Conquering your Commander: Zur the Enchanter EDH / CMDR guide for Magic: The Gathering

[@kyojitakenouchi9706]

I like the astral slide Zur that commander vs and mtggoldfish have done over the last year. Built mine for a little under $100 and I love it.

[@MTGMuddstah]

I'd be interested in seeing a list if you want to send it to me!

[@kyojitakenouchi9706]

MTG Muddstah I need to update it from the initial list but I'll send a link to you on Twitter

[@MTGMuddstah]

Awesome! I'm looking forward to it.

[@breku826]

I've always seen lists, but I've never understood it's wincon. How does it win?

[@ArmadilloAl]

I just built this deck after Hour as well, and played it for the first time this week. So far I've learned that 1) the deck does poorly when it stalls on three lands, two of which are the only two colorless non-cycling lands in the deck, and 2) it snowballs pretty hard when nobody ever removes Zur *or* your enchantments So, in other words, I know exactly nothing of any value. Usually, you just win through sheer value or Drake Haven/Faith of the Devoted, although Approach of the Second Sun is surprisingly good if you want a more direct win con.

[@90kalos1]

Steel of the Godhead and Greater Auramancy are two of the best things to tutor for with Zur. Also fetching Nevermore and naming their commander is hilariously mean

[@frankvanderwaals6034]

Zur is my first commander deck that I've ever built and it has seen many changes. Firstly, I do think enlightened tutor is a good card, because it can look for artifacts too! My main strategy now, is that I've built the deck around getting two triggers at the same time. This I realise with strionic resonator, the lithoform engine and one of the Sakashimae. This way you can build some really really interesting and brutal combo's. Examples of trios of enchantments I run: Voltron: All that glitters + phyresis or double strike enchantment Discard: Waste not + Words of waste + megrim Protection: Diplomatic immunity + Gift of immortality Control: darksteel mutation, grasp of fate, imprisoned in the moon, detention sphere, nevermore Draw: necropotence, rhystic and mystic remora Other enchantments: Animate dead and eidolon of rhetoric. I run 17/18 enchantments and the rest is acceleration, draw (wheels preferably), recursion, permanent removal and counter magic. It works like a dream. Which enchantments do you guys n gals run?

[@mrmaggot6699]

I strongly disagree with this video. Asking people if they pay the one mana for Rhystic Study NEVER gets old.

[@MTGMuddstah]

Lol!

[@arkandreamwalker]

It does for the the opponents though, and then they target you/the Rhystic Study.

[@JohnSmith-vk9ds]

A great pick for a Zur deck that I hardly ever see anyone talk about is Scroll Rack. When you're dealing with a deck design where a significant portion of it is better off in your library than in your hand, I don't think there's a more effective tool for swapping out those two than Scroll Rack. Scroll Rack is made even more effective by the fact that you are shuffling away that stack you just made every time Zur attacks.

[@JohnSmith-vk9ds]

Another incredible pick for a Zur deck that I think anyone looking to run it should be aware of is Solitary Confinement. It's a 3-drop white enchantment that gives you (the player) shroud and prevents all damage that would otherwise be done to you. Outside of an exceedingly small group of specific combinations, like Ichor Rats + Proliferate, you are untouchable unless they get rid of it. The downside is you skip your draw step and you have to discard a card during your upkeep or sacrifice Solitary Confinement. But this drawback can be essentially ignored indefinitely via Necropotence and any effect that gives Zur lifelink. If you are already slotting Necropotence, I would recommend Solitary Confinement over any of the other cards that put costs on attackers. Combine with Greater Auramancy and then Copy Enchantment (Greater Auramancy), and you've locked yourself down entirely unless they have an effect that removes all enchantments. You can essentially hold all your counters for such things, and even if they do sneak something through, Replenish puts everything right back.

