The preconstructed Commander deck built around Anje Falkenrath gives new players a working shell — Legendary Creature — Vampire, colour iden...
The preconstructed Commander deck built around Anje Falkenrath gives new players a working shell — Legendary Creature — Vampire, colour identity black, red — whose exact text is:
Haste
{T}, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever you discard a card, if it has madness, untap Anje Falkenrath.
Upgrading a precon is not about replacing it. It is about finding the roles the shell performs weakly — ramp, card draw, interaction, and closing power — and swapping the weakest cards in each role for stronger ones that serve the same job. This guide works by role, which is the honest way to upgrade any prebuilt deck without inventing a decklist you have not verified.
What to cut, by role
Cut cards that duplicate a role you already perform better, cards whose mana cost belongs to a later turn than the role needs, and cards that only function when the game is already going well. Work one role at a time, keep a written list of every swap, and play games between rounds of changes — a precon upgraded on evidence stays coherent, while one rebuilt in a single evening often loses the charm that made it fun.
What to add, by role
Real upgrade candidates that serve this commander's plan include: Bone Miser (mana cost {4}{B}; Creature — Zombie Wizard; 4/4; rarity: rare; most recent printing listed by Scryfall: Commander 2019): Whenever you discard a creature card, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token.
Whenever you discard a land card, add {B}{B}.
Whenever you discard a noncreature, nonland card, draw a card. Archfiend of Ifnir (mana cost {3}{B}{B}; Creature — Demon; 5/4; rarity: rare; most recent printing listed by Scryfall: Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander): Flying
Whenever you cycle or discard another card, put a -1/-1 counter on each creature your opponents control.
Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.) Glint-Horn Buccaneer (mana cost {1}{R}{R}; Creature — Minotaur Pirate; 2/4; rarity: rare; most recent printing listed by Scryfall: Core Set 2020): Haste
Whenever you discard a card, this creature deals 1 damage to each opponent.
{1}{R}, Discard a card: Draw a card. Activate only if this creature is attacking.
Build and check your list with the MTGBrew AI deck builder, and browse every card mentioned here in the MTGBrew card database on MTGBrew.
If this topic is on your bench, keep going with Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale Commander Spotlight: What This Legend Brings to the Command Zone — it covers the neighbouring decisions from a different angle, and the two pieces together give you a fuller picture than either one alone.
Keep reading
Keep reading: Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale Commander Spotlight: What This Legend Brings to the Command Zone and Vampiric Tutor in Commander: What It Does and Which Decks Want It.
A sane upgrade order
Ask what the deck looks like when it is merely fine. A resilient build still develops its board, still draws extra cards, and still threatens something through an average opening hand. The spectacular draws take care of themselves; spend your card choices making the average draw functional, because you will see far more average draws than perfect ones.
Start with the mana base and the draw package, then interaction, then finishers. That order feels unglamorous and wins the most games, because a deck that always makes its land drops and always has cards in hand gets to show you what its exciting cards can actually do.
COMMENTS