Rakdos, Lord of RiotsRakdos, Lord of Riots | Art by Yigit Koroglu

Greetings and salutations dear brewers, and welcome to our penultimate instalment of Branching Out, where I try finding original ideas to play the various color pairs, shying away from the most trodden paths.

Today's journey will be one of fire and pain, of brimstone and despair, of joyful torture and exploding mayhem. Today we're looking at Rakdos ().

While these are among the most versatile, the colors of the Lord of Riots nevertheless do have a focal point: In most cases, they go down, down down. Whether it's by repeated pinging, blistering burns, or even by sacrificing one's own life, they're a testament to dedication and to death.

Before we deep dive into the abyss, a quick word. The following ideas are intended for Bracket 2 to maybe low 3s. This is especially significant given the bump in power provided by the recent overhaul. If you're here, it's because you like building fun and bizarre brews, not necessarily the most powerful ones.

Most Played Rakdos Commanders

With this point out of the way, let's take a look at the most played commanders in .

• Valgavoth, Harrower of SoulsValgavoth, Harrower of Souls – 19,396 decks, with the most popular themes being Group Slug (1.4K decks), Burn (814) and +1/+1 Counters (259)
• Prosper, Tome-BoundProsper, Tome-Bound – 12,812 decks, with the most popular themes being Treasure (4.9K decks), Exile (1.3K), and Artifacts (411)
• Judith, Carnage ConnoisseurJudith, Carnage Connoisseur – 11,887 decks, with the most popular themes being Burn (3.7K decks), Spellslinger (799), and Card Draw (716)
• Deadpool, Trading CardDeadpool, Trading Card – 11,870 decks, with the most popular themes being Clones (484 decks), Chaos (258), and Group Slug (167)
• Kuja, Genome SorcererKuja, Genome Sorcerer – 10,031 decks, with the most popular themes being Burn (575), Spellslinger (519), and Wizards (218)

A clear attraction for Burn and Spellslinging there. I also find it interesting that in that top five, two cards are quite recent, being released in 2025, yet becoming more popular than several other fun options that have been there for a while.

Let's take a look at the most popular themes:

• Treasures – 18,659 decks
• Burn – 10,033 decks
• Aristocrats – 7,789 decks
• Sacrifice – 7,367 decks
• Artifacts – 4,922 decks

Some recursion there, although Spellslinging falls quite behind, at 13th place.

So, let's try avoiding these roads worn by thousands of brews, and carve a new path of wanton destruction.

Grenzo, Dungeon WardenGrenzo, Dungeon Warden

I would like to start with a personal brew, a pet peeve of mine, if you'll allow me this dubious pun ahead of time.

Grenzo is far from being an unpopular commander. With 3,938 decks to its name, it's mostly known for being a cheap value engine that can recur a bunch of stuff from the bottom of your library.

He's also infamous for being a combo enabler along with cards producing more than three mana either when entering or dying – Priest of GixPriest of Gix, WorkhorseWorkhorse or Priest of UrabraskPriest of Urabrask to name a few – and with outlets that will return them to the bottom of your deck.

That's all well and good, but for this brew I'm aiming at something much simpler yet quite fun to play. An idea that accounts for only 53 decks at the moment.

I want to play with Relentless RatsRelentless Rats.

You see, when anywhere aside from the battlefield, these rodents are but puny 2/2s. Just the right amount of power for Grenzo to pop – or poop – them out from its butt... sorry, from the bottom of your deck at an alarming rate.

One Rat will be a lowly threat. Two won't make your opponents flinch. At the third, they'll raise an eyebrow. At the fourth, they'll start whispering among themselves... And the Rats will keep coming.

I like this deck for a variety of reasons. The first is that it's quite easy to play. Cast an early Grenzo, start investing mana in its ability, cross fingers against a board wipe, and swing with a wave of razor-sharp terror.

The second is that it doesn't require a lot to set it in motion. The commander costs a mere to cast, so even if it's removed, it'll still be able to rejoin the fray fairly easily.

