EDH Optimizer
Zurgo Helmsmasher
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior · 2RWB
Color identity: Black · Red · White · Mardu
Zurgo Helmsmasher is Mardu (black, red and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Haste
Zurgo attacks each combat if able.
During your turn, Zurgo has indestructible.
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Zurgo this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Zurgo.
Reference price of the card: €0.44
Average lands in decks for Zurgo Helmsmasher: 37
EquipmentVoltronAggroExtra CombatsOrcsArtifactsLand DestructionTokens
Build your Zurgo Helmsmasher deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Zurgo Helmsmasher 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Zurgo Helmsmasher deck starts over 4,000 games
The list people actually play (the 99 most-included cards, with its average land count), simulated with the EDH Optimizer engine: hands, mulligans, lands, curve and commander. It does not model opponents; it measures whether the plan gets going.
Deck health of the average list: B+ (79/100)
- Consistency97
- Speed71
- Interaction71
- Resilience83
- Closing77
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 37 lands (27 nonbasic, 5 Plains, 2 Swamp, 3 Mountain)
Sol Ring · Arcane Signet · Blasphemous Act · Swiftfoot Boots · Swords to Plowshares · Boros Charm · Boros Signet · Loxodon Warhammer · Puresteel Paladin · Path to Exile · Open the Armory · Talisman of Conviction · Orzhov Signet · Sigarda's Aid · Sram, Senior Edificer · The Reaver Cleaver · Rakdos Signet · Worldslayer · Wrath of God · Chandra's Ignition · Talisman of Hierarchy · Blackblade Reforged · Shadowspear · Bruenor Battlehammer · Damn · Raiyuu, Storm's Edge · Ruinous Ultimatum · Sword of the Animist · Talisman of Indulgence · Assault Suit · Fighter Class · Fellwar Stone · Steelshaper's Gift · Akiri, Fearless Voyager · Anguished Unmaking · Forge Anew · Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar · Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist · Phyrexian Arena · Stoneforge Mystic · Aggravated Assault · Lightning Greaves · Colossus Hammer · Crackling Doom · Orcish Siegemaster · Danitha Capashen, Paragon · Depopulate · Sword of Vengeance · Commander's Sphere · Hammer of Nazahn · Shatter the Sky · Utter End · Vanquish the Horde · Embercleave · Stonehewer Giant · Sword of Feast and Famine · Day of Judgment · Read the Bones · Basilisk Collar · Brutal Hordechief · Lizard Blades · Chaos Warp · Command Tower · Nomad Outpost · Rogue's Passage · Clifftop Retreat · Exotic Orchard · Dragonskull Summit · Godless Shrine · Isolated Chapel · Sacred Foundry · Blood Crypt · Savai Triome · Battlefield Forge · Caves of Koilos · Evolving Wilds · Spectator Seating · Bloodstained Mire · Luxury Suite · Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion · Vault of Champions · Arid Mesa · Marsh Flats · Smoldering Marsh · Terramorphic Expanse · Bojuka Bog · Path of Ancestry · Sulfurous Springs · Temple of Triumph
🃏 Recommended cards for Zurgo Helmsmasher
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Zurgo Helmsmasher, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Loxodon Warhammer | 44% | +42% |
| Puresteel Paladin | 44% | +40% |
| Open the Armory | 42% | +38% |
| Worldslayer | 38% | +37% |
| Sigarda's Aid | 39% | +36% |
| Sram, Senior Edificer | 39% | +36% |
| Chandra's Ignition | 37% | +35% |
| Bruenor Battlehammer | 35% | +34% |
| Wrath of God | 38% | +34% |
| The Reaver Cleaver | 39% | +33% |
| Blackblade Reforged | 36% | +32% |
| Raiyuu, Storm's Edge | 34% | +32% |
| Shadowspear | 36% | +31% |
| Blasphemous Act | 55% | +31% |
| Assault Suit | 31% | +31% |
| Fighter Class | 31% | +28% |
| Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar | 29% | +28% |
| Forge Anew | 29% | +27% |
| Steelshaper's Gift | 30% | +27% |
| Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist | 28% | +27% |
| Akiri, Fearless Voyager | 29% | +27% |
| Rogue's Passage | 50% | +26% |
| Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion | 29% | +26% |
| Orcish Siegemaster | 26% | +26% |
💰 The best cards for your Zurgo Helmsmasher deck, by budget
Three tiers based on the maximum price PER CARD you are willing to pay. Paste your list and hit Optimize: you pick that cap and the AI only suggests swaps that fit under it.
Tier 1 · Budget up to €2/card
The most value for almost nothing. Coming from a precon? Start here.
- Loxodon Warhammer
- Puresteel Paladin
- Worldslayer
- Sram, Senior Edificer
- Bruenor Battlehammer
- Wrath of God
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Open the Armory
- Chandra's Ignition
- Fighter Class
- Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar
- Forge Anew
- Steelshaper's Gift
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Sigarda's Aid
- The Reaver Cleaver
- Shadowspear
- Stoneforge Mystic
- Aggravated Assault
- Sword of Feast and Famine
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Zurgo Helmsmasher
- The Reaver Cleaver + Aggravated Assault → Infinite artifact ETB, Infinite artifact LTB, Infinite artifact sacrifice triggers, Infinite artifact tokens, Infinite colored mana, Infinite combat damage, Infinite combat phases, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite Treasure tokens, Infinite untap of creatures you control
- Blasphemous Act + Repercussion → Near-infinite damage to all players
- Sword of Feast and Famine + Aggravated Assault → Infinite combat phases
- Aurelia, the Warleader + Helm of the Host → Infinite combat phases, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite untap of creatures you control
- Combat Celebrant + Helm of the Host → Infinite combat phases, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite tapped creature tokens, Infinite untap of creatures you control
- Godo, Bandit Warlord + Helm of the Host → Infinite combat phases, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Put all Equipment cards from your library onto the battlefield
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Zurgo Helmsmasher's color identity?
Zurgo Helmsmasher is Mardu (black, red and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones. Color identity comes from every mana symbol on the card, including those in the rules text, not just the casting cost.
What turn does Zurgo Helmsmasher come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Zurgo Helmsmasher deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 37 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 4.6 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 98 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 21 % of the time and floods 18 %. Deck health: B+ (79/100).
How many lands should a Zurgo Helmsmasher deck run?
Real Zurgo Helmsmasher decks run 37 lands on average. That is a starting point, not a rule: a lower curve can shave one or two, big-mana builds want more. The EDH Optimizer simulator tells you, over 10,000 games, how often you get mana screwed or flooded with your exact count.
What are the best cards for Zurgo Helmsmasher?
The three highest-synergy cards are Loxodon Warhammer, Puresteel Paladin, Open the Armory. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Zurgo Helmsmasher decks.
What combos does Zurgo Helmsmasher have?
Zurgo Helmsmasher has 6 known combos. The most popular one is The Reaver Cleaver + Aggravated Assault. Note that two-card combos raise your deck's bracket, so it is worth knowing which ones you are running before you sit down.
How much does a Zurgo Helmsmasher deck cost?
You can start cheap: Loxodon Warhammer, Puresteel Paladin, Worldslayer are under €2 each. The "Level up" section on this page splits the best cards into three price caps PER CARD (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.