Atraxa, Praetors' Voice costs {G}{W}{U}{B} and is a 4/4 Legendary Phyrexian Angel Horror with flying, vigilance, deathtouch and lifelink. At the beginning of your end step, it proliferates, giving each permanent and player you choose another counter of each kind already there. Every counter you own grows once more at the end of every turn.

The precon already has the proliferate spells and counter doublers, including Thrummingbird, Tezzeret's Gambit, Astral Cornucopia, Deepglow Skate and Fathom Mage. Each swap below pairs a cut with an add, and every card is scored with the same numbers the Oracle uses to build decks: synergy and inclusion from the Atraxa decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Atraxa decks than in decks that could play it.

Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Breed Lethality precon guide.

12
Swaps
$13.44
Cost of the adds
39→39
Lands
0→27
Avg Oracle score

What is holding the deck back

Not enough proliferate engines

Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus, Evolution Sage, Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres, Flux Channeler, Metastatic Evangel and Cankerbloom all proliferate on their own. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.

Sweepers and situational spells outside the lists

Duneblast, Languish, Sublime Exhalation, Spitting Image, Mirrorweave, Solidarity of Heroes, Sylvan Reclamation, Grip of Phyresis, Disdainful Stroke, Ancient Excavation, Manifold Insights and Migratory Route are not cards Atraxa decks usually play.

Only a flat pool of upgrades

Atraxa decks are built around many different counter plans, so no single card is in most of them. The swaps below are chosen for what each card does with Atraxa, not because every deck plays it.

The 12 swaps

Each pair shows the numbers for the card coming out and the card going in. Click a card image to zoom.

Swap 1 of 12
Ancient Excavation
Cut
Ancient Excavation
Instant · 2UB
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
Add
Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Horror · 2UU
Inclusion67%
Synergy27%
Lift1.7×
Oracle score 43

Ancient Excavation is a four-mana instant that draws and discards, and it has basic landcycling {2}. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus is a 3/5 Legendary Phyrexian Horror for {2}{U}{U} with flying. If you would proliferate, you proliferate twice instead. A four-drop that doubles Atraxa's end step trigger, and the highest-scoring card the precon leaves out.

Swap 2 of 12
Disdainful Stroke
Cut
Disdainful Stroke
Instant · 1U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Experimental Augury
Add
Experimental Augury
Instant · 1U
Inclusion34%
Synergy13%
Lift1.6×
Oracle score 21

Disdainful Stroke is a two-mana counterspell for spells with mana value 4 or greater. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Experimental Augury costs {1}{U}. You look at the top three cards of your library, put one into your hand and the rest on the bottom, then proliferate. A two-mana instant that digs and proliferates.

Swap 3 of 12
Grip of Phyresis
Cut
Grip of Phyresis
Instant · 2U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Metastatic Evangel
Add
Metastatic Evangel
Creature — Phyrexian Human Cleric · 1W
Inclusion30%
Synergy12%
Lift1.7×
Oracle score 19

Grip of Phyresis is a three-mana instant that steals an Equipment. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Metastatic Evangel is a 3/1 Phyrexian Human Cleric for {1}{W}. Whenever another nontoken creature you control enters, you proliferate. A two-drop that proliferates every time you play a creature.

Swap 4 of 12
Mirrorweave
Cut
Mirrorweave
Instant · 2W/UW/U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres
Add
Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres
Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Elf Warrior · 2GU
Inclusion53%
Synergy21%
Lift1.7×
Oracle score 34

Mirrorweave is a four-mana instant that makes each other creature a copy of a nonlegendary creature. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres is a 3/3 Legendary Phyrexian Elf Warrior for {2}{G}{U}. When it enters you may pay {3} to proliferate twice, and whenever you proliferate, you draw a card. A four-drop that draws a card from every proliferate, including Atraxa's.

Swap 5 of 12
Solidarity of Heroes
Cut
Solidarity of Heroes
Instant · 1G
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Unnatural Restoration
Add
Unnatural Restoration
Sorcery · 1G
Inclusion32%
Synergy12%
Lift1.6×
Oracle score 20

Solidarity of Heroes is a two-mana instant with strive that doubles +1/+1 counters. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Unnatural Restoration costs {1}{G}. You return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand, then proliferate. A two-mana sorcery that gets a card back and proliferates.

Swap 6 of 12
Sylvan Reclamation
Cut
Sylvan Reclamation
Instant · 3GW
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Cankerbloom
Add
Cankerbloom
Creature — Phyrexian Fungus · 1G
Inclusion33%
Synergy12%
Lift1.6×
Oracle score 20

Sylvan Reclamation is a five-mana instant that exiles up to two artifacts or enchantments, and it has basic landcycling {2}. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Cankerbloom is a 3/2 Phyrexian Fungus for {1}{G}. For {1} and a sacrifice you choose one: destroy an artifact, destroy an enchantment, or proliferate. A two-drop that answers an artifact or enchantment, or proliferates.

Swap 7 of 12
Duneblast
Cut
Duneblast
Sorcery · 4WBG
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Evolution Sage
Add
Evolution Sage
Creature — Elf Druid · 2G
Inclusion59%
Synergy24%
Lift1.7×
Oracle score 38

Duneblast is a seven-mana sorcery that destroys every creature except one. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Evolution Sage is a 3/2 Elf Druid for {2}{G}. Landfall: whenever a land you control enters, you proliferate. A three-drop that proliferates on every land drop.

Swap 8 of 12
Languish
Cut
Languish
Sorcery · 2BB
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Vraska's Fall
Add
Vraska's Fall
Instant · 2B
Inclusion36%
Synergy14%
Lift1.6×
Oracle score 23

Languish is a four-mana sorcery that gives all creatures -4/-4 until end of turn. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Vraska's Fall costs {2}{B}. Each opponent sacrifices a creature or planeswalker of their choice and gets a poison counter. A three-mana instant that removes a threat and starts the poison count for Atraxa's proliferate.

Swap 9 of 12
Manifold Insights
Cut
Manifold Insights
Sorcery · 2U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Infectious Inquiry
Add
Infectious Inquiry
Sorcery · 2B
Inclusion37%
Synergy14%
Lift1.6×
Oracle score 23

Manifold Insights is a three-mana sorcery that lets opponents choose cards for your hand. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Infectious Inquiry costs {2}{B}. You draw two cards and lose 2 life, and each opponent gets a poison counter. A three-mana sorcery that draws two and starts the poison count.

Swap 10 of 12
Migratory Route
Cut
Migratory Route
Sorcery · 3WU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Flux Channeler
Add
Flux Channeler
Creature — Human Wizard · 2U
Inclusion41%
Synergy17%
Lift1.7×
Oracle score 27

Migratory Route is a five-mana sorcery that makes four 1/1 Birds, and it has basic landcycling {2}. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Flux Channeler is a 2/2 Human Wizard for {2}{U}. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, you proliferate. A three-drop that proliferates with each noncreature spell.

Swap 11 of 12
Spitting Image
Cut
Spitting Image
Sorcery · 4G/UG/U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
Add
Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
Legendary Planeswalker — Vraska · 4BB/P
Inclusion53%
Synergy20%
Lift1.6×
Oracle score 33

Spitting Image is a six-mana sorcery with retrace that copies a creature. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Vraska, Betrayal's Sting is a {4}{B}{B/P} planeswalker with compleated. Its 0 draws a card, loses 1 life and proliferates, its -2 turns a creature into a Treasure, and its -9 gives poison counters up to nine. A six-mana planeswalker that proliferates every turn and draws a card.

Swap 12 of 12
Sublime Exhalation
Cut
Sublime Exhalation
Sorcery · 6W
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Farseek
Add
Farseek
Sorcery · 1G
Inclusion47%
Synergy6%
Lift1.2×
Oracle score 23

Sublime Exhalation is a seven-mana sorcery with undaunted that destroys all creatures. It is not a card Atraxa decks usually play.

Farseek costs {1}{G}. It searches your library for a Plains, Island, Swamp or Mountain card and puts it onto the battlefield tapped. A two-mana ramp spell that fetches three of Atraxa's four colours, and triggers Evolution Sage.

The full swap list

Cut

  • Ancient Excavation
  • Disdainful Stroke
  • Grip of Phyresis
  • Mirrorweave
  • Solidarity of Heroes
  • Sylvan Reclamation
  • Duneblast
  • Languish
  • Manifold Insights
  • Migratory Route
  • Spitting Image
  • Sublime Exhalation

Add

  • Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
  • Experimental Augury
  • Metastatic Evangel
  • Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres
  • Unnatural Restoration
  • Cankerbloom
  • Evolution Sage
  • Vraska's Fall
  • Infectious Inquiry
  • Flux Channeler
  • Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
  • Farseek

What to keep

These cards are doing the deck's heavy lifting. Do not cut them.

If you want to spend more

These are strong but sit outside a budget upgrade. Prices are the cheapest paper printing.

The verdict

Breed Lethality already has the proliferate spells, Atraxa's end step trigger and the counter doublers. The upgrade is cheap creatures that proliferate on their own, in place of sweepers and situational spells that Atraxa decks leave out. These twelve swaps cost about $13 in total.

Want a full 100-card list built around Atraxa, Praetors' Voice from today's data?

Build with The Oracle →

Frequently asked questions

What are the best upgrades for the Breed Lethality precon?

Using data from 45,984 Atraxa decks, the highest-scoring additions are Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus (for Ancient Excavation), Evolution Sage (for Duneblast) and Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres (for Mirrorweave). The full list has 12 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.

How much does it cost to upgrade Breed Lethality?

All 12 swaps cost about $13.44 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-28). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Inexorable Tide ($0.92) and Karn's Bastion ($2.96).

What should I cut from Breed Lethality?

The weakest cards for this commander are Ancient Excavation, Disdainful Stroke and Grip of Phyresis. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.

Which cards should I keep in Breed Lethality?

Keep Sol Ring, Thrummingbird, Tezzeret's Gambit, Astral Cornucopia and Deepglow Skate. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.

What does Atraxa do?

Atraxa, Praetors' Voice costs {G}{W}{U}{B} and is a 4/4 Legendary Phyrexian Angel Horror with flying, vigilance, deathtouch and lifelink. At the beginning of your end step, it proliferates, giving each permanent and player you choose another counter of each kind already there. Every counter you own grows once more at the end of every turn.

More Commander 2016 upgrade guides

All precon upgrade guides

How the numbers work

Inclusion is the share of Atraxa, Praetors' Voice decks (45,984 of them when this was written, 2026-10-28) that play the card. Synergy is how much more often they play it than other decks in the same colours. Oracle score is synergy × 0.6 plus inclusion × 0.4, the same blend The Oracle uses to rank cards for a deck. Lift compares how often the card appears in these decks with how often it could, capped at 8× here; it is shown for context and does not change the score.

Two cautions. Players who run the precon unmodified count as Atraxa decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift stays low for these cards because most of them are played in many decks, so use inclusion and synergy to compare cards, not lift. A card the commander's decks do not usually play counts as 0 in the average score. Prices are the cheapest non-foil paper printing on TCGplayer (via Scryfall), in USD, and move daily.