Gonti, Canny Acquisitor costs {2}{B}{G}{U} and is a 5/5. Spells you cast but do not own cost {1} less. Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, you look at the top card of that player's library, exile it face down, and may play it for as long as it remains exiled, spending mana of any type. Every hit is a card.

The precon already has the thieves and the unblockable creatures, including Thief of Sanity, Slither Blade and Felix Five-Boots. 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 Gonti decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Gonti decks than in decks that could play it.

Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Grand Larceny precon guide.

12
Swaps
$24.99
Cost of the adds
38→38
Lands
12→38
Avg Oracle score

What is holding the deck back

Not enough cheap unblockable creatures

Invisible Stalker, Mist-Cloaked Herald, Silent Hallcreeper and Changeling Outcast cannot be blocked and cost one or two mana, so Gonti's trigger happens every turn. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.

Cards that do not appear in the lists

Bladegriff Prototype, Diluvian Primordial, The Mimeoplasm and Void Attendant are not cards Gonti, so almost nobody plays them in the deck decks usually play.

Ramp, sweepers and a heavy top end

Prismatic Lens is a rock in a deck that already has Sol Ring and Arcane Signet, and Curse of the Swine, Oblivion Sower and Thieving Amalgam are expensive cards that do little for a combat damage plan.

The 12 swaps

Each pair shows the numbers for the card coming out and the card going in. Click a card image to zoom.

Swap 1 of 12
Bladegriff Prototype
Cut
Bladegriff Prototype
Artifact Creature — Griffin · 5
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Gonti, Night Minister
Add
Gonti, Night Minister
Legendary Creature — Aetherborn Rogue · 2BB
Inclusion60%
Synergy55%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 57

Bladegriff Prototype is a five-mana 3/2 flier that destroys a permanent your opponents choose. It is not a card Gonti decks usually play.

Gonti, Night Minister is a 3/4 for {2}{B}{B}. Whenever any creature deals combat damage to one of your opponents, its controller exiles the top card of that opponent's library face down and may play it, spending mana of any type, and a player who casts a spell they do not own creates a Treasure. A second Gonti is the highest-scoring card the precon leaves out.

Swap 2 of 12
Diluvian Primordial
Cut
Diluvian Primordial
Creature — Avatar · 5UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Rogue Class
Add
Rogue Class
Enchantment — Class · UB
Inclusion37%
Synergy35%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 36

Diluvian Primordial is a seven-mana 5/5 flier that casts an instant or sorcery from each opponent's graveyard. It is not a card Gonti decks usually play.

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, at level 2 your creatures have menace, and at level 3 you may play those exiled cards with mana of any color. A cheap enchantment that does Gonti's job again.

Swap 3 of 12
The Mimeoplasm
Cut
The Mimeoplasm
Legendary Creature — Ooze · 2BGU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Gríma, Saruman's Footman
Add
Gríma, Saruman's Footman
Legendary Creature — Human Advisor · 2UB
Inclusion40%
Synergy38%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 39

The Mimeoplasm is a five-mana 0/0 that copies a creature card from a graveyard, and needs two creature cards there. It is not a card Gonti decks usually play.

Gríma, Saruman's Footman is a 1/4 for {2}{U}{B} that cannot be blocked. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player, that player exiles cards from the top of their library until they exile an instant or sorcery card, and you may cast it for free. An unblockable body that casts a free spell.

Swap 4 of 12
Void Attendant
Cut
Void Attendant
Creature — Eldrazi Processor · 2G
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Invisible Stalker
Add
Invisible Stalker
Creature — Human Rogue · 1U
Inclusion41%
Synergy38%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 39

Void Attendant is a 2/3 for {2}{G} that turns your exiled cards into Eldrazi Scions. It is not a card Gonti decks usually play.

Invisible Stalker is a 1/1 for {1}{U} with hexproof that cannot be blocked. Cheap, hard to remove, and it triggers Gonti every turn.

Swap 5 of 12
Prismatic Lens
Cut
Prismatic Lens
Artifact · 2
Inclusion15%
Synergy14%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 14
Mist-Cloaked Herald
Add
Mist-Cloaked Herald
Creature — Merfolk Warrior · U
Inclusion21%
Synergy20%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 21

Prismatic Lens is a two-mana rock, in a deck with Sol Ring, Arcane Signet and other rocks. It is played in about one Gonti deck in seven.

Mist-Cloaked Herald is a 1/1 Merfolk for {U} that cannot be blocked. A one-mana body that triggers every card Gonti steals.

Swap 6 of 12
Curse of the Swine
Cut
Curse of the Swine
Sorcery · XUU
Inclusion22%
Synergy17%
Lift4.5×
Oracle score 19
Outrageous Robbery
Add
Outrageous Robbery
Instant · XBB
Inclusion40%
Synergy38%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 39

Curse of the Swine exiles X creatures and gives each controller a 2/2 Boar. It is played in about one Gonti deck in five.

Outrageous Robbery costs {X}{B}{B} at instant speed: an opponent exiles the top X cards face down, and you may look at and play them, spending mana of any type. The instant-speed version of Gonti's steal.

Swap 7 of 12
Oblivion Sower
Cut
Oblivion Sower
Creature — Eldrazi · 6
Inclusion18%
Synergy17%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 17
Silent Hallcreeper
Add
Silent Hallcreeper
Enchantment Creature — Horror · 1U
Inclusion37%
Synergy34%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 35

Oblivion Sower is a six-mana 5/8 that exiles the top four cards of an opponent's library and lets you take their lands. It is played in about one Gonti deck in six.

Silent Hallcreeper is a 1/1 for {1}{U} that cannot be blocked. When it deals combat damage to a player, you choose one that has not been chosen: two +1/+1 counters, draw a card, or become a copy of another creature you control. A cheap unblockable creature that gets bigger or draws every hit.

Swap 8 of 12
Plasm Capture
Cut
Plasm Capture
Instant · GGUU
Inclusion22%
Synergy21%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 21
Bident of Thassa
Add
Bident of Thassa
Legendary Enchantment Artifact · 2UU
Inclusion26%
Synergy22%
Lift7.4×
Oracle score 24

Plasm Capture is a {G}{G}{U}{U} counterspell that adds mana next turn. It is played in about one Gonti deck in five, and its mana cost is hard to meet in three colours.

Bident of Thassa costs {2}{U}{U}: whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card, and for {1}{U} and a tap, creatures your opponents control attack if able. Every unblockable hit is a second card, on top of Gonti's.

Swap 9 of 12
Thieving Amalgam
Cut
Thieving Amalgam
Creature — Ape Snake · 5BB
Inclusion24%
Synergy22%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 23
Changeling Outcast
Add
Changeling Outcast
Creature — Shapeshifter · B
Inclusion51%
Synergy48%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 49

Thieving Amalgam is a seven-mana 6/7 that manifests an opponent's top card each upkeep. It is played in about one Gonti deck in four.

Changeling Outcast is a 1/1 for {B} that cannot block and cannot be blocked. A one-mana body that gets a Gonti trigger on the turn after it lands.

Swap 10 of 12
Whirler Rogue
Cut
Whirler Rogue
Creature — Human Rogue Artificer · 2UU
Inclusion15%
Synergy15%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 15
Tasha, the Witch Queen
Add
Tasha, the Witch Queen
Legendary Planeswalker — Tasha · 3UB
Inclusion48%
Synergy45%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 46

Whirler Rogue is a 2/2 for {2}{U}{U} that makes two Thopters and gives unblockable by tapping artifacts. It is played in about one Gonti deck in seven.

Tasha, the Witch Queen is a five-mana planeswalker. Whenever you cast a spell you don't own, you create a 3/3 black Demon, and her +1 draws a card and exiles an instant or sorcery from an opponent's graveyard. Every spell Gonti steals is a 3/3 Demon.

