The 43 Best Green Ramp Cards in Magic Ranked

Last updated on April 3, 2024

Nature's Lore | Illustration by Kim Sokol

I sometimes find myself struggling to build a deck that doesn’t include green in its color identity. A big part has to do with just how great green is for ramp spells. Sure, there are ways to ramp in other colors or with colorless cards, but none seem to offer something quite on green’s level.

Some low-to-the-ground aggro decks can make do without a lot of ramp, but you’ll want some way to get ahead on lands if you’re looking to play some big splashy cards. Getting to your big threats faster than other players is one of the best ways to ensure victory in Magic.

Of course, ramp spells aren’t all just about letting you play cards with huge mana values. They can also be very helpful for mana fixing, ensuring you hit your land drop every turn, and triggering landfall abilities more than once each turn. With so much utility, it’s important to know which ramp spells are good for you!

What Is Green Ramp in MTG?

Cultivate | Illustration by Anthony Palumbo

Ramp in Magic refers to spells that can help you grow your mana base faster than the typical one land per turn. Green has possibly the best selection of ramp cards of all five colors in Magic, both in terms of quality and quantity of options.

Honorable Mention: Sylvan Scrying

Sylvan Scrying may not technically be ramp because it gets you a land to your hand and not onto the battlefield, but it’s helpful because it can stop you from missing a land drop. More importantly, it can find you any land from your deck.

It’s great if you’re running Command Tower in EDH or looking for a specific utility land like Dark Depths.

#43. Summer Bloom

Summer Bloom is a very impactful ramp spell when played at the right time. That said, you have to be lucky enough to have four lands in hand and this spell to use it to its best potential.

You often only get one or two extra lands off Summer Bloom, which is something you could achieve in more consistent forms. Still, this card can give you a big swing in the right direction when it works well.

#42. Deep Reconnaissance

Deep Reconnaissance helps you to get an extra land, which could include another color that you really need. It’s a little more expensive than other options but it’s still a good source of mana fixing. The flashback is especially good in a multicolor deck.

#41. Intrepid Stablemaster

Fixing and ramping your mana on mounts and vehicles is a great deal. I like that Intrepid Stablemaster is a 2-drop which kind of puts it on rate with Llanowar Elves, but I get that a mana value of two versus one is a big deal. The chance to ride fast with Outlaws of Thunder Junction‘s Stablemaster is real and so, deserving of a rank on this ramp list.

#40. Elvish Archdruid

Elvish Archdruid, though exclusively good in elf decks, is still one of the better green ramp cards. It’s an anthem for your other elves that can also tap for a ton of mana in the right elfball decks.

#39. Far Wanderings

Far Wanderings won’t be as good a choice as other ramp cards some of the time, but it’s a great value once its threshold ability is online.

Green is often used as a color in dredge decks, so this could be a good option for ramp there. Threshold is active sooner, and Far Wanderings can get you lands before they wind up in your graveyard.

#38. Reap and Sow

Reap and Sow is a little more versatile than some other ramp options in green. You may not need an extra land by the time you can cast it, so you also have the option to destroy one of your opponent’s lands.

#37. Llanowar Visionary

Llanowar Visionary is a more expensive alternative than other mana dorks, but it draws you a card to add some good value. This also gives you a chump blocker if you need it, but you won’t feel like it was a total waste of mana since you get that extra card.

#36. Leyline of Abundance

Leyline of Abundance can have a big impact if you’re running a lot of mana dorks. It also adds green regardless of what your creature taps for, so you can tap for green and another color if you have a Birds of Paradise.

The only real downside is that mana dorks aren’t as reliable as lands and can be removed by a board wipe, making Leyline of Abundance less effective.

#35. Heartbeat of Spring

Heartbeat of Spring can help you ramp a lot, but it can also be a double-edged sword. This ends up hurting you more than helping if you aren’t ahead on lands. It can also make a one or two land lead even more impactful if you play it at the right time.

This card helps speed up games, so it might be a good option if you’re tired of hour-long Commander games.

#34. Search for Tomorrow

Search for Tomorrow is interesting for a few reasons. I really like it for 5-color decks because I can suspend it early knowing that I’ll need a certain color eventually, but not right now.

I also like that the land it gets you comes in untapped so you’re still technically only losing two mana instead of three for the turn if you pay full price for the card.

#33. Sakura-Tribe Elder

Sakura-Tribe Elder, which a lot of players have nicknamed “Steve,” can be a helpful form of ramp. This card’s ability can be activated at instant speed, so you can wait to sacrifice it until your opponent’s turn.

You can then use this card to chump block and sacrifice it to go find a land, giving you a bit of extra time and extra land.

#32. Nissa’s Pilgrimage

Nissa's Pilgrimage is good value at three mana, especially if spell mastery is already in effect when you play it. What puts it behind other ramp cards is that it can only search for basic Forests, so it’s less useful for mana fixing.

This is still a great option for a mono-green deck looking for ramp and a way to thin out the deck.

