Contents:
i. Why Play Zedruu?
ii. How Does Zedruu Win?
iii. The Deck
iv. The Breakdown
v. Match-ups
vi. Change Log
i. Why Play Zedruu?
Before you read the rest, here is a little bit about what playing Zedruu in this fashion means for your opponents. Zedruu the Greathearted has always been regarded as a 'group hug' sort of commander; kind of like Phelddagrif, Braids, Conjurer Adept, and friends. However, in a parallel universe, Zedruu can be built to support a heavy control build that shuts the game down while keeping you more or less invulnerable. The deck is a tool box, specific to my playgroup. I don't run things like Rest in Peace for example, because I don't run up against enough graveyard based decks for it to be a must have. My best advice is to use my list as a guide and swap out arguably less useful things in your playgroup for more relevant things.
The set up is very simple: Drop global (and frankly, masochistic) effects and donate them either with Zedruu or other effects, reap life and draws, wait for scoops. Yes, I said it, wait for scoops. Zedruu is in it for the long run, she is a slow moving fortress in the sky, specializing in crippling and prohibiting effects while becoming harder and harder to reach with each passing turn. Like previous Zedruu builds, there isn't much in the way of fast win conditions. There is no combo-out or infinitely abusable effects, there is only a vast tool box for disabling each of your opponents. This deck is meant to slow the game down, it is expected of the pilot to be able to navigate through the multiplayer playgroup at hand correctly in order to survive. This means politics is paramount, you need to play good cop bad cop, know your opponents outside of the game, and their decks as well as play styles.
ii. How Does Zedruu Work?
An excellent question indeed, Zedruu the Greathearted works by creating a strangle-hold and putting your own debilitating effects in a zone where they are even harder to destroy: under your opponents' control. It's admittedly a janky plan at first glance, but once you look at the list, you'll know that there are enough cards printed that 'no one really wants under their control' to toss into a 100 card EDH deck and enough donate effects out there that you'll see that this deck is a possibility. Sure, you need a list of weird and unheard of cards, but with their powers combined: you have a force to be reckoned with. My playgroup consists of about 20 different players, of whom I play with each at least once (usually more than once) per month. I bring this up here to say that this deck can easily be undercut if you are under the spotlight each game. It's hard to avoid drawing hate from giving your Trostani, Selesnya's Voice opponent your Torpor Orb, your Animar, Soul of Elements opponent a brand new Steel Golem, or Nevermore to just about any commander-intensive deck, unless you are prepared to keep their face on the ground for the rest of the game or until they die. You need to know how to do it or you aren't going to have a good time. I play with some rapid-threat, combo loving, board state changing friends. You want to be able to team up and stay aloof at the same time. Zedruu lasts.
Primarily, my version runs off of enchantments and artifacts. There are a few creatures good-stuff or utility being run. This deck is not for people who want to win just by turning sideways. But for a quick disclaimer: I wouldn't break this deck out if your plan is to win on your own, unless you are sure you can keep control or are doing 1v1.
One thing I've found in my couple years playing with Zedruu is that donating bodies is really unreliable. If the controller of the creature doesn't want you drawing cards (and why would they) then they'll just chump block with it, or easier yet they'll have a High Market or something. I think I only run three traders with bodies: Gilded Drake and Chromeshell Crab for the nice trade-off, and Rust Elemental because if he doesn't eat an artifact, he taps himself down.
A more robust way of moving cards across the table is land exchange effects like Political Trickery and Vedalken Plotter. These are good on their own anyway as you can nab a handy utility land or screw over someone's colour availability.
I find Scrambleverse to be less torturous to resolve than the Auction and it prevents your opponents from choosing cards that reduce your advantage off it.
Another fun way to mess with your buds' game plans and move cards across the table is Shared Fate.
I don't have the deck on me but I'll see if there's anything else I can find later.
I see what you are saying, I considered running Contested War Zone, I'll keep an eye out for Gilded Drake, since he's so pricey: but offers something in the way of much needed win-conditions. I originally had Insurrection in, but decided it wasn't very good with all of the enchantments I'm running. That's why I'm using more wipes, because it's easier to just kill off everyone else's dudes than try to win with mine. I dunno, there are a couple of things I need to investigate still. I like Scrambleverse though, I considered Possibility Storm and friends.
