Since the new mana burn rules of M10, cards like Mana Cache have been deemed useless as players can now tap lands without any repercussions. People cast aside these cards without a second thought, but I disagree with them - I think Mana Cache can still be part of a very creative and unique combo deck.
This means that you can let counters safely accumulate on the Cache, effectively turning it into a Red Upwelling. Now, the obvious backside of this combo is that Phyrexian Revoker also prevents you from using the Cache, not to mention how fragile the Revoker is. This problem is solved by the brilliance that is Mimic Vat! Once you Imprint Phyrexian Revoker onto Mimic Vat, at the beginning of your end step, you add the charge counters onto Mana Cache. Then, you activate Mimic Vat, put the Revoker into play, naming Mana Cache. This allows the Revoker token to stay on the battlefield until the end of your OPPONENT's END STEP! Meaning your opponent cannot use the counters on Mana Cache at all! (without removal). As the token leaves the battlefield, you can start your own turn without having any restrictions on using Mana Cache.
Other Card Explanations:
Nin, the Pain Artist - Removal, Draw, and a last-resort win-condition. If opponents happen to catch onto the Revoker combo, they won't remove it. Nin is 1 way of destroying the Revoker, while drawing cards at the same time. Also combines with Basilisk Collar.
Wizard Replica - I debated using either this or Daring Apprentice to form a pseudo-lock with Mimic Vat, but I went with this because it was an Artifact for Tezzeret. The additional toughness mattered too, but this is probably the weakest card of the deck. To be tested and possibly replaced.
Mimic Vat - can take opponent's creatures too, so early on it will take advantage of that.
Another interesting thing about this deck is that you can play Mana Cache on its own, provided that you tap out every turn until you get the other combo pieces. This is why I didn't include Counterspells that needed to be cast on your opponent's turn - so my tempo is not disrupted. Of course Mana Cache screws over the opponent's Control decks by giving you extra mana. The brilliant thing about forcing your opponent to tap out is that it leads them directly into Mist of Stagnation.
After establishing the combo and stabilizing, you can then play out most of your deck on your opponent's turn so the Cache counters accumulate on your turn when your lands are untapped. You can use Nin's ability on your own creatures to draw a bunch of cards, drawing into a Tezzeret and winning the game with a bunch of attacking Artifacts.
To be honest I'm not fully satisfied with that win-condition, so I considered other outlets like Manabarbs, which creates a lose-lose situation for your opponent. However I'm not sure if I could deal with the drawback properly unless I delve into White for Personal Sanctuary. Another interesting win-con was Cerebral Vortex + Well of Knowledge + Nin, the Pain Artist. Imagine a scenario where I "allow" my opponent to use the counters on Mana Cache, and he draws a bunch of cards using Well of Knowledge. Then I force him to draw more via Nin. Cerebral Vortex hits him for a huge amount of damage. Clunky, yes, but still interesting. Dichotomancy and Invoke the Firemind were additional interesting win-cons.
So I haven't tested the deck yet with anyone - it's another purely theoretical deck that I thought was interesting. It seems a bit clunky, so I hope to hear your opinions/suggestions on improving the deck. I put a lot of thought into building the deck so anything is appreciated. The interactions are a bit confusing, but still, I think for building around a near-useless card like Mana Cache, this is a pretty good attempt.
3 Island
3 Mountain
4 Great Furnace
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Shivan Reef
2 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Desolate Lighthouse
1 Academy Ruins
2 Kher Keep
Creatures 10
4 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Nin, the Pain Artist
2 Trinket Mage
2 Drift of Phantasms
3 Mimic Vat
1 Orb of Dreams
2 Scrabbling Claws
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Meekstone
Enchantments 8
3 Mana Cache
3 Mist of Stagnation
2 Web of Inertia
Spells 8
4 Faithless Looting
4 Izzet Charm
Planeswalkers 2
2 Tezzeret the Seeker
3 Manabarbs
4 Cerebral Vortex
2 Well of Knowledge
1 Arcane Laboratory
1 Spellskite
1 Daring Apprentice
1 Wizard Replica
1 Dichotomancy
1 Invoke the Firemind
So the main combo of the deck is Phyrexian Revoker + Mana Cache. Phyrexian Revoker fills a very unique role in MTG, in that it has the ability to stop mana abilities of any non-land card. (Pithing Needle does not allow this, and cards like Null Rod, Cursed Totem are limited to artifacts and creatures, respectively). This means Phyrexian Revoker can stop players from activating Mana Cache!
