When we think of MTG mana ramp, we typically think of green – but red can provide some remarkably powerful ramp. Although the red mana ramp comes at a higher cost or is a once-off, it’s nevertheless a cornerstone of many famous decks. That leads many players to ask: what is the best MTG red mana ramp?
The best red mana ramp in MTG are cards adding more mana than you spent to cast them. We can divide these cards into those that provide large bursts of mana at instant speed, like Seething Song, or those that add smaller amounts over several turns, like Chandra, Torch of Defiance.
Now that we grasp the basics of the red mana ramp, we can look at the best examples in the game. This list isn’t in any particular order since each card is so powerful in its own right, and you can use each in several different strategies. So, read on to learn how to make the red mana ramp work for you.
MTG Red Ramp
1. Desperate Ritual
Red’s answer to the infamous Dark Ritual, the Desperate Ritual, is no less potent of a card.
This spell generates you three red mana at instant speed for only two mana. Talk about a profit! With a mana ramp like this, you can play ahead of your opponent.
Because of this spell’s sheer speed and strength should come as no surprise that it has an impressive competitive record.
Even though storm and Combo decks have seen great success using Desperate Ritual – twelve Pro Tour and Worlds Top 8s.
2. Seething Song
Seen by many as Desperate Ritual’s big brother, Seething Song is one of the most efficient red mana ramps in the entire game.
Unlike most other ramp spells, it gives you a net profit of two mana, not one. Its three mana value is easy to curve into off another ritual, or even a Mountain and a Sol Ring.
Pros have seen the power of Seething Song, too. This remarkable instant has seen twelve Worlds and Pro Tour Top 8 finishes.
Commander players also respect this excellent common card, using it in 6% of all EDHREC decks.
3. Skirk Prospector
A favorite of Goblin Tribal decks since its release in Onslaught, Skirk Prospector has a uniquely powerful ability.
You can sacrifice a Goblin to add one red mana – any Goblin you control, including tokens or the Skirk Prospector.
Skirk Prospector’s red mana ramp potential has earned it six Pro Tour and Worlds Top 8 finishes, including one first place. It’s exactly as good in EDH, too, seeing play in more than 16000 EDHREC decks.
You’re hard-pressed not to include this card if you’re playing Goblins.
4. Simian Spirit Guide
This mighty ape saw use in sixteen Pro Tour and World Championship Top 8 decks.
Its mana acceleration ability proved to be a vital part of combo decks like Living End and Belcher.
And unlike other red mana ramp cards on this list, there’s no downside to using Simian Spirit Guide. You don’t even need to be playing red. Instead, you can exile this card from your hand at instant speed to add single red mana.
Or, if need be, you can cast it as an emergency Gray Ogre-style creature.
5. Runaway Steam-Kin
A mainstay of Red Deck Wins, Runaway Steam-Kin has picked up 6 Pro Tour, and Worlds Top 8 wins in the archetype.
And here’s why – whenever you cast a red spell, it gets a +1/+1 counter. And you can remove three of these counters to add three red mana.
With these abilities, Runaway Steam-Kin is a rare card indeed. It is a powerful beater, and it’s also some proper, instant-speed red mana ramp. While it might need protection and some time to get going, its reusable ramp makes it one of the most effective red creatures in MTG.
If your opponent doesn’t kill this card, it’ll take over the game.
6. Jeska’s Will
A staple of cEDH decks and Legacy Storm builds, Jeska’s Will is an astonishingly versatile red mana ramp spell.
Unlike many other red spells, this sorcery can give you some card advantage in addition to the ramp. It can either exile your library’s top three cards and let you play them until the end of your next turn or give you red mana equal to the number of cards in an opponent’s hand.
The best thing is that if you control your Commander, you can pick both options. You get three new cards to play, plus a massive amount of mana to cast them.
No wonder 17% of EDHREC decks run Jeska’s Will.
7. Mana Geyser
Mana Geyser adds red mana for each tapped land your opponent controls.
So, you could quickly generate over twenty mana with this single spell, depending on how many opponents you have. Not bad for a common sorcery, right?
Mana Geyser is an EDH staple. 8% of all decks listed on EDHREC play this card –over 37000 decks whose players saw the value in this absurd amount of mana.
After all, with this card, you could easily one-shot your opponents with a Fireball.
8. Chandra, Torch of Defiance
One of the best red planeswalkers ever, Chandra, Torch of Defiance, demands an immediate answer, or she will take over the game.
Not only does her +1 loyalty ability ramp for two mana, but she can also give pseudo-red card draw, kill creatures, and shock opponents for two damage.
This version of Chandra also has a deadly ultimate. You get an emblem that deals five damage to any target whenever you cast a spell.
With these excellent abilities, it’s no surprise that this Chandra has an incredible fifty Top 8 finishes across World Championships and Pro Tours!
9. Rite of Flame
While it might only work at sorcery speed, Rite of Flame is one of the most efficient MTG red mana ramp examples.
See, for only one mana, it gives you two. And then it gives you another for each copy of Rite of Flame in any graveyard.
This way, it isn’t impossible to add five mana with this single spell – or, if your opponents are playing this card too, far more.
Rite of Flame is a favorite of Storm and Combo decks, where it has eight Top 8 finishes and a Modern ban for good measure.
10. Koth of the Hammer
Koth of the Hammer has two mana ramp abilities, and they’re both great.
His +1 ability untaps a Mountain and makes it a 4/4 creature until the end of the turn. As well as netting you extra mana, this ability also makes a deadly attacker – or an opportunity to destroy an opponent’s land with creature removal.
This planeswalker‘s second ability is no less impressive. Koth can add red mana equal to the number of Mountains you control.
These abilities have earned Koth six Top 8 finishes across Pro Tours and Worlds in several landfall, and Red Deck Wins strategies.
11. Birgi, God of Storytelling // Harnfel, Horn of Bounty
Birgi, God of Storytelling, adds red mana whenever you cast a spell.
You don’t lose that mana until the end of the turn as phases and steps end, either. So, Birgi becomes an excellent combo piece for decks that need a high storm count. As well as that, it lets all your creatures boast twice in a single turn.
Birgi’s flipside is no less impressive. Harnfel, Horn of Bounty, lets you discard a card to exile the top two cards of your library. And, until the end of the turn, you can play them.
This ability pair makes Birgi an excellent EDH card, and players use it in over 30000 EDHREC decks.
