Science! Precon Upgrade Guide: Dr. Madison Li
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PIP precon
Science!
- Commander
- Dr. Madison Li
- Colors
- White, Blue, Red
- Released
- 8 March 2024
- Card value
- ≈ $76.91
- Key cards
- Nuka-Cola Vending Machine, Panharmonicon, Lightning Greaves
Dr. Madison Li gains energy whenever you cast an artifact spell, then spends it on pumps, looting or returning artifacts from the graveyard. The precon’s artifact count is fine, but too many slots are clunky creatures and auras. These swaps add cheap artifacts and cast payoffs.
Below you’ll find the full interactive decklist, what the deck does well, where it struggles and our recommended upgrades, split into budget ($4.41), mid-range ($9.68), premium ($38.49). Start with the cheapest swaps and work your way up.
The decklist
Commander (1)
Creatures (23)
- 1Arcade Gannon$0.23
- 1Assaultron Dominator$0.29
- 1Behemoth of Vault 0$0.22
- 1Brotherhood Scribe$0.31
- 1Curie, Emergent Intelligence$0.35
- 1Elder Owyn Lyons$0.23
- 1James, Wandering Dad$0.29
- 1Liberty Prime, Recharged
- 1Loyal Apprentice$0.33
- 1Nick Valentine, Private Eye$0.25
- 1Paladin Danse, Steel Maverick$0.28
- 1Red Death, Shipwrecker$0.34
- 1Rex, Cyber-Hound$0.25
- 1Robobrain War Mind$0.26
- 1Sentinel Sarah Lyons$0.28
- 1Sentry Bot$0.26
- 1Shaun, Father of Synths$0.32
- 1Solemn Simulacrum$0.33
- 1Steel Overseer$0.39
- 1Synth Eradicator$0.28
- 1Synth Infiltrator$0.29
- 1The Motherlode, Excavator$0.32
- 1Whirler Rogue$0.27
Instants (8)
- 1Bottle-Cap Blast$2.98
- 1Crush Contraband$0.28
- 1Dispatch$0.46
- 1Electrosiphon$0.31
- 1Glimmer of Genius$0.22
- 1Swords to Plowshares$1.78
- 1Thirst for Knowledge$0.28
- 1Unexpected Windfall$2.96
Sorceries (4)
- 1Austere Command$0.75
- 1One with the Machine$0.30
- 1Open the Vaults$0.34
- 1Wake the Past$0.22
Artifacts (22)
- 1Arcane Signet$0.90
- 1Automated Assembly Line$0.23
- 1Brotherhood Vertibird$0.27
- 1C.A.M.P.$0.27
- 1Endurance Bobblehead$0.80
- 1Everflowing Chalice$0.34
- 1Expert-Level Safe$0.18
- 1Intelligence Bobblehead$0.75
- 1Lightning Greaves$4.38
- 1Mind Stone$0.31
- 1Mystic Forge$2.58
- 1Nuka-Cola Vending Machine$16.03
- 1Panharmonicon$4.52
- 1Plasma Caster$0.28
- 1Sol Ring$2.10
- 1T-45 Power Armor$0.29
- 1Talisman of Conviction$0.71
- 1Talisman of Creativity$2.04
- 1Talisman of Progress$0.42
- 1The Prydwen, Steel Flagship$0.31
- 1Thought Vessel$2.53
- 1Wayfarer’s Bauble$0.36
Enchantments (5)
- 1Mechanized Production$2.58
- 1Nerd Rage$2.32
- 1Overencumbered$0.30
- 1Vault 112: Sadistic Simulation$0.25
- 1Vault 13: Dweller’s Journey$0.25
Lands (37)
- 1Ash Barrens$0.26
- 1Buried Ruin$0.44
- 1Clifftop Retreat$0.37
- 1Command Tower$0.37
- 1Evolving Wilds$0.23
- 1Exotic Orchard$0.39
- 1Ferrous Lake$0.33
- 1Glacial Fortress$0.32
- 1HELIOS One$0.33
- 1Irrigated Farmland$0.24
- 3Island$0.32
- 2Island$0.32
- 2Mountain$0.38
- 2Mountain$0.31
- 1Myriad Landscape$0.38
- 1Mystic Monastery$0.32
- 1Path of Ancestry$0.23
- 2Plains$0.37
- 2Plains$0.28
- 1Prairie Stream$0.61
- 1Razortide Bridge$0.36
- 1Rustvale Bridge$0.29
- 1Silverbluff Bridge$0.35
- 1Skycloud Expanse$0.21
- 1Spire of Industry$0.32
- 1Sulfur Falls$0.34
- 1Temple of Enlightenment$0.24
- 1Temple of Epiphany$0.24
- 1Terramorphic Expanse$0.25
- 1Treasure Vault$1.66
Hover a card to see it (tap on mobile). Prices are for the precon printing, via Scryfall.
