Overview:

This Golbez, Crystal Collector deck leverages artifact synergy and graveyard recursion to generate overwhelming value and win through multiple avenues. The primary strategy involves deploying low-cost artifacts to trigger Golbez's surveil and end-step abilities, enabling creature recursion and life loss. Key themes include artifact cost reduction, token generation, and storm-like spell chains fueled by cards like Frantic Search and Yawgmoth's Will. Golbez acts as the engine, enabling graveyard setup, card selection, and recurring threats like Phyrexian Dreadnought or Death's Shadow for explosive life-loss triggers. While Golbez is essential for value generation, the deck can function without him using backup engines like Sai, Master Thopterist or Thopter Spy Network.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Mox Diamond, Mox Opal, Arcane Signet), cost reducers (Etherium Sculptor, Foundry Inspector), and value artifacts (Ichor Wellspring, Sensei's Divining Top). Use cantrips (Consider, Careful Study) and tutors (Imperial Seal, Vampiric Tutor) to find key pieces. Golbez should be cast ASAP to start surveilling.
2. Mid-Game Value Engine (Turns 4-6): Flood the board with artifacts to reach Golbez's thresholds (4+ for recursion, 8+ for life loss). Recur high-impact creatures (Phyrexian Dreadnought, Death's Shadow) for lethal triggers. Leverage cost reduction to cast affinity threats (Thought Monitor, Broodstar) or generate tokens (Sai, Master Thopterist, Forensic Gadgeteer). Draw extensively with Thirst for Knowledge, Thoughtcast, or Thopter Spy Network.
3. Win Condition Execution:
   • Golbez Life Loss: Recur a high-power creature (e.g., Dreadnought) with 8+ artifacts to drain the table.
   • Aetherflux Storm: Chain low-cost artifacts/cantrips with cost reducers, then activate Aetherflux Reservoir for lethal.
   • Combat Overrun: Overwhelm with wide token boards (Thopters, Constructs) pumped by Master of Etherium or Shambling Suit.
   • Reanimation Loops: Use Yawgmoth's Will or Academy Ruins to recur key spells/artifacts for infinite storm or value.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands (including artifact lands), at least one early mana source (rock or dork), and a card-draw or tutor effect.
• Prioritize hands containing Golbez, a cost reducer, or a critical artifact like Mox Opal.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays or reliant solely on high-CMC cards without setup.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Recursion: Time Golbez's end-step trigger to recur threats after blockers are declared but before damage, enabling surprise lethal.
• Protect Critical Mass: Use counterspells (Mana Drain, Imp's Mischief) defensively when approaching 8 artifacts or setting up Aetherflux.
• Leverage Graveyard: Entomb key creatures (Dreadnought, Death's Shadow) for immediate Golbez recursion. Yawgmoth's Will enables explosive turns by replaying tutors and draw spells.
• Maximize Affinity: Cast Thought Monitor or Broodstar for minimal mana when artifact count is high, often drawing into more gas.
• Utility Synergies: Esoteric Duplicator copies sacrificed Clues or Rocks. Vat of Rebirth provides redundant recursion. Transmute Artifact sacrifices tokens to cheat in Aetherflux Reservoir or Metalwork Colossus.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Artifact Hate: Stony Silence, Null Rod, or Karn, the Great Creator completely shut down mana, cost reduction, and win conditions.
• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void disrupts Golbez's recursion, Entomb, and Yawgmoth's Will lines.
• Board Wipes: Mass removal (Farewell, Cyclonic Rift) resets artifact count and token boards, hindering recovery.

Moderate

• Fast Aggro: Struggles against decks that pressure life total early, limiting Aetherflux activations and Death's Shadow viability.
• Stack Interaction: Heavy counterspell suites can disrupt key combo turns or protect hate pieces.

Minor

• Land Destruction: Non-basic heavy mana base is vulnerable to Blood Moon or targeted LD, though artifact mana mitigates this.
• Single-Target Removal: Focused removal on Golbez or value engines slows the deck but is less crippling than mass hate.

Most Important Cards:

• Golbez, Crystal Collector (Engine: surveil, recursion, win condition)
• Aetherflux Reservoir (Primary win condition via storm)
• Yawgmoth's Will (Enables explosive recursion turns)
• Transmute Artifact (Tutors/cheats key artifacts)
• Phyrexian Dreadnought (Recurrable 12-power lifeloss trigger)
• Mox Diamond / Mox Opal (Critical fast mana)
• Etherium Sculptor (Key cost reduction enabler)
• Entomb (Sets up Golbez recursion targets)
• Thopter Spy Network (Token generation and card draw)
• Urza, Lord High Artificer (Alternate mana engine and value)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of T4-5 wins via Aetherflux storm or Golbez + Dreadnought recursion with optimal draws and fast mana. Average goldfish win: T6-7.

Resilience: 5/10

• Has counterspells, recursion, and card draw to rebuild, but critically weak to artifact/graveyard hate with limited answers (e.g., no Force of Vigor).

Consistency: 7/10

• Extensive tutors (Demonic, Vampiric, Transmute), card selection (surveil, cantrips), and redundancy (multiple cost reducers, token generators) ensure reliable access to core strategy.

Interaction: 6/10

• Runs efficient counters (Counterspell, Mana Drain) and targeted removal (Deadly Rollick, Eaten Alive), but lacks board wipes and has minimal stack protection for its own combos.

Rating Justification:

This deck achieves high-speed T4-5 wins through explosive artifact chains and Golbez recursion, aligning with the "Focused Competitive" tier (T5-6 win/lock). However, its critical vulnerability to artifact/graveyard hate and moderate resilience against disruption caps its ceiling below optimized cEDH.

Power level: 7.0 - 7.5