Given MTG’s vast card pool, it’s only natural that some powerful tools get overlooked. Even in a format as competitive as Modern, finding these hidden gems and putting them to good use can yield strong results. This was certainly the case for one Temur Ramp brew, which finally put Unbound Flourishing on the map.
Dominating Games with Unbound Flourishing
5-0ing an MTGO league in the hands of Niroval, this Eldrazi Ramp spinoff offers a new approach to a Modern classic. As is typical for most ramp decks, the goal with this strategy is to generate a lot of extra mana to sink into big spells. Rather than relying on traditional mana dorks, this deck uses enchantments like Utopia Sprawl and Overgrowth to its advantage. From there, land-untapping effects like Garruk Wildspeaker and Magus of the Candelabra help speed up the mana production even further.
Where things start to get out of control, however, is when you can pair Magus of the Candelabra with Unbound Flourishing. This three-mana enchantment lets you double-dip on Magus activations, giving you an overwhelming amount of mana to work with. While you can use this mana to cast big creatures like Devourer of Destiny and Sire of Seven Deaths, this deck also incorporates three limitless X spells, which all get copied by Unbound Flourishing.
Of the bunch, Portent of Calamity definitely has the highest upside, since it gives you the potential to exile Emrakul, the Aeons Torn and cast it for free. At the same time, though, copying a big Kozilek’s Command can dig for your big Eldrazi and set you up with enough Spawn tokens to cast it. If you aren’t too far behind on board, even just drawing tons of cards with Mind into Matter should put you in a favorable position for next turn.
A Unique Take on Eldrazi Ramp
Ultimately, where this deck gains its biggest edge over traditional Eldrazi ramp shells is in its explosiveness. The presence of Unbound Flourishing makes it even easier for this version to go over the top of the opponent, and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is unbeatable when cast. As a result, this deck shines in the pseudo-mirror and against other slower archetypes like Azorius Control.
Unfortunately, while this deck is capable of more busted draws, it’s also less consistent and resilient. Right off the bat, drawing too much top end without finding Unbound Flourishing is a disaster. Similarly, getting Unbound Flourishing killed immediately slows your draws down significantly. This leaves you vulnerable to getting run over by Boros Energy draws backed up by Thraben Charm.
Considering how much this deck relies on enchanting its lands, any form of land destruction is also very difficult to beat. Following Boros Ponza’s strong showing in this past weekend’s Modern Super Qualifier, playing this ramp deck certainly has its risks.
At the end of the day, these flaws may make it tough for this deck to break out in a big way. Nonetheless, there’s no denying that the ceiling of this deck’s top draws is outrageously high. Unbound Flourishing is a powerful card that’s worth exploring, and we look forward to seeing if the enchantment continues to get more love.
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