<p>Looking to upgrade your <em>Witherbloom Pestilence</em> Commander precon? We're here to give you some upgrade ideas for both budget and non-budget cards, as well as recommendations for cards from the precon that you should cut.</p>
<p>If you're looking for an analysis on what's in the deck and how to play it, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/witherbloom-pestilence-secrets-of-strixhaven-precon-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">check out the Precon Guide here</a>.</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SOSWitherbloomUPGRADE.png

<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Excalibur II" href="#" target="_blank">Excalibur II</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Excalibur II"></div></div>
<p>This Equipment is perfect for Dina. The deck gains life all the time, and Excalibur will get a charge counter every time it does, whether it's equipped or not. Then once it's loaded up with counters, equip it to any creature for Dina to sacrifice for huge benefits.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ravenous Squirrel" href="#" target="_blank">Ravenous Squirrel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ravenous Squirrel"></div></div>
<p>This rodent comes down early and can grow over the long game, with some repeatable card draw thrown in.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bogwater Lumaret" href="#" target="_blank">Bogwater Lumaret</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bogwater Lumaret"></div></div>
<p>We want to gain life as frequently as possible, and this Spirit Frog does exactly that.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyre Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Gyre Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gyre Sage"></div></div>
<p>An excellent ramp source for us to put +1/+1 counters on.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illusionist&#039;s Bracers" href="#" target="_blank">Illusionist&#039;s Bracers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Illusionist&#039;s Bracers"></div></div>
<p>This is somewhat interchangeable with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rings of Brighthearth" href="#" target="_blank">Rings of Brighthearth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but Bracers is a bit more mana efficient. It's also a cheaper card to buy.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Witness"></div></div>
<p>A repeatable source of recursion for bringing back creatures to sacrifice. Or other important cards we want to have again.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Managorger Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Managorger Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Managorger Hydra"></div></div>
<p>It just gets bigger and bigger, until it eventually becomes a serious combat threat - or a juicy target for Dina to sacrifice.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forgotten Ancient" href="#" target="_blank">Forgotten Ancient</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forgotten Ancient"></div></div>
<p>Similar to Managorger Hydra, except this one gives out its counters to other creatures that might want them more.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jenova, Ancient Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Jenova, Ancient Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jenova, Ancient Calamity"></div></div>
<p>The more counters we put on Jenova, the more counters she'll put on other creatures, leading to a serious amount of cards drawn when we sacrifice them.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirkwood Bats" href="#" target="_blank">Mirkwood Bats</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirkwood Bats"></div></div>
<p>There's a lot of token making in this deck, so we may as well use them to speed up the game.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savra, Queen of the Golgari" href="#" target="_blank">Savra, Queen of the Golgari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savra, Queen of the Golgari"></div></div>
<p>Pests are a large part of the token output of this deck. They also happen to be both black and green, meaning we get both of Savra's effects when we sacrifice them.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="South Wind Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">South Wind Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="South Wind Avatar"></div></div>
<p>Here's a new one from <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/tmt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em></a>. Dina will give us life equal to the power of the creatures she sacrifices, so we might as well get life from their toughness too. Not to mention that nice bit of life drain when we gain life.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ageless Entity" href="#" target="_blank">Ageless Entity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ageless Entity"></div></div>
<p>The important part of the ability here is "that many." Most effects will only give a single counter whenever we gain life, no matter how much we gain, but this Elemental gets them for each point of life gained.</p>
<p>This means it's another creature that'll get huge just from playing the deck.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sengir, the Dark Baron" href="#" target="_blank">Sengir, the Dark Baron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sengir, the Dark Baron"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of getting huge, Sengir here just loves when other creatures die. And it's <em>any </em>creatures, not just ours. And since he has flying, he's also a really significant combat threat.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jumbo Cactuar" href="#" target="_blank">Jumbo Cactuar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jumbo Cactuar"></div></div>
<p>Easily the most fun, and funniest, card we could add here. Go to combat and declare Jumbo Cactuar as an attacker, making its power 10,000. Then sacrifice him with Dina, which will gain us ten thousand life and ten thousand +1/+1 counters on another creature.</p>
<p>I'm not adding it here, but if you throw a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Walking Ballista" href="#" target="_blank">Walking Ballista</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into this, you'll be able to end the game on the spot.</p>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heroic Intervention"></div></div>
<p>The precon was seriously lacking in protection spells, so we'll throw in the best one in these colors.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ayara, First of Locthwain" href="#" target="_blank">Ayara, First of Locthwain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ayara, First of Locthwain"></div></div>
<p>A fantastic card for all of the black creatures we'll be making, including the Pest tokens. With some incidental card draw thrown in.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER"></div></div>
<p>Possibly the best Aristocrats card printed in the last five years, Sephiroth is going to do some amazing things with Dina.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div></div>
<p>The deck makes lots of tokens and lots of counters. So Doubling Season is a no-brainer, even if it is boring.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanguine Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Sanguine Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose" href="#" target="_blank">Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Tenacity" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Tenacity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sanguine Bond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Tenacity"></div></div>
<p>Draining life from opponents whenever we gain life is going to make the game end much more swiftly.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exquisite Blood"></div></div>
<p>This enchantment combos with any of the three cards mentioned above to end the game immediately. Keep in mind if you add this and the above cards to the deck you're automatically moved into <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bracket 4</a> territory. If that's not where you want to be, then skip this one.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polluted Bonds" href="#" target="_blank">Polluted Bonds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polluted Bonds"></div></div>
<p>Draining life from our opponents for doing normal game actions ensures our ever-increasing life total.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seedborn Muse"></div></div>
<p>Why activate Dina just once per turn rotation when we can do it <em>four</em> times?</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Dreadhorde General" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Dreadhorde General</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Dreadhorde General"></div></div>
<p>One of the best Aristocrats planeswalkers out there. The repeatable card draw and token making are exactly what we want. Don't expect opponents to let us get to nine loyalty for that ultimate, though.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vein Ripper" href="#" target="_blank">Vein Ripper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vein Ripper"></div></div>
<p>Lots of creatures die in Commander games. Why not profit off of that?</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vigor"></div></div>
<p>Protect our creatures in combat (or against <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) while also making them bigger sacrifice targets for Dina? Yes please.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Skullspore Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">The Skullspore Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Skullspore Nexus"></div></div>
<p>Easily castable for just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Skullspore Nexus ensures that we have big creatures to sacrifice or attack with.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherflux Reservoir"></div></div>
<p>With all this life gain happening, we may as well throw in the death laser. It's particularly lethal if we can pull of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jumbo Cactuar" href="#" target="_blank">Jumbo Cactuar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> move mentioned earlier.</p>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gorma, the Gullet" href="#" target="_blank">Gorma, the Gullet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gorma, the Gullet"></div></div>
<p>Cutting the backup commander from a precon always feels bad. Gorma isn't even a bad commander, or a bad card. It's just not great for this deck.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gilded Goose" href="#" target="_blank">Gilded Goose</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyome, Master Chef" href="#" target="_blank">Gyome, Master Chef</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gilded Goose"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gyome, Master Chef"></div></div>
<p>You're either a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/food" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Food deck</a> or you aren't. This deck is not, so these two cards don't make any sense to include.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia" href="#" target="_blank">Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia"></div></div>
<p>Getting potentially one 2/2 on each of our turns doesn't do enough for this deck. We have more efficient and powerful token makers.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ophiomancer"></div></div>
<p>This is out for the same reasons as Jadar.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nether Traitor" href="#" target="_blank">Nether Traitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nether Traitor"></div></div>
<p>This card is <em>only</em> good if we dump a bunch of counters on it. We'd rather spend our mana making a lot of small creatures than bringing this guy back repeatedly.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodghast" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodghast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodghast"></div></div>
<p>Similar to Nether Traitor, it's nice that it can keep coming back, but not significant enough when it's on the battlefield.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teacher&#039;s Pest" href="#" target="_blank">Teacher&#039;s Pest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teacher&#039;s Pest"></div></div>
<p>This is slightly better than Nether Traitor, since it gains life, but only slightly.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Night&#039;s Whisper" href="#" target="_blank">Night&#039;s Whisper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Night&#039;s Whisper"></div></div>
<p>It's more important for us to include repeatable card draw than this single-use small burst.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stensian Sanguinist" href="#" target="_blank">Stensian Sanguinist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stensian Sanguinist"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is certainly not a bad card for this deck. The problem is that Stensian Sanguinist relies on combat to get prepared, and this really isn't a combat deck.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom Command" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witherbloom Charm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witherbloom Command"></div></div>
<p>Modal spells can be fantastic inclusions in Commander for their flexibility. Unfortunately, neither of these is terribly good.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trudge Garden" href="#" target="_blank">Trudge Garden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trudge Garden"></div></div>
<p>What happens if we don't have the extra <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to spend? Then this card does absolutely nothing. Will a couple of 4/4s in a game be nice to have? Sure. But we're relying too much on having open mana.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ohran Frostfang" href="#" target="_blank">Ohran Frostfang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ohran Frostfang"></div></div>
<p>This isn't a combat deck, so we shouldn't base our card draw off of combat.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Casualties of War" href="#" target="_blank">Casualties of War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Casualties of War"></div></div>
<p>The deck has enough removal, and this one's a bit too expensive.</p>