The third is that using the bottom of your deck is a weird way to play Magic.

Sure, this is quite commander-centric, so you may need to pay some extra attention to keep Grenzo around. But with enough Rats in the deck, it could very quickly submerge the table.

To make this work, you'll need:

• Relentless RatsRelentless Rats: Fairly obvious, I know. You want to flood the board with these critters, so make sure you're playing at least 20-25 of these to make sure you consistently hit the jackpot.
• A decent ramp package: Grenzo's ability costs two mana for each activation, and that can pile up quite fast. Since red is not that huge of a factor in this deck, you can play outlets like Caged SunCaged Sun or Crypt GhastCrypt Ghast to double up your mana production. Creature-based ramp spells aren't a bad choice either, as they can be cheated into play with your commander.
• Recursion, recursion, recursion: The key to this deck is making sure you can keep spewing Rat after Rat even when the field is wiped. So at least 8-10 outlets that allow you to put stuff on the bottom of your deck. Think:
  • Chrome CompanionChrome Companion,
  • Teferi's Puzzle BoxTeferi's Puzzle Box,
  • The Cauldron of EternityThe Cauldron of Eternity,
  • Tomb TrawlerTomb Trawler and the like.
  • And don't forget the fantastic HeartstoneHeartstone, which acts as a reverse mana doubler of some sort.
• Protection, protection, protection: It's going to be hard to find spots for them, but you need at least four or five of those to protect Grenzo. Trust me, he will be targeted.
• Thrumming StoneThrumming Stone: I'm not recommending it, as it can make games tedious and somehow defeats the whole purpose of this deck. But I know the comments will roast me if I don't at least mention it.

You will like this deck if: 

• You enjoy playing in uncanny ways.
• You're not afraid to rely heavily on your commander.
• You believe graveyard recursion is so 2024.
• You were wondering what to do with all of those Rats you had lying around.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You want to see a bunch of different creatures every game.
• You don't like randomness.
• You're a firm believer that Rakdos doesn't win through puny combat.
• You think Grenzo rhymes with combo.

Kazarov, Sengir PurebloodKazarov, Sengir Pureblood

This is another underplayed commander that I dabbled with a while ago, and despite having been laid to rest since, turned out to be quite fun. I believe that 228 decks is criminally low for this fun little outlet.

I know, I know, it's too expensive. is no joke, especially with such lowly stats. However, if you're willing to put in the effort, it can turn into an impressive killing machine.

The plan is fairly simple: Play your commander, then cast spells that ping each and every creature your opponents control. Suddenly, a puny Blazing VolleyBlazing Volley provides a huge boost to Kazarov, who has to just swoop in for the kill.

That's the beauty of this Vampire. It doesn't care where the damage comes from. As long as you can torment the board, Kazarov will grow stronger. Fast, furious, and deadly.

And if, worst case scenario, he becomes too expensive to be recast, there are ways to either reduce its cost, or find alternate win conditions.

To make this work, you'll need:

• Pingers galore: These are essential to the strategy, as they'll grow Kazarov to unforeseen heights. Think:
  • PestilencePestilence,
  • End the FestivitiesEnd the Festivities
  • or good old Cuombajj WitchesCuombajj Witches.
  • And don't forget Hazardous BlastHazardous Blast and Cosmotronic WaveCosmotronic Wave; they'll win you games.
• Fling outlets: Who said you had to swing with Kazarov to kill someone? Rite of ConsumptionRite of Consumption, Pyrrhic BlastPyrrhic Blast or Soul's FireSoul's Fire will dish out massive slugs.
• Ramp, ramp, ramp: Don't be stingy here. Your commander costs a lot of mana, and you want him out as soon as possible for him to grow big. At least 15-17 sources, and at least 36-37 lands.
• Recursion: The Sengir boy is already expensive enough as is; make sure you have ways to either protect it or bring him back to your hand.

