[Primer] Eldrazi Post – Colorless Eldrazi Ramp

[Captain Hammer]

Eldrazi Post – Colorless Eldrazi Ramp

1. Genesis

The deck’s inception came about for similar reasons to Fatal’s excellent Nic Fit Feat. 8 Post deck. Along those same lines, this deck is a mash up of two distinct decks. As a result, I followed the excellent template he used when writing this primer.

Everyone familiar with legacy is aware of the two main Eldrazi decks in the format, Turbo Eldrazi and Eldarzi Stompy.

Turbo Eldrazi – The ramp deck devoted to generating an inordinate amount of mana to cast a few key explosively powerful spells capable of winning the game by themselves.

- Turbo Eldrazi Strengths - The deck’s strength is it’s inevitability and mid/late game domination. If the deck is allowed to set up it’s cloudpost manabase in the first few turns, it starts powering out overwhelming threats that outclass everything else in the format.

- Turbo Eldrazi Weakness – Setting aside the rare early S&T + Emrakul that goes uncountered opening, the deck’s weaknesses lie in it’s needing to use the first few turns to set up, as well as it’s over reliance on Cloudposts and on a small handful of threats. This can sometimes leave the deck vulnerable to fast aggro, fast combo, and fast tempo/delver decks due to the lack of pressure applied the first few turns. It’s over reliance on a small number of threats can also sometimes leave the deck vulnerable to countermagic.

Eldrazi Stompy – The aggro deck utilizing 14-16 Sol Lands (Eye of Ugin, Eldrazi Temple, Ancient Tomb, City of Traitors), Chalice of the Voids and lots of undercosted aggressive threats.

- Eldrazi Stompy Strengths – The deck’s strength lies in it’s powerful disruptive elements backed by explosive starts. It can either open with a Chalice at 1 thereby dramatically slowing down fast aggro, combo, tempo and delver decks or it throws out aggressive undercosted threats applying lots of early game pressure.

- Eldrazi Stompy Weaknesses – The deck’s weakness is one it shares with all other stompy decks. 14-16 sol lands are only enough if your opponent doesn’t manage to nuke one with a turn one Wasteland. If they do so, what started out as a very explosive hand can quickly turn into an uncastable one. In addition, if the deck fails to explode out of the gates, many decks have the means to stabilize against it leaving it in top deck mode without any of the card selection/tutoring ability that blue decks have access to. It’s manabase is rarely capable of generating the 7 mana needed to use Eye of Ugin’s tutoring ability until well into the late game, and aside from this, the deck has no real card selection/tutoring to speak of, leaving it vulnerable to bad topdecks.

By fusing together both decks, this version magnifies both deck’s strengths while minimizing their respective weaknesses.


2. Decklist

4 Cloudpost
4 Glimmerpost
4 Eldrazi Temple
4 Ancient Tomb
3 Eye of Ugin
3/2 City of Traitors
2/3 Vesuva
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

4 Grim Monolith
2 Thran Dynamo
1 Voltaic Key

4 Chalice of the Void
3 Trinisphere
2 Ugin, The Spirit Dragon
2 All is Dust

4 Thought-Knot Seer
4 Reality Smasher
3 Endbringer
3 Ulamog, The Ceaseless Hunger
2 Walking Ballista
1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion

Sideboard
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Sorcerous Spyglass
3 Mindbreak Trap
2 Karakas
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Dismember
1 All is Dust


3. Mana

The large number of mana sources gives the deck resiliency against wastelands and between Eye, All is Dust and the Ulamogs and Kozileks you rarely mind having tons of mana.

x4 Cloudpost – Sol Land #17-20. Quite possibly the second best land in the deck. Even if you have only one post land in your opening hand, there are still 3 Cloudposts, 3-4 Glimmerposts, and 3-4 Vesuva/Thespian's Stage left in the deck so the odds are fairly good that Cloudpost will be tapping for atleast 2 mana by midgame. Thus Cloudpost effectively functions as yet another Sol Land in this deck.

x4 Glimmerpost – I have frequently gone back and forth on playing a full playset main deck. The life gain can be a huge boon buying you an extra turn or two to take control of the board in many matchups. However, the fact that it produces only 1 mana a turn unlike every other land in the deck makes it one of the weakest links in the mana base.

x4 Ancient Tomb – Sol Land #5-8. Due to the more aggressive nature of this deck, it can cope with the lifeloss better than Turbo Eldrazi. The ability to power out a Chalice at 1 on turn 1 makes it an automatic 4 of in this list.

x4 Eldrazi Temple – Sol Land #9-12. Temples can be played in multiples, is a great target for Vesuva/Thespian's Stage, and given the high density of Eldrazi spells, it is bar none the best land in the deck. Play four copies, always.

