EDH Deck of the Week: Zurgo Helmsmasher

Zurgo Helmsmasher might seem unappealing at first glance, however, this deck tries to win through Commander Damage and it does that amazingly well.

The fact he is indestructible in your turn is extremely relevant as it will stop a lot of people using their instant speed kill spells and without a blocker or exile spell, leave themselves wide open to Zurgo’s attacks.

Removal is abundant in EDH but most of that is in the form of kill spells which makes him automatically more viable against a lot of decks. However, this deck really is a ‘pin all your hopes on one card’ sort of list and if that sounds like something you don’t want to do in Commander, maybe Zurgo is not for you but before you make your mind up, read on and check out the list below!

Straight away from when he hits the board an opponent has 3 turns to find an answer to him or find a way of consistently blocking him turn after turn or they are out of the game. The fact he also puts counters on himself when an opponent inevitably throws chump blockers under the bus is also nothing to scoff at.

The fact you are also playing Mardu colours gives you access to the best removal packages available in EDH. All 3 colours have strong removal respectively and get even stronger when mixed together in the forms of cards like Dreadbore, Utter End and Terminate. The list I have chosen is packed full of removal and a lot of the creatures are purely used for utility in the deck and are there to  help clear out any blockers that may get in Zurgo’s way. Removal should be your priority as this will help sure up Zurgo getting his damage through.

I wouldn’t normally write about one single card in an EDH deck review, however, Worldslayer combined with Zurgo is a ridiculous combo. His indestructibility and the trigger from Worldslayer are a match made in heaven and  watching it happen is either absolutely brilliant or completely soul crushing depending on what end of Zurgo’s attack you are on.

If you are a fan of hyper aggressive strategies and like to just beat down your opponents as fast as possible then I am sure you and Zurgo will get on really well. I would recommend this list to newer players to the format as well as it extremely simple to play and gets the job done quickly.

Let’s move on to the deck list and see what we have to work with;

Commander: 1

1x Zurgo Helmsmasher

Creatures: 21

1x Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief

1x Skinrender

1x Flametongue Kavu

1x Intrepid Hero

1x Stoneforge Mystic

1x Big Game Hunter

1x Necrotic Sliver

1x Angel of Despair

1x Shadowborn Demon

1x Stronghold Assassin

1x Nekrataal

1x Magus of the Abyss

1x Inferno Titan

1x Ashen Rider

1x Visara the Dreadful

1x Sheoldred, Whispering One

1x Dark Hatchling

1x Bone Shredder

1x Shriekmaw

1x Throat Slitter

1x Reaper from the Abyss

Instants and Sorceries: 23

1x Dismember

1x Boros Charm

1x Swords to Plowshares

1x Path to Exile

1x Mortify

1x Murderous Cut

1x Dreadbore

1x Utter End

1x Malicious Affliction

1x Murder

1x Terminate

1x Rend Flesh

1x Crackling Doom

1x Go for the Throat

1x Blasphemous Act

1x Rout

1x Day of Judgment

1x Wrath of God

1x Decree of Pain

1x Diabolic Tutor

1x Increasing Ambition

1x Steelshaper’s Gift

1x Seize the Day

Enchantments and Artifacts: 17

1x Lightning Greaves

1x Swiftfoot Boots

1x Sword of Light and Shadow

1x Loxodon Warhammer

1x Whispersilk Cloak

1x Tenza, Godo’s Maul

1x Worldslayer

1x O-Naginata

1x Orzhov Cluestone

1x Sol Ring

1x Commander’s Sphere

1x Rakdos Cluestone

1x Leyline of the Void

1x Sigil of the New Dawn

1x Phyrexian Reclamation

1x Spirit Bonds

1x Attrition

Land: 38

6x Mountain

6x Plains

6x Swamp

1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

1x Temple of Malice

1x Temple of Silence

1x Temple of Triumph

1x Bloodstained Mire

1x Arid Mesa

1x Marsh Flats

1x Sacred Foundry

1x Blood Crypt

1x Godless Shrine 

1x Dragonskull Summit

1x Bloodfell Caves

1x Sulfurous Springs

1x Clifftop Retreat

1x Battlefield Forge

1x Wind-Scarred Crag

1x Scoured Barrens

1x Isolated Chapel

1x Command Tower

1x Nomad Outpost

By Mikey Coleman
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