I was not a Hearthstone player at the time of creating this decklist, but my best friend/greatest opponent was, so when he told me that my Rakdos unleash deck from Return to Ravnica was reminiscent to him of the SMOrc strategy, I had to look it up to see what he was talking about. This how to play guide/theme song about sums it up:
Basically, it's a hyper-fast aggro strategy that's all about hitting your opponent repeatedly in the noggin and not caring about blocking or trading. It's similar to a burn deck in that sense, but instead of direct damage spells, we rely on high-power, fast creatures.
I have evolved the deck over time from casual Standard unleash to the best imitation of the SMOrc strategy I could compile with my relatively minimal budget (no more than $5 per card, usually lower). Enchantments, including the cornerstone Madcap Skills, provide extra damage and evasion, which at its worst is a removal magnet and at its best is a highly consistent 4-5 power evasive creature on T2.
Card Choice Breakdown
The Face Hunters
1-Drop Creatures:
Rakdos Cackler might pale in the face of all-stars like Goblin Guide or Vexing Devil, but don't underestimate its place in the decklist. It is a 2/2 creature with a flexible hybrid cost (compensating for lack of dual lands due to budgetary restrictions), provides a nice T2 combo with Fists of the Demigod, and doesn't eat your wallet for a playset. Also, I happen to have the rare promo print, so why not play it?
Vampire Lacerator serves as the backup 1-drop in case you don't have a Cackler in your opening hand. They're still pretty aggressive as a 2/2 for 1, and the downside is negligible.
Monastery Swiftspear is run as another aggressive 1-drop until I can afford the playset of Goblin Guides.
I run a one-of Goblin Guide because I happened to pull one out of sheer luck from an MM17 booster pack. If you happen to have some or can afford them, these should replace the Lacerators.
2-Drop Creatures:
Spike Jester functions as a repeatable Lightning Bolt for an additional . Also synergizes well with Fists of the Demigod; the downside of the 1 toughness becomes mitigated with a 5-power first striking witherer.
Goblin Deathraiders finally made its way into the deck because the curve needed to be lower, and so these guys have replaced the playset of Ashenmoor Gougers I was previously running. In theory, slapping either of the enchantments onto this guy should turn him into a beast.
Hellspark Elemental is so much more than a creature version of Lightning Strike. This deck's primary weakness is against control and spot removal, so Unearth is a critical mechanic this deck needs access to. 6 trampling damage for 4 mana that eats up 2 removal spells (1 if it gets Pathed) is value in a single card.
3-Drop Creatures:
Shambling Remains is the other Unearth card this deck utilizes. The 1 less point of toughness compared to the other option, Ashenmoor Gouger, makes it more vulnerable, but the good news is you don't have to care if it dies. Again, 5 mana for 8 damage that soaks up removal is great.
4-Drop Creatures:
Hellrider is a beast. This is the first creature on the list with power less than its CMC (Vault Skirge is a 1-drop for all intents and purposes, folks), but all your creatures that have stuck it out from removal now ping for direct damage. It's also a respectable 3/3 hasty creature that triggers its own ping. Tops off the curve nicely. Can be interchanged with Hero of Oxid Ridge as they both offer the same damage potential from all your creatures, but this one pings directly while the Hero protects your stuff from other low-power creatures.
The Face Enablers
1-Drop Spells:
Lightning Bolt is a cornerstone of red decks in general, never mind the fact that this particular type requires it. From removal to additional face damage, it does its job well.
2-Drop Spells:
Madcap Skills is the reason this strategy works, and works so well. I like to think of it as the closest thing red has to Rancor, and while it doesn't come close to that legendary aura, +3/+0 and evasion that centers on the early few turns for the reasonable cost of turns a first turn Rakdos Cackler into a Lava Axe, and a Spike Jester into a Ball Lightning that sticks around. I cannot stress how good this card is.
Go for the Throat is by far one of the best black 2-CMC spot removal you can get your hands on. Hits most enemies in the format, and isn't nearly as expensive as Fatal Push.
The Face Hunters and Face Enablers Enablers
Twenty-one lands, I've found, are the sweetspot for this curve. This deck usually kills opponents before running out of gas, and for the SMOrc strategy, topdecking is just the experience of "ooh, I wonder what I'll get to murderize with today?" If you do pull extra lands with an empty hand, typically it just means you'll be able to unearth more things in one go and swarm for those last points of damage.
Bloodfell Caves has finally replaced Rakdos Guildgate as my budget dual land. Without any cards relating to Gates, Bloodfell Caves is the strictly better option, but since lifegain isn't terribly important, if you can't get your hands on a playset, it doesn't matter too much. Even if you don't have access to either of those, Cinder Barrens and Urborg Volcano are functionally similar enough. I don't recommend more than four taplands though, because you need untapped lands to keep to your blistering curve.
Foreboding Ruins is an excellent budget inclusion following the release of Shadows Over Innistrad. After playtesting, they can reliably enter untapped within the first couple turns, and that's the only time you really need them to count. I highly recommend between 2-4 of these.
If the Face Plays Taunt
Sideboard explanation coming soon
Non-Budget Options aka the Pay-to-Win Den
If you're exhausted with the above wall of text and are actually much more interested in crushing skulls as much as you can crush your wallet, this last bit is for you! Since I haven't playtested any of these recommendations and this is just based on theory, take these opinions with a grain of salt, but there still might be something interesting here for you.
If the above cancerous meme didn't put it bluntly already, the cream-of-the-crop of all spot removal, Mr. Terminate himself, should be swapped in. Goes for about $5 for a full playset.
This land does everything we want. It provides both colors of mana and allows us to perfectly keep the pressure on during the first couple of turns. Unfortunately, $92 is a hefty pricetag for me the casual player.
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