I picked up a Zurgo, Helmsmasher a while back in a trade, and have been eager to find something fun to do with him. After numerous (and I mean numerous) different beginnings, this is the first take on the final product:
The idea behind this deck is to exploit Zurgo's indestructibility and the fact that he is a 3-turn clock on commander damage. Zurgo should be played as soon as possible so that he can start swinging at enemy faces while your dropping board clearing bombs like Blasphemous Act, Starstorm, etc. This way, he ends up as the only guy on the board, staring into the unprotected eyes of my opponents. True glory occurs when I can drop the Worldslayer onto him. So much destruction.
There's some other mechanics (playing creatures out of graveyards, other indestructible creatures, extra combat phases, etc.) that are currently being run for midgame plays. There's also some cards thrown in to act as protection for Zurgo, as he is a much hated target.
The deck has been holding up fantastically in 1v1 games. The B/W/R control aspect matched with Zurgo's 7+ power makes for a smashing good time (for me, not so much for the other guy).
Ultimately, though, the deck is for multiplayer, and it's performance in those games has been a different story. My mana builds slow, and isn't that flexible. I'm often stuck one mana short of being able to get Zurgo out, and he ends up sitting in the command zone for the first several turns. I need fast mana and a way to ensure that I'm going to be able to tap for all three colors.
My mana curve also seems to be pretty high, and I have a hard time drawing useful cards that I can play during the first three or four turns. Instead, I end up with a hand full of cards that drop for 5+ cmc and a sad, empty battlefield. Boo.
I'm looking for advice on how to fix these problems. Let me know what y'all think!
I too am looking to get Zurgo out as soon as possible and trying to make room for more ramp cards to smooth out my early game. I'm considering adding a few more lands in addition to the 35 I'm running now. That or some more mana rocks. I fully recommend Talisman of Indulgence because if you get an opening hand with that and Sol Ring, you're almost guaranteed a turn 2 Zurgo. I'm also looking in to adding the Boros Signet, Rakdos Signet, and Orzhov Signet. Another thing I'm trying to trade for is Tithe and Land Tax, those cards as well as Knight of the White Orchid, Weathered Wayfarer and Gift of Estates are why I've centered my mana fixing in white and play more plains than swamps or mountains.
I also suggest that you might want to test out Sunforger as an excellent repeat tutor for spot removal and all around toolbox card.
Same here. I've found that what makes Zurgo successful is that early casting. Also, I run all variants of auras that give protection from creatures. That makes Zurgo guaranteed to land a hit.
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!
I too am looking to get Zurgo out as soon as possible and trying to make room for more ramp cards to smooth out my early game. I'm considering adding a few more lands in addition to the 35 I'm running now. That or some more mana rocks. I fully recommend Talisman of Indulgence because if you get an opening hand with that and Sol Ring, you're almost guaranteed a turn 2 Zurgo. I'm also looking in to adding the Boros Signet, Rakdos Signet, and Orzhov Signet. Another thing I'm trying to trade for is Tithe and Land Tax, those cards as well as Knight of the White Orchid, Weathered Wayfarer and Gift of Estates are why I've centered my mana fixing in white and play more plains than swamps or mountains.
I also suggest that you might want to test out Sunforger as an excellent repeat tutor for spot removal and all around toolbox card.
I do not own a grim monolith, but have been looking for one for a long time. Its one of those cards that always eludes me in trade binders. The same goes for Mana Crypt, wish I had it, but have never seen it for trade. I might try Mana Vault and Basalt Monolith, but I get the feeling that my deck Zurgo deck is the type of deck that doesn't want to pay to untap anything, so I might as well just fill those spots with rituals instead.
I did think of trying Mox opal, but decided that I couldn't reach metalcraft often enough for it to justify its spot.
It's probably just a typo, but aren't allowed to run Golgari Rot Farm in a WRB deck. Also, Hell's Thunder looks pretty lackluster. I get that you're planning to unearth it after a sweeper, but it's still not doing very much in that scenario.
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You would never guess, at the terrifying sight of the man, that Hunding was as charming a companion as one could wish for.
