I split the finals of another RCQ, this time with Rakdos Midrange in Pioneer. This deck has been near and dear to my heart as it plays some of the strongest individual cards in the format. I don’t like to admit it, but I’m Jund Guy.
Duy Vu, of Team Swish, got the invite as I likely won’t be attending the Regional Championship. My son will be born around the time of the next RC so my hands will be full. I just like to play Saturday 1Ks.
Here’s the list I played:
MisplacedGinger has done a terrific job moving the Rakdos Midrange archetype forward so there’s no place better to begin than his list. There are some flex slots that are contingent on the metagame so I made a few changes.
The maindeck performed very well for me and I would recommend this list moving forward. I would swap Kalitas and Go Blank for a third Duress and a Kolaghan’s Command. Today I’ll cover sideboarding using these changes.
Blackcleave Cliffs is the only card from Phyrexia: All Will Be One to make the cut in Rakdos. I liked two copies; replacing Sulfurous Springs and a Den of the Bugbear. The third Cliffs can be played over the last Den of the Bugbear, but I was happy with three creature lands.
Another card to consider is a Sheoldred’s Edict over a Dreadbore. I want a couple ways to destroy planeswalkers, but Edict has a chance of not being able to remove opposing Sheoldreds in the mirror which can cost the game.
Reckoner Bankbuster is not only a mirror-breaker like Fable, but it also provides a quick clock against your tougher matchups. Stock Rakdos plays two in the main deck, but I swapped the second copy for the last Graveyard Trespasser. I prefer to play the mirror more aggressively as Trespasser is a more general clock that’s also fantastic in the mirror.
I don’t want more than two Bankbusters in the seventy-five because you only need four cards in the sideboard for the mirror to swap for Thoughtseize. My updated list has two Abrade, Kolaghan’s Command, and the second Bankbuster. The fifth card for the mirror needs to replace either Fatal Push or Bloodtithe Harvester and that’s not a good use of the sideboard.
Kolaghan’s Command can be a third Reckoner Bankbuster, but I want another way to destroy artifacts against a tricky matchup, Gruul Vehicles.
Sheoldred is the premier four-drop in Rakdos Midrange which replaces Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet. Jarvis Yu advises playing four Sheoldred which isn’t a bad idea. It’s key in just about every match up.
Kalitas was in the sideboard specifically for Mono Green Devotion and Mono White Humans. I wanted another way to exile Old-Growth Troll and Cavalier of Thorns without playing Misery’s Shadow or Extinction Event. Kalitas can also stabilize the board against Mono White Humans through Thalia and Wedding Announcement.
I have been extremely unimpressed with the four-mana sweepers in Extinction Event and Ritual of Soot. Angels is the primary reason I am keeping the single Ritual of Soot in my sideboard, but I expect Humans to be more popular and advise playing a couple Witch’s Vengeance. Rakdos is losing ground in the Humans matchup without Witch’s Vengeance. Mutavault, a blend of odd and even-costed creatures, and Wedding Announcement makes for a very dynamic assault. Sweeping the board of your own creatures can be a risky proposition when Humans can rebuild so quickly.
Here’s how I would board against Humans:
Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger
Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger
I cut a Graveyard Trespasser because it’s a human.
Go Blank is primarily for Abzan Greasefang and Izzet Phoenix. I play weekly events at the site of the RCQ, Jester’s Gallery, and Greasefang is popular. The matchup is good enough without so I’m moving back to the third Duress.
Here’s how I would board against Greasefang:
Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger
Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger
Ray of Enfeeblement kills Adeline through Dauntless Bodyguard and Greasefang. Black mana is preferable to red with Rending Volley. I don’t expect Mono Blue Spirits to perform well with Mono Green Devotion on the decline. There are also Hammertime decks that play small red Creatures.
Epic Downfall is for Mono Green Devotion with splash damage against Selesnya Angels. I need to still respect Mono Green even with it on the decline as their big creatures can still take over the game. Extinction Event is at times too slow to stop Troll from generating mana with Nykthos.
Here’s how I would board against Mono Green Devotion:
I didn’t play any matchups at the RCQ that warrant boarding in Pithing Needle, but they name:
-Karn, the Great Creator against Mono Green Devotion
-Thespian’s Stage against Lotus Field
-Teferi, Hero of Dominaria and The Wandering Emperor against Azorius Control
-Perhelion II against Greasefang
Don’t get cute and try to name Reckoner Bankbuster in the mirror as it’s soft to Abrade. It’s also too cute to stop Skysovereign and Esika’s Chariot against Gruul Vehicles.
I’m still working on a plan I like against Gruul Vehicles, but this is what I would propose:
That’s all I have for today. Rakdos Midrange is one of the top decks and will continue to thrive with Phyrexia: All Will Be One legal.
