Rakdos Charm MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers multi-mode flexibility for different strategies, enhancing in-game adaptability and card advantage.
  2. Instant speed allows for quick reactions, disrupting opponents unexpectedly and gaining strategic edge.
  3. Excels in sideboards and main decks due to its relevance against common meta strategies and combos.

Text of card

Choose one — Exile all cards from target player's graveyard; or destroy target artifact; or each creature deals 1 damage to its controller.

"Let all feel joy in pain." —Rakdos


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rakdos Charm offers multiple modes to choose from, ensuring you always have the right tool for the situation. This flexibility can lead to virtual card advantage by countering different strategies your opponent may utilize.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Rakdos Charm’s ability to handle opposing artifacts can remove key pieces that could slow down an opponent. In turn, this potentially speeds up your own game plan against an impaired opponent.

Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of this charm allows for surprise interactions during your opponent’s turn. Whether you’re disrupting a graveyard strategy, clearing out a plethora of tokens, or dealing with an artifact, Rakdos Charm provides the flexibility to act swiftly and unexpectedly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In some instances, Rakdos Charm can put you at a disadvantage by forcing you to discard a card, especially when you’re playing a strategy that depends on maintaining a full hand. Balancing your hand while potentially disrupting an opponent can sometimes backfire if you’re not prepared to lose an extra card.

Specific Mana Cost: Rakdos Charm has a color-specific mana requirement that necessitates both red and black mana, thus potentially limiting the card’s usability exclusively to Rakdos-themed or multicolored decks. This specificity can hamper deck-building flexibility, as it’s less compatible with mono-colored or other two-color combinations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Rakdos Charm offers versatile options, its mana cost of two may be considered high relative to other modal cards offering similar effects. Players might find other cards that provide comparable utility without the same mana investment, making Rakdos Charm less appealing when optimizing a deck’s mana curve.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rakdos Charm offers a powerful suite of options which makes it a fantastic addition to sideboards and main decks across various formats. Its ability to respond to different situations from graveyard strategies to creature-heavy boards ensures it never becomes a dead card in hand.

Combo Potential: The instant speed and diverse modal choices of Rakdos Charm work well with decks focused on instant-win combos or disruption. It pairs well with strategies aiming to abuse the card’s first mode that deals damage to each opponent for each creature they control.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of graveyard-based strategies and token swarm decks in many competitive formats, Rakdos Charm’s utility and tactical advantages make it a timely card to counter several popular meta strategies.


How to beat

The Rakdos Charm is a versatile utility card found in the arsenal of many MTG players who value flexibility on the battlefield. Known for its three distinct modes, it can shift the game’s momentum in an instant depending on the current board state. One mode offers artifact destruction, a second deals damage to a player for the number of creatures they control, and a third option provides graveyard disruption by exiling all cards from a player’s graveyard.

To effectively counter the Rakdos Charm, it’s crucial to be mindful of your creature count and avoid overextending on the board; this will minimize the impact of the damage-dealing mode. Be vigilant about the quantity and importance of artifacts in your game plan, as an unexpected removal could disrupt your strategy. Additionally, consider holding back on graveyard-dependant plays if you suspect your opponent has the charm ready, or seek to include cards that offer graveyard protection to mitigate its third mode. A player can tackle Rakdos Charm by maintaining versatility and cautious play, ensuring that their tactics remain as adaptable as the charm itself.

Strategically, the Rakdos Charm shines in a meta full of graveyard synergies and abundant artifacts. Understanding this, being able to anticipate and sidestep its potential threats can keep you one step ahead, ultimately leading to a triumph over this multifaceted card.


BurnMana Recommendations

As the MTG landscape evolves with diverse strategies, Rakdos Charm emerges as a versatile asset, providing answers to various threats you might face in multiple formats. Whether you’re combating graveyard tactics, artifact dependency or dealing with creature swarm, this charm is a powerful tool to have in your arsenal. Deftly maneuver your deck to harness its potential by considering it for your sideboard or main deck — it just might tip the scales in your favor. For players keen on refining their gameplay and exploring strategic depth, we encourage you to learn more about maximizing the impact of Rakdos Charm in your collection. Embark on your next MTG adventure with us and bring new dimensions to your deck-building and in-game tactics.


Cards like Rakdos Charm

Rakdos Charm shines as a versatile option in Magic: The Gathering’s pool of modal spells. In the same spirit as cards like Kolaghan’s Command, it offers players a variety of choices packed into a single card. Kolaghan’s Command is distinct with modes that deal damage to a creature or player, return a creature card from the graveyard to hand, and disrupt the opponent’s hand or equipment. Although Kolaghan’s Command offers different modes, Rakdos Charm stands out with its unique ability to deal with graveyards and array of tokens in addition to artifact destruction.

Another comparable ally is Abrade, which provides simpler options: deal damage to a creature or destroy an artifact. It lacks the graveyard interaction Rakdos Charm provides, but it excels in straightforward situations with its reduced mana cost. Furthermore, Rakdos Charm can be likened to Crosis’s Charm which also offers three versatile modes. While Crosis’s Charm provides control elements like bouncing a permanent or destroying target nonblack creature, Rakdos Charm appeals to those valuing graveyard manipulation and swift response to wide boards of tokens.

Assessing the suite of weapons casters have at their fingertips for dealing with varied situations in-game, Rakdos Charm emerges as a particularly nifty and efficient tool. Its appeal is evident through its flexible applications that can adapt to multiple threats encountered across different game states.

Kolaghan's Command - MTG Card versions
Abrade - MTG Card versions
Crosis's Charm - MTG Card versions
Kolaghan's Command - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)
Abrade - Hour of Devastation (HOU)
Crosis's Charm - Planeshift (PLS)

Cards similar to Rakdos Charm by color, type and mana cost

Terminate - MTG Card versions
Terminate - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rakdos Charm MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Commander 2016, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Rakdos Charm and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rakdos Charm Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 1842003normalblackZoltan Boros
22016-11-11Commander 2016C16 2182015normalblackZoltan Boros
32017-08-25Commander 2017C17 1902015normalblackZoltan Boros
42019-02-15RNA Guild KitGK2 682015normalblackZoltan Boros
52021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 3841997normalblackZoltan Boros
62021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 1902015normalblackZoltan Boros
72021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1562015normalblackZoltan Boros
82023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 2842015normalblackZoltan Boros

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rakdos Charm has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

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