Okay, so I was looking for some unique ideas and proceeded to delve into my archaic collection to see what lay beneath the dust and lo and behold, a legendary creature caught my fancy. Not just any ordinary hipster legend to make an obscure EDH build, mind you. But the legend. The man himself. Urza. So this is probably as close as we're gonna get to playing with the Neo of the MtG universe. Of course, any recommendations to make this as degenerate as possible (while still keeping to the spirit of the original idea) are greatly appreciated and requested!
Okay, the card may say Blind Seer, but following the stories (and the art), we know that this dude's Urza. So, how can I capitalize on his ability and color? Easy. Control.
So, basically, when Douse comes into play, cast Urza and then proceed to counter everything in sight - or, the only spell players can play in their turn. It's no coincidence that Douse and Arcane Laboratory are part of Urza's Saga. With these 3 cards in play you have complete control of the board. Now, if that weren't enough, I didn't want to go to the commonplace monoU control EDH route. I wanted to spice things up a bit. So let's see some quirky interactions with this deck:
Torpor Orb-ed leviathans. Is there anything scarier than dropping an Eater of Days and not skipping your next 2 turns? Sure. But it's still frightening. What about Wormfang Manta getting blinked to no end with Deadeye Navigator? Are you scared yet? 'Cause I just blinked myself into an endless string of limitless, continuous turns. Combine that with some U creatures with protection from color X and you have some unblockables (thanks to Thassa, God of the Sea, as well) to pummel your opponents into submission. Yeah, Urza went there.
Now, how will we protect ourselves from the ensuing mayhem? Well, first off, this deck takes your opponents off guard the second you drop Urza into your command zone. Prepare for people touching him like curious little monkeys. And then either shrugging at his seemingly appearing harmless or saying "cool, that's actually Urza?". Now, will they expect a monoU control build chocked full of enchantments and counterspells? Maybe. Do they expect you to beat them down with a midrange assault? Certainly not. Will this deck be dropping cards that your opponents will have no idea why you got them for? Damn right. So, on to the decklist and then followed up by what these cards do together:
Okay, so with the Douse/Urza/Laboratory combo in play, with a mere 2UU per turn, you can lock down each opponent. This might seem like a ridiculous amount of mana - especially for U. Thankfully, I'm running Caged Sun and Gauntlet of Power. That way, each Island can produce an extra U when tapped. Also, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx adds some hefty amounts of U to the mix. Also, if you manage to produce a lot of mana per turn, you can always store it in Gemstone Array. Mana rocks (Sol Ring and Gilded Lotus) helps accelerate the deck and power mana for dropping fatties and powering the control combo.
The deck runs 9 run-of-the-mill staple counterspells just in case (again, to counter the only real weakness to this deck: Iona, Shield of Emeria). It also runs Mindbreak Trap for those pesky uncounterable spells (which yours can also be thanks to Boseiju, Who Shelters All). All the creatures with protection from color X become excellent blockers with Urza in play. Soul of New Phyrexia helps against those destroy everything cards. Winding Canyons helps save your lands for countering until the end of the turn before yours. You can simply play your creatures then instead of either of your main phases. There're 4 "draw X cards" spells for acceleration as well as Bident of Thassa. Arcanis the Omnipotent accelerates on his own. See something you like (or some possible threat)? Steal it with Djinn of Infinite Deceits and Thada Adel, Acquisitor. Wanna render your opponents commanderless? Empress Galina. There's also four equipment to protect key creatures just in case.
All in all this deck is fun to play and not that difficult to pilot. You have to not pose too much of a threat early on. Either way, people won't see you as much of a threat with Blind Seer in your command zone. That is until you reveal him as Urza and begin to almost instantaneously take the win from beneath your hapless helpless prey.
Welcome to the academy. So go ahead and kiss Urza's godfather ring. You know he just schooled you.
My YouTube Channel: The Commander Tavern - a channel I just started where I'll post deck techs and gameplays. Please support by checking it out. Maybe you'll like its content and subscribe! Thanks!
