Yeah he is strong. I hate Gaddock Teeg more, but Zur is undoubtedly a bastard. I guess if there is a gentleman's agreement whereby the player of Zur doesn't allow things to get too degenerate he can be ok, but either way, even playing an 'untuned' Zur can be tough. He puts you on a short clock as a voltron, can lock down the board ridiculously quickly, and comes out super early in the game. I still see him as a challenge, and I could probably give my wife's Zur a run for his money, but he is tough.
What gets me most is the downtime. I feel like 'come on, we all know you're picking Gift Of Immortality first, hurry it up' is probably a fairly common utterance. I pick up a deck to play, not to see someone else rifle through their cards every turn.
To be honest, I'm hanging out for Aether Revolt before adding energy synergy to my decks. Or creating a new one based around energy.
The one exception to this is Demon of Dark Schemes simply because he is his own engine. I have him in Savra, Queen of the Golgari so there ya go. The only other FEASIBLE win con at present with energy is Aetherworks Marvel, and I, as a general rule, try to avoid tutors wherever possible. Not completely, but I won't search out tutor style cards for my decks, simply because I like the unpredictability that comes with Commander as a format, and I think that a deck being able to function properly without tutor style cards shows resilience. I know Aetherworks Marvel isn't broken to hell, but it isn't the most exciting card out. I honestly prefer Architect of the untamed, and would probably play it if it were a slightly cheaper effect.
Forgot about Drunau Corpse Trawler. 2 for 1 each time he's cast, small mana investment, and great activated ability. Death Baron's 2IC in terms of rattlesnaking.
Also Carrion Feeder. Easy to look past, but he's a free sac outlet whenever you need it, and obviously gets bigger. Win win. Doesn't get much cheaper as far as sac outlets go.
Oh, and as far as recursion goes, I guess extra spells dedicated to that are a little redundant, but sometimes redundancy is nice: Grimoire Of The Dead - This is basically the Necronomicon flavour wise. Which as an H.P Lovecraft fan makes it a favourite card of mine. Rise Of The Dark Realms - Same effect, but faster. And more expensive, but you have the mana base to pull it off.
I second Dralnu, Lich Lord. Seems fragile but he is lots of fun, and reasonably easy to build on a budget.
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden is good fun, and his ability is something out of the ordinary. With a bit of careful building he can be pretty explosive. Either go goblin tribal or rakdos goodstuff. Scalable, can be competitive or good times. Not my most competitive deck, but definitely one of the more fun. Goblin Charbelcher is a must but otherwise have fun with it.
Agreed! I usually favor original art, especially when it's from a set that just released not long after I first started playing. Probably could not have predicted I'd be making use of it in such a way so many years later.
It's always been one of my favourites, despite initially having no idea how to use it. I started playing around Weatherlight. The puzzle box is what made Teferi become one of my favourite characters. Incidentally, Dream Halls has always been a favourite card of mine too. I've had 2 copies since the first reviews of Stronghold labelled it 'the worst card in the set'. Zedruu sure showed them!
Karlov of the High Council spirit build. Really it's a bleeder deck, but the theme is adhered to well. I think there are maybe two non spirit creatures. It can be fun, but it is slow. Ulamog, the ceaseless Hunger for tribal eldrazi - it's a beast. Slightly harder to build but fun. Stakes are high, if you're disrupted things get difficult. I suspect it's less fun for other people than it is for me, but hey at least you know what you're getting with eldrazi - no sneaky tricks, just straight up devastation. Atarka, World Render for dragons. Easy tribe to build, reasonable fun. Wort, Boggart Aunite for goblins. Needs more draw, if I get the mix right at some point, it will be insane. And it's lots of fun. Gisa And Geralf for zombies. Definitely my fave. Easily my favorite tribal build. Has just the right mix of draw, tribal synergy and fun plays.
I guess you could also count Bruna, the fading light as angel/human, but really she's just an excuse to live the dream and meld into brisela, voice of nightmares at some point. Hasn't happened yet, but you never know.
EDIT: Had a Reaper King build for scarecrows at one point too. It was fun to build, but boring as hell to play. Honestly, I was really bummed taking it apart, because it just played out the same every single time.
EDIT: There is a place for {card]Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth[/card] here. Works well with the swampwalk theme. Having Zombie Master on the field with urborg is pretty much game.