x3 Eye of Ugin – Sol Land #13-16. Despite the fact that Eye is legendary, I play no less than 3 due to the high density of Eldrazi spells in the maindeck and the fact that it's tutoring effect is so much more usable here thanks to Cloudpost mana. Yes you will have the occasional opening hand with 2 Eye of Ugins. But just as frequently, an Eye of Ugin in your opening hand pumps out multiple Eldrazi Mimics and Endless Ones turn one followed by a Thought-Knot Seer turn 2, a Conduit of Ruin or Oblivion Sower turn 3 and an Ulamog turn 4. It’s a frequent Wasteland target so it’s not always bad to have in multiples.

x2-3 City of Traitors – Sol Land #1-3/4. Also happens to be most fragile Sol Land in the deck. However, since the deck functionally plays 24 Sol Lands, and also packs Grim Monoliths to help it, it just needs 3 of any combination of it’s 24 Sol Lands in the first 10 cards along with another utility land or so to be able to top off it’s mana curve and lay down Conduit of Ruin or Oblivion Sower (which make the other threats in the deck even cheaper to cast). Due to requiring such a low number of lands to top off the curve, City of Traitors is almost always the perfect land to plop down turn 3 or 4.

x2-3 Vesuva – Sol Land #21-23. Between 4 Cloudposts, 4 Eldrazi Temples and 4 Ancient Tomb, you’re never lacking for Vesuva targets, and this land essentially functions as Sol land 21-23 as a result. It can even gain you life by copying a Glimmerpost if you’re down to single digits. However, the fact that it comes into play tapped is enough to make it a 2-3 of.

x1-2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth – As a 1-2 of in a build that plays 4 Eye of Ugin, this land functions as Sol Land #24 more often than not. The main reason the card is worth playing is that it lets you tap Eye of Ugin to generate an additional B mana but it has the additional function of allowing Dismember to be castable without the lifeloss in builds that run it. It can also be very helpful to get more utility out of Oblivion Sowers against a matchup that plays fetchlands, for obvious reasons. If you're not playing Oblivion Sower maindeck, playing one copy maindeck is usually correct.

x0-2 Thespian's Stage - A slower but more versatile alternative to Vesuva. This functions as a Sol Land similar to Vesuva if you sink mana into it, but it can also generate mana the turn it comes into play. The main reason to consider playing this card is it can be used to copy your opponent's Dark Depths to get you a 20/20 game winner one turn faster than your opponent.

x3-4 Grim Monolith - The best artifact accelerant that Legacy has access to. Makes the deck significantly more explosive.

x0-4 Thran Dynamo - Many builds opt to make room for a playset of Thran Dynamos and three Voltaic Keys to supplement it to ensure lots of mana.

x0-3 Voltaic Key - Helps generate ridiculous amounts of mana when paired with 4 Monolith, 3-4 Dynamo and occasionally sees play with Basalth Monolith as well.

x0-3 Simian Spirit Guide - In lower curve builds that don't play more than 3 mana rocks at most, this can be helpful to get a lock piece out on turn one. More importantly, it effectively shuts down Daze.

4. Threats

x0-4 Matter Reshaper - A decent attacker/blocker that also provides card advantage. Can be excellent in certain builds.

x0-4 Reality Smasher – Between haste, trample and it’s 2-for-1 trades to pinpoint removal, this is the most aggressive creature in the deck and a strong case can be made for main decking it.

x4 Thought-Knot Seer – The best creature in the deck, bar none. Play four.

x1-3 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger – A tutorable answer to Ensnaring Bridge, Moat, Worship and any number of other cards that would otherwise ruin your day. Thanks to Oblivion Sower or Conduit of Ruin, it frequently comes out on turn 4, and it almost always puts your opponent in an unwinnable position the turn it is cast, even if it gets countered.

x0-3 Endbringer - An excellent card to tutor up with Eye against Sneak and Show, Reanimator and Big Red decks. While it doesn't accelerate your mana production, it's ability to tap down potential attackers and blockers can be game breaking.

x0-3 Oblivion Sower - An excellent alternative to Conduit of Ruin, especially if you're playing 2 Urborg to support it. The 5/8 power lets it dodge Dismember and survive multiple blockers.

x0-3 Walking Ballista - A fantastic tutorable mana sink that lets you pop away planeswalkers and other threats or go straight to the dome.

x0-2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon - The strongest 8cc finisher in the history of magic. If you cast it, you usually win.

x0-1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth – A singleton tutorable beater more than capable of winning games by itself. The fact that a countered Kozilek still draws you four cards and then gets shuffled back into your maindeck so that it can be tutored up again next turn is just gravy versus any control matchups you face.

x0-1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion – Another singleton tutorable beater more than capable of winning games by itself. Drawing up to 7 cards is insane.


