Pioneer can be a challenging format to master as all decks are capable of very strong draws. I had difficulty finding my footing, but Rakdos Midrange is performing well for me.
I made Top 8 and Top 4 of RCQs with Rakdos. Today I’ll share my current list as well as a sideboard guide.
-1 Chandra, Torch of Definance
Mono Green is a close matchup if you stick to a plan. It can be tricky to thread the needle between applying pressure and disrupting the opponent. Early creatures are critical to attack opposing planeswalkers.
Use Thoughtseize to poke a hole in their early game. This can involve gambits to strain their mana by taking Wolfwillow Haven or Oath of Nissa. In fact, I have seized Oath of Nissa often as it also prevents the opponent from casting Nicol Bolas, Dragon God or Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset.
Graveyard Trespasser can exile Storm the Festival, but a 3/3 that doesn’t stop the opponent’s game plan isn’t a worthy investment. Extinction Event is also likely to name: “odd.”
Lifebane Zombie is much better at attacking planeswalkers and then shutting the door than Graveyard Trespasser. It hasn’t come up yet, but you can copy Lifebane Zombie with Reflections of Kiki-Jiki at any point including the draw step to exile a green creature.
Fable is an important early play as you gain a creature to attack planeswalkers and ramp with treasures to both pressure the opponent and disrupt their game plan. Mind Extinction Event naming odd ahead of Fable transforming.
+1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
Rakdos is like most mirrors where the games play out in dynamic ways. As soon as you think the matchup is about one thing you will lose to your blind spot. Rakdos is a creature deck so focusing too much on card advantage can leave you dead.
Fable of the Mirror-Breaker is the strongest card in the matchup as both creatures are threatening. The games are back and forth unless one player draws significantly more Fables than the other.
Kalitas plays out well despite it dying to many removal spells. If it’s in my hand I like to make the board wide by not attacking with Bonecrusher Giant and Graveyard Trespasser until I’m ready to cast Kalitas. This also means waiting on activating Blood Tithe Harvester.
It’s important to play to the board because relying on removal in the face of Graveyard Trespasser is a good way to lose.
Skysovereign, Consul Flagship is the new mirror tech. It only dies to Abrade as long as you attack with it each turn.
Go Blank can be a timely 2-for-1, but is more importantly not Thoughtseize. I want four cards I can justify having in my deck to swap for Thoughtseize. The issue with Thoughtseize in the mirror is that taking a three-drop doesn’t poke a hole in their hand and it’s a weak topdeck.
Abrade is not only for non-green creature decks, but also kills opposing Skysovereign, Consul Flagships.
There are times I slowroll Kroxa because it’s likely to be exiled by opposing Graveyard Trespassers in the mid game. If possible I want to cast or discard blood and escape in the same turn.
After sideboarding the curve is increased by swapping Thoughtseize for more expensive cards. For this reason I don’t want a second five-drop in Invoke Despair although casting it is backbreaking.
-2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Despite Rakdos being a removal-heavy deck Boros is still able to give it a run for its money. Kill creatures when the opponent is tapped out to play around God’s Willing and Sejiri Shelter.
Favored Hoplite is a scary early threat. The Heroic trigger prevents damage dealt to it. There can be times where Stomp can counter the damage prevention for profit.
Extinction Event out of the sideboard is very important to exile Adanto Vanguard, Hazoret, and get around God’s Willing and Fight as One. Most Boros decks have Showdown of the Scalds for the grindy matchups so I also like Duress and want to play slightly proactively.
Graveyard Trespasser’s ability doesn’t matter much in the matchup and a 3/3 isn’t strong enough. Chandra is an expensive removal spell that walks into God’s Willing. It can be good at times, but Rakdos goes over the top without her.
-2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
This is likely the best matchup for Rakdos. Exile their three drops and make sure you don’t die to Embercleave. Kroxa happens to play nicely in this matchup which may be counterintuitive. If your early turns are filling the graveyard by killing creatures it will escape quickly to close the game.
Thoughtseize is painful and you have plenty of removal to interact early. Chandra will kill one creature and then die to a haste threat.
+1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
This is by far your worst matchup. That’s alright for now as the metagame is littered with fast creature decks that seek to take advantage of Mono Green; both of which are favored against Lotus Field.
Leyline of Sanctity out of the sideboard is a beating if their draw is functional. Rakdos needs to hope Lotus Field stumbles and you are there to apply enough pressure to win on the fifth turn.
Alpine Moon is a trap. Lotus Field can enter the battlefield without sacrificing lands only to die a couple turns later at the hands of Boseiju. Thanks to Sylvan Scrying there are plenty of ways to find Boseiju. For this reason the Damping Sphere is also not where I want to be.
Skysovereign isn’t a good card in the matchup but may help in attacking the opponent to zero. Same with Sorin; the removal is very bad against Lotus Field so I want anything that can attack from the sideboard.
+1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
-2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
This is a classic midrange versus control matchup. Azorius has plenty of haymakers so you need to pick your spot against counters, but don’t let the game go too late. When the opponent has four mana available your spell will likely resolve as they will cast Memory Deluge or the Wandering Emperor.
Lifebane Zombie seems like a strange addition, but you can hit Yorion that’s added to the hand or Dream Trawler. Since I have more answers to Dream Trawler in the form of Lifebane Zombie I feel better about not playing Invoke Despair.
Fatal Push is fine in the matchup as it hits shark tokens and Hall of Storm Giants, but I don’t want too many. Dreadbore hits Teferi, Hero of Dominaria. Bonecrusher Giant is a threat that kills the Wandering Emperor.
THOUGHTS ON LILIANA OF THE VEIL
Rakdos Midrange has plenty of strong three drops, but I am hopeful there is room for her. There are creatures such as Dream Trawler and Adanto Vanguard that are difficult to kill which makes Liliana’s sacrifice a unique form of interaction.
I’m not sure cards like Tenacious Underdog make a comeback despite them shining in low resource games. Kroxa has been strong and I suspect it will be the threat I want when I use Liliana’s +1 ability.
That’s all I have for today. Rakdos Midrange has helped me feel more confident in Pioneer. Give the deck a spin as it will only be stronger with Dominaria United.