As much as I would love it to your Wormfang Manta combo doesn't work. Deadeye Navigator requires the soulbond to trigger when it comes into play which is shut down by the Torpor Orb that makes the Wormfang Manta worth playing in the first place.
Infinite turns are a pretty lousy way to win anyways. Maybe you could just play big stompy Leviathans because the assembled control shell should win it for you anyways.
I'd probably put in artifact toolbox w/ Urza for flavor as well. (Karn/KCI/Salv Station/Eggs etc)
Yeah, a sweet artifacts subtheme would be pretty badass as opposed to random leviathans. It could be a strong theme without sacrificing the brutal strength.
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Standard: Jeskai Black WURB Modern: Eldrazi CB,
Grishoalbrand URB
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Okay, the card may say Blind Seer, but following the stories (and the art), we know that this dude's Urza. So, how can I capitalize on his ability and color? Easy. Control.
So, basically, when Douse comes into play, cast Urza and then proceed to counter everything in sight - or, the only spell players can play in their turn. It's no coincidence that Douse and Arcane Laboratory are part of Urza's Saga. With these 3 cards in play you have complete control of the board. Now, if that weren't enough, I didn't want to go to the commonplace monoU control EDH route. I wanted to spice things up a bit. So let's see some quirky interactions with this deck:
Torpor Orb-ed leviathans. Is there anything scarier than dropping an Eater of Days and not skipping your next 2 turns? Sure. But it's still frightening. What about Wormfang Manta getting blinked to no end with Deadeye Navigator? Are you scared yet? 'Cause I just blinked myself into an endless string of limitless, continuous turns. Combine that with some U creatures with protection from color X and you have some unblockables (thanks to Thassa, God of the Sea, as well) to pummel your opponents into submission. Yeah, Urza went there.
Now, how will we protect ourselves from the ensuing mayhem? Well, first off, this deck takes your opponents off guard the second you drop Urza into your command zone. Prepare for people touching him like curious little monkeys. And then either shrugging at his seemingly appearing harmless or saying "cool, that's actually Urza?". Now, will they expect a monoU control build chocked full of enchantments and counterspells? Maybe. Do they expect you to beat them down with a midrange assault? Certainly not. Will this deck be dropping cards that your opponents will have no idea why you got them for? Damn right. So, on to the decklist and then followed up by what these cards do together:
4 Blind Seer
Artifacts: 13
7 Akroma's Memorial
4 Bident of Thassa
6 Caged Sun
4 Darksteel Plate
5 Gauntlet of Power
4 Gemstone Array
5 Gilded Lotus
2 Lightning Greaves
6 Planar Portal
4 Shield of Kaldra
1 Sol Ring
2 Torpor Orb
3 Whispersilk Cloak
Creatures: 22
6 Arcanis the Omnipotent
6 Archetype of Imagination
4 Aven Smokeweaver
5 Cerulean Wyvern
2 Coastal Watcher
6 Deadeye Navigator
6 Djinn of Infinite Deceits
4 Eater of Days
5 Empress Galina
3 Etched Champion
9 Inkwell Leviathan
7 Jokulmorder
4 Narwhal
2 Sea Sprite
5 Sky Swallower
6 Soul of New Phyrexia
8 Stormtide Leviathan
5 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfi
3 Thada Adel, Acquisitor
3 Thassa, God of the Sea
4 Treetop Sentinel
7 Wormfang Manta
3 Arcane Laboratory
3 Douse
4 Frozen Æther
4 Invoke Prejudice
Planeswalker: 1
5 Tezzeret the Seeker
Spells: 21
3 Blue Sun's Zenith
2 Counterspell
4 Cryptic Command
2 Cyclonic Rift
3 Dissipate
3 Faerie Trickery
3 Forbid
5 Force of Will
3 Hinder
4 Mindbreak Trap
1 Mystical Tutor
0 Pact of Negation
4 Rewind
3 Spell Crumple
3 Stroke of Genius
2 Braingeyser
3 Fabricate
2 Merchant Scroll
2 Mind Spring
2 Reshape
2 Transmute Artifact
0 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
0 Coral Atoll
0 Darksteel Citadel
0 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Seat of the Synod
0 Winding Canyons
Basic Lands: 31
0 Island
Removing Force of Will, Invoke Prejudice, Transmute Artifact, and Cryptic Command, this deck costs around $240, give or take. You can simply swap out those 4 cards for 4 cheap counterspells like Dissolve, Arcane Denial, Dream Fracture, and Discombobulate.
