When Will You Learn? MTG Card
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Scheme |
| Released | 2017-06-16 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Archenemy: Nicol Bolas Schemes |
| Set code | OE01 |
| Number | 20★ |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Scheme |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Yohann Schepacz |
Text of card
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent exiles the top card of his or her library. You may cast any number of nonland cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs.
"Don't fret, infants. It wouldn't have worked anyway."
Cards like When Will You Learn?
When Will You Learn? is an intriguing spell in Magic: The Gathering that joins the ranks of cards focused on disrupting opponents’ plans. Reminiscent of spells like Mana Leak, it allows players to counter noncreature spells unless their caster pays a certain amount of mana. While Mana Leak asks for three additional mana, When Will You Learn? often requires even more, depending on the number of lessons the opponent has learned, making it potentially more powerful in the late game.
Another card worth comparing is Syncopate, which exiles the spell unless its caster pays X mana. Here, Syncopate offers flexibility as the X cost can be adjusted to the available mana, making it a versatile tool in any phase of the game. When Will You Learn? exchanges this flexibility for a potentially insurmountable challenge if the opponent’s lesson count is high.
In essence, When Will You Learn? finds its niche in Magic: The Gathering as a formidable countermeasure in matches where the lesson mechanic is prevalent. It harnesses the strategic depth of MTG, giving players who pay attention to the overarching game a chance to capitalize on their opponents’ educational efforts.
Cards similar to When Will You Learn? by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Crafting your hand to perfection, the card “When Will You Learn?” offers the strategic edge of filtering unnecessary cards from your hand, giving you options to draw into more impactful plays and outmaneuver your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: Beyond just setting up for future turns, this spell can tip the scales by providing a burst of mana. This can enable you to outpace your adversaries by deploying threats earlier or amplifying your responses during critical turns.
Instant Speed: The true power of “When Will You Learn?” shines at instant speed, affording you the finesse to adapt to the unfolding game. Hold up mana deftly for a well-timed play that can disrupt your opponent’s strategy or capitalize on their missteps, ensuring you’re always one step ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: ‘When Will You Learn?’ demands that you discard a card, which could deplete your hand, especially if you’re already struggling to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both hybrid blue and red mana, making it less flexible and potentially difficult to cast in a timely manner in decks that aren’t focused on this color pairing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be considered steep for its effect, this card competes for a slot in your deck against other spells that may provide similar or better outcomes for less mana.
Reasons to Include When Will You Learn? in Your Collection
Versatility: When Will You Learn? offers flexibility in deck building. It can be a tactical inclusion in many strategies that favor instant-speed interaction or those looking to exploit casting spells on the opponent’s turn.
Combo Potential: This card shines in setups that can benefit from repeated spell casting. Its ability to potentially return to your hand sets up for powerful combo turns, especially in decks that manipulate the number of spells cast in a single turn.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state where players rely heavily on noncreature spells, When Will You Learn? can disrupt opponents’ plans while keeping your hand stocked with answers, making it a timely addition to your arsenal.
How to beat
When Will You Learn? is an intriguing card to navigate against in Magic: The Gathering. This instant allows a player to counter another spell unless its caster pays for each known card in their hand. Effectively, it puts the opponent in the hot seat, challenging their resource management and gameplay strategy. Beating When Will You Learn? hinges on maintaining a balance between the cards in your hand and the mana available.
To outmaneuver this card, consider minimizing the number of cards in your hand when casting significant spells, thereby reducing the payment to avoid the counter. Another strategy involves baiting out the counter with less critical spells, preserving your mana to ensure the success of your more vital plays. Finally, cards with uncounterable spells or those that grant you hexproof offer solid protection against When Will You Learn? positioning you to take control of the game.
Adapting to your opponent’s tactics by judiciously managing your hand and resources is key. Keep pressuring your adversary until they’ve exhausted their potential to cast When Will You Learn?, and capitalize on that moment to maneuver the game in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase When Will You Learn? MTG card by a specific set like Archenemy: Nicol Bolas Schemes, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the When Will You Learn? and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering When Will You Learn? card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-06-13 | If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost. |
| 2017-06-13 | If the owner of one of the exiled cards leaves the game, that card leaves the game as well. |
| 2017-06-13 | If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs, such as emerge costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, such as that of Tormenting Voice, you must pay those to cast the card. |
| 2017-06-13 | Now you have learned. |
| 2017-06-13 | You must cast any of the exiled cards you wish to cast for free while this scheme’s ability is resolving. You can’t wait until later in the turn. Any cards not cast this way remain exiled for the rest of the game. The spells will be added to the stack in the order that you cast them. |