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FDC · 2026-10-02 · Zombie Tokens

Wretched Ranks Upgrade Guide

Ghoulcaller Gisa

Commander: Ghoulcaller Gisa

B

Gisa turns a creature’s power into a Zombie army. Reusable sacrifice fodder and death payoffs make every activation matter.

Out-of-the-box list sourced from MTGJSON WretchedRanks_FDC <https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/foundations-commander-decklists>.

Where to start upgrading

Deck-specific one-for-one ideas. Check current prices before buying; the budget plans below use live card data when available.

Cut Army of the Damned → Add Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia

Supplies a recurring creature to sacrifice to Gisa without spending eight mana.

Cut Syphon Flesh → Add Pitiless Plunderer

Turns Gisa’s sacrificed creatures and dying Zombies into Treasure for the next activation.

Upgrade plans

$10.77 of $25.00 · 15 swaps · $14.23 left over

1 validation note
  • "Mind Stone" has no known price; deck price cannot be computed.
  1. 1Flesh Carver
    Army of the DamnedFlesh Carver$0.38

    Support · MV 3 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 5 MV; $0.38 (was $1.80 in the box).

  2. 2Ruthless Technomancer
    Necrotic HexRuthless Technomancer$2.65

    Graveyard & Recursion · MV 4 — adds graveyard & recursion in place of a low-impact card; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 3 MV; $2.65 (was $0.43 in the box).

  3. 3Threefold Thunderhulk
    Gray Merchant of AsphodelThreefold Thunderhulk$0.31

    Support · MV 7 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 5 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; costs 2 more MV for a stronger effect; $0.31 (was $4.47 in the box).

  4. 4Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
    Liliana's MasteryOb Nixilis of the Black Oath$0.85

    Card Draw · MV 5 — adds card draw in place of a low-impact card; shares 5 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; $0.85 (was $0.35 in the box).

  5. 5Joo Dee, One of Many
    Noxious GhoulJoo Dee, One of Many$0.19

    Card Draw · MV 2 — adds card draw in place of a low-impact card; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 3 MV; $0.19 (was $4.97 in the box).

  6. 6Gríma Wormtongue
    Grave TitanGríma Wormtongue$0.26

    Support · MV 3 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 3 MV; $0.26 (was $0.33 in the box).

  7. 7Ashnod, Flesh Mechanist
    Josu Vess, Lich KnightAshnod, Flesh Mechanist$0.37

    Ramp · MV 1 — adds ramp in place of a low-impact card; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 3 MV; $0.37 (was $0.24 in the box).

  8. 8Cabal Patriarch
    Moan of the UnhallowedCabal Patriarch$0.15

    Support · MV 6 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 3 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; costs 2 more MV for a stronger effect; $0.15 (was $0.09 in the box).

  9. 9Thoughtpicker Witch
    MutilateThoughtpicker Witch$0.15

    Support · MV 1 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 3 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 3 MV; $0.15 (was $2.19 in the box).

  10. 10Demon's Herald
    Soulless OneDemon's Herald$0.13

    Tutors · MV 1 — adds tutors in place of a low-impact card; shares 3 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 3 MV; $0.13 (was $1.82 in the box).

  11. 11Piper of the Swarm
    Tendrils of CorruptionPiper of the Swarm$2.12

    Support · MV 2 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 2 MV; $2.12 (was $0.32 in the box).

  12. 12Fain, the Broker
    Undead WarchiefFain, the Broker$2.77

    Ramp · MV 3 — adds ramp in place of a low-impact card; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; shares Human kinship with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 1 MV; $2.77 (was $18.11 in the box).

  13. 13Transmogrant Altar
    Vengeful DeadTransmogrant Altar$0.15

    Ramp · MV 3 — adds ramp in place of a low-impact card; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 1 MV; $0.15 (was $1.09 in the box).

  14. 14Gutless Ghoul
    Open the GravesGutless Ghoul$0.19

    Support · MV 3 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; lowers the curve by 2 MV; $0.19 (was $0.64 in the box).

  15. 15Cutthroat Centurion
    Bontu's MonumentCutthroat Centurion$0.10

    Support · MV 3 — replaces a low-synergy support; shares 4 synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa; $0.10 (was $4.58 in the box).

What improves

  • Only $10.77 of the $25.00 budget was needed — the rest of the precon holds up without changes.
  • 15 one-for-one swaps for $10.77 of a $25.00 budget, adding 1 graveyard & recursion, 2 card draw, 3 ramp, 1 tutors.
  • Average spell mana value drops from 3.19 to 2.76 — the deck plays faster.
  • 15 incoming cards share synergy tags with Ghoulcaller Gisa.

Remaining weaknesses

  • Only 4 removal & interaction cards after upgrades (most Commander decks want at least 5). A bigger upgrade budget should target this role first.
  • No board wipes after upgrades (most Commander decks want at least 1). A bigger upgrade budget should target this role first.
  • No protection after upgrades (most Commander decks want at least 2). A bigger upgrade budget should target this role first.
  • No win conditions after upgrades (most Commander decks want at least 2). A bigger upgrade budget should target this role first.
  • 1 card kept (Mind Stone) has no available price, so the plan neither cuts nor values it.

Wretched Ranks · assumes you own the precon; cost covers added cards only.

Original decklist

The stock 99 (plus Ghoulcaller Gisa) at current data prices — 1 cards have no available price and are excluded from the total. Estimated box value: $158.21

Other (99)

  • Ambition's Cost$0.34
  • Arcane Signet$0.50
  • Army of the Damned$1.80
  • Ayara, First of Locthwain$8.37
  • Bad Moon$4.20
  • Barren Moor$0.65
  • Bojuka Bog$1.43
  • Bontu's Monument$4.58
  • Carrion Feeder$4.36
  • Castle Locthwain$4.31
  • Cemetery Reaper$0.40
  • Cemetery Recruitment$0.26
  • Champion of the Perished$0.95
  • Charcoal Diamond$0.38
  • Commander's Sphere$0.31
  • Consumed by Greed$0.26
  • Consuming Corruption$0.24
  • Cryptbreaker$1.27
  • Death Baron$5.33
  • Diregraf Colossus$5.12
  • Endless Ranks of the Dead$6.03
  • Eternal Taskmaster$0.23
  • Fleshbag Marauder$0.27
  • Geier Reach Sanitarium$2.42
  • Go for the Throat$0.63
  • God-Eternal Bontu$0.32
  • Grave Titan$0.33
  • Graveborn Muse$12.37
  • Gravecrawler$1.38
  • Gray Merchant of Asphodel$4.47
  • Headless Rider$3.70
  • Infernal Idol$0.25
  • Josu Vess, Lich Knight$0.24
  • Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet$4.70
  • Liliana's Mastery$0.35
  • Liliana's Reaver$0.66
  • Lord of the Accursed$0.39
  • Lord of the Undead$12.35
  • Marchesa's Decree$2.82
  • Memorial to Folly$0.32
  • Midnight Reaper$0.24
  • Mind Stoneunavailable
  • Mire Triton$0.29
  • Moan of the Unhallowed$0.09
  • Mutilate$2.19
  • Necrotic Hex$0.43
  • Night's Whisper$6.25
  • Noxious Ghoul$4.97
  • Open the Graves$0.64
  • Oversold Cemetery$2.61
  • Patchwork Banner$2.83
  • Phyrexian Arena$3.88
  • Razorlash Transmogrant$0.34
  • Sign in Blood$3.28
  • Sol Ring$1.48
  • Soulless One$1.82
  • 33× Swamp$0.10
  • Syphon Flesh$0.34
  • Tendrils of Corruption$0.32
  • Undead Augur$0.33
  • Undead Butler$0.37
  • Undead Warchief$18.11
  • Vengeful Dead$1.09
  • Wight of Precinct Six$0.32
  • Witch's Cottage$0.72
  • Withering Torment$1.55
  • Zul Ashur, Lich Lord$1.13
All precon upgrade guides