MTG Salvation

I know that everyone and their brother has made a Sharuum deck (funny, my brother hasn't) but this was my first EDH deck and the one that I've had the longest. It's my baby It started out as an Artifact + Sphinx deck and I have since removed a lot of the Sphinx... I'm always tweaking it and making it better so suggestions are totally welcome!

Az




*EDITS*

With Magister Sphinx you probably don't need the Sorin.
Leonin Abunas with Memnarch is ridiculous. Make the Abunas an artifact, and boom, hexproof too.
I would recomend adding some card draw, Rhystic Study is a good one. Mind's Eye a somewhat less effective way of doing it, but it is an artifact.

Is this competitive? Your creature selection seem clunky, I mean 5.3 converted mana cost is way too high for even Sharuum. Might want to cut some for more utility like Trinket Mage, Venser, Shaper Savant, Phantasmal Image (Amazing), and if nothing Sun Titan.

Besides the fact that Sharuum opens up esper colors, I never really understood why she made a good commander myself. 6 mana for a 5/5 flying Eternal Witness that only works on artifacts.

But maybe I'm just missing something really obvious. Wouldn't be the first time.

Not that she's a bad general, per se. She's just not, you know, quite as powerful as other artifact commanders like Arcum Dagsson and Memnarch.

Quote from TheTrueNub

Besides the fact that Sharuum opens up esper colors, I never really understood why she made a good commander myself. 6 mana for a 5/5 flying Eternal Witness that only works on artifacts.

But maybe I'm just missing something really obvious. Wouldn't be the first time.

Not Eternal Witness, Sharuum brings the Artifact into play. She also has an infanite combo with Sculting Steel/Phyrexian Metamorph and Bitter Ordeal/Disciple of the Vault

Quote from TheTrueNub

Besides the fact that Sharuum opens up esper colors, I never really understood why she made a good commander myself. 6 mana for a 5/5 flying Eternal Witness that only works on artifacts.

But maybe I'm just missing something really obvious. Wouldn't be the first time.

Not that she's a bad general, per se. She's just not, you know, quite as powerful as other artifact commanders like Arcum Dagsson and Memnarch.

You seem biased towards blue, Sharuum says combo on her. It has the reputation of "the infinite" deck, it has the best tutor colours for EDH.

Quote from BaconoftheArk

You seem biased towards blue, Sharuum says combo on her. It has the reputation of "the infinite" deck, it has the best tutor colours for EDH.

Gifts Ungiven was, if I'm not mistaken, what really made her sing, which, if I'm not mistaken, is now banned in commander.

And, in general, no pun intended, I don't hear many people complaining about her.

But like I've mentioned elsewhere I'm new to EDH so I don't really "get it" yet.

@TheTrueNub: Sharuum is good because she's very versatile. If you want infinite combos, there are a number that involve her, and even without Gifts Ungiven you're in the colors for as many tutors as you want. If you just want to build around artifacts, she provides more colors and constant access to direct recursion. Furthermore, she's a 5/5 flier, which is a solid body for her cost, and a good clock even without any equipment.

Obviously, if you want to play prison-lock, Arcum Dagsson is better, and if you want to play mono-blue control, Memnarch has a distinct edge, but for what she does Sharuum is a very capable commander.


Anyway, as for this deck, here are cards that you could cut for better alternatives:

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV: He's good, but he draws extreme hate. If you want a cost reducer, try Etherium Sculptor. It's cheaper and also an artifact. If you want the tax, Lodestone Golem would be more thematic, as it is also an artifact.

Wall of Denial: It's definitely hard to get through, but it really has nothing to do with your deck's theme. You could replace it with any number of artifact creatures that have more of an effect on the game. Alternatively, Grand Architect is a 3-drop that provides you with a global pump and good ramp to drop your more expensive bombs sooner.

Cancel: Straight-up worse than Counterspell, and even that probably isn't good enough to make the cut. Look at Hinder, Spell Crumple, Forbid, or Dissipate to see what you could be getting with your 1UU counter.

Disenchant: Not bad, but you have so many better options. Dispeller's Capsule is recurrable with Sharuum. Return to Dust can hit 2 artifacts/enchantments, and it exiles them instead of just destroying. Dismantling Blow costs 1 more for the same effect, but you have the option of kicking it to make it a 3-for-1.

Dispense Justice: White has much better removal that isn't so conditional. If you really want metalcraft removal, Dispatch is better. Otherwise, you have Oblation to hit almost anything, and the drawback isn't that bad when you're tucking someone's commander. Vindicate is slower, but it can hit anything. If you want something that hits attackers, Condemn is a better option because it can tuck commanders.

Telling Time: I'd rather have something like Thirst for Knowledge, which nets you card advantage and allows you to discard something good for Sharuum to reanimate.

Wing Shards: See Dispense Justice.

