Kotori, Pilot Prodigy costs {1}{W}{U} and is a 2/4 Legendary Moonfolk Pilot. Vehicles you control have crew 2, and at the beginning of combat on your turn target artifact creature you control gains lifelink and vigilance until end of turn. Every Vehicle you own can be crewed by a couple of small creatures, including Vehicles that normally need crew 6 or 8.

The precon already has Shorikai, Prodigy's Prototype, Mobilizer Mech, Peacewalker Colossus and Parhelion II. 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 Kotori decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Kotori decks than in decks that could play it.

Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Buckle Up precon guide.

12
Swaps
$6.05
Cost of the adds
37→37
Lands
17→43
Avg Oracle score

What is holding the deck back

Not enough cheap Vehicles and Pilots

Consulate Dreadnought, Salvation Engine, Reckoner Bankbuster and Mechtitan Core are Vehicles that Kotori's crew 2 makes easy to crew, and Hotshot Mechanic and Kitsune Ace are Pilots that help. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.

Situational spells

Release to Memory, Cataclysmic Gearhulk and Ironsoul Enforcer are each played in about one Kotori deck in six, and Jace, Architect of Thought in about one in seventeen.

Small creatures that do not crew or cheapen Vehicles

Arcanist's Owl, Myrsmith and Riddlesmith do little for a deck of Vehicles, and Fellwar Stone is a mana rock in a deck that can use cost reducers instead.

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
Jace, Architect of Thought
Cut
Jace, Architect of Thought
Legendary Planeswalker — Jace · 2UU
Inclusion6%
Synergy5%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 6
Mu Yanling, Wind Rider
Add
Mu Yanling, Wind Rider
Legendary Creature — Human Wizard Pilot · 2UU
Inclusion47%
Synergy44%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 45

Jace, Architect of Thought is a four-mana planeswalker that shrinks attackers and digs for cards. It is played in about one Kotori deck in seventeen.

Mu Yanling, Wind Rider is a 2/4 Legendary Human Wizard Pilot for {2}{U}{U}. When it enters it creates a 3/2 colorless Vehicle artifact token with crew 1, your Vehicles have flying, and whenever one or more creatures you control with flying deal combat damage to a player you draw a card. A four-drop that makes a Vehicle, gives them all flying and draws cards.

Swap 2 of 12
Arcanist's Owl
Cut
Arcanist's Owl
Artifact Creature — Bird · W/UW/UW/UW/U
Inclusion10%
Synergy9%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 9
Kitsune Ace
Add
Kitsune Ace
Creature — Fox Pilot · 1W
Inclusion38%
Synergy37%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 37

Arcanist's Owl is a four-mana 3/3 flying artifact creature that finds an artifact or enchantment. It is played in about one Kotori deck in ten.

Kitsune Ace is a 2/2 Fox Pilot for {1}{W}. Whenever a Vehicle you control attacks, you choose one: that Vehicle gains first strike until end of turn, or untap Kitsune Ace. A two-drop that crews a Vehicle, then untaps to crew another.

Swap 3 of 12
Myrsmith
Cut
Myrsmith
Creature — Human Artificer · 1W
Inclusion15%
Synergy15%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 15
Hotshot Mechanic
Add
Hotshot Mechanic
Artifact Creature — Fox Pilot · W
Inclusion30%
Synergy28%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 29

Myrsmith is a two-mana 2/1 that makes Myr tokens when you cast artifact spells and pay {1}. It is played in about one Kotori deck in seven.

Hotshot Mechanic is a 2/1 Fox Pilot artifact creature for {W}. It crews Vehicles as though its power were 2 greater. A one-drop that crews as a power 4 creature, enough for almost any Vehicle on its own.

Swap 4 of 12
Fellwar Stone
Cut
Fellwar Stone
Artifact · 2
Inclusion33%
Synergy4%
Lift1.1×
Oracle score 15
Reckoner Bankbuster
Add
Reckoner Bankbuster
Artifact — Vehicle · 2
Inclusion45%
Synergy42%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 43

Fellwar Stone is a two-mana rock that taps for a color an opponent's land could produce. It is played in about one Kotori deck in three, with weak synergy.

Reckoner Bankbuster is a 4/4 Vehicle for {2}. It enters with three charge counters, and for {2}, a tap and a counter you draw a card. When the last counter is removed you create a Treasure and a 1/1 Pilot token. A two-mana Vehicle that draws three cards and then makes a Pilot.

