Rainbow Lotus

[zimagic]

I've been dreaming about a new Black Lotus and trying to justify it with a drawback. I started with RFG instead of saccing it but that only stopped the back end power, rather than the front end 3 for free issues.

I then moved onto a sort of Borderpost idea  ", return a land to your hand: Add 3 of any one colour" but there's effectively no difference here to having it cost 1 which is not what I'd like.

Then I thought of something else and I'd like your feedback and help with wording.

Rainbow Lotus 
 , Remove ~ from the game: Add three mana of any 3 different colors to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to pay colored mana costs.

I realise that this comes directly on the heels of one of the two extensions that could most abuse it. First turn Wolly Thoctar off a no-land hand is exceedingly strong by most measures. How far past busted is this? And more to the point is there any way to make 3 mana for
 fair?

[Shock Wave]

This is so broken that The Fonz couldn't even fix it. Stop the insanity. =(

[chrissss]

0 for 3 is and always will be broken.

[Wagner]

The only way I can see that remotely not broken would be if you could only use it for activated abilities. It would become another kind of Lion's Eye Diamond.

[Darkenslight]

Uh, Make it multi-coloured costs and you're golden.  Coloured costs make this card silly.

[Anusien]

Even for multicolored, it's way too good.  This is the kind of effect that can't ever be fair.  Either it's too bad too use or too broken to print.

[Yare]

The only thing I could think of for this was something to this effect: "An opponent chooses three colors. Add one mana of each of those colors to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to pay portions of costs that are the same color as the mana produced." I want it to be a little more eloquent, but that's what I could come up with. However, this just seems a little silly and it's like I'm trying to force this card into some category other than brokenness. I think I have to agree that this is a pretty tall order. Lion's Eye Diamond is probably the closest you can get, in my opinion.

[Eastman]

What if the mana could only be used to play creature spells? 

[Chill79]

What if the mana could only be used to play creature spells? 

or to activated abilities only?

Rainbow Lotus 
 , Remove ~ from the game: Add three mana of any 3 different colors to your mana pool.You can't spend this mana to play spells.

[zimagic]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Just a few comments and clarifications:

0 for 3 is and always will be broken.

Like lotus bloom? 

The only way I can see that remotely not broken would be if you could only use it for activated abilities. It would become another kind of Lion's Eye Diamond.

This could work, but would be a huge nerf. I don't think that there would be any other restrictions necessary than only Activated abilities. Can anyone see an issue with it being worded as Chill79 suggests:

Rainbow Lotus 
 , Remove ~ from the game: Add three mana of any 3 different colors to your mana pool.You can't spend this mana to play spells.

What if the mana could only be used to play creature spells? 

The issue with creature spells and another reason I agree that the initial suggestion was overpowered is the prevalence of viable Zoo everywhere. Just this and no land gives you Isamaru, Wild Nacatl & Figure on turn 1. Or just Wooly Thoctor.


Which brings us back to activated abilities and Anusiens post:

This is the kind of effect that can't ever be fair.  Either it's too bad too use or too broken to print.

Land, something, Louts for activated abilities...? How broken or useless can we see this getting?

[Matt]

This could work, but would be a huge nerf. I don't think that there would be any other restrictions necessary than only Activated abilities. Can anyone see an issue with it being worded as Chill79 suggests:

Rainbow Lotus 
 , Remove ~ from the game: Add three mana of any 3 different colors to your mana pool.You can't spend this mana to play spells.

Considering White Lotus is the third card in the artifact master list, no:

White Lotus

Artifact
, sacrifice White Lotus: Add three mana of any one color to your mana pool. You can't spend this mana to play spells.

[zimagic]

This could work, but would be a huge nerf. I don't think that there would be any other restrictions necessary than only Activated abilities. Can anyone see an issue with it being worded as Chill79 suggests:

Rainbow Lotus 
 , Remove ~ from the game: Add three mana of any 3 different colors to your mana pool.You can't spend this mana to play spells.

Considering White Lotus is the third card in the artifact master list, no:

White Lotus

Artifact
, sacrifice White Lotus: Add three mana of any one color to your mana pool. You can't spend this mana to play spells.

Ah  Ok, I think you can give this the lock unless anyone else has an idea that will radically alter the intent?

[FlyFlySideOfFry]

Lotus Kicker 
Artifact
Sacrifice Lotus Kicker: Add 3 mana of any one color to your mana pool. This mana can only be spent to pay additional costs of spells.

0 for 3 and not overly broken in my opinion. At least not for Vintage. Even with buyback I can see it being fine.