[@ManWithTheMask13]

I recently built Zur when MM17 came out and immediately liked the playstyle. It's a really cool combination of an enchantress deck and control, I think that Voltron builds struggle to get there because they don't have any extra combat steps or protection from sac effects. The other main builds are the infamous Doomsday Zur which is evil and constant and the classic cycling Zur with Slide and Haven which is a ton of fun but doesn't fully get there. I run mostly just Enchantress - Prison control since you can slow down the board and eventually kill someone with Ethereal Armor. Thanks for doing this deck tech, Zur can be a super competitive deck to really challenge other decks and i'm super happy you spotlighted this deck.

[@juniorgonzales9413]

Best combo I've pulled off with Zur is solemnity and reality twist 😂

[@charlesyun7803]

I love my fully tuned Shimmer Zur

[@54m0h7]

One of the old cards I've been itching to find a place would probably fit nicely in a Zur deck. The card is Reconnaissance. From Exodus, one White mana enchantment with {0}: Remove target attacking creature you control from combat and untap it. So if your opponents board is too good you can attack, get your trigger, then remove him from combat.

[@MTGMuddstah]

Yep! Great suggestion. I love the card in my Derevi deck.

[@NeilFosterTheDarkGameMaster]

one other interaction that many people don't understand is after your creatures do damage but before combat ends you can still target your creatures. this gives your creatures pseudo vigilance and you still can see how your opponent blocks

[@ChristiantrospectiveGamer]

The other thing nice about Zur is that you can go God tribal, and although you can't automatically get Erebos, Phenax, Ephara, or Heliod, you CAN auto grab Athreos and Thassa...those are two big indestructible bodies that will give opponents pause. Also, the main reason I would disagree with you about using Enlightened Tutor is because it can be used to grab Strionic Resonator, which allows Zur to grab two enchantments every time he attacks.

[@urawhat]

I like your suggestions as a recovered Zurich player I can definately no matter how "unique" your build he is a auto target always. Because of this you are put in a position that isn't fun. You either make your deck strong enough to control three other decks and always play archenemy or you loose. What I mean by this is although you already want to be able to beat 3 other decks most of the time its obe threat at a time not all against you the entire time. Because of this I think it would havr been good to cover two builds competitive and casual and cards that are easily swapped to make it go obe way or the other.

[@adams333]

Zur is OP. Usually, the number 2 target after necropotence is Vanishing ( phase out for 2 mana )

[@MTGMuddstah]

Yea, Vanishing is another goodie.

[@sammysammyson]

I run budget Voltron Zur. It's primarily Auras (Curator's Ward and Shielded by Faith are usually my first two tutors 😗✌️) and otherwise it controls the board to kill quickly with commander damage. There are a few other things. Oh also, Spirit of the Labyrinth couples very well with Necropotence since he can tutor for both. Greater Auramancy and a way to copy is also great, but keep in mind that you won't be able to cast Auras onto Zur if he has shroud from it.

[@JohnSmith-kc8mv]

I have a friend whom use to run Zur a crap load, he doesn't anymore.... But when things in our meta start getting slippery and people play Kess and Tefferi i do see him make Zur sometimes. I have come to realize that if you play Zur right, you can almost effectively have and answer to anything... And i like that he can stop big combo decks pretty easily with things like grasp of fate and rule of law. Depending how you make him Zur can basically just be a combo piece himself as with the doomsday Zur builds... He really is a great commander for if you are just starting out in a more competitive EDH meta. A commander that should never go unchecked.

[@JinxingEdititng]

I like how you don't cover Doomsday Zur or Zur Prison and chose a while still powerful a more moderate way of playing him

[@Xfinit]

Would love to see a video on partners (eg Reyhan and Ishai : +1/+1 counters). Keep the good work ! Love your videos.

[@tappedoutgaminguk4405]

I play Zur but I play the more fun Zur Slide. I feel that if you play a normal Zur deck then you're most likely to get hated off the table because most decks try a combo off as soon as possible.

[@plattbonnay]

Definitely disagree with your Enlightened Tutor analysis. It gives you another way to find your rocks early, and with so many cheap enchantments, its not unreasonable to just hardcast some of them.