Witherbloom Pestilence Precon Upgrade

Witherbloom Pestilence Precon Upgrade Guide

<p><em>Witherbloom Pestilence</em> is a new Commander preconstructed deck releasing with the set <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em>. What's in the deck, who are the commanders, and is it a good buy?</p>
<p>Let's find out.</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SOSWitherbloomprecon.png

<p>The <i>Witherbloom Pestilence</i> Commander deck contains the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>1 Ready-to-play 100-card Commander deck</li>
<li>1 Traditional foil face commander with borderless art</li>
<li>1 Traditional foil featured commander with borderless art</li>
<li>98 Non-foil cards, including 10 new-to-Magic cards</li>
<li>10 Double-sided tokens</li>
<li>1 Reference card</li>
<li>1 Deck box</li>
</ul>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dina, Essence Brewer" href="#" target="_blank">Dina, Essence Brewer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dina, Essence Brewer"></div></div>
<p>Dina's back, and she's still steepin'.</p>
<p>This time around, her herbal concoctions take the form of hitting the four biggest pillars of a green/black legend: sacrificing creatures, drawing cards, gaining life, and adding +1/+1 counters to things. Yes, Dina does all four.</p>
<p>Dina's one of those commanders that one might refer to as a one-card engine, with two abilities that feed into each other.</p>
<p>First, whenever Dina sees you sacrifice a creature, you draw a card. It can only happen once per turn, sure, but it doesn't say it can only happen on <em>your </em>turn. So in a perfect world, Dina can draw you four cards per turn cycle.</p>
<p>But how might you sacrifice these creatures? Dina's got that covered too, at least once. For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-tap" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Dina sacrifices another creature and you gain X life and put X +1/+1 counters onto a target creature you control. As long as you've got the creatures to feed into Dina's ability, you won't need much else. Dina even allows you to put those counters onto Dina herself, should you need to.</p>
<p>For only three mana, Dina is an exceptionally powerful value engine, and will likely be the de jour black/green legend of choice for the foreseeable future.</p>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gorma, the Gullet" href="#" target="_blank">Gorma, the Gullet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gorma, the Gullet"></div></div>
<p>Alongside Dina comes Gorma, the Gullet, a 1/1 Pest Frog with lifelink for three mana.</p>
<p>Gorma also likes seeing creatures die, and whenever another creature you control kicks the bucket, Gorma gets a +1/+1 counter. Note that it doesn't say "nontoken." That condition precedes the <em>other </em>ability.</p>
<p>Gorma also says that nontoken creatures you control enter with an additional +1/+1 counter for each creature that died under your control this turn. That might seem underwhelming, but it can add up quick, especially if you're sacrificing things left, right, and center as <em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>is wont to do.</p>
<p>Gorma will take a lot more effort to build around than Dina, and that's a good thing. But in the context of this preconstructed deck, Gorma's clearly a role player in the 99 when Dina's around.</p>


