The Return of RDW?

Arathomir · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 231

I've built two versions of the deck:

RDW (Rakdos Deck Wins):

12 Mountains
3 Swamps
4 Blood Crypt
4 Sulfurous Spring

3 Scorched Rusalka
4 Boros Guildmage (other GM's abilities are too expensive)
3 Avatar of Discord
3 Giant Solifuge
3 Rakdos Pit Dragon

4 Seal of Fire
4 Volcanic Hammer
4 Char
3 War's Toll
4 Wrecking Ball
2 Demonfire

Sideboard:
3 Rain of Gore
3 Hit/Run
3 Smash
3 Flames of the Blood Hand
3 Blood Moon

RDW (RW variation):

12 Mountains
3 Plains
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Battlefield Forge

3 Scorched Rusalka
4 Boros Guildmage
3 Avatar of Discord
3 Giant Solifuge
3 Rakdos Pit Dragon

4 Seal of Fire
4 Volcanic Hammer
4 Lightning Helix
4 Char
3 War's Toll
2 Demonfire

Sideboard:
3 Condemn
3 Seed Spark (may switch to Terashi's Grasp)
3 Flames of the Blood Hand
3 Blood Moon
3 Smash

The changes between the builds were made quick, since I know Smash and any white artifact destruction spell is redundant.

Comments on the deck:
Avatar of Discord does limit you (and it will likely become only 2 in the deck).
With the BR version, any sort of game-winning enchantment will destroy you and you have no way of dealing with Paladin en-Vec.
With the RW version, there is no straight creature destruction spell, and no real way of dealing with Rain of Gore or lifegain (other than Flames). The white mana allows for your creatures to have first strike given to them if GM is out, which is a boost.
Big problem with both these is untargetable creatures and getting white mana with Blood Moon out, as well as no mass removal.

Comment with War's Toll:
This card really limits a control deck, and causes them to have one phase per set of turns (their turn and your turn) to play any spells with mana from lands, as well as having to choose between attack or block. This gives you the advantage, because you're able to respond to what they end up doing plus allowing you to do more in your turn. In the aggro matchup, it really doesn't do much, as you're supposed to attack anyway, and the mirror is a mess :p

Why not Rakdos Guildmage in BR build:
Giving -2/-2 to a creature is nice, but losing a card and 4 mana is too much. Besides, we never want to waste 4 mana on something like that anyway. The other ability is rather useless.

Cards I'm considering to add:
Umezawa's Jitte - left out now since you'd rather spend the mana on abilities than equipping.
Threaten - in the control matchup for the sideboard (replacing Smash in RW and Hit/Run in BR), lets you take their creature for a turn.

Right now in terms of power, I think the RW build is stronger, and has more options

Thoughts???

Superdood · Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 273

Rakdos guildmage is insane, you have no idea what you are talking about, I've had very successful testing with the card, pay 4 to have a 2/1 haster...it's amazing.

Arathomir · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 231

Rakdos Guildmage may be good, but for a semi-aggro deck, its too slow. Taking a turn to put a 2/1 in play that doesn't make it through the turn, or giving up more card advantage to give -2/-2 in a deck that is supposed to win in as few turns possible is not good. If the deck was based more on getting to Hellbent abilities to go off, then I'd play it. But except for the Dragon and Demonfire, Hellbent really doesn't do anything, and the abilities are pretty much to be used as game finishers...

Anti-Christ · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 46

Deck file for Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com)

// Lands
4 [DIS] Blood Crypt
14 [CHK] Mountain (1)
4 [9E] Sulfurous Springs

// Creatures
4 [DIS] Rakdos Pit Dragon
4 [GP] Giant Solifuge
4 [RAV] Dark Confidant

// Spells
2 [DIS] Rain of Gore
4 [NE] Seal of Fire
4 [IA] Pyroclasm
4 [9E] Volcanic Hammer
4 [BOK] Flames of the Blood Hand
4 [CHK] Lava Spike
4 [RAV] Char

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [9E] Blood Moon
SB: 3 [GP] Parallectric Feedback
SB: 4 [SOK] Pithing Needle
SB: 4 [DM] Guerrilla Tactics (1)
SB: 2 [DIS] Rain of Gore

Rain of Gore is huge. It turns the decks worst enemy into something that helps it win. Azorious Herald, Loxodon Hierarch, Lightning Helix, Genjui of the Fields, Firemane Angel and etc.
That card alone is what would make the deck not be able t get rolled by Kokoshu, Loxodon and the mentioned cards.
It's a quick list, Feedback could be something better, like Geniju(but it probably sucks now with all the Condemns, Helixes and etc.)

KynetiX · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

Rakdos GM should be played in any deck that can fit him. You're not always winning on turn 4-5, and that may be because you're out of gas, and/or there happens to be a */2 in the way. He gives you options. Besides, the card you drop may just be a land.

SOAD · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 234 Location: In my Comp

the rakdos is going doos ta all but you must try hit//run its a perfect removal, just think it, artifacts tou opponent may have= jitte, top, needle. so it gets that cards,
creatures your oppenent may have are a lot, and for example if you have killed all the creatures your opp has and you cant take off that kodama you get it off and get a damage to him/her, so it a prety nice cards, aldo run isnt that bad for an aggro idea its like all your creatures become Goblin Piledriver.