Well, I thought the impressive part was the reanimator with haste. If you drop turn four whip, tun 5 this guy, turn six shock/strike? Its easier to drop him aggressively after turn 2,3,4 removal, waiting for a whip if he gets blown up, potentially activating it same turn. Perhaps I need some pack rats. Not sure i really need/want desecration demon or stormbreath. Perhaps 1 of. But if I go rakdos return, may not need the bombs for the kill, just side in pack rat/whip against aggro. Def cutting/switching clue stones. Hunger games is an obvious choice I overlooked. (See what I did there?)
I just feel rakdos control in some form is really well poised in the meta especially against the devotion decks and esper control (Skullcrack really is the silver dagger, right?)
Edit: oh and I guess it is a little land heavy? How many you think? 24? It is control after all and I do want to be hitting my land drops.
I was running erebos for the card draw. But yes, I do think anti-life gain is super relevant in this meta. It deals with BBoV, gray merchant, unflinching courage.
Edit: I also don't think running 8 bombs is right. Haven't you ever been flooded with them? I feel like even 1 stormbreath can take the game if played correctly. It's harder to protect without blue, true, but a could swing can be enough.
I do think you may be right about shock and strike. At least shock for sure. Read the bones over erebos for card draw is another solid suggestion. However I am not sure only 2 draw sources is enough in any kind of control deck.
Looking back at my deck, I think it needs some rakdos return and maybe pack rats. I feel like that might be the winning combo, removal, card draw, pack ray the lands or whatever.
Edit2: btw keyrune is super relevant. I thought about clue stones because of control drawing, but a creature sounds super cool.
Taking a look at the current standard meta game, how does this Rakdos Control look? I think it has great tools for all the top matchups. Well, I think.
So what you're saying is cut my etb lands for shocks then. I probably will end up doing that and the basics honestly. The promenades are nice though all the time.
In all seriousness, I just goldfished 100 times and not once did I have a problem curving out the first three turns with what I had in my opening hand. Any combination of two unique lands will assure a play in my hand. Edit: obviously I mulled a bit but not more than normal and not always because of wrong colors. In fact, they were mostly for flood or screw
The deck is not meant to be a traditional aggro deck; I'm not racing because I have great midrange creatures. They are all just value creatures that are mana efficient. I'm actually thinking of cutting a domri and adding a xanagos; he's nuts in this deck.
Is the backbone of the mana so that selesnya/rakdos curves out right. Even though its four color, it's consistently in pairs; this is advantageous to the mana base. I do run 3 transguild promenade and one is always enough on the board to fill any holes. The rest I've filled in with scry lands, basics and the other duals. Still working on how many of these scry lands I want though.
Sb for burning earth and soldier of the pantheon. (I try to overlap answers to mirror demons, cause they have given me trouble). And then against sweeps. Oh and whip against aggro.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Pretty settled on the mb, though open to a bomb suggestion instead of 1 domri or 1 demon. Thought about sylvan caryatid, but I like the aggressive g1 with spike jester
Jester, thanks for taking the time to write all of this down. I know it can be hard to write long posts and I know many guests visiting will get a lot from it.
noble benefactor was initially included to search up noncreature anti-wipes (think fecundity). The group hug nature of the card makes it easy to get killed, even luring out wipes in some games, and has taken the heat off me in some games. Nowadays I search up cloudstone curio, aluren, earthcraft, beast within, or domri rade (which by the way, has been a total boss every time I play him). Lets just put it this way. It's a unique card that I always get comments on, and I don't think I've ever had someone tutor something to punish me. It's kind of political. People are wont to punish someone that just helped them out. They will usually tutor something they need, and since animar is a beast, I usually don't care what that is. That being said, if I know that the commander I'm up against is gonna tutor up a nasty control enchantment or something I'll pick up beast within or just not play the card at all (discarding it to survival of the fittest or fauna shaman).
@gelf: ya, the draw fixing of oracle of mul-daya is really good and I don't have many complaints, but I ditched it when I got rid of magus of the future and co. I've gotten burned a couple times by mill effects and the 4cc is awkward to me. If I was going to include something to fix my draws, I'd probably go with coiling oracle. Plus, oracle of muldaya has great synergy with the delvers you run too, which I don't in favor of more tutor effects. I hate having to make hard decisions (should I keep that card I see or shuffle it away with a fetch land or tutor) and take time, so I also don't include it for my own sanity. I am starting to lean towards using the delvers instead of some of the more mediocre tutors I run (ex brutalizer exarch and primal command) but their versatility has helped a lot before, and primal has really put in work as recursion AND removal so I'm still hesitant to drop it.
