My version of Rakdos ScamMinz <(^O_o^)>
Optimized for leaning hard into the scam strategy and focused on covering wide-spread of meta.
Open to discussion about mana and card selection choices. Will take suggestions for a legendary artifact besides Shadowspear and Stone of Erech.
Stick to 7x fetches, 8x fetchables, and 3x untapped utility lands. 17/18 lands are untapped on turn 1 (Castle Locthwain), every land is most likely untapped turn 4. 18x full lands feels a little light but, 3x MDFCs in Malakir Rebirth
brings us up to 21x lands technically with being an emergency land on the early turns you absolutely need it. Please suggest any utility lands you think could be substituted
My personal opinion is that other than turn 1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer or Thoughtseize, the best value from the deck is scamming Grief/Fury on turns 1-2. So instead of 1-mana removal slots, the undying split is more aggressive at 8x copies (3x Undying Malice, 3x Malakir Rebirth
, 2x Undying Evil). As long as the opponent isn't exiling everything... keeping all creatures including Dauthi Voidwalker, Orcish Bowmasters, Seasoned Pyromancer on-board through spot-removal/combat stresses opponents resources while providing value from ETBs. Everything about the deck is about scamming your opponent out of cards while having answers build more aggressively on your side. Every turn should be about pressure or disruption however you can.
Creature strategies can be answered between Terminate, Orcish Bowmasters and Fury *f-pre*.
Planeswalker strategies can be answered through the Thoughtseize and bowmaster/fury removals
Graveyard strategies can be mostly be covered through Dauthi Voidwalker and Unlicensed Hearse out of the sideboard. The rising popularity of yawgmoth/samwise combos are hard to interact with because they carry many answers to your graveyard hate, all while having to hold up mana for instant-speed removal of combo pieces, I would usually bring in the Engineered Explosives and The Filigree Sylex. for this matchup I would be inclined to find some way to include Leyline of the Void but the deck need answers for Sanctifier en-Vec and other 0-2(3) cmc permanents.
If you feel like certain cards are bad, Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
is a good value-engine digging to other answers.
Cast into the Fire saves lives against Urza's Saga decks and Tron, specifically a clean answer to Wurmcoil Engine and partial The One Ring removal.
Burn is probably the worst matchup for the deck besides rhinos (sometimes 3x cascades spells just run you over), the deck does a lot of damage itself normally by fetch/shocking your first two turns most likely. I'm at best a 50:50 on any given day and even when I played versions with Blackcleave Cliffs to save on life, the deck entirely needs those untapped 4th, and 5th land drops. I would rather start with two blood crypts in hand and know my next 4 fetches are getting basics. So my current build leans hard into just being out against burn but better against everything else. For this reason, and if the ring remains a problem, Sheoldred, the Apocalypse and Collective Brutality can find it's way into your main/sideboard at any moment you feel it's necessary for your local meta.
Besides The Filigree Sylex working with Mount Doom's secret text, another card that may be slightly too mana-hungry is Mask of Griselbrand is the only other "reasonable" life-gain option for Rakdos besides playing vampires... This could be a viable 3rd life-gain option that turns any creature into an evasive beatdown, which will recoup value when your creatures die. This is an ode to the personal boogeyman that is Boros Burn
Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
seems to matter more in the Seasoned Pyromancer slot right now due to the forced draw being taken advantage of by the heavy Orcish Bowmasters meta. To me certain choices might need to be adjusted for casual FNM and competitive lists.