A note about using Thieves' Auction, since I start with the selection, I usually have the upper hand (depending on where I'm sitting and who [else] has the most worthwhile steals). In my experience, everyone chooses their commander first, if not, I take it and they're usually dead in the mud thereafter. Once everyone does that, they go after the beefy creatures or otherwise 'goodstuff', usually my permanents and peoples' lands are all that's left. I always go after peoples' lands and goodstuffs, and in a 3-5 player game, One auction will usually distribute 4+ of my permanents. It really shakes up the game too, depending on what was on the board. I admit, it's really dependent on what's on the board though, maybe I'd use Scrambleverse/Possibility Storm in it's place.
I deemed both too helpful, you generally want to aim for getting to 6 or 7 mana ASAP so you can lay down effects and donate them in the same turn. Giving people my lands isn't very interesting to this build because of the specific colors Zedruu needs to donate (with Zedruu). Usually, I am in a hurry to get some initial effects out, cast Zedruu, then steadily drop and donate them. Donating my lands is only relevant once Zedruu is out and actually gets in the way whenever she isn't in play. The effects these auto-donate lands don't slow anyone down either, so I've deemed them too friendly for use.
I made a large update after years in the field doing Zedresearch. I cut most of the stuff that makes me stumble, added more tutors, some more viable win conditions, and then edited some other aspects of the post. The breakdown is coming.
I've decided that I have enough EDH power cards and am dissatisfied with my current decks enough to rebuild Zedruu the Hatehearted! I'm going to be revamping my list and posting it here for my and your learning purposes
Anyone have any pointers in the meantime? I haven't updated this list since Theros!
Hi what's up I'm on Zed right now as well. Replenish Starfield Fervor is my kill right now. Kinda like when the fort attacks. Hopefully this isn't too much of a necromantic and u see this post and we can collab.
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Welcome to
Zedruu the Hate-Hearted...
Contents:
i. Why Play Zedruu?
ii. How Does Zedruu Win?
iii. The Deck
iv. The Breakdown
v. Match-ups
vi. Change Log
The set up is very simple: Drop global (and frankly, masochistic) effects and donate them either with Zedruu or other effects, reap life and draws, wait for scoops. Yes, I said it, wait for scoops. Zedruu is in it for the long run, she is a slow moving fortress in the sky, specializing in crippling and prohibiting effects while becoming harder and harder to reach with each passing turn. Like previous Zedruu builds, there isn't much in the way of fast win conditions. There is no combo-out or infinitely abusable effects, there is only a vast tool box for disabling each of your opponents. This deck is meant to slow the game down, it is expected of the pilot to be able to navigate through the multiplayer playgroup at hand correctly in order to survive. This means politics is paramount, you need to play good cop bad cop, know your opponents outside of the game, and their decks as well as play styles.
ii. How Does Zedruu Work?
Primarily, my version runs off of enchantments and artifacts. There are a few creatures good-stuff or utility being run. This deck is not for people who want to win just by turning sideways. But for a quick disclaimer: I wouldn't break this deck out if your plan is to win on your own, unless you are sure you can keep control or are doing 1v1.
