I think the flash is a formality; if you pass the turn with 10 mana open your opponent might think something's up...
Volcre
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This guy seems broken and awesome as hell. Now someone just needs to find a way to break him...
PhyrexianFailure
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
reanimator deck with this guy? polymorph?
Tetsu_tora
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Caged Suns make this nearly playable. Then cavern harpy or something and play him again...now they can only hold -7 cards. Do they have to give the cards to me?
Shadoflaam
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(4 votes)
At ? It can be broken as Grixis. Just ask the Eldrazi.
Selez
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Never run it in limited. 10 is 2 too much.
Combolulz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
It's a 5/4 , even though it was just made to be played as itself and not attack or anything , it still deserves to be something more like a 6/6 or something.
Jokergius
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Turn 6 High Tide??? Turn 4 Caged Sun, this??? Idk... this is WAY too much for blue...
Jin-Gitaxis is the God of card advantage. He is the essence of having more cards than your opponent. Every card that makes your opponent discard, every card that makes you draw- they all pray to him. Even if he isn't playable or whatever. Consecrated sphinx is pretty high on the long-term card advantage scale, but if he lives for even until their end step he's already by far the best card advantage possible.
KikiJikiTiki
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This is the coolest, most epic, most "Timmy" card I have ever seen, and I have seen them all.
bigdeezy88
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
discard with foresee for example. and rise from grave. or horrifying revelation to rise from grave.
Atali
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
He's EDH (Commander) bait, never meant to be played in any other format. That said, I think Wizards has yet to grasp what makes EDH (Commander) fun. Hint: it's not generals that say "I win"
Rikiaz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Proliferate Control with Everflowing Chalice turns this card into one of the best creatures ever printed.
Kryplixx
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
No ones going hard cast this... the mana requirment is irrelevant.
MasterOfEtherium
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Exhume, Animate Dead, Reanimate, Reya Dawnbringer. Not that hard. 10/10 5 ****** 's
thisisnotmyname
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
UG Ramp control is now my standard deck. It was originally just a bad joke. Now it has a worthy bomb. Although it still sucks:-(
zk3
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Your deck has enough ramp/strategy-supporting cards to get him out reliably and cheaply. Sure, card advantage is good, but what cards will you actually win with?
Magnor_Criol
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Once he lands, unless your opponents have an instant-speed answer in hand with mana for it, or some answer on the field, you're basically playing a Goldfish deck with a few extra permanents and a small chance of drawing something that can hurt you. Hooray, that sounds like so much fun.
I too enjoy playing one player games of Magic! The lack of interactivity is what draws me into the game most.
And don't even start about how ten mana limits his ability to come into play. There's nigh-infinite ways to cheat creatures into play, especially in vintage/legacy formats like EDH where this guy will see play.
TPmanW
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm calling it right now. Most hated edh card ever. "Oh it looks like you're stuck top decking for the rest of the game!" The combination of mono blue and 10 cmc really cuts down on his commander appeal though.
danyo622
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Out of all of the praetors, this one seems to be the worst. It should have at least said at the end of each players turn, draw seven cards. At this point it just seems like you are milling yourself.
I do like the flash though- "Wow why do you have so much mana open..." "Oh no reason *i say with a smirk*"
altf4ninja
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
hello psychosis crawler meet a new friend. getting him out shouldbnt be to hard in mono blue with everflowing chalices. time reversal and elixir of immortality can help prevent u from drawing dead. besides with enough counterspells and bounce cards its dr manhattan show for the next century enjoy the view
Bursama
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
3 letters: EDH.
TheSwarm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
If you untap with this guy, you win. I can't imagine coming back from that amount of card disadvantage.
Obviously not made for standard, but for reanimation EDH decks, and made well (remember that Kozilek, Ulamog and Emrakul don't like to be in graveyards, but this does). Expect unlimited hate from all other players, like no other card.
Pretty lame flavour text though, just more phyrexian propaganda, with something this epic, it should have been something like "Their minds shall be torn apart, and in their fleshy ignorance they shall know the true power of phyrexian dominance as my eternal brilliance brings them to their knees!".
ScepterofEternities
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With art like that, I can see why the Phyrexians worship him.
Alsebra
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Seibertross - It's possible, actually. Sure, it'd take a specialised deck to do it, but when a Green player can drop an Inferno Titan on turn 3, this isn't all that far-fetched on turn 4.
SeiberTross
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This should do amazing things with Sword of Feast and Famine. You can float the mana and retap to flash him in.
Ya you can play him with 5 lands. Yes, he is that insane...go ahead and digest what that's like to stare down.
StreamHopper
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(12 votes)
Guys. 5 mana. Swing with squadhawk equipped with Sword of Feast and Famine. Respond to the sword's trigger, and pay 5 mana. Untap all lands, and pay 5 mana. FLASH.
Flash make this big *** playable.
Yozuk
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(3 votes)
favorite Praetor! Too bad its mana cost is so high it will never see competitive play. Oh well. I'm a casual gal myself.
turborimusa
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Jin-Gitaxias might give the best card advantage, but it mills its user's deck way too fast
Nayban
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Run this with psychosis crawler and Quest for Renewal and your set. lol
Jedijoe
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Use with Erayo, Soratami Ascendant...
But his other ability against opponents would easily be countered by Reliquary Tower, or Spellbook...
They are printing quite a lot of Timmy cards these days....
...but that is hilarious that the card draw is mandatory.
Donovan_Fabian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I would think this card would be a lot scarier with some sort of protection. I get it.. if he comes down and stays there it's some serious card advantage. On the other hand, any go for the throat, or vendetta, or grasp of darkness, or dismember, or artillerize, or doom blade etc etc will take him out. Which is fine, but then he costs 10 mana. On an eldrazi it didn't matter so much because they were all giving you something in return, artisan of kozilek raised up more dead guys to the battlefield, kozilek drew cards, ulamog destroys something, and emrakul gets you a free turn. More over, ulamog and emrakul have indestructibility and then protection from colored spells. I like this card.. a lot.. I really do. I just have a tendency to stay away from cards that cost this much, and don't have an enters the battlefield ability or some kind of protection. Other than that, I could see myself playing this card in a casual ramp deck for sure. Even without tricking it out with sword of feast and famine, it would be a great summoning trap target.
