The deck I built wins 1v1's as long as they don't clone him and search up an answer to him. I haven't tested him against 4 player multi yet. We have a cash pod that rewards packs and a casual pod that just gives out old promo's. The Cash pod is usually just filled with broken decks. So I tend to only play the casual pods and play decks that draw the most heat on the table.
Surprised no-one's mentioned the No Rest for the Wicked / zero mana creatures shenanigans here yet. You're looking for something along these lines:
Cast Raz with two creatures in play. Sac one for Lion's Eye Diamond, play and crack it for black. Sac the other dude for a Memnite, play and sac that for Ornithopter, then Phyrexian Walker, then Shield Sphere, then Myr Moonvessel. Saccing the Myr gets No Rest for the Wicked, which you cast, leaving you with B floating and all your dudes back in your hand. Replay and sac two of the cmc zero creature to get Mana Crypt (or Mana Vault, or Dark Ritual) and Genesis Chamber, play these. Play the remaining zero mana creatures and the Myr, giving you 6 (three cards, plus 3 tokens from the chamber) creatures, and thus 6 tutors, plus 1 from the Myr dying. Among these 6 can be Yawgmoth's Will and the mana to cast it for 10 more tutors and another use of LED and any rituals you've cast. At this point, you really should be able to win....
Honestly, I have seen a lot of hype around this guy, talk that he will get banned. All hype, imo. Demons have a reputation to live up to. I see close to zero chance that this one will get banned by an RC that is actually playing it and testing it. Diabolic Revelation is already a bargain-bin rare that sees no play, and it can fetch you 3 cards for the same mana without any restrictions. And funny thing, it will probably draw less hate after you tap out for it.
....Razaketh, however, makes people want to play, kill, clone or steal him which is exactly like every other Banned Creature....
With one huge difference. He doesn't work that well by itself. "Regular decks" can't set up locks or steamroll the game with copy of the card, even with sufficient number of creatures to sac at the time unless the deck is specifically build to do so. Simillary to how Hermit Druid works if gets reanimated, stolen or copied by deck with 10+ basic without self-mill theme.
+1
You don't need any setup to clone PT, SP, Sundering, POK, so on. Like, strictly zero setup. You could literally be playing creature-less Mizzix and clone them.
The reason the friend of mind found the decks of Razaketh and Sidisi to be fairly interchangeable is because is because both lay down fodder creatures for the abilities. I know that as a matter of fact about half the decks in the casual scene run Avenger of Zendikar, which type of card makes it likely to find something for Razaketh to eat. But at no point of deck construction would someone consider adding clone or threaten effects just to steak Razaketh, the way it often happened with PT.
Stop proclaiming our toys as busted! Dang it, let me have one nice new thing with Kaalia...you already took my Griselbrand...you can't have my Razzle Daz too!
Nah, Razzle-Dazzle's fine. He costs 8 mana; even in Commander, and even in casual groups, that's too much to be seriously scary. (And if you're trying to reanimate him, Iona/Elesh/Jin-Gitaxias/Craterhoof are realistically probably about as game-ending.)
"It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes... Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
Not a chance in hell this is going to get banned. He's got nothing on Griselbrand, requiring a bunch of setup for a more selective benefit. Plus, he's not going to be ubiquitous, as if every deck could effortlessly sac creatures, nobody would play Grave Pact, would they. He's a scary looking fish without a real pond to be in - too slow and setup-hungry for the high end, his impact limited by what lurks in the 99 of the slower and more casual side of the force.
If anything, I find it funny how MaRo repeatedly reiterated on blogatog how they don't tend do tutoring anymore, and then this came out. Not long after Planar Bridge either.
I created a deck with him that is a cross between, big mana, pestilence, mass life loss/life gain and re animation and while not real flashy, when he comes out, his impact is instant. I am kind of excited to sac a critter in response to snag a Twilight's Call.
BWREDGAR MARKOV VAMPIRESBWR
Cast Raz with two creatures in play. Sac one for Lion's Eye Diamond, play and crack it for black. Sac the other dude for a Memnite, play and sac that for Ornithopter, then Phyrexian Walker, then Shield Sphere, then Myr Moonvessel. Saccing the Myr gets No Rest for the Wicked, which you cast, leaving you with B floating and all your dudes back in your hand. Replay and sac two of the cmc zero creature to get Mana Crypt (or Mana Vault, or Dark Ritual) and Genesis Chamber, play these. Play the remaining zero mana creatures and the Myr, giving you 6 (three cards, plus 3 tokens from the chamber) creatures, and thus 6 tutors, plus 1 from the Myr dying. Among these 6 can be Yawgmoth's Will and the mana to cast it for 10 more tutors and another use of LED and any rituals you've cast. At this point, you really should be able to win....
+1
You don't need any setup to clone PT, SP, Sundering, POK, so on. Like, strictly zero setup. You could literally be playing creature-less Mizzix and clone them.
The reason the friend of mind found the decks of Razaketh and Sidisi to be fairly interchangeable is because is because both lay down fodder creatures for the abilities. I know that as a matter of fact about half the decks in the casual scene run Avenger of Zendikar, which type of card makes it likely to find something for Razaketh to eat. But at no point of deck construction would someone consider adding clone or threaten effects just to steak Razaketh, the way it often happened with PT.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Padeem, Consul of Innovation - Artifact value/combo.
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant - Sultai zombie reanimator.
Also, that name made me laugh and think of this: Main Street - Razzle Dazzle
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
If this is banned in a world where P-Hulk is deemed acceptable, then this is not a world I want to play in.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
If anything, I find it funny how MaRo repeatedly reiterated on blogatog how they don't tend do tutoring anymore, and then this came out. Not long after Planar Bridge either.
Like many, I do not see Razaketh, the Foulblooded being banned.
He is extremely powerful in Kaalia though, but if she alone warrants a ban and like my buddy 3drinks said above...
Seriously, they unbanned Protean Hulk???? I get out of the loop for 3 months and all hell breaks lose