The whole idea is that you get a big scary creature into the graveyard, and then you bring it back with a cheap spell, getting a significant discount and ideally riding that creature to victory
But the Whelp is one of a handful of Laccolith buddies from Nemesis that I always felt sort of enabled the creature control of that set
There are plenty of ways to help your commander attack safely in this deck and activate your commander's effect as much as possible
Leovold, Emissary of Trest A common story among the upper ranks, Leovold, Emissary of Trest was an amazing card-draw (for you) and draw-hate (for your foes) Sultai commander until, victim of its own success, it was banned from EDH
While the cards exiled stay exiled, this generally doesn't matter when you can cheat out a game-ending permanent
Long-term outlook remains positive