Sheoldred kind of puts the dampener on it too come to think of it, even if you flashed it in she would make you sac. it on your next upkeep. All in all I'm still giving it 5/5.
infernox10
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@nemokara
Elesh Norn's is actually going to be Marrow Shards.
Guest1381794618
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(9 votes)
This is a prime Reanimator target. Prime. I mean for cripes sake, if you get him off he's a Mind Twist for their entire hand if he can survive to their end step, nevermind the full hand he draws you of rituals and reanimates, while allowing you to discard more reanimator fuel.
NocteMundi
★★★★☆ (5.0/5.0)(15 votes)
I think he has a minor case of scoliosis...
auriscope
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Donovan, unless you're trying to pull off the sword shenanigans, this guy is coming down on your opponent's end step. They have to respond right then or they're in topdeck mode for a long time.
BattleFish
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The best of all the Praetors. Throw him in a reanimator deck and have him out second turn while people still have most of their hands.
The only issue I have with him is the cost, but for 7 extra cards every turn and eliminating the opponent's hands at Instant speed I can accept it.
Richochet_Shaman
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
@ StreamHopper: I think someone has a slight case of the dyslexia...that number in the circle...that's not a 3...that's an 8. That means his CMC is 10. Ouch. Do you know what I can do with 10 mana with the right GR mana ramp deck? I can have the beautiful bromance that Urabrask and Voriclex play sock'em boppers with Jin-Gitaxias by turn 5. that's what I can do
turn 1: forest and llanowar elves
turn 2: forest, 2 more llanowar elves
turn 3: mountain, birds of paradise
turn 4: mountain, Vorinclex
turn 5: mountain, Urabrask, and whatever the heck is I feel like doing with the 13 mana I have left at my disposal that you don't.
You know what? Lets make it fun. 4 more mana will let me play triumph of the hordes, and that'll let me do up to 20 poison counters in damage to you.
and if you're not dead on turn 5, the bromance will will play Alpha Zeta Pi with your little nerd of a praetor, and that's assuming you still somehow managed to get him out, which is just very doubtful once vorinclex is on the field.
all this being said, Jin would make a fun commander. but in standard, unless you can cheat him onto the field really quickly, he's just not going to be of much help to anyone, especially you. You're better off making an Legacy deck and, for the same amount of mana, playing a teferi, and then saving that four extra mana for something like a Last Word for anyone who tries to screw you out of the awesomeness that is your teferi.
Axelle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I can get him out reliably with Harabaz Druid in my Ally control. I don't always get him out, but he's never out of reach. And Jin is pretty much insta-win.
One of this guy's quotes is the flavor text of Inexorable Tide. Coincidence? I think not!
Deepfried-Owls
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(5 votes)
This card is probably one of the most extreme forms of control available. Your opponent has no cards to play during your turn and only 1 during their turn unless they've got draw boosters or whatever.
It's cool and fun to use but it's an effective time bomb if it isn't returned to your hand soon. If it is returned to your hand, it can be seen as 10 mana for XXXXX discard on your opponent and 7 card draw plus the mana of an unsummon.
Otherwise, one's deck needs to be full of something useful, something worth all this advantage and guarantee of no counters. It won't stop their creatures on the field but it provides a clear shot for burn if you're running UB with this thing for some reason, A spire chancellor would be better because of it's Chandra-esque enter the battlefield effect, or if you're running a mill deck where the aforementioned chancellor would still be much more effective.
A really fun card, but I have trouble finding surefire methods of taking advantage of it's effects without running Niv-Mizzet, Psy Crawler, or some black discard like Megrim/L's Carress.
BegleOne
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I passed this in a draft. It came back to me with one card left in the pack, so I took it. I was thinking, "what kind of deck would I ever put this in?" Then somebody said, "it's the best blue reanimation target of all freakin' time stupid!"
And then I was enlightened. With a blue/ black reanimanator, or even a mono-block reanimator, this is a damn, damn fine target. I don't think it's as good as Iona, but it's close.
WateryMind
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
He's so awesome... Yet soooo hard to cast outside of ramp...
DacenOctavio
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
I just realized that his triggered ability triggers every end step you have, not just the turn you play him. Holy psychotic crap.
TheMurderousKitten
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Turn One: Play a Swamp, followed by a Dark Ritual. Then play Entomb, search for this guy, and finish up with Exhume to put him in play. Turn Two: There probably won't be a turn two, because unless your opponents can kill him with one mana on their first turn, they might as well forfeit.
Sure, it would only work in casual and would require the perfect opening draw, but it would be awesome to pull it off. And then you could switch to a different deck for the next game--otherwise, your friends will probably not be your friends anymore.
Ever since I've seen those new commander decks coming out, it's all I can think of.This will be really fun.
tdogg46142
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This and Braids, Conjurer Adept and you can reap the benefits while your oppenent cannot
drumsmatt
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Vensers journal is the cure, this is just another 5/4 creature with flash.
Lyoncet
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Fun, flavorful, and unique, but I'd have preferred it if he had 5 toughness to put him out of burn range. Of course since he's blue, it shouldn't be hard to protect him should he hit the field, but I'd have a hard time every playing this against any deck with red for fear of losing my 10 mana investment to a 1 CMC common. (For some reason, it just seems more insulting to get him burned for 4 than to have him hit with Doom Blade or Go For the Throat.)
Then again, even if he had 5 toughness, he'd still be susceptible to Artillerize, and the to-be-reprinted-in-M12 Goblin Grenade.
This card is deliciously epic combining it with Forced Fruition. It REALLY makes your opponent desperate to play cards at times they wouldn't normally play them.
He's pretty awesome. Having said that.. If you're tapping out on 10+ mana, don't you want it to win you the game right then n there?
TrueBloodWolf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ TheMurderousKitten : I don't see how 3 cards (I don't count one land card being towards that limit) is a "perfect" hand. But it would be a defiantly big play.