You will like this deck if: 

• You're a fan of the Sengir lineage, despite their figureheads being abysmally bad most of the time.
• You like swinging with huge creatures.
• You enjoy surprising your opponents.
• You believe in underplayed commanders.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You're not into clunky strategies.
• You're unwilling to pour seven mana onto a creature with no direct effect on the battlefield.
• You like your spells to actually kill creatures, not merely tickle them.
• You don't want to toss your commander here and there like a ragdoll.

Rakdos, the ShowstopperRakdos, the Showstopper

Let's proceed with something a little different. Something not that powerful, but devious. Something that won't necessarily win many games, but that will spin stories of its own.

Let's talk Bracket 1.

The main idea with this build is to incarnate what Rakdos embodies best: devilish pacts and tempting offers that will eventually come back to bite you if you're too greedy.

Everything in this deck is there to symbolize a pact with the devil. Want more cards? More mana? More Treasures? Want me to deal with that pesky blue player over there? No problem. But it will come at a price.

This also means you'll be playing with fire yourself. After all, you're also here to play the Demon roulette, aren't you? You're simply bending the rules ever so slightly.

Don't get me wrong. This is probably not something easy to build and make work. And it's likely that your first endeavors will leave you with a sour taste.

However, if you're looking for something highly thematic with a ton of flavor and a Faustian feel, this is the way to go.

To make this work, you'll need:

• Impossible choices: Make your opponents pay for each of their decisions. Wheel of MisfortuneWheel of Misfortune, Prisoner's DilemmaPrisoner's Dilemma, Painful QuandaryPainful Quandary, Pain's RewardPain's Reward... Make them choose the lesser evil.
• Poisonous gifts: What Demon would you be if you didn't provide gifts? Hand over nice ones, such as Coveted JewelCoveted Jewel or Tempting ContractTempting Contract, punish them with Abyssal PersecutorAbyssal Persecutor, Demonic PactDemonic Pact, or Xantcha, Sleeper AgentXantcha, Sleeper Agent. Make them suffer.
• Tempting offers: Play cards with demonstrate, all of the "Tempt with" cycle, make them choose their victim with Bladegriff PrototypeBladegriff Prototype... You're not doing things - they are!
• Roleplay, roleplay, roleplay: This is a Bracket 1 deck; have fun! Play the insidious Demon, take a slurry accent, yes, yeeees my prrrecious, what's one mana? One puny mana, and then you'll win for sure, yeeeeeeeeeessssssssss...

As an added bonus here's an indicative list I've assembled, to give you an idea of all the wonderful toys you can tinker with:

You'll like this deck if: 

• You like sowing mayhem.
• You're a Sly InstigatorSly Instigator.
• You enjoy decks with a strong theme.
• You've practiced smiling like Jack Nicholson in The Shining.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You're here to win.
• You don't want to suffer backlash.
• You don't care for flavor when deckbuilding.
• You don't like inflicting pain and misery onto others (come on, we all know you secretly do).

Rohgahh, Kher Keep OverlordRohgahh, Kher Keep Overlord

Let's spice things up with a little something that could, frankly, benefit from more support. The Overlord is miles better than its first iterationfirst iteration. And it makes for an interesting Dragon-maker.

At the time of writing, there are but a measly 13 Kobolds, some of which command a surprisingly high pricea surprisingly high price. The commander is part of these, so that's one less opportunity. And Rohgahh of Kher KeepRohgahh of Kher Keep is too expensive both mana and money-wise.

Thankfully, there's also a bunch of cheap Shapeshifters that cost a couple of mana at most to complete this meagre list.

So what's the idea? In a word: Dragons. In more words: lots of Dragons.

The strategy here is quite straightforward: Cast your commander, cast cheap Kobolds, spend mana to make a bunch of Dragons, swing with Dragons.

There's only so much a few Kobolds can make on their own, so you also need some ways to bring them back to your hand. Sadly, there's no blue to help here. But there are still a few ways to explore.

The best one would be Cloudstone CurioCloudstone Curio, as it would allow you to cast Kobolds back and forth, returning another cheap one with every instance, ensuring a steady flow of Dragons in the process.