#31. Abundance

Abundance ensures that you always have land when you need it. This can take away some of the more frustrating aspects of Magic, like being mana screwed or flooded since you have the option to get a land or nonland card.

This card also prevents you from losing the game to mill because it replaces your draw with an alternate effect.

#30. Explosive Vegetation

Casting Explosive Vegetation is a great way to get ahead on lands and do some mana fixing if you need it. Both lands go directly onto the battlefield, so this is also a great ramp spell to play along with landfall abilities.

#29. Migration Path

Migration Path is just a slightly better version of Explosive Vegetation thanks to its cycling ability. This means it’s not a dead draw if you’re already set on lands and can help with any cycling payoffs you may have in play.

#28. Into the North

Into the North can now put a dual land onto the battlefield instead of just a basic snow land thanks to Kaldheim’s addition of 2-colored snow lands. This makes it a strictly better version of Rampant Growth for decks running these snow cards.

#27. Circuitous Route

Circuitous Route is another slightly better version of Explosive Vegetation. There are a ton of great options for gate cards to go find and help with mana fixing thanks to Battle for Baldur’s Gate.

This is also a great card for gate decks, allowing you to get that much closer to a Maze's End victory.

#26. Ranger’s Path

Ranger's Path stands out from other ramp spells because it specifically searches for Forest cards. At first this may seem more restrictive than finding any basic land, but it actually let you search up dual or tri-lands that have the Forest type. This can be a nice budget alternative to running fetch lands if you run shocks or Triomes.

#25. Hunting Wilds

Hunting Wilds is basically the same as Ranger's Path with the bonus of a kicker ability. It might not always be worth spending an extra four mana just to get a couple of land creatures, but it offers the flexibility to do it if you have nothing better to spend mana on that turn.

#24. Silverback Elder

The options on Silverback Elder are always useful for the wise. Just be sure you can keep on casting creatures after you play this ape, and ramping into the big creatures that cost 6+ is a great spot for Silverback Elder. Very strong card in an average green deck and an even better fit for those with landfall.

#23. Wood Elves

Wood Elves is another way to get a Forest card, allowing you to search up dual and tri-lands. This land comes in untapped, so it's technically less expensive and can give you important access to a new color of mana on the same turn.

It also comes attached to a creature, and it’s rarely bad to have an extra body on the field.

#22. Hulking Raptor

The incredible Hulking Raptor didn't need the ramp sentence of text to be a good green card. A gift card for each main phase is huge on a card that costs four. If the downside on this card is “Dies to Lightning Bolt,” at least that Bolt costs your opponent three mana. If you can use even a few main phases with this dinosaur, you'll understand how hard it rocks.

#21. Freestrider Lookout

You know in your heart how many crimes you've committed, and in a deck that can target opponents each turn, you'll hit the limit on Freestrider Lookout and nab a land quite often.

Similar to Silverback Elder, but costing less is a huge factor here, even if it might be easier to cast a creature rather than commit a crime.

#20. Cultivator Colossus

Cultivator Colossus is likely a later-game card, but it can be a great form of ramp and card draw at the same time. It’s also a great draw when you’re mana-flooded because you can basically convert all the land in your hand into useful answers.

This can also pair very well with landfall abilities. You can even draw every single land from your deck and play them all if you have Abundance on the field when you play Cultivator Colossus, but this can be risky if one of your opponents is running mass land destruction.

#19. Marwyn, the Nurturer

Marwyn, the Nurturer can be quite the handy mana rock, and in more decks than you’d think. It’s obviously most effective in an elf deck but can also do well in decks that run changelings or cards like Maskwood Nexus.

Any deck that gives out lots of +1/+1 counters is also a good fit for Marwyn.

#18. Nyxbloom Ancient

Ramp may seem unnecessary by the time you can pay seven mana for Nyxbloom Ancient, but it can still make a huge difference. Even if you just have a few mana sources up after casting it you can now tap them for triple as much mana to essentially give you another turn.

You can really get ahead of your opponents if you can find ways to cheat this card out early.

#17. Llanowar Elves

Llanowar Elves is nothing flashy, but there’s a reason it’s a common reprint. This is a great reliable form of ramp for green decks that can be played early for a quick head start. It's a great building block for green decks to ramp into more powerful spells and creatures.

#16. Mana Reflection

Mana Reflection is an incredibly effective mana doubler because it doesn’t just pay attention to the lands you tap but also mana dorks and rocks. Doubling all your mana sources can really put you ahead in a game, especially if you have a reliable form of card draw to help you fill your hand with threats.

#15. Zendikar Resurgent

Zendikar Resurgent is an incredibly powerful card in a creature-heavy deck. You’re likely to be able to cast any creature you draw after playing it, but you also keep your hand full of answers. This solves the problem other mana doublers have of giving you a ton of mana without guaranteeing that you have anything to spend it on.