Swap 11 of 12
Darksteel Ingot
Cut
Darksteel Ingot
Artifact · 3
Inclusion17%
Synergy16%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 16
Dauthi Voidwalker
Add
Dauthi Voidwalker
Creature — Dauthi Rogue · BB
Inclusion47%
Synergy38%
Lift5.4×
Oracle score 41

Darksteel Ingot is a three-mana indestructible rock. It is played in about one Gonti deck in six.

Dauthi Voidwalker is a 3/2 shadow creature for {B}{B}. Cards that would go to an opponent's graveyard are exiled with a void counter instead, and you can sacrifice it to play one of them for free. Another source of cards you do not own, and it is nearly unblockable.

Swap 12 of 12
Chaos Wand
Cut
Chaos Wand
Artifact · 3
Inclusion21%
Synergy20%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 20
Tinybones, the Pickpocket
Add
Tinybones, the Pickpocket
Legendary Creature — Skeleton Rogue · B
Inclusion36%
Synergy35%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 35

Chaos Wand is a three-mana artifact that casts an instant or sorcery from an opponent's library for {4}. It is played in about one Gonti deck in five.

Tinybones, the Pickpocket is a 1/1 deathtouch Skeleton Rogue for {B}. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player, you may cast a nonland permanent card from that player's graveyard, spending mana of any type. A one-drop that steals a permanent from the graveyard.

The full swap list

Cut

  • Bladegriff Prototype
  • Diluvian Primordial
  • The Mimeoplasm
  • Void Attendant
  • Prismatic Lens
  • Curse of the Swine
  • Oblivion Sower
  • Plasm Capture
  • Thieving Amalgam
  • Whirler Rogue
  • Darksteel Ingot
  • Chaos Wand

Add

  • Gonti, Night Minister
  • Rogue Class
  • Gríma, Saruman's Footman
  • Invisible Stalker
  • Mist-Cloaked Herald
  • Outrageous Robbery
  • Silent Hallcreeper
  • Bident of Thassa
  • Changeling Outcast
  • Tasha, the Witch Queen
  • Dauthi Voidwalker
  • Tinybones, the Pickpocket

What to keep

These cards are doing the deck's heavy lifting. Do not cut them.

If you want to spend more

These are strong but sit outside a budget upgrade. Prices are the cheapest paper printing.

The verdict

Grand Larceny already has the thieves. The upgrade is cheap unblockable creatures and enchantments that make every attack steal a card, in place of cards almost nobody plays and expensive ones that do nothing for a combat damage plan. These twelve swaps cost about $25 in total.

Want a full 100-card list built around Gonti, Canny Acquisitor from today's data?

Build with The Oracle →

Frequently asked questions

What are the best upgrades for the Grand Larceny precon?

Using data from 11,385 Gonti decks, the highest-scoring additions are Gonti, Night Minister (for Bladegriff Prototype), Changeling Outcast (for Thieving Amalgam) and Tasha, the Witch Queen (for Whirler Rogue). The full list has 12 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.

How much does it cost to upgrade Grand Larceny?

All 12 swaps cost about $24.99 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-27). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Xanathar, Guild Kingpin ($2.11).

What should I cut from Grand Larceny?

The weakest cards for this commander are Bladegriff Prototype, Diluvian Primordial and The Mimeoplasm. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.

Which cards should I keep in Grand Larceny?

Keep Thief of Sanity, Slither Blade, Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius, Felix Five-Boots and Brainstealer Dragon. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.

What does Gonti do?

Gonti, Canny Acquisitor costs {2}{B}{G}{U} and is a 5/5. Spells you cast but do not own cost {1} less. Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, you look at the top card of that player's library, exile it face down, and may play it for as long as it remains exiled, spending mana of any type. Every hit is a card.

More Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander upgrade guides

All precon upgrade guides

How the numbers work

Inclusion is the share of Gonti, Canny Acquisitor decks (11,385 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 Gonti decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is high for the unblockable creatures because few decks play them outside this kind of 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.