The_Trendkill
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm not so sure about casting it. Reanimating it is delicious, though. Right up there with Iona, Shield of Emeria on the list of best reanimation targets.
zoumi84
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not bad combo with Praetor's Counsel in a Dream Halls-based deck
thewalkingdead
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
i think this is probably the most even kilned praetor. i mean, without a spellbook or a reanimator spell, this guy has a drawback. plus, if you can't recycle your graveyard or don't a huge deck, you run the risk of decking yourself. of coarse, with this guys out, no one is really going to last to see you deck yourself... but still, he is the most balanced... errr... ability speaking...
benettfreeman
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
All of these praetors are utterly stupid, and this is perhaps the worst. It's not in any way fun, even if the player has 'earned' it by building up ten mana.
Cheza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Like all other Praetors, it's just some useless mystic for newbie-EDH. If you have can build up ten mana, you can kill your opponent with nearly anything. Flash fits into the "build up 10 mana" theme, but is completely irrelevant, since this card will be put onto the battlefield.
Leonin_Kha_Cameron
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Careful, get him out too early with not enough time to defeat all of your opponents, he could easily mill you.
Internet_decks_lame
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hmm...
My personal flavor text for this card:
"If I enter play and last 1 round of play... I will be firmly placing my manhood in your backside. And... to be quite honest with you... I do not plan on being very gentle either.' =/
All of you internet deck haters... here is something to consider for your friends that play this garbage:
faerie macabre Free graveyard hate at anytime, that goes around counter magic. Hows that?
Kryptnyt
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
His posture, and lanky appendages. He's clearly a Muscle Sliver that's survived for far too long!
AnimarMastery
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just played him in a slightly modified Mirror Mastery Commander deck with Animar as a general. With the +1/+1 counters already on Animar, Jin-Gitaxias was a UU instant played at the end of turn of a Ghave deck that had just Skullclamped its way into a dozen 9/9 trample creatures on the next turn. Instead he had to discard his hand and I got to win the game.
Might as well be called the best mill card in the game basically.
Marsh-D-Teach
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love how this guy sums up all the praetors strong points in a fun way " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb3dedoVht0&feature=channel_video_title "
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
card advantage elemental?
GracefulInferno
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So, uh... I like to fish him out with Riptide Shapeshifter. Does that make me a bad person?
CrowJonSnow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i'm very mixed about this guy; his third ability is absolutely amazing, but i don't find his first two to be of much use, and his cmc is hilariously high. my idealized version of this card is: 8 cmc same third ability 2/6 p/t
you can get him out a a little earlier, and the higher toughness means he stays around longer
still pretty good
4/5
ICEFANG13
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have to agree with 'feels alright', I'm not saying at all that he is a poor card. Personally I feel like Flash is kinda, not his style? (Its a process of BAM HERE I AM!) but a good ability, having to draw 7 almost feels like a disadvantage (perhaps it is) the final ability can be killer, but sometimes it just isn't.
Rendin
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
This card represents everything blue is supposed to be: a thirst for knowledge so obsessive-compulsive you could drown in it if you're not careful.
A sadistic way to win with this card that I really prefer is using Zedruu the Greathearted or some similar donate effect to donate Jin-Gitaxias (and however many Thought Reflections you've decided to put into play) and watch your opponent mill himself via card draw. Using Zedruu's card draw plus Solitary Confinement, your opponent can't really utilize the benefits you're giving him. Your pick of a Jester's Cap type effect can be used beforehand to remove any possible graveyard recycling.
Terribly inefficient way to do things, really, but it's an amazing 'win more' feeling if you can pull it off.
Justice1337
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Play Gitaxias at opponent's EOT, he discards his hand. Absolutely crazy for 10 mana, on par with Emrakul even.
andoroth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
those few moments when words of war is really really helpful
chainsmoker
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(7 votes)
Laboratory Maniac
JFM2796
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I can see this being the top target for reanimator in Innistrad.
To one of your turns I take seven, and each seven-turn cycle takes me through all my spells and puts it back for the next cycle. Meanwhile, you have nothing to use against me, and even if you did, your turn ends as soon as I tell it to. And, yes, I take seven more.
This is why I play blue. 5/5
Totema
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Why can't I, hold all these cards?
alblast
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't think I've ever abused his flash. I could flash him in later, but I want cards now!
pedrodyl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Good thing this costs ten
drpvfx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Are you f*cking kidding me?!
I thought Guile would never be dethroned as my favorite Blue creature, but it looks like I was wrong.
With power like this, it's no wonder Phyrexia was able to conquer Mirrodin.
He's not even a graveyard dodger, making him one of the best creatures you could possibly reanimate, and even if you hard cast him, he only costs 1 more than the 7-card Braingeyser he gives you (every turn), with the *fairly* useful bonus of destroying your opponent's entire hand.
You've already won if you get Gitaxias out for a full turn, but it would be a fun time to start casting Show and Tell and Eureka, nonetheless.
Screw Braingeyser and Helm of Obedience; My Mana Drains have a new mission.
Because there's something so utterly demoralizing about getting that kind of handicap first turn, I'd rather play Gitaxias over an Eldrazi or Akroma any day.
MyrBattlecube
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
He reminds me of the other mother from Coraline.
kazenpaus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
...I didn't even realise he had Flash. You can play this guy in your opponent's end step, make him throw away his entire hand almost immediately, untap the 10 mana he cost, and draw seven cards. This guy is insanely awesome.
LightoRaito
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like the fact that he's going to nearly ensure your victory if you play him. What I'm not sure if I like is you could very easily deck yourself if you're not properly prepared or if your opponent is too prepared.
shotoku64
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Put him in a mill-yourself deck XD He loves Laboratory Maniac
ok so Jin always bothers me. I guess thats kinda the point of NPH but here is my little idea for a different version
4UU-5UU (not sure)
Flash
counter each spell that targets creatures you control unless the controller of that spell pays (1-2, also not sure)
Each spell that targets your opponent's creatures (that you cast?) targets every one of them unless that player pays (1-2, same as above) to prevent the spell from copying itself.