[@kwikdraw7332]

plattbonnay *cough cough* Lightning Greaves *cough*

[@robspear03]

...and the 3< mana cost enchantments, like Moat, Sphere of Safety or as stated, Greaves/Boots and rocks.

[@rykersixx]

Yeah I run a zur deck and enlightened is an all star. Normally use it to get an artifact but it is also good when your foes know to keep Zur off the battlefield and you need an enchantment.

[@kennethmurray9003]

@@kwikdraw7332 Diplomatic Immunity for free

[@samb123078]

With the new set Zur got a bunch of new toys. Especially solemnity. Solemnity with decree of silence locks your opponents out of the game completely. Solemnity with phyrexian unlife makes you immortal. Of course there is glacial chasm and solemnity as well. Lots of ways to become immortal with Zur, like RIP and force field, RIP and web of inertia also works well to prevent anyone from attacking you. I would run enlightened tutor for enchantment that cost more than 3, like decree of silence, enchanted evening, leyline of pain, and debtor's kneel. I personally run lots of land destruction like Armageddon and ravages of war then search out a as foretold. Other MLD are cataclysm and global ruin. Mana votex also slowly kills all lands each upkeep. Academy rector will act as Zur but for any enchantment. Lost auramancers is recurable and works great with solemnity. My personal favorite way to win is enchanted evening and aura thief. Use Zur to fetch out Martyr's cause and take control of everything. I also recommend mistviel plains if you aren't using RIP/plane void cards and serra's sanctum.

[@brycecrouse6886]

If you hate fun, you could also consider running the Pariah + Shielded by Faith combo or the Solemnity + Phyrexian Unlife one.

[@arkandreamwalker]

Necropotence/Phyrexian Arena + Solitary Confinement. (+ Greater Auramancy/Curator's Ward)

[@kennethmurray9003]

blanket of night, Withering Wisps and mostly snow covered swamps, islands and plains - janky but fun

[@OGTahoe3]

Command quarters and the professor did a stax zur and its glorious. And Phyresis makes it easy to kill

[@downcastpython346]

Combo zur is my personal preference. Traumatize and fraying sanity, approach of the second sun and necropotence, stuffy doll guilty conscience, solemnity decree of silence, solemnity delaying shield, solemnity phyrexian unlife, bloodchief ascension mindcrank. Then run alot of jail and counterspells to make sure you wont be stopped trying to execute the combos on unsuspecting opponents.

[@downcastpython346]

Also run a voltron package with empyrial armor and ethereal armor as a back up.

[@90kalos1]

Other good choices for Voltron are Steel of the Godhead, which gives +2/+2 unblockable and lifelink, armament of nyx which gives double strike and Daybreak Coronet which gives +3/+3 first strike, vigilance and lifelink. I also run Sun Titan and Bruna Light of Alabaster as back up win cons and Sovereigns of Lost Alara because why search for one Aura when you can get two instead.

[@des-trina]

Steel of the godhead and diplomatic immunity are must runs in a Zur Voltron deck.

[@chewdustfreeze]

Zur with necropotence and empyrial armor is quite nasty

[@AuraXars]

Steel of the godhand as a aura is so good

[@VictorCastillo-cd3gz]

My zur, the enchantress deck is build around solemnity and cumulative upkeeps effects as well as a bunch of ways to protect the enchantment and a bit of counters and also is a pillow fort/prison deck It is nasty getting solemnity and decree of silence, ps lost auramancer is quite good with solemnity

[@90kalos1]

Im assuming if you run Solemnity you are also running Phyrexian Unlife....because if you arent you really should be

[@kimmuwattrel]

Please do "Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" I want to make a deck out of him and ai really trust your insights.

[@Assterix]

I mean, zur is just a super easy combo that is pretty simple and very consistent ex. Aetherflux reservoir + mana rocks + something that will bounce your mana rocks

[@bcgohan]

Retether and Winds of Rath, nuff said

[@90kalos1]

Also Enchanted Evening is a hilarious card in this deck (mega value out of Ethereal Armor) and a game restarter with Parsalene

[@naumchomsky8840]

The face I keep seeing in that nebula background is terrifying.

