Chronomantic Escape + Sphinx of the Second Sun + Cackling Counterpart

Chronomantic Escape

Sphinx of the Second Sun

Cackling Counterpart

How it works

1. Cast Cackling Counterpart by paying 1, creating a token copy of Sphinx of the Second Sun.
2. Cast Chronomantic Escape by paying 4, causing creatures to be unable to attack you until your next turn, and exiling Chronomantic Escape with three time counters on it.
3. At the beginning of your postcombat main phase, Sphinx of the Second Sun and the Sphinx of the Second Sun token each trigger, causing you to get two additional beginning phases after this phase.
4. Move to your first additional beginning phase.
5. At the beginning of your upkeep, Chronomantic Escape triggers, removing a time counter from itself.
6. Repeat from step 4 one additional time.
7. At the beginning of your next upkeep, Chronomantic Escape triggers, removing a time counter from itself and causing you to cast it without paying its mana cost.
8. Resolve Chronomantic Escape, causing creatures to be unable to attack you until your next turn, and exiling Chronomantic Escape with three time counters on it.
9. Repeat from step 3.

This clever lock harnesses the extra upkeep steps granted by Sphinx of the Second Sun and its token copy—created via Cackling Counterpart—to aggressively accelerate the time counters on Chronomantic Escape. Normally, waiting out suspend takes multiple full turn cycles, but the duplicated Sphinx triggers multiply your beginning phases so rapidly that Chronomantic Escape's final counter is removed before its own protective barrier can ever lapse. This creates an airtight combat lock where creatures are permanently prohibited from attacking you, turning your extra phases into an unstoppable engine of safety.