plasmapython: Great observation, I did indeed intentionally build my deck to not be over reliant on Gavi as she is a pretty expensive commander with no in-build protection. Tutors definitely help but the number of cycling cards in the deck usually are able to cantrip into consistently get those cards anyways. I've tested long term plans multiple times but it has always been lackluster. Archmage ascension is too slow unfortunately and I feel like Wild Research is much better in combination with Mistveil Plains. Library is interesting but I would rather have another cycling card and Boon of the Wish-Giver is another good backup late game to refuel my hand.

If you're looking for some card draw, may I suggest Toothy, Imaginary Friend. With cycling you could easily get his 1/1 counters up, then if you instant flicker him, you'd draw from his effect because he leaves and reenters, meaning you draw because the counters disappear and then he regains those counters because you drew. I love running him in my Gavi deck How to get hate from your play group Gavi

Hey Enral, love the deck!

I was wondering if you (or anyone) could give me a quick run down on the combos involving Scholar of the Ages? Also, you refer to Thassa's Oracle being in exile and was wondering how you go about putting it into exile? I've never played any cycling decks and I'm rather new to it so I appreciate all the help I can get!

Thanks again for the build concept :D

Also, one more quick question. I only have Time Warp and just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. I can sub Temporal Manipulation for Time Warp right? effectively it works the same for the combo?

thanks again :)

LordKunai: I should have clarified better about Oracle, what I meant was if Oracle was interacted with by your opponent and is not available to you anymore as a win condition. Regarding Time Warp vs Temporal Manipulation, there really isn't any major difference in my choice. The only reason I've chosen manipulation is simply because it cannot be Redirected.

Thanks! This list looks great and has given me a lot of ideas for the Gavi deck I'm working on.

I was wondering whether manifest makes sense here? Reality shift in particular is decent removal on it's own, but also potentially lets you exile a cat token to manifest a Scholar/Titan/Dragon that you can blink with Astral Slide/Drift/Escape Protocol.

JimPurbrick: Excellent idea for reality shift, I'm digging it. I've just replaced Deem Worthy with it to test it out.

I'm also thinking about Brainstorm alongside Reality Shift, so I can trigger Gavi with the draw, but also put a card back on top to manifest. It also works well with Hall of Heliod's Generosity as you can put a Decree of Silence on top, use Reality Shift to turn it in to a creature and then Drift/Slide/Protocol to blink. It might make the combo with Solemnity more viable.

It wouldn't trigger Gavi, sorry, but would put counters on Toothy, which I'm trying in my build.

Actually, Brainstorm will trigger Gavi to make a token. Sorry, it's late.

JimPurbrick: No worries, brainstorm seems fine but I'm trying not to dilute my deck too much. It's definitely a card on my radar.

Thoughts on Crucible of Worlds ?

Milesfuzz: I've tested it and feel like it's unnecessary.

Very nice Decklist! Did you consider Aura Extraction for additional enchantment recursion?

Kampfkrapfn: Aura Extraction only works on enchantment in play, doesn't work as an enchantment recursion.

Completely correct, I mixed up words. Protection was what I meant :)
Also it cycles for a perfect with Fluctuator.

Will Teferi's Ageless Insight replace a archive in the deck? Or do you want it in addition?

Darty17: I'll probably add it in addition to archive.

Decks been a lot of fun on MTGO and I'm about to build in paper. I have a pretty large card pool - anything left out due to budget that might be worth running? Wheel of Fortune? Time Spiral? Timetwister?

rkjunior: I don't think that wheel effects are necessary in my version of the deck (generally wheel effects are better in Rielle or Brallin/Shabraz) and especially with the new Teferi enchantment that is coming out there will be an abundance redundancy in card draw. It doesn't hurt to try out timetwister if you have one as it puts all of your cycling cards back to your library.

Hi!

Great job here. Best primer I've seen so far for Gavi cycling deck. I also love cycling and you state very interesting points here. I agree Astral Slide/Astral Drift/Escape Protocol is the best way to abuse both ETB effect and protection. Also really like the idea Wild Research card and the negative cost is easy to mitigate.I'll testing this for sure! In other hand I also found Abandoned Sarcophagus a really awkward card in some situation and you refer that might also happen with Bag of Holding (need to test this one a bit more and it might see the cut).

From my end, I am in a more budget version and also trying to avoid Thassa's Oracle win as it seems to be wincon to every body else who plays blue these days. As an alternative I play with Approach of the Second Sun. What's your opinion on this?

As I don't run mana infinite combo, I found Lightning Rift quite useless most of the times. I would rather pay 1 mana for the drake than shock any target. It only came up couple times to shoot some key creatures. Also it doesn't have cycle itself so it ends up having low utility card. Do you think it deserves a cut in my situation? My play pattern is trying to cycle 2 times each turn to get maximum value of Gavi with my Astral Slide/Astral Drift/Escape Protocol in the battlefield so sinking mana into Lightning Rift to shock doesn't seem too effective.

Cheers

tflceia: Hey, my first draft of the list actually involves Approach of the Second Sun. It's really not a shabby win condition and pairs really well with this deck due to how fast we churn through out deck. The only reason I've changed my win condition is because Approach can feel real clunky when drawn at the wrong time. A 7 cmc sorcery that gains you life isn't exactly what I want to be doing at any time of the game. Thassa's Oracle feels right because of the synergy with Astral Drift to scry deeply into the deck as well as doubling up as a win condition. It doesn't feel like a dead card at any time of the game and bonus points for being tutorable with Vedalken AEthermage. Lightning Rift is a hit or miss in my meta tbh, it deals with early mana dorks and problematic commanders like Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy in a pinch but also requires significant amount of work to deal with other creatures. It might see a cut for Teferi's Ageless Insight. Hope that answers your questions!

Great decklist!

Any thoughts about M21's Teferi's Ageless Insight?

rodusilo: It's definitely going into the deck. Will update once m21 is officially released.

Can you explain the new commander update more? What are we stifling? the enchantments affect?