Gadwick, The Kinda Annoying One (EDH / Commander)

> > > > > > > > > > Just for the LOLz! < < < < < < < < < <

This was the initial deck description, but accidentally it quickly became one of my favorite decks. It has a relatively high powerlevel, but is still below cEDH. The new description should read:

> > > > > > > > > > I love drawing cards < < < < < < < < < <

What the deck does:
Not a whole lot... but then again really a whole lot! It relies strongly on your commander, but in contrast to other decks that do so, here that is not a problem. Besides the fact that this deck runs a ton of counterspells, here Gadwick is almost exclusively used for it's ETB ability.

Gameplan:
You try to establish a board state where you have enough mana to be able to play all your shenanigans by playing you mana rocks, a couple of tutor-mages and if you're lucky an enchantment.
There are note a whole lot of raw draw spells in this deck, because you have your very own draw-on-a-stick in your command zone. You can play him early if you desperately need to draw a couple of cards, but ideally you want to wait till it's absolutely necessary, because for every instance you've cast him too early you will draw two fewer cards. Ideally you have a way to get crystal shard in order to get him back to your hand. Having him on the battlefield early might have some advantages, because of his second ability. Since you you already "control" the battlefield with all your counterspells, his ability adds another control element.
Most of the time players will ignore you, because this deck contains no sceary creatures and the other opponents pose usually a more immediant threat to the boardstate, than your mana rocks.

Winning:

• Infinite Mana + Card Draw: Dramatic Reversal/Isochron Scepter + Gadwick (Blue Sun's Zenith, Pull from Tomorrow) >>> Laboratory Maniac, Jace, Wielder of Mysteries, Psychosis Crawler
• Tapping and Untapping: Azami, Lady of Scrolls (Arcanis the Omnipotent) + Mind Over Matter >>> Labman, Jace, Mill, Crawler
• Willbreaker: Taking opponents' creatures
• Commander Damage: Whaaaaat????? In case you milled yourself and e.g. there is no more Labman or Jace, but you are able to cast Nexus of Fate you have infinite turns and in case Gadwick manages his way to the battlefield, everytime you cast Nexus Gadwick's second ability will tap an opponent's creature until all are tapped. Now, there are no more blockers and you have infinite turns to kill you opponents with Gadwick.

Value Engines:

• Verity Circle is amazing with Gadwick's second ability
• Turnabout is not just a "bad" boardwipe, it also gives you the ability to untap all your permanents of the chosen type. Untapping all your stuff might just give you the mana you need (maybe all your rocks?). Think about combining it with High Tide.
• Crystal Shard bounces Gadwick, but so does Venser, Shaper Servent, Familiar's Ruse and Cryptic Command (Abjure kills Gadwick, but in most cases you want to sacrifice one of your lesser mages, rather having Gadwick back in the command zone). Capsize can be used for the same purpose. Look at those Lands: Riptide Laboratory and Sanctum of Eternity.
• Once a spell went to the graveyard, there are a variety of options to get it back: Snapcaster Mage, Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, Time Reversal, Midnight Clock and Mystic Sanctuary.
• Minamo can help to untap a permanent. This might just give you the one card draw (Azami, Lady of Scrolls) that you need.
• Nexus of Fate: If you have milled yourself and Nexus of Fate is in your hand you have infinite turnes to think about how to win.
• ... probably many more...

Conclusion:
Outlined as above, most cards were chosen to be used in multiple situations. For some of those cards you might think of a more effective version (lower CMC, higher impact) in the specifiy instance you are using it, but the cards are chosen not to be used in only one instance, but in a variety. The downside is most often that this comes at the cost of higher CMC, but it is usually worth it. Often times, I'm still amazed in which way you can combine those cards and sneak your way to victory.