Are you ready to sacrifice some Vampires? Do you want to make your new Commander precon even better? In that case, you’ve come to the right place. In this Blood Rites Upgrade Guide, you’ll discover how to do that.
Note that this is the first version of the guide. Thus, I’m only highlighting four amazing cards, that will make the deck stronger and more fun. In the upcoming days, you can expect an update to the article, with added sections about other potential adds, cuts, and sample decklist.
However, the following recommendation, should already put you on the right path and provide great ideas in which direction to take your deck.
Let’s get to it!
Blood Rites Overview
This deck offers two interwoven themes. The first one are Vampires. It plays lots of them, and most of its cards synergies with them in one way or another.
The secondary theme is sacrifice. You’ll want to sacrifice your smaller Vampires for value. There are various cards that reward you for doing so, including your commander.
Clavileño, First of the Blessed is quite intriguing. You’ll want to control a Vampire on the turn you play it, so you’ll immediately be able to trigger its ability. One of your attacking Vampires gets a powerful dies-trigger. In the future, you’ll get not only to draw a card, but also a 4/3 flying Demon. That’s a lot of value.
Blood Rites Decklist
The original decklist is quite solid. Nevertheless, it could use some more excellent Vampires, as well as some of the strongest sacrifice cards. The mana base also needs some work, although it’s not as bad as those of the 3-color precons.
The new cards might not be showing yet, you can find them in the Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Decks Guide.
Top 3 Cards to Upgrade Blood Rites With
It can be hard to upgrade a whole deck all at once, especially if you’re just starting out. Thus, I’m first highlighting just three cards. All of them are powerful on-theme additions, which should also make the deck more fun to play.
Edgar, Charmed Groom / Edgar Markov’s Coffin
Edgar does just about everything that Blood Rites deck wants. First, it’s a Vampire lord, which is always useful. Second, it triggers when it dies, meaning you won’t mind sacrificing it, if necessary.
So, when Edgar dies, you just put it back on the battlefield transformed. At the beginning of your next three upkeeps, it’ll make 1/1 Vampire tokens, then it’ll transform back. The tokens are a great sacrifice fodder, and when Edgar comes back from the Coffin, they’ll benefit from the buff. As such, this is an amazing inclusion.
Razaketh, the Foulblooded
Clavileño is sacrificing things to make flying Demons. However, the deck doesn’t come with actual Demon support cards (except Master of Dark Rites). Nevertheless, the card is insanely strong in a sacrifice deck.
If you have some creatures when you play Razaketh, you’re getting the best cards from your deck, even if your opponents try to kill it. With a deck such as this one, with plenty of sacrifice fodder, this shouldn’t be too big of a hurdle.
Sure, the mana cost is high, but so is the payoff.
Dictate of Erebos
Since you’re playing a sacrifice deck, you want to include this absolute beast of a card in your deck. You’ll be sacrificing creatures left and right, as your deck is built to take advantage of that.
However, your opponents’ decks might not be. For them, sacrificing a creature might be a big deal. The fact that this enchantment also has flash, is just the cherry on top. Oh, you’re trying to kill my creature? Cool, sacrifice one of yours then.
Just as Edgar Charmed Groom is a lord for your Vampires, Dictate of Erebos is a lord for all of your sacrifice cards. It’s insane how much better something like Village Rites becomes with Dictate in play.
Bonus Suggestion: Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
Finally, here’s one bonus suggestion, and honestly the card could be in the Top 3 slots too. The only reason why it isn’t, is because some players don’t like to play with infinite combos. However, if you aren’t one of them, you’ll surely want to include Vito in your deck.
The original decklist already contains Exquisite Blood. If you pair it with Vito, you only need to gain one life, or make an opponent lose a life to win the game on the spot. If you want even more consistency, you can also add Sanguine Bond as a second Vito.
However, Vito can be stronger in this shell. It costs less, and is a Vampire, which offers many synergies with your other cards. Finally, the five mana ability does come in handy surprisingly often.
Blood Rites Upgrade Guide – Conclusion
That’s all for today. At least for a few days or so. As I mentioned, expect an update soon. It’ll contain more cards to add, as well as suggestions on what to cut, how to improve your mana base and so on. Don’t want to miss it? Follow us on Facebook or Instagram, where we post whenever there’s a new article.
In order to find out how to improve other decks, check the following guides:
Until next time, may you always have a Vampire to sacrifice, and have lots of fun with your upgraded Blood Rites deck.