How frequently do you find Godhead of Awe useful? It's great with Elesh Norn, but when I tested the deck I usually get Norn and at times forget about Godhead all together.
Yeah I find Elesh Norn is enough to close out the game. Godhead is more like an alternative to Elesh if removed/milled/in hand etc. The number of times actually used them in conjunction is limited, because as you'll find Elesh is enough by itself. It could be cut.
Got 3 or 4 games in with my ComboVersion of this deck, and it is a bit slow and obvious. Needing two Zur swings sort of sucks and I'm going to try putting in a tutor or two (depending on if I have money).
EDIT: I also have a point on Grasp of Fate. I don't like this card much because it upsets everyone. Answering each players best permanent is awesome, but now there are three people who want to get rid of this enchantment meaning those three things aren't going to be gone for long. Has that not been the case for you?
Definitely a meta choice, but I really like the card, and it's practically made for this deck. Any thoughts?
Its pretty narrow use, as you can only do it the one time, and really you want your stuff at the 3 or less CMC, unless its really premium, so I personally would find it impossible to find a slot.
I have found Grasp of Fate to be excellent, but I'm used to getting hated on anyway, so politics isn't really something I can do when playing Zur I had situations where a Grasp of Fate has gotten rid of 3 of the best permanents, then during a boardwipe it can come back at you as the 3 best permanents then come back into play. So there is a down side to the card.
I was helping out with the Etrata, the Silencer let's brew thread, and I couldn't help but think that he would be a great fun addition to this deck.
He represents removal, but you can use him as a win condition. So you can shuffle him into your library and then use the Arcane Adaptation and Rebel search trick to just keep fetching him out, sweet!
I stumbled upon this decklist and fell in love, and I am probably going to build my own take on it. I have two cards to suggest (that weren't suggested here or in the Lets Brew, AFAIK).
Timestream Navigator, with the Adaptation+Rebel combo the deck is built around, is sort of a 1-slot "I win" card that can end games where Elesh Norn beats can't get there. EOT fetch her out with at least 9 other permanents (for the city's blessing), untap, spend the 4 to take an extra turn and put her back in the deck, then fetch her out again so she isn't summoning sick on your extra turn. This probably taps you out, but eventually you'll draw lands and be able to cast creatures to attack, assuming Zur can't just poke them to death. As a small bonus, she's a wizard to sac to Voidmage Prodigy if you can't get any of the other options. It's maybe a little against the spirit of the deck, as essentially it changes the gameplan from "control the board" to "get to 8+ mana with Adaptaion+Rebel tutor+potential counter backup", but its still pretty janky and is an option in a meta where the wincon outlined in the OP just isn't realistic.
Yet another wizard, Spellseeker is sort of a catchall answer for anything via a Rebel tutor at instant speed provided you have the mana to cast what she tutors for and can make room in the deck for a small spell toolbox. She can get a counterspell, a removal spell like Swords, a bounce spell like Rift (or you can grab it to use it as a boardwipe), an actual boardwipe like Black Sun's Zenith or Martial Coup, or another tutor for something like a crucial enchantment or artifact if Zur is offline (so you're tutoring for a tutor in order to tutor ...). If you've already used/tutored for all the effects in your deck that can do what you need in the moment (i.e. Voidmage Prodigy and Spell Queller got killed so you don't have any counterspell creatures at the CMC 3 slot) it acts as a flex slot for all of them. It's also just a good card to play on curve to grab a Demonic Tutor for a Rebel searcher, increasing your consistency of assembling the toolbox. My version of the deck is also going to try a larger Wizard subtheme, with Patron Wizard as a surprise, repeatable Force Spike and Snapcaster Mage performing a similar role to Spellseeker while also benefiting from the more diverse spell selection I'll be playing.
I stumbled upon this decklist and fell in love, and I am probably going to build my own take on it. I have two cards to suggest (that weren't suggested here or in the Lets Brew, AFAIK).
