The Ultimate Ponza Guide

Modern Land Destruction Ramp RG (Gruul)

EpicLands

Creature (21)

• 4x Arbor Elf
• 2x Birds of Paradise
• 4x Bloodbraid Elf
• 2x Eternal Witness
• 3x Inferno Titan
• 2x Pia and Kiran Nalaar
• 4x Tireless Tracker

Land (21)

• 7x Forest
• 1x Kessig Wolf Run
• 4x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Mountain
• 3x Stomping Ground
• 1x Windswept Heath
• 4x Wooded Foothills

Enchantment (8)

• 4x Blood Moon
• 4x Utopia Sprawl

Sorcery (7)

• 3x Molten Rain
• 4x Stone Rain

Instant (3)

• 3x Lightning Bolt

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Sideboard

Creature (7)

• 2x Kitchen Finks
• 2x Obstinate Baloth
• 2x Scavenging Ooze
• 1x Thrun, the Last Troll

Sorcery (4)

• 1x Anger of the Gods
• 1x Primal Command
• 2x Sweltering Suns

Artifact (2)

• 2x Relic of Progenitus

Instant (2)

• 2x Ancient Grudge

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Ponza

More accurately Bloodbraid Elf Ponza. Ponza exists because modern decks have glass mana bases, and messing with their mana base it puts you in a very good position. You then ramp up to dumb creature and beat face. I have been playing Ponza ever since bloodbraid elf was un-banned and it's been a fun adventure. I am going to take this deck to a few competitive events (May 27th and June 2nd) so I have decided to take this deck online for suggestions. Also a plus if I can help someone else along the way. This guide will go in-depth of how this deck works. Ins and outs, sideboard, justification of why I run what I run, and justification of why I don't run some other good cards.

Mana Base

First things first: Mana. You run 9 fetches so you can have 13 chances to grab a red source, and fetches run well with Tireless Tracker. Only 1 mountain because your Blood Moon turns your fetches into red sources, and 7 forest giving you plenty of targets for Utopia Sprawl. You don't run any tapped lands (Like Cinder Glade or Raging Ravine because you need to be able to play a ramper turn one. I can't stress this enough because it could decided the game. Lastly 1 Kessig Wolf Run because it gives you the trample potential and the ability to give a smaller guys power.

Rampers

The ideal plan is the play Arbor Elf turn 1 and then Utopia Sprawl turn 2 to create 4 mana. While this doesn't happen often it does happen.The more realistic view is Utopia Sprawl is a un-boltable elf/bird and the other guys are just for mana ramp. The reason you run 10 mana rampers is you have no two drops, main board anyway, so not playing something turn 2 usally ends with losing the board. Also many decks crumble at turn 2 Blood Moon or land destruction. Most of the time you will mulligan till you have a ramper.

Spells and Blood Moon

Blood Moon. Hands down the best card in the deck. Wrecking fragile mana bases since forever. Playing fair magic since never. In all seriousness Blood Moon makes the deck. Although not effective against mono-colored mana bases the chances of you winning with blood more are too great to pass up. Even against some burn decks (Like Naya or White Red) playing Blood Moon shuts off Atarka's Command and Boros Charm. You actual land destruction is for the lands Blood Moon doesn't hit, or to knock them off balance from being mana screwed / Color screwed. (Note: Be mindful of how they play. You can usually tell if they are missing a color or scrambling for mana. I have won games because my opponent expressed his disliking of being mana screwed through nonverbal cues. While this doesn't work for MTGO big events even the most experienced players gets frustrated enough to show this.)Lastly 3 lightning bolt just for that extra push. Mostly will be a kill spell, but the occasional burning face can win games too. Especially with Eternal Witness.

Mid-range

Bloodbraid Elf is just another way to get you towards you Blood Moon/Land destruction with a side of brokenness. Cascade is overpowered, and getting a Tireless Tracker off of it feels good. It's just a value card that works with what you are doing. Never cut these for side boarding.Speaking of Tireless Tracker and powerful cards Tracker is fantastic. Clues count as 1/2 a card and helps you filter though your deck with all the mana you will have. If left unchecked tracker will win the game. Lastly his clues gives you sacrifice fodder for Pia and Kiran Nalaar.Pia and Kiran Nalaar is a 4 mana creature for 4 power and toughness, which all things considered, not very good. What makes it good is your Tracker giving you clues, so you can endlessly shock their things. This "combo" works well and beats stalled boards. Also pumping a flying dude with Kessig Wolf Run is very effective. Just remember if you cut tracker while side boarding you might want to just one of these too.Eternal witness is quite a hit or miss. Other decks run Courser of Kruphix or an extra big guy, but I think Eternal Witness has its place. Getting back that extra land destruction spell or Tireless tracker they just bolted works wonders. Just the potential of getting your stuff back from the grave is nice, knowing the chances of you drawing what you need are higher. (For example: You need another land destruction spell. You have cast one already but the tron player had a map. You have 6 land destruction spells and then 2 more Eternal Witness. While they do cost that extra mana you do have those rampers.)

Winning at life

Inferno Titan is the best pick you have. His power to kill lots of little things puts you at the advantage you because you have big dudes. Also effectivly on an empty bored he hits of 9 damage a turn which is insane for a 6 mana creature.

SideBoard

The sideboard really depends on where you play. I have my own sideboard designed to beat my meta. There are a few core cards that would probably stay no matter what, but even then. Where I life there is a lot of burn and midrange. Game one if I kept a decent hand and they don't have the nuts it's usually a 50/50. Midrange on the other hand is closer to a 60/40 in my favor. I do prepare for other decks but this is what shapes my sideboard. Also money, not dishing out $40 per Trinisphere.

2 Relic of Progenitus: For the graveyard shenanigans. Any delve or snapcasters included. Just none of that.

1 Thrun, the Last Troll: Mostly against U/W and U/R control. This card is very debatable, I run this because almost 100% of the time there is someone playing a deck that dies to this.2 Scavenging Ooze: More graveyard hate and good against the other creature match ups trying to aggro you.

2 Obstinate Baloth: Jund is the reason you run this, but it happens to be good against burn. Or any aggro for that matter.

2 Kitchen Finks: Great against aggro. You crank this guy out turn to and stabilize.

2 Ancient Grudge: For that affinity and Lantern Control match up. Also good against decks that use Engineered Explosives. Put in against Tron and Eldrazi tron match ups.

1 Primal Command: I've been trying this card out and I'm not sure. It feels really good to turn 4 gain 7 go find a Obstinate Baloth, but what else? A 5 mana get a creature and bounce a thing? I've seen other people run this and I'm still trying it out.

3 Anger of the Gods: I wish I had 3 Anger, but sadly not one has them for trade around my area. Fantastic against the best deck in modern right now along with any other creature aggro decks.

Humans Match up

The Humans deck has a glass mana base. The problem is Noble Hierarch helps that and usually beats you Blood Moon and Stone Rain. On top of that card:Aether Vile lets them keep putting creatures into play. The goal here is to throw them off mana and survive because you win the late game.

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The rest of the discription is coming tomorrow (5/7/28)

Date added	6 years
Last updated	6 years
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	3 - 1 Mythic Rares 25 - 6 Rares 6 - 6 Uncommons 18 - 2 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.72
Tokens	Clue, Thopter 1/1 C