Satya, Aetherflux Genius costs {1}{U}{R}{W} and has menace and haste. Whenever Satya attacks, you create a tapped and attacking token copy of up to one other target nontoken creature you control, and you get {E}{E}. At the beginning of the next end step, you sacrifice that token unless you pay energy equal to its mana value. Energy keeps the copies alive.
The precon already has the payoffs, including Izzet Generatorium, Lightning Runner and Aetherworks Marvel. 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 Satya decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Satya decks than in decks that could play it.
Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Creative Energy precon guide.
What is holding the deck back
Not enough cheap energy
Guide of Souls, Tune the Narrative, Riddle Gate Gargoyle and Electrostatic Pummeler all give energy for one to three mana. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.
Cards that do nothing with energy
Silverquill Lecturer is not a card Satya, and Coveted Jewel, Grenzo, Tezzeret's Gambit and Legion Loyalty are each played in about one Satya deck in four or fewer decks usually play.
Slow mana and a heavy top end
Midnight Clock, Hourglass of the Lost and Wayfarer's Bauble do little in a deck that already has Sol Ring, Arcane Signet and Solar Transformer. Thirteen nonland cards cost six or more.
The 13 swaps
Each pair shows the numbers for the card coming out and the card going in. Click a card image to zoom.

Silverquill Lecturer is a five-mana 3/3 that gives creature spells demonstrate. It is not a card Satya decks usually play.
Guide of Souls is a 1/2 for {W}. Whenever another creature you control enters you gain 1 life and get {E}, and when you attack you may pay {E}{E}{E} to put two +1/+1 counters and a flying counter on an attacking creature. It is the highest-scoring card the precon leaves out.

Coveted Jewel costs six: you draw three cards when it enters, but whenever an opponent's creatures attack you and are not blocked, that player draws three and takes the Jewel. It is played in about one Satya deck in fourteen.
Electrosiphon costs {U}{U}{R} at instant speed. It counters a spell and you get energy equal to its mana value, so a counterspell can pay for a Satya copy.

Grenzo, Havoc Raiser is a 2/2 for {R}{R} that goads or steals cards when your creatures deal combat damage. It is played in about one Satya deck in ten.
Galvanic Discharge costs {R} at instant speed: you get three energy, then you may pay any amount of it, and it deals that much damage to a creature or planeswalker. One mana of removal that leaves energy behind if you pay less.

Burnished Hart is a three-mana artifact creature that sacrifices itself for two basic lands. It is played in about one Satya deck in six.
Riddle Gate Gargoyle is a 2/2 flying artifact creature for {W}{U}. When it enters you get three energy, and when you attack you may pay {E}{E} to give a creature lifelink. A two-drop that pays for Satya's copies.

Tezzeret's Gambit draws two cards and proliferates for four mana. It is played in about one Satya deck in four.
Tune the Narrative costs {U} at instant speed. You draw a card and get two energy. A one-mana cantrip that powers Satya's token.

Legion Loyalty costs eight to give your creatures myriad. It is played in about one Satya deck in five.
Brotherhood Scribe is a 1/3 for {1}{W} that taps for energy if you control three or more artifacts. Whenever you get energy on your turn, your creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn, so Satya's two energy a swing pumps the team.

Midnight Clock is a three-mana rock that takes twelve hour counters to refill your hand. It is played in about one Satya deck in five.
HELIOS One is a land that taps for {C}. For {1} and a tap it makes energy, and for {3}, a tap and X energy it is sacrificed to destroy a nonland permanent with mana value X. A land that takes no spell slot and doubles as removal.

Wayfarer's Bauble is a one-mana artifact that costs {2} more to fetch a basic land. It is played in about one Satya deck in four.
Aether Revolt costs {2}{R}{R}: whenever you get energy, it deals that much damage to any target, and with revolt it adds 2 to your noncombat damage. Every energy you make is also damage.

Hourglass of the Lost is a three-mana rock that returns permanents of one mana value to the battlefield. It is played in about one Satya deck in four.
Electrostatic Pummeler is a 1/1 artifact creature for {3}. When it enters you get three energy, and you pay {E}{E}{E} to double its power. A body for Satya to copy that pays for the copy.

Myr Battlesphere is a seven-mana 4/7 that creates four Myr. It is played in about one Satya deck in five, and its mana value of seven makes a copy cost seven energy.
Volatile Stormdrake is a 3/2 flier for {1}{U} with hexproof from activated and triggered abilities. When it enters you exchange control of it with a creature an opponent controls, get four energy, and sacrifice that creature unless you pay energy equal to its mana value. A two-drop that steals a creature and fuels the deck.

