Standard: Four-Color Zur - Deck Tech & Sideboard Guide

Sometimes, a card just needs the right theme to become a staple. We see this happen with almost every new release: an ability or mechanic released earlier has a powerful interaction with a card from the recent expansion and gives birth to a new archetype in the competitive scene.

This was the case with Zur, Eternal Schemer. Released in Dominaria United, the card had a few appearances in Magic Arena ranked due to its “combo” with Leyline Binding at the launch of the expansion, but it was with the Duskmourn's Overlords cycle that it became the cornerstone of a new strategy in both Pioneer and Standard.

In this article, we delve deeper into Four-Color Zur and present a guide to the main matchups in the current Metagame!

Four-Color Zur has a pretty straightforward decklist: four copies of Zur, Eternal Schemer, somewhere between 10 and 12 Overlords, four Leyline Binding, and the Domain package with Herd Migration, plus Up The Beanstalk for value.

Its flexible slots involve sweepers. Currently, playing without Sunfall and Temporary Lockdown seems unlikely, but if the Metagame develops around more attrition games in the future, it's possible to swap these cards for pieces geared towards extracting more value from the deck and/or with more stack interactions like Disdainful Stroke and Negate, or perhaps even Planeswalkers like Jace, the Perfected Mind.

Zur is also a card that doesn't always come in with four copies. I'm in favor of ​​maxing out his numbers in Game 1 because we need more consistency in what we want to do. If we take too long, a list like Domain Ramp can generate more value than our deck, while other archetypes like Dimir Midrange can block our “combo” more often.

Maindeck

Zur, Eternal Schemer is the heart of the deck and the reason it exists in both Standard and Pioneer. Its interaction with Leyline Binding was already known in the confines of Tier 3 Standard last season, but with the Overlords cycle, its ability is enhanced, and it is very well positioned in a Metagame so focused on aggressive archetypes and removal.

The Overlords are the other reason this archetype exists. Each of them has a relevant ability that harks back to the old M11 Titan cycle, with the bonus of interacting with Zur to become threats as early as turn four.

Overlord of the Floodpits offers hand filtering and card advantage, in addition to being the cheapest to cast and having an evasive body that makes a big difference with Deathtouch and Lifelink. Overlord of the Hauntwoods grants instant access to the Domain, improving Leyline Binding and accelerating our mana.

Overlord of the Mistmoors enters as a 3-of because it is the most expensive to cast in the cycle, despite being the most impactful on the board. Each attack grants two more creatures to attack and block, and if “animated” with Zur, it will be a 7/7 on the fifth turn.

Up the Beanstalk is another card that interacts well with the Overlord cycle, since their mana value is five or more, even when we cast them for the Impending cost, in addition to triggering with Leyline Binding, Sunfall and Herd Migration.

Herd Migration also holds the Aggro for a turn, corrects our mana and is an alternative way to win long games. It is not as insta-win as turning an Overlord of the Mistmoors into a creature with Zur, but it does a good job in attrition games.

Personally, I don't like Temporary Lockdown in the maindeck and, in other circumstances, I would prefer to play with a Sunfall set, but Prowess is still one of the best decks in the format, and we can't ignore the rise of Boros Burn with Boltwave and Boros Charm alongside Monastery Swiftspear and Emberheart Challenger, in addition to Jeskai Convoke still being very present in the Metagame as well.

In Magic Arena ranked, it's also not uncommon to come across an archetype like Azorius Enchantments or Selesnya Auras that, consequently, are also easy prey for Temporary Lockdown.

Sunfall is the ideal sweeper for almost any matchup. I've been opting to remove it in some Midrange games because we have plenty of one-for-one trades that are more flexible in dealing with categories other than creatures.

Leyline Binding is our most comprehensive removal and a threat alongside Zur, Eternal Schemer, becoming a 7/7 with Hexproof, Lifelink, and Deathtouch for one mana. Get Lost complements Binding in dealing with multiple categories of permanents.

In addition to Cavern of Souls to ensure Overlords and Zur come into play, our mana base has various Surveil Lands that all prioritize the colors and to increase the consistency of Verge Lands and to cast our early game cards.

Sideboard

Stack control is just as important as board control. Normally, we don't want to spend turns with untapped mana, but Negate and Disdainful Stroke are essential to deal with permanents or spells that we would have trouble dealing with otherwise.

Elspeth’s Smite is our spot removal against Prowess, the need to hold the opponent for a turn is the difference between being able to reset the board with a Sunfall or losing the game before reaching five mana.

Like the card above, Authority of the Consuls aims to hold the opponent’s clock for a few turns. With it, we don’t run the risk of an insta-kill coming from a Slickshot Show-Off or a combination of Gleeful Demolition with Imodane’s Recruiter.

Pawpatch Formation can play against Prowess, but it works better against a dozen other matchups: from Mirror to Dimir Demons and Golgari Midrange.

Tranquil Frillback can come in a dozen different matchups, both as a life gain and as a response to graveyards, artifacts, and enchantments.

Ghost Vacuum is a spot-on response to Azorius Tempo and occasional Reanimator lists that have made a comeback with Zombify.

Outrageous Robbery and Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines come in attrition games and ramp mirrors where every card we can steal from the opponent changes the course of the game and Elesh Norn ensures that ETB from cards like Atraxa, Grand Unifier doesn't happen. Both are also essential in the mirror.

Gruul Prowess

IN

OUT

Golgari Midrange

IN

OUT

Domain Ramp

IN

OUT

Azorius Tempo

IN

OUT

Jeskai Convoke

IN

OUT

That's all for today!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Thanks for reading!