The Thirteenth Doctor puts a +1/+1 counter on target creature whenever you cast a spell from anywhere other than your hand, and untaps each creature you control that has a counter at the beginning of your end step. Yasmin Khan taps to exile the top card of your library and lets you play it until your next end step, which is a spell cast from outside your hand every turn. The precon is full of Paradox cards that pay off when you do it.
What it needs is more ways to cast from exile and fewer cards that do nothing when you do. 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 Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in those decks than in decks that could play it.
Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Paradox Power precon guide.
What is holding the deck back
Creatures that never trigger Paradox
Dan Lewis, Thijarian Witness, Bill Potts, Strax, Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint do their own thing and add nothing to casting spells from exile. Dan Lewis and Thijarian Witness are not played in enough Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks to register in the data, and the rest are each played in about one deck in six to eight.
Too few ways to cast from exile
Etali, Laelia, Faldorn, Doc Aurlock and Wild-Magic Sorcerer all make or cheapen spells you cast from exile, and every one of those casts is a Paradox trigger. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.
Heavy cards and a Saga that miss the point
Fugitive of the Judoon is played in about one deck in nine, and Frost Fair Lure Fish and Lunar Hatchling each cost six or seven and are played in about one deck in five.
The 9 swaps
Each pair shows the numbers for the card coming out and the card going in. Click a card image to zoom.

Dan Lewis is a 2/2 for {1}{R} that makes your noncreature, non-Equipment artifacts into Equipment with equip {1}. It is played in so few Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks that it barely registers in the data.
Etali, Primal Storm is a 6/6 for {4}{R}{R}. Whenever it attacks, you exile the top card of each player's library and may cast any number of the spells among them without paying their mana costs. Each of those is a spell cast from exile, so one attack can trigger Paradox several times.

Thijarian Witness is a 0/4 flash creature for {1}{G} that investigates when another creature that was attacking or blocking alone dies. It is played in so few Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks that it barely registers in the data.
Laelia, the Blade Reforged is a 2/2 haste creature for {2}{R}. Whenever it attacks, you exile the top card of your library and may play it this turn, and whenever cards are put into exile from your library or graveyard it gets a +1/+1 counter. Playing that card is a Paradox trigger, and the counter means the Doctor untaps it at your end step.

Fugitive of the Judoon is a five-mana Saga that makes a 1/1 Human and a 4/4 Alien Rhino, investigates, and can exile a Human and an artifact to put a Doctor onto the battlefield. It is played in about one Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin deck in nine.
Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius is a 2/3 for {G}{U}. Spells you cast from your graveyard or from exile cost {2} less, and plotting cards from your hand costs {2} less. Every spell it discounts is already a Paradox trigger.

Bill Potts is a 2/4 for {3}{R} that copies spells and abilities targeting only him, once each turn. It is played in about one Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin deck in eight.
Kami of Whispered Hopes is a 1/1 for {2}{G}. If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on a permanent you control, that many plus one are put on it instead, and {T}: add X mana of any one color, where X is its power. Every Paradox counter is bigger, and the extra counters make its own mana grow.

Strax is a 5/5 vigilance trampler for {3}{R}{G} that sacrifices an artifact to fight. It is played in about one Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin deck in six.
Passionate Archaeologist is a Background for {1}{R}. Commander creatures you own have "Whenever you cast a spell from exile, this creature deals damage equal to that spell's mana value to target opponent." With the Thirteenth Doctor or Yasmin on the battlefield, each Paradox cast also burns an opponent.

Madame Vastra is a 3/3 for {2}{G}{U} that must be blocked if able and makes a Clue and a Food when a creature she damaged dies. She is half of a partner pair with Jenny Flint, who is also cut below. She is played in about one Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin deck in six.
Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald is a 3/3 for {1}{R}{G}. Whenever you cast a spell from exile or a land you control enters from exile, you create a 2/2 green Wolf. For {1}, {T} and a discard it exiles the top card of your library and lets you play it this turn. Each Paradox cast also makes a Wolf.

Jenny Flint is a 2/2 first striker for {1}{U}{R} with training that grows another creature when you sacrifice a Clue or Food. She partners with Madame Vastra, who is also cut above. She is played in about one Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin deck in six.
Incubation Druid is a 0/2 for {1}{G} that taps for one mana of any type a land you control could produce, or three if it has a +1/+1 counter on it. The Thirteenth Doctor's Paradox counter on it turns it into a three-mana ramp creature.