Ya I cut mox diamond real quick after some goldfishing. It's too hard on the land drops.
As for building around aluren , i don't really do it, but it does guide my choices a bit. If a card is good for the deck it will go in regardless. It affects small choices like putting in azusa over oracle of mul-daya for example. Or yavimaya granger over ondu giant. I would never look at a card like mulldrifter and cut it or something just because its 5cc.
Well, of course there's infinite combo with aluren, but I'll also use it to drop three creatures and get a fatty I to play the same turn. Not to mention casting animar for free after a wipe...also, I run long-term plans and noble benefactor as noncreature tutors.
Also, have you explained anywhere why you don't run mox diamond? I'm thinking about including it.
Edit: I compromised and just put flooded grove and a couple basics
I just feel rakdos control in some form is really well poised in the meta especially against the devotion decks and esper control (Skullcrack really is the silver dagger, right?)
Edit: oh and I guess it is a little land heavy? How many you think? 24? It is control after all and I do want to be hitting my land drops.
I was running erebos for the card draw. But yes, I do think anti-life gain is super relevant in this meta. It deals with BBoV, gray merchant, unflinching courage.
Edit: I also don't think running 8 bombs is right. Haven't you ever been flooded with them? I feel like even 1 stormbreath can take the game if played correctly. It's harder to protect without blue, true, but a could swing can be enough.
I do think you may be right about shock and strike. At least shock for sure. Read the bones over erebos for card draw is another solid suggestion. However I am not sure only 2 draw sources is enough in any kind of control deck.
Looking back at my deck, I think it needs some rakdos return and maybe pack rats. I feel like that might be the winning combo, removal, card draw, pack ray the lands or whatever.
Edit2: btw keyrune is super relevant. I thought about clue stones because of control drawing, but a creature sounds super cool.
75 cards, 15 sideboard
14 Swamp
4 Blood Crypt
8 Mountain
26 lands
2 Desecration Demon
2 Erebos, God of the Dead
2 Stormbreath Dragon
6 creatures
4 Underworld Connections
4 Shock
4 Lightning Strike
4 Mizzium Mortars
4 Dreadbore
4 Hero's Downfall
28 other spells
3 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
4 Duress
4 Thoughtseize
4 Skullcrack
15 sideboard cards
Suggestions?
Edit: I just noticed the lack of anger of the gods. I feel that's necessary
Also, -1 boros reckoner and loxodon smiter to +1 mizzium mortars and polukranos. Any thoughts on those changes? I did this because the curve works better with 4 drops or two 2 drops.
Taking this deck to Albuquerque this weekend and would love pointers
First question, I don't like elvish mystic and voyaging satyr works better with three color and scry lands. Is that worth it?
I have been reading the domri naya thread in competitive but can't post there so asking for suggestions here. Sideboard options welcome as well
64 cards, 4 sideboard
1 Temple of Triumph
4 Stomping Ground
2 Plains
4 Sacred Foundry
2 Mountain
3 Temple of Abandon
4 Forest
4 Temple Garden
24 lands
2 Stormbreath Dragon
2 Polukranos, World Eater
4 Boros Reckoner
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Voyaging Satyr
4 Experiment One
28 creatures
2 Mizzium Mortars
4 Domri Rade
8 other spells
4 Voice of Resurgence
4 sideboard cards
In all seriousness, I just goldfished 100 times and not once did I have a problem curving out the first three turns with what I had in my opening hand. Any combination of two unique lands will assure a play in my hand. Edit: obviously I mulled a bit but not more than normal and not always because of wrong colors. In fact, they were mostly for flood or screw
The deck is not meant to be a traditional aggro deck; I'm not racing because I have great midrange creatures. They are all just value creatures that are mana efficient. I'm actually thinking of cutting a domri and adding a xanagos; he's nuts in this deck.
Is the backbone of the mana so that selesnya/rakdos curves out right. Even though its four color, it's consistently in pairs; this is advantageous to the mana base. I do run 3 transguild promenade and one is always enough on the board to fill any holes. The rest I've filled in with scry lands, basics and the other duals. Still working on how many of these scry lands I want though.