<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defiling Daemogoth" href="#" target="_blank">Defiling Daemogoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defiling Daemogoth"></div></div>
<p>We're starting off the 10 new cards in <em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>with a bang, and that bang comes in the form of Defiling Daemogoth, a 5/4 Demon with menace for five mana.</p>
<p>This Demon wants you to gain life, and provides a bit of help in that regard by allowing you to gain one life whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player. That likely won't add up to a ton of life each combat step, but <em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>also doesn't need much help in gaining life.</p>
<p>The real power of Defiling Daemogoth is the second ability. At the beginning of your end step, each opponent loses life equal to the amount you gained on your turn. It's kind of a repeatable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Midnight Snack" href="#" target="_blank">Midnight Snack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it'll add up quickly. The only thing holding it back is that the life gain has to happen on your turn to trigger - a minor quibble.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eccentric Pestfinder" href="#" target="_blank">Eccentric Pestfinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eccentric Pestfinder"></div></div>
<p>The first prepared creature of <em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>is really into bugs, and that comes through in its prepared spell, Turn Stones. Eccentric Pestfinder is a trampling 5/5 Troll Druid for four mana, which by itself doesn't move the needle in 2026.</p>
<p>But when you staple Turn Stones onto it, things change. Turn Stones, a two-mana sorcery, provides you with a 1/1 Pest token for each opponent. These Pests are black and green and when they die, you gain 1 life. To prepare Eccentric Pestfinder, you simply must gain life. That's it. If you did that during your turn, then Eccentric Pathfinder becomes prepared at the end of it.</p>
<p>So that's three 1/1 token creatures each turn. For just one black mana and one green mana. Tokens that, when they die, gain you life.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merchant of Venom" href="#" target="_blank">Merchant of Venom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Merchant of Venom"></div></div>
<p>Everyone loves a good Cat Warlock, even one that's a 1/1 for four mana, albeit with menace.</p>
<p>Merchant of Venom shares a font with a well-loved variety of creature also occupied by things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshbag Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plaguecrafter" href="#" target="_blank">Plaguecrafter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slum Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Slum Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and more. They're always iterating on that idea, and Merchant of Venom might be the best one yet (not named <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<p>Assuming you're not casting this when you have no other creatures, it's not really a 1/1, it's a 5/5, which makes the stat line much more palatable. And whenever a player sacrifices anything, Merchant of Venom gets bigger. Any player. Sacrificing <em>any </em>permanent. Fetchland? Eldrazi Scions? Expedition Map? Doesn't matter.</p>
<p>If you've played a deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest" href="#" target="_blank">Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (also in this precon), you know exactly how good this can be.</p>
<p>Any deck playing black will want to look at Merchant of Venom.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pest Rescuer" href="#" target="_blank">Pest Rescuer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pest Rescuer"></div></div>
<p>What if instead of sacrificing Pest tokens, you just wore them as a hat? This is the question asked by Pest Rescuer.</p>
<p>Taking a cue from classic Commander creature <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (which is also in this deck with new art), Pest Rescuer says that at the beginning of each upkeep, if you don't have a Pest creature token, create one. Notice that it specifically says "Pest creature <em>token,</em>" so if you have Gorma in play, it'll still trigger.</p>
<p>As if that weren't good enough, Pest Rescuer also adds an additional one life to any that you gain.</p>
<p>There's a reason why Ophiomancer, which has been around since 2013, has been so long-lived, and that's because it's really, really good. Are Pests better than deathtouch Snakes, though? Who cares.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ribtruss Roaster" href="#" target="_blank">Ribtruss Roaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ribtruss Roaster"></div></div>
<p>While Pest Rescuer saves Pests, Ribtruss Roaster eats them. And then makes more. The logistics aren't important.</p>
<p>A 3/3 Troll Druid, Ribtruss Roaster has devour 1, which means that as it enters, you can sacrifice as many creatures as you want. For each one, Ribtruss Roaster gets a +1/+1 counter.</p>
<p>You want to be stockpiling +1/+1 counters onto Ribtruss Roaster, because at the beginning of your end step, you get a Pest refund. For each +1/+1 counter on the Roaster, you create a new Pest token. At the end of every one of your turns.</p>
<p>The thing about <em>Witherbloom Pestilence, </em>though, is that there are plenty of ways to add +1/+1 counters to your creatures. Dina does it pretty well herself. So Ribtruss Roaster doesn't even need to devour anything to get going.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stensian Sanguinist" href="#" target="_blank">Stensian Sanguinist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stensian Sanguinist"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is so popular in Commander, why not just attach it to a 2/2 Vampire Cleric?</p>
<p>Whenever you attack, Stensian Sanguinist gives a temporary boon of deathtouch to one of your creatures. To prepare the Vampire, you just need to deal combat damage with the creature you gave deathtouch to. Not too difficult, especially if you're picking a creature that already has evasion.</p>
<p>The reward for that successful preparation is you get to cast Exsanguinate, a card that famously ends Commander games, or at least puts them out of reach for opponents.</p>
<p>One caveat though: it's clear that in the context of <em>Witherbloom Pestilence, </em>the Sanguinist's Exsanguinate is meant more to be cast where X equals one or two, not 20. If you can go ham with it, go for it, but don't be afraid to cast a mini version to trigger all the "if you gained life this turn" abilities in the deck.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Appetite" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Appetite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feral Appetite"></div></div>
<p>With Dina at the helm, you want to be sacrificing creatures regularly, and that's what Pests are for. However, by themselves Pests don't do a whole lot. But what if they also had deathtouch?</p>
<p>That's the question Feral Appetite answers, in addition to providing a slight buff to your Pests' power. It's a very similar question to the one answered by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blight Mound" href="#" target="_blank">Blight Mound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is also in this deck.</p>
<p>The real value of this three-mana enchantment, though, is the activated ability.</p>
<p>For two mana, you can exile a card from a graveyard. If it's a creature, create a Pest. And you can pick from anyone's graveyard, not just your own.</p>
<p>We've come a long way since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Night Soil" href="#" target="_blank">Night Soil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Immoral Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Immoral Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Immoral Bargain"></div></div>
<p><i>Witherbloom Pestilence </i>also provides two new sorceries, with the first one being Immoral Bargain.</p>
<p>For three mana, you can sacrifice X creatures to destroy X target nonland permanents. So simple, it's surprising that this card hadn't existed before. At least, it hasn't been this efficient before, as seen in comparison to something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eliminate the Competition" href="#" target="_blank">Eliminate the Competition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>As long as you've got the creatures to spare, Immoral Bargain can be very powerful, but likely the majority of times it gets cast will see X equal two or three at most. Still good, but inherently card disadvantage.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ominous Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Ominous Harvest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ominous Harvest"></div></div>
<p><i>Witherbloom Pestilence's </i>other new sorcery is Ominous Harvest, which sees the return of gravestorm.</p>
<p>It's only the third time gravestorm has appeared on a card, with the other two being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Ordeal" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Ordeal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Follow the Bodies" href="#" target="_blank">Follow the Bodies</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Ominous Harvest draws a card and pings for one life for every instance of a permanent being put into the graveyard from play this turn. That's any permanent going to any graveyard, which is exceptionally powerful, if your timing's right. Like, say, right after a big Immoral Bargain.</p>
<p>If the gravestorm gets too crazy, Ominous Harvest does allow you to target any player, not just yourself. If the loss of life would be too great, just treat Ominous Harvest like a game-ending killshot.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Turbulent Fen" href="#" target="_blank">Turbulent Fen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Turbulent Fen"></div></div>
<p>As with all five <em>Secrets of Strixhaven </em>decks, <em>Witherbloom Pestilence</em> has its own color-relevant "Turbulent" land, with Turbulent Fen.</p>
<p>It's got basic land types, which is always nice to see on a new land, and the condition for entering untapped - if opponents have eight or more lands collectively - isn't hard to achieve. With no ramp, that'll happen on turn three if you didn't go first or second in the game, or turn four if you did.</p>
<p>As far as dual lands go, they aren't immediate must-haves, but they're still pretty good. And interestingly, they get better as the quality of opponents' decks increases.</p>


