Rakdos, Supreme Lord of Riots (EDH / Commander) [Revision 36]

This is my Rakdos, Lord of Riots commander. The deck is built around dealing damage at nearly every turn, either via attack, or effects. Any point of damage is enough to begin flooding the board with huge, hopefully hasty boys. Every card I've selected falls into to one of five separate sections, all having a task that is pertinent to the deck's goals.

A) Deal direct damage, or amplify damage from other sources in order to allow Rakdos to be played, or to lessen the costs of other creatures due to Rakdos. (Nettle drone and pals, Warstorm Surge, Dictate of the Twin Gods, Mogis, Gratuitous Violence, Archfiend of Despair, Berserkers' Onslaught)

B) Have a large, impactful effect, either when entering the battlefield or while being on the battlefield while also having either a large colorless mana cost or an X mana cost to allow heavily amplified effects. (Blightsteel Colossus, Etali, Grenzo, Combustible Gearhulk, Steel Hellkite, Walking Ballista,)

C) Having some sort of utility to cause creatures to be more difficult to answer, such as graveyard recursion or haste abilities. (Phyrexian Reclamation, Palace Siege, Sheoldred, Lightning Greaves, Fervor)

D) Generate card draw or tutor to keep momentum and prevent stalling on turns where the entire hand can be played out at once. (Bloodgift Demon, Harvester of Souls, Immortal Sun, Phyrexian Arena, Belzenlok, Razaketh,)

E) Fall into another category while also creating a win condition when in the correct circumstance. (Mikaeus/Triskelion/Cauldron of Souls, Chandra's Ignition, Master of Cruelties, Neheb/Aggravated Assault)

Another year, another new bunch of edits for the classic Lord of Riots. Recent sets have been moderate for Rakdos, but nothing particularly stellar since Kaldheim.

My personal meta has once again made a shift, and people have started to amp up deck strength quite a bit, so I have returned quite a bit of power to Rakdos. I have also compiled a small list of other additions to bolster the strength a bit more for those interested.

Of the cards added, I've added several more pingers back into the deck. Cryptolith Fragment, Spear Spewer, Lim-Dul's Hex, Stormfist Crusader and Keen Duelist are all new, and make for more consistent damage being passed around. Keen Duelist is also a fun piece for this deck that can really do so passive damage, as well as a free card draw.

I added every creature that tutors for something on entering, as well as Corpse Harvester. They all have a strong target of some sort, which makes them quite effective. Corpse Harvester gets a swamp, and either Sidisi or Neheb. Imperial recruiter can get Master of Cruelties, Walking ballista, Grenzo, K'rrik, any of the Grinning Ignus combo pieces, or even a pinger. Conduit of Ruin will usually get a Blightsteel of course, but can also potentially get void winnower, or any of the eldrazi titans you may choose to run.

A tiny bit more ramp with Arcane Signet and a Wayfarer's bauble, along with the role compression with Cryptolith fragment making mana and pinging.

Last, the king pinger himself, Heartless Hidetsugu. A perfect bomb for the deck, and my group always hated him but we're at a point now where there's much more annoying things, so he finally gets to enter the arena.

These cards all add something very powerful to the deck but are all quite expensive. The cards in parenthesis total to about (320.04$) and Imperial Seal alone goes for atleast [615.00].
(Demonic Tutor)
(Vampiric Tutor)
(Kozilek, Butcher of Truth)
(Ulamog, The Ceaseless Hunger)
(Ulamog, The Infinite Gyre)
(Cloudstone Curio)
[Imperial Seal]

These last three are transmute cards that hit relevant mana points, but I personally don't think they are worth the slot in my personal decklist. Do consider them though if your list is a bit less pressed for slots than mine.

{Netherborn Phalanx}
{Brainspoil}
{Dimir House Guard}

When I come into a sum of disposable income, I will update the lands with the entire Maybe Board.