TLDR
If you want a fast MTG Commander precon deck order without building from scratch, start with a precon and upgrade from there.
On PrintMTG, you can add any Commander precon to your order, then swap print versions, replace cards, tweak quantities, and keep iterating.
Our order page supports multiple decklists, so each precon you add becomes its own list automatically (and you can rename, merge, delete, or swap between lists anytime).
The best upgrade path is boring on purpose: fix mana, tighten ramp, add real card draw, then upgrade interaction and wincons.
Commander precons are the closest Magic gets to “opening a box and immediately having a plan.” You get a coherent 100-card deck, a commander you can build around, and a pile of cards that mostly make sense together. Mostly.
If you’re placing an MTG Commander precon deck order on PrintMTG, this is the move: pick a precon you like, click once to import it, then upgrade it like a normal person instead of spiraling into a 2 a.m. spreadsheet called “FINAL_FINAL_DECKLIST_v7.”
Check out our Commander Precon Decks page - pick one and upgrade it to your hearts content!
Why precons are the best starting point (even if you swear you hate them)
A precon does three useful things for you right out of the gate:
It gives you a functional baseline. You can goldfish it, shuffle it, and play actual games before you “improve” it into a deck that doesn’t cast spells.
It shows you what the deck is trying to do. Even if you plan to pivot, a precon gives you a theme, a curve, and a starting package of ramp, lands, draw, and removal.
It saves you the worst part of Commander deckbuilding. Not the fun part where you pick spicy cards. The other part where you remember you need lands and your deck can’t be 42 seven-drops.
Then you do the part that actually matters: tune it to your playstyle, your meta, and your personal tolerance for tapped lands.
How PrintMTG Commander Precon Decks work
Here’s the basic flow:
1) Pick a Commander precon deck
Go to our Commander Precon Decks page, search by deck name or commander, and open the deck you want. Each deck page shows the commander and a clean breakdown of the list, so you can sanity-check what you’re importing.
2) Click “Add Deck to Order”
That button imports the full precon decklist directly into your PrintMTG order.
No copying. No formatting errors. No “why did it turn my commander into a basic land.” It just loads.
3) The deck becomes its own decklist automatically
When you add a precon, PrintMTG creates a new decklist inside your order for that deck. That means you can add multiple precons (or multiple projects) without turning your order into one giant soup pot.
If you’ve ever tried to manage two Commander lists in one textbox, you already understand why this is nice.
The upgrade ladder: pick how deep you want to go
Most people don’t need a full rebuild on day one. They need a plan that matches how much time and chaos they want to invest.
Here’s a simple framework that keeps you out of the “I replaced 63 cards and now nothing works” zone:
If you’re not sure, start with the 10-card tune-up. It’s the sweet spot where the deck gets noticeably better while still feeling like itself.
Editing and upgrading your precon inside the PrintMTG order page
Once the deck is in your order, you can treat it like any decklist:
Swap print versions (without rebuilding anything)
Want a different printing, border style, or treatment for a card? Change the version. This is one of the sneaky benefits of building from a precon baseline: you can keep the deck intact while you personalize the look.
Swap out any card
Upgrading a precon usually means cutting:
the slow ramp
the “theme card” that reads great but plays like wet cardboard
the removal spell that costs five mana and a prayer
lands that enter tapped because they were printed in bulk
Then you add cards that do the same jobs more efficiently.
Adjust quantities and basics easily
Commander is singleton (besides basics), so your “quantity changes” are usually basics, tokens, or the occasional correction when you’re iterating. The point is: the order page is built for tuning, not just dumping a list and hoping.
Read our guide on how to upgrade a precon on a budget with proxies.
Multiple decklists: the feature you didn’t know you needed
This is where the new workflow really shines.
Your order can hold multiple lists
You can keep separate decklists inside one order and switch between them quickly. Add a precon, add another, add a custom list, and you can still stay organized.
Rename your lists so future-you doesn’t hate present-you
Rename lists to something like:
“Atraxa Precon v1”
“Atraxa Upgraded (10 swaps)”
“Jump Scare! but with better lands”
“This one is normal, I swear”
Merge lists when you actually mean it
Merging is perfect for:
combining two partial builds into one “final” list
merging a “test upgrades” list into your main list once you’re happy
consolidating duplicates if you imported variations
It is not perfect for:
“I wonder what happens if I merge three decks”
This is Commander, not a smoothie.
Delete lists you’re done with
If a list was a dead end, delete it. Your cart does not need to be a museum of abandoned ideas.
The precon upgrade checklist (the boring stuff that wins games)
If you want a repeatable process, use this checklist. It works because precons tend to fail in the same places.
Mana base: Are you losing tempo to tapped lands? Are your colors awkward early?
Ramp: Do you reliably accelerate on turns 2 and 3, or do you ramp on turn 5 like it’s a hobby?
Card draw: Do you see enough cards to find your engines, answers, and land drops?
Interaction: Can you stop someone from running away with the game, or do you just watch politely?
Win conditions: Do you have a clear way to close, or do you “value” everyone until the heat death of the universe?
Theme focus: Cut the cards that only kind of support the plan, and add cards that strongly support it.
If you do those in that order, your deck improves fast, and you don’t have to pretend you’re “just one card away” from greatness. You’re not. You’re usually ten cards away, and that’s fine.
Why PrintMTG is a good fit for precon-based orders
The whole point of starting with a precon is speed and iteration. PrintMTG is built for that workflow:
Fast importing: Add a precon decklist in one click, then edit from there.
Clean management: Multiple decklists per order, with rename, merge, delete, and quick switching.
Premium production: We print on a premium press, apply a high-end UV coat for durability and feel, and cut consistently with a rotary die cutter.
Image enhancement: We enhance the images we offer so the resolution and color hold up on paper, not just on a screen.
That last part matters more than people think. Screens lie. Paper is honest.
FAQs
Can I add multiple Commander precons to one PrintMTG order?
Yes. Each precon you add becomes its own decklist automatically, so you can manage multiple decks in one order without mixing them together.
Can I rename the decklists in my order?
Yes. Rename lists so you can track versions, upgrade stages, or different builds of the same commander.
Can I merge two decklists into one?
Yes. Merging is useful when you’re consolidating a “test” list into your main list, or combining two versions into a final build.
Can I swap print versions after importing the precon?
Yes. You can change print versions and treatments without rebuilding the deck from scratch.
Do I have to start from a precon?
No. You can paste or load any decklist. Precons are just the easiest on-ramp when you want a functional baseline first.