Eleshed Titan [GW-Ramp]

I’ve been wanting to build around Elesh Norn for a while now, the problem is I didn’t really have a lot of cards for it. I decided to just theory-craft and try to build one in my head and this is what I got. I’ll go over the card selection in a bit. Just wanted to state that I’ve only been testing via tappedout.net and I don’t even own most of the cards on this list.

The basic premise of the deck is to be able to bring out an Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite as early as possible. Ramping up to Elesh is the primary goal of the deck. To do this, the deck runs multiple ways to get to that magical 7 mana. (10, if trying to play around mana leak.) There are also cards available to buy time for the deck, like Day of Judgement and Oblivion Ring.

Failing the Elesh-route to victory, Primeval Titan steps in to handle the job. Searching up Kessig Wolf Run and Inkmoth Nexus becomes the alternative win-condition of the deck.

Creatures: 21

• 4 Solemn Simulacrum
• 4 Primeval Titan
• 2 Thrun, The Last Troll
• 1 Acidic Slime
• 4 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
• 4 Birds of Paradise
• 2 Llanowar Elves

The main reason for the deck’s conception was Elesh Norn. She is just extremely powerful, especially in the current meta, because of her ability to permanently neuter 2 or less toughness creatures. She has an immediate effect on the board upon resolution, and can be quite difficult to deal with. In this deck, Elesh can come out as early as turn 5 which is rather fast and can be devastating to an opponent. Backing her up are 4 Primeval Titans. I’d rather not have them in the deck, but if you’re playing green you just have to play the titans. They’re your route to an alternate win-condition and can be relevant beaters themselves. Thruns were added just to have more relevant beaters in the deck in case you’re unable to grab Elesh or the Titan. It’s also relevant to note that Thrun survives a Day of Judgment via regeneration. The single Acidic Slime is just there as a green sun’s zenith target. The 4 Birds of Paradise, 2 Llanowar Elves, and 4 Solemn Simulacrum are primarily additional ramp cards, but can become viable threats once you are able to pull out an Elesh.

Spells: 14

• 4 Rampant Growth
• 4 Green Sun Zenith
• 3 Oblivion Ring
• 3 Day of Judgement

Having access to white brings about new tools to the same playstyle. Oblivion Ring is a great answer to permanents, often supplementing the singleton Acidic Slime. Day of Judgment becomes the go-to sweeper for the deck as well. No longer relying on damage to clear the board, It’s just there to buy time until Elesh pops out of the deck. 4 Green Sun’s Zenith is there because there are just so many relevant targets for it in the deck that you just want multiples of the card. You can use it as pseudo-rampant Growth on turn 2 to GSZ for a Birds of Paradise/Llanowar Elves, Find that Thrun that you need to create board presence, destroy a land via Acidic Slime, or just GSZ for 6 and grab Primeval Titan.

Lands: 25

• 4 Razorverge Thicket
• 4 Sunpetal Grove
• 7 Forest
• 5 Plains
• 1 Mountain
• 2 Inkmoth Nexus
• 2 Kessig Wolf Run

The lands are pretty standard for a WRR deck, with the exception of leaning to Green and White instead of Green and Red. With Primeval Titan in the deck, you have access to toolboxing your Utility lands. Inkmoth Nexus and Kessig Wolf Run serve as an alternative win-condition if required. Between the Rampant Growth and Birds of paradise getting the red mana you need to activate Kessig Wolf Run isn’t difficult.

I hope you enjoyed reading this short feature. Thanks, and Happy Deckbuilding!