MTG is a beloved game – and a significant reason for that is its excellent mechanics, such as lands. And, of course, the more lands you have, the more mana you can use to cast your spells and win the game. So, then, which are the best MTG ramp cards?
The best MTG ramp cards let you play additional lands per turn, which permanently increases your mana base. Other powerful ramp options include cards that tap to add large amounts of mana. Still, this strategy is riskier since your opponent can counter it by destroying a single target.
We can move onto the list now that we know what to keep aware of when playing ramp. It isn’t in any ranked order since each ramp card is helpful in particular strategies. However, many CEDH and lands-focused lists run most, or all, of these options. So, read on to learn the best MTG ramp cards.
MTG Best Ramp Cards
1. Solemn Simulacrum
Solemn Simulacrum is a colorless ramp source, getting you a basic land of any type when it enters the battlefield.
As well as that, it’s a 2/2 for four mana that draws you a card when it dies. Solemn Simulacrum is an impressive artifact creature that can benefit almost any deck with these abilities.
This sad robot has great competitive prestige also, with thirteen Top 8s in Pro Tours and other high-level competitions.
Likewise, it’s a must-have for many Commander decks, with players including it in 17% of all EDHREC lists.
2. Smothering Tithe
White’s answer to Rhystic Study, Smothering Tithe, is one of the most punishing ramp cards.
Whenever your opponent draws, they must pay two mana, or you get a treasure token. This ability translates to a guaranteed treasure each turn and more if your opponent gets greedy with card advantage.
Smothering Tithe’s serious ramp has earned it a place in 30% of all EHDREC Commander decks, and this popularity extends to CEDH as well.
After all, not only are the treasures an excellent mana source but also artifacts – triggering a new dimension of explosive synergies.
3. Exploration
Exploration’s effect is deadly simple – you can play an extra land on each of your turns.
From its initial printing in Urza’s Saga, Exploration has remained one of the best one-mana ramp cards ever, inspiring dozens of others.
Not only that, but its competitive history is no less impressive. Legacy pros have used this ramp card in the infamous Lands deck, where it earned them two Top 8s in high-level tournaments.
Exploration’s history in CEDH is no less impressive, and it’s a staple in several builds.
4. Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, taps to add mana equal to your devotion to a chosen color.
This legendary land can quickly tap for over seven mana in a mono-colored deck. It’s no wonder that it sees play in 7% of EDHREC decklists and 13 Top 8s in Pro Tours and World Championships.
One aspect of Nykthos’ power works well in several archetypes. Because it adds mana based on the color pips of your cards, it functions equally well in high and low-curve decks.
Everything from weenie to control can leverage this card’s ramp.
5. Sword of the Animist
Sword of the Animist combines ramp and equipment.
This artifact gives the equipped creature +1/+1 and a valuable ability for only two mana. Whenever it attacks, you can search up a basic land and put it on the battlefield tapped.
Unlike other ramp abilities, which usually rely on the lands in your hand or provide a single burst of mana, Sword of the Animist gives consistent variety.
You can search for whatever color of mana you need at the time. No wonder it sees play in over 71,000 decks on EDHREC.
6. Oracle of Mul Daya & Courser of Kruphix
Oracle of Mul Daya and Courser of Kruphix are two of the best creature ramp cards in MTG, both letting you play lands from the top of your library.
The power of this ability can’t be overstated since it helps you shred through your deck and gives you two chances every turn to find land.
While the Oracle lets you play a second land per turn, the Courser gives you a life whenever a land enters under your control.
Together, these ramp abilities earn these two green creatures inclusion in over 6% of all EDHREC decks.
7. Cultivate & Kodama’s Reach
Cultivate, and Kodama’s Reach finds you two basic lands for three mana.
They put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand. They let you jump ahead by three mana, assuming you hit your land drops.
The consistency and variety of these sorceries have earned them play in nearly every Commander deck that runs green. Players use Kodama’s Reach in 35% of EDHRED decks and Cultivate in 49%.
Together, they have twenty-three Top 8s in Pro Tours and other pro-level championships.
8. Cabal Coffers
Cabal Coffers is the undisputed best black ramp card – and it’s a land.
It taps to add one black mana for each Swamp you control for the cost of two generic mana. And while this doesn’t seem too potent at first, remember that you only need four swamps to turn a profit on it.
It also has incredible synergies with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, which makes all of your lands into swamps.
Combos like these make Cabal Coffers a favorite of mono-black CEDH lists and earn it four Pro Tour Top 8s.
9. Three Visits & Nature’s Lore
While green has many two-mana ramp sorceries, Three Visits and Nature’s Lore remain the best.
These cards search your library for a forest and put it on the battlefield. However, unlike Rampant Growth, these sorceries get that land into play untapped. You can use it immediately.
Three Visits and Nature’s Lore are also powerful because you can run both in the same deck – helpful in CEDH, where speed is vital. This way, you have two chances to get an extra land in the early game and then tap it for another spell.
Compared to slower ramp spells, Three Visits and Nature’s Lore can put you miles ahead of your opponent.
10. Burgeoning
Burgeoning lets you play a land whenever your opponent does – and that’s in addition to your typical one land per turn.
This single enchantment lets you keep pace with all players at once in a multiplayer game. If you play this on your first turn, you can easily reach four mana by the second.
Few enchantments can match Burgeoning’s ramp potential, and of those that can, Burgeoning remains the fairest. Not only that, but it’s also a reasonable way to tax your opponent’s ramp.