Okay, so with the Douse/Urza/Laboratory combo in play, with a mere 2UU per turn, you can lock down each opponent. This might seem like a ridiculous amount of mana - especially for U. Thankfully, I'm running Caged Sun and Gauntlet of Power. That way, each Island can produce an extra U when tapped. Also, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx adds some hefty amounts of U to the mix. Also, if you manage to produce a lot of mana per turn, you can always store it in Gemstone Array. Mana rocks (Sol Ring and Gilded Lotus) helps accelerate the deck and power mana for dropping fatties and powering the control combo.
Torpor Orb is one of the keys to this deck. That's why there're so many ways to get it in play or fetch it from the library (Planar Portal, Fabricate, Tezzeret the Seeker, Transmute Artifact, and Reshape with artifact lands as preferred sacrifices). Torpor Orb is also key for the main game-winning combo: Deadeye Navigator + Wormfang Manta. The manta won't take your turn when entering play, but it'll give you your extra turn when leaving play. Proceed to then beat your opponent down with your army of unblockable flyers thanks to the Stormtide Leviathan / Archetype of Imagination lockdown combo (also, Akroma's Memorial gives your creatures flying (among some other excellent abilities) and protection from B and R which synergizes well with Urza). Other ways to help slow your opposition is Invoke Prejudice (brutal) and Frozen Æther. Torpor Orb also spays the only real weakness of this deck: Iona, Shield of Emeria.
The deck runs 9 run-of-the-mill staple counterspells just in case (again, to counter the only real weakness to this deck: Iona, Shield of Emeria). It also runs Mindbreak Trap for those pesky uncounterable spells (which yours can also be thanks to Boseiju, Who Shelters All). All the creatures with protection from color X become excellent blockers with Urza in play. Soul of New Phyrexia helps against those destroy everything cards. Winding Canyons helps save your lands for countering until the end of the turn before yours. You can simply play your creatures then instead of either of your main phases. There're 4 "draw X cards" spells for acceleration as well as Bident of Thassa. Arcanis the Omnipotent accelerates on his own. See something you like (or some possible threat)? Steal it with Djinn of Infinite Deceits and Thada Adel, Acquisitor. Wanna render your opponents commanderless? Empress Galina. There's also four equipment to protect key creatures just in case.
All in all this deck is fun to play and not that difficult to pilot. You have to not pose too much of a threat early on. Either way, people won't see you as much of a threat with Blind Seer in your command zone. That is until you reveal him as Urza and begin to almost instantaneously take the win from beneath your hapless helpless prey.
Welcome to the academy. So go ahead and kiss Urza's godfather ring. You know he just schooled you.
BGU [Primer] Sidisi, Brood Tyrant BGU | BG [Primer] Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest BG | G [Primer] Polukranos, World Eater G
My YouTube Channel:
The Commander Tavern - a channel I just started where I'll post deck techs and gameplays. Please support by checking it out. Maybe you'll like its content and subscribe! Thanks!
Consider adding Karn for flavour points.
Modern: Eldrazi CB,
I'd probably put in artifact toolbox w/ Urza for flavor as well. (Karn/KCI/Salv Station/Eggs etc)
LegacyUBRDelverRBU
Yeah, a sweet artifacts subtheme would be pretty badass as opposed to random leviathans. It could be a strong theme without sacrificing the brutal strength.
Modern: Eldrazi CB,