This means that you can let counters safely accumulate on the Cache, effectively turning it into a Red Upwelling. Now, the obvious backside of this combo is that Phyrexian Revoker also prevents you from using the Cache, not to mention how fragile the Revoker is. This problem is solved by the brilliance that is Mimic Vat! Once you Imprint Phyrexian Revoker onto Mimic Vat, at the beginning of your end step, you add the charge counters onto Mana Cache. Then, you activate Mimic Vat, put the Revoker into play, naming Mana Cache. This allows the Revoker token to stay on the battlefield until the end of your OPPONENT's END STEP! Meaning your opponent cannot use the counters on Mana Cache at all! (without removal). As the token leaves the battlefield, you can start your own turn without having any restrictions on using Mana Cache.
Other Card Explanations:
Trinket Mage - Key card for fetching artifact lands, Scrabbling Claws, Basilisk Collar and Meekstone.
Drift of Phantasms - Fetches Orb of Dreams, Mana Cache, Mimic Vat, and is a good blocker too.
Wizard Replica - I debated using either this or Daring Apprentice to form a pseudo-lock with Mimic Vat, but I went with this because it was an Artifact for Tezzeret. The additional toughness mattered too, but this is probably the weakest card of the deck. To be tested and possibly replaced.Mimic Vat - can take opponent's creatures too, so early on it will take advantage of that.
Orb of Dreams - This forms a hard-lock with Mist of Stagnation once you remove their graveyard with Scrabbling Claws.
Mist of Stagnation - Stall, stall, stall. I needed a 1-sided stall effect, and this seems pretty good. You can take advantage of it in multiples too!
Web of Inertia - Combined stall with the Mist.
Faithless Looting - To search for key cards while filling the Graveyard for Mist of Stagnation.
Izzet Charm - Also can fill the graveyard, but triples as a Counterspell and Removal in a pinch.
Tezzeret the Seeker - Searches out our key cards, and is also the win-condition after stabilizing.
Kher Keep - For stalling and provides fodder to draw cards off Nin.
Academy Ruins - Reuse your artifacts.
After establishing the combo and stabilizing, you can then play out most of your deck on your opponent's turn so the Cache counters accumulate on your turn when your lands are untapped. You can use Nin's ability on your own creatures to draw a bunch of cards, drawing into a Tezzeret and winning the game with a bunch of attacking Artifacts.
To be honest I'm not fully satisfied with that win-condition, so I considered other outlets like Manabarbs, which creates a lose-lose situation for your opponent. However I'm not sure if I could deal with the drawback properly unless I delve into White for Personal Sanctuary. Another interesting win-con was Cerebral Vortex + Well of Knowledge + Nin, the Pain Artist. Imagine a scenario where I "allow" my opponent to use the counters on Mana Cache, and he draws a bunch of cards using Well of Knowledge. Then I force him to draw more via Nin. Cerebral Vortex hits him for a huge amount of damage. Clunky, yes, but still interesting. Dichotomancy and Invoke the Firemind were additional interesting win-cons.
So I haven't tested the deck yet with anyone - it's another purely theoretical deck that I thought was interesting. It seems a bit clunky, so I hope to hear your opinions/suggestions on improving the deck. I put a lot of thought into building the deck so anything is appreciated. The interactions are a bit confusing, but still, I think for building around a near-useless card like Mana Cache, this is a pretty good attempt.
Edit: -2 Relic of Progenitus, +2 Scrabbling Claws. Realized Relic wasn't reusable with Academy Ruins. Also -1 Trinket Mage, -1 Wizard Replica, +2 Web of Inertia for aggro.
R: Copypasta Sauce {Browbeat}
UR: Mana Cache , One Spell to Bind them All {Magnetic Theft}
UG: Epic Struggle , All-In-Poison {Metamorphosis}
UW: Planar Overlay , Decree of the Bailiff {Saprazzan Bailiff}
BG: Thought Gorger , Dark Chroma {Umbra Stalker}
UBR: Dwarven Shrine
WUBRG: Dissipation Field , Maelstrom Nexus