4/3 or 5/4 also not sure on that
i know the wording's pretty screwy now but it's really early so i might fix it later if i feel like it
anyways so now he would basically be a giant couunterspell
grynning
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
In my EDH deck, he and Niv-Mizzet form a hip-hop group and go on tour around the table together with Mindmoil (Spellbook is one of the back-up dancers).
Take that and rewind it back, Jin-Gitaxis got the cards to make ya booty go (clap) Take that and rewind it back, Niv-Mizzet got the burn to make ya booty go (clap) Take that and rewind it back, Mindmoil got the flow to make ya booty go (clap)
LordRandomness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
brunsbr: How about "Spells you play that target a creature an opponent controls cost {1}/{2} less to play"?
Less speculatively, I'm planning self-mill reanimator (Unburial Rites, naturally). Jin here is perfect for it, since he basically adds more mill along with his other effects.
jstorrie
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The main problem with this guy is that a couple of turns after you play him, he kills you.
Then again, maybe you just draw into another copy of him and legend-rule him away. Seems fine!
Vorja
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If this guy survives your opponent's turn, you will win the game, since your hand will always be full and your opponent will need 2 or 3 top decks draw just to stay alive.
Encyclopedia Brown finally sees print, in the creepiest way possible.
<3
Eigma
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Beautiful art, too costly but if it gets reanimated it pretty much means game over, unless they ass rape it with a force of will or similar
nemokara
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
I just realized each of the Praetors seems to have a "signature spell", a la the M11 planeswalkers.
Elesh Norn - Norn's Annex Jin-Gitaxias - Gitaxian Probe Sheoldred - Reaper of Sheoldred Urabrask - Priest of Urabrask Vorinclex - this is the iffy one. Unlike the other four, nothing else in the block has his name in it ... but guess which green sorcery showed up in Mirrodin Beseiged that actually shows Vorinclex in its art?
That's right. Praetors' Counsel.
Edit: @infernox10, Marrow Shards is actually part of a different cycle of 5 cards depicting a Praetor (I was wrong about Praetors' Counsel being a 'signature' spell, it's actually part of this cycle too ... seems like there is no "Vorinclex's _____") The other cards in this 'art cycle' arePsychic Barrier, Praetor's Grasp and Act of Aggression.
Llian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love this guy. What. A. Bomb. I run him in my Animar EDH, and there's nothing like seeing the look on my opponents' faces when I flash this guy out (for {U}{U}, at that) at their end step just as they drew a bajillion cards. And because I'm running Animar, something like half my cards are creatures, so with Leyline of Anticipation I can just flash out all the cards I draw at the end step! There's no way I'd ever consider casting him for his full cost though, that's just ridiculous.
PinkleDadandy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
flash is quite useless for this card IT COSTS 10 i made a mill deck ive only been able to hard cast him once and that was against a deck that stalls focuses on stalling games
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I can't say I really care for this card.
*Dodges hail of rotten tomatoes* Hey hey! Hear me out!
While this guy does lock down your opponent's hand (Potentially...), this also makes you functionally mill yourself. You just can't dump eight or more cards a turn, especially if you draw lands, and unless you have a Spellbook or the like, you're gonna burn out QUICK. What's worse is that if an opponent has a Book as well, you aren't doing much to stop him, so there goes his real benifit.
What's the worst is that he's ten mana. . . Ow. Flash doesn't mean anything, if you've got ten mana to work with in a Blue deck you should have won by now. Plus, his body is just...tiny. Really, pitifully so.
So...yeah. I have no love for this guy. At all. He's a big bad backfire and apparently I just don't get the joke.
Conquerer_Smib
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I just got this card recently and have only used it once. It worked pretty good since i had a Quicksilver Amulet and Venser's Journel out. This allowed me to play it using 4 mana and i never had to discard my cards and actually gained life from it each turn.
Arachnos
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
In casual play, the best (read: most evil) way to get him out is obviously the infamous Mana Drain.
"I see you wanna cast that Eldrazi? Well, sorry about that, but I think I'll be countering that, taking your mana and casting my Jin-Gitaxias instead. Good luck."
Paleopaladin
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Can you imagine using Karn's ultimate and restarting the game with this guy in play? Your opponent may swear off of magic for ever!
C'mon DoragonShinzui, very few people are hardcasting this guy, they're reanimating him. And that means they can usually bring out a couple of more fatties with all of their card draw. Your opponent will be dead long before you mill yourself, or he'll find some way to miracle away Jin (perhaps a literal miracle?).
atemu1234
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@ragamander Screw Spellbook. Go Venser's Journal. Also, in a hand builder deck, discard him then Victimize some poor creature. ta-da, and flavorful.
Dream_Twist
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ah, Jinny Jin!
As a reanimator player this card is an unbelievable win condition and I try to get him out asap. It's one of those things that will make a person just give up.
I want to run him in standard some how either with, you guessed it, unburial rights or with somberwald sage. Anything to get him out early! Jinny's ability is just so good.
Breaker_Ki
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Aside from re-animator, I find him great in a RUG EDH deck. I have enough removal to take care of most "no maximum hand size cards", and 10 mana is easy. It's in EDH where the Flash shines. It's not uncommon for players to have a full hand of cards they have been working on for a combo, so flashing him in during their end step is priceless. Not to mention that draw 7 in a RUG EDH deck with legendary eldrazi's is also win.
MANABURNWASGOOD
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Evil, evil, evil, evil, in commander. I have a mono blue deck that uses Kira as the general, and it does have one or two drawbacks in the deck, but I got this guy out one time, and it immediately made me the target. People playing politics to kill me/him because some didn't understand the power I had with them having to drop their hands every turn. In that same game another player played him....rough game.
He's pricey, so finding other ways to get him out are needed, but once he's out, opponents best get rid of him fast.
Schlapatzjenc
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This thing is insane... the only drawback I can see is that you have around 10 turns before milling yourself to death, but that can not only be prevented, but also used as a victory condition. See Laboratory Maniac.
sliverlord777
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
psychosis crawler
Halaphax
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"HAHAHA! I HAVE EVERYTHING AND YOU HAVE NOTHING!" -- Jin-Gitaxias
TheAmberSpyglass
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Love the art, hate the flavor, WANT the card...