Chainer's Edict: Single-target sacrifice effects are generally pretty bad. I get that you can use this twice, but even so you're better sticking with white exile removal, unless your meta includes a lot of Uril decks. Otherwise, wrath effects are better for getting around shroud, since they don't rely on your opponent only having the one shrouded creature and nothing else. At the very least, I'd prefer something like Go for the Throat, Doom Blade, or Rend Flesh over this.

Covenant of Minds: If you want a one-shot way to draw cards with a chance at sticking something in your graveyard for Sharuum to recur, try Fact or Fiction or Careful Consideration instead. They're cheaper, instants, and gives you more control over what cards end up where.

Cruel Edict: See Chainer's Edict.

I don't know what your meta is like, so I don't know why you've opted for the removal that you have, but these are the changes I would start with to improve the deck were it mine. Speaking of mine, you can also find more ideas in the deck list linked in my signature.

@Molten Shark: Thanks for all the feedback I see what you mean about some of those. I've switched out Covenant of Minds for FoF, Wing Shards for Condemn. I'll consider a couple of the others too but i think i'll keep the edicts. Most of my playgroup tends to play a LOT of Shroud and there are 2 Uril players >.< Maybe i'll sidebord them...

Quote from togorian25

Not Eternal Witness, Sharuum brings the Artifact into play. She also has an infinite combo with Sculting Steel/Phyrexian Metamorph and Bitter Ordeal/Disciple of the Vault

Can someone explain how Bitter Ordeal + Disciple of the Vault is an infinite combo? I'm not seeing it...

Quote from MikeCline83

Can someone explain how Bitter Ordeal + Disciple of the Vault is an infinite combo? I'm not seeing it...

You cast Sharuum, then you cast Sculpting Steel/Phyrexian Metamorph copying Sharuum, State based actions put both into the grave yard before you put the copy's effects on the stack. You use the copy's effect to bring back the original Sharuum, Sharuum brings back the Steel/Metamorph SBAs rinse and repeat.

ahh, thanks

Made some new updates:
Cruel Edict < Kuldotha Forgemaster
Darksteel Colossus < Myr Battlesphere
Swamp < Rishadan Port

Yeah, it's true that everyone knows a guy who has a Sharuum deck. However, the trick is to determine what level of douchey-combos you want to run. You can load up on the tutors and run everything from Time Sieve to Thopter/Sword to Sharuum/Steel to Mindslaver locking, or you can tone it down and run a bunch of "fair" combos like anything with Master Transmuter.

Specifically for you, I might cut the following cards:
- Ancestral Vision: This isn't Standard, and you don't have time to wait for your draw spells. Four turns in this format could take hours with a full table, and there are too many other spells in your colors that are just so much better. If you want an artifact, try Mind's Eye and Courier's Capsule. If you want an artifact creature, I've had good success with Moriok Replica. Or you could go with a staple in Fact or Fiction, Recurring Insight, or the new Sphinx of Uthuun.
- Buried Alive: This is one of the more polarizing cards in this format. Some people look at this and see three Entombs. I look all of the cheap grave-haters out there (Bojuka Bog, Relic of Progenitus, Nihil Spellbomb, Withered Wretch, etc) and see myself getting blown out. Then again, I have a nasty reputation for recurring things, so your results may vary. Still, I would never run this card.
- Chainer's Edict: Non-artifact spells in my Sharuum list always get super-scrutinized, and I think I'd rather have something that is instant-speed (Diabolic Edict) or hits everybody (Fleshbag Marauder, Grave Pact).
- Swiftfoot Boots: Normally, this is a great card, but in a deck that's all about bringing stuff back, who cares if your stuff dies? I'd rather have another sacrifice outlet to make sure it goes to the yard instead of exile.
- Force of Will: This isn't Legacy, either. Nevermind that you don't have nearly enough blue cards to exile, anything that exiles your own stuff is pretty bad in this format. I get that it's free and all that, but I'd rather play Foil instead (or Forbid or Dissipate or Cryptic Command).
- Sphinx of the Steel Wind: Meh, it's just a beater, albeit one with a bunch of abilities.

Quote from OCPunisher

Yeah, it's true that everyone knows a guy who has a Sharuum deck. However, the trick is to determine what level of douchey-combos you want to run. You can load up on the tutors and run everything from Time Sieve to Thopter/Sword to Sharuum/Steel to Mindslaver locking, or you can tone it down and run a bunch of "fair" combos like anything with Master Transmuter.

