Well of Eternal Knowledge
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Jan. 31, 2022, 12:15 a.m. by TypicalTimmy
Well of Eternal Knowledge
Legendary Enchantment
Each player plays with their hand revealed and the top card of their library revealed.
Each player may cast spells from each other player's hand.
Each player may play lands from each other player's hand.
Each player may cast spells or play lands from the top of each other player's library.
Really wanted to exemplify what WUBRG means, while making a deceptively simple card that utterly cracks EDH when played.
TypicalTimmy says... #3
Of course, the owner of Well of Eternal Knowledge is at a huge, massive, unparalleled advantage being in WUBRG because they have access to all colors and thus all spells available to them. Meanwhile, someone in Dimir or Naya or mono-white are at a serious disadvantage because they can not as easily cast spells other players have. However, with enough clever planning, you can cast another player's artifact that may open up colors for you, or play their lands which offer more mana options.
It would be significantly slower for players who use lesser amounts of colors, but it is doable. And the balance aspect comes from the other three players will likely team up Archenemy style against the owner / controller of Well of Eternal Knowledge for this very reason. And if a single card forces a 4-player deathmatch into a 3v1 war for survival, then I think the card can get away with such power.
For example, if a player draws their card for turn and thus must reveal the top card of their library, and it is an Indatha Triome, the next player could immediately play it, assuming the player who owns the Triome has already played their land(s) per turn. If in rotation the next player is Dimir and could really use access to the and the Triome offers, it's theirs for the taking. But perhaps that Dimir player actually wants to crack their Drowned Catacomb to search for an Underground Sea. They pass on the Indatha Triome. Then the next player can try their hand at it. If the next player needs it, they can have it.
Maybe one player has in their hand a Fellwar Stone. Perfect! This will open up all colors, basically.
Maybe someone reveals a Beast Within from their hand and another player decides OH HELL NO and immediately casts that targeting Well of Eternal Knowledge.
So the balance is there - you merely need to be clever about it.
January 31, 2022 12:28 a.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #4
Polluted Delta, not Drowned Catacomb. Copied the wrong card name off of Bing.
January 31, 2022 12:47 a.m.
I would also give each player flash to make it even more interesting and interactive. Since the player who plays this enchantment will likely have the advantage in the first place.
TypicalTimmy says... #2
The core problem with WUBRG cards is people tend to believe you must represent each of the five colors, either in equal parts or in skewed representation - but represented nonetheless. This isn't actually true. The goal of WUBRG should showcase extreme power, well beyond the confines of traditional color pairings.
My personal belief is that WUBRG should be simple, powerful and moving. It should ripple it's presence across the game by entering, as though it is warping the very fabric of the game itself. Take Door to Nothingness as an example. This is a card that completely destroys the game for any one player. Or Legacy Weapon, a repeatable exile effect that can hit lands. Or Sliver Hivelord which utterly dominates the boardstate.
That's just my personal opinion, though.
January 31, 2022 12:18 a.m. Edited.