Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign is a 3/5 flier with vigilance and menace. Whenever she attacks you reveal the top card of your library, and you may cast it without paying its mana cost if its mana value is odd. If you don't cast it, you draw it. Every card in the deck that has an odd mana value is a free spell waiting to happen.

The precon has Brainstorm, Ponder and a fistful of other odd-cost cards. 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 Yennett decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Yennett decks than in decks that could play it.

Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Odds and Ends precon guide.

16
Swaps
$10.10
Cost of the adds
37→37
Lands
5→34
Avg Oracle score

What is holding the deck back

A lot of chaos cards almost nobody plays

Chaos Wand, Planeswalker's Mischief, Psychic Battle, Shared Fate, Exchange of Words, Leadership Vacuum and Aeon Engine are each in only 6 to 11 percent of Yennett decks. They are fun, but they do little to help Yennett win.

Not enough cheap card flow

The deck wants to see more cards and set up what is on top before Yennett attacks. Cards like Brainsurge, Dream Cache, Portent and Crystal Ball each cost an odd amount and shape the top of your library, and the precon leaves them out.

A top-heavy mana curve

Nine nonland cards cost six or more. Thryx, the Sudden Storm makes spells with mana value 5 or greater cost {1} less and uncounterable, so the big cards get cheaper.

The 16 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 16
Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
Cut
Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
Legendary Land
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Halimar Depths
Add
Halimar Depths
Land
Inclusion39%
Synergy35%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 36

Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth makes every land a Forest in addition to its other types. In a white-blue-black deck there is nothing green to spend that mana on, and it helps opponents' mana too.

Halimar Depths enters tapped and taps for {U}. When it enters you look at the top three cards of your library and put them back in any order, which sets up the card Yennett will reveal.

Swap 2 of 16
Time Stop
Cut
Time Stop
Instant · 4UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Brainsurge
Add
Brainsurge
Instant · 2U
Inclusion46%
Synergy42%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 43

Time Stop costs {4}{U}{U} to end the turn. It is a six-mana card with no way to win a game, and it is not a card Yennett decks usually play.

Brainsurge costs {2}{U} at instant speed: draw four cards, then put two cards from your hand on top of your library. A three-mana spell is an odd mana value, so Yennett can cast it for free.

Swap 3 of 16
Inniaz, the Gale Force
Cut
Inniaz, the Gale Force
Legendary Creature — Djinn · 3UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Prognostic Sphinx
Add
Prognostic Sphinx
Creature — Sphinx · 3UU
Inclusion40%
Synergy39%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 39

Inniaz is a 4/4 flier for {3}{U}{U}. His ability gives attacking fliers +1/+1 for {2}{W/U}, and when three or more fliers attack, each player gains control of a nonland permanent you choose from the player to their right. It is not a card Yennett decks usually play.

Prognostic Sphinx is a 3/5 flying Sphinx for {3}{U}{U}. Whenever it attacks you scry 3, and you can discard a card to give it hexproof until end of turn. It is a five-mana flier that sets up the top of your library.

Swap 4 of 16
Jeskai Infiltrator
Cut
Jeskai Infiltrator
Creature — Human Monk · 2U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Hidetsugu and Kairi
Add
Hidetsugu and Kairi
Legendary Creature — Ogre Demon Dragon · 2UUB
Inclusion32%
Synergy31%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 31

Jeskai Infiltrator is a three-mana creature that can't be blocked as long as you control no other creatures, which is almost never true with Yennett on the table. It is not a card Yennett decks usually play.

Hidetsugu and Kairi is a 5/4 flier for {2}{U}{U}{B}. When it enters you draw three cards and put two back on top of your library, and when it dies you exile the top card, an opponent loses life equal to its mana value, and you may cast it if it is an instant or sorcery.

Swap 5 of 16
Aeon Engine
Cut
Aeon Engine
Artifact · 5
Inclusion6%
Synergy6%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 6
Dream Cache
Add
Dream Cache
Sorcery · 2U
Inclusion29%
Synergy29%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 29

Aeon Engine costs five, enters tapped, and exiles itself to reverse the turn order. It is played in about one Yennett deck in sixteen.

Dream Cache costs {2}{U}: draw three cards, then put two cards from your hand on top of your library or on the bottom. At three mana it is an odd mana value, so Yennett can cast it free.

Swap 6 of 16
Planeswalker's Mischief
Cut
Planeswalker's Mischief
Enchantment · 2U
Inclusion6%
Synergy6%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 6
Portent
Add
Portent
Sorcery · U
Inclusion35%
Synergy32%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 33

Planeswalker's Mischief lets you pay {3}{U} at sorcery speed to cast a random instant or sorcery from an opponent's hand. It is slow and it is played in about one Yennett deck in sixteen.