<p><em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>carries forth the time-honored strategy seen in many black/green decks, in that none of your creatures are worth as much alive as they dead. Or, to be specific, <em>dying. </em></p>
<p>Sacrificing creatures is the fuel that powers the engine, and everything else - gaining life, dealing damage, drawing cards, and eking out value - is centered on that principle.</p>
<p>We've seen how Dina drives that bus, and a lot of the times it'll be Dina's ability that you'll look to as option one, but the deck also has plenty of other ways to convert a living creature to a dead one for value. And one of those ways is the <em>other </em>Dina:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dina, Soul Steeper" href="#" target="_blank">Dina, Soul Steeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mycoloth" href="#" target="_blank">Mycoloth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Priest of Forgotten Gods" href="#" target="_blank">Priest of Forgotten Gods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ribtruss Roaster" href="#" target="_blank">Ribtruss Roaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Abomination" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Abomination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umbral Collar Zealot" href="#" target="_blank">Umbral Collar Zealot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viscera Seer" href="#" target="_blank">Viscera Seer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wight of the Reliquary" href="#" target="_blank">Wight of the Reliquary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Woe Strider" href="#" target="_blank">Woe Strider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mycoloth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Umbral Collar Zealot"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Woe Strider"></div></div>
<p>These are all the creatures that allow the opportunity to sacrifice other creatures. There are other ways in the deck as well, from sorceries like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Immoral Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Immoral Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Brew" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Brew</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to a land, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Market" href="#" target="_blank">High Market</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>There are creatures that sacrifice others, but there are also a handful of creatures that want to be sacrificed:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodghast" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodghast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haywire Mite" href="#" target="_blank">Haywire Mite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nether Traitor" href="#" target="_blank">Nether Traitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teacher&#039;s Pest" href="#" target="_blank">Teacher&#039;s Pest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodghast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haywire Mite"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nether Traitor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teacher&#039;s Pest"></div></div>
<p>And yes, there are 39 creatures in the 99 of <em>Witherbloom Pestilence, </em>but with how important it is that we always have something to sacrifice, 39 isn't as large a number as it may seem. That's why it's so valuable we've got a number of ways to create creature tokens as fodder, be they Pests or otherwise:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beledros Witherbloom" href="#" target="_blank">Beledros Witherbloom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Creakwood Liege" href="#" target="_blank">Creakwood Liege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eccentric Pestfinder" href="#" target="_blank">Eccentric Pestfinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia" href="#" target="_blank">Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pawn of Ulamog" href="#" target="_blank">Pawn of Ulamog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pest Rescuer" href="#" target="_blank">Pest Rescuer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tendershoot Dryad" href="#" target="_blank">Tendershoot Dryad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awakening Zone" href="#" target="_blank">Awakening Zone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blight Mound" href="#" target="_blank">Blight Mound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Creakwood Liege"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pawn of Ulamog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Awakening Zone"></div></div>
<p>Sure, we can create and destroy life, which is what Witherbloom's all about, but to what end? What's the point of all this coming and going? How does <em>Witherbloom Pestilence...</em>win?</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blossoming Bogbeast" href="#" target="_blank">Blossoming Bogbeast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gorma, the Gullet" href="#" target="_blank">Gorma, the Gullet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defiling Daemogoth" href="#" target="_blank">Defiling Daemogoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blossoming Bogbeast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gorma, the Gullet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defiling Daemogoth"></div></div>
<p>There's not a lot of "I win now" cards, but that's not how a deck like this operates. <em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>is about incremental advantage, building a machine that turns dying creatures into card draw, power amplification, and board control.</p>
<p>A winning turn isn't necessarily an alpha strike, but the thousandth cut.</p>


<p>There aren't any combos built into the 99+1 of <em>Witherbloom Pestilence, </em>as we can see via Commander Spellbook's handy "<a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/find-my-combos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find My Combos</a>" tool.</p>
<p>But format veterans will probably spot at a glance a number of cards that <em>are </em>in the deck that tend to be involved in infinite combos. If we want to lean into that, it won't take much effort to compile a few combos, starting by adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mikaeus, the Unhallowed" href="#" target="_blank">Mikaeus, the Unhallowed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div id="628-2292--5" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="628-2292--5" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Mikaeus%2C%20the%20Unhallowed%22%2C%22Viscera%20Seer%22%5D&requires=%5B%22Persist%20Creature%22%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20LTB%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinite%20sacrifice%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20death%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20scry%201%22%5D&id=628-2292--5&color=B&extraRequirementCount=0"></script></div>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe><br />
We can see that Mikaeus joins forces with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viscera Seer" href="#" target="_blank">Viscera Seer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to create an infinite loop - <em>if </em>we also add a persist creature to the mix as well. Big Mike and Viscera Seer aren't critical, either - the same effect can be achieved with things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ivy Lane Denizen" href="#" target="_blank">Ivy Lane Denizen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Great Henge" href="#" target="_blank">The Great Henge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the Mike spot, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umbral Collar Zealot" href="#" target="_blank">Umbral Collar Zealot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the Seer spot.</p>
<p>Maybe that's too busy, and you'd rather have something less complicated. We've already got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest" href="#" target="_blank">Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, why not just add a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Basking Broodscale" href="#" target="_blank">Basking Broodscale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the deck?</p>
<div id="317-5641" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="317-5641" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Basking%20Broodscale%22%2C%22Mazirek%2C%20Kraul%20Death%20Priest%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20colorless%20mana%22%2C%22Infinite%20death%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinite%20LTB%22%2C%22Infinite%20sacrifice%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20%2B1%2F%2B1%20counters%20on%20creatures%20you%20control%22%5D&id=317-5641&color=BG&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe><br />
Maybe there's a reason why Basking Broodscale isn't in this deck by default.</p>


<p><em>Witherbloom Pestilence, </em>like its <em>Secrets of Strixhaven </em>preconstructed deck cousins, has an ample selection of lands - in this case, 37 of them. Like most precons, the majority of them are here simply to make mana in the colors you want them to be, when you need them.</p>
<p>But there are still a few utility lands that found their way in:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Backwoods" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Backwoods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Market" href="#" target="_blank">High Market</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan&#039;s Grave" href="#" target="_blank">Titan&#039;s Grave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witherbloom Campus" href="#" target="_blank">Witherbloom Campus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grim Backwoods"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="High Market"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titan&#039;s Grave"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witherbloom Campus"></div></div>
<p>It's pretty obvious <em>why </em>these lands are included, as they either help with the sacrificing strategy or provide some added card filtering.</p>
<p>As for mana rocks, well...that's not what this deck is about, to put it plainly.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Signet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sol Ring"></div></div>
<p>That's it. But there are a number of creature-based ramp options, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gilded Goose" href="#" target="_blank">Gilded Goose</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakura-Tribe Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Sakura-Tribe Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Springbloom Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Springbloom Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>


<p>The MSRP of <em>Witherbloom Pestilence, </em>as with all <em>Secrets of Strixhaven </em>preconstructed decks, is $49.99.</p>
<p>Compared to the other preconstructed decks from <em>Secrets of Strixhaven, </em><em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>isn't at the same level in terms of reprint value. All together, with the 12 new cards included, the singles value of the deck is sitting around $185. If we remove those new cards, then we're looking at a meager $55.</p>
<p>That's pretty low, especially compared to the decks representing the other schools of Strixhaven.</p>
<p>The top five reprints by value are:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyome, Master Chef" href="#" target="_blank">Gyome, Master Chef</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nether Traitor" href="#" target="_blank">Nether Traitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ohran Frostfang" href="#" target="_blank">Ohran Frostfang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxic Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Toxic Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blossoming Bogbeast" href="#" target="_blank">Blossoming Bogbeast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gyome, Master Chef"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nether Traitor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ohran Frostfang"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toxic Deluge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blossoming Bogbeast"></div></div>
<p>The drop-off there is noticeable, and beyond Blossoming Bogbeast there aren't too many worth more than a buck or two.</p>


<p><em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>is a finely crafted preconstructed deck, with nearly every card carefully selected to create a great sacrifice-themed deck straight out of the box. That strategy might not be for everyone - it can take a bit of clerical work to ensure you don't miss anything - but those who like it <em>really </em>like it.</p>
<p>The financial value of the reprints leave a lot to be desired, especially compared to the other <em>Secrets of Strixhaven </em>decks, and that holds back the score a bit.</p>
<p>Overall, <em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>gets a B.</p>


<p>Looking to upgrade your <em>Witherbloom Pestilence </em>precon? Check out <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/witherbloom-pestilence-precon-upgrade-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">our Upgrade Guide here</a>.</p>


witherbloom pestilence

Witherbloom Pestilence Precon Upgrade Guide

Witherbloom Pestilence - Secrets of Strixhaven Precon Guide