Five-Color Ramp

Posted on February 23, 2018

You guys have been asking for an update on my ramp deck since I wrote about it three weeks ago and it's finally here! This past weekend I was at the SCG Open in Indianapolis. The main event was Modern, and I didn't do too hot in the event. I knew I wanted to play ramp for Standard, so I began tinkering with my deck. I had been talking to Richie Kenyon and he was doing a lot of the leg work for the deck. I would give him cards to test out. He would not only test the cards out but also give me feedback on how they did. This really helped me and allowed me to play my ramp deck into the SCG Standard Classic. I wasn't sure about all the numbers since I hadn't played the deck a lot myself, so I was using the Classic as a test run. While the decks mana base was suboptimal and some of the cards were just not good, I still managed to go undefeated in the swiss portion of the event and ended up losing to Todd Stevens. I felt like I was favored against Todd, but I still ended up losing. I did mulligan to five and then to six, but our games went long so the mulligan hurt but I was still in every game.

Anyway, this was the deck I played to a third-place finish in the Classic.

Five-Color Ramp -- Rivals Standard | Ali Aintrazi

Artifacts (2)
2 Thaumatic Compass

The deck was very fun to play and performed so well. Hour of Promise is a sleeper in the Standard format that people will catch on to over time. The ability to get any two lands and then create a couple of zombies is so powerful, especially since the lands we get do a lot of work. Once the deck gets going, you'll have a ton of decisions to make, most of them come from which lands you should get with Hour of Promise and which ones you should be activating.

Here are some tips for the deck.

Always make sure you're getting zombies with Hour of Promise, they do a lot of work.

Late in the game, when you're casting Hour of Promise and you've gotten your utility lands, make sure to put lands that can't cycle onto the battlefield. That way you'll be able to cycle those untutored lands when you draw them.

Battle at the Bridge is a terrific way to kill indestructible creatures and gain a ton of life late game, but it's also great early, especially with Thaumatic Compass. For example, on turn four you can play the compass and still Battle at the Bridge for X equals two thanks to Improvise. It doesn't come up a lot, but it does come up enough and provides you with a nice tempo swing.

Cascading Cataracts adds mana of any color in any combination. This is important because when you tutor Zacama, you can add if you want and just gain 12+ life even though we are running no White sources in the deck.

Cascading Cataracts is indestructible. Sometimes you'll be able to enchant it with Gift of Paradise and you should if you think your opponent might try Field of Ruin whatever you put Gift of Paradise on.

The best curve for this deck is turn two Thaumatic Compass, turn three Gift of Paradise, into turn four Hour of Promise which will give you ten permanents if you're able to get zombies. This will give you the City's Blessing and transform Thaumatic Compass into Spires of Orazca.

Don't forget you can Mastermind's Acquisition Game 1 for Lost Legacy to beat Approach of the Second Sun decks!

The best thing to do with this deck is to just play it and get a feel for it. It's a very fun and powerful deck. If you remember correctly, I told you earlier that I didn't like the decks mana base and some cards in it. The Red splash is not worth it, and the deck needs another land along with more Green sources. I want to play Sultai for The Scarab God and Swarm Intelligence. I also want another Mastermind's Acquisition to increase our Intelligence Quotient.

Mastermind IQ 243.5 -- Rivals Standard | Ali Aintrazi

Creatures (2)
2 Carnage Tyrant

Artifacts (2)
2 Thaumatic Compass

I was unimpressed with Tetzimoc, Primal Death, Arguel's Blood Fast, Angrath, the Flame-Chained, Never // Return, and even Vraska, Relic Seeker. So, I've cut them all. I've moved Carnage Tyrant to the main deck to make games end a little quicker and he's just so good against the control decks or other removal heavy decks. Wildest Dreams is this deck's Pull from Tomorrow but you get to basically Demonic Tutor every time instead of drawing random cards.

Swarm Intelligence is the card you'll probably want to cut the most before even trying the deck. Don't. It puts the deck into overdrive, especially since a majority of your deck is sorcery or instants. Copying any spell is just going to be very, very good. Even Moment of Craving will now kill Hazoret the Fervent and/or Heart of Kiran. Access to The Scarab God and a million mana is darn good, and you'll be able to beat opposing Scarab Gods because of the mana advantage and just be able to reanimate everything in just in a couple of turns.

The last list I want to look at is one that can wish for Approach and can abuse Profane Procession.

Wish for Approach -- Rivals Standard | Ali Aintrazi

Artifacts (2)
2 Thaumatic Compass

This list just tried to focus on the power that is Profane Procession. It also has an edge against other durdly decks like ramp or tokens in that it can just win with Approach of the Second Sun. Outside of that and Cast Out, it is basically the same deck, but those cards are enough to change the dynamic of the deck.

Playing White gives the deck a separate set of toys for the Sideboard. Hour of Reckoning is great if you manage to get behind on the battlefield. It's a nice reset button that also just destroys tokens. Legion's Landing is one I would get when I can transform it right away with zombies or Regal Caracal. Then, of course, you also have access to Fumigate since we are playing White. With this deck you may even want to board out one Approach of the Second Sun against Black decks. So, if they do Lost Legacy you, you can still Mastermind's Acquisition for the Approach of the Second Suns in your Sideboard.

I'm kind of sad that I can't attend the Standard Grand Prix this weekend. I would love to play the Sultai decklist there. It's my step-daughter's birthday though, so I'm going to have to skip the Grand Prix this weekend. Maybe one of you guys can champion the deck for me.

Again, I'd like to give a shout out to Richie Kenyon for the help. The deck wouldn't be where it's at without him. I also want to give a shout out to all you readers! Thank you for taking the time to read my articles, I hope you enjoy this brew!

Much love,

Ali Aintrazi

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