Welcome to our final precon guide for Karlov Manor! Today we’re upgrading the preconstructed Commander deck Deep Clue Sea. In case you missed it, go check out my review of the deck, where we went over what the deck does and how to play it.

This deck is incredibly solid, weakened only by a slow mana base and a few fishy new cards. It has fantastic synergy, and is very close to being able to hang in stronger pods.

Let’s tune up.

What’s In the Original Deck?

This deck is green, white, and blue, and led by Morska, Undersea SleuthMorska, Undersea Sleuth, a 2/3 Vedalken Fish Detective that gives you no max hand size, Investigates on upkeep, and gets two +1/+1 counters every time you draw your second card in a turn (any turn, not just yours). 

Our backup commander is Sophia, Dogged DetectiveSophia, Dogged Detective, a 3/4 Human Detective that makes a legendary 2/2 Dog token on entry, makes a Food and a Clue whenever a Dog you control deals combat damage to an opponent. She also lets you pay one mana and sacrifice an artifact token to put a +1/+1 counter on each Dog you control. The Dog token she makes is the only Dog in the deck.

Here’s the original list:

Just a quick note before we start the upgrades. In my review I was very critical of the land choices in this precon. In fact, they may be the biggest drawback to the deck. However, I’m not going to spend any time upgrading the lands today. The only time I’ll touch lands in my upgrade articles is if I’m adding a utility land. Precon land bases are generally weak, and spending time upgrading them would make for a very boring article, especially if I did it every time. You don’t need me to tell you to switch out Krosan VergeKrosan Verge for something more effective. Just check the Bant page on EDHREC for the best lands for your budget.

What Budget Cards Can We Add to Deep Clue Sea?

Let’s start with more tokens. Avenger of ZendikarAvenger of Zendikar is subbing in for Hornet QueenHornet Queen. They’re the same cost, but Avenger makes more tokens, which can get bigger. This was a tough call, since the flying and deathtouch on the Insects can be very beneficial, but in the end I think more is better here. I’m also adding Thorough InvestigationThorough Investigation. It doesn’t have the best rate for token production, but the Venture ability whenever you sacrifice a Clue provides so much additional value.

The Universes Beyond sets have been providing a lot of token love lately, so let’s borrow what we can from them. Tales of Middle-earth had a lot of Food synergy that overlaps with our token strategies, so we’ll add in Peregrin TookPeregrin Took for Food and card draw, as well as Revive the ShireRevive the Shire for some recursion. From the Doctor Who set we’ll add Five Hundred Year DiaryFive Hundred Year Diary, a Clue itself that provides a blue mana for each Clue we control, and Martha JonesMartha Jones, who can help us make our creatures unblockable when we sacrifice Clues. We can even look to our friends in the D&D universe for The Council of FourThe Council of Four, which really plays into everything we’re doing with card draw and token generation.

DispatchDispatch comes in to prop up the deck’s removal package, while Swiftfoot BootsSwiftfoot Boots joins to protect our most important creature. Yotian DissidentYotian Dissident puts a +1/+1 counter on a creature whenever an artifact enters our battlefield, while Sarinth SteelseekerSarinth Steelseeker provides some sweet card advantage.

Hardened ScalesHardened Scales gives us extra +1/+1 counters, which can only improve Rise and ShineRise and Shine, which will turn all our artifacts into a creature army. Then there’s Rogue’s PassageRogue’s Passage, coming in to help get Morska through the door. 

Last, we’ll add another way for the deck to win: Simic AscendancySimic Ascendancy. In this upgraded list, we’ll be dropping plenty of counters on Morska and other creatures, so winning with Ascendancy is just another feather in our cap.

Here’s the budget upgraded list for Deep Clue Sea:

These are dead ends: Confirm SuspicionsConfirm Suspicions, FarewellFarewell, Follow the BodiesFollow the Bodies, Graf MoleGraf Mole, Hornet QueenHornet Queen, Hydroid KrasisHydroid Krasis, Innocuous ResearcherInnocuous Researcher, Magnifying GlassMagnifying Glass, Nadir KrakenNadir Kraken, Organic ExtinctionOrganic Extinction, Ransom NoteRansom Note, Krosan VergeKrosan Verge, Serene SleuthSerene Sleuth, Sophia, Dogged DetectiveSophia, Dogged Detective, Thought MonitorThought Monitor

Some other cards to consider: All That GlittersAll That Glitters, Masterful ReplicationMasterful Replication, BroodstarBroodstar, Filigree AngelFiligree Angel, Teething WurmletTeething Wurmlet, Thopter ArchitectThopter Architect, Tough CookieTough Cookie, Agent’s ToolkitAgent’s Toolkit, Astrid PethAstrid Peth, Nyssa of TrakenNyssa of Traken, Minn, Wily IllusionistMinn, Wily Illusionist, Alistair, the BrigadierAlistair, the Brigadier

What Are Some Good Expensive Cards We Can Add to Deep Clue Sea?

Let’s start by turning these Clues into mana. Jaheira, Friend of the ForestJaheira, Friend of the Forest, Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer, and Krark-Clan IronworksKrark-Clan Ironworks all work to that effect, with Urza being an incredibly powerful mana sink as well. And the recently desparked Karn, Legacy ReforgedKarn, Legacy Reforged will give us some extra mana for each of our artifacts.

Want more Clues? Let’s add token-doublers Doubling SeasonDoubling Season and Mondrak, Glory DominusMondrak, Glory Dominus (Mondrak is gonna knock Adrix and Nev off the list, because its ability to make itself indestructible is more valuable than ward 2.) We’ll add more Clues, and some card advantage, with Tamiyo’s JournalTamiyo’s Journal, and Senator PeacockSenator Peacock turns all our artifacts into Clues while making more creatures unblockable.

Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe does what it does, but it does even more with Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor on the board. And Grand CrescendoGrand Crescendo gives us protection and more creature tokens.

Cyberdrive AwakenerCyberdrive Awakener and Displaced DinosaursDisplaced Dinosaurs both turn our Clues into insurmountable armies.

And, of course, the best way to draw two cards on an opponent’s turn is Consecrated SphinxConsecrated Sphinx.

Leaving the party: Adrix and Nev, TwincastersAdrix and Nev, Twincasters, Armed with ProofArmed with Proof, Chulane, Teller of TalesChulane, Teller of Tales, Disorder in the CourtDisorder in the Court, Five Hundred Year DiaryFive Hundred Year Diary, Ongoing InvestigationOngoing Investigation, Revive the ShireRevive the Shire, Selvala, Explorer ReturnedSelvala, Explorer Returned, Thorough InvestigationThorough Investigation, Ulvenwald MysteriesUlvenwald Mysteries, WavesifterWavesifter, Wilderness ReclamationWilderness Reclamation, Finale of RevelationFinale of Revelation

Here’s the non-budget upgraded list:

The Seaweed Is Always Greener

That’s it for our Upgrade Guide for Deep Clue Sea, and our final guide for Karlov Manor. What do you think? Did I make this deck better? Anything I missed? What’s the best precon from this set? Let me know in the comments. 

We’re only a few weeks away from Universes Beyond: Fallout, which is sure to bring a ton of new cards and flavorful reprints. So check back when those decks are revealed for more precon guides here on EDHREC.

More Precon Guides:

Andy Zupke

Andy's been playing Magic on and off since Fallen Empires. He loves to travel, drink, eat, and spend time with family and friends.