Welcome to my Competitive EDH Shimmer Zur primer.
I've played a ridiculous amount of games with this deck and has been my favourite for some time now, I figured this deck isn't getting the proper amount of love that it should within the cEDH community, so here's what I have for you.
I've been tuning this deck for a long time now and if you ever find me in MTGO, feel free to hit me up for a game, I use the same username there.
About the deck:
You'll notice a large amount of artifacts for what is an enchantment fetching commander, the reason being is that the enchantments, primarily Necropotence as it is n enabler for us to win at our own end step by storming each opponent with Aetherflux Reservoir.
The deck will primarily win at our own end step if we go the Necropotence route, I also cast Ad Nauseam at the end step for the player before me to fill my hand and pop off during my own turn (this can also happen at any other stage, so long as you know you will get Shimmer Myr and have three open mana after the Ad Naus to cast him), and have also used Scout's Warning to do the Thassa's Oracle + Demonic Consultation or Tainted Pact route.
The Scout's Warning play is primarily used in the instances when I know other players have exhausted their counterspells from stopping someone else, I tend to cast it at the final spell on the stack to steal the game. This may also be done at the end step so long as we have flashed in artifacts to ensure we have the mana required to do so.
The deck is quite explosive and can win at any phase, except clean up. The deck provides a fair amount of protection and sometimes patience is required depending on your opening hand. Never feel that you have to push a strong start if you have Dark Confidant in hand as the low average CMC can make a big difference in the extra card in hand at the upkeep.
A large bonus within the cEDH scene is that Dark Confidant and Ad Nauseam will get around things such as Notion Thief and Narset, Parter of Veils as both of my spells put cards in hand and not "draw" them into my hand.
Card selection:
Something you'll notice is that my deck doesn't contain cards like Retract or Hurkyl's Recall, for the most part, I have cut these two as I have rarely found a time when they could be used to storm off with an Aetherflux. The Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal has allowed me to continue the storm count while giving myself infinite mana has the done job well without having to use Retract and Recall. As opposed to using Retract, I use Chain of Vapor because it will do the same thing while saccing my own lands to return artifacts and it can also bouce stax pieces that hold me back.
Children of Korlis has been great in extending an Ad Nauseam or a Necropotence. I will generally put the Children down a turn before I am ready to use Necropotence or Ad Naus. When I activate Necro to fill my hand, I will sacrifice the Children to continue more Necro triggers. The same holds true for using Snapcaster Mage to replay Ad Naus after saccing the Children.
Win Conditions:
As stated earlier, my primary win condition has been either through an Ad Nauseam or a Necropotence.
When activating Necropotence for the win at my end step, I will always bring my life total down to 4. The reason being is that I get a lot of cards in hand but it also gives me room to play cards like Force of Will, Mental Misstep or activate an artifact that will deal me one damage.
The best times to go for an Ad Nauseam is when you have protection for casting the spell at the end of turn of the player before you, or when someone is going for the win. What you'll want to be looking for is a Shimmer Myr if you do not already have it in hand when going for the Aetherflux win. When winning at instant speed, the key will be to ensure that you have access to three mana which can be done with Dark Ritual or Cabal Ritual, casting Shimmer Myr and putting some 0 cost mana rocks down.
A great move is to cast Angel's Grace while holding priority after casting Ad Nauseam so that you may draw out your whole deck without losing to the life lost. A fair warning though, Angel's Grace will not save you from Necropotence.
In some instances, you will find that you are only part way there, this is where cards like Scroll Rack and Quicken, and Wishclaw Talisman prove their worth. a Scroll Rack at this stage can switch out up to 20 cards in your hand for the top 20 of your library. Failing that, I have used Quicken to cast a Demonic Tutor which can find me a piece I need. You can use the Quicken on a Windfall but be careful as you may give an opponent a counterspell to stop your win. Wishclaw as an artifact can also be used to tutor up a piece needed.
As both Helm of Awakening and Etherium Sculptor are both artifacts that reduce the costs of artifacts by 1 each, they may be flashed in to reduce the cost of most artifacts in the deck to 0.
Be wary of casting Helm of Awakening at any time other than when you are combo-ing off as the static effect is for everyone at the table and not just for yourself.
The ever present in any blue/black cEDH deck is Thassa's Oracle and Tainted Pact/Demonic Consultation. The added bonus that we have at this time is that we can take the game at instant speed with the Scout's Warning.
Laboratory Maniac is still insanely strong even if people have pushed him to the side for Oracle and Jace, Wielder of Mysteries. I have used him at instant speed as well through a Scout's Warning, exiling my library and going for a draw through Gitaxian Probe, Ponder or Brainstorm
The benefit to Lab Man is that he costs only three mana and doesn't have the restrictive triple blue for a three colour deck. You may also flash in Lab Man at your upkeep and exile your library then move on to your draw step for the win, it may also be done when you have either Mystic Remora or Rhystic Study and their trigger is on the stack while an opponent can't pay for the cost to prevent you from drawing a card.
As such, that is why I don't use Jace, Wielder of Mysteries, not being able to cast him at instant speed has been a detriment to my gameplan.