Timestream Navigator, with the Adaptation+Rebel combo the deck is built around, is sort of a 1-slot "I win" card that can end games where Elesh Norn beats can't get there. EOT fetch her out with at least 9 other permanents (for the city's blessing), untap, spend the 4 to take an extra turn and put her back in the deck, then fetch her out again so she isn't summoning sick on your extra turn. This probably taps you out, but eventually you'll draw lands and be able to cast creatures to attack, assuming Zur can't just poke them to death. As a small bonus, she's a wizard to sac to Voidmage Prodigy if you can't get any of the other options. It's maybe a little against the spirit of the deck, as essentially it changes the gameplan from "control the board" to "get to 8+ mana with Adaptaion+Rebel tutor+potential counter backup", but its still pretty janky and is an option in a meta where the wincon outlined in the OP just isn't realistic.
Yet another wizard, Spellseeker is sort of a catchall answer for anything via a Rebel tutor at instant speed provided you have the mana to cast what she tutors for and can make room in the deck for a small spell toolbox. She can get a counterspell, a removal spell like Swords, a bounce spell like Rift (or you can grab it to use it as a boardwipe), an actual boardwipe like Black Sun's Zenith or Martial Coup, or another tutor for something like a crucial enchantment or artifact if Zur is offline (so you're tutoring for a tutor in order to tutor ...). If you've already used/tutored for all the effects in your deck that can do what you need in the moment (i.e. Voidmage Prodigy and Spell Queller got killed so you don't have any counterspell creatures at the CMC 3 slot) it acts as a flex slot for all of them. It's also just a good card to play on curve to grab a Demonic Tutor for a Rebel searcher, increasing your consistency of assembling the toolbox. My version of the deck is also going to try a larger Wizard subtheme, with Patron Wizard as a surprise, repeatable Force Spike and Snapcaster Mage performing a similar role to Spellseeker while also benefiting from the more diverse spell selection I'll be playing.
Yes Spellseeker is perfect. The "counterspelling" creatures honestly are your most important and the more the better the deck. So Spellseeker being able to get a number of counterspells, even Pact of Negation, if having to tap out.
I tried out Etrata, the Silencer, but ended up being way too slow, so just going to replace it.
The Timestream Navigator is certainly a game ending combo. If your opponents can't stop it, then yeah eventually you just draw your whole deck and play it out.
Also not forgetting that with Training Grounds it only costs UU, so if you're a little bit patient, you should be able to combo with counter/protection up. You could even look at Grand Abolisher as a setup "rebel" first.
I'm usually putting Snapcaster Mage into my lists, but I guess it just so creature and enchantment heavy, that the targets for it just are not high enough. But as I say counterspelling creatures are your bread and butter, so I could see with Spellseeker giving access to another spell, I could see running it. I'd probably want two more targets for it.
If you feel have time post your list when you have it ready
Also as a tip, you need to print out a copy for yourself when you play as every card in the deck is a toolbox so trying to remember what you have needs to be in front of you
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
It is nice, however, to not need the pricier (CMC) cards. I took out Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite and Resolute Archangel and instead rely more on multiple cheap affects. In my opinion it makes it more of a puzzle and makes Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero less important.
EDIT: I also have a point on Grasp of Fate. I don't like this card much because it upsets everyone. Answering each players best permanent is awesome, but now there are three people who want to get rid of this enchantment meaning those three things aren't going to be gone for long. Has that not been the case for you?
Modern
URGTemur ScapeshiftGRU
EDH
WGKarametra EnchantressGW
UBGSidisi, Brood Tyrant ReanimatorGBU
UBRKess DoomsdayRBU
WBGGhave TokensGBW
WUBZur RebelsBUW
WUBErtai CursesBUW
WRFiresong and Sunspeaker Spell SlingerRW
Definitely a meta choice, but I really like the card, and it's practically made for this deck. Any thoughts?
