Help with Sharuum the Hegemon

[Pinenutt]

Hey guys! My first EDH/Commander deck was my Memnarch, and it has remained together for a couple of years now (you can see the list by clicking the link in my signature). But for a few months now, I've wanted to convert it into a Sharuum the Hegemon EDH/Commander deck.
My main problem is that I'm well aware of the fact that Sharuum the Hegemon is a heavily unliked Commander (though I don't really know why, and I'd appreciate it if someone could explain why that is). So I want some advice on how to make this a not so frustrating-to-play-against Sharuum the Hegemon deck.

Also, I for some reason envision this deck's creatures all being artifact creatures, and I intend to build it that way. That will be a sure fire way to cut Arcum Dagsson and any other combo-y non-artifact creatures.

Yesterday morning I sat down and jotted down a short list of cards that I'd like to put in this deck whenever I do build it:

Deck

Mana Rocks 1x Sol Ring 1x Gilded Lotus 1x Sisay's Ring 1x Spectral Searchlight 1x Dimir Signet 1x Azorious Signet 1x Orzhov Signet 1x Charcoal Diamond 1x Marble Diamond 1x Sky Diamond 1x Lotus Bloom 1x Fieldmist Borderpost 1x Mistvein Borderpost 1x Obelisk of Esper Artifact Animation 1x Memnarch 1x Mycosynth Lattice 1x Liquidmetal Coating 1x March of the Machines 1x Tezzeret the Seeker 1x Karn, Silver Golem Artifact Creatures 1x Sphinx of the Steel Wind 1x Sen Triplets 1x Magister Sphinx 1x Enigma Sphinx 1x Frogmite 1x Alloy Myr 1x Gold Myr 1x Leaden Myr 1x Palladium Myr 1x Plague Myr 1x Silver Myr 1x Spire Golem 1x Dross Golem 1x Razor Golem 1x Inkwell Leviathan 1x Master of the Etherium 1x Master Transmuter 1x Darksteel Colossus 1x Blightsteel Colossus 1x Platinum Emperion 1x Phyrexian Metamorph 1x Mycosynth Golem

Other Artifacts 1x Darksteel Forge 1x Akroma's Memorial 1x Energy Chamber 1x Trading Post 1x Thopter Foundry

Any other suggestions?

[GFireflyE]

First off, if you play Sharuum, you will be hated on. No amount of 'my deck isn't op' will get your opponents to lay off. You will be hated on.

So, you might as well live with that fact and build accordingly.

The reason why Sharuum is heavily unliked is because it combos VERY well. See my decklist for ideas.

I am budget, so I'm missing the tutors package....with tutors, Sharuum becomes just plain nasty.

Hope this helps your out.

[Pinenutt]

Originally Posted by GFireflyE

First off, if you play Sharuum, you will be hated on. No amount of 'my deck isn't op' will get your opponents to lay off. You will be hated on.

So, you might as well live with that fact and build accordingly.

The reason why Sharuum is heavily unliked is because it combos VERY well. See my decklist for ideas.

I am budget, so I'm missing the tutors package....with tutors, Sharuum becomes just plain nasty.

Hope this helps your out.

Thanks for providing the link
I hadn't realized just how perfectly Sharuum the Hegemon enables combo heavy decks.

Also, I figured that even if my deck is "different" from your average Sharuum deck, I'd still get hated on, so I wasn't going to try to convince people that this is a "different" deck. With that being said, I'd still like to pursue my "all the creatures are artifact creatures" idea. Beyond that idea, I may actually build this to become a comboish deck.

[Woohah]

First off, the reason that Sharuum is unpopular is because her combo potential is ENORMOUS. In the three colors best able to tutor, protect, and create infinite combos, Sharuum herself is an all-star.

Even without combos, I recommend Sculpting Steel. It's just good in general.

The obvious infinite combo involves Disciple of the Vault/Blood Artist/Falkenrath Noble.

In order to better abuse Sharuum's recursion, you ought to consider playing some Blink. Stuff like Momentary Blink and Conjurer's Closet (an artifact!) will help you, particularly if you have good cycling artifacts.

A lot of your build focuses on abusing affinity, which is fine...except in EDH. Affinity just isn't as strong here because of the life buffer and the fact that speeding out artifacts will only make players hate you more.

