[EDH] Zur, the Enchanter. Ultra Competitive 1 vs 1

[menace13]

Playing a lot of EDH online lately. Only 2 creatures are Snappy and Clique. Thopter Foundry combo, and Jace are the alternate wins because swinging with Zur 21 times is kinda slow or in case Zur gets tucked/locked/stolen a millionth random way. Crucible, and Strip lock is possible but rare. Average mana cost is 2.07.

Necro-tutor with every free counterspell gets boring after a while, and so I don't play it as much as other decks despite how powerful Zur is.

[Artifact]
1 Azorius Signet
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Dimir Signet
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Sword of the Meek
1 Talisman of Dominance
1 Talisman of Progress
1 Thopter Foundry

[Creature]
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendilion Clique

[Land]
1 Academy Ruins
1 Arid Mesa
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Command Tower
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Flooded Strand
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Hallowed Fountain
5 Island
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Kor Haven
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Mystic Gate
2 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Scrubland
1 Strip Mine
1 Sunken Ruins
2 Swamp
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
1 Tolaria West
1 Tundra
1 Underground Sea
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wasteland
1 Watery Grave
1 Windswept Heath

[Planeswalker]
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

[Enchantment]
1 Aura of Silence
1 Necropotence
1 Nevermore
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Seal of Doom

[Instant]
1 Brainstorm
1 Condemn
1 Counterspell
1 Cryptic Command
1 Daze
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Flusterstorm
1 Foil
1 Forbid
1 Force of Will
1 Force Spike
1 Hinder
1 Intuition
1 Mana Drain
1 Mana Leak
1 Mana Tithe
1 Memory Lapse
1 Mental Misstep
1 Miscalculation
1 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Negate
1 Pact of Negation
1 Path to Exile
1 Remand
1 Spell Crumple
1 Spell Pierce
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Thwart
1 Vampiric Tutor

[Sorcery]
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Duress
1 Imperial Seal
1 Mind Twist
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Terminus
1 Thoughtseize
1 Vindicate

[Offler]

Contamination?

Also you got my respect. Especially because of Spin into Myth. The deck is really impressive.

[mossivo1986]

So heres the combo version I play

1-9: Snow-Covered Island
10: Tundra
11: Underground Sea
12: Scrubland
13: Hallowed Fountain
14: Watery Grave
15: Seachrome Coast
16: Darkslick Shores
17: Flooded Strand
18: Polluted Delta
19: Misty Rainforest
20: Scalding Tarn
21: Bloodstained Mire
22: Verdent Catacombs
23: Command Tower
24: City of Brass
25: Sunken Ruins
26: Ancient Tomb
27: Mikokoru, Center of Sea
28: Tolaria West
29: Academy Ruins

30: Chrome Mox
31: Mox Diamond
32: Mox Opal
33: Lotus Petal
34: Mana Crypt
35: Sol Ring
36: Mana Vault
37: Land Tax
38: Dark Ritual
39: High Tide
40: Grim Monolith
41: Talisman of Progress
42: Talisman of Dominance
43: Azorious Signet
44: Dimir Signet
45: Basalt Monolith
46: Turnabout
47: Gilded Lotus
48: Mind over Matter

49: Brainstorm
50: Ponder
51: Preordain
52: Sensei's Divining Top

53: Dark Confidant
54: Scroll Rack
55: Phyrexian Arena
56: Necropotence
57: Frantic Search
58: Intuition
59: Thirst for Knowledge
60: Timetwister
61: Yawgmoth's Will
62: Fact or Fiction
63: Jace, the Mind Sculpter
64: Ad Nauseum
65: Memory Jar
66: Future Site
67: Magus of the Future
68: Time Spiral
69: Recurring Insight
70: Mind's Desire
71: Blue Sun's zenith

72: Vampiric Tutor
73: Imperial Seal
74: Mystical Tutor
75: Enlightened Tutor
76: Demonic Tutor
77: Merchent Scroll
78: Muddle the Mixture
79: Grim Tutor
80: Fabricate
81: Trinket Mage

82: Duress
83: Thoughtseize
84: Spell Pierce
85: Mana Drain
86: Force of Will
87: Misdirection
88: Pact of Negation
89: Mind Twist

90: Chain of Vapor
91: Rushing River
92: Tidespout Tyrant
93: Terminus

94: Pithing Needle
95: Mana Severence
96: Power Artifact
97: Solitary Confinement
98: Snapcaster Mage

99: Goblin Charbelcher

100: Zur, the Enchanter

[Arew]

Seconding an updated list, I'm very much interested in this style of Zur deck.

