Anowon, the Ruin Thief costs {2}{U}{B} and is a 2/4 Legendary Vampire Rogue. Other Rogues you control get +1/+1, and whenever one or more Rogues you control deal combat damage to a player, that player mills a card for each 1 damage dealt, and if they mill at least one creature card you draw a card. Every connecting Rogue mills and, often, draws.
The precon already has the unblockable Rogues and the lords, including Soaring Thought-Thief, Oona's Blackguard, Frogtosser Banneret, Slither Blade and Notorious Throng. 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 Anowon decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Anowon decks than in decks that could play it.
Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Sneak Attack precon guide.
What is holding the deck back
Not enough cheap Rogues that mill
Thieves' Guild Enforcer, Krydle of Baldur's Gate, Blackbloom Rogue and Butch DeLoria are Rogues that mill, pump or grow, and Looter il-Kor and Shoreline Looter connect and draw. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.
Reanimation spells and heavy cards
Fated Return, Rise from the Grave and Endless Obedience bring creatures back, which Anowon decks do not need, and Scourge of Fleets and Ogre Slumlord are not cards Anowon decks usually play. The deck has 11 nonland cards at mana value six or more.
Equipment and rocks that do little
Blackblade Reforged, Scytheclaw, Dimir Keyrune and Dimir Locket are each played in about one Anowon deck in six to eight.
The 12 swaps
Each pair shows the numbers for the card coming out and the card going in. Click a card image to zoom.
Ogre Slumlord is a five-mana 3/3 Ogre Rogue that makes Rats when creatures die. It is not a card Anowon decks usually play.
Thieves' Guild Enforcer is a 1/1 Human Rogue for {B} with flash. Whenever it or another Rogue you control enters, each opponent mills two cards, and as long as an opponent has eight or more cards in their graveyard it gets +2/+1 and has deathtouch. A one-drop that mills every time a Rogue arrives, and the highest-scoring card the precon leaves out.
Scourge of Fleets is a seven-mana 6/6 Kraken that bounces creatures. It is not a card Anowon decks usually play.
Zareth San, the Trickster is a 4/4 Legendary Merfolk Rogue for {3}{U}{B} with flash. For {2}{U}{B} and an unblocked attacking Rogue returned to its owner's hand, you put it onto the battlefield tapped and attacking, and whenever it deals combat damage to a player you may put target permanent card from that player's graveyard onto the battlefield. A five-drop Rogue that steals from the graveyard Anowon fills.
Fated Return is a seven-mana instant that reanimates a creature. It is played in about one Anowon deck in eleven.
Krydle of Baldur's Gate is a 1/3 Legendary Human Elf Rogue for {U}{B}. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player that player loses 1 life and mills a card, then you gain 1 life and scry 1, and whenever you attack you may pay {2} to make a target creature unblockable. A two-drop Rogue that makes another Rogue unblockable.
Spinal Embrace is a six-mana instant that steals a creature for a turn. It is played in about one Anowon deck in ten.
Thieving Skydiver is a 2/1 flying Merfolk Rogue for {1}{U} with kicker {X}. When it enters, if it was kicked, you gain control of target artifact with mana value X or less, and if it is an Equipment you attach it to the Skydiver. A two-drop flying Rogue that can steal an artifact.
Dimir Keyrune is a three-mana rock that becomes a 2/2 unblockable creature. It is played in about one Anowon deck in eight.
Blackbloom Rogue is a 3/3 Human Rogue for {2}{B} with menace that gets +3/+0 while an opponent has eight or more cards in their graveyard, and it is also a land that enters tapped and taps for {B}. A three-drop Rogue that is a land when you need one.
Rise from the Grave is a five-mana sorcery that reanimates a creature as a Zombie. It is played in about one Anowon deck in nine.
Looter il-Kor is a 1/1 Kor Rogue for {1}{U} with shadow. Whenever it deals damage to an opponent you draw a card, then discard a card. A two-drop Rogue that is nearly unblockable and loots.
Fact or Fiction is a four-mana instant that reveals five cards and lets an opponent split them. It is played in about one Anowon deck in six.
Shoreline Looter is a 1/1 Rat Rogue for {1}{U} that can't be blocked. Threshold: whenever it deals combat damage to a player you draw a card, then discard a card unless there are seven or more cards in your graveyard. A two-drop Rogue that can't be blocked and draws.
Blackblade Reforged is a two-mana Equipment that gives +1/+1 for each land, but equip costs {3} for a legendary creature and {7} otherwise. It is played in about one Anowon deck in eight.
Cloak and Dagger is a Kindred Artifact, Rogue Equipment for {2}. Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has shroud, and whenever a Rogue creature enters, you may attach it to that creature. An Equipment that attaches itself to each new Rogue.
Endless Obedience is a six-mana sorcery with convoke that reanimates a creature. It is played in about one Anowon deck in eight.
Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake is a 2/2 Legendary Human Rogue for {1}{B} with menace. Whenever it attacks it gets +1/+1 for each other Rogue and/or Snake you control, and for {1}{B} it puts a menace counter on another creature, which also becomes a Rogue. A two-drop Rogue that makes other creatures Rogues for Anowon.
Scytheclaw is a five-mana Equipment with living weapon. It is played in about one Anowon deck in eight.
Inkfathom Infiltrator is a 2/1 Merfolk Rogue for {U/B}{U/B} that can't block and can't be blocked. A two-drop Rogue that always connects.
Dimir Locket is a three-mana rock that taps for {U} or {B}. It is played in about one Anowon deck in six.
Azure Beastbinder is a 1/3 Rat Rogue for {1}{U} with vigilance that can't be blocked by creatures with power 2 or greater. Whenever it attacks, up to one target artifact, creature or planeswalker an opponent controls loses all abilities until your next turn. A two-drop Rogue that is hard to block.
Zulaport Cutthroat is a two-mana 1/1 Human Rogue Ally that drains when creatures die. It is played in about one Anowon deck in six.
Rogue Class costs {U}{B}. Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, you exile the top card of that player's library face down, and you may look at it. Level 2 ({1}{U}{B}) gives your creatures menace, and level 3 ({2}{U}{B}) lets you play the cards exiled with it. A two-mana enchantment that steals a card for every connecting Rogue.
The full swap list
Cut
- Ogre Slumlord
- Scourge of Fleets
- Fated Return
- Spinal Embrace
- Dimir Keyrune
- Rise from the Grave
- Fact or Fiction
- Blackblade Reforged
- Endless Obedience
- Scytheclaw
- Dimir Locket
- Zulaport Cutthroat
Add
- Thieves' Guild Enforcer
- Zareth San, the Trickster
- Krydle of Baldur's Gate
- Thieving Skydiver
- Blackbloom Rogue
- Looter il-Kor
- Shoreline Looter
- Cloak and Dagger
- Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake
- Inkfathom Infiltrator
- Azure Beastbinder
- Rogue Class
What to keep
These cards are doing the deck's heavy lifting. Do not cut them.
- Soaring Thought-Thief$0.17
Played in 94% of Anowon decks. A flash flyer that mills two cards whenever Rogues attack. - Oona's Blackguard$0.34
Played in 88% of Anowon decks. A flyer that gives each other Rogue an extra +1/+1 counter and makes opponents discard. - Slither Blade$0.35
Played in 84% of Anowon decks. A one-mana Rogue that can't be blocked. - Frogtosser Banneret$0.33
Played in 81% of Anowon decks. Makes Goblin and Rogue spells cost {1} less. - Notorious Throng$3.48
Played in 80% of Anowon decks. Makes flying Faerie Rogues equal to the damage dealt and can give an extra turn.
If you want to spend more
These are strong but sit outside a budget upgrade. Prices are the cheapest paper printing.
- Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire$3.51
A three-mana deathtouch creature that tutors for any card on top of a library with boast. It costs more than a budget upgrade should. - Dauthi Voidwalker$4.42
A two-mana creature with shadow that exiles cards going to opponents' graveyards, but it exiles milled cards instead of putting them into graveyards, which cuts against Anowon's mill. It costs more than a budget upgrade should.
Sneak Attack already has the unblockable Rogues, the lords and Anowon's mill engine. The upgrade is cheap Rogues that mill and connect, in place of reanimation spells and heavy artifacts. These twelve swaps cost about $5 in total.
Want a full 100-card list built around Anowon, the Ruin Thief from today's data?
Build with The Oracle →Frequently asked questions
What are the best upgrades for the Sneak Attack precon?
Using data from 7,167 Anowon decks, the highest-scoring additions are Thieves' Guild Enforcer (for Ogre Slumlord), Zareth San, the Trickster (for Scourge of Fleets) and Thieving Skydiver (for Spinal Embrace). The full list has 12 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.
How much does it cost to upgrade Sneak Attack?
All 12 swaps cost about $5.12 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-28). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire ($3.51) and Dauthi Voidwalker ($4.42).
What should I cut from Sneak Attack?
The weakest cards for this commander are Ogre Slumlord, Scourge of Fleets and Fated Return. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.
Which cards should I keep in Sneak Attack?
Keep Soaring Thought-Thief, Oona's Blackguard, Slither Blade, Frogtosser Banneret and Notorious Throng. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.
What does Anowon do?
Anowon, the Ruin Thief costs {2}{U}{B} and is a 2/4 Legendary Vampire Rogue. Other Rogues you control get +1/+1, and whenever one or more Rogues you control deal combat damage to a player, that player mills a card for each 1 damage dealt, and if they mill at least one creature card you draw a card. Every connecting Rogue mills and, often, draws.
More Zendikar Rising Commander upgrade guides
How the numbers work
Inclusion is the share of Anowon, the Ruin Thief decks (7,167 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 Anowon decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is high for many Rogue cards because few decks play them outside a Rogue deck, 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.