The new Jesaki precon is fairly playable right out of the box. Even so, you could make it more fun by adding some exciting cards to the mix. If that sounds like a plan, our Counter Intelligence Upgrade Guide can help you with 10 superb additions.
Why just ten? Because at that point, it still feels like a deck upgrade, and not like a complete overhaul. Once you start swapping a ton of cards, it might be better to just build the deck around a commander from scratch.
Note that these won’t be generic Commander staples, instead the focus is on cards that work really well with the deck’s theme. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the plan.
Counter Intelligence Game Plan
Even though the main and secondary commander do slightly different things, they synergize with each other. Plus, they showcase the two main themes of the precon: charge counters and proliferate.
Quick note on Inspirit: That’s a new artifact subtype — spacecraft. Its station numbers are relatively low, so you don’t need to build around it. Most creatures will do the trick, plus you can proliferate the charge counters too.
Besides caring about charge counters and proliferate, the deck also includes artifact synergies, as you can see from the decklist below.
As mentioned, the deck seems pretty solid right out of the box. Some cards are sub-optimal or clunky, but for each one you could make an argument why it deserves an inclusion. Keep that in mind when we suggest which cards to cut.
Anyhow, let’s get started with recommendations.
#1 Cayth, Famed Mechanist
Cayth does a lot of different things, which all play well with deck’s themes. Fabricate can either create a Servo for your artifact synergies or a +1/+1 counter, to proliferate. Not only does Cayth have this ability, she also grants it to all of your other nontoken creatures.
With the second ability, you’re probably picking proliferate, with populate being a cherry on the top.
Given that Cayth is a legendary creature in Jeskai colors, you could also occasionally swap it in, as your main commander. This gives you a slightly different game play experience without the need to revamp your whole deck.
Replaces: Angel of the Ruins
Angel isn’t unplayable, but it is extremely clunky at seven mana, plus it doesn’t really gel with the rest of the deck, apart from being an artifact. Even if you want to play artifact / enchantment removal over Cayth, there are better cards for the job. (Like Austere Command or Dismantling Wave.)
#2 Magistrate’s Scepter
Scepter is a really bad card without support. You need to invest a total of 15 mana across four turns to get a single extra turn. That’s a horrible deal.
However, there are just so many synergies with it. You only need to put a single charge counter on it, and proliferate twice. You don’t even need to use its ability to place the first charge counter. Cards like your commander, Inspirit, Flagship Vessel can do that for you.
And once you get to that first extra turns, it shouldn’t be too hard to chain more together — just keep your commander in play, and proliferate once. That’s all it takes to combo with infinite extra turns.
Replaces: Mindless Automaton
The card does some cool stuff in the right scenario and could remain in the deck. But it feels like the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. When you’re proliferating and putting additional counters on permanents, you’d prefer extra turns with Scepter then just draw a few cards most of the time.
Now, if your play group really hates extra turns, you could just omit this card swamp.
#3 Filigree Vector
At first sight, a four mana 1/1 looks really weak, but its abilities more than make up for it.
First, you get to put +1/+1 counters on all of your creatures and charge counters on all of your artifacts. (You could even put them on opponents’ stuff, if that suits you.) In the right scenario that can be absurdly strong.
Afterwards proliferating becomes even better, and that’s something that Vector can also help you with. It’s a whole package!
Replaces: Threefold Thunderhulk
The card is fine, but three mana is costly. Filigree Vector will enter much sooner, while also making a massive impact on the game.
#4 Dreamtide Whale
As you now know, proliferating is extremely good in this build. That’s why then next three recommendations on the list all feature this keyword. The first one is a whale, that’s insanely overstated for its cost. It’s a 7/5 for three mana, which makes it excellent for stationing Spacecrafts.
The downside is vanishing 2, which means that it enters with a couple of time counters on it. You need to remove one on your upkeep, and when you remove the last one, you sac the whale.
Thankfully, you can proliferate those counters to keep it around for longer. You can do this with other effects or with its own, which will trigger whenever a player cast their second spell in a turn. This will often happen multiple times before you need to remove a time counter, so you should get a ton of value from your three mana play.
Replaces: Alibou, Ancient Witness
Alibou can be powerful, but this deck doesn’t seem to be that aggressive to take full advantage of it. Instead of attacking, you’ll typically want to mess around with counters and proliferating. Speaking of which, let’s take a look at this next card.
#5 Inexorable Tide
What about granting all of your spells proliferate? This enchantment is a bit costly at five mana, but its effect on the game is immense. You can quickly amass a ton of charge, +1/+1 and any other counters.
Replaces: Kappa Cannoneer
A large unblockable creature is nice and all, but it’s not something this deck particularly needs. Sure, it plays well with artifacts, but you’d prefer something that plays even better with the deck’s themes.
#6 Contagion Engine
Another not-so-cheap card, but with a couple of strong effects. First, you get to put -1/-1 counters on all creatures from a target opponent. Naturally, that plays really well with proliferate, as you can then grind those creatures into the ground.
Of course, the card also allows you to proliferate. You can do that twice by paying four mana and untapping it. While you are spending some resources to do so, at least it’s a self-contained engine, which doesn’t need much additional support.
