Rakdos Tempo a.k.a. Red Death Wins

[Dr. No Face]

Based on the reiteration of Red Death by ironclad8690, Red Death 2.0 is a disruption heavy aggro deck that uses cheap discard spells such as thoughtseize to rip your opponents hand apart, then use good creatures like monastery swiftspear to close out the game.

The List:
Creatures (12)
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Dark Confidant

Instants (11)
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Diabolic Edict
2 Dismember
1 Rakdos Charm
2 Pyroblast

Sorceries (19)
4 Thoughtseize
4 Cabal Therapy
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Chain Lightning
4 Gitaxian Probe

Lands (18)
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Wooded Foothills
3 Polluted Delta
4 Badlands
2 Mountain
2 Swamp

SB:2 Shattering Spree
SB:2 Surgical Extraction
SB:2 Blood Moon
SB:2 Engineered Plague
SB:2 Duress
SB:2 Pithing Needle
SB:1 Electrickery
SB:1 Sulfur Elemental
SB:1 Murderous Cut

Cards Choices
Diabolic Edict - The removal of choice for your stray Marit Lage or Emrakul, or even something like a Griselbrand.

Dismember - Kills virtually everything in Legacy, and what it can't kill can be brought down by a timely Diabolic Edict

Rakdos Charm - Surprisingly volatile, as it can stop reanimator, kill the elves player, or blow up a random chalice on 1 game one.

Pyroblast - Blue, as usual, is good. Pyroblast is good against blue.

Young Pyromancer - Gives this deck width.

Chain Lightning - Bolts 5-8, giving the deck reach, additionally triggering swiftspear and pyromancer

Sideboard:

Shattering Spree - Usually in a more red heavy deck, Shattering spree can go through a chalice on 1 if you replicate it.

Blood Moon - Shuts down most stoneblade decks, bug decks, and lands.

Engineered Plague - Kills Elves and TNN

Duress - In a more combo heavy meta, you can probably replace these with Hymn to Tourach.

Again, credit should not go to me for the deck, but feel free to give your input and suggestions.

[ironclad8690]

Nice work! I think you hit the nail on the head with this primer.

[KobeBryan]

I think this deck can main deck bloodmoon

It will be so devastating against 50-70% of the field.

[Gheizen64]

1-2 Fireblasts are really good and can give you a lot of unexpected reach coupled with Swiftspears. Free spells are also good with Pyro. Yeah it's bad flipped from Dark confidant, but you'd run like 2 for a reason.

I'd lower the discard spells (not therapies obv). You run 11 , that's a lot and can make for awkward draws.

If i were to run it i'd try -2 thoughtseize - 1 inquisition -2 dismember -1 chain light, +2 fireblast +4 forked bolt. I think Forked are just better than Chains in non-burn, especially if you run edicts.

[MD.Ghost]

Rakdos Charm Main (and Pyroblasts) seems the weakest spots - the deck will rush the opponent with a backup chain of disruption (removal, discard etc.) Cards like Swiftspear and Pyromancer don't like stuff you "hold back" and can't use for profit Game 1.

I can see 1-2 Grim Lavamancer, because you have so many spells and don't profit from your graveyard (which seems like a lack of power) and/or try 1-2 Jittes as flexible support (confi, probe, ts = lots of life etc.) if you can't close the game fast enough.

[echofish]

"Diabolic Edict - The removal of choice for your stray Marit Lage or Emrakul, or even something like a Griselbrand."

And True-Name Nemesis?

[Dr. No Face]

I realized after making the primer that it is good against more than mentioned.

