Dogmeat, Ever Loyal costs {R}{G}{W} and is a 3/3. When it enters you mill five cards, then return an Aura or Equipment card from your graveyard to your hand. Whenever a creature you control that is enchanted or equipped attacks, you create a Junk token. Every Aura and Equipment on an attacker is a card from the top of your library.
The precon already has the Auras and the Equipment, including Mantle of the Ancients, All That Glitters, Strong Back and Puresteel Paladin. 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 Dogmeat decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Dogmeat decks than in decks that could play it.
Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Scrappy Survivors precon guide.
What is holding the deck back
Not enough engines for Auras and Equipment
Sram, Danitha, New Benalia's Light, Danitha Capashen, Paragon and Chishiro, the Shattered Blade draw cards, recast, cost less and make tokens for every Aura and Equipment. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.
Few ways to use the equipped creature
Reyav, Master Smith, Akiri, Fearless Voyager, Bruenor Battlehammer and Red XIII, Proud Warrior reward an enchanted, equipped or modified creature attacking.
Mana rocks and Fallout cards that do little
Perception Bobblehead and Agility Bobblehead are rocks with a minor use, and Squirrel Nest, Vault 21: House Gambit, Duchess, Wayward Tavernkeep and Ian the Reckless are each played in about one Dogmeat deck in six or fewer.
The 11 swaps
Each pair shows the numbers for the card coming out and the card going in. Click a card image to zoom.
Squirrel Nest is a three-mana Aura that makes a Squirrel each turn. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in ten.
Sram, Senior Edificer is a 2/2 for {1}{W}. Whenever you cast an Aura, Equipment or Vehicle spell, you draw a card. A two-drop that replaces every spell the deck is full of, and the highest-scoring card the precon leaves out.
Vault 21: House Gambit is a two-mana Saga that loots twice and makes Treasure. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in eight.
Danitha, New Benalia's Light is a 2/2 vigilance, trample, lifelink Knight for {1}{G}{W}. Once during each of your turns, you may cast an Aura or Equipment spell from your graveyard. Dogmeat mills five cards and Danitha casts the Auras and Equipment from among them.
Perception Bobblehead is a three-mana rock that digs for a cheap spell for {3}. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in six.
Danitha Capashen, Paragon is a 2/2 first strike, vigilance, lifelink Knight for {2}{W}. Aura and Equipment spells you cast cost {1} less. A creature that carries a lot of Equipment and makes every one cheaper.
Duchess, Wayward Tavernkeep is a 4/3 for {3}{R} that makes quest counters when your creatures connect. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in six.
Chishiro, the Shattered Blade is a 4/4 Snake Samurai for {2}{R}{G}. Whenever an Aura or Equipment you control enters, you create a 2/2 Spirit with menace, and at your end step you put a +1/+1 counter on each modified creature you control. Every Aura and Equipment is a body and a counter.
Ian the Reckless is a 2/1 for {1}{R} that deals damage to you and a target if it is modified. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in five.
Reyav, Master Smith is a 2/2 for {R}{W}. Whenever a creature you control that is enchanted or equipped attacks, it gains double strike until end of turn. Double strike on every carrier, and Dogmeat's Junk on every attack.
Acquired Mutation is an Aura that gives +2/+2 and goads the creature. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in five, and the goad sends your creature at the table whether you want it or not.
Akiri, Fearless Voyager is a 3/3 for {1}{R}{W}. Whenever you attack a player with one or more equipped creatures, you draw a card, and for {W} you may unattach an Equipment to tap a creature and make it indestructible. A card for every equipped attack.
Agility Bobblehead is a three-mana rock that gives creatures haste for {3}. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in five.
Red XIII, Proud Warrior is a 3/3 vigilance, trample Beast for {1}{R}{G}. Other modified creatures you control have vigilance and trample, and when it enters you return an Aura or Equipment card from your graveyard to your hand. A creature that does Dogmeat's recursion again.
Commander Sofia Daguerre is a 1/3 flash Pilot for {3}{W} that destroys a legendary permanent. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in four.
Bruenor Battlehammer is a 5/3 for {2}{R}{W}. Each creature you control gets +2/+0 for each Equipment attached to it, and you may pay {0} rather than the equip cost of the first equip ability you activate each turn. Every Equipment is +2 power, and equipping is free.
Veronica, Dissident Scribe is a 3/3 menace Rogue for {2}{R} that loots and makes Junk when you discard. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in four.
Armored Skyhunter is a 3/3 flier for {3}{W}. Whenever it attacks, you look at the top six cards of your library and may put an Aura or Equipment from among them onto the battlefield, attaching an Equipment to a creature you control. A free Aura or Equipment every attack.
