Zurgo is pretty sweet for a commander damage strategy - 7 power, haste, a built-in excuse for why you're pulverizing people, and as long as you're attacking, combat is going well for you. Plus he's hands-down the best dressed in an assault suit. But the real sweet spot, the real reason to run the guy, is that he's immune to your own boardwipes, one of the strongest effects that white, black, and red share.
I wanted to make something a little different from the usual zurgo voltrons decks. The goal isn't to make zurgo the fastest or scariest threat on the field, but as a moderate-speed reliable finisher. This deck is all about the grind. With 10 removal and 15 boardwipes, in addition to plenty of tutoring and drawing, and with only 3 non-commander creatures in the whole deck, no one's else's permanents are safe, least of all their creatures. And when the rest of the field is clear, zurgo swings away once, twice, and you're outta here!
Besides the reliability of a 3-hit-knockout in the command zone, there's a handful of pretty sweet alternative wincons that play excellently with all the board wipage, mostly in the form of mass-reanimation that can take you from the back of the pack to the front in a hurry. A few planeswalkers also join in the fun, since they're well protected behind your wall of death, and both their ultimates work perfectly with the destructive nature of the deck.
Another handful of cards I'm excited about are a trio of brutal stax cards: the abyss (a personal favorite that plays excellently with an indestructible commander), magus of the abyss (the infinitely-inferior version that gets a lot better with the aforementioned indestructible commander), and maybe most brutally, burning sands, which turns an innocent wrath of god into a full on one-sided devastation. Just be careful when playing it alongside mass reanimation, and keep enchantment removal ready in case someone else boardwipes you.
I like it! It uses minimal creatures but maximize the power of Zurgo, a refreshing change.
I might start by removing Righteous War. I see the synergy with Abyss and your creatures but you have so few that a simple Darksteel Plate or Lightning Greave would solve the problem better, since both protect you from more than just black/white effects.
In addition to Seize the Day, Waves of Aggression is another good choice since it can be played for more than twice, provided that you have the lands in hand. In multiplayer I think that would make a difference.
I like righteous war more than greaves because greaves leaves you vulnerable while you equip. With righteous war he's protected from STP all day, every day. Also it prevents blocking and removes pacifisms. Not sure if it's worth it, but it definitely has advantages compared to greaves.
Honestly despite drawing seize the day several times, I was never in a position to use it because Zurgo rarely stayed on the field for long. I don't think I'd want to use waves of aggression.
I do already have a sunforger package, but I do think the deck needs boros charm to make it work. Also a wild ricochet or something. Right now it's basically nothing but removal.
I wanted to make something a little different from the usual zurgo voltrons decks. The goal isn't to make zurgo the fastest or scariest threat on the field, but as a moderate-speed reliable finisher. This deck is all about the grind. With 10 removal and 15 boardwipes, in addition to plenty of tutoring and drawing, and with only 3 non-commander creatures in the whole deck, no one's else's permanents are safe, least of all their creatures. And when the rest of the field is clear, zurgo swings away once, twice, and you're outta here!
Besides the reliability of a 3-hit-knockout in the command zone, there's a handful of pretty sweet alternative wincons that play excellently with all the board wipage, mostly in the form of mass-reanimation that can take you from the back of the pack to the front in a hurry. A few planeswalkers also join in the fun, since they're well protected behind your wall of death, and both their ultimates work perfectly with the destructive nature of the deck.
Another handful of cards I'm excited about are a trio of brutal stax cards: the abyss (a personal favorite that plays excellently with an indestructible commander), magus of the abyss (the infinitely-inferior version that gets a lot better with the aforementioned indestructible commander), and maybe most brutally, burning sands, which turns an innocent wrath of god into a full on one-sided devastation. Just be careful when playing it alongside mass reanimation, and keep enchantment removal ready in case someone else boardwipes you.
1 Zurgo Helmsmasher
targeted removal (10)
1 hide//seek
1 vindicate
1 mortify
1 utter end
1 chaos warp
1 path to exile
1 oblation
1 unexpectedly absent
1 swords to plowshares
1 return to dust
board wipes (15)
1 wrath of god
1 day of judgment
1 catastrophe
1 austere command
1 worldslayer
1 jokulhaups
1 devastation
1 obliterate
1 decree of pain
1 necromantic selection
1 nevinyrral's Disk
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Blastphemous Act
1 Damnation
1 Akroma's
1 underworld connections
1 dark tutelage
1 necropotence
1 scroll rack
1 sensei's diving top
1 phyrexian arena
tutor (6)
1 vampiric tutor
1 imperial seal
1 demonic tutor
1 diabolic tutor
1 grim tutor
1 enlightened tutor
planesalkers (2)
1 liliana vess
1 elspeth, knight-errant
shockingly rude stax stuff (3)
1 the abyss
1 magus of the abyss
1 burning sands
Zurgo enhancers (6)
1 Whispersilk Cloak
1 Righteous War
1 Sunforger
1 Aurelia, the Warleader
1 Assault Suit
1 Seize the Day
Alt wincons (4)
1 Grave Betrayal
1 Debtor's Knell
1 Sepulchral Primordial
1 Rise of the Dark Realms
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Boros Signet
1 Talisman of Indulgence
1 mana crypt
1 Sol ring
1 Tithe
Lands (40)
9 fetches
3 duals
3 shocks
1 mistveil plains
1 bojuka bog
1 sunhome, fortress of the legion
1 shizo, death's Storehouse
1 command tower
3 bounce lands
1 spinerock knoll
3 filter lands
1 vault of the archangel
3 checklands
1 urborg, tomb of yawgmoth
1 flagstones of trokair
1 Cavern of Souls
1 mountain
2 plains
3 swamp
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
I might start by removing Righteous War. I see the synergy with Abyss and your creatures but you have so few that a simple Darksteel Plate or Lightning Greave would solve the problem better, since both protect you from more than just black/white effects.
In addition to Seize the Day, Waves of Aggression is another good choice since it can be played for more than twice, provided that you have the lands in hand. In multiplayer I think that would make a difference.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
I am building a Zurgo Helmsmasher Funforger list that is going to abuse the ever infamous Helm of Obedience + Leyline of the Void/Rest in Peace combo (you know, cuz I get to smash their helms).
Honestly despite drawing seize the day several times, I was never in a position to use it because Zurgo rarely stayed on the field for long. I don't think I'd want to use waves of aggression.
I do already have a sunforger package, but I do think the deck needs boros charm to make it work. Also a wild ricochet or something. Right now it's basically nothing but removal.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6