What the deck does well
- Madison Li offers card filtering and artifact recursion from the command zone.
- Staples like Mystic Forge, Thirst for Knowledge and Steel Overseer are already included.
- Plenty of mana rocks make chaining artifact spells easy.
Where it struggles
- Nerd Rage and Overencumbered are auras that do little in an artifact deck.
- Elder Owyn Lyons, James, Wandering Dad and Robobrain War Mind are slow, low-impact creatures.
- Wake the Past and Vault 112: Sadistic Simulation cost a lot for inconsistent payoffs.
Recommended upgrades
Pick a budget tab. Every row tells you which card to take out and what to put in.
Cheap swaps (under $2 each) that fix the biggest problems first.
| Cut | Add | From | Why | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unexpected Windfall | Tezzeret’s Gambit | $0.19 €0.18 | Draws two and proliferates your energy and counters, payable with life. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| James, Wandering Dad | Saheeli, Sublime Artificer | $0.24 €0.16 | Every artifact spell leaves a servo you can copy into something better. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Wake the Past | Thopter Spy Network | $0.25 €0.25 | Makes a thopter each upkeep and draws cards when artifacts connect. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Plasma Caster | Hangarback Walker | $0.25 €0.28 | Flexible-cost artifact that leaves flying thopters behind when it dies. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Robobrain War Mind | Aetherworks Marvel | $0.28 €0.29 | Fills up with energy as artifacts hit the graveyard, then casts free spells. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Nerd Rage | Sai, Master Thopterist | $0.31 €0.32 | Every artifact you cast also makes a flying thopter. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Elder Owyn Lyons | Retrofitter Foundry | $0.33 €0.68 | A cheap mana sink that turns spare mana into growing artifact creatures. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Overencumbered | Etherium Sculptor | $0.38 €0.40 | Cheapens every artifact spell, letting you chain energy triggers each turn. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Vault 112: Sadistic Simulation | Padeem, Consul of Innovation | $0.57 €0.38 | Hexproof for your artifacts plus a steady card each upkeep. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| T-45 Power Armor | Cloud Key | $1.61 €2.04 | Makes every artifact spell cheaper for just three mana. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Total | $4.41 | |||
Stronger synergy pieces and better interaction ($2–$8 each).
| Cut | Add | From | Why | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island | Spirebluff Canal | $4.59 €3.97 | Untapped dual land that fixes blue and red early. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Sentinel Sarah Lyons | Whir of Invention | $5.09 €4.57 | Instant-speed tutor for whichever artifact the situation needs. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Total | $9.68 | |||
Premium upgrades. None of these are on the official Game Changers list, so the deck stays friendly for most casual tables.
| Cut | Add | From | Why | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endurance Bobblehead | Unwinding Clock | $18.09 €14.65 | Untaps your artifacts each opponent’s turn, doubling rock and ability use. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Paladin Danse, Steel Maverick | Aetherflux Reservoir | $20.40 €15.30 | Turns a chain of cheap artifacts into big life swings and a finisher. | TCGplayer · Cardmarket |
| Total | $38.49 | |||
Where to buy the precon
Don’t own the deck yet? Find Science! on TCGplayer or on Cardmarket.
Verdict
Science! has a good engine but too many off-plan cards. Swap in cheap artifacts and payoffs for casting them, and Madison Li quickly builds an overwhelming board.