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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 11:19AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 11, 2007
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Hey all,
My last few drafts I have felt "pushed into" Rakdos by getting passed crazy good cards. I'm talking decks with 2 guildmages, 2 hellhole flailers, 2 splatter thugs, 2 stab wounds, ultimate price, dreadbore, chainwalkers, dead revelers, you know, perfect curve pure aggression with removal on the side. But I have just not had success with them. Recently lost in the finals with literally the perfect deck, to a mediocre selesnya, and just last night lost in round 2, also to selesnya.
Meanwhile, I recently got a fairly "ok" selesnya deck, ok it was pretty good, had growing ranks and 2 call of conclave and a wayfaring temple, stuff like that, and it went 6-0 easily.
Point of the thread is, I'm feeling like a mediocre selesnya deck still beats a really good rakdos deck. Am I dumb to think this? Am I just bummed that I lost those games and need to suck it up? I am really hesitant to draft rakdos any more at this point, no matter what cards are in the pack.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 11:22AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jul 23, 2003
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Rakdos decks can be stupid strong. But if you don't have a decent opening hand you can lose to Selesnya pretty handily, because you have no late game to speak of. Don't be afraid to mulligan.
Scope my YouTube channel!The U.S. Army: The best job in the world, working with some of the best people in the world, for one of the worst employers you could ever imagine. Here's a shout out for Scholars' Books & Games in Bridgewater, MA, and for Paladin's Place in Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany where I was stationed for two years. Support your FLGS! | Attacking the darkness since 1987, turning creatures sideways since 1994. | Billy Goat Gruff in the House of Trolls. |
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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 11:25AM
#3
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Date Joined:
May 14, 2007
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What escef said. There are some cards, especially in selsnya, that shut down the rakdos strategy handily. Centaur healers are a huge issue in my experience, especially with some combat tricks for support. (Giant.growth, swift justice etc.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 4:13PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Mar 31, 2002
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I get the same feeling really. Was straight Rakdos, was a bit above average (Though not great: No stab wounds to speak of, as I had to pass the only one I saw that night due to a Pack Rat). Still, good removal overall (Two Annilating fire and two Launchparty, coupled with a sideboarded in electrickery), twice the Thugs and Chainwalkers, Chaos Imps for a late game beater. And I was beat out by both an Azorius flyer deck that simply bounced everything I had on the table (Granted, in two of the three games I missed my 4th turn land drop which stalled me a bit harder than him), and an Izzet deck (Which countered or burned everything I played from turn three on, including any removal I attempted to play, and I couldn't get any board position at all).
I'm just thinking it's a bit fragile, and can be shattered pretty good.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 4:43PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Nov 18, 2012
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1: There's a term called "variance", which basically means that your results may vary. Sometimes your opponent will open with call of the conclave into centaur healer into eyes in the skies while you get a whole lot of nothing, and sometimes you'll chainwalker into flailer into traitorous instinct for their blocker, then stab wound it next turn and wait patiently until they bleed to death.
2: Double call of the conclave, growing ranks, and wayfaring temple is, as Conley Woods would say, "the noodly-boodlies"
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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 7:29PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2009
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The average Selensya deck is better than the average Rakdos deck, and Selensya is a difficult matchup for Rakdos if both decks are of equal strength. For these reasons there are going to be Selensya decks that are impossible for Rakdos to beat. I also strongly disagree with the sentiment that you should mulligan more when faced with strong opposition. Unless you have a curve that starts with Rakdos Cackler  there isn't much room for you to start down a card.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 8:11PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Jul 23, 2003
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I also strongly disagree with the sentiment that you should mulligan more when faced with strong opposition. Unless you have a curve that starts with Rakdos Cackler there isn't much room for you to start down a card.
Disagree as much as you like, if Rakdos does not get a hand with a strong open against Selesnya you have two options: mulligan or hope the opponent draws crappy. I don't know about you, but I'd choose the option that changes the situation.
Scope my YouTube channel!The U.S. Army: The best job in the world, working with some of the best people in the world, for one of the worst employers you could ever imagine. Here's a shout out for Scholars' Books & Games in Bridgewater, MA, and for Paladin's Place in Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany where I was stationed for two years. Support your FLGS! | Attacking the darkness since 1987, turning creatures sideways since 1994. | Billy Goat Gruff in the House of Trolls. |
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5 months ago ::
Dec 24, 2012 - 8:59PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Nov 18, 2012
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Bobus, you of all people should know that there is no such thing as an unwinnable matchup. If you draw perfectly and they hit a big enough pocket of lands, or no lands at all, the worst rakdos deck can crush the best selesnya deck.
I don't have an egosig because I'd rather my ideas be judged on their merits than on mine. Catpoints: Spoiler:
Show
What are catpoints?
A way of measuring how much I love you.
How do I get catpoints?
1: participate in my forum games/contests.
2: make awesome posts.
3: destroy Carthage.
What can I do with catpoints?
You can ask favors of me. I may or may not agree to your favor, depending on how big the favor is and how many catpoints you have.
Who has how many catpoints?
shadowchu: 100
Islands: 100
Niche: 50
mrindigo: 50
kips: 50
Rstnme: 25
Jman: 25
everyone else: 0
Keeperofmanynames: -100
Morgothra: -100
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5 months ago ::
Dec 25, 2012 - 5:09AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2009
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Bobus, you of all people should know that there is no such thing as an unwinnable matchup. If you draw perfectly and they hit a big enough pocket of lands, or no lands at all, the worst rakdos deck can crush the best selesnya deck.
Yes, I suppose because of variance there are no unwinnable matchups. Perhaps there needs to be a revised definition for unwinnable to reflect this. Something along the lines of <20% or <25%
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5 months ago ::
Dec 25, 2012 - 7:16AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Aug 10, 2012
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Double call of the conclave, growing ranks, and wayfaring temple is, as Conley Woods would say, "the noodly-boodlies"
^^
On another note, my only match loss my last draft was a 1-2 against Rakdos versus my Junk deck. He had double stab wounds, ultimate price, ellohole flailer, lobber crew and the guildmage, and explosive impact as a finisher. There are still plenty of reasons to run Rakdos, and this late in the set you should be able to splash easily into Golgari or Izzet as well.
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