The optimal number of 37 Lands and 7 ramp cards are based on some goals and expectations of what is a good opening hand: Be ahead of the curve (meaning having more than 5 Mana available by turn 5 ) Play a Land for each of your first 5 turns
For two mana, the instant made it so target player couldn't cast instants, sorceries, or activated abilities requiring an activation cost
Morbid That creature gets -13/-13 until end of turn instead if a creature died this turn
Preordain is cheaper and spreads its cost over more cards and therefore is much less painful on the power to mana ratio of the cards in your deck than a Demonic
Embercleave, Red Trample Equipment What do you get if you combine a combat trick with some truly brutal Equipment
Nowadays, he ages like a fine win in Commander, providing a nice build condition for five color decks