Overview: An aggressive/tempo deck that gains value from sacrificing both creatures and artifacts for incremental value throughout the game. Because of this, it can be hard to interact with as the targets are "slippery" or at least can be sacrificed in response for value. It's game plan mainly aims to ping the opponent to zero with Mayhem Devil, Oni-Cult Anvil, and the Cat-Oven Combo (Cauldron Familiar and Witch's Oven). The deck requires a lot of practice and thinking through the best options as sequencing is incredibly important in being successful with this deck. Often times determining what to ping with Mayhem Devil and when or choosing how to go about sacrificing your artifacts and creatures, especially to Witch's Oven and Oni-Cult Anvil is the difference between winning and losing. However, wins can feel very rewarding (like solving a puzzle) and the cards in the deck flow and interact very well together. This is one of the two most popular versions of Rak Sac, to see the more creature focused version look here.
Main Deck:
Creatures: Voldaren Epicure is great sacrifice fodder and a great turn 1 play that allows you to deal damage early and start making both creature and artifact fodder to sacrifice in the form of a Blood. Scorn-Blade Berserker is both sacrifice fodder and a sacrifice outlet, its Backup text allows you to give its "Pay 1: Sac to draw a card" abilitiy and a counter when it enters to another creature and is another great turn 1 play. Cauldron Familiar is a major part of this deck due to its combo with Witch's Oven; the goal is to sac the cat with oven, create a food, sac the food, and bring back the cat to drain the opponent 1 and gain 1 and so on. It is important to sequence this correctly, for example, waiting to block with the cat and, before the damage goes through, sac it to oven allows you to get a free block against things without trample. Also, you can wait to bring back the cat on your turn if you don't plan on attacking with it that turn or if you do, bring it back on the opponent's end step for the best value, but this timing varies based on the situation. Bloodtithe Harvester is an amazing value 2-drop that gives you a Blood on ETB that can be sac fodder and it itself can act as removal if you choose to sac to its card text. Because this version runs Voldaren Epicure, the Harvesters are more equipped to act as removal for bigger threats. Mayhem Devil is the ultimate payoff for all the sacrificing you will be doing in the deck and its damage can be directed anywhere (player, creatures, planeswalkers) so Devil will act as a really powerful card in this deck. It's important to say that this card is very susceptible to removal, but you can respond to removal by sacrificing a bunch of stuff in response to deal as much damage as possible before it dies. This version does not run Jegantha, the Wellspring as a companion and instead runs Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger to act in a similar role in helping for when games go longer as it can continue to be brought back from the graveyard and is a big body that disrupts the opponent.
Artifacts/Enchantments: Witch's Oven as mentioned previously when talking about Cauldron Familiar is a major part of this deck as it not only combos with the cat but can also be a major sac outlet for any other creature in this deck. It is important to choose the correct time to use it to get the most value out of what you are sacrificing and when. This is also a great turn 1 play. Oni-Cult Anvil is the other major part of the deck as it acts as sort of the "oven" for artifacts but doesn't need to be combo-ed with something like Cauldron Familiar, it pings the opponent itself. Anvil also gives you artifact creatures once per turn (note: this only triggers on your turn so keep this in mind when choosing when to sacrifice something). It can also sacrifice itself if needed. It is important to learn how both of these sac outlets play out with one another and interact with the rest of the deck as these will be the most important parts in determining correct sequencing for a successful game.
Instants/Sorceries: Fatal Push is great cheap removal in this deck and works wells especially in Rak Sac to get the revolt text on the card. Shrapnel Blast is both a burn spell to face and creature removal and is a great part about the artifact version of Rak Sac that pivots this version (along with the addition of Oni-Cult Anvil) to be more aggressive than the other more creature focused version. Lastly, Deadly Dispute is great way to use your sac fodder (both creature and artifact) to give you great card draw value and another artifact in the form of a Treasure for fairly cheap.
Lands: Got Blood Crypt, Blackcleave Cliffs, and Blightstep Pathway
for your dual lands. Hive of the Eye Tyrant, Den of the Bugbear for utility lands; and 3 Swamps and 1 Mountain for the basics.
Sideboard:
Note: This sideboard is not tuned to any particular meta but is supposed to cover all of its bases or at least as much as this deck can without getting worse. I have included alternate options in the maybeboard for other sideboard cards that I think might be more effective depending on preference and meta.
Thoughtseize and Duress are the hand disruption effects to deal with noncreature permanents and spells as this deck has no other way to deal with decks running a lot of noncreature cards. Kari Zev's Expertise and Claim the Firstborn are similar creature removal effects that are meant to steal the opponent's creature to attack them with it and sacrifice it for value for yourself so they don't get it back. Firstborn hits smaller creature for cheaper and Expertise hits things Firstborn doesn't hit including vehicles and allows you to play something out of your hand for free but for a higher CMC. Annihilating Glare allows you to deal with creatures and planeswalkers that Fatal Push can't hit. Unlicensed Hearse is used for graveyard hate against decks that abuse the graveyard. And finally, there is another copy of Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger to board in against midrange and control matchups where it's value is needed.
Alternate Card Options: Abrade and Feed the Swarm may be good sideboard cards to include if going up against a lot of decks with problematic artifacts and/or enchantments that can also still act as creature removal. If wanting to run Jegantha, the Wellspring as a companion, Bloody Betrayal can replace Kari Zev's Expertise as a playable similar version that gives you a Blood for fodder. Leyline of the Void can be run in the sideboard instead of Unlicensed Hearse as more effective graveyard hate against the graveyard decks and if you are not running Jegantha, the Wellspring but Hearse is an artifact that can be sacrificed if needed. Ob Nixilis, the Adversary, Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin, and The Meathook Massacre are all great alternate value options instead of Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger for control and midrange matchups. If needed running Vampire's Kiss in the main deck can be a way to give you more artifact fodder and drain the opponent more if needed.
Pros/Cons Compared to Other Creature Focused Version:
Pros: Faster and more aggressive due to Shrapnel Blast and Oni-Cult Anvil (more burn like). Bloodtithe Harvester is better with inclusion of Voldaren Epicure and maybe Vampire's Kiss instead of Unlucky Witness. The Blood tokens are a great way to filter through deck. Is a bit cheaper due to no inclusion of Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
. More ways to ping and interact with your board with Oni-Cult Anvil which means more decision making and more dependence on sequencing (more dependent on skill and higher power ceiling because of that).
Cons: Claim the Firstborn type effects are worse without inclusion of more creature focused sac outlets. Doesn't run Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
as great value card. Other version has slightly better time dealing with when games go longer. Better card draw with Village Rites and a better use of Scorn-Blade Berserker.
All in all, both are great and it really just depends on preference. Thanks for checking out my list and let me know if you have any questions or any ideas for improvements.