Exclaimer999
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I can see this being one awesome general in EDH.
Not that it would win you very much games, I wouldn't think, but it would be hilarious if you could pull it off.
Vakyoom
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@schlapatz - funny you should mention lab maniac as jin gitaxis is mainly how i fuel my legendary rites, self mill deck.
4 Unburial rites
3 Grand abolisher
4 Merfolk looters
4 Deranged assistant
2 Sun titans
3 Lab maniacs
2 Sheoldred, whispering one
2 jin-gitaxis, core augur
1 Increasing confusion
4 Jace's erasure
2 Jace's archivist
4 Think twice
get those jace's erasure, grand abolisher, merfolk looter, deranged assistants out onto the field and the sheoldreds, jin-gitaxis, sun titans into the gy. The have fun playing turn 3-5 sheoldreds/jin-gitaxis and watching peoples jaw drop.
with 4 jaces erasure out, and jin-gitaxis, i can mill 35 cards at the end of my turn. Then the archivist picks up the next amount during your opponents upkeep while he has no mana tapped. Grand abolisher keeps them from messing with your maniac while you mill out on your own turn...
And i get to choose whether i mill or not, so if I don't have access to the maniac yet then I don't mill all my cards yet. It ends up being very clean so long as my delay works. Winning games happen by turn 7 most times and no later than turn 11. I only lose to weenie and big creature decks(or when I draw nothing but lands early game...) But i have forced worship, oblivion ring and divine reckoning for those creature heavies :P
Search "legendary rites" on mtgdeckbuilder.net
mdakw576
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
don't know if it's been said yet, but sword of feast and famine can "cheat" this guy into play.
- Precombat, you have 5 lands, all untapped. Sword is already equipped to something. - Sworded guy connects. - In response to the sword trigger, tap lands for mana. The lands untap, tap the lands again, flash in jin-gitaxias.
I've never pulled it off because the opponents see it coming a mile away, but one day I will. And it will be glorious.
wholelottalove
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Opponent reanimates this card. I block him and leave the game. How is that fun at all?
Kura-san
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(8 votes)
Don't care that he costs 10 CMC. Don't care I don't run a reanimation deck. Don't care other Praetors are more popular. This is my favorite card. FOREVER.
Drama aside, I simply love this guy. He is... the most brutish Blue card out there. What do I mean by brutish? "At the beginning of your end step, draw seven cards." "Each opponent's maximum hand size is reduced by seven." It's just like a punch to the face, except it hurts more. My favorite combo is just Quicksilver Amulet and him. He can't be countered because he wasn't cast, and if he survives until your next upkeep, you've practically won. Johnny, Timmy, Spike, Blue, and Epic; all neatly wrapped up into the sinister yet devilishly handsome leader of the Progress Engine; Jin-Gitaxias.
Fun bit of Trivia: His original name was supposed to be "Jin-Gitaxias, Augur of the Core" but it was too long. Not only that, but his original cost was 7 colorless and 3U but it also took up too much space.
RecurringMemories
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Turn 1. Swamp, Dark Ritual. Cast Putrid Imp. Discarding Jin-Gitaxias to give the imp flying. Exhume. Draw 7 Cards; Discarding 3 Fatties. You may go...
It's been said before but I finally ran him in a large (70 card) deck; if he survives even one round you've basically won.
On a side note; it's crazy but you don't realize how fast you'll go through you're deck until you look down and it's half gone...on turn 5! My favourite Praetor (and I love them ALL!)
Teferi's Puzzle Box during the draw step, Jin-G during your end step, then discard/cleanup step. What you don't discard at the end of your turns, you can still wait to see if you will use on the other players' turns.
Knight of the Reliquary allows you to grab up Volrath's Stronghold, Academy Ruins, or whatever (you all know this...) to put them to good use with your discard, while getting fatty-status in the process.
Heck, you can even just run him with dredge or Countryside Crusher for the win.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Damn, never realized this guy was only a 5/4. Guess all the abilities make up for it.
May be sweet in a High Tide abuse style deck. You didn't combo out? Well just plop him down and start over! You have the mana, you have the instant speed, your opponent no longer has any cards, and you have 7 to try the combo again or just.. beat face!
Hell, it may be worth it to just "combo" into *him* and call it good.
Bobth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Put an Eldrazi in your deck, don't play it, and never worry about running out of cards. Just take care of their graveyard hate with the many control spells you should be drawing.
Such a good card. Yes, it feasibly requires either ramp or cheating - probably cheating - but he's more or less a one-turn clock. Sure, in terms of combat he's a 4 turn clock, but if he sticks for a turn cycle, you've got at least +7 CA off him, and your opponent is in top deck mode.
What does that mean?
As long as you can control the board state and get a counterspell out of those 8 drawn cards you get a turn (or, y'know, recycle your used ones somehow), your opponent isn't going to get any spell through unless it has a can't be countered clause.
My most recent Jin foray has been in a UG 'reanimator' deck thanks to Body Double. Get him out on turn 4 usually thanks to Hierarch ramp and Fauna Shaman finding and pitching him, then if he survives a turn, that's usually game. Between Cryptic Command, Eternal Witness, Progenitor Mimic and Counterspell, it's a pretty solid lock against most decks.
And yes, like many people just in case I find myself in a match I'm forced to grind out, I've included a singleton Ulamog whose primary purpose is to be discarded fairly late into the library-dig. While Emrakul is a nicer option if you find yourself in a position to hard-cast him for the win, 15 mana is pretty steep - if you end up having to hardcast, Ulamog is much more viable (Kozilek is more viable in that regard, but Jin gives enough card draw as is :-P).
EdgarPoeAllen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have some pretty stupid friends who think this guy is bad. I tell them:"You're drawing SEVEN cards a turn!!" They say:"But he's 10 mana." Throw him in a Simic ramp deck for Pete's sake, you're drawing 7 freaking cards.
SquirePath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Those are some nice cards your drawing there, mind if I take them?
