Overview:

This Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin deck is a Rakdos aristocrats/pain-storm hybrid focused on dealing precisely 1 damage to opponents repeatedly to trigger Ob Nixilis's ability. The commander enables explosive card advantage and +1/+1 counter accumulation, synergizing with cards like All Will Be One for direct damage conversion. Primary win conditions include incremental life drain from pingers (e.g., Kederekt Parasite, Underworld Dreams), infinite loops with Exquisite Blood + any life-loss trigger (e.g., Blood Artist), storm finishers like Grapeshot, and overwhelming value from Bolas's Citadel/Peer into the Abyss. Ob Nixilis is essential as the engine, enabling card velocity and scaling threats, though vulnerable to removal (mitigated by equipment like Swiftfoot Boots).

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet), pingers (Thermo-Alchemist, Kederekt Parasite), or forced-draw engines (Howling Mine, Stormfist Crusader). Prioritize casting Ob Nixilis by turn 3-4 using rituals (Dark Ritual).
2. Engine Activation (Turns 4-6): Leverage Ob Nixilis triggers by dealing 1-damage increments via symmetrical draw (Seizan, Perverter of Truth), sacrifice outlets (Mayhem Devil), or direct damage (End the Festivities). Use tutors (Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor) to find key pieces like All Will Be One or Exquisite Blood.
3. Win Condition Execution:
   • Infinite Life Drain: Assemble Exquisite Blood + any "opponent loses 1 life" trigger (e.g., Marauding Blight-Priest) for an instant win.
   • All Will Be One: Convert Ob Nixilis counters into direct damage, amplified by mass pings (Crypt Rats, Pestilence).
   • Storm: Chain low-cost spells with Grapeshot after generating mana via Bolas's Citadel or Peer into the Abyss.
   • Doomsday Piles: Setup instant wins (e.g., Exquisite Blood + Playful Shove + protection).

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including untapped sources), early ramp, and at least one pinger or Ob Nixilis enabler.
• Prioritize hands containing Ob Nixilis + protection (Swiftfoot Boots) or a tutor.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays or reliant solely on high-CMC cards like Peer into the Abyss.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Damage Carefully: Ensure opponents lose life one point at a time (e.g., Blood Artist triggers separately per death) to maximize Ob Nixilis triggers.
• Protect the Engine: Equip Ob Nixilis with Swiftfoot Boots/Whispersilk Cloak immediately. Use Deflecting Swat/Imp's Mischief to counter targeted removal.
• Leverage Asymmetry: Break parity on symmetrical effects (e.g., Underworld Dreams + Necropotence to avoid self-damage).
• Combo Prioritization: Tutor for Exquisite Blood as the primary win-con; use Grapeshot or All Will Be One as backups.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Commander Reliance: Deck stalls if Ob Nixilis is repeatedly removed or taxed.
• Graveyard Hate: Cripples Doomsday, Bolas's Citadel, and recursion (e.g., Rakdos Charm).
• Anti-Draw/Trigger Stax: Hushbringer/Torpor Orb nullifies ETB pingers; Narset, Parter of Veils shuts off forced-draw engines.

Moderate

• Board Wipes: Struggles to rebuild after mass removal (Damnation is the only wipe).
• Combo Disruption: Exquisite Blood loops are fragile to enchantment removal or instant-speed interaction.
• Life Total Pressure: Aggressive decks can outpace the setup with early combat damage.

Minor

• Artifact/Enchantment Focus: Key pieces (All Will Be One, Necropotence) are vulnerable to targeted removal.
• Mana Base: Slow enters-tapped lands (e.g., Temple of Malice) can delay critical early turns.

Most Important Cards:

• Exquisite Blood (Primary infinite combo piece)
• Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin (Engine: card advantage + win-con enabler)
• All Will Be One (Win-con: converts counters to direct damage)
• Demonic Tutor (Finds critical combo pieces)
• Necropotence (Card draw enabling explosive turns)
• Bolas's Citadel (Cheats mana costs, enables storm)
• Peer into the Abyss (Massive draw for combo/storm turns)
• Deflecting Swat (Protects combo/commander)
• Dark Ritual (Accelerates early Ob Nixilis)
• Underworld Dreams (Pinger: triggers Ob Nixilis and drains life)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Can win T4-5 with perfect hands (e.g., T1 Ritual → T2 Ob Nixilis + pinger → T3 Exquisite Blood combo). Average goldfish: T6-7.

Resilience: 6/10

• Strong protection for Ob Nixilis and combo pieces, but relies heavily on the commander and has limited recovery from wipes. Recursion is minimal.

Consistency: 8/10

• 8 tutors, high card draw (Necropotence, Peer into the Abyss), and functional redundancy in pingers ensure key pieces are accessible.

Interaction: 7/10

• Efficient targeted removal (Bedevil, Deadly Rollick), stack interaction (Deflecting Swat, Red Elemental Blast), and board control (Damnation). Lacks broad artifact/enchantment hate.

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at cEDH-viable speeds (T4-5 wins) with efficient tutors and compact combos but lacks the resilience, free interaction, and mana optimization of top-tier lists. Its reliance on Ob Nixilis and vulnerability to stax place it just below established cEDH archetypes.

Power level: 8.0 - 8.5