Last week I tried out playing a Rakdos aggro deck at FNM and went 3 - 1 which wasn't bad as I jammed the deck together in about an hour. This has been my attempt to develop this and improve the deck though I'm stuck on a big decision, to burn or not to burn. I'll just go over the cards first and what I think of them:
Creatures
Rakdos Cackler
I can't see a reason not to play him really. Aggressive one drop that can start beating down early and I don't care so much if I lose him. Rarely, if Exava is around he has haste.
Tormented Hero
- My other one drop attacks for just as much as the cackler. I've not found the one toughness or coming in to play tapped that much of a problem as it's not often I have to resort to blocking. What is really nice is enchanting him with a Madcap Skills or bestowing with a Herald of Torment as it nets an extra point of damage with the heroic ability.
Pain Seer
- Though I wasn't initially a fan, in this deck he works. With a Madcap Skills on him he's tougher to block so can enable his inspired trigger. Same deal with a Herald of Torment bestowed on him. My card draw so now I've gone up to four of these.
Spike Jester
- He can deal damage so fast and go in for the kill. A turn four, Spike Jester, Madcap Skills can be an unexpected kill.
Herald of Torment
- Still not quite sold on this fella as some games he's done more harm than good. The bestow helps out other cards though. I'm sticking with three for now.
Mogis's Marauder
- I love this much more than I thought I would. Many times he's topdecked and got me the win, getting in with the extra damage and enabling my other high power creatures to attack unblocked. I started off with three of these but having the full playset has been excellent.
Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch
- In my decks I like to have some one of legendary creatures if they are good enough. I think Exava is though no sure if Exava is. I could potentially lose a pain seer to go up to two of these? She has finished the game, hasting in for lethal.
Mogis, God of Slaughter - Testing him out though after playing I'm not sure he's going to make the final cut. He's been kind of a win more card as most players just take the two life and when they can't do this and have to sac, they've probably lost anyway. I have managed to get Madcap skills on him once whilst active and my opponent conceded.
Spells
Thoughtseize - Now I'm not sure to include this. Please see below.
Madcap Skills - Great card if played carefully. I try not to get two for one'd without at least getting in for the three additional damage it can produce. It makes creatures difficult to block that need to get through like Pain Seer and Spike Jester.
Hero's Downfall - My kill spell of choice now.
Lands
I've included all eight dual lands though do you think I should with the deck being so aggressive? Red is kind of a splash with few red cards being present though I do need a red source for essential cards like Madcap Skills and Spike Jester. Also, would you have any more or less Mutavault?
Sideboard
I like this sideboard and think it's quite clear cut, reflecting what people play at my FNM. Any improvements and suggestions are more than welcome though.
Dark Betrayal
- To kill desecration demons easily and other problem black cards. I guess it would be good in the mirror though I've not played that yet.
Bile Blight - I love this and I've toyed with main boarding one in place of a Pain Seer. I've three for one'd three
Frostburn Weird
and did the same with three Nightveil Specter unlucky for them but they probably should have been expecting it.
Skullcrack - Recently added this, for life gain and control match ups with Sphinx's Revelation
Lifebane Zombie
- Played a few Selesnya hexproof/aggro decks and Gruul Monters decks so this is great for them.
Xathrid Necromancer - Against control it maintains board presence. A lot of my main boarded creatures are humans.
Erebos, God of the Dead - For life gain matchups. I like having him around.
Whip of Erebos - For aggro matchups. I did have
Gift of Orzhova
in before instead of this but I think this makes things far more difficult for similar decks to mine.
So that's the deck!
My main question that I would really appreciate help with is should I add burn? I play this deck and have all these cards in paper but I want to practice online on MTGO. Right now I don't have all the virtual cards so I made a budget version. In the budget version, instead of Thoughtseize I added Lightning Strike and I loved the results with this. The added burn often finished off my opponent for the last few points of damage. Strike also removes my opponent's creatures directly to help me get through with my slightly fragile creatures that die to an Elvish Mystic like
Spike Jester
. The burn just fits in so well.
On the other hand, I have a play set of Thoughtseize so I feel like I should use them over a common card like Lightning Strike. It takes out nasty threats that can wipe my board which in those kind of situations is way more useful than three direct damage. I like my sideboard so I don't want to just move them over as I don't think there's any room left for a playset of these.
What would you do, Thoughtseize or Lightning Strike?
