Table of Contents
Who doesn’t love it when numbers go up? Well, maybe not when it’s your opponent’s life total.
Quandrix Unlimited is the Simic Commander deck from Secrets of Strixhaven. Quandrix are mathematician wizards, seeing math and magic as one and the same. Their motto is “Math is magic,” which is very fitting for this deck, especially if you jam in [[Mathemagics]].
This is my upgrade blog for the Quandrix Unlimited preconstructed deck. To keep the numbers simple, I’ve got 10 upgrades for less than £10.
You might want to be quick, though, as some of these upgrade prices can go up even faster than exponentials.
product::magic-the-gathering-secrets-of-strixhaven-quandrix-unlimited-commander-deck
The Commanders
Hey, it’s a Simic deck, and yes, it’s a +1/+1 counters deck, but with a twist. It also cares about X spells. [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] is the face commander.
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/10/zimone-infinite-analyst
This is less of a straight +1/+1 counters-matter commander and more about stacking counters onto Zimone to give massive discounts on your spells. She has a similar feel to cards like [[Vadrik, Astral Archmage]] or even [[Helga, Skittish Seer]].
For me, this is more interesting than the generic +1/+1 counters plan, because now you need to balance the setup and the payoffs, rather than just jamming the same kind of cards. You need the right number of cards to build up the +1/+1 counters, while also having enough X spells to cash in on that payoff.
You can just play a pile of X spells, as [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] does power herself up by getting two counters. She might even make a decent Hydra kindred deck. You could also just pack Quandrix Unlimited with instant-speed X spells to keep triggering Zimone.
But I think, to get the maximum power out of her, you want a balance. You want the best ways to keep the counters flowing, then the best payoffs too, leaning a bit more into the payoff and draw spells to keep the cards coming. You just have to hope you don’t run into a pod with [[Gaddock Teeg]].
One quick rules note on how she works: you will have already cast your X spell and locked in the value for X before [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] triggers to put the two +1/+1 counters on herself. That means you only get the discount on the next spell. It doesn’t work proactively.
The alternative commander is [[Primo, the Unbounded]].
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/6/primo-the-unbounded
I absolutely love the art for this one. [[Primo, the Unbounded]] is more of your creature-based commander, where you are going to want Hydra-style creatures that are 0/0 but enter with +1/+1 counters. You can use Fractals as well, but you are a bit more limited in how often you can make those.
Unfortunately, [[Clone]] effects don’t really work here either, as they copy the base version of whatever you copy. So if you copy a 0/0 Hydra, you won’t copy the +1/+1 counters, and it will just die.
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Budget Upgrades
Upgrade 1/2/3
IN: Hydra's Growth + Level Up + Zimone, Paradox Sculptor
My first set of upgrades is focused on the counters side of the deck, namely doubling them. There are a lot of these effects in Simic, with 27 available at the moment, so I’m limiting myself to just three: [[Hydra's Growth]], [[Level Up]], and [[Zimone, Paradox Sculptor]]. I went with these because they are all repeatable. The more counters you double, the bigger the discount gets.
[[Hydra's Growth]] is the first one.
https://scryfall.com/card/thb/172/hydras-growth
This gives you a free doubling effect on each of your upkeeps, while also giving an initial +1/+1 counter to help get the ball rolling. It is more vulnerable because it’s an Aura, but crucially it doesn’t need any extra input from you to keep doubling the counters, unlike most of the other repeatable effects.
[[Level Up]] is my next pick.
https://scryfall.com/card/tmc/31/level-up
This one, from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Commander deck, also gives an initial counter and is another Aura. To double the counters, though, you need to attack with [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]]. That does make it a bit riskier, but you will soon outscale everything. At a minimum, Zimone will be attacking as a 2/6, so she’s not going to be easy to kill, especially if you land this early.
[[Level Up]] also has the added upside of drawing cards once Zimone gets above 10 power. That means you only need to get her to five counters before attacking for that sweet, sweet card draw.
My final counter doubler is another Zimone: [[Zimone, Paradox Sculptor]].
https://scryfall.com/card/fdn/126/zimone-paradox-sculptor
I went with this over something like [[Vorel of the Hull Clade]] because of the first line of text. Like the other two cards, [[Zimone, Paradox Sculptor]] also gives +1/+1 counters, so it is a self-contained way to get counters started. You don’t have to rely on casting X spells to get those initial counters going.
[[Zimone, Paradox Sculptor]] even works on the turn you play her, meaning you can curve [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] into [[Zimone, Paradox Sculptor]] and get that extra counter straight away. Paradox Sculptor also puts counters on two creatures, so you can build up both of them into big walls and help deter attackers. We already have most of the other versions of Zimone, so why not add one more?
