So this is a project I wanted to engage in- To make a set of 10+ super-budget 60-card decks that are simple, relatively easy to play, relatively easy to understand, and bring across the fundamentals of how Magic Works.
The Idea being that you could easily build these deck for a low cost and use them as an easy introduction to how magic works, to teach a group of new players both how to play, and give them a sense of Why, a sense of what fun things they're getting into. These decks aren't gonna be particularly good, or even legal in any particular format if it stops me from including a card I think is good for the deck, but they should be fun and interesting without being too hard to get into.
This is a fun one. One of my favorite decks I built early on was an Extort Lifegain deck, built around planting as many cheap extort minions as possible and trying to durdle the game out, draining as much life as possible from my opponents. It has a very different character than traditional control, particularly because it relies on its boardstate to win, and is really fun.
Maindeck Cost ~$10.50 at time of writing (using the blue, average values offered by the site), plus ~$4.30-ish for the sideboard, which slides just under my $15 limit. If you want to make It cheaper, swap out Profane Procession, it's in standard at time of writing, and like 80 cents, which makes it the most expensive card in the deck by far.
So mostly this section is going to be notes on why I think these are good cards to learn from:
The creatures are all pretty bland and one-note here: They're cheap, they have Extort, and a few of them have half-decent defensive stats. Basilica screecher will be swiping in to flying poke damage pretty often, and Basilica Guard is gonna play MVP defense. The only fun one is Pontiff of Blight, which doubles your critical mass of Extort to ensure that you're getting some big drains in every turn.
Castigate is one of the cards I've been throwing around these decks as budget, simple, fair Hand Attack that doesn't feel too oppressive.
Immolating Glare and Banishing Light are White control classics, and good cards. Previously were Executioner's Swing and Isolation Zone, before some shenanigans freed up a bit of extra budget. Murder is also a staple.
Underworld Connections is your way to grind up card advantage: Slap it on one of your lands and cut loose. It's slow and fairly-costed, but respectable. It's a good card to have sitting around so new players go "I need more cards, so let's use this thing to draw some." Shouldn't need a ton of card draw if you're maximizing your extort value, but this ought to be enough.
Profane Procession is me splurging a bit, but is a sick card that's going to be fun to play around with. Great Value Engine, and stealing your opponents' cards is really satisfying.
Manabase is meant to be a touch lacking, but also super-budget. I'll be doing the same for all of them.
As for the sideboard, this IS supposed to be a sideboard they learn how to use, to make their deck perform better in the right matchups, or just in general to customize their decks within constraints.
Kingpin's Pet lets players increase their Extort Density, or grab a 2/2 flier to get a few beats in with, depending on what you think you need, and the Extra Pontiff of Blight lets them add to their top-end if they need it.
The rest is all removal package to mix-and-match to your heart's content, and let players feel like they actually get to customize their deck a bit. Extra Glare, Murder, and Banishing light let them focus on whichever cards they like, Gideon's and Liliana's Defeat are great sideboard cards for the right matchups, Revoke Essence is a White Sideboard classic, and the extra copies of Profane Procession lets this deck really go in for the value game if they have to.