Mizzix of the Izmagnus costs {2}{U}{R} and is a 2/2 Legendary Goblin Wizard. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell with mana value greater than the number of experience counters you have, you get an experience counter, and instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} less for each experience counter you have. The more spells you cast, the cheaper each one gets.

The precon already has the copy spells and the card draw, including Comet Storm, Mystic Retrieval, Mizzix's Mastery, Firemind's Foresight and Stroke of Genius. 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 Mizzix decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Mizzix decks than in decks that could play it.

Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Seize Control precon guide.

12
Swaps
$8.80
Cost of the adds
39→39
Lands
0→38
Avg Oracle score

What is holding the deck back

Not enough proliferate and spell payoffs

Tezzeret's Gambit, Experimental Augury, Contentious Plan and Flux Channeler proliferate, which gives you another experience counter once you have one, and Guttersnipe, Archmage Emeritus and Storm-Kiln Artist pay off each spell. They are among the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out.

Steal and tap spells outside the lists

Call the Skybreaker, Meteor Blast, Sleep, Stolen Goods, Act of Aggression, Aethersnatch, Blustersquall, Counterflux, Desperate Ravings, Dominate, Mirror Match and Reins of Power are not cards Mizzix decks usually play.

Only 14 creatures

The deck has 14 creatures and 38 instants and sorceries, so there are few permanents that reward Mizzix's spells.

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
Call the Skybreaker
Cut
Call the Skybreaker
Sorcery · 5U/RU/R
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Tezzeret's Gambit
Add
Tezzeret's Gambit
Sorcery · 3U/P
Inclusion64%
Synergy61%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 62

Call the Skybreaker is a seven-mana sorcery with retrace that makes a 5/5 flying Elemental. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Tezzeret's Gambit costs {3}{U/P}, which can be paid with {U} or 2 life. You draw two cards, then proliferate. A four-mana sorcery that draws two and grows your experience counters, and the highest-scoring card the precon leaves out.

Swap 2 of 12
Meteor Blast
Cut
Meteor Blast
Sorcery · XRRR
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Experimental Augury
Add
Experimental Augury
Instant · 1U
Inclusion45%
Synergy43%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 44

Meteor Blast is a sorcery that deals 4 damage to each of X targets. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Experimental Augury costs {1}{U}. You look at the top three cards of your library, put one into your hand and the rest on the bottom, then proliferate. A two-mana instant that digs and grows your experience counters.

Swap 3 of 12
Sleep
Cut
Sleep
Sorcery · 2UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Contentious Plan
Add
Contentious Plan
Sorcery · 1U
Inclusion29%
Synergy28%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 28

Sleep is a four-mana sorcery that taps all of a player's creatures. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Contentious Plan costs {1}{U}. You proliferate and draw a card. A two-mana sorcery that replaces itself and grows your experience counters.

Swap 4 of 12
Stolen Goods
Cut
Stolen Goods
Sorcery · 3U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Finale of Revelation
Add
Finale of Revelation
Sorcery · XUU
Inclusion43%
Synergy36%
Lift6.6×
Oracle score 39

Stolen Goods is a four-mana sorcery that casts a nonland card from the top of an opponent's library for free. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Finale of Revelation costs {X}{U}{U}. You draw X cards, and if X is 10 or more you instead shuffle your graveyard into your library, draw X cards, untap up to five lands, and have no maximum hand size. A flexible draw spell that gets cheaper with Mizzix's experience counters.

Swap 5 of 12
Act of Aggression
Cut
Act of Aggression
Instant · 3R/PR/P
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Electrodominance
Add
Electrodominance
Instant · XRR
Inclusion41%
Synergy35%
Lift6.5×
Oracle score 38

Act of Aggression is a five-mana instant that steals a creature until end of turn. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Electrodominance costs {X}{R}{R}. It deals X damage to any target, and you may cast a spell with mana value X or less from your hand without paying its mana cost. A burn spell that casts a free spell.

Swap 6 of 12
Aethersnatch
Cut
Aethersnatch
Instant · 4UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Guttersnipe
Add
Guttersnipe
Creature — Goblin Shaman · 2R
Inclusion44%
Synergy21%
Lift1.9×
Oracle score 30

Aethersnatch is a six-mana instant that gains control of a spell. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Guttersnipe is a 2/2 Goblin Shaman for {2}{R}. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, it deals 2 damage to each opponent. A three-drop that turns every spell into damage.

Swap 7 of 12
Blustersquall
Cut
Blustersquall
Instant · U
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Archmage Emeritus
Add
Archmage Emeritus
Creature — Human Wizard · 2UU
Inclusion52%
Synergy17%
Lift1.5×
Oracle score 31

Blustersquall is a one-mana instant that taps a creature, or all of them with overload. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Archmage Emeritus is a 2/2 Human Wizard for {2}{U}{U}. Magecraft: whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, you draw a card. A four-drop that draws a card from every spell and every copy.

