This Zurgo deck is meant for one thing and one thing only, smorcing face. And if I might add, the deck's designed to do it quite well. With incredible tools like Assault Suit and Worldslayer to close out a game quickly, opponents will find it hard to deal against your massive Zurgo! So strap on your big boy pants, go get your big beat-stick, it's time to turn cardboard sideways and destroy lands and friendships alike!
Screw your social contracts I didn't sign up to be in a hand holding party like a Nancy boy ME BIG ORC ME DESTROY LANDS
Interactions
A unique interaction with Zurgo as your Voltron commander is that he is indestructible on your turn, making it so any boardwipes you play saying 'destroy' or dealing damage will not end up killing Zurgo and just giving you a wide open path to swing face. This interaction is also what makes Worldslayer such a powerful card in this deck because ALL permanents but Zurgo and Worldslayer are destroyed every time he connects face... Every single turn. Meaning if you manage to pull this off, the only way for your opponents to stop the onslaught is to play a zero or one Mana destroy/exile on Zurgo or Worldslayer and you can count those cards on your hands (this softlock is basically impossible to get out of). As an additional slap in the face, use the combo while you have Avacyn Angel of Hope on the field or access to Boros Charm and BOOM, you got a one sided wipe to all permanents you're opponents control!! Another all star equipment in the deck that pulls a lot of weight is Sunforger. I made some interesting instant spell choices to accommodate Sunforger and man, it feelsgoodman when it works. Protection for Zurgo, removal of enchantments/artifacts/creatures, and a saucy Temur Battlerage to throw your opponent into a fit of jealous rage of just how swole your commander is.
I also wanted to do some housekeeping here as well for how Assault Suit works. Basically the confusing part (at least to me) when using it was the wording of 'opponent' in the text. Opponent in this case means an opponent of the equipment, and NOT the creature. Basically, this means that once you untap and give Zurgo to an opponent on their upkeep, you're not getting him back anytime soon. Once he makes his rounds and it comes back to your turn, you CANNOT untap Zurgo and give him to yourself because it references opponents as opponents of the equipment (which you remain in control of, meaning your opponents can't just unequip the Assault Suit). I had to get clarification from an official MTG judge to check this interaction, and this is how the interaction plays out according to them.
I Think, Therefore I Smorc
This deck could be considered a voltron/equipment deck, but also has other key creatures like Mother of Runes, Gisela, and Silverblade paladin to really make Zurgo pack a punch. With ways to recur these threats or recurable threats like Sun Titan and Alesha it makes our board state hard to deal with and likely to stick around. Other cards assist us with getting through our deck like Phyrexian Arena and Puresteel Paladin and our black draw spells like Read the Bones and Sign in Blood. Added in a Vulshok Battlemaster as that extra special spice to make someone's brain explode once they spend turn after turn removing Zurgo only to have all them blades, helmets, and body suits slapped onto a mean looking S.O.B. Also please not that unlike Balan Wandering Knight, Vulshok Battlemaster doesn't have that pesky text that says your equipment. Vulshok don't care... Zulshok takes everything like a gold digging divorcee out for blood. Sure, it doesn't change ownership of the equipment but it is truly beautiful when it resolves.
The main plan of the deck is to get something like a Stoneforge Mystic, Stonehewer Giant, or Steelshaper's gift/Open the Armory out early to get an Assault Suit or Worldslayer on Zurgo early to dominate the game! Even added in cards like Brass Squire and Sigarda's Aid help get them in play even easier or a good ol' Recruiter of the Guard to tutor up any of your little boi's like Puresteel Paladin or Stoneforge Mystic to support your big daddy Zurgo. Usually it's best to hold back your best equipment/equipment support and tutors until you can use it effectively with Zurgo, otherwise you may paint a big target on yourself for future removal.
Backup plans are in our draw engine/cards to get us into the equipments we need to close out a game! And of course that nasty late game Vulshok Battlemaster can send your opponents scooping up quicker than you can slam it down given you (or your opponents) have some real Gucci equipment on the field.
Important Notes
Big importance on keeping the Zurgo tax low, and keeping the pressure up on our opponents, so in my mind cards like Red Elemental Blast/Pyroblast and Boros Charm helps with keeping Zurgo on the board. If he does get removed, we have tons of artifact ramp to rely on getting us back online and swinging at face. I've won plenty of games by holding back a Boros Charm for when an opponent tries to wipe; and it's very flexible. Vandalblast? Nope. Wrath effects? Nope. Armageddon? Nope. All is Dust?... okay you got me there.
The main downfalls I've found in the deck are as founds:
A bad start: like most decks in commander, it's tough to come back from a bad start. But never is this more true in this deck. If you get off to a bad start and don't get Zurgo out and swinging by turn 5 then you're on the back foot for the game. Play it conservative and safe. Relying on sword protection for Zurgo is a good way to get around blockers (ie if you have Sword of Sinew and Steel out you have basically unblockable against Rakdos decks given no artifact creatures) or also leaning on Sunforger for ways to deter opponents from destroying our equipment or commander (given you're lucky enough to get it).
Getting hated on early: Nothing is worse than a game of commander turning into a game of Archenemy. Getting too good of a start early might make you a target for the playgroup and they will quickly learn the devastation of an Assault Suit/Worldslayer Zurgo so do you blame them? Hold back the huge threats like Worldslayer and Assault Suit for when your opponents are gassed out and can't deal with them immediately.
Notable upgrades would be extra tutors (ie demonic/vampiric tutor) as well as better artifact ramp (ie Mana Vault/Crypt). I am also missing a few of the more expensive swords like Sword of Feast and Famine and Fire and Ice but I am working on getting these upgrades for the deck in time!
I'm always open to criticism and ideas for inclusions that I might have missed! This is one of my favorite commander decks so far and quite an interesting one to bring to the table! Hope you enjoy.
