Budget John Benton by kovac

Format: Commander

Commander: Sergeant John Benton

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 57

Deck overview

This deck is a high-velocity Selesnya Voltron deck built around Sergeant John Benton. The strategy accelerates on Turn 1 with 1-drop mana creatures or enchantments to deploy Benton on Turn 2. Because Benton has haste and trample, he attacks immediately to initiate card draw. On Turn 3, the deck casts cheap pump spells like Invigorate, Might of Old Krosa, and Embiggen or damage-doubling enchantments like Flaming Fist and Duelist's Heritage. Connecting with massive trample damage triggers Benton to draw 10 or more cards in a single combat step. This massive card influx fuels subsequent turns with extra land drops, more pump spells, and an extensive suite of 1-CMC hexproof and indestructible protection spells such as Tyvar's Stand, Blossoming Defense, and Blacksmith's Skill. By chaining consecutive combat eliminations against one opponent per turn, the deck systematically eliminates all three players by Turn 5 while keeping the commander shielded.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Abolish
  • 1 Acrobatic Leap
  • 1 Adamant Will
  • 1 Ajani's Presence
  • 1 Arbor Elf
  • 1 Arboreal Grazer
  • 1 Avacyn's Pilgrim
  • 1 Beast Within
  • 1 Become Immense
  • 1 Blacksmith's Skill
  • 1 Blossoming Defense
  • 1 Bounty of the Hunt
  • 1 Bridgeworks Battle // Tanglespan Bridgeworks
  • 1 Broken Bond
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Defend the Rider
  • 1 Duelist's Heritage
  • 1 Elvish Mystic
  • 1 Elvish Pioneer
  • 1 Embiggen
  • 1 Emerge Unscathed
  • 1 Empyrial Armor
  • 1 Fight as One
  • 1 Flaming Fist
  • 1 Flare of Faith
  • 17 Forest
  • 1 Fortified Village
  • 1 Generous Gift
  • 1 Giant Growth
  • 1 Groundswell
  • 1 Gryff's Boon
  • 1 Hour of Revelation
  • 1 Hyena Umbra
  • 1 Invigorate
  • 1 Lightfoot Technique
  • 1 Llanowar Elves
  • 1 Loran's Escape
  • 1 Might of Old Krosa
  • 1 Noble Heritage
  • 15 Plains
  • 1 Promise of Loyalty
  • 1 Ram Through
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Royal Treatment
  • 1 Rustler Rampage
  • 1 Sakura-Tribe Scout
  • 1 Savage Swipe
  • 1 Scent of Ivy
  • 1 Selfless Savior
  • 1 Sentinel's Eyes
  • 1 Sergeant John Benton
  • 1 Show of Confidence
  • 1 Single Combat
  • 1 Skyshroud Ranger
  • 1 Snag
  • 1 Snakeskin Veil
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Summer Bloom
  • 1 Sungrass Prairie
  • 1 Sunpetal Grove
  • 1 Swell of Growth
  • 1 Tail Swipe
  • 1 Take Up the Shield
  • 1 Tragic Arrogance
  • 1 Tyvar's Stand
  • 1 Utopia Sprawl
  • 1 Valorous Stance
  • 1 Vines of Vastwood
  • 1 Wild Defiance
  • 1 Wild Growth