Hey, my name is Eric and I love Rakdos! Ever since I sacced a Cauldron Familiar into a Witch’s Oven to trigger Mayhem Devil I am in love with the color combination. I’ve played it in every format I ever tipped my toes into with Rakdos Midrange in Pioneer probably being my most played deck (thanks Arena!).

This story starts when my friends Moritz, Tim and I all decided to attend Paupergeddon Lucca in July with Rakdos Madness, only to then drop with a 1:3 in the main event. While both Tim and Moritz took the deck apart shortly after to explore new territories (big sad), I chose to stick with the pile. I liked the proactiveness of the deck while still being able to go the distance if needed. You know, Rakdos-stuff. Sure, the deck can have crazy bad hands but when it’s good, oh, it’s good! I submitted it for every league day as well as a couple other tourneys ever since - with varying results, for full disclosure. Nevertheless, when the next Paupergeddon came up and we decided to join, I knew, I’d take my beloved Madness for another attempt to grab the prize (pun intended), and a chance to see if I could actually do better than a 1-3 drop. I played as much as I could to figure out the right list for my playstyle, then it was time to go.

This was my decklist: Rakdos Madness

With that being said, here’s a hopefully somewhat entertaining summary of the eight matches that I played in the main event of the second Paupergeddon Lucca 2025 - and the sheer madness that almost got me into Day 2.

Round 1 v Mardu Metalcraft 2-1

Alright, here we go, second Geddon! I sit down opposite my opponent, we role and I get to go first, awesome! Hand looks good, let’s smash! I get the usual Rakdos-start, putting down some Epicures supported by a Kitchen Imp. However, while my pile decides to gift me with more lands than needed, opponent’s Mardu deck starts putting up a fight. The final Turn before they cut the corner I snap an Alms of the Vein from the top to cycle it with Blood into a Fiery Temper. Close one, but still got there!

I board in a couple of Duresses and Cast into the Fires but have to mulligan my first hand only to have another Epicure start without much pressure after. My opponent, on the other hand, drops an early Black Mage’s Rod followed by a Navigator’s Compass plus Glint Hawk to nullify my Damage. I bolt the bird and we keep pecking at each other. The moment I cast Duress, they answer with two Bolts plus GalvBlast to leave me at 4 live and show me a Refurbished Familiar. Well, so much for that.

Game 3 I only remember my opponent dropping another Rod followed by THREE!!! Navigator’s Compass. I’m going as fast as I can, trying to finish before another bird turns this into a full on grindfest. Luckily for me, this time it’s opponent’s turn to be gifted the extra lands. When they finally manage to find a Duress I show them a Bolt, Fiery Temper and Alms of the Vein that seal the deal. Hell yeah, Game 1 done and I’m already as good as last time!

Round 2 v Golgari Gardens 1-1

Round 2 I sit down next to a very nice young player attending his first Geddon. I wonder what another newcomer would bring to their first attempt at the big leagues. Maybe Red Rally? Maybe we play the Mirror? …Oh shit, it’s Gardens! Game 1 already turns into a crazy grind with my opponent holding on to 2 Life Turn after Turn while a single Sneaky Snacker keeps seeing the light of day only to be Cast Down and Defiled again and again. It eventually gets bogged together with three of my Lootings (whoops) but Opponent fails to cut the corner and so I somehow manage to steal Game 1.

We sideboard with 12 minutes left on the clock. I got this, right? Right!? Well, turns out Golgari can play pretty fast while I, apparently, am too dumb to slow play an easy win. My Snacker soon finds himself back in Removal limbo only to be exiled soon after with two of its sisters as well as all of my Lootings (what am I doing!?). Thorn of the Black Rose as well a mapped up Crypt Rats turn the Board into a living hellscape while ya boy is clinging to his life. I shoot down the rats and Thorn as well as a Troll, only to be then caught empty handed when the rodent returns to hit me for lethal in the last turn of overtime. I sure deserved to lose this one.

While I shake hands with my opponent, I realize I’m back to the lower tables where the control and durdle piles await that already gave me a beating the last time. But I wanted to fight some red decks!