Modern
URGTemur ScapeshiftGRU
EDH
WGKarametra EnchantressGW
UBGSidisi, Brood Tyrant ReanimatorGBU
UBRKess DoomsdayRBU
WBGGhave TokensGBW
WUBZur RebelsBUW
WUBErtai CursesBUW
WRFiresong and Sunspeaker Spell SlingerRW
I have found Grasp of Fate to be excellent, but I'm used to getting hated on anyway, so politics isn't really something I can do when playing Zur I had situations where a Grasp of Fate has gotten rid of 3 of the best permanents, then during a boardwipe it can come back at you as the 3 best permanents then come back into play. So there is a down side to the card.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
He represents removal, but you can use him as a win condition. So you can shuffle him into your library and then use the Arcane Adaptation and Rebel search trick to just keep fetching him out, sweet!
Added
+ Etrata, the Silencer
Removed
- Preordain
Will have to wait, but going to make that change.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
Timestream Navigator, with the Adaptation+Rebel combo the deck is built around, is sort of a 1-slot "I win" card that can end games where Elesh Norn beats can't get there. EOT fetch her out with at least 9 other permanents (for the city's blessing), untap, spend the 4 to take an extra turn and put her back in the deck, then fetch her out again so she isn't summoning sick on your extra turn. This probably taps you out, but eventually you'll draw lands and be able to cast creatures to attack, assuming Zur can't just poke them to death. As a small bonus, she's a wizard to sac to Voidmage Prodigy if you can't get any of the other options. It's maybe a little against the spirit of the deck, as essentially it changes the gameplan from "control the board" to "get to 8+ mana with Adaptaion+Rebel tutor+potential counter backup", but its still pretty janky and is an option in a meta where the wincon outlined in the OP just isn't realistic.
Yet another wizard, Spellseeker is sort of a catchall answer for anything via a Rebel tutor at instant speed provided you have the mana to cast what she tutors for and can make room in the deck for a small spell toolbox. She can get a counterspell, a removal spell like Swords, a bounce spell like Rift (or you can grab it to use it as a boardwipe), an actual boardwipe like Black Sun's Zenith or Martial Coup, or another tutor for something like a crucial enchantment or artifact if Zur is offline (so you're tutoring for a tutor in order to tutor ...). If you've already used/tutored for all the effects in your deck that can do what you need in the moment (i.e. Voidmage Prodigy and Spell Queller got killed so you don't have any counterspell creatures at the CMC 3 slot) it acts as a flex slot for all of them. It's also just a good card to play on curve to grab a Demonic Tutor for a Rebel searcher, increasing your consistency of assembling the toolbox. My version of the deck is also going to try a larger Wizard subtheme, with Patron Wizard as a surprise, repeatable Force Spike and Snapcaster Mage performing a similar role to Spellseeker while also benefiting from the more diverse spell selection I'll be playing.
I tried out Etrata, the Silencer, but ended up being way too slow, so just going to replace it.
The Timestream Navigator is certainly a game ending combo. If your opponents can't stop it, then yeah eventually you just draw your whole deck and play it out.
Also not forgetting that with Training Grounds it only costs UU, so if you're a little bit patient, you should be able to combo with counter/protection up. You could even look at Grand Abolisher as a setup "rebel" first.
I'm usually putting Snapcaster Mage into my lists, but I guess it just so creature and enchantment heavy, that the targets for it just are not high enough. But as I say counterspelling creatures are your bread and butter, so I could see with Spellseeker giving access to another spell, I could see running it. I'd probably want two more targets for it.
If you feel have time post your list when you have it ready
Also as a tip, you need to print out a copy for yourself when you play as every card in the deck is a toolbox so trying to remember what you have needs to be in front of you
Added
+ Spellseeker
Removed
- Etrata, the Silencer
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
Added
+ Deputy of Detention
Removed
- Imprisoned in the Moon
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith