Recent Extended event at my MTG Stomping Grounds yielded spectacular results utilizing Ranger of Eos.

Now, anybody who cracked a booster of Shards of Alara and saw this guy and Wild Nacatl didn’t need a large neon sign to tell them that he would be fantastic in an Extended format Zoo build; Ranger Zoo is nothing new, as I think the first article I saw on the deck as I was modifying my Zoo deck was on thestarkingtonpost.com by Bill Stark himself. To get an idea of how I looked at the card, lets have a look at my original build and see how I modified it for Ranger of Eos:

"Where Wild Things Are"

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Land (22) 4 Stomping Ground 4 Sacred Foundry 1 Temple Garden 4 Windswept Heath 4 Wooded Foothills 2 Mountain 2 Forest 1 Plains Creatures (21) 4 Mogg Fanatic 4 Kird Ape 4 Wild Nacatl 3 Isamaru, Hound of Konda 2 Duergar Hedge-Mage 4 Tarmogoyf Other Spells (17) 2 Tarfire 1 Seal of Fire 4 Lightning Helix 4 Magma Jet 3 Umezawas Jitte 3 Oblivion Ring

This version was kind of all over the place, using some questionable slots to pump Tarmogoyf. This was pre-Conflux as well, so Path to Exile was not available. Magma Jet was MVP, keeping the flow of cards going when my hand ran out. Oblivion Ring was a fine addition for dealing with such threats as Mycoloth and other annoying permanents.

Now, in order to utilize Ranger of Eos, I needed to make room for four so I could see just how potent he could be. I also felt a late game creature to fetch up would be handy, so a Figure of Destiny needed to be in here too. To make up the slots, I cut the lackluster Duergar Hedge-Mage and Isamaru; sorry puppy, fetching you up just isn’t as awesome with Legendary on your collar. Lets have a look at my list that won first at the local Extended scene:

"Rescue Rangers"

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Land (22) 4 Stomping Ground 4 Sacred Foundry 1 Temple Garden 4 Windswept Heath 4 Wooded Foothills 2 Mountain 2 Forest 1 Plains Creatures (24) 4 Mogg Fanatic 4 Kird Ape 4 Wild Nacatl 4 Ranger of Eos 3 Woolly Thoctar 4 Tarmogoyf 1 Figure of Destiny Other Spells (14) 4 Lash Out 4 Magma Jet 4 Tarfire 2 Umezawas Jitte Sideboard (15) 3 Duergar Hedge-Mage 3 Kataki, Wars Wage 4 Pyrostatic Pillar 3 Path to Exile 2 Gaddock Teeg

As you can see, I committed fully to four Tarfires. Lash Out is absolutely spectacular and couples greatly with Magma Jet for a dash of library manipulation. Woolly Thoctar provides some swingy beats on the third turn. When a Cat is followed by an Ape, then a Thoctar, the opponent is already scrambling; now follow that with the Deck MVP Ranger of Eos. Not a bad feeling indeed.

The weakest card I feel is honestly Tarmogoyf; cutting the ‘Goyf would involve adding a couple Jittes, changing Tarfires to Incinerates, bringing in the fourth Thoctar, and maybe another fetchable creature like a second Figure of Destiny. I’ll be tweaking and tinkering, and let me know what you think.