Galvanic Blast offers even more value. A simple one-mana instant that deals two damage, but with Metalcraft active (which is easy in this deck), it dishes out four. That's huge in a deck that wants to end games fast.
Artifact Enablers
Artifacts fuel so much of what this deck wants to do—from triggering your token-makers to powering your burn spells—and you've got a strong selection.
Chromatic Star does everything you need: it fixes your mana, replaces itself with a card when sacrificed, and counts as an artifact for Rebirth or Blast.
Experimental Synthesizer is another all-star, giving you temporary card advantage and becoming an ideal target for sacrifice. You'll be amazed how many times you get a “free” spell off of it while advancing your board state.
Clockwork Percussionist is a unique inclusion. It provides additional pressure and serves as a synergy piece for the rest of your deck, thanks to its artifact status and its ability to interact with the board. These cards might not look flashy, but they keep your whole engine running.
Utility Land — Extra Reach When You Need It
Sometimes you get your opponent down low, but you just can't quite finish the job.
That's where Ramunap Ruins shines. It's not just a land—it's reach. By sacrificing a Desert, you can deal two damage to each opponent. It gives your top-decked land a real purpose late in the game and helps close out games your creatures couldn't.
Why 8 Wack Is the Best Budget Deck on MTG Arena
This version of 8 Wack is more than just cheap—it's effective. With zero rares and only commons and uncommons, it's an incredibly accessible entry point into MTG Arena, and it's one of the few budget decks that can genuinely win games quickly. It's also a blast to play. The mix of surprise finishes, fast starts, and tight synergies makes every game exciting.
Whether you're grinding out daily wins, climbing the ladder on a budget, or just want a deck that delivers maximum fun for minimum cost, 8 Wack is your best bet for the cheapest MTG Arena deck that still feels like a tiered strategy.
Bonus: Great for Admirably Artisan and Timeless Budget Play
One of the best things about this version of 8 Wack is that it's not just fun—it's also functional for Arena rewards and alternate formats.
If you're looking to complete the “Admirably Artisan” reward, which requires you to win 10 ranked Historic matches using a deck with no rares or mythic rares, this deck is perfect. It meets all the requirements and wins fast, so you won't have to grind for long in the best of one queue.
Even better? It holds its own in the Timeless format too—at least in the lower rungs of the ladder. Since Timeless allows cards from every set in Arena's history, it can be a brutal field. But this little aggro engine can still pick off greedy or slow decks before they stabilize, giving you wins without spending wildcards.
How do I know this? Well, let's say someone did not read the requirements prior and jumped to play in the ranked Timeless ladder first, only to realize they need to win 10 more times on Historic.
Thanks for reading!
