Best Upgrades for MTG Growing Threat Deck

Introduction

The new set of five preconstructed decks released with March of the Machine all have their own appeal. They all seem fun, but there’s also definitely room to improve each of them. This article is focused on Growing Threat, the Phyrexian-themed Orzhov deck.

The Game Plan

The game plan of Growing Threat is difficult to summarise in a single sentence. The deck’s Commander, Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos Whenever you cast a Phyrexian creature or artifact creature spell, incubate X, where X is that spell's mana value. (Create an Incubator token with X +1/+1 counters on it and "{2}: Transform this token." It transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.)
At the beginning of each end step, if a Phyrexian died under your control this turn, proliferate. demonstrates the multitude of strategies this deck seeks to employ. Brimaz rewards players for casting Phyrexian and Artifact Creature spells by creating an Incubator token with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is equal to the mana cost of the spell in question. Brimaz then Proliferates at the end of any turn where one of its controller’s Phyrexian creatures dies.

Brimaz shows that this deck cares about both Artifact and Phyrexian tribal themes. Brimaz’s Proliferate effect is used to make the incubator tokens he generates stronger, but also opens up the possibility for creative brewers to use him to spread different kinds of counters. The fact that Brimaz’s Proliferate ability activates when Phyrexians die also works alongside the sacrifice cards in the deck like Victimize Victimize Choose two target creature cards in your graveyard. Sacrifice a creature. If you do, return the chosen cards to the battlefield tapped. and Keskit, the Flesh Sculptor Keskit, the Flesh Sculptor {T}, Sacrifice three other artifacts and/or creatures: Look at the top three cards of your library. Put two of them into your hand and the other into your graveyard.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.) .

Moira and Teshar Moira and Teshar Flying
Whenever you cast a historic spell, return target nonland permanent card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.) , the deck’s sub-commander, has an ability that is a bit more generic than Brimaz’s but can be just as useful. Moira and Teshar return a nonland permanent from the graveyard to play whenever their controller casts a Historic spell. As a reminder, Historic spells are Artifacts, Legendary cards, and Sagas. While in the current build of the deck, this “historic” effect will almost always trigger when the player casts an Artifact, alternative builds of this deck, with Moira and Teshar Moira and Teshar Flying
Whenever you cast a historic spell, return target nonland permanent card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.) in the Command zone could care about Legendary cards and Sagas as well. Decks built around Moria and Teshar probably want to run some self-mill options and to adopt more of a Graveyard matters theme, as the card effectively turns a huge number of other cards into temporary reanimation effects.

Budget Upgrades

Grafted Butcher

For players looking to expand the Phyrexian tribal themes of this deck Grafted Butcher Grafted Butcher When this creature enters, Phyrexians you control gain menace until end of turn.
Other Phyrexians you control get +1/+1.
{3}{B}, Sacrifice an artifact or creature: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery. is a nice cheap addition. When Grafted Bucher enters play it gives every Phyrexian you control Menace for a turn, along with providing them all with a +1/+1 bonus for as long as it remains alive. The butcher can also be returned from the Graveyard for four mana, and a sacrifice, allowing it to grant everything Menace again as it returns to play.

Phyrexian Censor

Phyrexian Censor Phyrexian Censor Each player can't cast more than one non-Phyrexian spell each turn.
Non-Phyrexian creatures enter tapped. is another valuable card for players looking to emphasize this deck’s Phyrexian tribal nature. This card prevents more than one non-Phyrexian spell from being cast in a turn and causes all non-Phyrexian creatures to enter play tapped. With a high number of Phyrexian creatures in your deck, you will be able to continue building up your board state, while your opponents are limited to a single spell every turn.

Tempered Steel

For players looking to pilot this deck as an “artifact creatures matter” deck, rather than (or as well as) a Phyrexian tribal deck, Tempered Steel Tempered Steel Artifact creatures you control get +2/+2. makes a pretty great addition. This card is an Enchantment that provides all of your Artifact Creatures with a +2/+2 bonus to their stats. The fact that this card is an Enchantment makes it tricky to destroy, and its +2/+2 bonus makes a very impactful difference that can turn the course of fights.

Progenitor Exarch

Progenitor Exarch helps support Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos Whenever you cast a Phyrexian creature or artifact creature spell, incubate X, where X is that spell's mana value. (Create an Incubator token with X +1/+1 counters on it and "{2}: Transform this token." It transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.)
At the beginning of each end step, if a Phyrexian died under your control this turn, proliferate. in getting a huge number of Incubator tokens into play and then transforming them. Progenitor Exarch’s strength scales with the amount of mana used to cast it and it becomes gradually more useful as the game goes on. For three mana, the Exarch creates a single 3/3 Incubator token, for five it creates two and for seven it creates three. The ability of the Exarch to transform an Incubator into a Creature without spending any mana is great for getting the ball rolling once it becomes time to go on the offensive.