I think both Notion Thief and Jin-Gitaxias live in the Reliquary Tower, lol.
DarthParallax
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Gitaxian Wits: UUUUUUU Enchantment- BiWinning Rare (above Mythic) If you have 200 or more cards in your hand... well then *** you I quit.
No just kidding. This guy rocks. xD
EDIT: It's really complete B.S. that Griselbrand is so much better than this guy XP XD
I mean-- obviously this guy is still good. and he does some things that Griselbrand doesn't. But, y'know, it's probably vastly easier to make someone lose when you're attacking for 7 lifelinked in the air, than it is for 5 grounded. They both make you draw 7 for essentially free.
This guy is kind of more Control-y....but in a lot of the cases where it matters, for that part of his card, I'd rather have Pact of Negation.
N3wtn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card wont make you any friends. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Also, Strionic Resonator, because why settle for 7 cards per turn when you could have 14?
Wayner52
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Play this card in a discard reanimator deck to get him out on turn two. I did that to a guy, and he quit immediately. you don;t even have to have any blue mana to cast him, just search your library or don;t play a card from your hand on your opening turn, place him in your graveyard, and bring him straight onto the battlefield. screw the 10 mana cost, i played him for 2 mana.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Mono blue Commander. Threatens to win the game in a very strong way. There is a ton of ramp in artifacts so... pretty cheesy deck right there. Just ramp to 14 or something and hold 2 counters.
Flash feels a little odd for something that costs so much, but it helps a surprisingly large amount.
Heretical_Tarp
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Gitaxias does for blue what Elesh Norn does for white: be the biggest, the baddest, and the splashiest damn creature in the game. Yes, he dies to Doom Blade. Yes, he might mill you out. But if you have the balls to put Jin-Gitaxias on the board, then you absolutely have earned every single card he brutally rips out of your deck.
syntheticbiology232
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i know it would have made them OP but i think it be cool if the preators where phyrexian mana instead
K34
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Hosed by reliquary tower
Phyrexian_Niv_Mizzet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My favorite praetor. Having flash really gives this card some versatility, and while the 10 cmc is a bit stunning at first glance, Jin can easily find a home in a Simic mana ramp deck, a Dimir or Grixis reanimation style deck, or even a steady controlling azorious or mono-blue deck. When he hits the field, he always winds up being worth the cost. 4.5/5.
Comments (152)
Turn 4 Caged Sun, this???
Idk...
this is WAY too much for blue...
I too enjoy playing one player games of Magic! The lack of interactivity is what draws me into the game most.
And don't even start about how ten mana limits his ability to come into play. There's nigh-infinite ways to cheat creatures into play, especially in vintage/legacy formats like EDH where this guy will see play.
I do like the flash though- "Wow why do you have so much mana open..." "Oh no reason *i say with a smirk*"
Pretty lame flavour text though, just more phyrexian propaganda, with something this epic, it should have been something like "Their minds shall be torn apart, and in their fleshy ignorance they shall know the true power of phyrexian dominance as my eternal brilliance brings them to their knees!".
Ya you can play him with 5 lands. Yes, he is that insane...go ahead and digest what that's like to stare down.
5 mana.
Swing with squadhawk equipped with Sword of Feast and Famine.
Respond to the sword's trigger, and pay 5 mana.
Untap all lands, and pay 5 mana.
FLASH.
Flash make this big *** playable.
But his other ability against opponents would easily be countered by Reliquary Tower, or Spellbook...
...but that is hilarious that the card draw is mandatory.
Sheoldred kind of puts the dampener on it too come to think of it, even if you flashed it in she would make you sac. it on your next upkeep. All in all I'm still giving it 5/5.
Elesh Norn's is actually going to be Marrow Shards.
turn 1: forest and llanowar elves
turn 2: forest, 2 more llanowar elves
turn 3: mountain, birds of paradise
turn 4: mountain, Vorinclex
turn 5: mountain, Urabrask, and whatever the heck is I feel like doing with the 13 mana I have left at my disposal that you don't.
You know what? Lets make it fun. 4 more mana will let me play triumph of the hordes, and that'll let me do up to 20 poison counters in damage to you.
and if you're not dead on turn 5, the bromance will will play Alpha Zeta Pi with your little nerd of a praetor, and that's assuming you still somehow managed to get him out, which is just very doubtful once vorinclex is on the field.
all this being said, Jin would make a fun commander. but in standard, unless you can cheat him onto the field really quickly, he's just not going to be of much help to anyone, especially you. You're better off making an Legacy deck and, for the same amount of mana, playing a teferi, and then saving that four extra mana for something like a Last Word for anyone who tries to screw you out of the awesomeness that is your teferi.
One of this guy's quotes is the flavor text of Inexorable Tide. Coincidence? I think not!
It's cool and fun to use but it's an effective time bomb if it isn't returned to your hand soon
Otherwise, one's deck needs to be full of something useful, something worth all this advantage and guarantee of no counters. It won't stop their creatures on the field but it provides a clear shot for burn if you're running UB with this thing for some reason, A spire chancellor would be better because of it's Chandra-esque enter the battlefield effect, or if you're running a mill deck where the aforementioned chancellor would still be much more effective.
A really fun card, but I have trouble finding surefire methods of taking advantage of it's effects without running Niv-Mizzet, Psy Crawler, or some black discard like Megrim/L's Carress.
I was thinking, "what kind of deck would I ever put this in?"
Then somebody said, "it's the best blue reanimation target of all freakin' time stupid!"
And then I was enlightened. With a blue/ black reanimanator, or even a mono-block reanimator, this is a damn, damn fine target. I don't think it's as good as Iona, but it's close.
Turn Two: There probably won't be a turn two, because unless your opponents can kill him with one mana on their first turn, they might as well forfeit.
Sure, it would only work in casual and would require the perfect opening draw, but it would be awesome to pull it off. And then you could switch to a different deck for the next game--otherwise, your friends will probably not be your friends anymore.
Then again, even if he had 5 toughness, he'd still be susceptible to Artillerize, and the to-be-reprinted-in-M12 Goblin Grenade.
