Alternate removal and ramp choices for Abzan EDH?
Deck Help forum
Posted on April 11, 2015, 10:17 p.m. by Bulwer
I'm running a Doran beatdown deck, Doran, the Lawnmower and I'm thinking about my best options for ramp spells and removal.
A big part of the deck is clearing the way for attacks with one-sided creature wipes, of which I have four: Retribution of the Meek, Fell the Mighty, Wave of Reckoning, Solar Wave. For spot removal, I'm running Mortify, Putrefy, Return to Dust, Rootgrapple, Golgari Charm, and Luminate Primordial. Pestilence is another way to murder creatures that are not mine.
I'm running 10 pieces of ramp: Axebane Guardian, Overgrown Battlement, Birds of Paradise, Courser of Kruphix, Frontier Siege, Selesnya Signet, Commander's Sphere, Golgari Signet, Sol Ring, and Cultivate.
These are all fine choices, but I have alternatives, and I was hoping to get an opinion on which ones I should swap in (and what to swap them for).
Alternate removal:
+ Swords to Plowshares // I know it's good, but is it good enough to cut a creature for?
+ Rebuff the Wicked // No one will see this coming.
+ Duneblast
+ Doom Blade
+ Argentum Armor
+ Fate Forgotten
+ Abzan Charm // Or card draw, hey hey.+ Silence the Believers // An amazing effect, but I might not have the (B) for it.
Alternate ramp:
+ Sakura-Tribe Elder // Plus I'm running Gift of Immortality for the combo.
+ Kodama's Reach // Cultivate good, more Cultivate better.
+ Quirion Elves // If I decide I need more fixing.
+ Far Wanderings // Better than Cultivate in EDH maybe?
+ Journey of Discovery // Ooh, so versatile.
+ Yavimaya Elder // I'd resent it for being the only P>T creature, but it is 3 for 1.
+ Orzhov Keyrune // I like things that are also guys.
+ Darksteel Ingot // For Commander's Sphere, maybe.
Oracle of Mul Daya is very nice.
Quirion Elves, unlike Bloom Tender or the other one that keys off of lands I have, lets me pick a color I don't already have access to. I'm picturing dropping it on turn 2 to give me access to my third color to cast Doran on turn 3. Not that it'll make it in anyway, probably. :/
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth would also be delightful with my Dauthi Embrace when it's time to swing for lethal.
What do you think of the battle of the 2G land fetchers? Cultivate vs Far Wanderings vs Journey of Discovery is fairly tough.
April 11, 2015 11:26 p.m.
aeonstoremyliver says... #4
Caged Sun and Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth is also quite tasty. Sun does cost a bit, but the buff and ramp is worthwhile. As a Timmy, I also enjoy Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger. He needs lots of ramp to get out, but can make for some explosive plays.
Cultivate, Farseek, Explore, Exploration, etc. are all very nice ramp. I agree with Oracle of Mul Daya. Also Solemn Simulacrum.
April 11, 2015 11:35 p.m.
Countertop says... #5
if you have a casual playgroup, Tempt with Discovery is very strong, as you can tutor for both urborg + coffers as long as one person gives in
April 11, 2015 11:47 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
Cultivate is better overall. Far Wanderings is situationally good, but it's a card for spellslinger decks; your deck is largely permanent-based, so it's kind of underwhelming unless your meta is sweeper heavy. Journey of Discovery is inefficient.
Epochalyptik says... #2
Courser of Kruphix doesn't really qualify as ramp, in my opinion. You'd be much better off with Oracle of Mul Daya, which actually lets you play extra lands.
Swords to Plowshares should already have been in your deck. It's one of the best removal spells ever printed, and it's just as good in EDH as in any other format. You should also be running its brother, Path to Exile.
Rebuff the Wicked is unimpressive unless you really, really need to protect one permanent. Generally, you don't need it badly enough to include it.
Duneblast is extremely expensive, considering you have little ramp. Same for Argentum Armor.
Fate Forgotten isn't really worth its cost unless you routinely come up against indestructible threats. You'd be better off with any of the destroy-based relic breakers.
Forget Quirion Elves and choose Bloom Tender instead.
The keyrunes are underwhelming in EDH. They aren't particularly efficient.
You might want to check out my List of EDH Ramp Cards.
April 11, 2015 11:07 p.m.