[Geoisi]

All the discard feels very unnecessary against any midrange MU since the banning of TC. It will usually end up slowing you down considerably as they will top deck better than you. That being said i feel like the deck wants to play some grim lavamancer instead of inq or thoughtseize. possible cutting down on thought seize and completly cutting inq. I do like eidolon of great revel as a SB option vs combo, almost mainable if you don't do grim main.(yes I am aware of the damage you will take by revealing 1-2 drop spells off bob and playing them with eidolon, but 3 damage to the dome and cutting yourself for 3 seems okay when you want to win fast.) I will also entertain the idea of being able to play deathrite shaman along side bob as he gives extra reach in damage and gravehate with the ability to play all those extra cards from bob. I am not a huge fan of diabolic edict or dismember as they feel a bit too clunky. I rather play innocent blood with a young peezy in play and just sac the token that comes out or a bob if im dying. Pyroblast in the main used to be super good with 50% of the meta being r/u delver. Rakdos charm seems ok in the SB against chalice decks and against super swarmy decks. This is a random list with some of the implemented ideas.

Critters - 18

4 swiftspear
4 Young Peezy
4 bob
4 Deathrite
2 Magus of the Moon

Spells – 23

3 Price of Progress
3 Innocent Blood
4 bolt
3 Chain lightning
3 Cabal Therapy
3 Gitaxian Probe
2 Thought Seize
2 Jitte

Land – 19

Wasteland - 4
Bloodstained Mire – 4
Wooded Foothills -4
Badlands – 2
Bayou- 2
Taiga - 1
Mountain – 1
Swamp- 1

SB

1 Crash
2 Blood Moon
3 Eidolon of great revel
1 Electrickery
1 Nullrod
1 Sulfur Elemental
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Grim lavamancer (can make it to the main deck if you don't like DRS mained, if you need more spot for the midrange match up or elves.)


Random SB didnt have time to put it together while at work.

If price isn't your style go with -3 price and +2fireblast +1 chain or for super burst +3 Fire Blast.

[I_Hate_Counterspells]

Interesting ideas here. For my LGS, Chains of Mephi$tophele$ works well against the sea of cantrips I face every week. Omnitell, Storm, Delver variants, BUG, Jace/Miracles, etc. Any thoughts about using 2 copies in the MD, with an extra TS, instead of Git Probe? (Bob, doesn't draw an extra card, so we're safe there.)

[I_Hate_Counterspells]

nvm

[Mystical_Jackass]

Have you ever tested Manamorphose? It's great in decks like this that need a cantrip and pretty much 1-2 cmc 99% of deck, it also gives some color fixing which can be helpful sometimes. I used to run it in a different deck, it was always so useful and you'll pretty much never see it get countered.

[ironclad8690]

Manamorphose could definitely have a spot.

Here is the list I have been testing:


4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Dark Confidant
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Deathrite Shaman

4 Cabal Therapy
3 Thoughtseize

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
3 Diabolic Edict

4 Gitaxian Probe

2 Pyroblast

4 Wasteland
1 Swamp
2 Mountain
3 Badlands
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Wooded Foothills
1 Bayou

SB: 1 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 2 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 2 Price of Progress
SB: 1 Umezawa's Jitte
SB: 1 Terminate
SB: 2 Dreadbore
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 1 Hymn to Tourach


I found that 11 discard spells were too many (though they did make many combo matchups unlosable), so I replaced them with Deathrite Shaman. This deck is actually pretty mana intensive in the first few turns of the game, so DRS helps curve Pyro/Spear into more spells more quickly. The late game utility is very nice too, as well as giving us some game against GY strategies.

I am still struggling vs Maverick-esque decks that clog the board however. Anyone have any suggestions?

Also, I have been thinking about possibly playing Lingering Souls as a way to trigger swift and pyro while strengthening our Miracles and Delver matchups, but I can't seem to fit it in there.

[BTY]

Manamorphose could definitely have a spot.

