Hi all. This is my Zur the Enchanter EDH deck. I'm trying to avoid saying commander, however I swore up and down that I wouldn't use 'Kicked.' I used it to win a month long tournament at my local store last year, which I won my only loss being to another Zur the Enchanter Deck. Unfortunately my job has prevented me from joining the other month longs at my local store.
Nice list. Monk Idealist seems like a strange choice. Wouldn't you rather be bouncing enchantments to your library or straight into play?
I've also found Perplex works for me. Pre-Zur, it's a great play on artifact mana, slowing your opponent down or clearing their hand for getting Zur out safely. Post-Zur it makes for a decent tutor.
In my experience playing Zur, you need the majority of your counter-magic to be 3 cost or less to give you better odds of having the extra mana needed to play anything and still have mana open for a counter, or have mana for two counters.
That being said, I'd consider cutting Dismiss(this is better than the next two because it draws you a card, potentially another counter), Last Word(Usually better than Venser, since it can't be countered), and Venser, Shaper Savant.
Also having both Necropotence and Phyrexian Arena seems unnecessary. You'll usually only need one or the other. But I believe most people run Necropotence over Phyrexian Arena for 1v1 simply because it can help Zur kill a lot faster once he has Empyrial Armor attached. Another reason is you can fill you're hand up in one turn as opposed to drawing one card per turn, and that is very important if you need a Grip of counters or in-case the next counter is like 4 draws away. So maybe cut Venser, Shaper Savant for another counter and cut Phyrexian Arena for Sunder, or cut it for Arcane Laboratory which can also help you lock up the game.
Also if Darksteel Ingot (a 3 drop) was the only mana accel you drew then Zur wouldn't hit play until turn 4 which would be a waste to me. Zur is many times more dangerous the faster you get him into play and lock up the game. So I'd suggest replacing it with Orzhov Signet, Coldsteel Heart, Talisman of Dominance, or Talisman of Progress in hopes that he comes out turn 3 almost every game, or turns 4 or 5 with mana for counter protection.
The reason I don't suggest replacing Coalition Relic is if you put it in the same situation as Darksteel Ingot and you play a land on turn 4 and remembered to plop a counter on the Relic (during your opponent's end step) then you'll have 6 potential mana meaning you can play Zur and leave a land and the Relic untapped (incase you don't have to counter anything you can plop another counter on the Relic before your Opponents turn is over, or make them think that you're considering it incase they're holding back mana for a removal spell which could make them waste their turn on the chance that you'll tap it at their end-step).
Red Panda:
Monk Idealist is in there because it does exactly the same thing as Auramancer and most people play it, so I'm kinda showing off. Perplex is interesting but I'm looking for an absolute counter rather than a maybe counterspell.
Omni Dreamer:
Thanks for the advice on the counterspells. Vensar, Shaper Savnt is in there because it doesn't counter a spell it takes it off the stack so its a nice trick. Also there's the possibility of bouncing him and getting multiple uses. I also like the Last Word in a counter war. However the Dismiss can be cut and likely will be.
As for the Necropotence and Phyrexian Arena they're in there for two different strategies. The Necropotence combos with Reliquary Tower and Empyrial Armor. The Phyrexian Arena gives me a soft lock with Solitary Confinement.
001 Zur the Enchanter
The Enchantments (12)
002 Necropotence
003 Vanishing
004 Diplomatic Immunity
005 Spreading Seas
006 Standstill
007 Greater Auramancy
008 Daybreak Coronet
009 Oblivion Ring
010 Solitary Confinement
011 Aura of Silence
012 Empyrial Armor
013 Prison Term
014 Steel of the Godhead
Counterspells (16)
015 Pact of Negation
016 Flusterstorm
017 Power Sink
018 Delay
019 Memory Lapse
020 Miscalculation
021 Counterspell
022 Mana Drain
023 Muddle the Mixture
024 Dissipate
025 Forbid
026 Hinder
027 Spell Crumple
028 Mindbreak Trap
029 Cryptic Command
030 Force of Will
Search (5)
031 Sensei's Divining Top
032 Vampiric Tutor
033 Demonic Tutor
034 Brainstorm
035 Mystical Tutor
036 Capsize
037 Condemn
038 Path to Exile
039 Swords to Plowshares
040 Armageddon
041 Winds of Rath
042 Mortify
043 Vindicate
Creatures (3)
044 Spellskite
045 Trinket Mage
046 Monk Idealist
Planeswalker
047 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
048 Gideon Jura
Acceleration (8)
049 Chrome Mox
050 Lotus Petal
051 Mana Crypt
052 Mox Diamond
053 Sol Ring
054 Azorius Signet
055 Dimir Signet
056 Darksteel Ingot
Utility (6)
057 Isochron Scepter
058 Lightening Greaves
059 Mind Twist
060 Misdirection
061 Orim's Chant
062 Replenish
Lands
063 Adarkar Wastes
064 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
065 City of Brass
066 Command Tower
067 Drowned Catacombs
068 Esper Panorama
069 Flooded Strand
070 Gemstone Mine
071 Glacial Fortress
072 Godless Shrine
073 Grand Coliseum
074 Hall of the Bandit Lord
075 Hallowed Fountain
076 Island
077 Island
078 Island
079 Island
080 Island
081 Marsh Flats
082 Maze of Ith
083 Mistveil Plains
084 Mystic Gate
085 Plains
086 Polluted Delta
087 Reflecting Pool
088 Reliquary Tower
089 Scrubland
090 Seat of the Synod
091 Strip Mine
092 Sunken Ruins
093 Swamp
094 Tower of Magistrate
095 Tundra
096 Underground River
097 Underground Sea
098 Vesuva
099 Wasteland
100 Watery Grave
05/09/2011 - Changes
In:Spreading Seas to stop cards like Maze of Ith or Tomb of Yawgmoth
Flusterstorm
Spell Crumple New and improved Hinder
Mindbreak Trap a non-counter Counterspell that might be free how can I go wrong
Winds of Rath
Spellskite
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Gideon Jura
Tower of Magistrate
Out: Phyresis
Copy Enchantment
Mana Leak
Remand
Dismiss
Last Word
Rewind
Oust
Cataclysm
Arcane Sanctum
Inkmoth Nexus
Feel free to comment. I still check this deck out.