Yes, I see where this is going..
My personal flavor text for this card:
"If I enter play and last 1 round of play... I will be firmly placing my manhood in your backside. And... to be quite honest with you... I do not plan on being very gentle either.' =/
All of you internet deck haters... here is something to consider for your friends that play this garbage:
faerie macabre Free graveyard hate at anytime, that goes around counter magic. Hows that?
With Animar, Soul of Elements as General and something like Forgotten Ancient in the deck, I think this guy has to be an auto-include.
my idealized version of this card is:
8 cmc
same third ability
2/6 p/t
you can get him out a a little earlier, and the higher toughness means he stays around longer
still pretty good
4/5
A sadistic way to win with this card that I really prefer is using Zedruu the Greathearted or some similar donate effect to donate Jin-Gitaxias (and however many Thought Reflections you've decided to put into play) and watch your opponent mill himself via card draw. Using Zedruu's card draw plus Solitary Confinement, your opponent can't really utilize the benefits you're giving him. Your pick of a Jester's Cap type effect can be used beforehand to remove any possible graveyard recycling.
Terribly inefficient way to do things, really, but it's an amazing 'win more' feeling if you can pull it off.
Unburial Rights, anyone?
Threw him in my deck with my Lighthouse Chronologist, Rite of Replication, High Tide, Reminisce, and Time Stop.
Yes, that's right...
To one of your turns I take seven, and each seven-turn cycle takes me through all my spells and puts it back for the next cycle. Meanwhile, you have nothing to use against me, and even if you did, your turn ends as soon as I tell it to. And, yes, I take seven more.
This is why I play blue. 5/5
I thought Guile would never be dethroned as my favorite Blue creature,
but it looks like I was wrong.
With power like this, it's no wonder Phyrexia was able to conquer Mirrodin.
He's not even a graveyard dodger, making him one of the best creatures you could possibly reanimate,
and even if you hard cast him, he only costs 1 more than the 7-card Braingeyser he gives you (every turn),
with the *fairly* useful bonus of destroying your opponent's entire hand.
You've already won if you get Gitaxias out for a full turn,
but it would be a fun time to start casting Show and Tell and Eureka, nonetheless.
Screw Braingeyser and Helm of Obedience;
My Mana Drains have a new mission.
Another fun, if evil play:
R1- Leyline of Anticipation, Swamp; Dark Ritual, Entomb and Exhume this guy at the end of your opponent's next turn.
Because there's something so utterly demoralizing about getting that kind of handicap first turn,
I'd rather play Gitaxias over an Eldrazi or Akroma any day.
Turn2, exhume
Good game man.
-Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
"Here man, take mine"
- Venser, the Sojourner
4UU-5UU (not sure)
Flash
counter each spell that targets creatures you control unless the controller of that spell pays (1-2, also not sure)
Each spell that targets your opponent's creatures (that you cast?) targets every one of them unless that player pays (1-2, same as above) to prevent the spell from copying itself.
4/3 or 5/4 also not sure on that
i know the wording's pretty screwy now but it's really early so i might fix it later if i feel like it
anyways so now he would basically be a giant couunterspell
Take that and rewind it back, Jin-Gitaxis got the cards to make ya booty go (clap)
Take that and rewind it back, Niv-Mizzet got the burn to make ya booty go (clap)
Take that and rewind it back, Mindmoil got the flow to make ya booty go (clap)
Less speculatively, I'm planning self-mill reanimator (Unburial Rites, naturally). Jin here is perfect for it, since he basically adds more mill along with his other effects.
Then again, maybe you just draw into another copy of him and legend-rule him away. Seems fine!
<3
Elesh Norn - Norn's Annex
Jin-Gitaxias - Gitaxian Probe
Sheoldred - Reaper of Sheoldred
Urabrask - Priest of Urabrask
Vorinclex - this is the iffy one. Unlike the other four, nothing else in the block has his name in it ... but guess which green sorcery showed up in Mirrodin Beseiged that actually shows Vorinclex in its art?
That's right. Praetors' Counsel.
Edit: @infernox10, Marrow Shards is actually part of a different cycle of 5 cards depicting a Praetor (I was wrong about Praetors' Counsel being a 'signature' spell, it's actually part of this cycle too ... seems like there is no "Vorinclex's _____") The other cards in this 'art cycle' arePsychic Barrier, Praetor's Grasp and Act of Aggression.
IT COSTS 10
i made a mill deck
ive only been able to hard cast him once
and that was against a deck that stalls focuses on stalling games
*Dodges hail of rotten tomatoes* Hey hey! Hear me out!
While this guy does lock down your opponent's hand (Potentially...), this also makes you functionally mill yourself. You just can't dump eight or more cards a turn, especially if you draw lands, and unless you have a Spellbook or the like, you're gonna burn out QUICK. What's worse is that if an opponent has a Book as well, you aren't doing much to stop him, so there goes his real benifit.
What's the worst is that he's ten mana.
So...yeah. I have no love for this guy. At all. He's a big bad backfire and apparently I just don't get the joke.
"I see you wanna cast that Eldrazi? Well, sorry about that, but I think I'll be countering that, taking your mana and casting my Jin-Gitaxias instead. Good luck."
Also, in a hand builder deck, discard him then Victimize some poor creature. ta-da, and flavorful.
As a reanimator player this card is an unbelievable win condition and I try to get him out asap. It's one of those things that will make a person just give up.
I want to run him in standard some how either with, you guessed it, unburial rights or with somberwald sage. Anything to get him out early! Jinny's ability is just so good.
He's pricey, so finding other ways to get him out are needed, but once he's out, opponents best get rid of him fast.
Not that it would win you very much games, I wouldn't think, but it would be hilarious if you could pull it off.
