Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing | Art by Axel Sauerwald

Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing embodies a really interesting piece of design space. Magic cards have been shuffling cards into libraries since the very beginning with TimetwisterTimetwister and putting things on top of libraries since at least Antiquities when Drafna's RestorationDrafna's Restoration was released.

This deck tech will look at how you can leverage MtG cards from throughout the game's history to make a Wan Shi Tong deck that turns putting a card into a player's library into serious card advantage. Perhaps some interesting, Twisty cards will make their way into the deck list along the way too.

What Does Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing Do?

Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing is a 4/4 flier that puts target nonland permanent into its owner's library on entry, either second from the top or on the bottom. Not a terrible rate for , but certainly nothing to write home about either.

It's important to note for this deck overall that almost all effects like this that put a card on top/bottom, the card's owner (not its controller) will get to choose where it goes.

Normally, this effect can be a little weak in Commander since your opponent can choose to draw the card you put on top next turn if they'd like to recast it, or they can put it on the bottom if they don't want it back. It tends to be rather expensive compared to removal like Swords to PlowsharesSwords to Plowshares or Fatal PushFatal Push, and still suffers the same drawback of leaving two of your opponents unaffected too.

Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing offsets these downsides somewhat with its second ability: "Whenever one or more cards are put into a library from anywhere, create two 1/1 colorless Spirit creature tokens with 'This token can’t block or be blocked by non-Spirit creatures.'"

A couple of things that are worth clarifying:

• Shuffling cards into a library, for example with LembasLembas, counts as putting them into a library.
• This ability only triggers once per player, no matter how many cards a player puts into their library.
• If multiple players put cards into their library at the same time with an effect like TimetwisterTimetwister, this ability will trigger once per player, including yourself.
• Effects like ImpulseImpulse won't trigger Wan Shi Ton since cards that are "revealed" or "look(ed) at" are still technically in the library zone, so they won't trigger Wan Shi Ton's ability because the cards you place on the bottom / shuffle are considered as having been in your library the whole time.

These two abilities in combination point in a clear direction for building a Commander deck: deck builders will want to repeatedly and reliably put cards into players' libraries to build out an army of Spirits. Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing wants to helm a deck that's part tempo, part card draw, and part Spirit kindred.

Key Cards for Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing

For a deck that's looking to trigger Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing over and over, there are three types of cards that enable this strategy: card advantage spells like BrainstormBrainstorm that put cards back on top of the caster's library, removal spells like Ice MagicIce Magic that can put cards back into an opponent's library, and other effects like Tel-Jilad StylusTel-Jilad Stylus that can trigger Wan Shi Tong at will.

This deck is packed with card advantage that also shuffles something back into the library in the process. Teferi's Puzzle BoxTeferi's Puzzle Box is the best version of this effect since it'll trigger on each player's draw step, though Scroll RackScroll Rack isn't far behind since it provides so much card advantage.

BrainstoneBrainstone, BrainstormBrainstorm, BrainsurgeBrainsurge, and a variety of similar effects help keep this deck looking at fresh cards every turn.

There are a wide variety of fetch lands like Polluted DeltaPolluted Delta and other shuffle effects to help maximize the potency of these draw effects. This style of play is very common in Legacy since it allows Brainstorm's caster to put the two worst cards in their hand back on top of the deck and then shuffle them away with a fetch land to reset what's on top of their deck.

This deck is light on traditional interactive spells like PongifyPongify and CounterspellCounterspell, instead leaning on more tempo versions of removal and counterspells that delay an opponent from advancing their board while also triggering Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing. Tempo isn't an archetype that traditionally does well in Commander since it's looking to mostly trade resources one-for-one with an opponent in order to win the game with on-board threats, but this deck seems well positioned to leverage Tempo cards.

Tolarian ContemptTolarian Contempt is a tailor-made piece of mass removal for this deck, removing three serious threats on its controller's end step and generating three triggers in the process. Vendilion CliqueVendilion Clique, SubtletySubtlety, and other similar effects can keep a particularly problematic threat off the board turn after turn too.

Jester's MaskJester's Mask can be particularly back breaking against a specific opponent, helping turn their hand into a collection of ineffective cards from their deck.

Tel-Jilad StylusTel-Jilad Stylus creates a repeatable engine with Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing out since it can put a Spirit token that's on board into the library and trigger Wan Shi Tong again in the process, netting two new Spirit tokens. The Stylus' Scryfall page confirms this interaction works since the tokens do go onto the bottom of its controller's library where they cease to exist.

Elixir of ImmortalityElixir of Immortality can create similar scenarios as well, shuffling itself into the library over and over to generate additional value. While this won't be as effective as Elixir of Immortality was in the blue-white control decks of yore, its a way to keep shuffling the best cards in the deck back in while also triggering Wan Shi Tong.

How Does This Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing Deck Win?

There are three primary ways that this Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing deck can win games: building an army of Spirit tokens and buffing them, turning the Spirit tokens into bigger threats with PolymorphPolymorph-effects, and burning opponents out with Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler or Scrawling CrawlerScrawling Crawler in combination with wheel effects like Day's UndoingDay's Undoing or Echo of EonsEcho of Eons.

Buffing the Spirit tokens that Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing makes is the most straightforward way for this deck to win. Given this deck is built to passively make 1/1 Spirits as you interact with your opponents, draw cards, and otherwise play the game, it wouldn't be surprising to have ~10 tokens late in the game.

You can then deploy either Banner of KinshipBanner of Kinship or Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms to buff your Spirit tokens and finish the game off.

Alternatively, or perhaps in combination with the army of Spirits Wan Shi Tong generates, this deck can burn opponents out by casting Day's UndoingDay's Undoing, Echo of EonsEcho of Eons, and the other wheel effects with either Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler or Scrawling CrawlerScrawling Crawler in play.

Since there are only a handful of this effect in the deck, it's probably best reserved for the late game or a single massive turn to avoid accidentally helping your opponents win with a fresh hand of cards.

The third main way this deck can win is through Blightsteel ColossusBlightsteel Colossus, Kozilek, Butcher of TruthKozilek, Butcher of Truth, and Ulamog, the Infinite GyreUlamog, the Infinite Gyre. In addition to being huge threats themselves, each of these creatures can also shuffle themselves back into the library, triggering Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing when they do.

Three key polymorph effects, Synthetic DestinySynthetic Destiny, Proteus StaffProteus Staff, and Jalira, Master PolymorphistJalira, Master Polymorphist, can help cheat these big threats into play by turning a 1/1 Spirit token into a random creature off the top of the library. Notably, Jalira can't hit Ulamog or Kozilek, but there are still plenty of viable creatures for her to hit in the deck.

Fortunately, both Synthetic Destiny and Jalira can be activated at instant speed, turning a 1/1 Spirit into a lethal threat on an opponent's end step so that it can attack the next turn. While Proteus Staff is limited to being activated at sorcery speed, it can hit any creature in the deck, unlike Jalira. Synthetic Destiny offers the best of both worlds since its an instant that can flip over any creature and turns all of your Spirit tokens into something better.

One other quirky way this deck can potentially knock out a single opponent is with Tunnel VisionTunnel Vision. If you happen to know what card is on the bottom of an opponent's deck thanks to Vendilion CliqueVendilion Clique or a similar effect, you can name that card and mill an opponent's library out save that final card.

They'll still have one turn to try and win the game unless you can force them to draw an extra card, but it's absolutely a memorable way to knock an opponent out.

Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing Commander Deck List

Here's the full deck list for you to peruse:

Conclusion

Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing operates in such an interesting design space, and this deck looks to be both powerful and fun to play. Any time obscure cards like Tel-Jilad StylusTel-Jilad Stylus and Tolarian ContemptTolarian Contempt can be the key cogs in a new commander's game plan, my interest is certainly piqued.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's deck and what cards could find a home in it in the comments below or on Archidekt. The Maybeboards of my deck lists are always filled with cards I thought could work but didn't make the final list.

You can check out my other articles here or see what decks I'm currently playing here. I just spent a long day jamming games with some friends and got to put in some reps with my Marchesa Wizards Kindred and Kalamax Spellslinger-Voltron decks that I've been itching to play. I'm always tinkering with my Karador Cycling and Secret Commander: Wild Pair lists too.

Best of luck brewing your Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWan Shi Tong, All-Knowing decks.

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