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In the early game, Kozilek's Return can keep aggressive decks at bay long enough to get to our late game. While some decks can outgrow the two damage provided by this instant-speed wrath, getting it in the graveyard still provides value later when we can cast it from the graveyard for a massive five damage, usually enough to clear the opponent's battlefield while leaving us with our own massive threat. 
Sylvan Advocate serves a similar purpose, providing early pressure and blocking well while we wait for our ramp spells to come online. However, it has the added bonus of growing to a 4/5 earlier than our opponents', because we're adding lands to the battlefield at an accelerated pace.  This version of G/R Ramp is focused on lands and artifacts. This means we don't have to worry about removal spells slowing down our plan because we're not playing mana-producing creatures. And since Explosive Vegetation and Hedron Archive take us from four mana on Turn 4 to seven on Turn 5, we can play a large number of our threats two turns early. With a lucky draw, Shrine of the Forsaken Gods can help you get to Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger by Turn 5. Not many decks can come back from that. 
The two threats we bring along for seven mana on Turn 5 both provide a quick clock, great blocks against ground and flying threats, and the ability to clean up what's happening on the battlefield. Dragonlord Atarka removes the most important creatures and Planeswalkers, and World Breaker can answer problematic permanents while flashing back a Kozilek's Return to deal with creatures at the same time. 
Both of these threats are resilient to Reflector Mage, since the opponent doesn't want these effects happening twice. Unless they think you'll be dead by the time you can cast them again, they're probably not going to get targeted by Reflector Mage. Spell Queller is similarly useless against them, as they simply don't fit in the converted mana cost requirements of its ability. 
Unlike most decks where Chandra, Flamecaller is the top end, we're not really playing her for the pressure she provides. If we're facing down an army of creatures, we can use her third ability to buy us some time. Her second ability, though, is where it gets interesting. One of the big problems ramp decks face is drawing the "wrong half" of the deck. If we draw all ramp and no threats, we'll have a hard time closing out the game. If that happens, Chandra can recycle those dead cards and give us a chance to draw into more threats. 
At the very top end of our curve sits Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. An answer and a finish in one card, casting Ulamog usually means the end of the game for our opponent. And thanks to Sanctum of Ugin, one Ulamog often brings another to finish the job. 
The sideboard brings more options against aggressive decks in the form of Jaddi Offshoot and Spatial Contortion. The Offshoot blocks early attacks from Humans decks and 2/3 creatures out of Bant Company, while gaining life thanks to our land-based ramp spells. Spatial Contortion gives us a bit of removal to help buy time until Kozilek's Return, Chandra, or Atarka can clean up. 
Against midrange decks, more options from the sideboard provide additional threat density and a source of card advantage. Since most decks will be taking out conditional removal spells like Grasp of Darkness and Ultimate Price, these creatures are much more likely to stick around post-sideboard. G/R Ramp occasionally defeats itself with bad draws, but it can have explosive ones too. With tight play, proper sequencing, and a streak of good luck, there's a good chance that this stalwart of yesterday's Standard can defeat the newcomers of Eldritch Moon at #SCGCOL. I look forward to seeing you all there, and as always: happy gaming! — Jennifer Long, @TheMrsMulligan | 
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