Zinnia, Valley's Voice is a Legendary Creature — Bird Bard (mana cost {U}{R}{W}; 1/3; rarity: mythic; most recent printing listed by Scr...
Zinnia, Valley's Voice is a Legendary Creature — Bird Bard (mana cost {U}{R}{W}; 1/3; rarity: mythic; most recent printing listed by Scryfall: Bloomburrow Commander) and the face commander of the Family Matters precon. Its text:
Flying
Zinnia gets +X/+0, where X is the number of other creatures you control with base power 1.
Creature spells you cast gain offspring {2} as you cast them. (You may pay an additional {2} as you cast a creature spell. If you do, when that creature enters, create a 1/1 token copy of it.)
An upgrade guide should never invent a decklist, so this one works by role: what the commander's text rewards, which roles in a stock list usually underperform, and which roles to strengthen — with real, checkable cards named for the add slots.
What to cut, by role
Cut by role, not by name. The first cuts in most precons are the highest-cost cards that do not connect to the commander's text — expensive spells that belong to a different deck's plan. Next are the redundant pieces: the third and fourth copy of an effect the deck already has at two, in colours the mana base casts awkwardly. Finally, cut the win-more cards: anything that only matters when you are already far ahead is a slot a role-player needs more.
What to add, by role
Add interaction and card flow before adding power. The two named adds below are real cards whose text serves this commander directly — check both in the MTGBrew card database:
Impact Tremors — Enchantment (mana cost {1}{R}): Whenever a creature you control enters, this enchantment deals 1 damage to each opponent.
Warleader's Call — Enchantment (mana cost {1}{R}{W}): Creatures you control get +1/+1.
Whenever a creature you control enters, this enchantment deals 1 damage to each opponent.
Beyond the named adds, strengthen the roles in this order: ramp that arrives before the commander, removal that answers any permanent type your colours struggle with, and draw attached to things the deck already does. Build the upgraded list in the MTGBrew AI deck builder, where the budget you set is a hard rule the brew never exceeds.
If this topic is on your bench, keep going with Talrand, Sky Summoner Commander Guide: How the Deck Actually Wins — it covers the neighbouring decisions from a different angle, and the two pieces together give you a fuller picture than either one alone.
The upgrade philosophy
A precon upgrade is finished when the deck does its commander's thing every game, not when it contains the most famous cards. Make a handful of role-based changes, play the deck, and let real games nominate the next round of cuts.
Keep reading
Keep reading: Talrand, Sky Summoner Commander Guide: How the Deck Actually Wins and Opposition Agent in Commander: What It Does and Which Decks Want It.
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