Replaces: Chain Reaction
There are three mass removal spells in the deck already. That seems a lot for a deck like this one. While Contagion Engine isn’t quite a mass removal spell it helps on that front, while still working with other synergies.
#7 Energy Chamber
You can already get those charge counters for free with Inspirit, but having more ways to do so never hurts. Energy Chamber is a really cheap way to get the ball rolling, and it can also provide +1/+1 counters when needed.
Plus, it’s also an artifact, which works with some synergies in the deck. For just a couple of mana, that’s a really solid addition.
Replaces: Thrummingbird
The staple of proliferate decks seems a bit weak and fragile in the modern era. Energy Chamber, on the other hand is a bit harder to remove. While it doesn’t proliferate, it can get start grating charge counters, which is possibly even better early in the game.
#8 The Seriema
This Spacecraft is actually a part of the main Edge of Eternities set, but it works great as a part of the Counter Intelligence upgrade.
When it enters, you get to search your library for a legendary creature card. Some good hits from the original decklist include Kilo, Apogee Mind, Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus, and Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain.
Afterwards, you can station it. As you’ve seen, there are a lot of ways to help you with that, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get to those 7 charge counters. At that point, your tutor becomes a 5/5 flyer that gives your other tapped legendary creatures indestructible. Pretty neat, right?
Replaces: Pull from Tomorrow
Pull is a fine card, but there’s already enough card advantage in the deck. Plus, The Seriema also nets you an additional card — at a lower cost, and you get some selection.
#9 Tezzeret the Seeker
Tezzeret the Seeker is the planeswalker for Counter Intelligence precon. All of its abilities are useful in this shell.
Untapping a couple of artifacts is nice, as many of those in your deck (as well as some potential additions) can be tapped for various benefits.
Tutoring for an artifact is obviously strong, particularly since it comes directly into play and you don’t need to pay any mana for it.
Finally, the ultimate can just win the game out of nowhere in the right scenario. Given that your deck is full of proliferate effects, Tezzeret will easily end up with a ton of loyalty counters. Thus you could use the ultimate right away, or get an expensive artifact for free with its second ability.
Tezz really is the whole package.
Replaces: Depthshaker Titan
Depthshaker Titan can be a powerful finisher, but Tezzeret’s ultimate does pretty much the same thing, while being cheaper and providing additional use cases.
#10 Aura of Dominion
The tenth recommendation is a bit of a weird one, and you might want to consider another card instead. Its main goal is to enchant the secondary commander, Kilo, Apogee Mind. Thus, you’re probably going to want to use it as your main one instead if you add this enchantment.
You also need a Pentad Prism, but then you can proliferate as many times as you want with the following combo:
- You pay 1 mana and tap Kilo to untap Kilo.
- Since Kilo was tapped you can now proliferate. You put an additional charge counter on Pentad Prism, plus additional counters on whatever else benefits you.
- You remove a charge counter from Pirsm and get 1 mana.
Then you just repeat these three steps. You typically generate a ton of value or even win on the spot with some support cards. Certainly a fun combo if you can pull it off.
Replaces: Soul-Guide Lantern
Lantern is a really specific hate piece, that apart from being an artifact doesn’t do anything for the deck. If you don’t expect to face a bunch of graveyard decks, you should always cut this. In that case, a basic land would probably play better in this slot.
Counter Intelligence Upgrade Recap
Below you’ll find a quick recap of all proposed suggestions. Don’t feel like you need to strictly follow this list. Some cards might be better suited to your play style or play group, so you’ll probably need to make some adjustments.
If you really like a card that’s in the remove column, simply cut something else instead and really make the deck your own.
Cards to Add
Mana Base
Mana bases in the Commander precons have been getting better and better lately. The one that comes here is playable, although there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Let’s take a look at three utility lands that first come to mind for Counter Intelligence upgrade.
The new Planet lands work very similar to the stations, so Uthros, Titanic Godcore fits nicely in this deck. The reward for putting in the work is almost Tolarian Academy, which is banned in Commander.
Adagia, Windswept Bastion is another Planet. This one allows you to copy artifacts or enchantments, which is a powerful effect from a land.
Finally, Academy Ruins grants you some artifact recursion for a fairly low cost.
As for the mana fixing, you can find a selection of Jeskai lands here. Naturally, the ones that come into play untapped would be best. Similarly, when deciding which lands to cut, it’s usually best to go with a few basics and some duals that always enter tapped, such as Temple of Epiphany.
Bonus Recommendations
Of course there are many more cards that could be added to the deck. When doing research for the article, I’ve came across plenty of them and limiting myself to only 10 was pretty hard.
If you want to know about some additional fun additions — here are the 24 cards that could also be added to the deck:
Wrapping Up
That marks the end of our Counter Intelligence Upgrade Guide. With so many Magic cards, we’ve probably missed some that would be a great fit for the deck. If you know of such a card let our readers now in the comments below.
If you don’t already own one, you can pick up a Counter Intelligence deck on Amazon.
Until next time, enjoy Magic, and may your proliferate engines create a ton of counters.