EDH Optimizer
Rakdos, the Showstopper
Legendary Creature — Demon · 4BR
Color identity: Black · Red · Rakdos
Rakdos, the Showstopper is Rakdos (black and red): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Flying, trample
When Rakdos enters, flip a coin for each creature that isn't a Demon, Devil, or Imp. Destroy each creature whose coin comes up tails.
Reference price of the card: €1.17
Average lands in decks for Rakdos, the Showstopper: 35
DemonsChaosCoin FlipDevilsReanimatorAggroFlyingControl
Build your Rakdos, the Showstopper deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Rakdos, the Showstopper 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Rakdos, the Showstopper deck starts over 4,000 games
The list people actually play per EDHREC (the 99 most-included cards, with its average land count), simulated with the EDH Optimizer engine: hands, mulligans, lands, curve and commander. It does not model opponents; it measures whether the plan gets going.
Deck health of the average list: B (68/100)
- Consistency87
- Speed59
- Interaction35
- Resilience62
- Closing94
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 35 lands (25 nonbasic, 7 Swamp, 3 Mountain)
Sol Ring · Arcane Signet · Rakdos Signet · Harvester of Souls · Kardur, Doomscourge · Liliana's Contract · Raphael, Fiendish Savior · Archfiend of Depravity · Rakdos Charm · Bedevil · Herald of Slaanesh · Chaos Warp · Rakdos, Lord of Riots · Bloodgift Demon · Indulgent Tormentor · Krark's Thumb · Master of Cruelties · Terminate · Reaper from the Abyss · Talisman of Indulgence · Rakdos, Patron of Chaos · Mahadi, Emporium Master · Rune-Scarred Demon · Blood Speaker · Dark Ritual · Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire · Ob Nixilis, Unshackled · Blasphemous Act · Sin Prodder · Sower of Discord · Balor · Demonlord Belzenlok · Mind Stone · Demonic Counsel · Desecration Demon · Feed the Swarm · Mirror March · Conjurer's Closet · Orcus, Prince of Undeath · Phyrexian Arena · Vandalblast · Wildfire Devils · Overseer of the Damned · Read the Bones · Sign in Blood · Black Market · Bontu's Monument · Commander's Sphere · Dreadbore · Dream Devourer · Mayhem Devil · Archfiend of Despair · Bloodletter of Aclazotz · Demonic Tutor · Kothophed, Soul Hoarder · Anger · Burning-Rune Demon · Herald's Horn · Rakdos Locket · Urza's Incubator · Wayfarer's Bauble · Chance Encounter · Reanimate · Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber · Command Tower · Dragonskull Summit · Smoldering Marsh · Rakdos Carnarium · Blood Crypt · Foreboding Ruins · Temple of Malice · Bojuka Bog · Path of Ancestry · Haunted Ridge · Bloodfell Caves · Luxury Suite · Tainted Peak · Sulfurous Springs · Evolving Wilds · Graven Cairns · Rakdos Guildgate · Shadowblood Ridge · Myriad Landscape · Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth · Bloodstained Mire · Reliquary Tower · Canyon Slough · Temple of the False God · Blazemire Verge
🃏 Recommended cards for Rakdos, the Showstopper
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Rakdos, the Showstopper, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Liliana's Contract | 62% | +61% |
| Harvester of Souls | 63% | +60% |
| Raphael, Fiendish Savior | 61% | +58% |
| Archfiend of Depravity | 60% | +56% |
| Herald of Slaanesh | 57% | +55% |
| Bloodgift Demon | 52% | +49% |
| Krark's Thumb | 50% | +49% |
| Indulgent Tormentor | 50% | +47% |
| Rakdos, Lord of Riots | 54% | +47% |
| Master of Cruelties | 50% | +47% |
| Reaper from the Abyss | 48% | +47% |
| Kardur, Doomscourge | 63% | +45% |
| Blood Speaker | 44% | +43% |
| Rakdos, Patron of Chaos | 47% | +42% |
| Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire | 44% | +41% |
| Rune-Scarred Demon | 45% | +41% |
| Ob Nixilis, Unshackled | 41% | +39% |
| Sower of Discord | 39% | +36% |
| Sin Prodder | 39% | +36% |
| Demonlord Belzenlok | 37% | +36% |
| Balor | 37% | +35% |
| Desecration Demon | 35% | +34% |
| Demonic Counsel | 35% | +32% |
| Mahadi, Emporium Master | 45% | +32% |
💰 The best cards for your Rakdos, the Showstopper deck, by budget
Three tiers based on the maximum price PER CARD you are willing to pay. Paste your list and hit Optimize: you pick that cap and the AI only suggests swaps that fit under it.
Tier 1 · Budget up to €2/card
The most value for almost nothing. Coming from a precon? Start here.
- Harvester of Souls
- Raphael, Fiendish Savior
- Archfiend of Depravity
- Bloodgift Demon
- Indulgent Tormentor
- Rakdos, Lord of Riots
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Liliana's Contract
- Herald of Slaanesh
- Krark's Thumb
- Master of Cruelties
- Rakdos, Patron of Chaos
- Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Archfiend of Despair
- Urza's Incubator
- Bloodletter of Aclazotz
- Bloodthirster
- Revel in Riches
- Razaketh, the Foulblooded
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Rakdos, the Showstopper
- Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Dualcaster Mage + Twinflame → Infinite LTB, Infinite ETB, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite magecraft triggers
- Bloodthirsty Conqueror + Sanguine Bond → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Exquisite Blood + Enduring Tenacity → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Bloodthirsty Conqueror + Enduring Tenacity → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Dualcaster Mage + Molten Duplication → Infinite LTB, Infinite ETB, Infinite sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite magecraft triggers
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Rakdos, the Showstopper's color identity?
Rakdos, the Showstopper is Rakdos (black and red): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones. Color identity comes from every mana symbol on the card, including those in the rules text, not just the casting cost.
What turn does Rakdos, the Showstopper come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Rakdos, the Showstopper deck (the 99 most-included cards per EDHREC, with 35 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 5.7 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 88 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 27 % of the time and floods 7 %. Deck health: B (68/100).
How many lands should a Rakdos, the Showstopper deck run?
Real Rakdos, the Showstopper decks run 35 lands on average. That is a starting point, not a rule: a lower curve can shave one or two, big-mana builds want more. The EDH Optimizer simulator tells you, over 10,000 games, how often you get mana screwed or flooded with your exact count.
What are the best cards for Rakdos, the Showstopper?
The three highest-synergy cards are Liliana's Contract, Harvester of Souls, Raphael, Fiendish Savior. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Rakdos, the Showstopper decks.
What combos does Rakdos, the Showstopper have?
Rakdos, the Showstopper has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond. Note that two-card combos raise your deck's bracket, so it is worth knowing which ones you are running before you sit down.
How much does a Rakdos, the Showstopper deck cost?
You can start cheap: Harvester of Souls, Raphael, Fiendish Savior, Archfiend of Depravity are under €2 each. The "Level up" section on this page splits the best cards into three price caps PER CARD (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.