3CH DLR Words of Wilding
Hand size: 3 cards.
Land rule: Draw Land Rule.
Round rule: If a player would draw a card, he or she may pay {1} instead. If he or she does, that player creates a 2/2 green bear creature token.
Rules and banned list
Be sure to review the rules and regular banned list by clicking below. In addition, be sure to review the "Land Rule" banned list as well.
Format ideas?
If you have a format you'd like to try, send me a message, mention it along with the cards in your hand, or post it here!
Contents
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Deck Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form that player's hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the theoretical player of each hand employs the strategy that will maximize the score for his or her hand, taking into account the strategy of his or her opponent.
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Deck Composition.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.1a. Changes to the Comprehensive Rules or the Oracle text of a card take effect at the following times:
i. Changes that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.3a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
2.4. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid that cost or the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that could enable that player to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would begin, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
i. win the game
ii. take an infinite number of turns
iii. cause a card to leave an opponent's hand.
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.1a. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents' cards had no rules text.
3.1b. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents had no maximum hand size.
3.1c. That player could achieve one of these results only during a game that was restarted after an opponent's second turn had begun.
3.1d. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be put onto the battlefield by that effect.
3.1e. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be in that opponent's hand once that effect resolved.
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.2a. An unreleased card is treated as though it's legal in Vintage if it will become legal in Vintage upon release and if the release notes for the set that contains that card were published prior to the start of the round (See rule 4.1).
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of his or her chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change his or her hand until the posted deadline.
4.2a. If a player submits an illegal hand, then the moderator will try to notify that player to change his or her hand prior to the deadline. If the hand is discovered to be illegal after the deadline – or if the player does not submit a new hand – then the moderator may either disqualify that hand or replace it with a similar hand, in which any cards causing that hand to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name his or her hand. If that player doesn't, then the PHM moderator may name it. The PHM moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
League Points = Points Scored / Number of Opponents x 100 (rounded to the nearest integer)
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
5.3a. If multiple players have the most League points at the end of the League, then the PHM moderator may allow those players to play additional rounds until only one of those players has the most League points or until a specified number of additional rounds have been played.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's results against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of his or her row.
6.2. A player may earn bonus League points as specified by the PHM moderator.
6.3. Each player is responsible for determining the match results for his or her hand.
6.3a. Players are encouraged to determine or verify additional match results.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Deck Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2a. Some variant formats generate continuous effects. A continuous effect generated by a variant format is treated as having the earliest timestamp within a layer or sublayer. If continuous effects generated by multiple variant formats would apply in the same layer or sublayer, assign timestamps to those effects in the order that the variant formats are listed in the rules or name of the round.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.3a. This is the basic land rule (LR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. Any player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns from his or her hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3c. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land or basic snow land card of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game into his or her hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of his or her first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.4a. Only cards contained in sets legal in the named format may be submitted.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5a. If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
7.5b. A player must choose an opening hand that enables that player to win both games of a match against at least one legal hand, irrespective of rule 7.5a.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.6a. Players exchanges hands before the start of each match. A hand must enable the player of that hand to win both games of a match against a specified hand or specified hands. Ignore rule 3.1.
7.7. Bonus Points.
7.7a. A player earns bonus points if his or her hand meets specified requirements.
PHM Banned List
The following cards are automatically banned in all Perfect Hand Magic League rounds unless otherwise specified by the round rules. Each round may have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Land Rule Banned List
"Land Rule" is the most common variant for PHM, and thus a separate ban list has been developed to allow for easier moderation. The following cards are banned in Perfect Hand Magic League rounds when a Land Rule is used. There will be a reminder of this on the round rules.
- Reminder: submissions are due in approximately 33 hours.
- Tentatively, the next format (name tbd) will be:
Hand size: 5 cards
Format rule: Each player starts the game with an emblem with "{0}: Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate this ability only once each game."
Let me know if you have any suggestions to improve the format. The rould will be finalized when hands for the current round - 3CH DLR Words of Wilding - are posted.