Also, great for setting up a Gisa and Geralf activation and also getting board presence, while still most definitely being on theme - Zombie Infestation.
Were there more instant and sorcery spells here I would suggest Rise from the tides.
It certainly seems the sort of card that could work well or go terribly wrong for someone piloting zedruu.
Dangit... that's not terrible. I've spent the entirety of Jace, the Living Guildpact's life smack talking it for being super lame, my opinion of it so low I forgot it even existed, but you make a valid argument. The plus is worse but similar pseudo card advantage to Nahiri, the minus can save you from yourself like Nahiri, and the ultimate sort of blows up the game like Nahiri. It's still worse than that sounds because +1, -3, and -8 make for a swift kick in the nuts, but that's not the worst idea I've ever heard. It certainly hits the right price point.
I consider convincing someone that Jace, The Living Guildpact is not terrible (situationally) a win. I think in this deck, simply because the +1 is so awful, you're really using him as a contingency plan more than anything. 3 turns of the +1 just to get your proto Day's undoing is pretty average. But a contingency plan he could well be.
I think you underestimate the resonator. The thing that's stopped me from using it is Mind Over Matter. With 4 things donated, resonator can copy the zedruu trigger, Mind Over Matter can untap it and 3 lands, and then you just combo off and since Mind Over Matter makes all the mana to play and use Zedruu, it's basically a 2 card combo, arguably as efficient here as in Brago decks. Even without Mind Over Matter, you can do a 4 card infinite with Jeskai Ascendancy, Strionic Resonator, March of the Machines, and Gilded Lotus. And without comboing, it's fine just to pay 2 to copy Font of Mythos for 2 cards. Or just donate it to someone and vocally question "what could possibly go wrong!?" It's certainly on the list of things I'd like to try out in a MoMless zedruu.
That is a good case for the resonator. I do prefer to stay away from degenerate combo, and it seems far enough away from that sort of area that I could justify it's inclusion. I'm certainly not in the position to afford the Gilded Lotus that enables that combo at any rate. Manabase wise, this deck will definitely be a work in progress. At any rate, the resonator seems a versatile option too. Zedruu definitely isn't the only thing it can be used for, so it's probably worth it.
Yeah, so I'm pretty happy to let land tax and MoM slide. There's just nothing else that's on the same level as these two. Excepting oath of lieges, which I should be able to track down. MoM, yeah there really isn't anything close enough to it in terms of versatility. The best I can see for versatility and fast mana is something like reset (fairly pricey) and the new dramatic reversal. Either of which I'm sure would go well into EotS.
My only problem with Nahiri's wrath is that it won't hit players. Aside from that I like it, and I like the price too.
At this point I have harmless offering as a proto political trickery. The only place it loses is that you gain nothing back, so there's no exchange. Which is unfortunate, but until I can dig up some of the "exchange" cards printed over the years it will have to do. At the very least it's less color intensive than Zedruu's ability.
I agree with the assessment of Sakashima too. There isn't really anything else out there that can copy Zedruu itself, short of running Mirror Gallery for clones and Rite of Replication. That is an option, but as it's global it certainly offers up options for abuse by opponents too. Still, could be fun. There's probably more ways to abuse this interaction than there are ways to abuse strionic resonator at any rate.
As far as the planeswalkers go, there's no way im splashing the money for Nahiri till she rotates out of standard, I draw the limit at ten dollars for a single card, and it damn well better pull its weight. Of the two I'm playing now, I'd prefer to keep Ral. Tamiyo's emblem is great but the threat of it draws a lot of attention as you say, and her +1 ability is average. I'd be playing her and likely first move would be to drop 2 and pick up a butt ton of cards, but that's something Zedruu will allow anyway, so she sort of seems a little redundant. I have a couple of other PW's available in a folder I could replace her with, Architect Jace, Guildpact Jace, Teferi Commander, and Ajani vengeant. Of those, I'd guess my best options at Teferi commander, and Guildpact Jace. Ajani is too aggro and I don't like LD, Architect Jace provides next to no benefit in this deck. Guildpact would allow me to bounce something like mindmoil or thought reflection when needed, and his ult would allow redundancy for things like day's undoing and temporal cascade. Teferi would allow me to get more versatility out of my PW's in general, although 10 counters is a high target to hit. Not sure if either of his other abilities would really benefit me overly other than to squeeze more from mana rocks and such. I can definitely see how Venser is an ideal pick for this deck, as on a gatherer search there is very little else out there that will blink a non-creature permanent.
EDIT: Also, what do we think of some of the kaladesh releases? Aetherflux reservoir definitely made my list here, although I am concerned that it may be too easy of a win-con here. I'm tossing up something like fateful showdown too. It has a place in EDH somewhere, I'm not sure if this deck is it. But it potentially could be.
Fair enough! I guess it just comes across that way in a summary article because there are so many guilds to track through ~1-2 pages of information. I always thought the nephilim would play more of a part, too, considering how unique they are.
Thanks so much Jay. This is the last bit of lore I've really wanted to know for a while. Teferi being one of my favourite characters and wanting to know more about the Mending and 'modern Bolas', this was a great read, and well timed coming into Dominaria.
Great article. Long but not unnecessarily. I can pretty well agree with the conclusion too. My first thought was Leshrac, but not knowing a HUGE amount of older lore (I started playing at a young age), Leshrac seems unlikely. Lim-Dul fits the bill. It would be a great twist at some point too.
What are the odds the reveal happens in the upcoming Dominaria set next year? Fingers crossed.
What gets me most is the downtime. I feel like 'come on, we all know you're picking Gift Of Immortality first, hurry it up' is probably a fairly common utterance. I pick up a deck to play, not to see someone else rifle through their cards every turn.
YES. Voltaic Key too. Stupidly versatile cards, they to me are the epitome of what a versatile powerful artifact should be.
Cyclonic Rift - 'nuff said.
Phyrexian Arena - My wife doesn't give this card the respect it deserves, and the amount of times it's kept me ahead of curve completely proves it's worth.
Clever Impersonator - the versatility.
Strionic Resonator - the versatility.
Ahsnod's Altar - In the right deck, this ***** is broken into a million pieces.
Vampiric Rites - Quietly good sac outlet.
The one exception to this is Demon of Dark Schemes simply because he is his own engine. I have him in Savra, Queen of the Golgari so there ya go. The only other FEASIBLE win con at present with energy is Aetherworks Marvel, and I, as a general rule, try to avoid tutors wherever possible. Not completely, but I won't search out tutor style cards for my decks, simply because I like the unpredictability that comes with Commander as a format, and I think that a deck being able to function properly without tutor style cards shows resilience. I know Aetherworks Marvel isn't broken to hell, but it isn't the most exciting card out. I honestly prefer Architect of the untamed, and would probably play it if it were a slightly cheaper effect.
Also Carrion Feeder. Easy to look past, but he's a free sac outlet whenever you need it, and obviously gets bigger. Win win. Doesn't get much cheaper as far as sac outlets go.
Oh, and as far as recursion goes, I guess extra spells dedicated to that are a little redundant, but sometimes redundancy is nice:
Grimoire Of The Dead - This is basically the Necronomicon flavour wise. Which as an H.P Lovecraft fan makes it a favourite card of mine.
Rise Of The Dark Realms - Same effect, but faster. And more expensive, but you have the mana base to pull it off.
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden is good fun, and his ability is something out of the ordinary. With a bit of careful building he can be pretty explosive. Either go goblin tribal or rakdos goodstuff. Scalable, can be competitive or good times. Not my most competitive deck, but definitely one of the more fun. Goblin Charbelcher is a must but otherwise have fun with it.
I have one myself, built around a specific theme. He's good fun, and scales to the decks you're playing against.
Or there's Wrexial, The Risen Deep, Sen Triplets, Emrakul, The promised end, The Mimeoplasm.
EDIT:
Thinking on it more, there's the new Gonti, Lord of Luxury too. I'd still back Lazav though.
It's always been one of my favourites, despite initially having no idea how to use it. I started playing around Weatherlight. The puzzle box is what made Teferi become one of my favourite characters. Incidentally, Dream Halls has always been a favourite card of mine too. I've had 2 copies since the first reviews of Stronghold labelled it 'the worst card in the set'. Zedruu sure showed them!
Karlov of the High Council spirit build. Really it's a bleeder deck, but the theme is adhered to well. I think there are maybe two non spirit creatures. It can be fun, but it is slow.
Ulamog, the ceaseless Hunger for tribal eldrazi - it's a beast. Slightly harder to build but fun. Stakes are high, if you're disrupted things get difficult. I suspect it's less fun for other people than it is for me, but hey at least you know what you're getting with eldrazi - no sneaky tricks, just straight up devastation.