Alternate Threats

x4 Eldrazi Mimic – While it’s a horrible topdeck, this little guy helps facilitate turn 3 and turn 4 wins.

x4 Endless One – Does an excellent job of smoothing out the deck’s mana curve. It can plop down as a 2/2 on turn one or as a 12/12 in the mid/lategame, making it a solid threat regardless of when you draw it.

x4 Conduit of Ruin - Conduit of Ruin is a very underrated and underutilized Eldrazi. It's a beater, a mana accelerant and a tutor all in one card. With a manabase that supports 24 Sol Lands, it’s a god send. This is one of the alternatives competing with Oblivion Sower for the 6cc slot. It's often the superior option to Oblivion Sower against fetchland heavy decks but it's vulnerability to Dismember is a consideration.

x1 Breaker of Armies - One of the best available Conduit of Ruin targets when you’re stuck at 3 Sol Lands/6 mana. If they ever print a stronger 7cc or 8cc Eldrazi, I would play that instead. However, it’s more than capable of winning games single handedly.

x1 Ulamog's Crusher – Another excellent Conduit of Ruin target when you're stuck at 6 mana. Is generally weaker that Breaker of Armies against creature heavy decks. While it can be chump blocked for a turn or two, thanks to Annihilator, it 3 for 1s your opponent every time it swings depleting them of chump blockers in a hurry. Turning all your Mimics into 8/8s for a turn can be quite game winning as well.

x1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn - A fantastic finisher when you have the mana to cast it. But it ends up being dead in hand pretty often as well.

x0-2 Karn Liberated - A relatively cheap finisher than can dominate the game and get out of hand quickly.

x0-4 Wurmcoil Engine - One of the best colorless creatures ever printed. The life gain can singlehandedly save your butt versus burn and various aggressive strategies. The only effective way to deal with it is StP/PtE. So if your meta isn't packed with white, its almost never a bad idea to play it maindeck. It atleast warrants sideboard slots.

5. Disruption

x4 Chalice of the Void – In quite a few matchups, this is the most powerful card in the deck. Play four.

x2-4 All is Dust – With 24 Sol Lands, the manabase can absolutely support this card. And excluding the mirror, there’s very few matchups that a resolved All is Dust doesn’t outright win.

x2-3 Trinisphere - Game winning disruption against many matchups, and a great complement to Chalice of the Void.

x0-3 Sorcerous Spyglass - The new and improved Pithing Needle that dodges Chalice at 1. Has entirely replaced Pithing Needle in most sideboards and is often maindecked as a versatile answer to Wasteland.

x0-3 Warping Wail - Extremely versatile and very solid removal for lots of threats. It used to be a staple but has fallen out of favor since Deathrite Shaman's ban.


6. Sideboard

The sideboard is entirely metagame dependent. There’s no shortage of options. So I’ll just stick with the cards that I personally would consider playing in the board.

Karakas - A great sideboard answer to Show and Tell and Reanimator that can also be useful versus Death and Taxes and Wasteland decks that try to stall your mana production.

Leyline of the Void - The best graveyard hate ever printed. Singlehandedly wins games versus Dredge and Reanimator.

Pithing Needle - A great way to prevent your lands from getting Wasted. But an all around great card that is never lacking in targets, be they planeswalkers, Jittes, Deathrites or a whole host of annoying creatures.

Sorcerous Spyglass - The new and improved Pithing Needle that dodges Chalice at 1. Has largely replaced Pithing Needle in most sideboards.

Spatial Contortion - Very effective removal against weenies. Also can help one your beat sticks deliver the last few points of damage needed to win the game.

Wurmcoil Engine - One of the best colorless creatures ever printed. The life gain can singlehandedly save your butt versus burn and various aggressive strategies. The only effective way to deal with it is StP/PtE. So if your meta isn't packed with white, its never a bad idea to play it.

Phyrexian Revoker – Whether it’s shutting down Deathrites or Deeds, Jaces or Jittes, Lilianas or Lavamancers, Mystics or Moms, Reliquarys or Ravagers, you’ll always find some use for it.

Dismember – The best early game removal this deck has access to. There’s very few threats that Dismember doesn’t kill outright. Warping Wail and even Spatial Contortion to some degree are more flexible alternatives depending on the meta, but neither card deals with nearly as many threats as Dismember does.

Ratchet Bomb - A fantastic way to deal with fast decks.

Mindbreak Trap - One of the best answers to Storm and Belcher strategies.

Thorn of Amethyst – Trinisphere is definitely the stronger card, however, Thorn can be cast turn one which is crucial in some matchups. In addition, Trinisphere is useless in multiple so a 2/2 split of both is a sensible route to take.

Faerie Macabre – A free instant speed uncounterable answer to a host of graveyard strategies.

Surgical Extraction – It’s an even more powerful effect than Macabre against certain matchups. Unfortunately, it’s shut down by your own Chalice at 1, but there’s quite a few matchups where this card is useful and chalice is not.