Finally, consider packing some counterspells. Red and green both pack a huge amount of artifact removal and will gladly use it on you.

Remember that your build supports certain Scars cards, which have great effects when you have Metalcraft. Mox Opal, Stoic Rebuttal, Dispatch, and Etched Champion are fantastic when you have it.

[Pinenutt]

Originally Posted by Woohah

First off, the reason that Sharuum is unpopular is because her combo potential is ENORMOUS. In the three colors best able to tutor, protect, and create infinite combos, Sharuum herself is an all-star.

Even without combos, I recommend Sculpting Steel. It's just good in general.

The obvious infinite combo involves Disciple of the Vault/Blood Artist/Falkenrath Noble.

In order to better abuse Sharuum's recursion, you ought to consider playing some Blink. Stuff like Momentary Blink and Conjurer's Closet (an artifact!) will help you, particularly if you have good cycling artifacts.

A lot of your build focuses on abusing affinity, which is fine...except in EDH. Affinity just isn't as strong here because of the life buffer and the fact that speeding out artifacts will only make players hate you more.

Finally, consider packing some counterspells. Red and green both pack a huge amount of artifact removal and will gladly use it on you.

Remember that your build supports certain Scars cards, which have great effects when you have Metalcraft. Mox Opal, Stoic Rebuttal, Dispatch, and Etched Champion are fantastic when you have it.

Well, I won't be using Disciple of the Vault/Blood Artist/Falkenrath Noble due to the fact that they're not artifact creatures.

I intend to run a package of counter spells, it'll probably consist of five or six. I may use Hindering Light, Punish Ignorance, Mana Leak, Convolute, Undermine, and maybe one or two more.

I had considered a blink package, but I hadn't even thought about Conjurer's Closet, that'll be a nice piece of tech. Momentary Blink is one I had considered though.

I agree with you about Sculpting Steel, the Sofa King definitely approves of that card. Which is why I threw Phyrexian Metamorph on my list draft.

As for my usage of affinity, I don't intend to heavily use it, but I do intend to throw it in to kick start games,

And I really like Etched Champion, thanks for that recommendation!

[Woohah]

Your counter suite isn't very good. I know that a lot of the better counters are mana intensive, but you're in the colors where fixing is incredibly easy. Play Counterspell, Familiar's Ruse, Rewind, Absorb, Stoic Rebuttal and Cryptic Command and leave Mana Leak and Convolute at home.

Remember that your mana rocks are nice, but the artifact lands are a definite bonus in your deck, since they help metalcraft and affinity, and can be searched by Tezzeret without losing loyalty.

BTW, why aren't you playing Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas? He is a card advantage all-star in this deck, and his ultimate will probably kill an opponent.

I know they're the douche cards, but you can play (and tutor) Magister Sphinx, and Sorin Markov.

There are some great budget tutors out there. Have a look at Fabricate, Diabolic Tutor, Increasing Ambition, and the new Diabolic Revelation. If you've got cash to burn, you can upgrade and get Steelshaper's Gift, Demonic Tutor, Enlightened Tutor, and Vampiric Tutor.

[EonOfNeon]

You could be playing both tezzeret, the seeker as well as Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, also I would reccomend tempered steel, as well as All is Dust. For Ramp Thran Dynamo, Worn Powerstone and Everflowing Chalice are cool. If you are OK with proxies I'd reccomend Mishra's Workshop. I actually have a Sharuum Deck pretty similar in theme to you yours(beat down with artifact creature), I'll see if I can have a list up sometime this week. Good luck.

[Pinenutt]

Originally Posted by Woohah

Your counter suite isn't very good. I know that a lot of the better counters are mana intensive, but you're in the colors where fixing is incredibly easy. Play Counterspell, Familiar's Ruse, Rewind, Absorb, Stoic Rebuttal and Cryptic Command and leave Mana Leak and Convolute at home.

Remember that your mana rocks are nice, but the artifact lands are a definite bonus in your deck, since they help metalcraft and affinity, and can be searched by Tezzeret without losing loyalty.

BTW, why aren't you playing Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas? He is a card advantage all-star in this deck, and his ultimate will probably kill an opponent.

I know they're the douche cards, but you can play (and tutor) Magister Sphinx, and Sorin Markov.