[@DatsVatSheSaid]

I got me a Zur Prison deck..it keeps things pleasant

[@tempestandacomputer6951]

I pull out my Zur stax deck once I am salty that my other dumb decks haven't been winning.

[@DAsrada]

Reito Lantern is interesting tech.

[@deangullberry457]

Love all your content keep it up

[@firefivefore189]

Can you try to conquer Neheb, the Worthy

[@MTGMuddstah]

I'll add him to the list! I'm hoping to get a recording of a game with him tonight.

[@LeeeroyJensen]

No love for Diplomatic Immunity?

[@PlotwistInc]

I'm thinking that shroud would interfere with any aura's that would try to enchant him. It wouldn't be my first pick.

[@kennethmurray9003]

@@PlotwistInc shroud does not interfere with Zur's ability

[@bradcallahan3546]

Only stops hardcasting

[@angrywombat2379]

Love these videos.

[@LaserfaceJones]

Enchantment wise, I prefer Uril as my Voltron commander. Blessing of the Nephilim is a 1 Mana +5/+5, and punching dudes is a-okay

[@dreddbolt]

Zur is like Kaalia. They're both party poopers. Zur wants to stick around and be the absolute center of attention, sucking the fun out of the atmosphere, where as Kaalia just wants to ruin the party quickly and leave abruptly. Playing Forced Fruition in a Nekusar EDH deck is basically asking for the whole table's aggro.

[@patrickh5490]

Recommendations: Diplomatic Immunity Reconnaissance

[@kennethmurray9003]

Reconnaissance targets and can't be used on shrouded creature

[@lbrnth1358]

Can you make a video about olivia commander please

[@mathGaud]

2022 update ? Would be sweet to see

[@fairygoodmuller8065]

please can you film a commander game using the 4 c17 decks?

[@MTGMuddstah]

The plan is to do just that once I'm back in Jersey.

[@ZCid47]

Can you take a look to the reaper king?

[@MTGMuddstah]

I'll add them to the list!

[@Sharmarke_Holif]

can we see a jeleva nephalia's scourge conquering your commander? i wanna see some jeleva and jhoira storm :)

[@naomisalama430]

the man with the plan have you seen Cameron sadler's list?

[@outlawgaming893]

2 words Diplomatic Immunity

[@TheVaultDescendant]

I dont like scry on Zur since you will be shuffling a lot, seems super bad :P

[@kyojitakenouchi9706]

TheVaultDescendant you can stack the triggers to search first then scry 1.

[@TheVaultDescendant]

Yes but hopefully you will do it again next turn right? So every time you scry it only affects it for one draw

[@Kurogetsu1]

TheVaultDescendant Being able to manipulate your topdeck is always good. Also as it was mentioned before, a lot of the low cost enchantments are essentially dead draws because of the toolbox nature of zur. Putting them to the bottom before your draw step is almost always the right call

[@PenThoPlayer]

The only Zur deck I play against is a Doomsday/Storm deck.

[@matthewatkison7526]

Winds of rath?

[@cloneman5236]

can you do a Damia, Sage of Stone control/ramp type deck?

[@urawhat]

Cloneman523 I have a very strong Damia list I can message you when I get time if you would like.

[@cloneman5236]

sure, make the list on tappedout and send a link

[@cloneman5236]

sure post the deck link

[@cloneman5236]

I would like that list

[@1321Jester]

I like the cycle zur deck, i hate the stax deck

[@ModelOmegaForReal]

reh-ter-ic, not reh-TOR-ic. otherwise, nice tech, even tho I hate Zur and I hate playing against it because it is goddamn miserable if they keep it out for 1 swing...

[@NerdBallPodcast]

ModelOmega I think it is ironic that you correct the pronunciation of rhetoric yet use "tho" rather than "though" in your comment.

[@vonmatrices]

Ban Rhystic Study

[@oscardarkblade]

I hate stasis...and that is something people that play Zur here in our community, plays a LOT...they might as well play alone