M:tG Precon Decon - Return to Ravnica Part 3: Rakdos Raid

Nostalgic ramblings about preconstructed theme decks from Magic: the Gathering's history. In this video, I look at Rakdos Raid from the 2012 Return to Ravnica expansion. #mtg #MagictheGathering #casualMtG

[ukaszmozejko]

I think that unleash is nice way to fix "~~ can't block mechanic" That was made mostly obsolete by power creep. It was time when Red still had no Bear card, and Zombie Goliath was benchmark for black fifth drops.

[Reuben.Aotearoa]

I feel unleash plays quite well. Maybe not so much in sealed, but in draft if you can build around it and certainly in this precon (or other constructed). Though this is being said as someone who does like to play aggressive black and/or red decks. I remember people really coming around about the ability when actually having a chance to play it.

Shrieking Affliction is The Rack copies 5 through 8 and I love it but not really all that great here. I guess you wait until your opponent is top decking and then drop it to get the final points through. Actually it’d help with the x/x too? Hmm. I don’t remember it coming up too much: mainly just dropped it if I happened to have B free.

[jasoncheung]

Unleash plays better than it reads. Unleash and extort were both underrated initially, especially extort. Unleash isn't a constructed stable or anything, but its stronger than it lets on since many of the cards are above-rate when unleashed.

Also hilarious that Sewer Shambler took a wrong turn and ended up here instead of Golgari lol.

The flavor text on Rakdos Keyrune is probably the most suggestive flavor text I've seen on a card...

[StarkMaximum]

One of my favorite stories about going to the Return to Ravnica prerelease was one particular guy who signed up for Randos and would shout "IT'S UNLEASHED" in a guttural voice every time he unleashed a creature, and at one point he willingly lost a game because he refused to play a creature leashed. That's the sort of energy he was putting forth.

I think you're really overvaluing blocking. Like, I think you're operating under the assumption of "oh but if I can't block my opponent will just attack me every turn and I'll die". You also have to keep in mind that unleash is a _choice;_ if you need a blocker, unlike that story I just told you, you _can_ play the creature leashed so it can block. If you don't need a blocker, you have the _option_ to have a bigger creature. Having options is always an advantage in Magic and I think you're undervaluing the little choices of "do I need a blocker or can I afford to give this creature a boost". I like creature heavy decks and winning through creature combat, so I love unleash giving me more options on my creatures; Riot was the same way, I had a decision to make every time I played a creature.

And don't forget, you're playing black/red. You decide who lives and who dies. You don't actually need blockers if you just destroy every creature your opponent plays and they physically cannot attack you.

[Shadow]

Rakdos Cackler is wicked they should have just put 4 of those in the deck it would have made it twice as good.

I find this deck to be pretty lack luster the fast small creatures are fantastic but the gigantic creatures in it are painful to see. Speaking of painful to see, there seems like a lot more M13 cards in this deck than the previous decks? Maybe I'm just imagining things.

[possiblystevo]

rakdos thrive on having a low curve and abilities on creatures paired with burn, discard or reanimate spells to punish opponents- these big CMC's aren't likely to ever get into play in this precon. poor rakdos, two very rough precons for two. roll on spectacle!