Rakish Crew
Explosive Derailment
Put the pieces together
- Both the Plant Mercenary and its Mercenary token enter as outlaws, producing separate Vial Smasher triggers.
- Shoot the Sheriff cannot destroy an outlaw. Check types before relying on it to clear the opponent’s best blocker.
BR
Black–Red
Deploy outlaws and Mercenary tokens, then use damage and death rewards to make blocking increasingly costly.
Mode
How it wins
Deploy outlaws and Mercenary tokens, then use damage and death rewards to make blocking increasingly costly.
- Early
- Develop mana and an early creature or answer.
- Middle
- Both the Plant Mercenary and its Mercenary token enter as outlaws, producing separate Vial Smasher triggers.
- Finish
- Deploy outlaws and Mercenary tokens, then use damage and death rewards to make blocking increasingly costly.
What it needs
Commit when useful cards in both colors keep arriving and the support for this plan is present.
Four checks while you draft
- 1A playable curve
Can this deck affect the board before its payoff arrives?
Keep early creatures and interaction while assembling the specific support below.
- 2Support the plan
Do I have enough cards that make this interaction happen?
Both the Plant Mercenary and its Mercenary token enter as outlaws, producing separate Vial Smasher triggers.
- 3Answers and a finish
Can I break a board stall without drawing one particular rare?
Deploy outlaws and Mercenary tokens, then use damage and death rewards to make blocking increasingly costly.
Choose the missing job before another reward that needs it.
What to take next
You have the payoff but too few ways to activate it.
Look for Prickly Pair.
Both the Plant Mercenary and its Mercenary token enter as outlaws, producing separate Vial Smasher triggers.
Your synergy is already working but you keep falling behind.
Take an early play or answer before another expensive reward.
Shoot the Sheriff cannot destroy an outlaw. Check types before relying on it to clear the opponent’s best blocker.
The support is missing
Favor castable creatures and interaction if narrow support does not arrive.
Signals to watch
- Repeated access to Rakish Crew, Prickly Pair, Deadeye Duelist is better evidence than one gold card.
Repeated useful cards are clues, not proof that the colors are open.
Don’t
Check the support
Shoot the Sheriff cannot destroy an outlaw. Check types before relying on it to clear the opponent’s best blocker.
Best commons & uncommons
Longhorn Sharpshooter57.3% GIH · 5,891 instances
Shoot the Sheriff57.1% GIH · 4,400 instances
Redrock Sentinel56.7% GIH · 224 instances
Lively Dirge56.7% GIH · 2,903 instances
Hollow Marauder56.6% GIH · 4,828 instances
Scorching Shot56.6% GIH · 5,293 instances17Lands ↗ · Apr 16–May 27, 2024 · at least 100 card-in-hand instances in this pair’s no-splash decks. Choose the job your deck needs first.
Bombs in these colors
Overwhelming Forces 6BBAn eight-mana one-sided creature sweep that refills your hand. It needs a slow deck with real mana development; do not cut early plays for it.
Rakdos, the Muscle 2BBRBring expendable creatures for its sacrifice abilities. Gaining indestructible taps Rakdos, so choose between protecting it and keeping an attack or block available.17Lands Premier Draft ↗ · Apr 16–May 27, 2024 · 100-instance minimum
Cards for this pair
By jobA card can fill more than one job.
Prickly PairTwo outlaw bodies from one card support sacrifice, power boosts and Vial Smasher triggers.
Deadeye DuelistIts repeatable targeted damage can commit a crime without spending another card.
Build-arounds
GoldUncommons and rares in both colors
All 176 castable cards →Including hybrid and colorless cards
Worked turns
1 examplesExamples apply the printed rules; judge the board, costs and timing.
Adapt the plan to your format
| One-pick | Sealed |
|---|---|
| Three Play Boosters per player; one card per pick. Premier statistics are recorded Arena games, not a prediction for your table. | Start from the cards you opened. Favor a complete curve, interaction and castable threats over forcing the draft theme. |
Rules for every deck →What every two-color deck needs before the plan: early plays, answers, a curve and mana · BuildLearn deck building →
Contents
Mode