This week is headachey to work out lines. Can we not have this format again? Working out when people draw lands and when they make bears hurts my brainmeats.
vs. 01 Anachronity: I think my recursive elements win here. 6-0
vs. 02 Feyd_Ruin: I can life-gain to pull ahead of Syphon, bounce Bridge - all the answers. 6-0
vs. 03 Mogg: I think I pull this out by baiting Drains with EOT bounce Scroll. If he just goe bears then I think I can beat that (with Repeal) too. 6-0?
vs. 04 knobbodi: I get Eldrazi'd. 0-6
vs. 05 tomsloger: OTP I can disrupt him a bit I think FTW. 3-3?
vs. 06 tidalslimshady: Drain breaks the combo. 6-0
I liked this format... but I'm on a 6-hour jetlag here, so...
Surprised nobody did Leyline of Singularity, though. You don't even need Karakas.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes... Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
vs. 02 Feyd_Ruin: I can life-gain to pull ahead of Syphon, bounce Bridge - all the answers. 6-0
If you Elixir to gain life, you're down a draw from me, which is down a token. So if I don't ever retrace, I should be ahead on tokens. Even if you Repeal to bounce a token, then redraws, it should balance out from the non-drawing of lands. If you never elixir, then we're still at the stalemate of token v token. This should actually end up as a tie unless I'm missing something, as I should always have at least enough tokens to block your horde? Is there a play I'm missing?
Edit:
Correction to 1v2 as below, and should tie 2v7
1 vs 2: I can't stop ensnaring bridge or permacounter syphon life ~ 0-6
1 vs 3: I think I ultimately lose to EoT cursed scroll here; if I use mark of eviction on a bear you can kill the bear in response ~ 0-6
1 vs 4: Can't stop Emrakul ~ 0-6
1 vs 5: I can kill asylum visitor, but the bazaar generates too much bear advantage. ~ 0-6
1 vs 6: Swan song stops mana echoes, dromoka's command stops mentor, then mark of eviction wins it. ~ 6-0
1 vs 7: EDIT: should be 2-2; see my giant post below.
1 | X 0 0 0 0 6 2 | 8
Not a good first showing. I've gotta say I was expecting a lot more leylines, which is what dromoka's command was for.
I'm also gravely disappointed in you all for making me the only one with a bear pun for their hand name. For shame
Feyd, Swan Song can't target artifact spells so you should 6-0 Anacrhonity
Correct
mana drain is too slow
It appears to be fast enough if your opponent plays first, since you don't have a way to untap shelldock island on your first turn despite the lion's eye mana. Your matches vs. Mogg and WhammeWhamme should be 2-2 from what I can see.
As for me vs. WhammeWhamme, I'm 90% sure it's a total draw.
If WhammeWhamme goes first...
Wait for 3 lands scenario
you t1: island, elixir
me t1: island
you t2: island
me t2: island
you t3: island
me t3: forest
you t4: bear
me t4: tap forest for bear, play mark of eviction targeting your bear. You mana drain, I swan song. You get a swan and your bear is marked.
you t5: bear, swing with swan and marked bear, I take 4; repeal bear to get rid of mark, but get another bear from the repeal draw.
me t5: plains, dromoka's command to +1/+1 my bear and kill your swan. I'm out of cards.
you t6: activate elixir for +5 life on your upkeep; I put elixir, mana drain, repeal from top to bottom into your library. You draw elixir and play it.
me t6: bear; I can't gainfully attack with my 3/3 bear since you can double-block.
you t7: draw mana drain
me t7: bear, attack with 3/3 and 2/2 bears. You double-block the 3/3 bear and take 2. I have two bears to your one.
you t8: draw repeal
me t8: bear, you repeal a bear EoT and gain a bear from the draw. I have 2 bears and you have 2 bears.
you t9: bear, attack with two bears, I block both. You have 1 bear to my 0 bears.
me t9: bear
you t10: bear, attack with bear, I block it, you have 1 bear to my 0 bears.
