Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Flying When Wan Shi Tong enters, target nonland permanent's owner puts it into their library second from the top or on the bottom. 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."
Complete guide
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing is a powerful legendary Bird Spirit that controls the battlefield while building an ethereal army. By manipulating the location of permanents and rewarding you for putting cards into libraries, this Spirit offers a unique blend of disruption and token generation. Understanding the timing of its triggered abilities is key to mastering the library's secrets.
Library Displacement
When Wan Shi Tong enters the battlefield, you choose a target nonland permanent. Its owner must then choose one of two specific locations in their library for that card: second from the top or the very bottom. This effectively removes a threat while forcing the opponent to lose a draw or wait significantly longer to see that card again.
Token Generation Mechanics
The second ability triggers whenever one or more cards move from anywhere—the battlefield, the graveyard, the stack, or exile—into a library. It is important to note that this does not trigger when cards move within a library, such as during a scry or surveil action. Regardless of how many cards are moved at once, you will create two 1/1 Spirit tokens with a specific evasion ability: they cannot block or be blocked by non-Spirit creatures.
Strategic Timing
Because Wan Shi Tong's first ability causes a card to move into a library, it will immediately trigger the second ability. This ensures that you get value in the form of tokens the moment your legendary creature arrives, provided you have a valid target. Use this to bypass blockers or create a defensive line of Spirits that most creatures cannot interact with.
Interaction examples
Wan Shi Tong, All-KnowingWhen Wan Shi Tong enters the battlefield, you target an opponent's creature. As that creature is put into their library (either second from the top or on the bottom), Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers because a card was put into a library from the battlefield. You then create two 1/1 Spirit tokens.
Roaming ThroneIf you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Spirit' chosen as the creature type, Wan Shi Tong's abilities will trigger an additional time. When Wan Shi Tong enters, you get two instances of the displacement ability. When those cards move to the library, the token-generating ability triggers and Roaming Throne causes it to trigger again, resulting in four Spirit tokens total.
Solemn SimulacrumIf you control Wan Shi Tong and play Solemn Simulacrum, the Golem allows you to search for a land and then shuffle your library. Shuffling does not put cards into the library from 'anywhere' else; it only reorders them. However, if an effect were to put the Simulacrum back into your library from the battlefield or graveyard, Wan Shi Tong would then trigger to create two tokens.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing's last ability triggers only when cards are put into a library from somewhere other than the library. It won't trigger when you scry, surveil, or otherwise reorder cards in your library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Sensei's Divining Top + Kindred Discovery + Ashnod's Altar
- 1Cast Sensei's Divining Top by paying
. - 2Activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top from the battlefield onto the top of your library.
- 3Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 4When the Spirits enter, Kindred Discovery triggers twice, causing you to draw two cards, including Sensei's Divining Top.
- 5Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing a Spirit, adding
. - 6Repeat.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Sage of the Falls + Library of Leng
- 1Cast Sage of the Falls by paying
. - 2When Sage of the Falls enters, it triggers, causing you to loot. The discarded card will be put on top of your library instead of into your graveyard due to Library of Leng.
- 3Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 4When the Spirits enter, Sage of the Falls triggers twice.
- 5Resolve the first trigger, choosing not to draw a card.
- 6Resolve the second trigger, causing you to loot. The discarded card will be put on top of your library instead of into your graveyard due to Library of Leng.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Sensei's Divining Top + Kindred Discovery + Phyrexian Altar
- 1Cast Sensei's Divining Top by paying .
- 2Activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top from the battlefield onto the top of your library.
- 3Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 4When the Spirits enter, Kindred Discovery triggers twice, causing you to draw two cards, including Sensei's Divining Top.
- 5Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing a Spirit, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Sensei's Divining Top + Ashnod's Altar + The Reality Chip
- 1Activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top from the battlefield onto the top of your library.
- 2Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 3Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing a Spirit, adding .
- 4Cast Sensei's Divining Top from the top of your library by paying .
- 5Repeat.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Sensei's Divining Top + Phyrexian Altar + The Reality Chip
- 1Activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top from the battlefield onto the top of your library.
- 2Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing a Spirit, adding .
- 4Cast Sensei's Divining Top from the top of your library by paying .
- 5Repeat.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Sensei's Divining Top + Ashnod's Altar + Mystic Forge
- 1Activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top from the battlefield onto the top of your library.
- 2Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 3Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing a Spirit, adding .
- 4Cast Sensei's Divining Top from the top of your library by paying .
- 5Repeat.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Library of Leng + Intruder Alarm + Kitsa, Otterball Elite
- 1Activate Kitsa by tapping it, causing you to loot. The discarded card will be put on top of your library instead of into your graveyard due to Library of Leng.
- 2Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 3When the Spirits enter, Intruder Alarm triggers twice, untapping all creatures twice.
- 4Repeat.
Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing + Sensei's Divining Top + Ashnod's Altar + Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass
- 1Activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top from the battlefield onto the top of your library.
- 2Wan Shi Tong's second ability triggers, creating two 1/1 Spirit creature tokens.
- 3Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing a Spirit, adding .
- 4Cast Sensei's Divining Top from the top of your library by paying .
- 5Repeat.
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