The preconstructed Commander deck built around Atla Palani, Nest Tender gives new players a working shell — Legendary Creature — Human Shama...
The preconstructed Commander deck built around Atla Palani, Nest Tender gives new players a working shell — Legendary Creature — Human Shaman, colour identity green, red, white — whose exact text is:
{2}, {T}: Create a 0/1 green Egg creature token with defender.
Whenever an Egg you control dies, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature card. Put that card onto the battlefield and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
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: Gisela, Blade of Goldnight (mana cost {4}{R}{W}{W}; Legendary Creature — Angel; 5/5; rarity: mythic; most recent printing listed by Scryfall: Murders at Karlov Manor Commander): Flying, first strike
If a source would deal damage to an opponent or a permanent an opponent controls, that source deals double that damage to that player or permanent instead.
If a source would deal damage to you or a permanent you control, prevent half that damage, rounded up. Etali, Primal Storm (mana cost {4}{R}{R}; Legendary Creature — Elder Dinosaur; 6/6; rarity: rare; most recent printing listed by Scryfall: Foundations): Whenever Etali attacks, exile the top card of each player's library, then you may cast any number of spells from among those cards without paying their mana costs. Lurking Predators (mana cost {4}{G}{G}; Enchantment; rarity: rare; most recent printing listed by Scryfall: Jumpstart): Whenever an opponent casts a spell, reveal the top card of your library. If it's a creature card, put it onto the battlefield. Otherwise, you may put that card on the bottom of your library.
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 Aether Vial in Commander: What It Does and Which Decks Want It — 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: Aether Vial in Commander: What It Does and Which Decks Want It and Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit Commander Spotlight: What This Legend Brings to the Command Zone.
A sane upgrade order
Protect the plan, but do not smother it. A small protection package earns its keep when your commander or engine is the target; beyond that, extra protection dilutes the very strategy it guards. Run enough answers to stop a game-ending threat, and spend the remaining slots moving your own plan forward.
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.
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