Round 3 v Golgari Gardens 1-2

A little deflated and with no time to rest I sit down for Round 3 only to realize I’m facing another Gardener. Okay, Eric, you can do this! Luckily for me, Opponent had to mull to five while I got to kept a hand of seven, making Game 1 a pretty brief affair. I burn them down as fast as I can while they struggle to put anything together. No ground to gain for the black-green menace. On to Game 2.

This time, luck is on the opponent’s side, as I have to go down to five while they keep a healthy seven. No biggy, at least I’m up 1-0. We play and my heart misses a beat when a Pactdoll Terror enters the board. This is not Gardens, it’s much worse: Mono Black Pactdoll! The deck that took Paupergeddon Lecco this year is not only more resilient to my burn thanks to its eponymous card, it can also close a game much faster once the artifact engine starts going. I’m literally fighting for my life as I try to find one of the two Cast into the Fires I boarded in for Campfires but my attempts are of no avail. When a brave Kitchen Imp throws itself in front of the road raging puppet, I know this game is over. 1-1 once more with a way scarier opponent.

I board in the third Cast as well as my Extract a Confessions only to go down to five again, making Game 3 look pretty much the same as the previous one. While I am struggling to get anything going, my opponent soon drops another one of the dolls. I manage to extract it, only to be greeted by another one with his friend being blood-fountained soon after. As the toys run me over, my hopes and ambitions for the tournament start to dwindle. Three rounds in and I’m already with my back against the wall. Is that all I can achieve after all this practicing?

At least this time I get a break outside to grab some fresh air and to hear from the others. And while I’m trying to accept my performance, it is awesome to hear that a lot of us are still at it with some of them even undefeated! At least I get to root for them once I’m out.

Round 4 v Green Elves 2-0

As I walk towards the table for my next round I see my opponent already sitting there, deck in hand with the top card showing a Quirion Ranger. Is this Elves? Is Karma throwing me a bone right here? We sit down, roll and I get to go first. My mull to six reveals a sweet hand with Snacker/Grab as well as an End the Festivities. Should I keep it? What if it’s Spy and not Elves? Screw it, let’s go! I start with a Barrens and Opponent opens with a Forest plus Llanowar Elves. Thank you, Gods of Chaos! I Grab the Snacker and they put down both Quirion Ranger and a Priest of Titania. I End the Festivities. From there it’s smooth sailing and a Game 1 in the books.

Game 2 it gets even better as I keep a beautiful seven with Epicure/Imp plus Cast into the Fire while my opponent has to mull down to five. They start again with the Lawnmower, then follow it up with Quirion plus Priest on Turn two. I Cast the Ranger and the Druid. They put down another set of the dynamic duo leaving them with only one card in hand. Meanwhile I am left with no interaction and my number one targets in this match up on the field. I draw for turn: End the Festivities. Game.

(Looking back at it right now, sitting in a bus to Innsbruck, I’m wondering whether I should have said something about what I saw when I came to the table. Should I have told Opponent about my deck choice as well? Then again, what if my assumption was wrong and it actually turned out to be Spy? Would it have changed the outcome of the game? Should I have called a judge? Maybe a smarter person can answer that.)

Round 5 v Golgari Gardens 2-0

Alright, not dead yet and twice as good as last time! I am actually at peace now. Whatever happens, happens. I sit down for Round 5, on the draw this time but a nice proactive hand. Meanwhile, opponent needs to mulligan. One, two, okay, good to go. We start and they drop another Khalni Garden. Oh, come on! I put down some early creatures then follow it up with burn trying to go as fast as possible. Luckily for me, the mull left my counterpart with little resistance, and while they’re searching for answers I get to play pretty much uncontested. The last turn before I end Game 1, opponent drops a Heaped Harvest and I am suddenly starting to wonder: Could this be Pestilence?

As we sideboard the question is stuck in my head. If it’s Pestilence I need to stop the cat, I think to myself. But what if it’s not? I board in Duress plus Spellbomb, questioning every decision as we go into Game 2. Luckily for me, this time it’s the lands that leave my opponent hanging, as they’re stuck on two while I get to curve out and do what I do best. When they finally find a troll to cycle for land three they follow it up with a Duress revealing a hand that only means doom. I think, I remember Lightning Bolt, Alms as well as a Kitchen Imp. After a moment of careful consideration, they offer me their hand and tell me I got it. There’s no way for them to get out of this.