There are some great budget tutors out there. Have a look at Fabricate, Diabolic Tutor, Increasing Ambition, and the new Diabolic Revelation. If you've got cash to burn, you can upgrade and get Steelshaper's Gift, Demonic Tutor, Enlightened Tutor, and Vampiric Tutor.

Your recommendations for a counterspell package are pretty excellent, I originally hadn't thought too terribly hard about them.

Call me crazy, but I had forgotten all about Tezzeret 2.0, he would definitely be worth purchasing for this deck whenever I get around to building it.

I intend to include a Magister Sphinx, but probably not Sorin.

Also, thanks for including a list of recommendations for a tutor package. That'll be quite useful.

Originally Posted by EonOfNeon

You could be playing both tezzeret, the seeker as well as Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, also I would reccomend tempered steel, as well as All is Dust. For Ramp Thran Dynamo, Worn Powerstone and Everflowing Chalice are cool. If you are OK with proxies I'd reccomend Mishra's Workshop. I actually have a Sharuum Deck pretty similar in theme to you yours(beat down with artifact creature), I'll see if I can have a list up sometime this week. Good luck.

I like Tempered Steel, but I'll pass on All is Dust since I'll have colored permanents.

Thanks for the additional mana rocks.

I feel like proxies are okay if you can afford the real card, but in the case of Mishra's Workshop, I cannot.

[ajacobik]

Deadeye Navigator is absolutely OP in this deck. I don't give two flying ****s about whatever else is in here, Deadeye Navigator needs to be in this deck.

I like your list, it reminds me of my own haha, good luck not getting hated out by your playgroup!

[Pinenutt]

Originally Posted by ajacobik

Deadeye Navigator is absolutely OP in this deck. I don't give two flying ****s about whatever else is in here, Deadeye Navigator needs to be in this deck.

I like your list, it reminds me of my own haha, good luck not getting hated out by your playgroup!

It's pretty sweet, but it isn't an artifact creature

[psilocybianth]

I think Sphinx Summoner would fit your deck well. From budget tutors Demonic Collusion works well with Sharuum.

[Pinenutt]

Originally Posted by psilocybianth

I think Sphinx Summoner would fit your deck well. From budget tutors Demonic Collusion works well with Sharuum.

Ah, I hadn't considered Sphinx Summoner! Good choice! I had considered Demonic Collusion though.

[trancer99]

You are a blue players wet dream, many fat artifact creatures with no way to protect them. Bribery and Acquire will be cruel to you, not to mention your average CMC of your deck is through the roof with all those fatties.

also Darksteel Forge is missing his best friend Nevinyrral's Disk they love to play "blow up the world over and over" together.

...

[Pinenutt]

Originally Posted by trancer99

You are a blue players wet dream, many fat artifact creatures with no way to protect them. Bribery and Acquire will be cruel to you, not to mention your average CMC of your deck is through the roof with all those fatties.

also Darksteel Forge is missing his best friend Nevinyrral's Disk they love to play "blow up the world over and over" together.

...

I hadn't seriously thought of a protectionary package for the likes of Bribery, nor had I considered the Disk.

[AdamM]

I would suggest using some creatures that aren't artifact creatures necessarily. I am building a similar Sharuum deck, more focused on artifact creatures (but not solely) with a couple combos just in the deck.

Trinket Mage
Treasure Mage
Rune-Scarred Demon
Revelliark

By the way, I would also add Open the Vaults and Roar of Reclamation. Having 2 cards to bring back every artifact in your GY is powerful, and cannot be overlooked.

Not every card has to be an artifact in your deck, and you are going to want tutors in your deck to increase your consistency and allow you to search for things you need in each game. Not every game is played the same. Having wrath effects like Damnation, Nev's Disk, Oblivion Stone and the like are necessities, unless your just pure combo.

I know you may like having "affinity" cards for quick starts, but with players having 40 life, you won't be able to kill any player quick enough, and then you'd have at least 1 or 2 more to deal with, and once a wrath effect occurs (and they will!) you may be in a big hole.

I would broaden your deck a bit, and accept cards that are either not artifact creatures and give you a powerful effect (rune scarred demon esque cards), cards that help with your decks synergy, and protection cards like counterspells and some wrath effects.

If you only want to add 1 tutor, Diabolic Revelation IS the one you want. Even just tutoring 3 cards can be powerful, and tutoring 5 or 6 or 7 can help you end the game fast.