#14. Burgeoning

Burgeoning is a great early game play. Getting this out on the first turn is very doable, especially in a mono-green or 2-color deck. It doesn’t cost you much to play, even if you don’t always get to make use of its effect.

Burgeoning gives you a significant advantage over your opponents when you can use its effect. This is an especially good card in Commander where you usually have around three chances to play extra lands.

#13. Dryad of the Ilysian Grove

Dryad of the Ilysian Grove is a great form of ramp because it also offers great mana fixing. It's an easy auto-include for any 5-color Commander deck because it’s one of the best ways to quickly get access to every color.

#12. Exploration

Exploration is a great way to ramp early on because it can be easily played on the first couple of turns. The longer you’re able to play multiple lands per turn, the more likely you are to get ahead on mana.

This card is also great in landfall decks because you’ll get twice as many triggers without having to play any extra spells.

#11. Birds of Paradise

Birds of Paradise is easily one of the best sources of early ramp and mana fixing. It’s just as quick as Llanowar Elves, giving you the same level of acceleration but with access to more colors of mana.

#10. Circle of Dreams Druid

Circle of Dreams Druid is basically the creature version of one of the game’s most sought-after lands, Gaea's Cradle. It can produce a ton of mana and allow you to take some pretty explosive turns in the right deck.

#9. Selvala, Heart of the Wilds

Selvala, Heart of the Wilds’ activated ability is a good source of both ramp and mana fixing, even on its own. The more powerful creatures you amass, the better Selvala becomes.

Its static ability can also help you draw some cards, giving you a use for the mana Selvala generates.

#8. Azusa, Lost but Seeking

Azusa, Lost but Seeking can really accelerate a game if you’re drawing lots of lands. It also works really well with any cards that allow you to play lands from your graveyard, letting you get multiple uses out of fetch lands.

Azusa is a good choice if you’re looking for a mono-green commander that helps you ramp quickly.

#7. Oracle of Mul Daya

Oracle of Mul Daya has a slight edge over other cards that allow you to play extra lands thanks to its other two abilities. The ability to play lands off the top of your library allows you to skip past dead draws and hopefully get answers more quickly.

Overall it lets you play two lands a turn with it and make your draws much more consistent.

#6. Growing Rites of Itlimoc / Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun

Growing Rites of Itlimoc won’t immediately help with mana ramp when you first play it. But it quickly becomes very powerful when you transform it.

Its flip side is basically Gaea's Cradle, but better. It’s harder to remove than a mana dork or rock, so it’s a very powerful piece in any green deck.

#5. Cultivate

Cultivate’s power comes from its ability to get you a few different types of land. It’s great for mana fixing!

It also ramps you by putting one of the lands onto the battlefield and ensures you’re able to play a land either this turn or the next if you’ve already played one. It’s a great early turn play that can help you get access to the colors you need and stay slightly ahead on lands.

#4. Kodama’s Reach

Kodama's Reach is nearly a functional reprint of Cultivate. The only difference is that Kodama's Reach is an arcane spell, allowing it to interact with spiritcraft or splice onto arcane.

These are somewhat rare abilities, but this interaction gives this card a slight edge over Cultivate.

#3. Farseek

Farseek is great for mana fixing. It just looks for basic land types, so you can use it to find any dual or tri-land you want. It also puts the land directly onto the battlefield, so you’re likely ahead on mana next turn if you play this early on.

#2. Nature’s Lore

Nature's Lore has all the same benefits as other cards that search for Forests, and it also offsets its own cost immensely. You need two mana to cast it, but it only sets you back one unless you’re grabbing a dual or tri-land that enters tapped.

The ability to ramp without losing out on too much mana can be very powerful.

#1. Skyshroud Claim

Anything that goes for Nature's Lore goes double for Skyshroud Claim. This can be especially powerful in decks running three or more colors since you can fetch dual and tri-lands that likely gets you every color you need.

Best Green Ramp Payoffs

Ramp’s payoff is everything you do afterwards in a lot of ways. You’re able to cast better spells more quickly by getting more mana. This helps you get ahead of your opponents and cast threats before they can find answers.

For more specific payoffs you can look for creatures with landfall abilities. Cards like Avenger of Zendikar and Scute Swarm get more dangerous when you’re dropping multiple lands on a turn. Mana doublers like Mirari's Wake get exponentially better when you pump out extra lands.

If you have mana dorks, Murkfiend Liege, Drumbellower and Village Bell-Ringer can earn their mana cost back immediately and get you into some crazy combos or a huger X spell.

Wrap Up

Avenger of Zendikar | Illustration by Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Ramp spells are important for the pacing of lots of decks. Green happens to have some of the best in the game, but it also has a very wide selection to choose from.

Hopefully, this list was helpful for you to decide which ramp spells belong in your green decks. Remember, some of the more specific ones may be better for your deck’s specific theme, even if they aren’t as generally good.

What’s your favorite green ramp spell? Are there any I missed? Let me know in the comments below or on Draftsim’s Twitter.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to seeing you in the next one!