Still sitting there, Opponent shows me they also had a Weather the Storm that might’ve kept them alive for at least another turn. They say they went for Duress thinking they could maybe take a Madness spell while I am tapped out, then go for a bigger Weather next turn. I ask them about their deck choice and the Harvest. They tells me it’s Gardens. I’m just dodging bullets now.

Round 6 v Altar Tron 2-0

Five rounds in and still kicking! I can’t believe I made it this far! Round 6 I sit down with a player who tells me they already attended the first Paupergeddon a decade ago, when it was only eight people competing. Ten years later we’re sitting there with 995 other players fighting for first place. Love these stories. I get to go first and my opponent has to mull down to five once again while I am blessed with another beautiful seven. I start with an Epicure to be followed by a turn two Kitchen Imp. Meanwhile, Opponent drops an Urza’s Mine plus Candy Trail. Fuuuck, it’s Tron! I am so fucking cooked! I’m firing on all cylinders with Epicure and Imp soon being joined by another kitchen boy. I can’t win this match up. Especially Game 1 my deck can’t even reasonably slow down their combo. There’s only one way out of this for me and that is going fast. Opponent cracks their trail to keep up the life total following it up with a Myr Retriever. Their hand is slow and it’s not great, and that’s exactly what I’m preying on. I stop attacking on the ground to keep Retriever from bringing back the Trail. Let the fliers do the beating. I don’t remember much of the rest of Game 1, only that Opponent eventually drops a Golem Foundry leaving themselves open for me to do the final damage. I can’t believe I did this, I actually beat Tron Game 1!

I put in everything my Sideboard offers to fight their deck: Duress for Weather and Breath Weapon, Cast to exile Pactdoll and Retriever, Spellbomb for the yard and Confession for Fangren Marauder. I draw and look at a pretty slow hand of seven. I think it was something the likes of Tapped Land, Land, Imp, Snacker, Kiss, Cast plus one unknown. At least one answer, I think to myself as Opponent mulls down to six once more. I keep. We go and they start with a Tron Land and another Candy Trail, followed by Land two to crack the Trail. I send him the Kiss after putting down Barrens Turn 1. I‘m too slow, I tell myself. I shouldn’t have kept that hand. “Natural Tron!”, I remark, as they put down Land 3 and I prepare for their shenanigans. “No”, they answer. “Those two are the same. I’m still at three.” They’re still at three mana! Those freaking confusing artworks, man! That means there’s still time! I cycle through the Snackers drawing another Cast plus Vampire’s Kiss, then put down a second Barrens. Next turn I swing in and send the Kiss, leaving two mana open for one of the CITFs and my opponent at 13 Life. That’s what I still remember. The thing I can’t recall is what happened on the other side of the board that let to, what I think, the defining moment of the game. For some reason, my Opponent taps out in their next turn using their last remaining mana for a Chromatic Star. I think they found another Expedition Map and used it to get the final Land to assemble Tron: Urza’s Tower. They tap it to put down the Star and then pass with nothing else to do, I think, losing the remaining mana in their pool. I stop in their End Step, suddenly seeing a chance here. There’s still nothing on their board. What if the Star is their only way to filter Mana? I exile it, telling myself another Cast is more than enough, should things go south from this position. The Imp joins the Faes, swinging in for six leaving my opponent at 7. The next turn they drop a Swamp (No!) and then use it for an Eviscerator’s Insight saccing Ichor Wellspring (where did that come from?). They look at their newly drawn three, then offer their hand and tell me I got it. I can’t believe it: I actually won against Tron!

“You shouldn’t have taken this one”, my opponent tells me later while we’re still sitting there, packing up, chatting, me shaking all over from what just happened. They say they’ve been playing Tron for years and that they’ve never lost the match up. I believe them. The deck’s crazy advantaged against Madness. I ask them about the Chromatic Star. Was it the right decision? They show me their hand, revealing a Breath Weapon. I’m still shaking.