iii. The Deck
By Type:
4 Zedruu the Greathearted
Creatures
2 Bazaar Trader
3 Steel Golem
3 Jhoira of the Ghitu
3 Hanna, Ship's Navigator
3 Guard Gomazoa
4 Akroan Horse
4 Bronze Bombshell
4 Grid Monitor
7 Angelic Arbiter
7 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Sorceries
3 Donate
3 Idyllic Tutor
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Wrath of God
4 Rite of Replication
6 Terminus
7 Thieves' Auction
8 Insurrection
Instants
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Enlightened Tutor
2 Reverberate
2 Boros Charm
2 Cyclonic Rift
2 Counterspell
3 Render Silent
3 Oblation
4 Reins of Power
5 Desertion
Planeswalkers
4 Ral Zarek
5 Venser, the Sojourner
0 Spellbook
0 Chalice of the Void
1 Pithing Needle
1 Sol Ring
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Torpor Orb
2 Izzet Signet
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Darksteel Ingot
3 Crawlspace
4 Bubble Matrix
4 Grafted Skullcap
Enchantments
1 Land Tax
2 Island Sanctuary
2 Darksteel Mutation
2 Luminarch Ascension
3 Detention Sphere
3 Rhystic Study
3 Paradox Haze
3 Karmic Justice
3 Divine Presence
3 Solitary Confinement
3 Nevermore
3 Wild Research
3 Pyromancer's Swath
4 Illusions of Grandeur
4 Delusions of Mediocrity
4 Statecraft
4 Kismet
4 Indestructibility
5 Assemble the Legion
0 Mystic Gate
0 Cascade Bluffs
0 Rugged Praire
0 Sacred Foundry
0 Steamvents
0 Hallowed Fountain
0 Clifftop Retreat
0 Sulfur Falls
0 Glacial Fortress
0 Plateau
0 Tundra
0 Volcanic Island
0 Azorius Chaucery
0 Izzet Boilerworks
0 Boros Garrison
0 Arid Mesa
0 Scalding Tarn
0 Serji Steppe
0 Command Tower
0 Exotic Orchard
0 Tolaria West
0 Temple of the False God
0 Vesuva
0 Terrain Generator
0 Opal Palace
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Terramorphic Expanse
0 Buried Ruin
3 Island
3 Plains
2 Mountain
iv. The Breakdown
A more robust way of moving cards across the table is land exchange effects like Political Trickery and Vedalken Plotter. These are good on their own anyway as you can nab a handy utility land or screw over someone's colour availability.
I find Scrambleverse to be less torturous to resolve than the Auction and it prevents your opponents from choosing cards that reduce your advantage off it.
Another fun way to mess with your buds' game plans and move cards across the table is Shared Fate.
I don't have the deck on me but I'll see if there's anything else I can find later.
Playtesting | Karador, Ghost Chieftain | Narset, Enlightened Master | Ephara, God of the Polis
Established | Gahiji, Honored One | Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker | Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | Rubinia Soulsinger
Retired | Medomai the Ageless | Diaochan, Artful Beauty
A note about using Thieves' Auction, since I start with the selection, I usually have the upper hand (depending on where I'm sitting and who [else] has the most worthwhile steals). In my experience, everyone chooses their commander first, if not, I take it and they're usually dead in the mud thereafter. Once everyone does that, they go after the beefy creatures or otherwise 'goodstuff', usually my permanents and peoples' lands are all that's left. I always go after peoples' lands and goodstuffs, and in a 3-5 player game, One auction will usually distribute 4+ of my permanents. It really shakes up the game too, depending on what was on the board. I admit, it's really dependent on what's on the board though, maybe I'd use Scrambleverse/Possibility Storm in it's place.
Playtesting | Karador, Ghost Chieftain | Narset, Enlightened Master | Ephara, God of the Polis
Established | Gahiji, Honored One | Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker | Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | Rubinia Soulsinger
Retired | Medomai the Ageless | Diaochan, Artful Beauty
Is Guard Gomazoa needed?
I don't think Bronze Bombshell's 7 damage is a big enough effect. Same with Delusions of Mediocrity.
Indestructibility doesn't same great either.
I recommend adding: Path to Exile, Sphinx's Revelation or Blue Sun's Zenith, Wild Ricochet, Academy Rector, Consecrated Sphinx, Gilded Drake, Silent Arbiter, Vedalken Plotter, Political Trickery, Replenish, Celestial Dawn (give it to someone not playing white and they cannot play anything for rest of the game), Copy Enchantment (copy and give away your win cons), Dovescape, Form of the Dragon, Catch // Release. That's all I can think of right now - hope it helps
I've decided that I have enough EDH power cards and am dissatisfied with my current decks enough to rebuild Zedruu the Hatehearted! I'm going to be revamping my list and posting it here for my and your learning purposes
Anyone have any pointers in the meantime? I haven't updated this list since Theros!
I know that I want to include a number of cheesy instant wins like Splinter Twin and Pestermite/Deceiver Exarch, Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind and Curiosity/Ophidian Eye, and Omniscience with Enter the Infinite/Laboratory Maniac. I'm keeping the Solitary Confinement and overall stax/pillow fort theme.