Frost Fair Lure Fish is a 7/7 for {5}{U}{R} that makes two Fish and two tapped Treasures. It is played in about one Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin deck in five.
Maelstrom Wanderer is a 7/5 for {5}{G}{U}{R}, in exactly this deck's three colours. Creatures you control have haste, and cascade, cascade casts two spells from exile for free, each a Paradox trigger. It costs eight mana, so it is the top end of the deck.

Lunar Hatchling is a 6/6 flier for {4}{G}{U} with basic landcycling {2} and escape. It is played in about one Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin deck in five.
Wild-Magic Sorcerer is a 4/3 for {3}{R}. The first spell you cast from exile each turn has cascade, which casts another spell from exile. One cast from exile becomes two Paradox triggers.
The full swap list
Cut
- Dan Lewis
- Thijarian Witness
- Fugitive of the Judoon
- Bill Potts
- Strax, Sontaran Nurse
- Madame Vastra
- Jenny Flint
- Frost Fair Lure Fish
- Lunar Hatchling
Add
- Etali, Primal Storm
- Laelia, the Blade Reforged
- Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius
- Kami of Whispered Hopes
- Passionate Archaeologist
- Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald
- Incubation Druid
- Maelstrom Wanderer
- Wild-Magic Sorcerer
What to keep
These cards are doing the deck's heavy lifting. Do not cut them.
- Flaming Tyrannosaurus$9.41
Played in 82% of Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks. Each Paradox cast deals 3 damage to any target and grows it, and when it dies it hits each opponent for its power. - Bigger on the Inside$0.48
Played in 78% of Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks. An Aura that taps for two mana of one colour and gives the next spell cascade. - Sisterhood of Karn$0.22
Played in 76% of Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks. It enters with a counter and doubles its counters on every Paradox cast. - Into the Time Vortex$0.27
Played in 72% of Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks. Cascade and rebound mean one card casts two spells from exile. - Iraxxa, Empress of Mars$1.10
Played in 70% of Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin decks. Every Paradox cast creates a 2/2 Alien Warrior, and battle cry makes them hit harder.
If you want to spend more
These are strong cards that cost more than the swaps above. Prices are the cheapest paper printing.
- Delayed Blast Fireball$15.44
Delayed Blast Fireball ({1}{R}{R}) scores 32: it is in 34% of The Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan decks with 31% synergy. It reads: Delayed Blast Fireball deals 2 damage to each opponent and each creature they control. If this spell was cast from exile, it deals 5 damage to each opponent and each creature they control instead. Foretell {4}{R}{R}.
The precon's Paradox core is already close to what players build: its best cards, Flaming Tyrannosaurus, Bigger on the Inside and Sisterhood of Karn, are played in more than three decks in four. The upgrade is more ways to cast from exile, in place of creatures that never trigger a Paradox. These nine swaps cost about $33 in total and keep the deck's identity intact.
Want a full 100-card list built around The Thirteenth Doctor from today's data?
Build with The Oracle →Frequently asked questions
What are the best upgrades for the Paradox Power precon?
Using data from 1,928 The Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan decks, the highest-scoring additions are Etali, Primal Storm (for Dan Lewis), Laelia, the Blade Reforged (for Thijarian Witness) and Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius (for Fugitive of the Judoon). The full list has 9 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.
How much does it cost to upgrade Paradox Power?
All 9 swaps cost about $33.33 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-11-02). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Delayed Blast Fireball ($15.44).
What should I cut from Paradox Power?
The weakest cards for this commander are Dan Lewis, Thijarian Witness and Fugitive of the Judoon. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.
Which cards should I keep in Paradox Power?
Keep Flaming Tyrannosaurus, Bigger on the Inside, Sisterhood of Karn, Into the Time Vortex and Iraxxa, Empress of Mars. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.
What does The Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan do?
The Thirteenth Doctor puts a +1/+1 counter on target creature whenever you cast a spell from anywhere other than your hand, and untaps each creature you control that has a counter at the beginning of your end step. Yasmin Khan taps to exile the top card of your library and lets you play it until your next end step, which is a spell cast from outside your hand every turn. The precon is full of Paradox cards that pay off when you do it.
More Doctor Who Commander upgrade guides
How the numbers work
Inclusion is the share of The Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan decks (1,928 of them when this was written, 2026-11-02) 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 The Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. And lift is very high for many Doctor Who cards because they are new and rarely played outside Doctor Who decks, so use lift to compare cards, not to judge one in isolation. 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.









