*UPDATE:07/06/2012* I adjusted the sideboard count to bring it up to 30 (I think that's the correct number for EDH sideboard) I also added in all the relevent tutors I could find, thanks to Hobbitjedi for pointing that out to me. So bear that in mind while further reading, not all cards suggested are actually featured in this incarnation of the deck. They still work, so I left them in the description.(/End update/) Ok, so Zur is pretty cheap and every time he attacks you search for and put into play an enchanment that cost's 3 or less. So how come he's broken? Because he can: Give himself shroud: -Diplomatic Immunity -Alexi's Cloak -Vanishing -Flickerform Making the only way to remove him is with global destruction: -Flicker Form -Vanishing -False Demise -Crab Umbra By blocking: (Steel of the Godhead make's him unblockable entirely and gives him +2/+2 lifelink and Vow of Malice gives him +2/+2 Intimidate.) But that just makes him next IMPOSSIBLE to deal with. Then throw down a: -Steel of the Godhead -Edge of Divinity -Vow of Malice -Vow of Duty -Daybreak Correnet -Dark Favor -Griffen Guide -Grave Servitude -Shade's Form -Empyrial Armor -Oblivion Crown and, -Ardent Plea -Battle Mastery (ok, so it doesn't actually boost his power per sey, but doublestrike is still very brutal) and you'll hit 21 general damedge very quickly. VERY. Quickly. But then he can ALSO really screw with your opponents ability to cast spells. -Mana Breach practicly stops their land drops. (Only one land a turn, play a spell, return a land) Unless they go a few turns with out playing spells. That's ok, the more turns Zur has, the faster they lose. (^_^) -Overburden does the same thing as Mana Breach, but triggers with creatures. (Both of them together forces them to return 2 lands) [What about me you ask? Only 1 creature in the deck, and Zur tricks out what ever you need with out casting it. (^_^)] -Oppression and Bottomless Pit drain their hand's of cards, leaving fewer options for dealing with Zur. -Death Grip and Douse each allow you to strait out counter Black and Red spells, respectivly. -Mix either with Arcane Laboratory and it's potentialy GG. -Chill and Gloom ramp up the cost of Red and White spells. -Standstill and Hesitation will only counter one spell, but you get to draw 3 cards with Standstill. Always nice. -Nevermore and Decloration of Naught flat out bugger-block specific spells. He also can take care of what's already in play. Like for creatures: -Journy to Nowhere -Oubliette -Oblivion Ring -Vow of Malice -Vow of Duty -Plainer Collapse -Soul Snare -Vanishing -Pillory of the Sleepless -Prison Term -Seal of Doom -Ghostly Prison -Teferi's Realm -Engenereed Plague -Seal of Removal And for other permanents: -Teferi's Realm -Oblivion Ring -Reality Acid -Seal of Cleansing -Equipoise -Serenity (Wha?? why would I use this and destroy all my enchantments too? Incase you run into a Zur, then after you clear the board you Seal of Cleansing it.) Then he can also take your opponent's stuff: -Copy Enchantment (also works on your stuff too) -Copy Artifact -Animate Dead Or he can make you and all your stuff untargetable: -Solitary Confinement -Greater Auramancy -Alixi's Cloak -Diplomatic Immunity -Story Circle -Copy Enchantment (on Greater Auramancy) He ramps your mana -Landtax He ramps your draw: -Necropotence -Curiosty -Standstill -Archmage Assention -Ardent Plea He genrates creatures: -Bitterblossom -Zombie Infestation -Opal Essense He gains life: -Dega Santuary -Underworld Dreams -Steel of the Godhead Infact, the only thing he can't do is recur your stuff from the graveyard. -But that's what Replenish is for. Polymorph is to trick out Akroma, Angel of Wrath, because I really, really, REALY, like her. But honestly, you can do with out her and use Polymorph for if they somehow manage to put Zur into your deck. Which shouldn't happen. (Diplomatic Immunity!!!) With SO many options to deal with EVERYTHING, and the extreame difficulty in dealing with him make's it so that you almost have to build your deck specifically around stopping him, and just him. And when a deck gets so powerfull the only way to stop it is to build a deck to specifically deal with it, things start getting banned. .....Usually. Ignore the sideboard for now.