All praise to Amonkhet. I haven't really looked at this deck since Origins rotated, taking the core ramp cards with it, but the desert has brought new life to it.
The plan is very simple - ramp into huge monsters, play huge monsters, win. I'll be testing which ramp works the best, along with which huge monsters are best to ramp into (maybe Sandwurm Convergence can replace the titans?) but since there's SO many goodies in Amonkhet that would slide smoothly into this 60 it will be a while before I'm sure of anything.
The cards and why:
Ramp package:
Bounty of the Luxa is perfect for this deck. A burst of 3 mana makes it much easier to slam a titan on turn 5/6, and the consistent draw engine is perfect for a deck that always tended to run out of steam.
Channeler Initiate is what I added in place of Deathcap Cultivator. It's unfortunate that each initiate can only be used 3 times, but I've been finding that that's normally enough, and that having a big enough body to block after a few turns is very relevant.
Conduit of Ruin
is a solid 2-of. It tutors me a titan and helps play it, while providing a solid body for blocks.
Hedron Archive is great if I want to play two spells in one turn. Unfortunately, that makes it not so much a 4-drop as a 2-drop that takes 5 mana to play. That said, I'd happily add more copies if there weren't better options.
Spring / Mind
is basically Hedron Archive 2.0. First side ramps, second side is a draw 2. However, the draw doesn't force me to lose my mana and it's much more relevant when thrown to a Kiora -2. I'm still testing the balance of these, but I could see
Spring / Mind
as a 4-of.
Kiora, Master of the Depths is absolutely amazing. The +1 generates 1-3 mana, the -2 finds me a land and either ramp or a titan, while throwing away dead draws and the ult will win almost any game on the spot. My favourite interaction is to power Kiora out on turn 3, then +1 to give me mana to counter my opponents turn 3 play.
Weaver of Currents
is another card that feels like it was designed specifically for this deck. While vulnerable, if it isn't dealt with instantly it speeds up my gameplan wonderfully, and with a Kiora, Master of the Depths on field, it gets kinda ridiculous.
Finisher package:
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. The stompiest beatstick in standard. Deals with two threats instantly and wins the game after 2 or 3 attacks without exception.
Kozilek, the Great Distortion. This is for when I'm not under immediate pressure, and have time to take a turn off and refill my hand. Once Kozilek is in play I can normally counter any problem spells and having a 12/12 menace body doesn't hurt.
World Breaker. While it isn't nearly as flashy, I'm a fan of having 4 mainboarded artifact/enchantment removals that also happen to take out key lands and fliers, while automatically winning any control matchups by recurring themselves.
Douchebag package (Probably the best way to describe all these cards):
Censor, Essence Scatter: If I don't have a Channeler Initiate, I'll often have 2 mana open on turn 2. Counterspells are a perfect way to avoid falling behind on tempo, and both of these are relevant in the lategame too.
Permeating Mass: There are probably better options, but I don't care. I can dunk a Permeating Mass on turn 1 and from then on my opponent has to think hard about any attacks they're making. Anything smaller than 3 power is held back by default, and anything bigger - or with a nice effect - doesn't really want to end up as a 1/3.
Land package:
Lumbering Falls is the easiest way to ambush mini creatures I have access to. It also wins any control matchup by default. Given that I'm already in the market for a GU land, it's an easy inclusion.
Sanctum of Ugin is for the times when a single titan isn't going to bail you out of a mess. I'll normally use it find find a second copy of Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger for problem permanents 3 and 4, although it's fine to just pop it for a second World Breaker if immediate board presence is a concern.
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
. Honestly, I'm not completely sold, since my land ramp from origins has been replaced by non-land ramp, but it can sometimes find me the 10th mana I need.
Possibilities that I'm currently considering:
Black splash for Fatal Push and boardwipes to improve pure aggro matchups.
Red splash for Shock as well as
Heaven / Earth
to improve the plan against Saheeli Rai.
Replacing some of the mana dorks with land ramp to dodge removal. (This will likely end up being a semi-transformational sideboard plan, with dorks and lands swapping in or out depending on how much interaction I'm facing)
Going with Champion of Rhonas (currently in the sideboard) in the main if the meta has a lack of strong answers to turn 4/5 Ulamog - although it seems unlikely due to Cast Out.