4 rakdos cackler
4 fleecemane lion
4 spike jester
4 loxodon smiter
4 hellhole flailer
4 boros reckoner
4 desecration demon
4 domri rade
1 ruric thar
1 underworld Cerberus
1 obzedat, ghost council
1 whip of erebos
2 golgari charm
2 hero's downfall
1 ultimate price
1 anger of the gods
1 fade into antiquity
1 wear/tear
1 angelic edict
Assume appropriate mana base
Sb for burning earth and soldier of the pantheon. (I try to overlap answers to mirror demons, cause they have given me trouble). And then against sweeps. Oh and whip against aggro.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Pretty settled on the mb, though open to a bomb suggestion instead of 1 domri or 1 demon. Thought about sylvan caryatid, but I like the aggressive g1 with spike jester
Edit: I'll post the deck when i have the chance
1 cabal coffers
1 urborg, tomb of yawgmoth
1 mistveil plains (could be replaced with reg plains)
1 emeria, the sky ruin
1 strip mine
1 tainted field
1 thespian's stage
1 godless shrine
1 orzhov basilica
1 high market
1 temple of the false god
1 volrath's stronghold
1 mikokoro, center of the sea
1 leechridden swamp (could be replaced with reg swamp)
1 phyrexian tower
1 marsh flats
1 fetid heath
1 vesuva
1 scrubland
7 swamp
12 plains (in order to activate emeria)
CA
1 skullclamp
3 phyrexian arena
6 Harvester of Souls
5 bloodgift demon
3 infernal tribute
2 altar of dementia
4 disciple of bolas
3 Martyr's cause
1 thoughtpicker witch
3 ashnod's altar
4 dimir house guard
3 phyrexian altar
Mana
1 weathered wayfarer
1 sol ring
4 solemn simalcrum
3 pawn of ulamog
GY recursion
7 Sheoldred, Whispering One
5 Beacon of Unrest
3 coffin queen
4 Hell's Caretaker
6 Mikaeus, the unhallowed
5 Reveillark
2 angelic renewal
4 dread return
7 debtor's knell
5 karmic guide
5 unburial rites
4 xiahou dun, the one-eyed
6 sun titan
9 reya dawnbringer
Tutors
2 demonic tutor
5 Liliana Vess
5 Increasing Ambition
1 vampiric tutor
3 grim tutor
7 rune-scarred demon
4 diabolic tutor
3 buried alive
1 entomb
6 Massacre Wurm
2 Mesmeric Fiend
2 tidehollow sculler
8 Ashen Rider (used to be Exsanguinate)
3 vindicate
3 reliquary monk
3 aura of silence
2 leonin relic-warder
7 angel of despair
4 grave pact
3 fiend hunter
5 archon of justice
1 blade of the bloodchief (notice the infinite combo removal with vish of any 2/2 or less; huge against token decks, along with massacre wurm)
7 butcher of malakir
Sac Fodder
6 Wurmcoil Engine
6 kokusho, the evening star
1 tenacious dead
2 nether traitor
6 yosei, morning star
2 blood ghast
2 reassembling skeleton
@gelf: ya, the draw fixing of oracle of mul-daya is really good and I don't have many complaints, but I ditched it when I got rid of magus of the future and co. I've gotten burned a couple times by mill effects and the 4cc is awkward to me. If I was going to include something to fix my draws, I'd probably go with coiling oracle. Plus, oracle of muldaya has great synergy with the delvers you run too, which I don't in favor of more tutor effects. I hate having to make hard decisions (should I keep that card I see or shuffle it away with a fetch land or tutor) and take time, so I also don't include it for my own sanity. I am starting to lean towards using the delvers instead of some of the more mediocre tutors I run (ex brutalizer exarch and primal command) but their versatility has helped a lot before, and primal has really put in work as recursion AND removal so I'm still hesitant to drop it.
As for building around aluren , i don't really do it, but it does guide my choices a bit. If a card is good for the deck it will go in regardless. It affects small choices like putting in azusa over oracle of mul-daya for example. Or yavimaya granger over ondu giant. I would never look at a card like mulldrifter and cut it or something just because its 5cc.
Also, have you explained anywhere why you don't run mox diamond? I'm thinking about including it.
Edit: I compromised and just put flooded grove and a couple basics