Portent costs {U}: look at the top three cards of a player's library and put them back in any order, and you draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep. A one-mana spell is an odd mana value, so Yennett can cast it for free, and it sets up her next reveal.

Swap 7 of 16
Shared Fate
Cut
Shared Fate
Enchantment · 4U
Inclusion6%
Synergy6%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 6
Crystal Ball
Add
Crystal Ball
Artifact · 3
Inclusion26%
Synergy25%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 26

Shared Fate costs five and makes every player exile cards from their opponents' libraries instead of drawing, which takes away your own card flow.

Crystal Ball costs {3} and lets you scry 2 for {1} and a tap each turn. That is repeatable control over the top card, so Yennett's reveal hits more often.

Swap 8 of 16
Chaos Wand
Cut
Chaos Wand
Artifact · 3
Inclusion8%
Synergy8%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 8
Thryx, the Sudden Storm
Add
Thryx, the Sudden Storm
Legendary Creature — Elemental Giant · 3UU
Inclusion28%
Synergy28%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 28

Chaos Wand costs {3} and then {4} and a tap to cast a random instant or sorcery from an opponent's library. It is played in about one Yennett deck in twelve.

Thryx, the Sudden Storm is a 4/5 flier with flash for {3}{U}{U}. Spells you cast with mana value 5 or greater cost {1} less and can't be countered. That includes Enigma Sphinx and the deck's other big spells.

Swap 9 of 16
Venser's Journal
Cut
Venser's Journal
Artifact — Book · 5
Inclusion9%
Synergy8%
Lift6.0×
Oracle score 8
Void Rend
Add
Void Rend
Instant · WUB
Inclusion46%
Synergy10%
Lift1.3×
Oracle score 25

Venser's Journal costs five and gives you no maximum hand size and life each upkeep for each card in your hand. It does not interact with the table.

Void Rend costs {W}{U}{B}: destroy target nonland permanent, and it can't be countered. It is an answer to nearly anything, and its three-mana cost is odd, so Yennett can cast it free.

Swap 10 of 16
Exchange of Words
Cut
Exchange of Words
Enchantment · 1UU
Inclusion10%
Synergy10%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 10
Mortify
Add
Mortify
Instant · 1WB
Inclusion27%
Synergy19%
Lift3.2×
Oracle score 22

Exchange of Words exchanges the text boxes of two creatures for as long as it stays on the battlefield. It is a chaos card, played in about one Yennett deck in ten.

Mortify costs {1}{W}{B} at instant speed and destroys a creature or enchantment. A clean answer in two of your colours.

Swap 11 of 16
Psychic Battle
Cut
Psychic Battle
Enchantment · 3UU
Inclusion10%
Synergy10%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 10
Scholar of the Lost Trove
Add
Scholar of the Lost Trove
Creature — Sphinx · 5UU
Inclusion26%
Synergy25%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 25

Psychic Battle costs five and turns every target into a reveal contest. It is played in about one Yennett deck in ten and has little to do with Yennett.

Scholar of the Lost Trove is a seven-mana flier. When it enters you may cast an instant, sorcery or artifact card from your graveyard without paying its mana cost, so it replays Brainstorm, Void Rend or a Talisman, and its seven mana is odd, so Yennett can cast it from the top of the library.

Swap 12 of 16
Leadership Vacuum
Cut
Leadership Vacuum
Instant · 2U
Inclusion11%
Synergy11%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 11
Path to Exile
Add
Path to Exile
Instant · W
Inclusion46%
Synergy4%
Lift1.1×
Oracle score 21

Leadership Vacuum returns a player's commanders from the battlefield to the command zone and draws you a card. It is a niche card in a multiplayer game.

Path to Exile costs {W} and exiles any creature, at instant speed. A one-mana spell is an odd mana value, so Yennett can also cast it for free off the top of the library.

Swap 13 of 16
Nadir Kraken
Cut
Nadir Kraken
Creature — Kraken · 1UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
In Garruk's Wake
Add
In Garruk's Wake
Sorcery · 7BB
Inclusion56%
Synergy55%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 55

Nadir Kraken ({1}{U}{U}) is not a card Yennett decks usually play. It reads: Whenever you draw a card, you may pay {1}. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature and create a 1/1 blue Tentacle creature token.

In Garruk's Wake ({7}{B}{B}) scores 56: it is in 56% of Yennett decks with 55% synergy. It reads: Destroy all creatures you don't control and all planeswalkers you don't control.