CommanderEDH Decks:CommanderEDH DecksWULavinia of the Blinking TenthUW RGURiku the Epic Experimenter’s StormUGR UBRThrax and his Super FriendsRBU RWUZedruu the Hard HeartedUWR
WBU Zur the UnstoppableUBW
I've also found Perplex works for me. Pre-Zur, it's a great play on artifact mana, slowing your opponent down or clearing their hand for getting Zur out safely. Post-Zur it makes for a decent tutor.
Glissa, the Traitor, Ulasht, the Hate Seed, The Mimeoplasm
In my experience playing Zur, you need the majority of your counter-magic to be 3 cost or less to give you better odds of having the extra mana needed to play anything and still have mana open for a counter, or have mana for two counters.
That being said, I'd consider cutting Dismiss(this is better than the next two because it draws you a card, potentially another counter), Last Word(Usually better than Venser, since it can't be countered), and Venser, Shaper Savant.
Alternatives being:
2cc
Mana Leak
Arcane Denial
3cc
Dream Fracture
Dromar's Charm
Or by taking out Venser, Shaper Savant you at least have a spot for Sunder.
Also having both Necropotence and Phyrexian Arena seems unnecessary. You'll usually only need one or the other. But I believe most people run Necropotence over Phyrexian Arena for 1v1 simply because it can help Zur kill a lot faster once he has Empyrial Armor attached. Another reason is you can fill you're hand up in one turn as opposed to drawing one card per turn, and that is very important if you need a Grip of counters or in-case the next counter is like 4 draws away. So maybe cut Venser, Shaper Savant for another counter and cut Phyrexian Arena for Sunder, or cut it for Arcane Laboratory which can also help you lock up the game.
Phyrexian Arena is usually used over Necropotence only in Multiplayer match-ups so incase someone Mindslavers you, you won't die in one turn.
Also if Darksteel Ingot (a 3 drop) was the only mana accel you drew then Zur wouldn't hit play until turn 4 which would be a waste to me. Zur is many times more dangerous the faster you get him into play and lock up the game. So I'd suggest replacing it with Orzhov Signet, Coldsteel Heart, Talisman of Dominance, or Talisman of Progress in hopes that he comes out turn 3 almost every game, or turns 4 or 5 with mana for counter protection.
The reason I don't suggest replacing Coalition Relic is if you put it in the same situation as Darksteel Ingot and you play a land on turn 4 and remembered to plop a counter on the Relic (during your opponent's end step) then you'll have 6 potential mana meaning you can play Zur and leave a land and the Relic untapped (incase you don't have to counter anything you can plop another counter on the Relic before your Opponents turn is over, or make them think that you're considering it incase they're holding back mana for a removal spell which could make them waste their turn on the chance that you'll tap it at their end-step).
Sorry for the huge run-on sentence.
I think that covers it for my suggestions.
You're list is fairly similar to mine and to ChaosTheory's.
I think your mana accel / lands are both a little lower than ours, like 3 to 6 lower total.
But that may just be a difference in personal preference.
Ofcourse if you come across enough money and want to up the level of this deck, get those cards you mentioned at the bottom of your post.
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1959
Monk Idealist is in there because it does exactly the same thing as Auramancer and most people play it, so I'm kinda showing off.
Perplex is interesting but I'm looking for an absolute counter rather than a maybe counterspell.
Omni Dreamer:
Thanks for the advice on the counterspells. Vensar, Shaper Savnt is in there because it doesn't counter a spell it takes it off the stack so its a nice trick. Also there's the possibility of bouncing him and getting multiple uses. I also like the Last Word in a counter war. However the Dismiss can be cut and likely will be.
As for the Necropotence and Phyrexian Arena they're in there for two different strategies. The Necropotence combos with Reliquary Tower and Empyrial Armor. The Phyrexian Arena gives me a soft lock with Solitary Confinement.
CommanderEDH Decks:CommanderEDH DecksWULavinia of the Blinking TenthUW RGURiku the Epic Experimenter’s StormUGR UBRThrax and his Super FriendsRBU RWUZedruu the Hard HeartedUWR
WBU Zur the UnstoppableUBW
CommanderEDH Decks:CommanderEDH DecksWULavinia of the Blinking TenthUW RGURiku the Epic Experimenter’s StormUGR UBRThrax and his Super FriendsRBU RWUZedruu the Hard HeartedUWR
WBU Zur the UnstoppableUBW