How it grades
Fundamentals 92/100. Plays like +1/+1 counters.
This reads as +1/+1 counters, built around The Swarmlord. Every creature is a mana sink for growth: counters snowball across the board, doublers turn increments into avalanches, and payoffs convert size into evasion, draw, or the kill. The deck's weakness is exponential dependence: protect the doublers and watch out for clean board resets. Its strongest fundamental is mana reliability (Your spells reliably arrive on time for this curve); the first thing to tighten is card quality: Median EDHREC rank #6,950.
- A+Mana reliability
- B+Land count
- A+Mana curve
- A+Ramp
- A+Card draw
- A+Interaction
- A+Commander synergy
- AWin conditions
- B+Card quality
- A+Legality & size
Where it falls short
- B+Land count39 lands. About 36 fits this curve for +1/+1 counters, with your cost reduction counted.
- B+Card qualityMedian EDHREC rank #6,950
Strong on mana reliability, mana curve, ramp, card draw, interaction, commander synergy, win conditions and legality & size.
80 cards graded: A 1, B+ 21, B 52, B- 5, C+ 1. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Made together, they take Tyranid Swarm from A- to A.
Champion of Lambholt1GG$4.79
In place of The First Tyrannic War: weakest slot in the deck (52/100)
Pays off your token engine (7 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (25 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Fathom Mage2GU$0.82
In place of Toxicrene: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (55/100)
EDHREC +1/+1 counters staple. Pays off your token engine (7 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (25 producers).
Thought Vessel2—
In place of Tyranid Invasion: weakest slot in the deck (57/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (19 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Decanter of Endless Water3$5.05
In place of Haruspex: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (58/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (19 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan.
Psychosis Crawler5$2.30
In place of Lictor: weakest slot in the deck (58/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (19 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan.
Evolution Sage2G$3.22
In place of Deathleaper, Terror Weapon: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (10 producers). Pays off your land engine (11 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Forgotten Ancient3G$0.38
In place of Gargoyle Flock: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Fuels your go-wide payoffs (3 in deck). Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (10 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Thrummingbird1U$0.25
In place of Shadow in the Warp: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (10 producers). Fuels your go-wide payoffs (3 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data.
Evolution Witness2G$0.28
In place of Tyranid Harridan: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (10 producers). Fuels your go-wide payoffs (3 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data.
Halana and Alena, Partners2RG$0.35
In place of Goliath Truck: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Fuels your +1/+1 counter payoffs (7 in deck). Fuels your go-wide payoffs (3 in deck). EDHREC +1/+1 counters staple.
Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.
Decklist
Commander 1
Creatures 36
- B
- B-
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- B-
- B
- B
- B-
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B-
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
Instants 4
- B+
- B
- A
- B
Sorceries 6
- B
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B-
Artifacts 6
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
Enchantments 8
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- C+
- B
Lands 39
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B×7
- B×7
- B×8
Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.