Dissension - Rakdos Bloodsport

The Cult of Rakdos is the most dangerous and reckless guild in all of Ravnica. With the “Rakdos Bloodsport” deck, you’ll need to adopt some of that mentality yourself. The guild’s mechanic—hellbent—rewards you for having no cards in your hand, a behavior that makes “careful” players cringe. But you must trust in the minions of Rakdos, throwing caution to the wind!

You’ll empty your hand the way you would with any other deck—by playing all your spells. You can dump plenty of one- and two-mana creatures on the table in the first few turns. Rakdos Signet will help you play your expensive spells quickly. Normally, you’d save your removal spells, such as Cackling Flames, for choice targets. With this deck, play them quickly just to keep your hand empty. Seal of Fire is doubly good. You can play it immediately, but you don’t have to use it until the time is right.

If you have trouble getting rid of the last few land cards in your hand, Drekavac, Rakdos Guildmage, and Nihilistic Glee all give you ways to discard for fun and profit. Ignorant Bliss is a neat trick. It allows you to become hellbent at a moment’s notice without permanently losing any cards.

Once your hand is empty, the fun really begins. Your 2/2 Gobhobbler Rats become vicious 3/2 regenerators. The flying Demon’s Jesters become 4-power mega-threats. Slithering Shade wakes up and can go on the offensive. If your horde was wreaking havoc before they went hellbent, they’ll be unstoppable afterward.

Of course, having no cards in your hand doesn’t mean having no options. Several cards in the deck let you recoup cards as the game goes on, including Lyzolda, the Blood Witch; Ragamuffyn; and Nihilistic Glee. Each one packs a hefty cost, but that’s part of dealing with a guild populated by demons and devils!

When you’re ready to modify the deck, other Rakdos cards in the Dissension set are the first place to look. There you’ll find many hellbent goodies, from the high-risk, high-reward Jagged Poppet to the devastating Rakdos Pit Dragon. The set also has several cards that help you empty your hand and keep it empty, such as Skullmead Cauldron and Delirium Skeins. Bring the hurt!

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