Priest of Yawgmoth

Finally for those players looking to run more of a Sacrifice focussed build, the ancient card Priest of Yawgmoth Priest of Yawgmoth {T}, Sacrifice an artifact: Add an amount of {B} equal to the sacrificed artifact's mana value. is a great Sacrifice outlet. There are already several cards in the deck which work nicely with Priest of Yawgmoth’s ability to sacrifice them for Black mana, none more so than Coveted Jewel Coveted Jewel When this artifact enters, draw three cards.
{T}: Add three mana of any one color.
Whenever one or more creatures an opponent controls attack you and aren't blocked, that player draws three cards and gains control of this artifact. Untap it. . The jewel can be tapped down and then sacrificed to the priest to generate a grand total of nine mana, this also has the upside of preventing any opponents from stealing the jewel and drawing cards with it. It can be tricky to get a Priest of Yawgmoth in good condition, due to the card’s age, but it makes a great addition to this deck.

Upgrades

Elesh Norn

The new Elesh Norn Elesh Norn Vigilance
Whenever a source an opponent controls deals damage to you or a permanent you control, that source's controller loses 2 life unless they pay {1}.
{2}{W}, Sacrifice three other creatures: Exile Elesh Norn, then return it to the battlefield transformed under its owner's control. Activate only as a sorcery. is the perfect Praetor to compleat this deck. The card’s front side is a decently strong creature that provides a neat Norn’s Annex Norn’s Annex ({W/P} can be paid with either {W} or 2 life.)
Creatures can't attack you or planeswalkers you control unless their controller pays {W/P} for each of those creatures. like effect to keep you safe. It’s The Argent Etchings The Argent Etchings Vigilance
Whenever a source an opponent controls deals damage to you or a permanent you control, that source's controller loses 2 life unless they pay {1}.
{2}{W}, Sacrifice three other creatures: Exile Elesh Norn, then return it to the battlefield transformed under its owner's control. Activate only as a sorcery. saga on the reverse side of this card that really makes it a great fit though. The first chapter of the Etchings grants you five new 2/2 Incubators, and hatches all of your Incubators. Then the Etchings grant every creature you control +1/+1 and Double Strike for a turn, before finally destroying everything which isn’t an Artifact, a Phyrexian, or a land. Elesh Norn is a flavorful, thematically appropriate, and incredibly powerful addition to this deck.

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse Sheoldred, the Apocalypse Deathtouch
Whenever you draw a card, you gain 2 life.
Whenever an opponent draws a card, they lose 2 life. is simply an incredibly powerful card that also happens to be a Phyrexian. Drawing cards is an essential part of MTG gameplay and Sheoldred harshly penalizes your opponents for this while rewarding you. The card also enables some powerful two-card combos while it is in your deck, enabling any opponent to be immediately killed by targeting them with Peer Into the Abyss Peer Into the Abyss Target player draws cards equal to half the number of cards in their library and loses half their life. Round up each time. . Sheoldred can also allow its controller to draw their entire deck, without losing due to self-mill, when combined with Lich’s Mastery Lich’s Mastery Hexproof
You can't lose the game.
Whenever you gain life, draw that many cards.
Whenever you lose life, for each 1 life you lost, exile a permanent you control or a card from your hand or graveyard.
When Lich's Mastery leaves the battlefield, you lose the game. .

Wurmcoil Engine

Wurmcoil Engine is one of the most iconic Artifact Creatures in the game, and is also a Phyrexian to boot, making it an ideal fit for this deck. This card’s strength is very well known at this stage, and the multiple bodies that it provides make it very hard to properly answer. This card is a timeless classic that happens to fit well into this deck.

Phyrexian Fleshgorger

Speaking of powerful Phyrexian Wurms, Phyrexian Fleshgorger Phyrexian Fleshgorger Prototype {1}{B}{B} — 3/3 (You may cast this spell with different mana cost, color, and size. It keeps its abilities and types.)
Menace, lifelink
Ward—Pay life equal to this creature's power. is another. The main power of Phyrexian Fleshgorger comes from its variable casting cost. Due to the Prototype mechanic, it can be used either as a mid-sized early-game attacker or a powerful late-game threat. The variety of reanimation effects in this deck like Yawgmoth’s Vile Offering Yawgmoth’s Vile Offering (You may cast a legendary sorcery only if you control a legendary creature or planeswalker.)
Put up to one target creature or planeswalker card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. Destroy up to one target creature or planeswalker. Exile Yawgmoth's Vile Offering. and Path of the Schemere also work nicely with the Fleshgorger as it always returns from the Graveyard in its more powerful 7/7 form.

