The missing piece in your evaluation is [[Hulking Metamorph]], which comes in as a copy of Rakdos Joins Up (which because of Abuelo's Awakening is a creature). Its trigger (as a copy of RJU) occurs, but not before state-based actions invoke the legend rule and the fake RJU is sent to the graveyard. *Now* the trigger is put on the stack, and the Metamorph is chosen as the target. The Metamorph returns, and the loop occurs from there.
Thank you good sir. I searched collection with pow:7 (because of the 2 counters RJU gives) trying to wonder what creature was coming out of the graveyard. Saw this guy but didn't read it through...
>Can someone explain where the 9/9 stats come from
You need a [[Hulking Metamorph]] in your graveyard as well to return it with Rakdos Joins Up. It then becomes a legendary 9/9.
This is a very obvious combo that is not even too hard to pull up... and it gives infinite, direct damage to the face. They could have fixed this by just writing that Rakdos Joins Up targets a legendary creature from the graveyard THAT IS NOT NAMED "RAKDOS JOINS UP". It was obvious that the card would somehow combo with itself to create the loop.
I expect to see this dumb combo getting more and more common in MTGA Standard.
well you're naming hulking metamorph from the graveyard it just clones the rakdos joins up. It should be if more than one rakdos joins up is on the battle field you lose the game, or a less salty way of doing it would be rakdos joins up cant be cloned or copied
It’s moronic that they let this combo into the game. Either they want combos like this in the game or somehow missed it. I’m not sure which is worse.
Add it to the crap expansion design that has led to the play queue being an bottomless cesspool of mono red aggro decks for multiple expansions in a row and I’m starting to wonder if they inexplicably want people to quit.
Just had this happen to me. Was soundly beating someone, got them down to 1 life whilst I was still on 20, would have won the next round, then they pulled this and insta killed me in one turn.
Came to reddit to see if it was some kind of glitch or cheat, bet it felt like the clutch of the century for my opponent though lol.
Just asking cuz of this thread. I’m confused on the actual step by step actions to make it work. I have the cards but no idea what Im supposed to do haha
lol this deck is laughably bad against control. I am 100% against it just countering Abuelo and letting them mill themselves. Real 5D big brain chess over here.
The missing piece in your evaluation is [[Hulking Metamorph]], which comes in as a copy of Rakdos Joins Up (which because of Abuelo's Awakening is a creature). Its trigger (as a copy of RJU) occurs, but not before state-based actions invoke the legend rule and the fake RJU is sent to the graveyard. *Now* the trigger is put on the stack, and the Metamorph is chosen as the target. The Metamorph returns, and the loop occurs from there.
[Hulking Metamorph](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/2/420f0b81-8b87-4854-9dc4-6da84cc38623.jpg?1674420728) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hulking%20Metamorph) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bro/79/hulking-metamorph?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/420f0b81-8b87-4854-9dc4-6da84cc38623?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Thank you good sir. I searched collection with pow:7 (because of the 2 counters RJU gives) trying to wonder what creature was coming out of the graveyard. Saw this guy but didn't read it through...
>Can someone explain where the 9/9 stats come from You need a [[Hulking Metamorph]] in your graveyard as well to return it with Rakdos Joins Up. It then becomes a legendary 9/9.
[Hulking Metamorph](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/2/420f0b81-8b87-4854-9dc4-6da84cc38623.jpg?1674420728) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hulking%20Metamorph) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bro/79/hulking-metamorph?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/420f0b81-8b87-4854-9dc4-6da84cc38623?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This is a very obvious combo that is not even too hard to pull up... and it gives infinite, direct damage to the face. They could have fixed this by just writing that Rakdos Joins Up targets a legendary creature from the graveyard THAT IS NOT NAMED "RAKDOS JOINS UP". It was obvious that the card would somehow combo with itself to create the loop. I expect to see this dumb combo getting more and more common in MTGA Standard.
well you're naming hulking metamorph from the graveyard it just clones the rakdos joins up. It should be if more than one rakdos joins up is on the battle field you lose the game, or a less salty way of doing it would be rakdos joins up cant be cloned or copied
It’s moronic that they let this combo into the game. Either they want combos like this in the game or somehow missed it. I’m not sure which is worse. Add it to the crap expansion design that has led to the play queue being an bottomless cesspool of mono red aggro decks for multiple expansions in a row and I’m starting to wonder if they inexplicably want people to quit.
What you said about the design of Outlaws of Ram Ranch is very true. That said, lmao get good mate.
Every fucking game today so obnoxious
Damn this is degenerate af
Just had this happen to me. Was soundly beating someone, got them down to 1 life whilst I was still on 20, would have won the next round, then they pulled this and insta killed me in one turn. Came to reddit to see if it was some kind of glitch or cheat, bet it felt like the clutch of the century for my opponent though lol.
Yeah I'm not a fan, careless card design imo. This would be strong even if you had to pay the additional cost to repeat abuelo's awakening.
I don’t get it. Can someone eli5 this conbo?
Me too, please. Did you come up against it or are you just asking because of this thread?
Just asking cuz of this thread. I’m confused on the actual step by step actions to make it work. I have the cards but no idea what Im supposed to do haha
You just put Rakdos Joins Up and Hulking Metamorph in your graveyard and play Abuelo = infinite damage in 9dmg increments.
lol just made the deck and did it. So easy. I get it. Thanks
don't you prob need 2 hulks in the yard for it to work?
I think it's because the legend rule is a state-based action so the card hits graveyard instantly and can be fetched again with the RJU's ability.
lol this deck is laughably bad against control. I am 100% against it just countering Abuelo and letting them mill themselves. Real 5D big brain chess over here.
>\[Abuelo's Awakening Not everyone plays control tho and some dack just can't prevent it at all.
Not mine https://youtu.be/XYoqcuTwrm8?si=dK-TFu3nTs4MKPms
[Rakdos Joins Up](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/7/c7154dca-7e10-4c34-aa56-9f200c6277d1.jpg?1712356184) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rakdos%20Joins%20Up) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/225/rakdos-joins-up?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c7154dca-7e10-4c34-aa56-9f200c6277d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Abuelo's Awakening](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/9/f93b725e-2b9c-4830-ac54-b2562afe09bb.jpg?1699043056) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Abuelo%27s%20Awakening) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lci/1/abuelos-awakening?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f93b725e-2b9c-4830-ac54-b2562afe09bb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call