Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur (EDH / Commander)

Jin-Gitaxias Ramp Combo

Summary

1. Artifact ramp into time magic & mana doublers.
   2a. Utilize countermagic, removal, and lock artifacts to slow down the game.
   2b. Cast Jin-Gitaxias to draw massive amounts of cards.
   3a. Gain infinite mana, and end the game with one of several spells.
   3b. Generate enough mana to take infinite turns.

Combos

Infinite Mana

Phantasmal Image / High Tide / Gauntlet of Power / Caged Sun + Palinchron
Tidespout Tyrant + several artifacts
Power Artifact + Grim Monolith
Power Artifact / Rings of Brighthearth + Basalt Monolith

Infinite Mana Enders

Staff of Domination / Blue Sun's Zenith into Laboratory Maniac
Capsize to bounce all permanents
Tidespout Tyrant + Phantasmal image / Phyrexian Metamorph to bounce all permanents
Planar Portal into infinite turns

Infinite Turns

Planar Portal + Beacon of Tomorrows
Magosi, the Water Veil + Candelabra of Tawnos / Deserted Temple + Rings of Brighthearth

Strategy

Overall

This deck should be fast enough to rest somewhere inside of tier A, where most blue-based combo decks live. Being a mono blue ramp deck allows you to play some of the more broken spells, such as Blatant Thievery and Time Stretch, leading to easy wins. Utilizing an Island-heavy mana base enables mana doublers, granting more avenues to produce ridiculous amounts of mana, and abuse that mana with time magic. While this deck is slower than most to lift off the ground, it quickly ramps and snowballs into a mid-game victory with the help from cards like Torpor Orb, Cursed Totem, and Back to Basics, followed by forcing Jin-Gitaxias through over and over again.

This list follows the concept of the "third scariest deck", meaning it will generally be slower than two of the other decks of the table. Once those two duke it out, you're able to bury the rest of the table in must-stop threats.

Note that this deck is not tuned to beat out Ad Nauseum / Hermit Decks.

Mulligans

Generally, aggressively mulligan into lands, ramp, and a soft lock spell. Do not keep time magic, as it isn't beneficial until the ball starts rolling.

Notes

• Yes, Torpor Orb and Cursed Totem do interfere with a few combos in this deck. Seeing as they are so effective against a wide variety of top-tier generals, I'm willing to make that concession, being the slower deck.

• Thada Adel is an underplayed gem in a competitive environment.

• Drift of Phantasms transmutes into just about any missing piece of any combo.

• This list has a higher than average land count, since it is top-heavy.

• There are several flex spots in the deck to adapt to any metagame. Those slots are generally anything not ramp, tutor, combo, or time magic related.

• Idea List: Tidal Force, Worn Powerstone, Coalition Relic, Relic of Progenitus.