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I picked up a Zurgo, Helmsmasher a while back in a trade, and have been eager to find something fun to do with him. After numerous (and I mean numerous) different beginnings, this is the first take on the final product:
1x Anger
1x Artisan of Kozilek
1x Aurelia, the Warleader
1x Blood Artist
1x Burnished Hart
1x Butcher of Malakir
1x Crater Hellion
1x Darksteel Colossus
1x Dualcaster Mage
1x Feldon of the Third Path
1x Flamewake Phoenix
1x Hellkite Charger
1x Hell's Thunder
1x Hoarding Dragon
1x Iroas, God of Victory
1x Mogis, God of Slaughter
1x Ogre Battledriver
1x Purphoros, God of the Forge
1x Reassembling Skeleton
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Soul of New Phyrexia
1x Steel Hellkite
1x Stonecloaker
1x Sunblast Angel
1x Tajic, Blade of the Legion
1x Tyrant's Familiar
1x Urabrask the Hidden
1x Arcane Lighthouse
1x Battlefield Forge
1x Command Tower
1x Dormant Volcano
1x Evolving Wilds
1x Flamekin Village
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Golgari Rot Farm
1x High Market
13x Mountain
4x Plains
1x Rakdos Carnarium
1x Reliquary Tower
5x Swamp
1x Temple of the False God
1x Terramorphic Expanse
Instant
1x Boros Charm
1x Consume the Meek
1x Increasing Vengeance
1x Magmaquake
1x Reverberate
1x Silence
1x Starstorm
1x Wild Ricochet
1x Grave Betrayal
1x Grave Pact
1x Impact Tremors
1x Legion's Initiative
1x Mardu Ascendancy
1x Vicious Shadows
1x Banefire
1x Blasphemous Act
1x Breaking Point
1x Chandra's Ignition
1x Destructive Force
1x Diabolic Tutor
1x Exsanguinate
1x Fell the Mighty
1x Fury of the Horde
1x Immortal Servitude
1x In Garruk's Wake
1x Kirtar's Wrath
1x Rise of the Dark Realms
1x Sudden Demise
1x Vandalblast
Artifact
1x Bonehoard
1x Fireshrieker
1x Inquisitor's Flail
1x Nevinyrral's Disk
1x Skullclamp
1x Sol Ring
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Worldslayer
The idea behind this deck is to exploit Zurgo's indestructibility and the fact that he is a 3-turn clock on commander damage. Zurgo should be played as soon as possible so that he can start swinging at enemy faces while your dropping board clearing bombs like Blasphemous Act, Starstorm, etc. This way, he ends up as the only guy on the board, staring into the unprotected eyes of my opponents. True glory occurs when I can drop the Worldslayer onto him. So much destruction.
There's some other mechanics (playing creatures out of graveyards, other indestructible creatures, extra combat phases, etc.) that are currently being run for midgame plays. There's also some cards thrown in to act as protection for Zurgo, as he is a much hated target.
The deck has been holding up fantastically in 1v1 games. The B/W/R control aspect matched with Zurgo's 7+ power makes for a smashing good time (for me, not so much for the other guy).
Ultimately, though, the deck is for multiplayer, and it's performance in those games has been a different story. My mana builds slow, and isn't that flexible. I'm often stuck one mana short of being able to get Zurgo out, and he ends up sitting in the command zone for the first several turns. I need fast mana and a way to ensure that I'm going to be able to tap for all three colors.
My mana curve also seems to be pretty high, and I have a hard time drawing useful cards that I can play during the first three or four turns. Instead, I end up with a hand full of cards that drop for 5+ cmc and a sad, empty battlefield. Boo.
I'm looking for advice on how to fix these problems. Let me know what y'all think!
Peace.
I too am looking to get Zurgo out as soon as possible and trying to make room for more ramp cards to smooth out my early game. I'm considering adding a few more lands in addition to the 35 I'm running now. That or some more mana rocks. I fully recommend Talisman of Indulgence because if you get an opening hand with that and Sol Ring, you're almost guaranteed a turn 2 Zurgo. I'm also looking in to adding the Boros Signet, Rakdos Signet, and Orzhov Signet. Another thing I'm trying to trade for is Tithe and Land Tax, those cards as well as Knight of the White Orchid, Weathered Wayfarer and Gift of Estates are why I've centered my mana fixing in white and play more plains than swamps or mountains.
I also suggest that you might want to test out Sunforger as an excellent repeat tutor for spot removal and all around toolbox card.
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!
Do you run Grim Monolith or Mox Opal?
I did think of trying Mox opal, but decided that I couldn't reach metalcraft often enough for it to justify its spot.