Back in Theros/Khans standard, I rocked this deck out of the park. It was my first real competitive deck that I took to FNMs. I fell in love with it. Flash forward a couple years, move to a new place, the new store only plays Modern. Well, Rainbow Demon is making a return appearance, complete with Modern updates to heavily improve his rainbow power. Plus, the main card in this deck is Soulflayer. I think he can be good in Modern because he dodges a lot of the usual removal (Abrupt Decay, Fatal Push, Lightning Bolt, etc.) while being a scary presence. Is he top-tier? No. Is he heckin fun? Heckin yes.
Back in the day, Soulflayer was meant to be a Sultai card. So knowing that, and knowing that Sultai is my favorite color combination, why in god's name am I not playing Sultai Rainbow Demon? Simple. Jund is better. Blue has fewer good keywords than Red does, and the graveyard engines in blue are great, but red has very cheap and much more controllable ones (cough cough Faithless Looting cough). Plus Xenagos, God of Revels is a total bastard when paired with a Rainbow Demon, or even just a Chromanticore.
I'm sure you may have been able to guess it at this point, but the main wincon of this deck is to blitzkrieg out a Soulflayer with as many keywords as possible to create a threat that is nearly impossible to remove. It may look a bit gimmicky, and it may go a bit wonky every few games or so, but when that fully powered Rainbow Demon comes out swinging on turn 3, you'll feel the power this deck has to offer.
It is incredibly rare, but entirely possible, to have a lifelinking, trampling, first striking, flying, vigilant, deathtouching, hexproof, indestructible, hasted Soulflayer on turn 2.

Start with Soulflayer, Darkblast, Faithless Looting, one of your Rainbow Demon ingredients, and any combo of lands capable of playing red on turn one and double black on turn two (for example, Mountain and Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth).

Turn 1: Faithless Looting, discard Darkblast and your in-hand Rainbow Demon Ingredient. Draw two whatevers, doesn't even matter.

Turn 2: Dredge Darkblast, which gives you 3 shots to dump the other best Rainbow Demon Ingredients into the grave (best combo would be Chromanticore, Sylvan Caryatid, Rhonas the Indomitable, and Hazoret the Fervent). Then play your other land and delve your Ingredients, plus one extra card, for a fully powered turn 2 Rainbow Demon!

This process can happen much more consistently on turn 3 with the help of an additional Faithless Looting to help dig through the deck.

1). An opening hand with Faithless Looting and Darkblast is a reliable way to cast a Soulflayer on turn 2 or 3.

2). Don't be afraid to hard-cast a Chromanticore, especially since this can happen as early as turn 3.

3). Want to get maximum value out of a single Chromanticore? Starting turn 4, you can bestow one on a creature, keep it on the battlefield when it's killed, then when it's killed again, flay it away into a Rainbow Demon!

4). Don't hold onto cards waiting for the perfect Rainbow Demon. Modern is a fast format. You have four Soulflayers, four Chromanticores, etc. Get the picture? If you can play a turn 2 Soulflayer but all you have in your graveyard is a Birds of Paradise, then by all means, get that 4/4 flyer out there! That's still scary!

I am not great with land. I will admit it straight up. Standard land I can do (use all the dual lands!) but Modern? There are so goddamn many, and they're so expensive. I'm trying to find a good, stable landbase that doesn't break my budget. Five-color Modern geniuses of the world, impart your wisdom, please!
I like the cards I have. I think they all play an important role and they all go really well with one another. That said, you need the right ones when playing this deck, and when you don't get those, the whole thing goes sideways. I'm trying to prevent the sideways games. If anyone has any ideas on improving the consistency of the deck's plays, I'd appreciate it.

And yes, I've tried including staples like Lightning Bolt and Fatal Push, but what I can't find room for them without sacrificing important deck components. If I can get them in here, I would, but as of yet, I haven't been able to.

