It’s no surprise that the best Companions from Ikoria are some of the strongest cards ever printed. Even after the rules change that forces players to pay three mana to put a Companion into their hand was implemented, Lurrus of the Dream-Den was still a menace that required a ban in a multitude of formats.
One format where Lurrus remains legal, though, is Duel Commander. Up to this point, Lurrus really hasn’t made much of an impact on the format at all. However, yesterday, a neat Cecil, Dark Knight deck utilizing Lurrus as a Companion split the finals of a Magic Online Dual Commander Trial. Another player finished third in the same event with a similar configuration. Could Lurrus be poised for a Duel Commander breakout following this strong performance? Let’s dive in.
An Assertive Gameplan
In order to utilize Lurrus as a Companion, every nonland permanent card in your deck must cost two or less mana. This is a pretty big restriction, but by staying relatively aggressive, filling your deck with one-drops and two-drops won’t feel like much of an issue. The goal behind this deck is to play to the board in an efficient manner while using disruption to keep the opponent off-balance.
Cecil is a great Commander to have at the helm in this type of strategy. It’s cheap, hits hard, and can even trade for your opponent’s biggest ground creatures when necessary. From there, other one-mana creatures like Ocelot Pride and Guide of Souls help keep the pressure on.
Many of the creatures in the deck also mess with your opponent in some way. Classic Death and Taxes cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Archivist of Oghma make an appearance, pulling you further ahead while punishing your opponents for common game actions.
Despite the deck’s low curve, you have a number of ways to gain a resource advantage. In attrition battles, tutoring for Skullclamp with Cloud, Midgar Mercenary or Stoneforge Mystic is a great option to have. Many of your two-drops, including Dark Confidant, generate value as long as they stick around.
Tons of Interaction
To supplement all of your small creatures, you have a plethora of interactive elements at your disposal. These cheap sources of removal and discard effects make it hard for your opponent to get their gameplan going. Combine these staples with your efficient sources of pressure, and you’ll often be able to out-tempo your opponents.
In the removal department, most of your answers cost just one mana. Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Fatal Push, and more will typically trade up on mana when you cast them. In many cases, you’ll be able to double or even triple spell on the turns you cast these pieces of removal, cementing your advantage.
Against combo decks like those built around Lier, Disciple of the Drowned, your discard spells are essential. From Thoughtseize to Unmask, these spells should disrupt your opponent long enough for your attackers to cross the finish line.
Finally, you will find some catch-all cards like Vindicate and Council’s Judgment in the decklist, While a bit more expensive, having answers to Planeswalkers or enchantments that stick is crucial.
The Importance of Lurrus
Now that we’ve discussed the contents of the decklist and what the deck is trying to accomplish, we need to address the elephant (or Cat Nightmare) in the room: the inclusion of Lurrus. Even in a shell designed around Lurrus, there are a lot of tools you’re giving up on to play the Companion. “Free” Elementals like Grief, unique powerhouses like Parallax Wave, and other useful cards must be eschewed to meet your Companion’s conditions.
Luckily, Lurrus more than pulls its weight in a variety of matchups. Having access to an extra card every game is already valuable. When you factor in the fact that you can immediately resurrect any of your nonland permanents in your graveyard the turn you play Lurrus, you’ll quickly realize that you have a massive resource advantage.
Against midrange decks, such as those with Aragorn, King of Gondor at the helm, Lurrus’s presence gives you a much better chance of beating Fury or Wrath of the Skies. Versus aggressive decks with Magda, the Hoardmaster in the Command Zone, you’re able to take on the control role with all of your removal, then use Lurrus as a way to refuel and take over the long game.
You have plenty of ways to abuse Lurrus once you get your engine going, too. Unearth and Helping Hand let you rebuy Lurrus in the event it gets killed. Reanimating Benevolent Bodyguard helps protect Lurrus turn after turn. Sweet synergies such as using Lurrus to play Archfiend’s Vessel from the graveyard to get your 5/5 Flying Demon only make your deck stronger.
Ultimately, Lurrus seems like an underexplored engine in Duel Commander that is finally getting some love in the format. This strategy’s success goes to show that if you construct your deck the right way, using Lurrus as a Companion can be well worth the deckbuilding sacrifices.
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