Organic Extinction

As the only board wipes this deck currently has are Phyrexian Rebirth Phyrexian Rebirth Destroy all creatures, then create an X/X colorless Phyrexian Horror artifact creature token, where X is the number of creatures destroyed this way. and Phyrexian Scriptures Phyrexian Scriptures (As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)
I — Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature. That creature becomes an artifact in addition to its other types.
II — Destroy all nonartifact creatures.
III — Exile all opponents' graveyards. it definitely needs access to a few more to get it out of sticky situations. The best board wipes are one-sided ones that destroy your opponents’ Creatures, but leave your own unharmed. Organic Extinction Organic Extinction Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for {1}.)
Destroy all nonartifact creatures. can usually offer that for this deck, as many of its Creatures are also artifacts. It may be worth dialing up the ratio of Artifact Creatures to regular Creatures if you plan on using Organic Extinction, but it’s definitely a worthwhile inclusion.

Cards To Cut

Ambition’s Cost

Ambition’s Cost Ambition’s Cost You draw three cards and lose 3 life. is a generic Black card draw spell that ends up getting crammed into a lot of EDH precons to fill them out. It’s an easy cut and can be replaced by cheaper and better Black card draw spells like Sign In Blood Sign In Blood Target player draws two cards and loses 2 life. or Read the Bones Read the Bones Scry 2, then draw two cards. You lose 2 life. (To scry 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom and the rest on top in any order.) .

First-Sphere Gargantua

When you’re spending six mana on a card in Commander it has to matter and First-Sphere Gargantua First-Sphere Gargantua When this creature enters, you draw a card and you lose 1 life.
Unearth {2}{B} ({2}{B}: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.) just doesn’t. The card draw and ability to unearth the Gargantua are neat to be sure, but for the same mana value you could also be casting Massacre Wurm Massacre Wurm When this creature enters, creatures your opponents control get -2/-2 until end of turn.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, that player loses 2 life. or Blight Titan Blight Titan Deathtouch
Whenever this creature enters or attacks, mill two cards, then incubate X, where X is the number of creature cards in your graveyard. (Create an Incubator token with X +1/+1 counters on it and "{2}: Transform this token." It transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.) .

Meteor Golem

In Commander, there are decks that want Meteor Golem Meteor Golem When this creature enters, destroy target nonland permanent an opponent controls. and decks that don’t. For the steep cost of seven mana, Meteor Golem can destroy any kind of non-land permanent when it enters play. This is extremely useful for decks that have trouble destroying certain Permanent types. For example, Mono-Red decks might choose to run Meteor Golem so they have a way of dealing with Enchantments. Growing Threat has no difficulty dealing with permanents of every type and is stuffed with cards like Utter End Utter End Exile target nonland permanent. and Despark Despark Exile target permanent with mana value 4 or greater. that can do Meteor Golem’s job far more cheaply and effectively. While Meteor Golem does synergize with some of the cards in this deck like Master Splicer Master Splicer When this creature enters, create a 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Golem artifact creature token.
Golems you control get +1/+1. and Darksteel Splicer Darksteel Splicer Whenever this creature or another nontoken Phyrexian you control enters, create X 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Golem artifact creature tokens, where X is the number of opponents you have.
Golems you control have indestructible. it’s ultimately still a card that you are better off cutting.

Bone Shredder

There are much better Phyrexians out there than Bone Shredder Bone Shredder Flying
Echo {2}{B} (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its echo cost.)
When this creature enters, destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature. . Three mana is not worth it for the highly limited removal effect this card offers. The 1/1 flying body this creature offers is also rarely relevant, especially because you need to spend an additional three mana every turn just to keep it alive.

Ichor Elixir

Ichor Elixir Ichor Elixir If you would roll one or more planar dice, instead roll that many planar dice plus one and ignore one.
{T}: Add {C}{C}. is a bad mana rock, slotted into all of the March of the Machine precons to encourage players to play around with their Planechase cards. Even if you are playing a Planechase game, you would probably still be better off with a Thran Dynamo Thran Dynamo {T}: Add {C}{C}{C}. than this.

Conclusion

Thematically, Growing Threat is very clearly a Phyrexian deck, but mechanically this is represented in many different ways from Phyrexian tribal to a Sacrifice subtheme. Players looking to improve the deck are probably best advised to pick a lane and focus on emphasizing one of this deck’s many themes, whilst downplaying or cutting the others.

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