Overview:

This Urza, Lord High Artificer deck is a high-powered artifact combo/control build leveraging Urza’s ability to generate explosive mana, cheat spells, and create a scalable board presence. The primary strategy revolves around assembling infinite mana loops (e.g., Urza + Staff of Domination), enabling game-ending plays like exiling the entire library with Urza’s {5} ability to loop Nexus of Fate for infinite turns or drawing out with Laboratory Maniac. Secondary win conditions include overwhelming artifact synergies (The Millennium Calendar, Mechanized Production), stax-lite elements (Propaganda, Counterbalance), and beatdown via massive Construct tokens or Kappa Cannoneer. Urza is the linchpin, acting as a mana engine, combo piece, and value generator.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy fast mana (Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox, Sol Ring, Lotus Petal) to accelerate Urza. Use artifact cost reducers (Etherium Sculptor, Sapphire Medallion) to chain low-cost artifacts (Memnite, Sensei's Divining Top) and build board presence.
2. Midgame Engine (Turns 4-5): Cast Urza to generate mana from artifacts and create Constructs. Use tutors (Fabricate, Tezzeret the Seeker, Mystical Tutor) to find combo pieces like Staff of Domination or Isochron Scepter imprinted with Counterspell. Activate Urza’s {5} ability to cheat high-impact spells (e.g., Cyclonic Rift, Darksteel Forge).
3. Win Conditions (Turns 4-8):
   • Infinite Mana: Staff of Domination + Urza (untap Urza for infinite blue mana). Use this to exile your library with Urza’s ability, then loop Nexus of Fate.
   • Lab Maniac: Draw the deck via Rhystic Study, Mystic Forge, or Tezzeret, Artifice Master, then win with Lab Maniac.
   • Overwhelm: Mirrodin Besieged (Phyrexian mode), Mechanized Production, or Constructs buffed by Steel Overseer.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including artifact lands like Seat of the Synod), at least one fast mana artifact, and a cost reducer or tutor.
• Prioritize hands that can cast Urza by turn 3-4.
• Avoid hands lacking early artifacts or reliant on high-CMC spells without setup.

Key Tips:

• Use Master Transmuter to cheat in Darksteel Forge for indestructible artifacts or recur key pieces with Academy Ruins.
• Emry, Lurker of the Loch enables graveyard recursion for combo pieces like Staff of Domination.
• Protect Urza with Spellskite, Swan Song, and Fierce Guardianship.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Artifact Hate: Stony Silence, Null Rod, or Karn, the Great Creator cripple mana generation and combo execution.
• Commander Removal: Repeatedly killing Urza disrupts the deck’s engine and slows combo assembly.
• Graveyard Interaction: Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void nullifies recursion from Emry and Academy Ruins.

Moderate

• Stack Interaction: Decks with heavy counterspell density can disrupt combo lines.
• Speed: Aggressive decks can pressure life totals before combos stabilize.

Minor

• Non-Artifact Threats: Limited creature removal outside Polymorph and Cyclonic Rift.
• Tax Effects: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben or Trinisphere mildly slow artifact chains.

Most Important Cards:

• Urza, Lord High Artificer (Mana engine, combo enabler)
• Staff of Domination (Infinite mana combo piece)
• Mox Diamond/Chrome Mox (Explosive starts)
• Darksteel Forge (Protection from board wipes)
• Nexus of Fate (Infinite turns payoff)
• Laboratory Maniac (Alternative win condition)
• Cyclonic Rift (Board reset/emergency button)
• Tezzeret the Seeker (Tutor for Staff/Forge, untap Urza)
• Counterbalance (Disruption layer)
• Mystical Tutor (Flexible combo/answer search)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of T3-4 wins with ideal draws (Urza + Staff + mana reducers) but typically threatens T5-6 combos.

Resilience: 7/10

• Robust recursion (Academy Ruins, Emry), protection (Darksteel Forge, counterspells), and redundancy in combo lines mitigate disruption.

Consistency: 8/10

• High tutor density (11+ tutors), abundant card draw, and multiple win conditions ensure reliable access to key pieces.

Interaction: 6/10

• Strong stack interaction (8+ counterspells) and Cyclonic Rift, but limited creature removal and vulnerability to resolved hate pieces.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a High Power tier due to its ability to threaten T3-4 wins with optimized hands and robust resilience via recursion and protection. While slightly slower and more commander-dependent than cEDH lists, its combo density and interaction suite exceed casual metas.

Power level: 8.0 - 8.5