Atarka, World Render for dragons. Easy tribe to build, reasonable fun.
Wort, Boggart Aunite for goblins. Needs more draw, if I get the mix right at some point, it will be insane. And it's lots of fun.
Gisa And Geralf for zombies. Definitely my fave. Easily my favorite tribal build. Has just the right mix of draw, tribal synergy and fun plays.
I guess you could also count Bruna, the fading light as angel/human, but really she's just an excuse to live the dream and meld into brisela, voice of nightmares at some point. Hasn't happened yet, but you never know.
EDIT: Had a Reaper King build for scarecrows at one point too. It was fun to build, but boring as hell to play. Honestly, I was really bummed taking it apart, because it just played out the same every single time.
Couple of other good options for dumping from hand to GY for gisa and geralf are Flux and Dream Halls. Also, no Bone Dancer? Great with Zombie Master. From your maybeboard, I'd add Phyrexian Delver and Grave Betrayal. Door of Destinies perhaps too?
EDIT: There is a place for {card]Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth[/card] here. Works well with the swampwalk theme. Having Zombie Master on the field with urborg is pretty much game.
Also, great for setting up a Gisa and Geralf activation and also getting board presence, while still most definitely being on theme - Zombie Infestation.
Were there more instant and sorcery spells here I would suggest Rise from the tides.
It certainly seems the sort of card that could work well or go terribly wrong for someone piloting zedruu.
I consider convincing someone that Jace, The Living Guildpact is not terrible (situationally) a win. I think in this deck, simply because the +1 is so awful, you're really using him as a contingency plan more than anything. 3 turns of the +1 just to get your proto Day's undoing is pretty average. But a contingency plan he could well be.
That is a good case for the resonator. I do prefer to stay away from degenerate combo, and it seems far enough away from that sort of area that I could justify it's inclusion. I'm certainly not in the position to afford the Gilded Lotus that enables that combo at any rate. Manabase wise, this deck will definitely be a work in progress. At any rate, the resonator seems a versatile option too. Zedruu definitely isn't the only thing it can be used for, so it's probably worth it.
My only problem with Nahiri's wrath is that it won't hit players. Aside from that I like it, and I like the price too.
At this point I have harmless offering as a proto political trickery. The only place it loses is that you gain nothing back, so there's no exchange. Which is unfortunate, but until I can dig up some of the "exchange" cards printed over the years it will have to do. At the very least it's less color intensive than Zedruu's ability.
I agree with the assessment of Sakashima too. There isn't really anything else out there that can copy Zedruu itself, short of running Mirror Gallery for clones and Rite of Replication. That is an option, but as it's global it certainly offers up options for abuse by opponents too. Still, could be fun. There's probably more ways to abuse this interaction than there are ways to abuse strionic resonator at any rate.
As far as the planeswalkers go, there's no way im splashing the money for Nahiri till she rotates out of standard, I draw the limit at ten dollars for a single card, and it damn well better pull its weight. Of the two I'm playing now, I'd prefer to keep Ral. Tamiyo's emblem is great but the threat of it draws a lot of attention as you say, and her +1 ability is average. I'd be playing her and likely first move would be to drop 2 and pick up a butt ton of cards, but that's something Zedruu will allow anyway, so she sort of seems a little redundant. I have a couple of other PW's available in a folder I could replace her with, Architect Jace, Guildpact Jace, Teferi Commander, and Ajani vengeant. Of those, I'd guess my best options at Teferi commander, and Guildpact Jace. Ajani is too aggro and I don't like LD, Architect Jace provides next to no benefit in this deck. Guildpact would allow me to bounce something like mindmoil or thought reflection when needed, and his ult would allow redundancy for things like day's undoing and temporal cascade. Teferi would allow me to get more versatility out of my PW's in general, although 10 counters is a high target to hit. Not sure if either of his other abilities would really benefit me overly other than to squeeze more from mana rocks and such. I can definitely see how Venser is an ideal pick for this deck, as on a gatherer search there is very little else out there that will blink a non-creature permanent.
EDIT: Also, what do we think of some of the kaladesh releases? Aetherflux reservoir definitely made my list here, although I am concerned that it may be too easy of a win-con here. I'm tossing up something like fateful showdown too. It has a place in EDH somewhere, I'm not sure if this deck is it. But it potentially could be.