Overview:

This artifact-centric deck leverages Mendicant Core's copy ability to amplify artifact synergies, utilizing cost reduction and token generation to establish board dominance. The strategy combines combo potential with incremental value, aiming to overwhelm through multiplied artifacts and stax elements while maintaining flexibility with tutors and recursion.

Primer:

Core Strategy: Deploy low-cost artifacts to accelerate into cost reducers (Etherium Sculptor, Foundry Inspector), enabling explosive turns where copied artifacts generate overwhelming value. Win through:

• Combo Lines: Intruder Alarm + token generators (Myr Battlesphere, Thopter Spy Network) for infinite untaps, or Krark-Clan Ironworks/Ashnod's Altar + recursive artifacts (Myr Retriever) for infinite mana.
• Commander Synergy: Activate Mendicant Core's max speed by dealing early chip damage (Gingerbrute, Wurmcoil Engine), then copy high-impact artifacts like Shorikai, Genesis Engine or The One Ring.
• Stax Backup: Disrupt opponents with Drannith Magistrate, Ethersworn Canonist, and Soulless Jailer while assembling combos.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2+ artifacts, a cost reducer, and interaction (Swan Song, Mana Drain).
• Avoid hands lacking artifact density or reliant on 4+ mana enablers without ramp.

Key Tips:

• Sequence artifact drops to maximize Urza, Lord High Artificer's mana generation and Emry, Lurker of the Loch's recursion.
• Use Tezzeret the Seeker to fetch combo pieces or untap Mystic Forge/Unwinding Clock.
• Copy Mechanized Production or Mechtitan Core with the commander for alt-win conditions.

Avoid Traps:

• Overcommitting to board before establishing protection (Liberator, Urza's Battlethopter enables flash artifacts).
• Wasting tutors early; wait until critical redundancy is in place.

Weaknesses:

• Critical:
  • Folded by mass artifact removal (Vandalblast, Bane of Progress).
  • Graveyard hate (Rest in Peace) disrupts recursion engines.
• Moderate:
  • Slow to rebuild after board wipes.
  • Commander-dependent speed scaling.
• Minor:
  • Limited instant-speed interaction outside counterspells.

Most Important Cards:

• Krark-Clan Ironworks
• Intruder Alarm
• Urza, Lord High Artificer
• Tezzeret the Seeker
• Emry, Lurker of the Loch
• The One Ring
• Mystic Forge
• Whir of Invention
• Enlightened Tutor
• Unwinding Clock

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 7/10

• T4-5 wins possible with ideal draws (e.g., T1 Mox Amber into T2 Etherium Sculptor, T3 Krark-Clan Ironworks combo). Average goldfish win ~T7-8.

Resilience: 5/10

• Recursion (Academy Ruins, Emry) and counterspells mitigate disruption but over-reliant on artifact permanents vulnerable to mass removal.

Consistency: 7/10

• 10+ tutors (Fabricate, Whir, Tezzeret) and card engines (Rhystic Study, The One Ring) ensure combo access.

Interaction: 6/10

• S-Tier counters (Mana Drain, An Offer You Can't Refuse) and Cyclonic Rift, but lacks broad artifact/enchantment removal.

Rating Justification:

The deck operates at 6.5-7.0 (Optimized to Focused Competitive):

• Strengths: cEDH-adjacent combos (KCI loops), high tutor density, and stax elements align with T5-6 win benchmarks.
• Limitations: Vulnerability to artifact hate and slower commander-dependent lines prevent Tier 1 viability. Falls short of T3-4 cEDH speeds due to setup requirements.

Power level: 6.5 - 7.0