I walk out the venue to calm my nerves and hear from the others. Six out of the ten of us are still fighting. Two actually have pretty good chances to go Day 2. I’m so proud to be a part of this team! Max, Mark and Moritz make a pact not to lose any games anymore today. All four of us have our backs against the wall. They ask me to join but I decline. Somewhere between Rounds 4 and 6 I’ve started to become superstitious - and I’ve pushed my luck way too far already today!

Round 7 v UW Familiars 2-0

Tiredness starts kicking in as I sit down with my next Opponent wearing some kind of team shirt. Guess I’m in the big leagues now! I get to go first once more but then look at a hand that I’ve started to become somewhat reluctant of keeping: All burn, no creatures. I think it was two Tempers, a Looting, Mountain, Barrens, Swamp and a Bolt. Lots of damage but if the Opponent’s deck has some kind of life gain, all of that can be for naught. It’s still functional, though, with maybe a Turn 2 Looting plus Temper and another card - and going down to six can be pretty bad with the deck. I keep, and then get rewarded one more time as my Opponent mulls down to five once again (Thank you, thank you, thank you, Gods of Chaos!) I start with the Barrens and Opponent follows with a Contaminated Landscape making me realize I haven’t seen any blue yet all day. Esper, huh? What could it be? The answer follows soon after as they drop a Plains to cast a God-Pharaohs Chosen and I find myself in yet another unfavored matchup: Azorius Familiars. I snap and immediately start going face. I’ve kept the worst hand for this, but maybe if the deck’s on my side and Opponent draws bad I can steal another one. I throw in my draw spells digging for creatures only to be gifted with more burn and draw. Meanwhile, Opponent assembles Sunscape Familiar as well as Sea Gate Oracle and starts going into Shenanigans snapping the Wizard, untapping lands and casting it again. I gotta end this. Another Looting gets negated but somehow I still manage to bring my Opponent down to a critical 1 Life with Grab, Temper and Bolt still in hand. I can do this. I just need to time it well. They ephemerate an evoked Mulldrifter bringing them up to 2 but leaving them with only one Blue open. I attempt to bolt their face on End Step. They counter and go up to 3. This is it. As I go into my Turn drawing just another land an alarm signal starts ringing in my head: What if they play Foil? They just drew a milion cards with the Drifter. I got nothing else but the Grab plus Temper. If they counter the draw spell, I’m probably done for. I can’t let them have another Turn. It’s now or never. I cast the spells presenting lethal and Opponent goes into the tank. NO! Moments pass as I sit there in agony. I’ve lost, I tell myself, they’re just thinking about what cards to pitch. Another moment passes, then all of a sudden they nod and pick up their cards. What just happened!?

I board in all my Duresses and Pyros ready for Game 2 (it’s still funny to me that I didn’t use the Pyros all day). Still thinking about that last Turn I’m greeted with another sweet Voldaren/Imp-start this time. Let’s go! I don’t remember much about that second game, only that at some point I bolted the one Familiar they had, apparently slowing them down long enough for me to go the distance. First Tron, now Familiars. One more Round to go.

Packing up I ask Opponent about that last turn in Game 1. What were they thinking about? “I had a Meeting of Minds in hand”, they tell me. “I could’ve cast it but it would’ve only put me up to 4. Still dead.” Did they bring the Foil? “No.”

After we said goodbye and good luck my friend Luca comes around to tell me that the player I just beat goes by the name of Andrea Landi. You can find him online as ChaoticMTG. Apparently, he’s one of the best UW Familiars players out there and the only one who made it to Day 2 at the last Geddon. I’m kicking waaaayyyy above my level here!

Round 8 v Spy Combo 1-1

Final Round and I’m actually competing for Day 2. What the hell happened!? Please Deck, keep on giving. In front of me sits Nicolas Komanski, a Pauper player from Argentina living in the Netherlands, as I will later find out. We roll but this time I’m on the draw. Nicolas keeps a hand of 7 and I check my first: Carnarium only. First Mull reveals another one-lander, second one has no lands. The third one finally has two but no Draw and I’m stuck with a Kitchen Imp plus Lighting Bolt to at least hit their first creature. Nicolas starts with a forest and I’m starting to hope. Is this another elves!? Then he shows me a Land Grant with all Walls plus a Spy and all hope is gone. Well, guess that’s it. We play, but at this point my chances are pretty much zero. I still somehow manage to get the Imp on the field while also killing two Elves of Deep Shadow with an End the Festivities. Not much, but maybe I can make him overthink what else I have hidden in my Main Deck. He goes for an Avenging Hunter instead of the Spy. Did my trick actually work? I keep going in with the Flier. Make him think you got it, get into his head! I didn’t. The next Turn he puts down the Spy and I watch him combo off to make sure that he’s got it. He does. Still, always see it through, as Tim once told me.

