This is part of a continuing series highlighting what I'll miss most about drafting M13. Check out recent blog posts to view the rest of the list.
#2 - Omniscience
I've never played a deck with Omniscence. Not in a draft, not in Standard, not in Commander, not even in a casual game with friends. But Omniscience is representative of one of my absolute favorite things about Magic.
When M13 came out, Omniscience was basically a nothing card. It was a big effect that people mostly ignored because of its prohibitive mana cost. It's not alone in that category; there are cards in every set that look great, but get pushed aside because they're too difficult to cast. But then one day, Travis Woo took a recommendation from a reader (a guy named Derek Adams) and worked it into a complex and exciting deck that was able to take advantage of it. He's well-known for brewing up interesting decks, and the deck he put together with Omniscience was a hit.
Like, a BIG hit. So big, in fact, that the regular buying price for Omniscience went from a few cents to several dollars.
And that's the beauty of Magic. Each card has its value, its niche, its role to play. Some cards seem unimpressive or useless, but all it takes is some clever guy to figure out where that role is, and the whole community responds. Travis Woo was able to affect the ENTIRE MAGIC ECONOMY by simply identifying an untapped opportunity and spreading the word about it. That's what makes Magic beautiful.
Well, that and Unsummon.
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