Black may not be good at bouncing the battlefield, but it excels at recurring stuff from the graveyard. Chances are your ragtag army will be puréed by your opponents' onslaughts, especially if you swing with your Dragons, so you'll have plenty of fodder to get back for a second run.

Worst case scenario, you can use a few sacrifice outlets to force reluctant Kobolds into the bin.

Not much to think about here, and a great way to introduce new players to the joys of recycling used stuff.

To make this work, you'll need:

• All the Kobolds in the world: Without these, you won't make a single Dragon. At least 15-20, changelings included.
• Recursion outlets: To cast even more Kobolds and get even more Dragons. Another ChanceAnother Chance, Shattered CryptShattered Crypt, or Back for SecondsBack for Seconds are good options, but most of all don't forget Phyrexian ReclamationPhyrexian Reclamation.
• A strong ramp package: You need the resources to spew the scaly threats out.
• A few sacrifice outlets: Just to encourage the puny ones to make the jump. Viscera SeerViscera Seer or Goblin BombardmentGoblin Bombardment are solid classic options.

You'll like this deck if: 

• You love Kobolds.
• You miss Kobolds.
• You think Kobolds are underrated and underrepresented.
• You want to torch the world with fire.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You're uncomfortable in relying too much on your commander.
• You don't want to spend a fortune on Kobolds.
• You consider that if you want to play Dragons, you play a Dragons deck.
• You'd rather spend time playing RogSi.

Baron Von CountBaron Von Count

Let's end this already way too long article with a Rule Zero commander. As the dear Baron is not legal per se, I strongly suggest you run the concept to your pod ahead of time.

If the table agrees though, you're in for a treat.

Baron Von Count is unique in the way that it's the only card that directly destroys a player. No, the player doesn't lose the game. No, the player does not get to live and see another day. The. Player. Is. Destroyed.

All jokes aside, this is a very fun puzzle to solve. When it goes off (if it ever does), it's usually after a convoluted sequence of play, during which the table will nervously watch that Doomsday counter go down and down and down still, until one player is obliterated.

There are several hurdles to overcome though.

First, as the commander isn't legal, there's sadly no base on EDHREC to lean on.

Second, the commander cares about almost each and every place on the card that could have one of the five fated figures. That includes mana value, power and toughness, abilities, but also the flavor text. And there are some juicy additions to be found there.

Third, spells need to be both cheap and versatile. In a way, this isn't too far off from a Spellslinger deck. The only difference is the end goal: taking that clock down as fast as possible.

Luckily, there are a lot of option to peruse.

• There are 52 spells costing one or two mana that have the numerals 1, 2 and 3;
• There are 7 spells that cost one or two mana that have the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4, of which two also have a 5 on them.
• There are 14 spells costing one or two mana that have the numerals 4 and 5.
• There's even these:

Yes, these have the numerals in their flavour text.

You get the idea.

To make this work, you'll need:

• Numerals going 1 through 5: Get them as cheap and as versatile as possible, so you can tick the Baron quickly.
• Triggered abilities doublers: Why kill a single player when you can kill two?
• Card Draw: Keep those spells coming!
• Protection: The Baron is the one and only win-con in this, so you better be prepared for your opponents' best attempts to take him out. Additionally, several of these protection outlets have some very useful numbers...

You'll like this deck if: 

• You like playing cards no one has seen on a table in a decade.
• You wish to pursue a very specific plan, no matter how clunky.
• You salivate at the very idea of destroying a player.
• You enjoy finishing your opponents with style.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You believe silver-bordered cards are banned for a reason.
• You don't like to keep your guard up at all times.
• You don't like to cheat your wins out of weird alternate conditions.
• You're not ready to invest a decent amount of time to find the best options out there.

Conclusion

This was a long one, but also probably the one I had the most fun writing in this entire series.

Now it's your turn. Did I take this one step too far? Have you built Von Count and destroyed players? Any other suggestions for uncanny strategies in Rakdos?

Let me know in the comments below, and I'll see you in a couple of weeks for the final color pair in Branching Out! 

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