Overview:

This Rakdos artifact aristocrats deck revolves around Imskir Iron-Eater, leveraging artifact recursion, sacrifice synergies, and high mana value artifacts to generate explosive card advantage and direct damage. The commander serves as both a draw engine and a win condition, using its artifact-sacrifice ability to ping opponents while recurring key artifacts through cards like Daretti, Scrap Savant and Scrap Trawler. The deck combines affinity payoffs, artifact reanimation, and an infect subtheme (Phyresis, Tainted Strike) for alternative wins.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Rakdos Signet), artifact tokens (via Cranial Ram), and value engines like Ichor Wellspring/Junk Diver. Use Mystic Forge or Reckless Impulse to dig for key pieces.
2. Midgame Engine (Turns 4-6): Cast Imskir using affinity discounts, drawing 4-6 cards off its ETB with sufficient artifacts. Sacrifice high-MV artifacts (Ancient Stone Idol, Spine of Ish Sah) to Imskir for damage, while recurring them via Goblin Welder or Scrap Mastery. Activate Marionette Master death triggers and Krark-Clan Ironworks mana.
3. Win Conditions:
   • Direct Damage: Sacrifice Metalwork Colossus (11 MV) to Imskir for 11 damage, recur via Myr Retriever, repeat.
   • Marionette Master Drain: Pair with Krark-Clan Ironworks sacrificing 3+ MV artifacts for 5+ life loss per trigger.
   • Infect Blitz: Equip Cranial Plating/Loxodon Warhammer to Imskir with Phyresis for 1-2 shot kills.
   • Combat Overrun: Deploy Chaos Defiler/Noxious Gearhulk with Cranial Ram (+X/+1 scaling) for pressure.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands including artifact lands (Vault of Whispers, Great Furnace).
• Prioritize early artifacts (Ichor Wellspring, Krark-Clan Ironworks, Sol Ring) over high-CMC bombs.
• Ensure at least one recursion piece (Scrap Trawler, Daretti, Scrap Savant) or tutor (Diabolic Tutor).

Key Tips:

• Use Buried Ruin/Workshop Assistant to rebuy Krark-Clan Ironworks for infinite sacrifice loops.
• Scrap Mastery can be a game-winning refill after board wipes.
• Mystic Forge + Cloud Key enables free artifact casts from the top of library.
• Equip Basilisk Collar to Imskir for lifelink/deathtouch to stabilize.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Artifact Wipes: Vandalblast, Bane of Progress, or Null Rod permanently cripple the deck's engine.
• Commander Reliance: Multiple removals on Imskir make the deck fizzle due to high recast costs (up to {8}{B}{R}).

Moderate

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace/Leyline of the Void disrupt recursion from Scrap Trawler/Daretti.
• Infect Vulnerability: Low creature count makes the Phyresis plan fragile to spot removal.

Minor

• Life Loss: Monumental Corruption/Imskir's draw ability can put the pilot at dangerous life totals.
• Slow Setup: Without early ramp, the deck struggles to deploy 6+ MV threats before turn 6.

Most Important Cards:

• Krark-Clan Ironworks (Mana generation/sac outlet)
• Marionette Master (Primary drain wincon)
• Daretti, Scrap Savant (Artifact recursion engine)
• Ancient Stone Idol (High-MV sacrifice fodder)
• Scrap Mastery (Mass recursion reset)
• Metalwork Colossus (Recurrable damage source)
• Mystic Forge (Card advantage enabler)
• Phyresis (Alternative wincon enabler)
• Diabolic Tutor (Key piece fetcher)
• Chaos Defiler (Removal on a stick)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Can threaten wins via Marionette Master or infect around T7-9, but lacks fast mana beyond Sol Ring.

Resilience: 6/10
Strong artifact recursion and multiple sacrifice payoffs mitigate single-target removal, but folds to mass artifact hate.

Consistency: 6/10
Moderate draw power and 5 tutors, but relies heavily on resolving Imskir for card velocity.

Interaction: 5/10
Limited to targeted removal (Feed the Swarm, Chaos Warp) and board wipes (Blasphemous Act), no counterspells.

Rating Justification:

This deck has focused synergies and multiple paths to victory but operates at a casual-optimized speed (T7-9 wins) with moderate resilience. Its dependency on artifacts and commander-centric strategy align it with upgraded precons but lacks the speed/tutoring density for higher tiers.

Power level: 5.0 - 5.5