Here is the list I have been testing:


4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Dark Confidant
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Deathrite Shaman

4 Cabal Therapy
3 Thoughtseize

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
3 Diabolic Edict

4 Gitaxian Probe

2 Pyroblast

4 Wasteland
1 Swamp
2 Mountain
3 Badlands
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Wooded Foothills
1 Bayou

SB: 1 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 2 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 2 Price of Progress
SB: 1 Umezawa's Jitte
SB: 1 Terminate
SB: 2 Dreadbore
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 1 Hymn to Tourach


I found that 11 discard spells were too many (though they did make many combo matchups unlosable), so I replaced them with Deathrite Shaman. This deck is actually pretty mana intensive in the first few turns of the game, so DRS helps curve Pyro/Spear into more spells more quickly. The late game utility is very nice too, as well as giving us some game against GY strategies.

I am still struggling vs Maverick-esque decks that clog the board however. Anyone have any suggestions?

Also, I have been thinking about possibly playing Lingering Souls as a way to trigger swift and pyro while strengthening our Miracles and Delver matchups, but I can't seem to fit it in there.

You can sideboard Marsh Causalities or splash white for ZP for the one sided golgari charm, I think causalities would be better just so you don't get too greedy with the mana. I could also see Sulfur Elemental, but that might be overboard as well.

[I_Hate_Counterspells]

I am still struggling vs Maverick-esque decks that clog the board however. Anyone have any suggestions?


Blood Moon to slow them down? My local Maverick decks only run around 2 or 3 basics. It's a prime target if they're running Abrupt Decays but they would have to wait to find the mana to cast it and that means your creatures live longer. Just a thought.

[Rivfader]

I am still struggling vs Maverick-esque decks that clog the board however. Anyone have any suggestions?


Sudden Demise will only affect the opponents board depending on the color you choose, but won't get Mother of Runes (or another target of her choice).

[BTY]

I forgot about it earlier but deathmark is pretty solid to kill anything out of burn range.

[I_Hate_Counterspells]

Massacre is a free reset button against both Maverick and DnT.

[Macky984]

Slaughter Games seems like it would fit really well in here. Especially since most Legacy decks only have a few win cons. Slaughter Games can be quite the blowout

[sampi]

If your not maindecking blood moon, what about adding abrupt decay instead of pyroblast?

Useful against blue and Death and Taxes

[Jacemindbreak]

I'm going to take this in an entirely different direction with Bitterblossoms and Young Pyro's creating tons of tokens and using Jitte to win it.

4 Dark Confidant
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Gurmag Angler

4 Bitterblossom
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Whip of Erebos

4 Inquisition of Kozilek/Thoughtseize/Cabal Therapy
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Dreadbore
1 Go for the Throat
3 Unmask
2 Diabolic Edict
4 Diabolic Intent

3 Swamp
2 Mountain
4 Badland
3 Bloodstained Mire
2 Marsh Flats
2 Wooded Foothills
3 Wasteland
1 Bojuka Bog

Sideboard

3 Bloodmoon
3 Duress/Thoughtseize/Cabal Therapy
2 Damnation
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Rakdos Charm
2 Kolaghan's Command
1 Unmask

[Teluin]

Do 4 Bob or 4 Bitterblossom but not both. Glad you put 4 Badlands though - in a 2-colour deck there's no reason not to.

[I_Hate_Counterspells]

Manamorphose could definitely have a spot.

Here is the list I have been testing:


4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Dark Confidant
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Deathrite Shaman

4 Cabal Therapy
3 Thoughtseize

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
3 Diabolic Edict

4 Gitaxian Probe

2 Pyroblast

4 Wasteland
1 Swamp
2 Mountain
3 Badlands
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Wooded Foothills
1 Bayou

SB: 1 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 2 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 2 Price of Progress
SB: 1 Umezawa's Jitte
SB: 1 Terminate
SB: 2 Dreadbore
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 1 Hymn to Tourach




@ironclad8690: how's the testing going? I'm going to try this out on Xmage, with the plan to take it to FNM next week. Any modifications?

[fullmetal030]

Is this deck actually viable enough to play in smaller legacy tournaments/side events? I own all of these cards and the deck looks right up my alley. I know there hasn't been a post in here for a while but from the few games Ive played with it it seems decent enough. Any input would be appreciated or an updated list.