Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
WardWhenever you cast a noncreature spell with mana value 3 or greater, draw a card.
: Exile Jin-Gitaxias, then return it to the battlefield transformed under its owner's control. Activate only as a sorcery and only if you have seven or more cards in hand. (As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter.) I — Draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand. You have no maximum hand size for as long as you control this Saga. II — Return all non-Phyrexian creatures to their owners' hands. III — You may cast any number of spells from your hand without paying their mana costs. Exile this Saga, then return it to the battlefield (front face up).
Complete guide
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis is a powerhouse that rewards spellcasting and hand size management. As the Core Augur of New Phyrexia, he provides relentless card advantage before transforming into a game-ending Saga. Understanding how to navigate his transformation and the three chapters of The Great Synthesis is key to achieving perfection on the battlefield.
Mastering the Front Face
While on the battlefield as a creature, Jin-Gitaxias protects himself with Ward {2} and acts as a specialized draw engine. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell with a mana value of 3 or greater, you draw a card. To transform him, you must have at least seven cards in hand and pay {3}{U} during your main phase. Once you activate the ability, it will resolve even if your hand size drops below seven before it finishes.
The Great Synthesis Step by Step
When The Great Synthesis enters, Chapter I doubles your current hand size and removes your maximum hand size restriction. Chapter II acts as a massive board wipe, bouncing all non-Phyrexian creatures to their owners' hands. Finally, Chapter III allows you to cast any number of spells from your hand for free. These spells are cast during the resolution of the ability; you ignore timing restrictions, but if you cast a spell with {X} in its cost, X must be zero.
Strategic Timing and Common Mistakes
A common mistake occurs during Chapter III: because you cast all spells before any of them resolve, you cannot target a creature you are currently casting with an Aura you are also casting from that same ability. Additionally, remember that if The Great Synthesis leaves the battlefield before Chapter I resolves, you will still draw cards, but you will not benefit from the 'no maximum hand size' effect.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield and chose 'Phyrexian' as its type, Jin-Gitaxias's draw ability will trigger twice whenever you cast a noncreature spell with mana value 3 or greater. Furthermore, since the Throne is not a Phyrexian by default but gains the type, it will not be returned to your hand when Chapter II of The Great Synthesis triggers.
Solemn SimulacrumWhen Chapter II of The Great Synthesis triggers, it returns all non-Phyrexian creatures to their owners' hands. Since Solemn Simulacrum is a Golem and not a Phyrexian, it will be bounced to your hand. You can then use the Chapter III ability on the following turn to cast the Simulacrum for free, allowing you to search for another land without spending mana.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Once you’ve activated Jin-Gitaxias’s last ability, it doesn’t matter what happens to the number of cards in your hand. The ability will resolve even if you have six or fewer cards in your hand by that time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
For chapter I of The Great Synthesis, the number of cards you draw is determined as the ability resolves. If you no longer control The Great Synthesis at that time, your maximum hand size remains unchanged.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
All the spells you cast due to chapter III are cast during the resolution of that ability. You can cast them in any order, and timing restrictions based on the cards’ types are ignored. Once you’re done casting spells, before any of them resolve, The Great Synthesis will be exiled and return as Jin-Gitaxias.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
A spell you cast this way can be the target of a later spell you cast this way. However, permanent spells cast this way won’t resolve until you’re done casting spells, so the permanents they become can’t be the target of spells cast this way. For example, if you exile Twincast and Lightning Strike, you can cast Lightning Strike and then cast Twincast targeting it; but if you exile a creature card and an Aura card, you can’t cast that Aura targeting that creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, those must be paid to cast it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Archaeomancer
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Archaeomancer without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Archaeomancer spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying
, exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis. - 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Archaeomancer) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Eternal Witness
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Eternal Witness without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Eternal Witness spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying , exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis.
- 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Eternal Witness) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Mnemonic Wall
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Mnemonic Wall without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Mnemonic Wall spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying , exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis.
- 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Mnemonic Wall) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Shipwreck Dowser
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Shipwreck Dowser without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Shipwreck Dowser spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying , exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis.
- 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Shipwreck Dowser) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Salvager of Secrets
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Salvager of Secrets without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Salvager of Secrets spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying , exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis.
- 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Salvager of Secrets) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Skullwinder
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Skullwinder without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Skullwinder spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying , exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis.
- 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Skullwinder) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Izzet Chronarch
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Izzet Chronarch without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Izzet Chronarch spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying , exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis.
- 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Izzet Chronarch) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis + Time Stretch + Warden of the Eye
- 1At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its third chapter ability then triggers, causing you to cast Time Stretch and Warden of the Eye without paying their mana costs, and then exiling The Great Synthesis and returning it to the battlefield as Jin-Gitaxias.
- 2Resolve Time Stretch, causing you to take two extra turns after this one.
- 3Resolve the Warden of the Eye spell. When it enters, it triggers, returning Time Stretch from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Activate Jin-Gitaxias by paying , exiling it and returning it to the battlefield as The Great Synthesis.
- 5When The Great Synthesis enters with a lore counter on it, its first ability triggers, causing you to draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand and not have a maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
- 6Move to your first extra turn. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, The Great Synthesis triggers, putting a lore counter on it. Its second chapter ability then triggers, returning all non-Phyrexian creatures (including Warden of the Eye) from the battlefield to their owner's hand.
- 7Repeat from step 1 during your second extra turn
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis
