I was inspired by this 2007 article on how to build midrange : https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/midrange-archetype-2007-03-26
It presents William Jensen' Explosive Vegetation deck (circa 2003, standard). The idea of this midrange deck is to ramp up to big threats. It is builded around two cards : Explosive Vegetation (for ramp) and Akroma's Vengeance (wrath).
So, I decided to try something similar in the present standard. Instead of Explosive Vegetation, I play Circuitous Route. It is just a strict upgrade, as it can fetch gates, but in this deck, it act just as the same. Instead of Akroma's Vengeance, I play Find / Finality for the same CMC. That card just kill almost every board, except your own big guys.
The idea of this deck is to survive the early game, ramp up, stabilize by gaining life and play big stuff. Against control, they must have an answer to every of your threat or it is game over. Carnage Tyrant and Zetalpa, Primal Dawn are hard to remove and can come back from the graveyard to your hand with Atzocan Seer, Memorial to Folly or Find / Finality.
On a good hand, this deck play like this : Turn 1, play a tapped land, Turn 2, play a mana dork or a defense up with Tocatli Honor Guard, Turn 3 play a 4 CMC threat or a mana dork or defense up with Thrashing Brontodon, Turn 4, play a threat or ramp, Turn 5 and on... just slam on the board Carnage Tyrant, Lyra Dawnbringer and Zetalpa, Primal Dawn.
What do you think?
