The Cult of Rakdos spreads pain and mayhem wherever they go, and this deck has the same singular focus. The show kicks off with quick, aggressive creatures that make a brutal impression on your opponents. The second act is a display of fireworks, a flurry of burn spells pointed at players and creatures alike. And for the grand finale? Watch the curtains close on the smoldering battlefield.

The unleash mechanic is a crucial weapon in the Rakdos arsenal. It lets you trade the ability to block for a +1/+1 counter, and that's a trade this deck is willing to make. A first-turn Rakdos Cackler leading into the monstrous Hellhole Flailer really puts the screws to your opponent. Just try not to laugh maniacally when your opponent attacks you back in an ill-fated attempt to race.

Many of the deck's creatures amp up your damage output on the turn they enter the battlefield. Rakdos Shred-Freak has haste, and Lightning Mauler shares haste with another creature while it's paired. Stonewright is another soulbond creature, and the ability it grants will convert all your spare red mana into damage! And no matter what else is going on, Rix Maadi Guildmage gleefully piles on extra life loss.

The rest of your spells advance the general plan of raining fiery death and destruction. Early on, while blockers are few and easily removed, point spells like Pillar of Flame and Brimstone Volley at any creatures that might get in the way of your attack. Nightbird's Clutches and Mizzium Mortars are both excellent at clearing out a large number of blockers. Save them for turns when you can force through the most attackers and the most damage. Later in the game, point your burn spells straight at your opponent and finish the job.

Your main deck is so focused that you won't swap out many cards while sideboarding. If you're facing a bunch of 1/1 tokens, replace some of your Pillar of Flames with Electrickery. If hard-to-kill fatties are giving you trouble, turn to Murder and Ultimate Price to clear them out of the way. Brimstone Volley can punish decks with lots of creature kill. And you can always bring in Faithless Looting to replace any card that isn't pulling its weight.

After playing with this deck, you may have a favorite side of it that you want to develop further. If brutally efficient creatures are your cup of tea, look for the Dark Ascension set's Falkenrath Aristocrat. If you prefer eliminating anything that moves and finishing off your opponent with whatever tools you have left, try Dreadbore, a Black ManaRed Mana sorcery that reads simply "Destroy target creature or planeswalker." And Stensia Bloodhall from the Innistrad set is a land that can help you deal critical damage to your opponent.