How Swapsmith works
- Pick a preconEvery official Commander deck, or paste your own list.
- Set a budgetFor example $25. Swapsmith stays under it and picks the cheapest printing.
- Get your swap listWhat goes out, what comes in, and why. With a shopping list to copy.
Swapsmith checks your deck against proven Commander guidelines and fills the biggest gaps first:
- 10 Ramp
- 10 Card draw
- 8 Removal
- 3 Board wipes
- 3 Win conditions
- Fewer tapped lands
Then it swaps like an upgrade guide: weak cards for clearly stronger ones with the same job, theme cards for better theme cards. From Bracket 3 it also adds Game Changers.
FAQ
Where do the prices come from?
Prices come from Scryfall: in dollars from TCGplayer market prices, in euros from Cardmarket trend prices. Swapsmith always uses the cheapest printing of a card. Store prices may differ.
What do the brackets mean?
Brackets are the official power scale for Commander. Precons usually sit in Bracket 2: no Game Changers, no extra turns, no mass land denial, no two-card combos. Bracket 3 allows up to three Game Changers and combos that don’t win early. Bracket 4 allows everything. Swapsmith only suggests Game Changers when your bracket allows them.
What counts as a win condition?
Cards that actually end the game: team-wide overruns, extra combat phases, an unblockable team, life drain like “whenever a creature dies, each opponent loses 1 life”, and alternate win conditions. Swapsmith only suggests overruns and drain engines if your deck has enough creatures. In Bracket 2 it skips win conditions that combo with an empty library.
Why does a certain card get cut?
Swapsmith swaps like an upgrade guide: first it replaces cards with clearly stronger cards that do the same job, like removal for better removal. Then theme cards for better theme cards. Strength is measured by how often a card is played in Commander (EDHREC rank). Cards that fit your theme or echo your commander’s text count for more. If you like a card, click “Keep” and the plan updates instantly.
Can I use my own decklist?
Yes. Switch to “Paste a list” and paste your export from Moxfield, Archidekt or MTG Arena. Card names must be in English.