Repeat my t9 and your t10 indefinitely; Draw game
alternate...
you t9: elixir on upkeep, +5 life; I put elixir and repeal from top to bottom into your library, you draw elixir and play it. Attack with two bears, I block both. We both have 0 bears.
me t9: bear
you t10: draw repeal
me t10: bear, I have 2 bears to your 0. attack with bear, You repeal it before damage and gain a bear. we each have a bear
you t11: elixir on upkeep, +5 life; I put elixir and repeal into your library, you draw elixir and play it. Attack with bear, I block. We both have 0 bears.
me t11: bear, I have 1 bear to your 0.
you t12: draw repeal.
me t12: bear, I have 2 bears to your 0. attack with bear, you repeal it before damage and gain a bear. we each have a bear.
we are back to the game state at the end of my t10, except you have 5 more life. repeat indefinitely; Draw game
Early bear scenario
you t1: island, elixir
me t1: island
you t2: island
me t2: island
you t3: bear
me t3: forest
you t4: bear,swing with bear, I take 2
me t4: tap forest for bear, mark bear. you repeal marked bear at end of turn, I counter with swan song, you get a swan. I have 1 bear to your 2 bears and a swan
you t5: island, swing with bear, marked bear, and swan, I take 6
me t5: your bear poofs to mark. plains, mark of eviction your swan, you mana drain, I kill your swan with dromoka's command and have a 3/3 bear. you have 1 bear
you t6: you can't get past my 3/3 bear without repeal. elixir on upkeep, draw elixir
me t6: bear, swing with 3/3 bear, you take 3
you t7: draw mana drain
me t7: bear, swing with 3/3 bear, you take 3; I have 2 2/2 bears and the 3/3 bear, you have 1 bear
you t8: draw repeal
me t8: bear, swing with 3/3 bear and two 2/2 bears, you repeal my 3/3 bear, gain a bear from repeal's card draw, block my 2 other bears. I have 1 bear to your 0 bears.
if you repeatedly get bears then you can block indefinitely, but if you go for the repeal again I'll have 3 bears to your 0 by the time you get it. We stall indefinitely either through blocking or repeated lifegain.
alternate
me t5: your bear poofs to mark. plains, mark of eviction your swan, you save mana drain for dromoka's command. I have a bear, you have a bear and a marked swan, elixir at end of turn
you t6: draw elixir, swing marked swan and bear, I block bear and take 2
me t6: swan poofs to mark. bear, mark your bear, you counter and lose the bear to dromoka's or don't counter and lose your bear to mark. Either way you're down too many bears to win and we draw.
Neither of us will kill the other before we get to play all of our cards (and you get to recur yours however many times), but there are two key factors:
1: in order to play a land, you lose out on a bear
2: repeal does not net you any bear advantage after the first cast, since you then miss 2 bears to re-draw it (I would always put the elixir on top and repeal on bottom when you shuffle them in)
If we choose an arbitrarily late turn, say, turn 30. We can see how many bears we would have before and after accounting for each card (our "bearpotential")
we each start at 1 land and 29 bears. I am thoroughly convinced that your optimal number of lands is 3, since that allows you to keep mana up for mana drain, repeal and get a bear from repeal's draw, and perform your elixir cycle, all without missing any bears. I also covered the instance where you start laying out bears at 2 islands and use repeal to draw your third island. If you see a better route of play for either of us, please let me know. It seems like my best strategy is to start making bears with two islands and a forest, so that I can play a plains and then forcefully kill the swan song bird past either repeal or mana drain. If you try to go up to 5 islands to repeal *and* counterspell then you lose too much bearpotential for your first advantageous repeal to allow you to recover while I stay on 3 lands, and it becomes a draw without me having to cast anything.
Your repeating life gain from elixir plus your ability to bounce attacking bears makes it basically impossible for me to win, but I also don't see any unavoidable way for you to win.
Repealing your own marked bear ends up mostly not being a good option since then you're bouncing your own bear rather than mine, and you lose out on bearpotential in order to get repeal back.
3CH DLR Words of Wilding
Hand size: 3 cards.
Land rule: Draw Land Rule.
Round rule: If a player would draw a card, he or she may pay {1} instead. If he or she does, that player creates a 2/2 green bear creature token.
