Mainboard

Lands (27 Total)

11

4

4

3

3

1

1

Let’s start with the lands. Since this is a Mono Green deck, we can play a lot of colorless utility lands. We basically only need two green sources to activate 《Castle Garenbrig》. This allows us to play 《Radiant Fountain》 to heal out of burn range against red decks. It also allows us to play 《Shrine of the Forsaken Gods》 which ramps us to 《Ugin, the Spirit Dragon》 and 《Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger》. Finally, we get to play 《Sanctum of Ugin》 which means we get to refill our hands with threats in the late game.

《Cavalier of Thorns》

3

《Cavalier of Thorns》 might look like a strange inclusion on the surface. Some lists have cut it in favor of 《Golos, Tireless Pilgrim》 and 《Cascading Cataracts》 for a powerful end game. However the late game of this deck is already so powerful. 《Cavalier of Thorns》 threatens to set up a powerful draw if your opponent kills it to try to push damage through combat. It can also mill 《World Breaker》 which helps fuel your late game.

One Mana Accelerators

4

2

2

Now let’s talk about the four 《Arboreal Grazer》, four mana elves setup. This decision is a concession to the cheap removal in the format such as 《Wild Slash》 and 《Fatal Push》. You don’t want to trade resources in your ramp deck for your opponent’s 《Wild Slash》. 《Arboreal Grazer》 is also an excellent blocker in the aggressive matchups. Finally, 《Arboreal Grazer》 puts lands into play which rewards us for playing 《Shrine of the Forsaken Gods》. Playing four mana elves does allow our opponents to interact with some of our ramp, but it’s the price we pay to consistently play our 3 mana ramp spells on turn two.

Let’s move on to examine our options for the sideboard.

Sideboard

《Spatial Contortion》

4

This card is for when you need to interact when your opponent’s game plan is too fast. This card is mainly for Mono Red and for mana elf decks. This card obviously doesn’t play to this decks game plan. However, sometimes you need to just slow the opponent down instead of developing your board.

《Perilous Vault》

2

This card is for matchups that are trying to go wide on the board. It is great against Sultai Dredge since it exiles permanents. It’s also good against any Food strategy. You can also sideboard it in against midrange. 《Perilous Vault》 discourages midrange decks from committing to the board. They have to play just enough to get you to activated 《Perilous Vault》 without committing too much. This buys you time to cast your powerful late game spells.

《Tireless Tracker》

2

This card is mainly for control strategies. It’s also good against decks that are trying to trade one-for-one with you and not attacking you with creatures. Casting 《Tireless Tracker》 on turn 2 on the play against Azorius can put you so far ahead that it’s hard to lose the game. Be mindful about attacking into 《Azorius Charm》 or 《Blessed Alliance》 though!

《Thought-Knot Seer》

4

This card is good vs Azorius Control as it interacts with their hand. It’s also a great blocker against Mono Red decks. It’s hard for the aggressive red decks to cleanly remove this card. Bigger red decks have 《Chandra, Torch of Defiance》 and 《Glorybringer》 that can cleanly remove it, though. I do not like this card against the aggressive black decks since they have access to more spot removal, and it’s also very poor against 《Rankle, Master of Pranks》.

《Damping Sphere》

3

This card is a concession to the 《Lotus Field》 deck. This is the one deck that can go over the top of your endgame. If the 《Lotus Field》 deck loses popularity, you can consider cutting it from the sideboard. You are practically forfeiting the 《Lotus Field》 matchup if you don’t have 《Damping Sphere》 in your sideboard, though. Also, be aware of how this card interacts with 《Castle Garenbrig》 and 《Shrine of the Forsaken Gods》.

Azorius Control

Against Azorius Control (On the Play)

Out

In

Note On the Draw: This only changes if your opponent shows you 《Spell Queller》 you want access to the 《Arboreal Grazer》s so you can cast your 3 drops under the Queller. I also do this vs 《Monastery Mentor》 to be a little bit faster. I bring in 2 extra Grazers and cut the last Ugin and a 《Radiant Fountain》.

Mono Red / Boros Burn: (《Goblin Chainwhirler》 / 《Searing Blood》)

Against Mono Red / Boros Burn

Out

In

This is one of your worst match ups as they can kill under your threats and mostly ignore the powerful cards that you’re casting. You need to hope that you can trade enough cards with them and that they draw a few too many lands and you hit enough 《Radiant Fountain》s to stabilize. You cut the elves because they’re bad vs 《Searing Blood》 and also 《Goblin Chainwhirler》 and then you just lower the curve because they’re trying to go under you. Same for play and draw!

Gruul Rabbles

Against Gruul Rabbles (On the Play)

Out

In

Against Gruul Rabbles (On the Draw)

Out

In

Izzet Phoenix

Against Izzet Phoenix (with 《Young Pyromancer》)

Out

In

(If they’re on 《Young Pyromancer》) Because it’s the only way they can pressure you in a timely manner however if they’re on 《Thing in the Ice》 you want to just slow them down with 《Damping Sphere》 instead of 《Spatial Contortion》.

Mono Black Aggro

Against Mono Black Aggro

Out

In

If you don’t see 《Fatal Push》 in game 2 I’d bring elves back in on the play for game 3 but not on the draw cutting down on 《World Breaker》. I don’t like bringing cards in that deviate from your main plan as 《Thoughtseize》 can be incredibly punishing if you do this.

Mono Green Ramp Mirror

Against Mono Green Ramp Mirror

Out

In

The mirror is very play draw dependant. I like having access to 《Thought-Knot Seer》 to try and take apart their hand and break up the curve however this matchup is very hard to gain an edge because of how punishing being on the draw can be!