Eshki, Temur's Roar costs {G}{U}{R}. Whenever you cast a creature spell, Eshki gets a +1/+1 counter, and if that spell's power is 4 or greater you draw a card, and if it is 6 or greater Eshki deals damage equal to his power to each opponent. Every big creature is a counter and a card.
The precon is built around Dragons, with Glorybringer, Dragonlord Atarka and a stack of other Dragons, and most of them have power 4 or greater. 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 Eshki decks, plus lift, which shows how much more often a card turns up in Eshki decks than in decks that could play it. The adds are the cards Eshki players run most; the cuts are the Dragons that do the least.
Looking for the unmodified list first? Read the Temur Roar precon guide.
What is holding the deck back
Dragon-only support that does not help Eshki
Dragonlord's Servant, Nogi and Sarkhan, Soul Aflame only make Dragon spells cheaper, and Dragonmaster Outcast needs six lands. Temur Battlecrier and Goreclaw make big creature spells cheaper whatever they are.
Missing the cheap cards that reward power 4
Temur Battlecrier, Goreclaw, Garruk's Uprising and Outcaster Trailblazer are the top-scoring cards the precon leaves out, and each gets better with every creature with power 4 or greater.
Too many six- and seven-drops
Fifteen nonland cards cost six or more, including Keiga, Hellkite Courser, Steel Hellkite and Broodcaller Scourge. Cheap ramp, such as Llanowar Elves and Ilysian Caryatid, gets Eshki's triggers going a turn or two sooner.
The 14 swaps
Each pair shows the numbers for the card coming out and the card going in. Click a card image to zoom.

Dragonlord's Servant is a 1/3 for {1}{R} that makes Dragon spells cost {1} less. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Temur Battlecrier is a 4/3 for {G}{U}{R}: during your turn, spells you cast cost {1} less for each creature you control with power 4 or greater. It is a power-4 creature itself, so it draws with Eshki, and it is played in more than 80% of Eshki decks.

Nogi is a 3/3 for {1}{R}{R} that makes Dragon spells cost {1} less, and turns into a 5/5 flier if you control three Dragons. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma costs {3}{G}: creature spells you cast with power 4 or greater cost {2} less, and whenever it attacks your creatures with power 4 or greater get +1/+1 and trample. A bigger discount than Nogi's, for every creature that triggers Eshki.

Sarkhan, Soul Aflame is a 2/4 for {1}{U}{R} that makes Dragon spells cost {1} less and copies a Dragon that enters. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Ghalta, Primal Hunger is a 12/12 trampler that costs {X} less, where X is the total power of your creatures. With a few fatties out she costs a handful of mana, and casting her is power 6 or greater, so Eshki deals damage and draws.

Dragonmaster Outcast is a 1/1 that makes a 5/5 flying Dragon token each upkeep if you control six or more lands, and dies to anything. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle costs {2}{G}{U}: it enters tapped with five slumber counters and is a land that taps for {G}{U} until you cast spells and remove them. Then it is a 12/12 creature. A ramp land that turns into a power-12 threat.

Opportunistic Dragon is a 4/3 flier for {2}{R}{R} that steals a Human or artifact. It is a good card, but it is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath costs {1}{G}{U}: when it enters you sacrifice it unless it escaped, and whenever it enters or attacks you gain 3 life, draw a card and may put a land onto the battlefield. A three-mana ramp and draw spell that can escape as a 6/6 with Eshki.

Steel Hellkite is a six-mana 5/5 colourless flier that can destroy permanents with a chosen mana value. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Garruk's Uprising costs {2}{G}: when it enters, if you control a creature with power 4 or greater, you draw a card, your creatures have trample, and whenever a creature with power 4 or greater enters you draw a card. A second draw engine for every big creature.

Keiga is a 5/5 flying Dragon Spirit for {5}{U} that steals a creature when it dies. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Outcaster Trailblazer is a 4/2 for {2}{G}: when it enters it adds one mana of any color, and whenever another creature with power 4 or greater enters you draw a card. A power-4 three-drop that ramps and draws.

Broodcaller Scourge is a 5/7 flying Dragon for {5}{G}{G} that puts permanents onto the battlefield when Dragons connect. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Llanowar Elves costs {G} and taps for {G}. A turn-one accelerant is how you cast a four-power creature on turn three and start the draws.

Hellkite Courser is a 6/5 flying Dragon for {4}{R}{R} that puts your commander onto the battlefield temporarily. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Ilysian Caryatid costs {1}{G} and taps for one mana of any color, or two mana of one color if you control a creature with power 4 or greater. A two-mana rock that doubles once you have a big creature.

Atsushi is a 4/4 flying, trampling Dragon Spirit for {2}{R}{R} with strong death triggers. It is not a card Eshki decks usually play.
Topiary Stomper is a 4/4 vigilance creature for {1}{G}{G} that fetches a basic land onto the battlefield tapped when it enters. It cannot attack or block until you control seven lands, but it is a power-4 three-drop that ramps and draws with Eshki.

Dragonlord Atarka ({5}{R}{G}) is not a card Eshki decks usually play. It reads: Flying, trample. When Dragonlord Atarka enters, it deals 5 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or planeswalkers your opponents control.
Dreamtide Whale ({2}{U}) scores 52: it is in 53% of Eshki decks with 50% synergy. It reads: Vanishing 2. Whenever a player casts their second spell each turn, proliferate.

Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge ({2}{R}) is not a card Eshki decks usually play. It reads: Flying. Gadrak can't attack unless you control four or more artifacts.
Maelstrom Wanderer ({5}{G}{U}{R}) scores 48: it is in 54% of Eshki decks with 44% synergy. It reads: Creatures you control have haste. Cascade, cascade.

Glorybringer ({3}{R}{R}) is not a card Eshki decks usually play. It reads: Flying, haste. You may exert this creature as it attacks. When you do, it deals 4 damage to target non-Dragon creature an opponent controls.
Fanatic of Rhonas ({1}{G}) scores 48: it is in 54% of Eshki decks with 43% synergy. It reads: {T}: Add {G}. Ferocious : {T}: Add {G}{G}{G}{G}. Activate only if you control a creature with power 4 or greater. Eternalize {2}{G}{G}.

Harbinger of the Hunt ({3}{R}{G}) is not a card Eshki decks usually play. It reads: Flying. {2}{R}: This creature deals 1 damage to each creature without flying. {2}{G}: This creature deals 1 damage to each other creature with flying.
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds ({1}{G}{G}) scores 47: it is in 52% of Eshki decks with 43% synergy. It reads: Whenever another creature enters, its controller may draw a card if its power is greater than each other creature's power.
The full swap list
Cut
- Dragonlord's Servant
- Nogi, Draco-Zealot
- Sarkhan, Soul Aflame
- Dragonmaster Outcast
- Opportunistic Dragon
- Steel Hellkite
- Keiga, the Tide Star
- Broodcaller Scourge
- Hellkite Courser
- Atsushi, the Blazing Sky
- Dragonlord Atarka
- Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge
- Glorybringer
- Harbinger of the Hunt
Add
- Temur Battlecrier
- Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
- Ghalta, Primal Hunger
- Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle
- Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
- Garruk's Uprising
- Outcaster Trailblazer
- Llanowar Elves
- Ilysian Caryatid
- Topiary Stomper
- Dreamtide Whale
- Maelstrom Wanderer
- Fanatic of Rhonas
- Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
What to keep
These cards are doing the deck's heavy lifting. Do not cut them.
- Temur Ascendancy$3.83
Played in 79% of Eshki decks. Your creatures have haste, and you may draw a card whenever a creature with power 4 or greater enters. - Thundermane Dragon$0.38
A flier that lets you look at the top card and cast creature spells with power 4 or greater from the top of your library. - Elemental Bond$1.98
Draws a card whenever a creature with power 3 or greater enters under your control. - Beast Within$0.64
A flexible answer that destroys any permanent. - Hammerhead Tyrant$0.34
A flier that bounces a nonland permanent whenever you cast a spell.
If you want to spend more
These are strong but sit outside a budget upgrade. Prices are the cheapest paper printing.
- Anzrag, the Quake-Mole$6.20
Untaps your creatures when it is blocked and gives extra combats. A strong finisher, but it costs more than a budget upgrade should. - Apex Devastator$7.75
Cascade four times for a ten-mana creature, which cheats out several big creatures at once. - Surrak Dragonclaw$2.85
A flash creature that makes your creature spells uncounterable.
Temur Roar's Dragons are strong cards, but most of its Dragon support does little for Eshki. The upgrade is cost reducers and draw engines for creatures with power 4 or greater, cheap ramp to cast them sooner, and fewer six- and seven-drops. These fourteen swaps cost about $32 in total.
Want a full 100-card list built around Eshki, Temur's Roar from today's data?
Build with The Oracle →Frequently asked questions
What are the best upgrades for the Temur Roar precon?
Using data from 15,223 Eshki decks, the highest-scoring additions are Temur Battlecrier (for Dragonlord's Servant), Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma (for Nogi, Draco-Zealot) and Ghalta, Primal Hunger (for Sarkhan, Soul Aflame). The full list has 14 swaps, each scored with synergy, inclusion and lift.
How much does it cost to upgrade Temur Roar?
All 14 swaps cost about $31.53 at the cheapest paper printings (TCGplayer market prices via Scryfall, 2026-10-27). If you want to spend more, the guide also covers Anzrag, the Quake-Mole ($6.20), Apex Devastator ($7.75) and Surrak Dragonclaw ($2.85).
What should I cut from Temur Roar?
The weakest cards for this commander are Dragonlord's Servant, Nogi, Draco-Zealot and Sarkhan, Soul Aflame. The guide explains the reason for every cut, and swaps each one for a card that scores higher.
Which cards should I keep in Temur Roar?
Keep Temur Ascendancy, Thundermane Dragon, Elemental Bond, Beast Within and Hammerhead Tyrant. These are the cards doing the deck's heavy lifting.
What does Eshki do?
Eshki, Temur's Roar costs {G}{U}{R}. Whenever you cast a creature spell, Eshki gets a +1/+1 counter, and if that spell's power is 4 or greater you draw a card, and if it is 6 or greater Eshki deals damage equal to his power to each opponent. Every big creature is a counter and a card.
More Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander upgrade guides
How the numbers work
Inclusion is the share of Eshki, Temur's Roar decks (15,223 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 Eshki decks, which flatters every card the precon contains. Lift is moderate for most of these cards because they are played in many Temur decks, 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.