Bighorner Rancher is a 2/5 vigilance creature for {4}{G} that taps for mana equal to the greatest power among your creatures. It is played in about one Dogmeat deck in three.
Thran Power Suit is a two-mana Equipment that gives +1/+1 for each Aura and Equipment attached to the equipped creature and ward {2}. A cheap Equipment that gets bigger with every other Aura and Equipment, and protects the carrier.
Moira Brown, Guide Author ({1}{R}{W}) is one of the lowest-scoring cards in the precon, at 21 in the Oracle: it is in 21% of Dogmeat decks with 21% synergy. It reads: When Moira Brown enters, create a colorless Book Equipment artifact token named Wasteland Survival Guide with "Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each quest counter among.
Sigarda's Aid ({W}) scores 31: it is in 34% of Dogmeat decks with 29% synergy. It reads: You may cast Aura and Equipment spells as though they had flash. Whenever an Equipment you control enters, you may attach it to target creature you control.
The full swap list
Cut
- Squirrel Nest
- Vault 21: House Gambit
- Perception Bobblehead
- Duchess, Wayward Tavernkeep
- Ian the Reckless
- Acquired Mutation
- Agility Bobblehead
- Commander Sofia Daguerre
- Veronica, Dissident Scribe
- Bighorner Rancher
- Moira Brown, Guide Author
Add
- Sram, Senior Edificer
- Danitha, New Benalia's Light
- Danitha Capashen, Paragon
- Chishiro, the Shattered Blade
- Reyav, Master Smith
- Akiri, Fearless Voyager
- Red XIII, Proud Warrior
- Bruenor Battlehammer
- Armored Skyhunter
- Thran Power Suit
- Sigarda's Aid
What to keep
These cards are doing the deck's heavy lifting. Do not cut them.
- Mantle of the Ancients$3.97
Played in 86% of Dogmeat decks. Returns Auras and Equipment from your graveyard attached to the creature, and gets +1/+1 for each. - All That Glitters$0.46
An Aura that gives +1/+1 for each artifact and enchantment you control. - Strong Back$1.44
Makes equip and Aura costs cheaper for the creature, and gives +2/+2 for each Aura and Equipment on it. - Puresteel Paladin$0.52
Draws a card whenever an Equipment enters, and makes Equipment equip {0} with metalcraft. - Codsworth, Handy Helper$14.23
Taps for {W}{W} for Auras and Equipment, and attaches them for you.
If you want to spend more
These are strong but sit outside a budget upgrade. Prices are the cheapest paper printing.
- Open the Armory$2.48
Searches for any Aura or Equipment. It costs more than a budget upgrade should. - Kellan, the Fae-Blooded$5.74
A double strike creature that pumps your team for each Aura and Equipment on it, and whose adventure finds an Aura or Equipment. - Forge Anew$4.37
Returns an Equipment and makes your equip abilities instant speed and free once each turn.
Scrappy Survivors already has the Auras and the Equipment. The upgrade is cheap creatures that draw, recast and cheapen them, and ones that reward an attacking carrier, in place of rocks and Fallout cards that do nothing for the plan. These eleven swaps cost about $25 in total.
Want a full 100-card list built around Dogmeat, Ever Loyal from today's data?
Build with The Oracle →Frequently asked questions
What are the best upgrades for the Scrappy Survivors precon?
Using data from 9,024 Dogmeat decks, the highest-scoring additions are Sram, Senior Edificer (for Squirrel Nest), Danitha, New Benalia's Light (for Vault 21: House Gambit) and Danitha Capashen, Paragon (for Perception Bobblehead). The full list has 11 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.
How much does it cost to upgrade Scrappy Survivors?
All 11 swaps cost about $25.11 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-27). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Open the Armory ($2.48), Kellan, the Fae-Blooded ($5.74) and Forge Anew ($4.37).
What should I cut from Scrappy Survivors?
The weakest cards for this commander are Squirrel Nest, Vault 21: House Gambit and Perception Bobblehead. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.
Which cards should I keep in Scrappy Survivors?
Keep Mantle of the Ancients, All That Glitters, Strong Back, Puresteel Paladin and Codsworth, Handy Helper. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.
What does Dogmeat do?
Dogmeat, Ever Loyal costs {R}{G}{W} and is a 3/3. When it enters you mill five cards, then return an Aura or Equipment card from your graveyard to your hand. Whenever a creature you control that is enchanted or equipped attacks, you create a Junk token. Every Aura and Equipment on an attacker is a card from the top of your library.
More Fallout upgrade guides
How the numbers work
Inclusion is the share of Dogmeat, Ever Loyal decks (9,024 of them when this was written, 2026-10-27) 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 Dogmeat decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is moderate for most of these cards because they are played in many Aura and Equipment decks, 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.