Call for Backup Decklist & Guide: Bright-Palm Precon

Overview

Call for Backup is a counters deck where every creature wants to be bigger. Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener has backup 1: when it enters, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature, and if that is another creature it gains Bright-Palm's attack ability until end of turn. Whenever Bright-Palm attacks, double the number of +1/+1 counters on target creature, and that creature can't be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less this turn.

The 99 cards are 39 creatures, 6 artifacts, 4 enchantments, 9 instants, 3 sorceries and 38 lands. The creature suite is full of counter engines and payoffs: Good-Fortune Unicorn, Juniper Order Ranger and Pridemalkin hand them out, Conclave Mentor makes each batch bigger, and Shalai and Hallar turns them into damage. It also has hydras such as Kalonian Hydra and Genesis Hydra that grow quickly.

Key Cards

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Kalonian Hydra

Doubling · Trample

A creature for {3}{G}{G}. It has trample and enters with four +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever it attacks, double the number of +1/+1 counters on each creature you control, which makes it a threat on its own and a huge boost for the rest of the team.

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Shalai and Hallar

Counter Payoff · Flying

A 3/3 for {1}{R}{G}{W}. It has flying and vigilance. Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are put on a creature you control, it deals that much damage to target opponent, so Bright-Palm's doubling and the deck's many counter makers turn directly into damage.

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Conclave Mentor

Counter Multiplier · Lifegain

A 2/2 for {G}{W}. If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on a creature you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters are put on that creature instead. It is a two-mana creature that makes every other counter effect in the deck bigger.

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Hamza, Guardian of Arashin

Cost Reducer · Beater

A 5/5 for {4}{G}{W}. This spell costs {1} less for each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it, and so do creature spells you cast. It makes the deck's biggest creatures much cheaper once you have a few countered creatures.

Playing the Deck

The early game is about mana and a first counter. Gyre Sage, Incubation Druid and Wood Elves help with mana, Sol Ring and Arcane Signet speed you up, and Cultivate and Kodama's Reach fix the colours. Pridemalkin and Rishkar, Peema Renegade put counters on creatures as they enter, and Champion of Lambholt and Managorger Hydra grow on their own.

The middle of the game is about spreading counters across the board. Good-Fortune Unicorn and Juniper Order Ranger put a counter on every creature that enters, Alharu, Solemn Ritualist and Together Forever hand out counters when they enter, and Mikaeus, the Lunarch spreads counters to the rest of the team. Abzan Falconer and Abzan Battle Priest give creatures with counters flying and lifelink, and Enduring Scalelord and Elite Scaleguard reward counter placement.

The late game is about doubling the counters and attacking. Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener and Kalonian Hydra double the counters on their targets, Uncivil Unrest makes creatures with counters deal double damage, and Shalai and Hallar makes every counter hurt an opponent. Mirror-Style Master copies the attacking modified creatures, and Inspiring Call draws cards and protects the team from a sweeper.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths: Almost every creature in the deck either gives out counters or rewards them, so the deck has a clear plan and its pieces help each other. It also has real interaction, including Swords to Plowshares, Generous Gift, Dromoka's Command and Heaven // Earth, and good protection in Inspiring Call, Semester's End and Restoration Angel.

Weaknesses: The plan relies on counters staying on creatures, so removal on a heavily counter-loaded creature can undo a lot of work, and a board wipe is a real problem. The deck has few sorceries and little way to draw cards beyond Armorcraft Judge, Inspiring Call and Path of the Pyromancer, so it can run out of gas against a controlling opponent.

Want to improve it? See the Call for Backup upgrade guide: nine swaps with the data behind each one.

Verdict

Call for Backup is a friendly, powerful counters deck with a clear and satisfying plan: put a counter on everything, double it and attack. It gives a lot of freedom to build around the counters, and its mana and interaction make it a strong starting point.

Want to see what a fully optimised Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener build looks like? Try the Oracle.

✦ Build with The Oracle

Frequently Asked Questions

What cards are in the Call for Backup decklist?
The Call for Backup precon is a 100-card Commander deck led by Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener. The full Call for Backup decklist, with every card, current prices and a button to copy the list into your deck builder, is on this page.

When was Call for Backup released?
Call for Backup was released on April 21, 2023 as part of March of the Machine Commander.

Who is the commander of Call for Backup?
Call for Backup is led by Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener, a Naya (W/R/G) legendary creature.

How many creatures are in Call for Backup?
The 99 cards besides Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener include 39 creatures.

How many lands does Call for Backup have?
Call for Backup has 38 lands in the 99 cards besides Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener, including basic lands.

Full Decklist

All 100 cards from the out-of-the-box Call for Backup precon, with current prices. Click any card to expand it.

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Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener (commander), Abzan Battle Priest, Abzan Falconer, Alharu, Solemn Ritualist, Armorcraft Judge, Brawn, Champion of Lambholt, Conclave Mentor, Conclave Sledge-Captain, Constable of the Realm, Death-Greeter's Champion, Elite Scaleguard, Emergent Woodwurm, Enduring Scalelord, Falkenrath Exterminator, Fertilid, Flamerush Rider, Forgotten Ancient, Genesis Hydra, Good-Fortune Unicorn, Guardian Scalelord, Gyre Sage, Hamza, Guardian of Arashin, High Sentinels of Arashin, Incubation Druid, Juniper Order Ranger, Kalonian Hydra, Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin, Managorger Hydra, Mikaeus, the Lunarch, Mindless Automaton, Mirror-Style Master, Pridemalkin, Restoration Angel, Rishkar, Peema Renegade, Shalai and Hallar, Slurrk, All-Ingesting, Sunscorch Regent, Triskelion, Wood Elves, Bretagard Stronghold, Canopy Vista, Cinder Glade, Command Tower, Evolving Wilds, Exotic Orchard, Field of Ruin, 6 Forest, Fortified Village, Furycalm Snarl, Game Trail, Gavony Township, Jungle Shrine, Kessig Wolf Run, Krosan Verge, Llanowar Reborn, Mossfire Valley, Mosswort Bridge, 2 Mountain, Path of Ancestry, 5 Plains, Rogue's Passage, Sungrass Prairie, Temple of Abandon, Temple of Plenty, Temple of Triumph, Temple of the False God, Terramorphic Expanse, Arcane Signet, Commander's Sphere, Fractured Powerstone, Ichor Elixir, Sol Ring, Strionic Resonator, Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, Path of the Pyromancer, Flameshadow Conjuring, Ion Storm, Together Forever, Uncivil Unrest, Dromoka's Command, Generous Gift, Heaven // Earth, Hindervines, Inscription of Abundance, Inspiring Call, Return to Nature, Semester's End, Swords to Plowshares.