This one is simple. Know any good creatures with a crapton of fantastic keywords that can also handle a game on their own? Drop me a hint! Yes, I'm leaning primarily towards Jund colors, but if the creature is too great to pass up (e.g. Chromanticore) then I will absoluely consider it!
I have no idea what I'm doing here. I have three primary colors, but am capable of casting all five. I am at a complete loss as to which fifteen cards I should stick here. I'm limited to... Practically every card in Modern? Yeah. Help me out a little here. I think this is where I need the most help, as a matter of fact.
I am not made of money. I have two kids, soon to be three, and while my wife and I both work, we're still just managing to make ends meet. A spare dollar or two can go towards Magic cards, and Modern never rotates out, but when you're recommending something to me, please keep in mind that my family can't eat Magic cards.
Birds of Paradise: The best first turn mana dork play. Part of the reason I can hardcast Chromaticores at all. In a pinch, they provide Flying to my Soulflayers but hopefully I won't have to resort to that.

Sylvan Caryatid: See above, only better at blocking and a very important Rainbow Demon ingredient (easiest way to grant Hexproof).

Faithless Looting: One mana to draw two, dump two cards of my choice from my hand into the grave, and then reusable later on in the game? Possibly the best Rainbow Demon enabler I've ever come across. One of my main reasons to play Jund.

Darkblast: For some reason, I do not like this card. It fits perfectly, it kills mana dorks, it can make trades go more in my favor, and it swiftly dumps cards into my graveyard for a very cheap price. It is absolutely perfect for this deck. But I still feel weird using it. I don't know why.

Soulflayer: Oh, baby. The first half of Rainbow Demon itself, and the only reason it exists. Easily castable early in the game with his Delve ability, even a 4/4 on turn 3 is nothing to scoff at, regardless of the keywords, but oh, the keywords! He is a puzzle of possible abilities and you never quite know what it is you're going to end up with.

Chromanticore: Unless you have one of these babies in the grave, of course. Then you know exactly what you're going to end up with, and that, my friends, is a Rainbow Demon, as early as turn 2 and not unlikely on turn 3. Chock full of powerful keywords and even able to be used as an aura buff later on in the game, this is a resilient bastard and is undervalued across the nation.

Lotleth Troll: An ingredient, an enabler, and if necessary, a secondary win-con, all for two mana! He provides a very nice keyword, discards creature cards of my choice and gains power while doing so. He's tough to get rid of with his regenerate and can cause a lot of problems for my opponents before Rainbow Demon even hits the board.

Hazoret the Fervent: The perfect god for this deck. Lends Soulflayer her indestructible and haste, two great keywords, has a fair body and an easily activatable drawback, and her active ability is icing on the cake. Discards cards into my grave to Delve and deals damage in the process. Ahmonket was good to me.

Rhonas the Indomitable: Not quite as perfect as Hazoret the Fervent, but still a great card. My only source of deathtouch, which works great with trample, and of course lends indestructibility. His other ability is probably the best mana sink to make almost any creature a threat.

Xenagos, God of Revels: He has indestructible, yes, but I hate using him as an ingredient because he can do so much more on the field. He's not usually active, so he's mostly just an enchantment, but I don't always need him to be. If I can use his ability on a fully powered Rainbow Demon turn after turn, he more than makes up for his mana cost.

Abrupt Decay: Some of the best removal in Modern in these colors. Wouldn't consider running the deck without them.

Murderous Cut: One mana kill-all, with some extra cards in the grave to Delve (which I almost always have). Only a one-of, but always there when I need it.

Lol there isn't one yet. See sideboard section above.

Thus is the story of the Rainbow Demon.

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Revision 8 See all

(7 years ago)

+1 Fatal Push maybe
+1 Lightning Bolt maybe
+1 Vampire Nighthawk maybe
Top Ranked
  • Achieved #20 position overall 7 years ago
Date added 7 years
Last updated 5 years
Splash colors WU
Legality

This deck is Modern legal.

Rarity (main - side)

11 - 0 Mythic Rares

26 - 0 Rares

5 - 0 Uncommons

7 - 0 Commons

Cards 60
Avg. CMC 2.74
Folders Rainbow deck 1, Modern
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