Rainbow's End
Rainbow's End is the path with the most variable power level. What I enjoy, as a deckbuilder, is the control I have over that variance. It could draw a card every turn! Broken, right? It also grants the unique ability to replace lane enchantments, something otherwise reserved for deserts. These abilities open up a lot of interesting possibilities when it comes to building a deck. So how do we make it work?
What are the requirements?
Enchantments! Like Journey of Souls, Rainbow's End is built around a card type, and requires a certain number of that type to be effective. Similarly, there is no magic number required; it depends how and when you intend to use the enchantments. Taking the most simple view, ten enchantments will net you a bonus card every four turns, which matches the baseline. If you have mad divination skills, or are lady-luck incarnate, you can get by with less. If you are fine with a steady stream of bonus cards, especially if you don't need to play them, 13-15 is a good number. And, if you hate paying mana to draw cards, some decks can function with 20+.
What makes it good?
Rainbow's End becomes especially powerful when you can make use of all of its perks. The +7 starting life is always good. But as Rainbow decks often have a better draw rate than the baseline, they benefit from longer games. The higher life total makes it easier to achieve this.
The pursuit discount is far more powerful for cards like Serpent's Den and Soma Oasis than it is for something like Demolition Speedway. Don't tailor your deck to this, but always be aware of this bonus when playing.
Playing enchantments that you don't want to play(immediately)? The more enchantments in your deck, the more likely you are to draw one. Overall, you will draw more cards if the enchantments in your deck are situational, or ones designed to be played later in the game. This way you can freely burn them early, then redraw and use them later. Potentially, "double-dipping" on some enchantments.
Enchantments that you want to, or don't care if you, replace. This allows for some very powerful turns. You haven't lived until you play an Armageddon Angel or Sapo, the Devourer on turn 5.
Cards that thin the deck, or reshuffle cards back in to the deck.
Divination. Kind of. You get more of a benefit from playing divination effects when you have a lower enchantment ratio. This involves math. I will spare you the details, but the calculator I linked is very handy to learn how to use.
What archetypes?
Rainbow's End is most commonly seen in control decks. These decks try to extend the game by playing controlling enchantments banking on their better than average draw rate to give the advantage long term.
Conversely, it can be used effectively in Aggro decks. These decks tend to play just minions and buffing enchantments, hoping to use a few extra buffs early to end the game quickly as in the long run they will draw less cards than their opponent. The other advantage of this approach...they either get a free card or more gas.
Midrange decks prefer the consistency of Turn of Seasons, so are unlikely to taste the rainbow.
What Powers?
There is a pretty even split overall between Impel and Reconstruct when it comes to Rainbow. The Aggro decks will almost exclusively use Impel, as having their minions on the enchantments is critical. While the control decks try to generate incremental advantage by generating minions through Reconstruct. The more minion heavy control decks, or those using Serpent Den, may also opt for Impel, depending on how much they value moving minions freely.
The Divination power is used sometimes, but overall is somewhat underwhelming. It would give the most benefit in a deck digging for specific cards that could default to snagging an enchantment when they miss their target.
Playing with Rainbow's End
To maximize the value of Rainbow's End the goal is always to keep as many enchantments in the deck as possible. This means they are the ideal burn targets, or shuffle targets for Bragi Runesinger and Shopworn Bull.
Use your pursuit. Some enchantments are extra powerful when played a turn earlier.
Don't get too attached to your enchantments. Sometimes it is correct to replace powerful enchantments for a mana boost, or to give a lane a new effect. For example, replacing a Serpent Den, with an active snake, with a Goliath's Web to kill the big overrun minion they just played.
You are probably going to have a lot of enchantments, so have a plan where you are going to place them. Place defensive enchantments like Soma's Oasis and Serpent Den in lanes 2 & 6. Place enchantments that benefit from minions beside those so you have a good place to move your minions.
Pray, dance, spam-click, or sell your soul, do whatever you can to make the top card of your deck an enchantment.
Sometimes you won't draw cards. Even playing 20 enchantments I have gone to turn 7 without an extra draw. The only thing to do in these situations is to swear. Then remember that you decided to add this much variance to your deck, and that just last game you drew an extra card 4 of the first 5 turns.
Playing against Rainbow's End
Watch their end step. See if they are drawing extra cards or not. If not, the top is a non-enchantment card. This will at least give you some idea about the contents of their hand.
Do they seem to be drawing a lot of extra cards? Are they cheating? They must be cheating. Chances are they are playing a high number of enchantments and want to bury you in card advantage. It's times like this that even control decks must become offensive, because even they won't be favoured in a long game.
Be aware of their ability to ramp, or spend extra mana. Perhaps they get to replace a Sandscape with a Demolition Speeday, clear your minion, and also drop a Bragi on 4 mana. Or maybe that Misanthropia or Armageddon Angel can come down faster than you thought.
The End of the Rainbow
If you can handle the extra variance this is an extremely powerful path. It will take both some knowledge and experimentation to find the right ratio of enchantments for your deck. But that is where the fun lies. Keeping searching for that pot of gold!
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