Quick Post on Trace of Abundance

Concerning:

Trace of Abundance ∙ Rampant Growth ∙ Explore
Jund ∙ mana acceleration in Jund ∙ … and Trace of Abundance

Trace of Abundance

I just wanted to do a quick writeup on a card I hadn’t previously considered in Jund. Last week you probably know I did a Podcast with Morgan Chang, Sean McKeown, and PRO PLAYER “Mulldrifting” Lauren Lee. Lauren was on Jund… featuring Trace of Abundance.

Current Jund lists have shown precedent for running two mana mana acceleration as a two-of. For example in the finals of the most recent Pro Tour, Kyle Boggemes played two Explores while champion Simon Gortzen played two Rampant Growths.

What happens if we split the difference and just slide in two copies of Trace of Abundance?

Why would we want to do that?

Many of the post-Gortzen Jund decks play under the philosophy of “all lands, no removal” … The reason is that the lands are so good! In particular, Raging Ravine.

Not only does a second turn Trace of Abundance help you accelerate to Bloodbraid Elf on the third turn in the same way that Explore or Rampant Growth does, but going deep, Trace of Abundance on a Raging Ravine is a Troll Ascetic-like threat for a U/W Control opponent. Within a couple of attacks, your Raging Ravine will become big enough to rumble past a Baneslayer Angel!

Common U/W answers — Spreading Seas, Tectonic Edge, even Path to Exile — all become irrelevant because they can’t target the damn thing.

So how does a control player win?

When Lauren played Trace of Abundance against me, offensively, I tapped down or applied Spreading Seas to all her other sources of Red. That way she couldn’t activate the Raging Ravine to begin with. Eventually, I drew into an Oblivion Ring to take out the Trace, then battled back fair and square.

Believe it or not, I am a little geeked on Trace of Abundance.

To the point that I would consider playing Jund at Nationals Qualifiers! (Really.)

Just an idea, but it might happen. (Really!)

LOVE
MIKE