4 Unburial rites
3 Grand abolisher
4 Merfolk looters
4 Deranged assistant
2 Sun titans
3 Lab maniacs
2 Sheoldred, whispering one
2 jin-gitaxis, core augur
1 Increasing confusion
4 Jace's erasure
2 Jace's archivist
4 Think twice
get those jace's erasure, grand abolisher, merfolk looter, deranged assistants out onto the field and the sheoldreds, jin-gitaxis, sun titans into the gy. The have fun playing turn 3-5 sheoldreds/jin-gitaxis and watching peoples jaw drop.
with 4 jaces erasure out, and jin-gitaxis, i can mill 35 cards at the end of my turn. Then the archivist picks up the next amount during your opponents upkeep while he has no mana tapped. Grand abolisher keeps them from messing with your maniac while you mill out on your own turn...
And i get to choose whether i mill or not, so if I don't have access to the maniac yet then I don't mill all my cards yet. It ends up being very clean so long as my delay works. Winning games happen by turn 7 most times and no later than turn 11. I only lose to weenie and big creature decks(or when I draw nothing but lands early game...) But i have forced worship, oblivion ring and divine reckoning for those creature heavies :P
Search "legendary rites" on mtgdeckbuilder.net
- Precombat, you have 5 lands, all untapped. Sword is already equipped to something.
- Sworded guy connects.
- In response to the sword trigger, tap lands for mana. The lands untap, tap the lands again, flash in jin-gitaxias.
I've never pulled it off because the opponents see it coming a mile away, but one day I will. And it will be glorious.
Drama aside, I simply love this guy. He is... the most brutish Blue card out there. What do I mean by brutish? "At the beginning of your end step, draw seven cards." "Each opponent's maximum hand size is reduced by seven." It's just like a punch to the face, except it hurts more. My favorite combo is just Quicksilver Amulet and him. He can't be countered because he wasn't cast, and if he survives until your next upkeep, you've practically won. Johnny, Timmy, Spike, Blue, and Epic; all neatly wrapped up into the sinister yet devilishly handsome leader of the Progress Engine; Jin-Gitaxias.
Fun bit of Trivia: His original name was supposed to be "Jin-Gitaxias, Augur of the Core" but it was too long. Not only that, but his original cost was 7 colorless and 3U but it also took up too much space.
It's been said before but I finally ran him in a large (70 card) deck; if he survives even one round you've basically won.
On a side note; it's crazy but you don't realize how fast you'll go through you're deck until you look down and it's half gone...on turn 5! My favourite Praetor (and I love them ALL!)
J for Jin
G for Gitaxias
Wetworth for the many cost.
Wheel of Sun and Moon fixes the "drawback."
Teferi's Puzzle Box during the draw step, Jin-G during your end step, then discard/cleanup step. What you don't discard at the end of your turns, you can still wait to see if you will use on the other players' turns.
Purposefully discarding Worldspine Wurm, Blightsteel Colossus, Darksteel Colossus, Vigor, Guile, Dread, Purity, Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, Kozilek, the Butcher of Truth, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, etc. isn't bad at all.
Knight of the Reliquary allows you to grab up Volrath's Stronghold, Academy Ruins, or whatever (you all know this...) to put them to good use with your discard, while getting fatty-status in the process.
Heck, you can even just run him with dredge or Countryside Crusher for the win.
Hell, it may be worth it to just "combo" into *him* and call it good.
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth | Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre | Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Iona, Shield of Emeria (lock-out);
Reya Dawnbringer and Sheoldred, Whispering One (reanimation boost);
Magus of the Disk (artifact, creature and enchantment destruction);
Avatar of Woe and Visara the Dreadful (creature destruction);
Sundering Titan (land destruction);
Angel of Despair and Terastodon (permanent destruction);
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Massacre Wurm, and Thunder Dragon (token destruction);
Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Inkwell Leviathan (protection from removal);
Drogskol Reaver, Felidar Sovereign, Griselbrand, Phantom Nishoba, Windbrisk Raptor and Wurmcoil Engine (lifelink; a lot to choose from here depending on what additional effects you want);
Urabrask the Hidden and Anger (haste; the latter is strictly speaking not a reanimation target);
Worldgorger Dragon (infinite mana when combined with Animate Dead, which you can then use to fuel your Red Sun's Zenith if you're playing
Cairn Wanderer (multi-purpose).
What does that mean?
As long as you can control the board state and get a counterspell out of those 8 drawn cards you get a turn (or, y'know, recycle your used ones somehow), your opponent isn't going to get any spell through unless it has a can't be countered clause.
My most recent Jin foray has been in a UG 'reanimator' deck thanks to Body Double. Get him out on turn 4 usually thanks to Hierarch ramp and Fauna Shaman finding and pitching him, then if he survives a turn, that's usually game. Between Cryptic Command, Eternal Witness, Progenitor Mimic and Counterspell, it's a pretty solid lock against most decks.
And yes, like many people just in case I find myself in a match I'm forced to grind out, I've included a singleton Ulamog whose primary purpose is to be discarded fairly late into the library-dig. While Emrakul is a nicer option if you find yourself in a position to hard-cast him for the win, 15 mana is pretty steep - if you end up having to hardcast, Ulamog is much more viable (Kozilek is more viable in that regard, but Jin gives enough card draw as is :-P).
They say:"But he's 10 mana." Throw him in a Simic ramp deck for Pete's sake, you're drawing 7 freaking cards.
I think both Notion Thief and Jin-Gitaxias live in the Reliquary Tower, lol.
UUUUUUU
Enchantment- BiWinning Rare (above Mythic)
If you have 200 or more cards in your hand...
well then *** you I quit.
No just kidding. This guy rocks. xD
EDIT: It's really complete B.S. that Griselbrand is so much better than this guy XP XD
I mean-- obviously this guy is still good. and he does some things that Griselbrand doesn't. But, y'know, it's probably vastly easier to make someone lose when you're attacking for 7 lifelinked in the air, than it is for 5 grounded. They both make you draw 7 for essentially free.
This guy is kind of more Control-y....but in a lot of the cases where it matters, for that part of his card, I'd rather have Pact of Negation.
Also, Strionic Resonator, because why settle for 7 cards per turn when you could have 14?
Plus mono blue has cyclonic rift, so gg.
Yes, he dies to Doom Blade. Yes, he might mill you out.
But if you have the balls to put Jin-Gitaxias on the board, then you absolutely have earned every single card he brutally rips out of your deck.