Aethersphere Harvester is a three-mana Vehicle that gives two energy. It is played in about one Satya deck in eight.
Dr. Madison Li is a 2/3 Human Scientist for {U}{R}{W}. Whenever you cast an artifact spell you get {E}, and she spends energy on haste, cards and returning an artifact from your graveyard. An energy creature with a payoff for every artifact.

Filigree Racer is a four-mana Vehicle that gives four energy and jump-starts spells. It is played in about one Satya deck in six.
Wrath of the Skies costs {X}{W}{W}. You get X energy, then may pay any amount to destroy each artifact, creature and enchantment with mana value no greater than the energy you paid. A one-sided wipe when you pay less than you got, and energy back in the bank.

Coalition Relic is a three-mana rock that stores extra mana. It is played in about one Satya deck in five.
Aether Spike costs {1}{U} at instant speed. You get two energy, then may pay any amount to counter a spell unless its controller pays {1} for each energy paid. A two-mana counterspell that pays for Satya's copies.
The full swap list
Cut
- Silverquill Lecturer
- Coveted Jewel
- Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
- Burnished Hart
- Tezzeret's Gambit
- Legion Loyalty
- Midnight Clock
- Wayfarer's Bauble
- Hourglass of the Lost
- Myr Battlesphere
- Aethersphere Harvester
- Filigree Racer
- Coalition Relic
Add
- Guide of Souls
- Electrosiphon
- Galvanic Discharge
- Riddle Gate Gargoyle
- Tune the Narrative
- Brotherhood Scribe
- HELIOS One
- Aether Revolt
- Electrostatic Pummeler
- Volatile Stormdrake
- Dr. Madison Li
- Wrath of the Skies
- Aether Spike
What to keep
These cards are doing the deck's heavy lifting. Do not cut them.
- Izzet Generatorium$0.29
Played in 83% of Satya decks. Whenever you would get energy, you get one more. - Lightning Runner$0.18
A double strike, haste creature that makes energy when it attacks and can give you an extra combat. - Aetherworks Marvel$0.28
Turns six energy into a free spell from the top six cards of your library. - Decoction Module$0.16
Gives you energy whenever a creature enters, and can return a creature to your hand. - Solar Transformer$0.22
Enters with three energy and taps for mana of any color by paying energy.
If you want to spend more
These are strong but sit outside a budget upgrade. Prices are the cheapest paper printing.
- Panharmonicon$4.33
Makes any triggered ability from an artifact or creature entering trigger an additional time. A strong fit, but it costs more than a budget upgrade should. - Fabrication Module$0.24
Puts a +1/+1 counter on a creature whenever you get energy. - Aetherflux Conduit$0.27
Gives you energy for the mana you spend on every spell, building towards fifty.
Creative Energy already has the energy payoffs. The upgrade is cheap energy makers and removal that spends energy, in place of slow rocks and cards that do nothing with it. These thirteen swaps cost about $11 in total.
Want a full 100-card list built around Satya, Aetherflux Genius from today's data?
Build with The Oracle →Frequently asked questions
What are the best upgrades for the Creative Energy precon?
Using data from 14,850 Satya decks, the highest-scoring additions are Guide of Souls (for Silverquill Lecturer), Electrosiphon (for Coveted Jewel) and Volatile Stormdrake (for Myr Battlesphere). The full list has 13 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.
How much does it cost to upgrade Creative Energy?
All 13 swaps cost about $11.08 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-27). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Panharmonicon ($4.33), Fabrication Module ($0.24) and Aetherflux Conduit ($0.27).
What should I cut from Creative Energy?
The weakest cards for this commander are Silverquill Lecturer, Coveted Jewel and Grenzo, Havoc Raiser. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.
Which cards should I keep in Creative Energy?
Keep Izzet Generatorium, Lightning Runner, Aetherworks Marvel, Decoction Module and Solar Transformer. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.
What does Satya do?
Satya, Aetherflux Genius costs {1}{U}{R}{W} and has menace and haste. Whenever Satya attacks, you create a tapped and attacking token copy of up to one other target nontoken creature you control, and you get {E}{E}. At the beginning of the next end step, you sacrifice that token unless you pay energy equal to its mana value. Energy keeps the copies alive.
More Modern Horizons 3 Commander upgrade guides
How the numbers work
Inclusion is the share of Satya, Aetherflux Genius decks (14,850 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 Satya decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is moderate to high for energy cards because few decks play them outside this theme, 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.












