Null Rod is strong against Izzet Affinity because so much of their mana and card flow is artifacts with activated abilities. It shuts off Mox Opal, Chrome Mox, Lotus Petal, Seat of the Synod, Urza's Bauble, Mishra's Bauble, Tormod's Crypt, and Skateboard's equip. It does not stop Urza's Saga, Ancient Tomb, Emry, or Kappa Cannoneer, since none of those is an artifact with an activated ability. Null Rod also stops activated abilities on your own artifacts, so use Nihil Spellbomb before Null Rod comes down. Nihil Spellbomb answers Emry, Lurker of the Loch by exiling their graveyard, which removes the artifact cards she wants to target after milling four. Cabal Therapy is weak since they have many redundant cheap artifacts rather than one key namable card, and Wail of the Forgotten is too slow against their fast artifact-combo clock. Keep Fatal Push and Orcish Bowmasters in. Bowmasters punishes their extra draws from Thoughtcast and the Baubles, and Fatal Push (with revolt for their three-mana creatures) answers their creatures.