[gzeiger]

I like your deck. This is the only one I can find in the entire internet that isn't completely and obviously garbage. However, I'm looking for thoughts on how to build for competitive (ie a one-time event with moderately significant prizes and no reward structure other than eliminating other players and winning the table) multiplayer - a tournament with pods of four players each round. Obviously some changes are in order. I wouldn't play Spin Into Myth, for example, as it's too mana intensive and too narrowly targeted.

I'm not sure if it's going to be profitable to load up on more cheap (conditional) counters, or if I'll need to include cheap answers of other kinds. It may be that Delay or Mana Leak is just fine against a Hermit Druid or Show and Tell deck, but I can imagine wanting to be able to run Zur out fast significantly more often if I'm faced with multiple opposing combo decks - we may just pass the window where it's possible to tap four and survive. Any thoughts on what you'd change?

[Bosshux]

Now that I think about it, it makes sense to just get necro all the time. Standstill is pretty situational.

How about gifts ungiven? You have quite a lot of redundancy and tutors, so it seems reasonable. Then again, just drawing cards might be better since the deck has a high threat density anyway. I mostly ask because I'm thinking of making my own deck which might include gifts.

So just to clarify, without something like reliq tower, its not possible to get more than 7 cards in hand from necropotence right? The new version of necro says they go in your hand at the beginning of the end step so you still have to discard at the end of turn? A friend pointed this out to me. I guess I was wrong to swing with zur grabbing necro, drawing 25 and swinging next turn grabbing empyrial armor on the stack killing him?

[kombatkiwi]

So just to clarify, without something like reliq tower, its not possible to get more than 7 cards in hand from necropotence right? The new version of necro says they go in your hand at the beginning of the end step so you still have to discard at the end of turn? A friend pointed this out to me. I guess I was wrong to swing with zur grabbing necro, drawing 25 and swinging next turn grabbing empyrial armor on the stack killing him?

You're correct, that play doesn't work

[Sempai]

Did we ever get an updated list for this?

Very excited to see the 2015 version.

[TestMonkey]

For a deck that is mentioned so often there is very little discussion about him.

Here is the combo/control version I am currently running. Designed to fight Derevi which can be a really bad matchup for Zur if you're relying on Zur activating.

General (1)
1x Zur the Enchanter

Creature (3)
1x Dark Confidant
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Trinket Mage

Artifact (18)
1x Azorius Signet
1x Basalt Monolith
1x Chrome Mox
1x Dimir Signet
1x Expedition Map
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Grim Monolith
1x Lotus Petal
1x Mana Crypt
1x Mana Vault
1x Mox Diamond
1x Mox Opal
1x Scroll Rack
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Sol Ring
1x Spellbook
1x Talisman of Dominance
1x Talisman of Progress

Instant (28)
1x Angel's Grace
1x Arcane Denial
1x Boomerang
1x Brainstorm
1x Cabal Ritual
1x Chain of Vapor
1x Counterspell
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Dark Ritual
1x Enlightened Tutor
1x Force of Will
1x Frantic Search
1x High Tide
1x Mana Drain
1x Misdirection
1x Muddle the Mixture
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Pact of Negation
1x Pongify
1x Rapid Hybridization
1x Rewind
1x Silence
1x Stroke of Genius
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Thirst for Knowledge
1x Turnabout
1x Vampiric Tutor

Sorcery (17)
1x Bribery
1x Cataclysm
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Duress
1x Exsanguinate
1x Gitaxian Probe
1x Imperial Seal
1x Merchant Scroll
1x Ponder
1x Preordain
1x Reanimate
1x Terminus
1x Thoughtseize
1x Timetwister
1x Toxic Deluge
1x Windfall
1x Yawgmoth's Will

Enchantment (7)
1x Bitterblossom
1x Contamination
1x Land Tax
1x Necromancy
1x Necropotence
1x Power Artifact
1x Prison Term

Land (26)
1x Ancient Tomb
1x City of Brass
1x Command Tower
1x Darkslick Shores
1x Flooded Strand
1x Hallowed Fountain
9x Island
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Polluted Delta
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Scrubland
1x Seachrome Coast
1x Sunken Ruins
1x Tolaria West
1x Tundra
1x Underground Sea
1x Watery Grave

[ivanpei]

Looks like a multiplayer combo kill version rather than a volton one. I like it, looks good. Zur is just simply a walking necropotence or power artifact.