OUT: Deekah, Fractal Theorist + Forgotten Ancient + Zimone, All-Questioning
The first cut is [[Deekah, Fractal Theorist]].
https://scryfall.com/card/c21/26/deekah-fractal-theorist
While the name fits, as it originally came in the old Strixhaven Commander deck, I think it gets outclassed here. Even after the upgrades, we only have 25 instants and sorceries, and not all of those are even big spells. That makes this five-mana creature feel pretty lacklustre.
Sure, Deekah can give amazing value once you land it and untap, but five mana is a lot to invest when you get no immediate benefit and still need to start casting other, even bigger spells afterwards.
The next cut is [[Forgotten Ancient]].
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/267/forgotten-ancient
This is a similar kind of card. It’s four mana and does nothing right away, even if it can grow from anyone casting spells, including your opponents. Maybe I’m a bit jaded from playing at higher power, but going from [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] into [[Forgotten Ancient]] means doing very little until your next upkeep, when you can then hopefully move some counters over to Zimone, assuming you haven’t lost one of them in the meantime.
Compare that to [[Zimone, Paradox Sculptor]], which immediately puts counters on and can then double them later. [[Forgotten Ancient]] is always a turn behind and is limited by how many spells are being cast.
The final cut is [[Zimone, All-Questioning]].
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/340/zimone-all-questioning
This was the Duskmourn version, and it feels very mediocre in this deck. If the tokens it made weren’t legendary, I would be much more interested, as you could build your own army. But without this version being your commander, it really limits how often you are going to make the Fractal.
On top of that, the whole thing being tied to prime numbers makes it even harder to balance, especially when you don’t know exactly when you’ll be able to play Zimone.
Upgrade 4/5
IN: Diviner's Portent + Even the Score
My next two upgrades highlight some different draw spells. [[Diviner's Portent]] gives us access to something a bit different, especially if we already have a big hand.
https://scryfall.com/card/afc/15/diviners-portent
Being able to scry through all the potential draws and get rid of any duds before drawing is a huge upside compared to something like [[Blue Sun’s Zenith]] just shuffling back in. [[Diviner's Portent]] does have a chance to miss on the scry, but in the worst-case scenario you still just draw X cards, which is perfectly fine.
The other card is [[Even the Score]].
https://scryfall.com/card/snc/42/even-the-score
This one does have a bit of a hoop to jump through for the discount, as your opponent needs to have drawn four or more cards. But the upside is massive, because it can effectively become a free draw spell. [[Even the Score]] discounts itself by removing the {U} pips, only leaving the {X} cost, and then [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] can discount that as well.
That means you can potentially draw cards for free equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Zimone. The other key part of both of these spells is that they are Instants. Since Zimone only triggers once per turn, these let you keep gaining counters around the table by casting them on your opponents’ turns and triggering her again.
OUT: Eureka Moment + Quandrix Command
The first cut here is [[Eureka Moment]].
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/308/eureka-moment
Since I’m adding more card draw, I feel comfortable cutting some of the weaker options. [[Eureka Moment]] isn’t just card draw, as it also lets you put a land into play, but it is always fixed at two cards. I’m aiming to shoot for the stars and draw a huge chunk of the deck, so the X-cost draw spells are much more where I want to be.
The other cut is [[Quandrix Command]].
https://scryfall.com/card/stx/217/quandrix-command
Normally, I like modal cards, as the flexibility gives you more options and helps stop a card from being dead in certain matchups. That said, I really don’t like [[Quandrix Command]]. All of the modes feel pretty underwhelming.
The best options are probably bouncing a creature or planeswalker and putting two +1/+1 counters on something. Countering an artifact or enchantment for three mana is poor, as at that cost you could just be playing a better generic counterspell instead. The final mode is also rarely going to matter.
Even one of its better modes gets made redundant by [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] herself, because any X spell can now help do that job while also advancing your main plan.
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Upgrade 6
IN: Repulsive Mutation
[[Repulsive Mutation]] is a fun little counterspell, and one I would have expected to already be in the deck, as it fits so well here.
https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/227/repulsive-mutation
It’s an X-cost counterspell, and it is even on theme by putting +1/+1 counters onto a creature. If you don’t have any counters on Zimone yet, this can start stacking them up. If you already do, then [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] helps pay for it, which means it can effectively be a two-mana counterspell.
Importantly, [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]]’s second ability will trigger before [[Repulsive Mutation]] resolves. So if [[Repulsive Mutation]] is the first X spell you cast that turn, even if you only pay {U}{G} and put nothing into X, Zimone will still get the two +1/+1 counters first. That means, at the very least, you can counter a spell unless its controller pays {2}.
That is the floor for this card. The ceiling is much higher, because you can put even more counters onto Zimone. You can also choose not to put any extra mana into X and effectively double the number of counters on her instead.
It can also work as a combat trick. Since [[Repulsive Mutation]] is worded so that you don’t actually need a spell to counter, you can just dump a bunch of counters onto a creature when needed.
OUT: Lifeblood Hydra
[[Lifeblood Hydra]] is the cut here.
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/274/lifeblood-hydra
While I did say [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] is good for Hydras, [[Lifeblood Hydra]] isn’t the one I want. It is really starting to show its age, especially when you compare it to something like [[Goldvein Hydra]].
[[Lifeblood Hydra]] having trample is nice, but it only gets you the life and cards when it dies, and that is far from guaranteed in Commander. There has been a real uptick in exile-based removal in more modern sets, and your opponents are not exactly incentivised to kill this when exiling it is so much cleaner. On top of that, it costs triple {G}.
[[Goldvein Hydra]] only needs a single {G}, so for the same amount of mana you are getting two extra power. It also has trample, plus vigilance and haste. Haste is the big one, as it gives you immediate value by letting you swing with a large threat right away. Vigilance matters too, because it means you still have a blocker afterwards.
While the death trigger on [[Goldvein Hydra]] is not as strong as drawing cards, getting a pile of tapped Treasures to power your next spell is still very useful. Those extra keywords just make [[Goldvein Hydra]] feel so much better here.
Upgrade 7
IN: March of Swirling Mist
If I’m planning to go big on [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]], then I also need a way to protect her. The deck already has [[Tyvar's Stand]], which is one of the better protection spells here because it also has an X cost. But for another option, I really like [[March of Swirling Mist]].
https://scryfall.com/card/neo/61/march-of-swirling-mist
There is a key difference between phasing and blinking a creature. When you blink something, by exiling it and returning it, it comes back as a fresh copy of the base printed card. Any modifiers, counters, or enchantments fall off.
Phasing doesn’t do that. The card is not exiled, it is just treated as though it does not exist for a while. Anything attached to that creature phases out with it, and then it all phases back in before you untap. That means [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] comes back with all of the counters you have already built up on her.
The one downside to [[March of Swirling Mist]] is that you won’t have Zimone again until your next turn, so you lose the discount on any instant-speed X spells you might have wanted to cast in the meantime. Still, if your opponents were going to kill Zimone anyway, you would not be getting that discount either.
The other nice mode on [[March of Swirling Mist]] is using it aggressively, phasing out blockers and swinging in for lethal.
OUT: Open the Way
I’m cutting [[Open the Way]].
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/280/open-the-way
Even though it is a ramp spell, it is capped by the number of players, which is usually four. That limits how many lands you can get compared to something like [[Animist's Awakening]]. Since I’m hoping to go big with [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]], I would rather take the gamble on [[Animist's Awakening]] for a bigger payoff.
You also get the bonus of spell mastery making the lands enter untapped, which can let you cast even more spells afterwards. It really comes down to whether you want the guaranteed four lands, or if you want to spin the wheel on a much bigger spell.
Upgrade 8
IN: Broodguard Elite
This is where [[Broodguard Elite]] comes in.
https://scryfall.com/card/eoe/175/broodguard-elite
At first glance, this just looks like a big body, a pseudo-Hydra that comes in as a 0/0 with X +1/+1 counters on it. It’s not quite on the level of the better Hydras, as those usually have power and toughness equal to the amount of mana you put in, but [[Broodguard Elite]] has more utility than that.
It isn’t just a big body. When it leaves the battlefield, it moves its counters onto another creature, which will usually be [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]]. That alone already makes it more interesting here.
But [[Broodguard Elite]] also has another ability: warp.
“You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.”
This means you get to double dip and make an even bigger [[Broodguard Elite]]. If you warp it first, getting the discount from Zimone, then when it leaves the battlefield you can move all of those counters onto Zimone. On the following turn, you can then recast [[Broodguard Elite]] for an even bigger amount thanks to the increased discount.
OUT: Hangarback Walker
The cut here is [[Hangarback Walker]].
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/348/hangarback-walker
[[Hangarback Walker]] is a pretty mediocre X-cost creature. At the end of the day, it’s mostly just a large body. It does give you a little bit of insurance against removal, as the counters get converted into Thopters, but that is really all it does.
When I’m casting these big X spells, I want them to have a bit more impact than that. [[Broodguard Elite]] still gives you the large body, but it also does more to support what the deck is already trying to do.