Hands:
1) Anachronity :: Bear None
Dromoka's Command / Mark of Eviction / Swan Song
2) Feyd_Ruin :: Because of Randomness
Ensnaring Bridge / Mana Vault / Syphon Life
3) Mogg
Cursed Scroll / Mana Drain / Mana Drain
4) knobbodi :: When in Doubt, Shelldakul
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Lion's Eye Diamond / Shelldock Isle
5) tomsloger
Asylum Visitor / Bazaar of Baghdad / Sol Ring
6) tidalslimshady
Mana Echoes / Mentor of the Meek / Utopia Sprawl
7) WhammeWhamme
Elixir of Immortality / Mana Drain / Repeal
Results:
X| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
1| X 0 0 0 0 6 2 | 08 | 133
2| 6 X 6 6 6 6 2 | 32 | 533
3| 6 0 X 0 0 6 0 | 12 | 200
4| 6 0 6 X 6 6 6 | 30 | 500
5| 6 0 6 0 X 0 3 | 14 | 233
6| 0 0 0 0 6 X 0 | 06 | 100
7| 2 2 6 0 3 6 X | 18 | 300
Feyd_Ruin wins!
Rules and banned list
Be sure to review the rules and regular banned list by clicking below. In addition, be sure to review the "Land Rule" banned list as well.
Format ideas?
If you have a format you'd like to try, send me a message, mention it along with the cards in your hand, or post it here!
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Deck Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form that player's hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the theoretical player of each hand employs the strategy that will maximize the score for his or her hand, taking into account the strategy of his or her opponent.
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Deck Composition.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.4. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid that cost or the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that could enable that player to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would begin, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of his or her chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change his or her hand until the posted deadline.
4.3. A player may name his or her hand. If that player doesn't, then the PHM moderator may name it. The PHM moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's results against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of his or her row.
6.2. A player may earn bonus League points as specified by the PHM moderator.
6.3. Each player is responsible for determining the match results for his or her hand.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Deck Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.4. Sanctioned Magic Format Variant.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. Bonus Points.
PHM Banned List
The following cards are automatically banned in all Perfect Hand Magic League rounds unless otherwise specified by the round rules. Each round may have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Acceleration
Channel
Fastbond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Pact of Negation
Chancellor of the Annex
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Barren Glory
Laboratory Maniac
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Vampire Hexmage
Land Rule Banned List
"Land Rule" is the most common variant for PHM, and thus a separate ban list has been developed to allow for easier moderation. The following cards are banned in Perfect Hand Magic League rounds when a Land Rule is used. There will be a reminder of this on the round rules.
Acceleration
Black Lotus
Disruption
Balancing Act
Energy Field
Time Walk
Win Conditions
Beacon of Creation
Maralen of the Mornsong
Nezumi Shortfang
Red Sun's Zenith
White Sun's Zenith
Follow me to be notified when weekly Perfect Hand Magic results are posted
- Reminder: submissions are due in approximately 33 hours.
- Tentatively, the next format (name tbd) will be:
Hand size: 5 cards
Format rule: Each player starts the game with an emblem with "{0}: Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate this ability only once each game."
Let me know if you have any suggestions to improve the format. The rould will be finalized when hands for the current round - 3CH DLR Words of Wilding - are posted.
Follow me to be notified when weekly Perfect Hand Magic results are posted
Take a look, and score your hands!
And welcome to the game, Anachronity! I hope you enjoy it.
Follow me to be notified when weekly Perfect Hand Magic results are posted
vs. 01 Anachronity: I think my recursive elements win here. 6-0
vs. 02 Feyd_Ruin: I can life-gain to pull ahead of Syphon, bounce Bridge - all the answers. 6-0
vs. 03 Mogg: I think I pull this out by baiting Drains with EOT bounce Scroll. If he just goe bears then I think I can beat that (with Repeal) too. 6-0?
vs. 04 knobbodi: I get Eldrazi'd. 0-6
vs. 05 tomsloger: OTP I can disrupt him a bit I think FTW. 3-3?
vs. 06 tidalslimshady: Drain breaks the combo. 6-0
All very uncertain.
Surprised nobody did Leyline of Singularity, though. You don't even need Karakas.
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
2v2: ---
2v3: 6-0 : Bridge always before Drain. Syphon gains against Scroll.
2v4: 6-0 : Bridge always before Emrakul.
2v5: 6-0 : Bridge always stops twice-speed tokens.
2v6: 6-0 : Bridge always stops infinite tokens.
