Overview:

This Urza, Lord High Artificer deck is a high-powered artifact combo/control hybrid that leverages Urza’s ability to generate explosive mana and cheat spells. The primary strategy revolves around assembling infinite mana (via Basalt Monolith + Rings of Brighthearth, Power Artifact, or Dramatic Reversal + Isochron Scepter) to fuel Urza’s activated ability, effectively playing the entire deck. Secondary win conditions include Mindslaver locks with Academy Ruins, Mycosynth Lattice + Karn, the Great Creator stax, and extra-turn loops (e.g., Time Warp + Mystic Sanctuary). Urza is critical to the strategy, enabling mana acceleration, card advantage, and combo execution. The deck also packs robust interaction and stax elements to disrupt opponents while protecting its game plan.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Mana Vault, Mox Opal) and utility artifacts (Urza’s Saga, The One Ring). Use tutors (Mystical Tutor, Reshape) to find combo pieces or key cards like Isochron Scepter.
2. Midgame Acceleration (Turns 4-5): Cast Urza to convert artifacts into mana sources. Use his ability to cheat high-impact spells (e.g., Cyclonic Rift, Teferi, Master of Time) or dig for combos. Deploy stax elements like Narset, Parter of Veils or Karn, the Great Creator to hinder opponents.
3. Combo/Lock Assembly (Turns 5-7):
   • Infinite mana → Activate Urza repeatedly to play the entire deck, then win via Walking Ballista, Jace’s Archivist wheels, or Laboratory Maniac-like effects (though not explicitly listed, implied via deck-out).
   • Lock the board with Mycosynth Lattice + Karn (disabling opponents’ artifacts) or Mindslaver + Academy Ruins.
   • Chain extra turns with Time Warp/Walk the Aeons + recursion.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, at least one mana rock, and a tutor or card draw engine (e.g., Rhystic Study, The One Ring).
• Prioritize hands with early interaction (Force of Will, Swan Song) if meta-dependent.
• Avoid hands lacking artifact ramp or blue sources.

Key Tips:

• Use Training Grounds to reduce Urza’s activation cost, enabling faster combo turns.
• Copy Artifact can clone key pieces like Isochron Scepter or The One Ring.
• Deadeye Navigator + Peregrine Drake provides infinite mana if unchecked.
• Mystic Forge allows casting artifacts off the top, bypassing traditional draw steps.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Artifact hate (Null Rod, Stony Silence) cripples mana generation and combo execution.
• Commander removal: Repeatedly killing Urza slows the deck’s momentum significantly.
• Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace) disrupts recursion of Mindslaver, Time Warp, and Academy Ruins.

Moderate

• Anti-search effects (Opposition Agent, Aven Mindcensor) hinder tutors like Urza’s Saga and Reshape.
• Fast aggro decks can pressure life totals before combos assemble.

Minor

• Tax effects (Thalia, Guardian of Thraben) mildly slow the deck but are often bypassed by mana rocks.
• Nonbasic land hate (Blood Moon) minimally impacts the mana base due to artifact reliance.

Most Important Cards:

• Urza, Lord High Artificer (Mana engine, combo enabler)
• Basalt Monolith (Infinite mana combo piece)
• Rings of Brighthearth (Combo enabler, doubles activations)
• Isochron Scepter (Dramatic Reversal combo, interaction)
• Karn, the Great Creator (Stax lock with Mycosynth Lattice)
• Mystical Tutor (Finds key instants/sorceries)
• Force of Will (Free interaction)
• The One Ring (Card advantage, protection)
• Academy Ruins (Recurs Mindslaver/artifacts)
• Urza’s Saga (Tutors combo pieces, generates tokens)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 9/10

• Capable of assembling infinite mana or locks as early as Turn 3-4 with optimal draws.

Resilience: 7/10

• Counterspells and recursion (Academy Ruins, Emry, Lurker of the Loch) provide protection, but over-reliance on Urza and artifacts leaves vulnerabilities.

Consistency: 8/10

• High tutor density (10+), card draw engines, and redundant combo lines ensure reliable access to win conditions.

Interaction: 8/10

• 12+ counterspells/removal spells (e.g., Force of Negation, Pongify) and stax effects disrupt opponents effectively.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at the cusp of cEDH viability, with Turn 3-4 win/lock potential through efficient combos and tutors. However, its reliance on Urza and artifacts (vs. more resilient storm lines) and lack of Thassa’s Oracle-level compact wins place it just below top-tier cEDH.

Power level: 8.5 - 9.0