Swap 14 of 16
Space Beleren
Cut
Space Beleren
Legendary Planeswalker — Jace · 2WU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Magister Sphinx
Add
Magister Sphinx
Artifact Creature — Sphinx · 4WUB
Inclusion56%
Synergy52%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 53

Space Beleren ({2}{W}{U}) is not a card Yennett decks usually play. It reads: Space sculptor. +1: Creatures in each sector can be blocked this turn only by creatures in the same sector.

Magister Sphinx ({4}{W}{U}{B}) scores 53: it is in 56% of Yennett decks with 52% synergy. It reads: Flying. When this creature enters, target player's life total becomes 10.

Swap 15 of 16
Talisman of Progress
Cut
Talisman of Progress
Artifact · 2
Inclusion37%
Synergy-9%
Lift0.8×
Oracle score 10
Aqueous Form
Add
Aqueous Form
Enchantment — Aura · U
Inclusion39%
Synergy35%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 37

Talisman of Progress ({2}) is one of the lowest-scoring cards in the precon, at 9 in the Oracle: it is in 37% of Yennett decks with -9% synergy. It reads: {T}: Add {C}. {T}: Add {W} or {U}. This artifact deals 1 damage to you.

Aqueous Form ({U}) scores 37: it is in 39% of Yennett decks with 35% synergy. It reads: Enchant creature. Enchanted creature can't be blocked. Whenever enchanted creature attacks, scry 1.

Swap 16 of 16
Skyclave Apparition
Cut
Skyclave Apparition
Creature — Kor Spirit · 1WW
Inclusion12%
Synergy11%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 12
The Ur-Sphinx
Add
The Ur-Sphinx
Legendary Creature — Sphinx Avatar · 6WUB
Inclusion38%
Synergy36%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 37

Skyclave Apparition ({1}{W}{W}) is one of the lowest-scoring cards in the precon, at 12 in the Oracle: it is in 12% of Yennett decks with 11% synergy. It reads: When this creature enters, exile up to one target nonland, nontoken permanent you don't control with mana value 4 or less.

The Ur-Sphinx ({6}{W}{U}{B}) scores 36: it is in 38% of Yennett decks with 36% synergy. It reads: Eminence : As long as The Ur-Sphinx is in the command zone or on the battlefield, other Sphinx spells you cast cost {1} less to cast. Flying. Whenever one or more Sphinxes you control attack, each player mills that many cards.

The full swap list

Cut

  • Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
  • Time Stop
  • Inniaz, the Gale Force
  • Jeskai Infiltrator
  • Aeon Engine
  • Planeswalker's Mischief
  • Shared Fate
  • Chaos Wand
  • Venser's Journal
  • Exchange of Words
  • Psychic Battle
  • Leadership Vacuum
  • Nadir Kraken
  • Space Beleren
  • Talisman of Progress
  • Skyclave Apparition

Add

  • Halimar Depths
  • Brainsurge
  • Prognostic Sphinx
  • Hidetsugu and Kairi
  • Dream Cache
  • Portent
  • Crystal Ball
  • Thryx, the Sudden Storm
  • Void Rend
  • Mortify
  • Scholar of the Lost Trove
  • Path to Exile
  • In Garruk's Wake
  • Magister Sphinx
  • Aqueous Form
  • The Ur-Sphinx

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

Odds and Ends already has the card-selection core for Yennett. The upgrade is more cheap odd-cost spells to flow into her reveal, a few fliers that win games, and real removal in place of chaos effects. These sixteen swaps cost about $10 in total.

Want a full 100-card list built around Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign from today's data?

Build with The Oracle →

Frequently asked questions

What are the best upgrades for the Odds and Ends precon?

Using data from 7,371 Yennett decks, the highest-scoring additions are In Garruk's Wake (for Nadir Kraken), Magister Sphinx (for Space Beleren) and Brainsurge (for Time Stop). The full list has 16 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.

How much does it cost to upgrade Odds and Ends?

All 16 swaps cost about $10.10 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-27). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire ($3.64), Nexus of Fate ($5.58) and Lightning Greaves ($2.95).

What should I cut from Odds and Ends?

The weakest cards for this commander are Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth, Time Stop and Inniaz, the Gale Force. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.

Which cards should I keep in Odds and Ends?

Keep Brainstorm, Enigma Sphinx, Aminatou, the Fateshifter, Sensei's Divining Top and Vega, the Watcher. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.

What does Yennett do?

Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign is a 3/5 flier with vigilance and menace. Whenever she attacks you reveal the top card of your library, and you may cast it without paying its mana cost if its mana value is odd. If you don't cast it, you draw it. Every card in the deck that has an odd mana value is a free spell waiting to happen.

More Secret Lair Commander Decks upgrade guides

All precon upgrade guides

How the numbers work

Inclusion is the share of Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign decks (7,371 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 Yennett decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is very high for many cards here because they are blue Sphinx and card-flow cards that are rarely played 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.