Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice | Art by Victor Adame Minguez

Welcome back to Commander Makeover, where we take an older commander, and spruce it up with cards released within the past two years. This week, we take on a notorious commander whose name is met with audible groans and painted targets. Even the featured art is sure to roll some eyes.

Atraxa, the Ultimate Infector

Hailing from the Commander 2016 precons, Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice is perhaps one of the greatest blockers to exist. Having that combination of flying, vigilance, and deathtouch ensures that nothing gets through our defenses. Short of removal (run more interaction!), sheer numbers, and other tricks, that is.

But it's the end step trigger that gives us an actual direction. Planeswalkers? Go for it. Infect/Poison? Do it, you dirty, evil monster. Plus so much more, including your basic +1/+1 Counters deck.

While Atraxa can go in many directions, I'll be putting greater emphasis on +1/+1 counters today. However, that doesn't mean a few other cards that work better elsewhere won't slip through the cracks. Even so, they could still be run to play a role in how the deck plays.

I know I'd be playing Insight EngineInsight Engine (more insights later in the article) in what build I'd make. Atraxa is so open-ended that you could even mix and match themes, but here, you'll find that +1/+1 counters has the strongest slant.

So which new cards are we adding to Atraxa decks?

Dreamtide WhaleDreamtide Whale

Getting the proliferate triggers is quite easy, especially later in the game. That said, our opponents will hesitate casting their second spell on their turns, but we certainly won't. Also, we'll want to proliferate the time counters on the Whale, so we don't lose it.

On another note, it's a 7/5, so we can swing with it as soon as it can attack. As a bonus, Atraxa's end step ability will ensure the Whale will always stick around. Great card.

Metastatic EvangelMetastatic Evangel

Hailing from the same set as Dreamtide Whale (Modern Horizons 3), this card needs us to run a good number of nontoken creatures. The more we have them, the more times we can proliferate on our turns. The card reminds me of a mirrored pair from War of the Spark that can also fit right in, Evolution SageEvolution Sage and Flux ChannelerFlux Channeler.

Seeing all three of these together makes me wonder if a Bant Proliferate deck is possible with these as hidden commanders. It's probably nothing.

Patrolling PeacemakerPatrolling Peacemaker

This creature from the Edge of Eternities precons will rely on our opponents to get the proliferate trigger. The good news is that committing crimes is easy to do when there's lot of spot removal running around. Opponents will hesitate to cast anything that targets, otherwise, we get to proliferate, including the counters the Peacemaker comes with.

This'll make it a big threat in no time.

Bloodroot ApothecaryBloodroot Apothecary

This little critter from the Bloomburrow precons is outright nasty against the right deck. It's all fun and games with the enters trigger until our opponent cracks a single Treasure. Then they get two poison counters, and the race will be on to win before we take that to ten.

The best part is that it doesn't have to be the token we give an opponent, but any noncreature token. So, if you know someone who's running a lot of those, give this snuggle Squirrel a try. It won't be so cute when opponents get poisoned, especially if it connects with that toxic ability. Just like a certain rabbit from a very well-known movie.

Insight EngineInsight Engine

I heard once that this was The One RingThe One Ring at home, and the description certainly fits. Again, we just need to add one counter to this, then we can proliferate, paying only to draw a boatload of cards when needed.

This card happens to be one of my favorite new cards from the Counter Intelligence precon (probably because of the art. Who knows?), and as that deck demonstrated, it's quite easy to reach a critical number to refill our hand. Two mana for a fresh grip of cards is going to feel really good if you get there.

Innkeeper's TalentInnkeeper's Talent

The first level of this Class isn't a bad enabler. There's better effects, but the card's true power lies in the other abilities. Level it up to the second tier, and we have ourselves a protection akin to Cathedral AcolyteCathedral Acolyte. The final level is a counter doubler, which is definitely not shabby.

It's a great card that's been making waves, and I'm sure it'll easily find homes in decks that center around counters (It doesn't have to be +1/+1 counters, but that's the most obvious one). Note, also, that the second ability protects permanents, so noncreature Sagas actually have some form of protection.

(Do keep in mind, though, with Classes like Inkeeper's Talent that the leveling up doesn't involve any counters, so you can't proliferate into the next level.)

Glen Elendra GuardianGlen Elendra Guardian

I wasn't sold on this card (or the next one) initially, but it has its uses. The best part about this card is that proliferating the -1/-1 counter won't kill it, like it would with its predecessor, Glen Elendra ArchmageGlen Elendra Archmage, since its toughness is higher. Provided you have enough mana to hold up, and two or three counters, you have some degree of control over the board.

This having flash makes it costlier, but better. However, you can remove any counter from the Guardian to counter the noncreature spell, so it'll feel at home with decks focusing on other counters, too.

Loch MareLoch Mare

The first order of business with this card is to activate its abilities as much as you can before proliferating those -1/-1 counters. The same can be said about the card above, but both will get more mileage this way. Again, the Mare doesn't care about the type of counters, but it has much different uses. It can be a card draw engine, a pillowfort card, or both. That's to say nothing about the gorgeous artwork.

If you're on the beatdown plan, the Mare also gives you a better stat-line than the Guardian, but you lose flash, so there's that, too.

Bonus Round: Even More +1/+1 Counter Support!

There's always a few foundational archetypes that always gets new support with each set. It so happens that +1/+1 counters is in that category.

Coming from the frontier that is Outlaws of Thunder Junction is Bristly Bill, Spine SowerBristly Bill, Spine Sower, which will put counters on creatures for each land we play. With enough mana, he can double those counters, too! With Modern Horizons 3 we got Revitalizing RepastRevitalizing Repast, which either protects a key creature or can come in as a land.

In Bloomburrow, we also get Communal BrewingCommunal Brewing, which will make our creatures come in bigger. Since it comes in with ingredient counters, we can proliferate those to make our entering creatures even bigger! From Foundations, Zimone, Paradox SculptorZimone, Paradox Sculptor allows counter doubling on up to two artifacts and/or creatures.

Moving into 2025, Warden of the GroveWarden of the Grove from Tarkir: Dragonstorm ensures that our creatures arrive as towering monstrosities. From that same set, Hollowmurk SiegeHollowmurk Siege either gives us incremental draw, or makes a creature harder to block.

Later, in Edge of Eternities, we got a trio of good cards. Loading ZoneLoading Zone is yet another counter doubler that can come down sooner, thanks to warp. Meanwhile, OuroboroidOuroboroid will ensure our board gets huge, very quickly (and even more so with Atraxa out!), and TerrasymbiosisTerrasymbiosis will draw us a glut of cards.

Ultimate Compleation

Like I said above, +1/+1 counters will get even more support, meaning more toys for Atraxa to play with. However, that's not the only way to build her, as there's also the myriad of other counter types, too.

-1/-1 counters? You got it (though, as of Lorwyn Eclipsed, Jund () is now the top choice). Or maybe you want to pull off all sorts of artifact shenanigans with the likes of Magistrate's ScepterMagistrate's Scepter?

While there's a lot of common ground, Atraxa pulls us in many different deckbuilding directions. So you're never out of options.