Rakdos, the Muscle
Color Identity
Details
Mana Value
5
Popularity
#734
of 3,466 commanders · via EDHREC
Card Text
Legendary Creature — Demon Mercenary
Flying, trample
Whenever you sacrifice another creature, exile cards equal to its mana value from the top of target player's library. Until your next end step, you may play those cards, and mana of any type can be spent to cast those spells.
Sacrifice another creature: Rakdos gains indestructible until end of turn. Tap it. Activate only once each turn.
6/5
Playstyle
Aggro · Steady · Heavy interaction · Wins by combat
- Aggression
- 4 of 5
- Speed
- 3 of 5
- Interaction
- 3 of 5
- Combat
- 4 of 5
- Engine
- 3 of 5
- Complexity
- 3 of 5
Card Price
Strategy Guides
Sacrifice Strategy Guide
Sacrifice decks are for players who want their own permanents to be flexible resources rather than pieces to protect at all costs. This strategy wants to feed creatures, artifacts, and tokens into a sacrifice outlet, using fodder makers, recursion, and sacrifice commanders, to win through mana loops, edicts, drain payoffs, or a steady resource lead. Unlike Aristocrats, it is broader than death trigger drain, and unlike Tokens it values bodies mainly as expendable fuel. The best sacrifice commanders keep the engine moving even when opponents point removal at your board.
Aristocrats Strategy Guide
Aristocrats decks are for players who enjoy turning expendable creatures into cards, Treasure, damage, and life drain whenever they die. This strategy wants to make cheap bodies, use sacrifice commanders and free outlets, and convert each death trigger into value to win through drain effects or recursive sacrifice loops. Unlike Tokens, it cares less about attacking with many bodies, and unlike broad Sacrifice decks it is specifically built around death trigger payoffs. The best aristocrats commanders let you grind from small pieces while the table decides whether removing your board helps you or hurts them.
Combo Strategy Guide
Combo decks are for players who enjoy finding a narrow line, protecting it, and ending the game with specific cards working together. This strategy wants to assemble combo commanders, tutors, draw, and compact two-card or three-card packages, using infinite combos or deterministic loops, to win in one decisive moment. Unlike Spellslinger it is not paid for every spell cast, unlike Storm it does not need a long chain turn, and unlike Big Mana it does not rely on casting one enormous payoff. The best combo decks EDH players build balance speed with enough interaction to survive the table's disruption.
Storm Strategy Guide
Storm decks are for players who want to sculpt a hand, pick one decisive turn, and chain cheap spells until the count becomes lethal. This strategy wants to cast many spells in one turn, using cantrips, rituals, cost reducers, and storm commanders, to win through Grapeshot, Tendrils of Agony, Aetherflux Reservoir, or another storm-count payoff. In the Spellslinger, Storm, Big Mana, and Combo cluster, Spellslinger grinds value from each instant or sorcery, Big Mana spends on fewer huge spells, Combo assembles fixed pieces, and Storm turns spell volume into the win. The best storm combo EDH decks reward careful sequencing because every card has to convert into mana, cards, count, or a protected finish.
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