I also have created the ultimate 1 card combo with Zur: Doomsday.

Have Doomsday in hand, if Zur lives and comes back untapped, you win on the spot. Swing with Zur, get Necro. Cast Doomsday. Pile is: Flash, Lab Maniac, Street Wraith, Pact of Negation, Force of Will/ any counter.

So basically you draw out your deck with Necro, pass the turn, get the cards. During the next players upkeep, cast flash, drop Lab Maniac with Force/Pact backup, then cycle street wraith FTW.

It's a super nasty 1 card combo with Zur as a general. Costs Zur in play, Doomsday in hand and 6 mana. With rituals and ramp, it's really easy to pull this off early.

[TestMonkey]

Good suggestion. I've been considering adding Doomsday so that I can increase my threat density. Extract, Jester's Cap and Sadistic Sacrament has been problems in the past. So far I have it down to adding only 3 cards to make it work. Breakthrough, Laboratory Maniac and Doomsday. Doomsday to pile of Breakthrough, Gitaxian Probe, Reanimate, Lab Maniac and whatever card. Wins the following turn for 2UB. Kinda sketchy because it doesn't have built in counter back up but for the addition of only three card it's nice. What to cut though...

[TheZurGod]

I was happy to see intelligent discussion about Doomsday
as I've been interested in trying it. I own
the best version of Zur I've encountered. I've
travelled far and wide and wreck every EDH league, GP,
SCG OPEN EDH event in existence. I've won around $2,000
in prizes with this broken general. I'd like to point out my strategy.
33 land, EVERY good search card: tutors, lim-dul's vault, Tainted Pact,
Demonic Consultation, Muddle the Mixture, etc. I win primarily by:
swinging with Zur - fetching Mana Vortex, Contamination/Bitterblossom,
fetching Power Artifact to suit up a Monolith and either Exsanguinating or
Stroke of Genius (myself - play Talisman, play Laboratory Maniac, play
Sensei's Divining Top, WIN).
To win an uncut sheet of Theros Rares/Mythics at GP Louisville,
I played Lab Maniac turn one with Mana Crypt and used Demonic Consultation/
Tainted Pact at upkeep of turn 2 to deck myself and win.
I am THEE Zur expert. I don't lose 1v1. I don't lose multiplayer. I don't fear
another general. I win. A lot.

[kombatkiwi]

I'm not a huge fan of Doomsday or Labman. Once you have untapped with Zur winning from that point is usually academic anyway. You don't need additional combos that only work after you've fetched up a Necro and are essentially dead cards beforehand. (Weird consult play above notwithstanding). Same thing goes for stuff like Exsanguinate/Stroke. Admittedly this is somewhat of a metagame call and also whether you prefer 1v1 or multi but it's so hard to lose with a Necro in play (even if you have to go for your D-Sphere or something first) that it just doesn't seem worth it.

The one combo I do like to play is RIP/Helm
- Only needs 2 cards in play and 2 slots in your deck (Power Artifact + Monolith + X is 3 cards in play, Doomsday is a "one card combo" but causes you to brick on bizarre stuff like Labman and Flash)
- Zur finds half of it
- Only 1 slot is a dud because RIP is reasonable disruption on its own (nice Hermit Druid bruh)

[TestMonkey]

My meta is pretty hateful so the while the "Zur swings and you've won scenario" is true most of the time (it does whiff from time to time) it doesn't happen consistently. Due to the Zur paradox (wanting to get out Zur quickly makes him difficult to protect and allowing him to be protected makes it hard to get him out quickly) he gets targeted a lot. Whether its Gilded Drake, Derevi with sac outlet tapping him down before every combat or just good old-fashioned removal, I plan for Zur to get hated on and try not to rely on him turning sideways.

My opponents have started putting in cards like Extract which can cripple the deck because while the it is very strong if a few key cards are removed you're force into playing kingmaker for the rest of the game. Which sucks. Thus why I'm putting in additional win conditions.

I'm not the hugest fan of Doomsday either but I'm just experimenting with secondary win conditions. I don't use RIP/Helm because it's in conflict with me using one of the most broken cards ever printed in Magic, Yawgmoth's Will. Also it's always awkward when you kill one opponent, pass the turn and try to look innocent. I early on used Goblin Charbelcher/Mana Severence and usually could only got to kill one opponent before the piece was dealt with and there was a giant target put on my forehead.

[TestMonkey]

Started testing Monastery Mentor as the secondary win condition and so far it seems very promising.