Swap 8 of 12
Counterflux
Cut
Counterflux
Instant · UUR
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Thousand-Year Storm
Add
Thousand-Year Storm
Enchantment · 4UR
Inclusion40%
Synergy24%
Lift2.5×
Oracle score 31

Counterflux is a three-mana instant that can't be countered and counters a spell you don't control, with overload. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Thousand-Year Storm is an enchantment for {4}{U}{R}. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you copy it for each other instant and sorcery spell you've cast before it this turn. A six-mana enchantment that copies your spells more each turn.

Swap 9 of 12
Desperate Ravings
Cut
Desperate Ravings
Instant · 1R
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Pull from Tomorrow
Add
Pull from Tomorrow
Instant · XUU
Inclusion34%
Synergy28%
Lift5.9×
Oracle score 30

Desperate Ravings is a two-mana instant that draws two and discards at random, with flashback. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Pull from Tomorrow costs {X}{U}{U}. You draw X cards, then discard a card. A flexible instant that scales with your mana and is cheaper with Mizzix's experience counters.

Swap 10 of 12
Dominate
Cut
Dominate
Instant · X1UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Flux Channeler
Add
Flux Channeler
Creature — Human Wizard · 2U
Inclusion48%
Synergy46%
Lift8.0×+
Oracle score 46

Dominate is a three-mana instant that gains control of a creature with mana value X or less. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Flux Channeler is a 2/2 Human Wizard for {2}{U}. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, you proliferate. A three-drop that grows your experience counters with each noncreature spell.

Swap 11 of 12
Mirror Match
Cut
Mirror Match
Instant · 4UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Rewind
Add
Rewind
Instant · 2UU
Inclusion37%
Synergy31%
Lift6.0×
Oracle score 33

Mirror Match is a six-mana instant that can only be cast during the declare blockers step and copies attackers as blockers. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Rewind costs {2}{U}{U}. It counters target spell and untaps up to four lands. A counterspell that effectively costs no mana.

Swap 12 of 12
Reins of Power
Cut
Reins of Power
Instant · 2UU
Not a card this commander's decks usually play, so it scores below the cards that are
Storm-Kiln Artist
Add
Storm-Kiln Artist
Creature — Dwarf Shaman · 3R
Inclusion63%
Synergy23%
Lift1.6×
Oracle score 39

Reins of Power is a four-mana instant that swaps creatures between you and an opponent for a turn. It is not a card Mizzix decks usually play.

Storm-Kiln Artist is a 2/2 Dwarf Shaman for {3}{R} that gets +1/+0 for each artifact you control. Magecraft: whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, you create a Treasure token. A four-drop that makes mana from every spell.

The full swap list

Cut

  • Call the Skybreaker
  • Meteor Blast
  • Sleep
  • Stolen Goods
  • Act of Aggression
  • Aethersnatch
  • Blustersquall
  • Counterflux
  • Desperate Ravings
  • Dominate
  • Mirror Match
  • Reins of Power

Add

  • Tezzeret's Gambit
  • Experimental Augury
  • Contentious Plan
  • Finale of Revelation
  • Electrodominance
  • Guttersnipe
  • Archmage Emeritus
  • Thousand-Year Storm
  • Pull from Tomorrow
  • Flux Channeler
  • Rewind
  • Storm-Kiln Artist

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

Seize Control already has the copy spells, the card draw and Mizzix's cost reduction. The upgrade is cheap proliferate effects and creatures that pay off every spell, in place of steal and tap spells that Mizzix decks leave out. These twelve swaps cost about $9 in total.

Want a full 100-card list built around Mizzix of the Izmagnus from today's data?

Build with The Oracle →

Frequently asked questions

What are the best upgrades for the Seize Control precon?

Using data from 5,902 Mizzix of the Izmagnus decks, the highest-scoring additions are Tezzeret's Gambit (for Call the Skybreaker), Flux Channeler (for Dominate) and Experimental Augury (for Meteor Blast). The full list has 12 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.

How much does it cost to upgrade Seize Control?

All 12 swaps cost about $8.80 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-28). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Past in Flames ($2.23) and Storm King's Thunder ($4.15).

What should I cut from Seize Control?

The weakest cards for this commander are Call the Skybreaker, Meteor Blast and Sleep. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.

Which cards should I keep in Seize Control?

Keep Comet Storm, Mystic Retrieval, Mizzix's Mastery, Firemind's Foresight and Stroke of Genius. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.

What does Mizzix of the Izmagnus do?

Mizzix of the Izmagnus costs {2}{U}{R} and is a 2/2 Legendary Goblin Wizard. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell with mana value greater than the number of experience counters you have, you get an experience counter, and instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} less for each experience counter you have. The more spells you cast, the cheaper each one gets.

More Commander 2015 upgrade guides

All precon upgrade guides

How the numbers work

Inclusion is the share of Mizzix of the Izmagnus decks (5,902 of them when this was written, 2026-10-28) 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 Mizzix of the Izmagnus decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is high for many proliferate cards because few decks play them outside an Atraxa or counters 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.