Ruby / SapphireBig-Mana Ramp · Items + finishers
Top-tier tournament shell. Sapphire ramps you to high ink totals quickly with items and inkable lore-questers; Ruby drops the heaviest threats in the game once you're there. The deck closes faster than its cost suggests because Sapphire's draw + Ruby's stats together overwhelm typical defenses.
What each ink brings
Top cards from each ink
The pieces you'll see in nearly every Ruby/Sapphire decklist. Click through for full card details and current prices.
Ruby staples
The gameplan
Ruby/Sapphire is a big-mana ramp deck. The plan unfolds across the early, mid, and late game.
- Turns 1–3: Inkable Sapphire questers + early items. Set up the ramp engine.
- Turns 4–6: Belle, Strange but Special draws cards. Ruby threats begin landing — Hercules, Maui, anyone over 5 cost.
- Turn 7+: Mickey Brave Little Tailor or Maleficent Monstrous Dragon ends games. Most opponents fold under the size differential.
Sample 60-card decklist
A representative tournament-style shell. Quantities are starting points — most lists swap a few flex slots based on the local meta.
Strengths & weaknesses
Strengths
- Top tournament results — recurring finalist
- Largest finishers in the format
- Card draw + ramp = consistent threat curve
- Multiple win conditions
Weaknesses
- Slow to start — turns 1–3 are vulnerable
- Premium price tier — chase Legendaries are $30+
- Item-removal decks (Sapphire/Steel) target your engine
Matchup notes
Rough guide to how Ruby/Sapphire performs against the most common archetypes you'll meet at events.
Other ink combos to explore
Each of the 14 other dual-ink combinations has its own personality.