2v7: 2-2 : Should be a tie? See below.
2 | 6 X 6 6 6 6 2 | 32 | 533
If you Elixir to gain life, you're down a draw from me, which is down a token. So if I don't ever retrace, I should be ahead on tokens. Even if you Repeal to bounce a token, then redraws, it should balance out from the non-drawing of lands. If you never elixir, then we're still at the stalemate of token v token. This should actually end up as a tie unless I'm missing something, as I should always have at least enough tokens to block your horde? Is there a play I'm missing?
Edit:
Correction to 1v2 as below, and should tie 2v7
No longer staff here.
1 vs 3: I think I ultimately lose to EoT cursed scroll here; if I use mark of eviction on a bear you can kill the bear in response ~ 0-6
1 vs 4: Can't stop Emrakul ~ 0-6
1 vs 5: I can kill asylum visitor, but the bazaar generates too much bear advantage. ~ 0-6
1 vs 6: Swan song stops mana echoes, dromoka's command stops mentor, then mark of eviction wins it. ~ 6-0
1 vs 7: EDIT: should be 2-2; see my giant post below.
1 | X 0 0 0 0 6 2 | 8
Not a good first showing. I've gotta say I was expecting a lot more leylines, which is what dromoka's command was for.
I'm also gravely disappointed in you all for making me the only one with a bear pun for their hand name. For shame
- Rabid Wombat
4) knobbodi :: When in Doubt, Shelldakul
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Lion's Eye Diamond / Shelldock Isle
VS:
1) Anachronity :: Bear None
Dromoka's Command / Mark of Eviction / Swan Song
6-0, if swan song could counter artifacts we would have split it
2) Feyd_Ruin :: Because of Randomness
Ensnaring Bridge / Mana Vault / Syphon Life
0-6, can't do anything about bridge
3) Mogg
Cursed Scroll / Mana Drain / Mana Drain
6-0, mana drain is too slow
5) tomsloger
Asylum Visitor / Bazaar of Baghdad / Sol Ring
6-0, emrakul > bears
6) tidalslimshady
Mana Echoes / Mentor of the Meek / Utopia Sprawl
6-0, emrakul > bears, no matter how many there are
7) WhammeWhamme
Elixir of Immortality / Mana Drain / Repeal
6-0, mana drain is too slow
4 | 6 0 6 X 6 6 6 | 30
Correct
It appears to be fast enough if your opponent plays first, since you don't have a way to untap shelldock island on your first turn despite the lion's eye mana. Your matches vs. Mogg and WhammeWhamme should be 2-2 from what I can see.
As for me vs. WhammeWhamme, I'm 90% sure it's a total draw.
If WhammeWhamme goes first...
Neither of us will kill the other before we get to play all of our cards (and you get to recur yours however many times), but there are two key factors:
1: in order to play a land, you lose out on a bear
2: repeal does not net you any bear advantage after the first cast, since you then miss 2 bears to re-draw it (I would always put the elixir on top and repeal on bottom when you shuffle them in)
If we choose an arbitrarily late turn, say, turn 30. We can see how many bears we would have before and after accounting for each card (our "bearpotential")
we each start at 1 land and 29 bears. I am thoroughly convinced that your optimal number of lands is 3, since that allows you to keep mana up for mana drain, repeal and get a bear from repeal's draw, and perform your elixir cycle, all without missing any bears. I also covered the instance where you start laying out bears at 2 islands and use repeal to draw your third island. If you see a better route of play for either of us, please let me know. It seems like my best strategy is to start making bears with two islands and a forest, so that I can play a plains and then forcefully kill the swan song bird past either repeal or mana drain. If you try to go up to 5 islands to repeal *and* counterspell then you lose too much bearpotential for your first advantageous repeal to allow you to recover while I stay on 3 lands, and it becomes a draw without me having to cast anything.
Your repeating life gain from elixir plus your ability to bounce attacking bears makes it basically impossible for me to win, but I also don't see any unavoidable way for you to win.
Repealing your own marked bear ends up mostly not being a good option since then you're bouncing your own bear rather than mine, and you lose out on bearpotential in order to get repeal back.
- Rabid Wombat
oh, right. Nevermind then.
- Rabid Wombat