Upgrade 9
IN: Thassa's Intervention
[[Thassa's Intervention]] is a great fit here, giving you an instant-speed X spell that can do two useful jobs.
https://scryfall.com/card/thb/72/thassas-intervention
It can protect an important spell by functioning as interaction, or it can dig through your deck to find exactly what you need. It looks fairly simple on the surface, but that mix of defence and utility makes it a really solid inclusion.
It also plays nicely with what the deck is already trying to do. It is an X spell, it works at instant speed, and it gives you another way to make use of [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]]’s discount while still keeping your options open.
OUT: Quandrix Apprentice
The cut here is [[Quandrix Apprentice]].
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/324/quandrix-apprentice
While we are casting a fair number of instants and sorceries, [[Quandrix Apprentice]] just doesn’t feel right for this deck. I see Quandrix Unlimited much more as a big spell deck, looking to cast ludicrously large X spells with [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] discounting them.
[[Quandrix Apprentice]] feels more at home in a spellslinger shell that wants to chain together lots of smaller spells. That is not really what this build is aiming to do.
It also only puts the land into your hand, so it doesn’t even ramp you, which makes it even less appealing here.
Upgrade 10
IN: Doppelgang
My final upgrade is a big one: [[Doppelgang]]. If [[Zimone, Infinite Analyst]] is big enough, this is the kind of card that can just end games.
https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/198/doppelgang
This is basically a super clone effect, giving you multiple copies of the things you target. You can even copy your opponents’ permanents, though I would be careful with legendaries, as the legend rule will get in the way.
I said I wanted to go big, and this is exactly that. Thanks, I’ll take three copies of the best three creatures on the table.
One quick warning, though: don’t copy your Hydras or Fractal tokens. The copy won’t remember the X value you paid when you cast the spell, and it also won’t copy any counters on the token. A clone only copies the base version of the card, meaning only what is actually printed on it. Since most Hydras and Fractals are naturally 0/0, you won’t get to keep them.
There is also a quick rules note worth mentioning with cards that have multiple {X} in their mana cost. Each X has to be the same value. You cannot make one of them 5 and the others 0.
So, using [[Doppelgang]] as the example, if you want five targets and five copies of each, then every X has to be 5. That means you are paying {5}{5}{5}{G}{U}, or {15}{G}{U} in total. I did say I wanted to go big. Even if you only copy lands, that is still 25 copies and sets you up for even more spells afterwards.
OUT: Expansion Algorithm
I think [[Expansion Algorithm]] is unnecessary in this deck.
https://scryfall.com/card/soc/19/expansion-algorithm
It can help you push power, but it asks for a lot to already be going right before it becomes worth the slot. That puts it firmly in the win-more category for me.
You already need Zimone to have a reasonable number of counters on her to get the discount, and then you also need enough worthwhile targets, mostly creatures, to make the card deliver. If I am already that far ahead, I would rather just close the game out with something like [[Doppelgang]] instead.
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Non-budget Upgrades
These cards were outside the budget for this article, but they fit the deck extremely well and are worth considering if you’re happy to spend a little more:
https://scryfall.com/card/otj/157/bristly-bill-spine-sower
https://scryfall.com/card/sos/58/mathemagics
https://scryfall.com/card/j25/24/scythecat-cub
https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/289/finale-of-devastation
https://scryfall.com/card/drc/18/aetheric-amplifier
https://scryfall.com/card/m21/190/invigorating-surge
https://scryfall.com/card/fin/184/the-earth-crystal
https://scryfall.com/card/40k/98/sporocyst
https://scryfall.com/card/blc/260/simic-ascendancy
https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/164/nyxborn-hydra
Final Thoughts
It’s nice to see some of the bigger reprints in the deck, such as [[Unbound Flourishing]]. That should help ease the price creep we’ve been seeing, and it also fits this deck so well that it would have felt strange not to see Wizards reprint it here.
Quandrix Unlimited is a slightly riskier deck, at least the way I’m looking to build it. You are very much going all-in on the commander, trying to stack a huge number of counters onto the gnome and turn those into equally huge discounts. The downside to that plan is obvious: she is going to be a massive removal magnet, so protecting her becomes a real concern.
One final card I want to mention, which just missed the list, is [[Power Sink]]. It’s a step up from your standard X counterspell, as it not only counters the spell but also taps that player out so they can’t cast anything else afterwards. It’s just a cool interaction you don’t really see on modern cards. Old Magic was wild sometimes.
If you're looking to pick up some Secrets of Strixhaven, commander decks, booster boxes or anything Magic: The Gathering, why not support us right here at Gathering Games.
PS. All of the card prices were under budget at the time of writing, but the dynamic pricing may have changed since then.
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