Eldritch Moon has been fully spoiled and the cards are hot! Specifically, we have a new Emrakul and I think Ramp strategies are a great way to fight the onslaught of Bant Company variants. Cards like Dragonlord Atarka and Chandra, Flamecaller are exactly what you want against Reflector Mage and Collected Company. This week, I will walk you through a great R/G Ramp deck that Top8ed the last MOCS. While this list doesn't have the new cards in it yet, I think this is a perfect starting point to approach the new Standard.
Deck Tech
R/G Ramp ? Shadows over Innistrad Standard | Andrew Boswell
- Creatures (14)
- 3 Endless One
- 3 World Breaker
- 4 Dragonlord Atarka
- 4 Sylvan Advocate
- Planeswalkers (4)
- 4 Chandra, Flamecaller
- Spells (18)
- 4 Kozilek's Return
- 3 Explosive Vegetation
- 4 Nissa's Pilgrimage
- 4 Oath of Nissa
- 3 Hedron Archive
- Lands (24)
- 10 Forest
- 4 Mountain
- 2 Game Trail
- 4 Cinder Glade
- 4 Sanctum of Ugin
- Sideboard (15)
- 3 Deathcap Cultivator
- 1 Endless One
- 1 Explosive Vegetation
- 3 Gaea's Revenge
- 1 Hedron Archive
- 4 Rending Volley
- 1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
- 1 World Breaker
Match 1: U/R Eldrazi
Match 2: G/W Tokens
Match 3: Sultai Midrange
Match 4: W/R Humans
Match 5: R/G Ramp
While I didn't have the best draws, the deck did a lot of what I hoped it would do. It can go way bigger, way faster than anything anyone else is doing and that will continue to be the case. Its ability to sweep the board and deal with problematic permanents despite playing so few dedicated removal spells is a huge advantage. Out of the new set, the cards I am excited about are Emrakul, the Promised End, Primal Druid, and Nahiri’s Wrath. Resolving Emrakul is 100% game over and it isn't out of the question to get the casting cost down to 7-8 mana. Primal Durid is disposable and ramps you up, so it might be a straight upgrade from Sylvan Advocate. Primal Druid also has the possibility to work well with the Emerge mechanic and Eldritch Evolution. What I like most about Nahiri’s Wrath is it gives you an opportunity to sacrifice card advantage for tempo, which is something this deck wants to do at times. If you can get to the late game with this deck you are so advantaged, you wouldn't mind sacrificing a few cards to make sure you get there safely.
Until next week, GLHF friends. May you smite thy enemies with a Golden Axe!
- Andrew Boswell