---
name: "Rakdos the Defiler"
mana_cost: "{2}{B}{B}{R}{R}"
cmc: 6
type_line: "Legendary Creature — Demon"
colors: []
color_identity: ["B", "R"]
keywords: ["Flying", "Trample"]
set: "GK2"
set_name: "RNA Guild Kit"
collector_number: "71"
rarity: "rare"
artist: "Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai"
oracle_id: "789bf406-38f0-4888-b2ff-c4a95ac79283"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/rakdos-the-defiler-gk2"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "not_legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "legal"
---

# Rakdos the Defiler
- **Mana Cost:** `{2}{B}{B}{R}{R}` (CMC: 6)
- **Type:** Legendary Creature — Demon
- **Keywords:** Flying, Trample

## Oracle Text
Flying, trample
Whenever Rakdos attacks, sacrifice half the non-Demon permanents you control, rounded up.
Whenever Rakdos deals combat damage to a player, that player sacrifices half the non-Demon permanents they control of their choice, rounded up.

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [Rakdos, Patron of Chaos](/printing/rakdos-patron-of-chaos-mkm.md) — Legendary Creature — Demon
2. [Rakdos, the Muscle](/printing/rakdos-the-muscle-otj.md) — Legendary Creature — Demon Mercenary
3. [Rakdos, the Showstopper](/printing/rakdos-the-showstopper-clu.md) — Legendary Creature — Demon
4. [Rakdos, Lord of Riots](/printing/rakdos-lord-of-riots-dsc.md) — Legendary Creature — Demon
5. [Demon of Loathing](/printing/demon-of-loathing-thb.md) — Creature — Demon
6. [Desecration Demon](/printing/desecration-demon-fdn.md) — Creature — Demon

## Printing Details
- **Set:** RNA Guild Kit (GK2) #71
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Artist:** Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
- **Total Printings:** 2 across all historical editions

## Format Legalities
Commander: `legal` | Standard: `not_legal` | Modern: `legal` | Pioneer: `not_legal` | Legacy: `legal` | Vintage: `legal` | Pauper: `not_legal` | Penny: `legal`

## Official Rulings
- *(2006-05-01)* A permanent with the subtype Demon, including Rakdos the Defiler itself, can't be sacrificed this way.
- *(2006-05-01)* To calculate the number of permanents that must be sacrificed, count the number of permanents the affected player controls that don't have the subtype Demon, then divide that number in half and round up. For example, a player who controls eleven non-Demon permanents will need to sacrifice six of them.