Multiplayer Ice Cauldron/Coalition Relic/Iceberg

[Matt]

I wanted players to be able to donate mana to help a player who was struggling.

[Interest-Free Loan]

Artifact
When ~this~ comes into play, if it's not a token, each player puts a token into play that's a copy of ~this~.
, : Put X charge counters on a [NAME] that you don't control.
Remove a charge counter from ~this~: Add to your mana pool one mana of any type that a land you control could produce.

Obviously this would be crazy busted in Emperor; it's mainly meant for FFA.

I made it give each person their own copy (as opposed to one card whose abilities can be used by anyone) so that if player A needs mana, player B can give it to him without player C interfering.

I made it tap so players can't just bounce the mana back and forth, because there might be some problem with that (Doubling Season comes to mind).

Bonus: like Spawnwrithe, would encourage people to buy multiple copies of the card - I'm sure the business end of WotC would love that!

[Anusien]

There's no benefit to doing this, so I think it's interesting, but sort of limited.  What if you got 1 life for each mana you added?

[Vicotnic]

I don't think WotC would produce a so niched card. It would have to have at least some function in normal duels (which after all is the most common format).

Maybe this would work:
[XXX]
 
When ~this~ comes into play, if it's not a token, each other player puts a token into play that's a copy of ~this~.
 : Add  to your mana pool.
 ,  : Put X charge counters on a [XXX] that you don't control.
At the beginning of your precombat main phase, remove all charge counters from [XXX]. Add  to your mana pool for each counter removed this way. Spend this mana only to play spells.

Not perfect but this way it would fill two functions in normal duels. First of it gives mana and second of you can try to force mana burn. Still really crappy but it fills a function at least.

[Matt]

I don't mind giving some marginal function in duels, but I don't see the point. It's ALWAYS going to be too atrocious to bother playing, so what's the difference between it not being used in 2-player games because it does nothing, and not being used in 2-player games because it doesn't do enough? Either way it's not being played.

I definitely don't want it to be offensive in nature. The Serum Powder mana ability is about as strong as I'd go.

[Vicotnic]

The difference is marginal, but I simply don't think WotC would print anything that could not be used in the most common format.

To open this in a draft would be even more annoying then opening a Moonlace, I simply don't think WotC would print something that does not even have an illusion of usefulness. My suggestion is at least a possible win condition in extreme mana ramps and it adds a little mana acc and a chance to deliver some damage in limited.

Actually I don't even think WotC would print a card that has an ability that you can choose to play that only benefits your opponent without rewarding you. If you don't want it to let you burn your enemy I think you should add some kind of reward for using the mana donation ability. Maybe this would work:

[Name]
 
When ~this~ comes into play, if it's not a token, each other player puts a token into play that's a copy of ~this~.
 : Add  to your mana pool.
 ,  : Put X charge counters on each card named [NAME].
Remove a charge counter from ~this~: Add  to your mana pool.

[Matt]

I could make it Artifact -- Contraption.