A couple days ago, we talked about how the Alchemy Metagame on Magic Arena is incredibly diverse, and honestly better than Standard. One thing that I mentioned in the article was an awesome deck that won the Stream League 7 event. Today, we’re going to look at that deck, because it’s redefining what control means in Magic.
Rakdos Control
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The deck that we’re going to be looking at is Rakdos Control, by Eliott Dragon. This is a control deck, but has a very different feel to the game plan. The deck uses a host of board removal pieces, and a couple strong creatures to dictate the pacing of the game. Let’s break the deck down!
The Removal
There’s quite a bit of removal here, but each plays a specific role.
Spikefield Hazard
Spikefield Hazard
Spikefield Hazard deals 1 damage to any target. If a permanent dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.
and
Shatterskull Smashing
Shatterskull Smashing
Shatterskull Smashing deals X damage divided as you choose among up to two target creatures and/or planeswalkers. If X is 6 or more, Shatterskull Smashing deals twice X damage divided as you choose among them instead.
can double up as land drops when needed, and Hazard can go upstairs as well.
Abrade
Abrade
Choose one —
• Abrade deals 3 damage to target creature.
• Destroy target artifact.
deals with some problematic artifacts, but also deals with a lot of the early game threats.
The Meathook Massacre
The Meathook Massacre
When The Meathook Massacre enters, each creature gets -X/-X until end of turn.
Whenever a creature you control dies, each opponent loses 1 life.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, you gain 1 life.
helps deal with a wide board, with the added benefit of draining life.
Infernal Grasp
Infernal Grasp
Destroy target creature. You lose 2 life.
is premium, unconditional spot removal with a small cost. Brittle Blast helps deal with bigger creatures and planeswalkers nicely, dealing 5 and exiling the card if it dies. Where things get interesting is the next two cards.
Electrostatic Blast is one of our card advantage sources, allowing us to play 3 cards deep into our deck in the mid to late game. The 2 damage can also go to the life total which gives us a little additional reach if needed.
Igneous Inspiration
Igneous Inspiration
Igneous Inspiration deals 3 damage to any target.
Learn. (You may reveal a Lesson card you own from outside the game and put it into your hand, or discard a card to draw a card.)
does something similar, but we can leverage our Learn board for cards.
Starving the Opponent
We have a couple card cards that help further starving the opponent of resources.
Go Blank
Go Blank
Target player discards two cards. Then exile that player's graveyard.
hits 2 cards from our opponent’s hand and exiles their graveyard.
Inscription of Ruin
Inscription of Ruin
Kicker {2}{B}{B}
Choose one. If this spell was kicked, choose any number instead.
• Target opponent discards two cards.
• Return target creature card with mana value 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
• Destroy target creature with mana value 3 or less.
has multiple modes to fit our needs, but can be all of the above if we kick it in the late game.
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The Creatures
With most control decks, there’s often some a creature or two to hold a board presence and win the game. There’s a few here that are quite spicy.
First off,
Bloodthirsty Adversary
Bloodthirsty Adversary
Haste
When this creature enters, you may pay {2}{R} any number of times. When you pay this cost one or more times, put that many +1/+1 counters on this creature, then exile up to that many target instant and/or sorcery cards with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard and copy them. You may cast any number of the copies without paying their mana costs.
is a nice hasty threat that helps us to double up on our mass amount of spells. The deck also takes advantage of
Sedgemoor Witch
Sedgemoor Witch
Menace
Ward—Pay 3 life. (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays 3 life.)
Magecraft — Whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, create a 1/1 black and green Pest creature token with "When this token dies, you gain 1 life."
since we’re playing so many instants and sorceries. The pests are a great way to stave off small attackers, and can net us life and prolong the game.
The big baddy in the deck is Town-razer Tyrant. A 4/4 for 4 flyer may not seem like much, but it’s ability is what makes it work so well. With the amount of incremental damage that this deck does with Meathook, Electrostatic Blast, and Igneous Inspiration, adding a recurring source of incremental damage is a big deal. What’s more, even if this doesn’t pile up too much damage, it is going to set our opponent back a land, which is what we want.
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The Mirthless
The one cool inclusion, but one that’s VERY smart is
Sorin the Mirthless
Sorin the Mirthless
+1: Look at the top card of your library. You may reveal that card and put it into your hand. If you do, you lose life equal to its mana value.
−2: Create a 2/3 black Vampire creature token with flying and lifelink.
−7: Sorin deals 13 damage to any target. You gain 13 life.
. Sorin does everything we would want in a planeswalker. He provides us cards with his +1, and a 2/3 evasive, life linking body for his -2. We’re probably not ever getting him to his Ultimate, as his other two abilities are too valuable.
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The deck is super sweet and thanks to Eliott Dragon for the deck. Give this one a try! Eliott even cashed in the Arena Open with the deck as well so it’s highly competitive!