The storm element was my best shot, the Citadel Tinker plan plays into it quite well, but even so, it was rubbish on paper
If you begin the game with this land, its not much different than having a Mox Diamond and definitely signifies that youre willing to trade resources to turbo ahead of other players at the table
Being able to play Discard spells is the best way to stick a midrange plan in modern, and Inquisition of Kozilek for sure suit that plan really well
While you can argue as you like about whatever you like, adding in more options only helps to make things more interesting, and if youre playing Commander, then the chances are that youre all about interesting anyway
This led to a ton of non-creature spells that played into said tribes
Underworld Connections added to your devotion and gave you more cards at the cost of life, which is exactly what Gray Merchant needed, since it both wants you to have a lot of permanents and can gain your life back