Specifically for you, I might cut the following cards:
- Ancestral Vision: This isn't Standard, and you don't have time to wait for your draw spells. Four turns in this format could take hours with a full table, and there are too many other spells in your colors that are just so much better. If you want an artifact, try Mind's Eye and Courier's Capsule. If you want an artifact creature, I've had good success with Moriok Replica. Or you could go with a staple in Fact or Fiction, Recurring Insight, or the new Sphinx of Uthuun.
- Buried Alive: This is one of the more polarizing cards in this format. Some people look at this and see three Entombs. I look all of the cheap grave-haters out there (Bojuka Bog, Relic of Progenitus, Nihil Spellbomb, Withered Wretch, etc) and see myself getting blown out. Then again, I have a nasty reputation for recurring things, so your results may vary. Still, I would never run this card.
- Chainer's Edict: Non-artifact spells in my Sharuum list always get super-scrutinized, and I think I'd rather have something that is instant-speed (Diabolic Edict) or hits everybody (Fleshbag Marauder, Grave Pact).
- Swiftfoot Boots: Normally, this is a great card, but in a deck that's all about bringing stuff back, who cares if your stuff dies? I'd rather have another sacrifice outlet to make sure it goes to the yard instead of exile.
- Force of Will: This isn't Legacy, either. Nevermind that you don't have nearly enough blue cards to exile, anything that exiles your own stuff is pretty bad in this format. I get that it's free and all that, but I'd rather play Foil instead (or Forbid or Dissipate or Cryptic Command).
- Sphinx of the Steel Wind: Meh, it's just a beater, albeit one with a bunch of abilities.

Wow, a lot of feedback there; thanks for that! I've made a few changes:
Ancestral Vision < Sphinx of Uthuun
Force of Will < Hinder
Swiftfoot Boots < Darksteel Juggernaut

Quote from MikeCline83

Wow, a lot of feedback there; thanks for that! I've made a few changes:
Ancestral Vision < Sphinx of Uthuun
Force of Will < Hinder
Swiftfoot Boots < Darksteel Juggernaut

Why the Juggernaut? It has no evasion, and no guarantee that it will be big enough to make a dent in someone.

If you want another fun (albeit expensive) option, try Enigma Sphinx.

Quote from OCPunisher

Why the Juggernaut? It has no evasion, and no guarantee that it will be big enough to make a dent in someone.

If you want another fun (albeit expensive) option, try Enigma Sphinx.

Yeah the juggernaut I didn't understand either; I'm guessing it's more of a "why not" card. Although to the OP, if you're bold, try running him with Mycosynth Lattice. That card combos with everything in this deck lol.

I've tested Enigma Sphinx, and the only problem I have with it is that it has poor synergy with Sharuum herself. It's effect only works when it dies, so discarding it to cards like Thirst for Knowledge won't work. But if you're willing to take the time to recycle it, you'll be getting some sweet shenanigans out of it.

I look at it and I see a random free spell off the top of my library. Since my list is a budget one, I can't use my Top to determine what that might be, but free stuff is still not a bad idea. Speaking of free stuff, I'm gonna try to fit a Blinkmoth Urn into my list.

Good point, i'll switch the Sphinx out for the Juggernaut. He was really more of a filler cuz I needed another artifact creature and didn't really have another good idea; thanks for the feedback guys.

In my version of Sharuum (which I would like to point out not only has combo but the potential to play the fair game and win with fatties) I run expensive creatures without question. Some of the creatures I have played with (depending on the people I am playing against I add and remove some. Usually adding in fatties and removing combo cards like Time Sieve)

• Filigree Angel
  
• Glassdust Hulk
  
• Enigma Sphinx
  
• Sphinx Sovereign
  
• Sharding Sphinx
  
• Sphinx of the Steel Wind
  
• Sundering Titan
  
• Karn, Silver Golem
  
• Memnarch
  
• Magister Sphinx

There are more too. In general if you are going to play fair you want to play big. That is the best part of Sharuum. Play a huge thing that they need to answer and after they do (if they dont you win we hope) you get to play Sharuum and pop it back into play to raise more hell.

Edit: You will want better artifacts that make mana if you are going to play fatty beat down though. Signets, Coalition Relic, Mana Vault, etc. These will all come in extremely handy when you are on turn 3-4 playing 8 mana fatties. Also play Jace, the Mind Sculptor over Venser. Huge upgrade in almost every way.
Edit2: Drop the comes into play tapped lands. There are plenty of non-basic lands you can run that dont come into play tapped that make the mana you need. You should run fetches for color fixing and of course the signets are a HUGE help. I cant stand CIPT lands.

Just some clean up; also I removed Consecrated Sphinx for Ethersworn Adjudicator mainly because I don't like having non-artifact creatures in this deck.
and... Mind Twist < Cloud Key

Weekend Updates:
Enigma Sphinx < Duplicant
Time Warp < Chrome Mox
Counterspell < Vindicate
Path to Exile < Mind's Eye
Rishadan Port < Gemstone Mine

Update: Beseech the Queen < Coalition Relic

Update:
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV < Blinkmoth Urn
Dispense Justice < Oblation
Sphinx Summoner < Steel Hellkite
Otherworldly Journey < Mirrorworks

I'm trying to make some tweaks here that will allow the deck to be more "artifact" and less "esper".

Updates:
Boreal Shelf < Vault of the Archangel
Azorius Chancery < Vesuva