Swap 5 of 12
Release to Memory
Cut
Release to Memory
Instant · 3W
Inclusion17%
Synergy15%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 16
From Father to Son
Add
From Father to Son
Sorcery · 1W
Inclusion25%
Synergy23%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 24

Release to Memory is a four-mana instant that exiles an opponent's graveyard and makes Spirits. It is played in about one Kotori deck in six.

From Father to Son is a {1}{W} sorcery that searches your library for a Vehicle card and puts it into your hand, and with flashback {4}{W}{W}{W} it puts that Vehicle onto the battlefield instead. A two-mana tutor for the best Vehicle that you can use again late.

Swap 6 of 12
Cataclysmic Gearhulk
Cut
Cataclysmic Gearhulk
Artifact Creature — Construct · 3WW
Inclusion17%
Synergy16%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 16
Voyager Quickwelder
Add
Voyager Quickwelder
Artifact Creature — Robot Artificer · 2W
Inclusion35%
Synergy28%
Lift4.7×
Oracle score 31

Cataclysmic Gearhulk is a five-mana 4/5 that makes each player sacrifice all but one artifact, creature, enchantment and planeswalker. It is played in about one Kotori deck in six.

Voyager Quickwelder is a 2/4 Robot Artificer artifact creature for {2}{W}. Artifact spells you cast cost {1} less. A three-drop that makes every Vehicle cheaper and counts as an artifact creature for Kotori's lifelink.

Swap 7 of 12
Ironsoul Enforcer
Cut
Ironsoul Enforcer
Artifact Creature — Human Samurai · 4W
Inclusion18%
Synergy16%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 17
Cid, Freeflier Pilot
Add
Cid, Freeflier Pilot
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior Pilot · 1W
Inclusion31%
Synergy29%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 30

Ironsoul Enforcer is a five-mana 4/4 that returns an artifact when it attacks alone. It is played in about one Kotori deck in six.

Cid, Freeflier Pilot is a 2/2 Legendary Human Warrior Pilot for {1}{W}. Equipment and Vehicle spells you cast cost {1} less, it has flying during your turn, and for {2} and a tap you return target Equipment or Vehicle card from your graveyard to your hand. A two-drop that makes Vehicles cheaper, flies and recurs them.

Swap 8 of 12
Riddlesmith
Cut
Riddlesmith
Creature — Human Artificer · 1U
Inclusion19%
Synergy18%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 18
Consulate Dreadnought
Add
Consulate Dreadnought
Artifact — Vehicle · 1
Inclusion52%
Synergy51%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 52

Riddlesmith is a two-mana 2/1 that loots whenever you cast an artifact spell. It is played in about one Kotori deck in five.

Consulate Dreadnought is a 7/11 Vehicle for {1} with crew 6. Kotori gives every Vehicle crew 2, so a one-mana 7/11 is crewed by two small creatures.

Swap 9 of 12
Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle
Cut
Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle
Legendary Creature — Bird Cleric · 3W
Inclusion23%
Synergy21%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 22
Padeem, Consul of Innovation
Add
Padeem, Consul of Innovation
Legendary Creature — Vedalken Artificer · 3U
Inclusion55%
Synergy46%
Lift6.0×
Oracle score 49

Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle is a four-mana 2/2 flyer that returns a cheap creature whenever you cast a historic spell. It is played in about one Kotori deck in four.

Padeem, Consul of Innovation is a 1/4 Legendary Vedalken Artificer for {3}{U}. Artifacts you control have hexproof, and at the beginning of your upkeep, if you control the artifact with the greatest mana value or tied for it, you draw a card. A four-drop that protects every Vehicle and draws a card each upkeep.

Swap 10 of 12
Whirler Rogue
Cut
Whirler Rogue
Creature — Human Rogue Artificer · 2UU
Inclusion25%
Synergy21%
Lift5.2×
Oracle score 23
Salvation Engine
Add
Salvation Engine
Artifact — Vehicle · 4W
Inclusion56%
Synergy50%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 53

Whirler Rogue is a four-mana 2/2 that makes two Thopters and can make a creature unblockable. It is played in about one Kotori deck in four.

Salvation Engine is a 6/10 Vehicle for {4}{W} with crew 6. Other artifact creatures you control get +2/+2, and whenever it attacks you return up to one target artifact card from your graveyard to the battlefield. With Kotori it is crewed by two creatures, and it makes every artifact creature bigger.

Swap 11 of 12
Raiders' Karve
Cut
Raiders' Karve
Artifact — Vehicle · 3
Inclusion25%
Synergy25%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 25
Mechtitan Core
Add
Mechtitan Core
Artifact — Vehicle · 2
Inclusion54%
Synergy50%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 51

Raiders' Karve is a three-mana 4/4 Vehicle that puts the top card of your library onto the battlefield if it is a land. It is played in about one Kotori deck in four.

Mechtitan Core is a 2/4 Vehicle for {2} with crew 2. For {5}, exiling it and four other artifact creatures and/or Vehicles, you create Mechtitan, a legendary 10/10 flying, vigilance, trample, lifelink, haste Construct, and when it leaves the battlefield the exiled cards return. A cheap Vehicle with a game-ending finisher.

Swap 12 of 12
Exotic Orchard
Cut
Exotic Orchard
Land
Inclusion43%
Synergy15%
Lift1.5×
Oracle score 26
Mech Hangar
Add
Mech Hangar
Land
Inclusion70%
Synergy64%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 66

Exotic Orchard taps for a color an opponent's land could produce. It is played in about two Kotori decks in five, but it can fail to make colored mana in a two-player game.

Mech Hangar taps for {C}, or for one mana of any color that must be spent to cast a Pilot or Vehicle spell, and for {3} and a tap it makes target Vehicle an artifact creature until end of turn. A land that fixes for your Vehicles and crews one for you.

The full swap list

Cut

  • Jace, Architect of Thought
  • Arcanist's Owl
  • Myrsmith
  • Fellwar Stone
  • Release to Memory
  • Cataclysmic Gearhulk
  • Ironsoul Enforcer
  • Riddlesmith
  • Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle
  • Whirler Rogue
  • Raiders' Karve
  • Exotic Orchard

Add

  • Mu Yanling, Wind Rider
  • Kitsune Ace
  • Hotshot Mechanic
  • Reckoner Bankbuster
  • From Father to Son
  • Voyager Quickwelder
  • Cid, Freeflier Pilot
  • Consulate Dreadnought
  • Padeem, Consul of Innovation
  • Salvation Engine
  • Mechtitan Core
  • Mech Hangar

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

Buckle Up already has the Vehicles, the Pilots and Kotori's crew 2. The upgrade is cheap Vehicles that Kotori makes easy to crew, Pilots and cost reducers, in place of situational spells and small creatures. These twelve swaps cost about $6 in total.

Want a full 100-card list built around Kotori, Pilot Prodigy from today's data?

Build with The Oracle →

Frequently asked questions

What are the best upgrades for the Buckle Up precon?

Using data from 2,650 Kotori decks, the highest-scoring additions are Mech Hangar (for Exotic Orchard), Salvation Engine (for Whirler Rogue) and Consulate Dreadnought (for Riddlesmith). The full list has 12 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.

How much does it cost to upgrade Buckle Up?

All 12 swaps cost about $6.05 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-28). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers The Indomitable ($3.32) and Thunderhawk Gunship ($6.13).

What should I cut from Buckle Up?

The weakest cards for this commander are Jace, Architect of Thought, Arcanist's Owl and Myrsmith. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.

Which cards should I keep in Buckle Up?

Keep Shorikai, Genesis Engine, Prodigy's Prototype, Mobilizer Mech, Peacewalker Colossus and Parhelion II. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.

What does Kotori do?

Kotori, Pilot Prodigy costs {1}{W}{U} and is a 2/4 Legendary Moonfolk Pilot. Vehicles you control have crew 2, and at the beginning of combat on your turn target artifact creature you control gains lifelink and vigilance until end of turn. Every Vehicle you own can be crewed by a couple of small creatures, including Vehicles that normally need crew 6 or 8.

More Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Commander upgrade guides

All precon upgrade guides

How the numbers work

Inclusion is the share of Kotori, Pilot Prodigy decks (2,650 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 Kotori decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is high for many Vehicle cards because few decks play them outside a Vehicles deck, so use lift to compare cards, not to judge one in isolation. Prices are the cheapest non-foil paper printing on TCGplayer (via Scryfall), in USD, and move daily.