Veloci-Ramp-Tor Precon: Decklist, Value, and Verdict

Pantlaza, Sun-Favored

Whenever Pantlaza or another Dinosaur you control enters, you may discover X, where X is that creature's toughness. Do this only once each turn. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with that mana value or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)

Singles value

$130.19

TCGplayer market, 84 cards, basic lands counted at $0

Sealed price

$134.73

TCGplayer price for the box (Amazon $159.97) · singles are 1.0× that

New cards

10 / 100

First printings in this deck

Bracket

Core, out of the box

Is Veloci-Ramp-Tor worth buying?

from The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Decks: Are They Worth It? by Timothy Zaccagnino

I mean, it’s dinosaurs. If you like big bumbling death-lizards or tiny t-rex hands make you giggle, this is probably worth the pickup. It has the same caveat as Ahoy Mateys though: Dinosaurs and pirates don’t have as large a backlog of support as vampires and merfolk. They don’t show up in premier sets as often either, so there’s only so much support moving forwards and backwards. I personally find the art of Magic’s dinosaurs to blend together and feel a little “samey,” but if that’s not a problem for you there’s just as much to love here as there was in Jurassic Park. Let’s not talk about the sequels though.

How Veloci-Ramp-Tor plays

primer from Veloci-Ramp-Tor Upgrade Guide: 13 Easy Changes You Can Make by A.L. Walser

10/10 for the most eye-rolling deck name since Painbow. If it wasn’t already clear, Veloci-Ramp-Tor is a dinosaur ramp deck. That description encompasses about 95% of what this deck will be doing. Play some ramp, play some dinosaurs, and then stompy stompy stompy. It’s maybe a little too simple of a strategy for some players, but I’m not sure what else you’re expecting from a dinosaur precon. Here’s a litmus test for whether or not you should consider this deck: Do you like Jurassic Park? If the answer was “yes,” or “I saw it once when I was little and I the dinosaurs,” then yeah, this deck’s for you. Just don’t expect a lot of complexity here.

The main commander Pantlaza, Sun-Favor highlights the totally new and definitely-not-cascadey “discover” mechanic from LCI, though discover’s not really a primary theme here. Will Pantlaza dethrone Gishath, Sun's Avatar as the People’s Choice for best dinosaur commander? I doubt it, but at least it’s a cool alternative if nothing else.

I do want to take a moment to praise the alternate commander here. Wayta, Trainer Prodigy encourages you to fight your own creatures. It’s a clear nod to the enrage mechanic, which was mechanically linked to dinos from Ixalan and Rivals of Ixalan, but there are tons of cool and interesting uses for an ability like this. You ever have a Brash Taunter fight a Boros Reckoner? It feels like this most unique legendary creature to come out of LCC, even though it’s not an explicit typal payoff.

Oh, the strategy for the deck? I dunno, just play some dinosaurs and be happy.