Thanks to their intricacies and their consistency, the Aristocrat archetype is quite popular in Commander. Despite this, thanks to a vast collection of Aristocrat Commanders existing, there are quite a few that end up becoming forgotten. Rakdos Muscle, for example, can completely dominate games when built around.
MTG Rakdos, the Muscle
While a bit expensive, Rakdos the Muscle provides card advantage each time you sacrifice a creature. You’ll generally want to grab cards from your own library, but you can also steal your opponent’s cards to mess up a Scheming Symmetry. To keep this engine consistent, you’ll need enough fodder to constantly fuel the effect.
Recursive creatures like Poxwalkers and Bloodghast are at their absolute best in Rakdos, fueling multiple triggers while keeping your hoard state respectable. Since Rakdos’s ability is an instant-speed effect, you can also use Evoke creatures like Ingot Chewer for maximum value. You can even pair creature-stealing effects like Loki’s Scepter with your sacrifice outlets to set your opponents back on board instead.
Once Rakdos gets rolling, the next step is to find ways to build up a mana advantage so you can cast as many exiled cards as possible. Using mana-producing sacrifice outlets like Ashnod’s Altar and Illuminor Szeras helps, as does incorporating Pitiless Plunderer into the mix. Should any massive spells out of range get exiled, Warped Space is uniquely capable of bailing you out.
As you continue casting cards from exile, thematic payoffs like Nalfeshnee and Prosper, Tome-Bound work to pull you further ahead. Throw in Passionate Archaeologist, and you should have no issue closing games.
Infinite Library-Exiling Combos
Beyond exiling cards for the purpose of generating card advantage, Rakdos, the Muscle also enables some gnarly infinite combos. The strongest of the bunch relies on Phyrexian Altar and Forsaken Miner to exile each opponent’s library in its entirety.
With all three cards in play, simply start by sacrificing Miner to Altar and floating a black mana. This will trigger Rakdos, letting you target an opponent to exile a card from their deck. In doing so, you’ve successfully committed a crime, setting you up to rebuy the Skeleton Rogue with the floating mana. By repeating this process over and over, you’ll force your opponents to draw from empty libraries and lose.
Interestingly, there are also combos centered on exiling your entire library. With Golgari Thug and Ashnod’s Altar in play, for example, you can infinitely sacrifice and recast Thug until you’re out of cards in your deck. While you don’t have the luxury of relying on Thassa’s Oracle to win from here, any life-drain payoff like Blood Artist will end things instead.
Strong, Fun, and Cheap
Factoring in its value-oriented synergies and its combo potential, Rakdos, the Muscle is quite a strong Commander. Despite this, though, the Demon Mercenary only commands 5,317 according to EDHREC. This creature may be a relatively new legend, but it still deserves more respect.
The good news is that this mythic’s lack of demand has ultimately caused its price tag to remain very affordable at $1.22. As such, there’s little risk to picking up a copy, so consider giving it a spin at your next Commander Night.
Stick with us here at mtgrocks.com: the best site for Magic: The Gathering coverage. Be sure to check out our deckbuilder for your next big brew, and our brand new MTG Rocks Podcast!