Game two was the most on the edge 20 minutes I ever experienced. I had a fine starting hand of 6 with another Turn 1 Epicure into Turn 2 Kitchen Imp and a Spellbomb. Could be worse. The vampire hits the board and I pass. Nicolas Land Grants again, revealing an all green hand with no Spy but a Masked Vandal. No! The Imp comes in and I start pecking down his life total. Gotta go fast now! Nicolas puts down his Defenders but my little flier keeps at it. A Lead the Stampede is cast at some point (I think) revealing more Dorks but no Spy. I try to get through my Deck to find at least one of my two Faerie Macabres or the other Bomb, but it’s no use. A Sagu Wildling enters, but a hard cast Fiery Temper allows my brave little Imp to keep going. Still the Vandal stays in hand and so does my Bomb. At this point it’s just hoping the Spy doesn’t show up from the top. The game goes on. At some point, Nicolas keeps another card in hand. My mind starts racing. What if that’s the spy and he’s just scared of me having the Faerie? I need to put an end to this! I somehow manage to get his life total down to five but drawing for turn I’m still left with only the Imp on Board and a Land plus Faithless Looting in hand. I can’t go through another Turn like this. I rip the Looting revealing another Looting plus a second Imp. Land hits the bin and Imp the board but it’s not enough. Second Looting and… it’s the third Imp!!! I can’t believe it but it’s actually there! I fly in for six. We’re back in it!!!

Game 3 and I have to go down to five once again. Guess my luck’s all used up at this point. Oh well. At least Epicure and Imp are with me again as well as a Spellbomb. Could be worse. The third Land Grant of the round reveals another hand of Walls plus Lead the Stampede and a Dread Return. I let the Imp fly for one last battle, a little slower this time because of tapped lands. Meanwhile Nicolas stampedes and finds another Masked Vandal plus Sagu Wildling but no Spy. Not again! Wildling enters but I answer with burn and keep pushing. At some point, however, Nicolas rips another one with Winding Way, then uses the Dread Return from hand to bring back the one in the grave. What a play! The game comes to a grinding halt as we get into overtime. Still no Spy and no end to this. I manage to find my second Spellbomb but at this point I already used up most of my hand and the Wildlings stay on Defense. I got the final turn, 13 or so life still to burn through. I crack my spell bombs on end step to find some more Bolts or Draw Spells but instead get a Snacker plus Vampire’s Kiss. Time to kiss my dreams Goodbye! Blood Tokens reveal one more Bolt but it is not enough. My final match against Spy ends in a draw.

When a judge shows up to get our result, because we were the last ones playing, I tell Nicolas that we’re not ending this with neither of us going Day 2. My friend Max comes around and suggests a die roll but, apparently, that’s not allowed. Eventually, I tell Nicolas he got it and concede. I started the conversation. It’s the only thing left to do. Little sad the record doesn’t show the actual result (Leipzig’s second best with a 5-1-2 on freaking Rakdos Madness, can you believe it!?) but at least one of us made it to Day 2 this way.

Two days later I bump into Nicolas again while playing Team Trios. I ask him how he did. He tells me he made Top 32, reaching an impressive Rank 25. What a performance! I also ask him about our first Game and why he went for the Hunter instead of the Spy. He explains to me that he still had a fifth land in his library that he needed to get out. I missed that entirely!

Maybe next time I get to explain to him why I did some things the way I did! I’m already looking forward to the next Paupergeddon in March and then celebrating right into my birthday there, and I’d love to see my new friend there again. More importantly I can’t wait for another Wild Ride with this awesome team from our lovely Pauper to the People Crew! Always a blast!

Last but not least I wanna thank my lovely Anna for rooting for me during all of these rounds. I wouldn’t have done it without you!

Pauper to the People!