Be sure to review the rules and banned list(s) by clicking below.
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
Contents
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
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 an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form his or her 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 player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes 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 that 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 – Hand Construction Rules.
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 by 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 all 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 would enable him or her 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 has passed – 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 he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or her discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
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 has 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 result 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 typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand 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 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 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 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 him or her to win both games of a match against at least one legal hand, irrespective of rule 7.5a.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.6a. Players exchange hands before the start of each match. Each player must choose an opening hand that enables him or her to win both games of a match against a specified hand or specified hands, such that the player of any specified hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in the player of that specified hand losing or drawing the game. Ignore rule 3.1.
7.7. (Bonus).
7.7a. A player earns bonus points if his or her hand meets specified requirements.
PHM Banned List_________________Land Rule Banned List
Tentatively, next week's format will be 3CH ELR Timeshare.
3CH ELR Timeshare
Hand Size: 3 cards.
Land Rule: Extra Land Rule
Format Rule: Each player starts the game with an emblem with "At the beginning of your upkeep, choose a permanent an opponent controls. Untap that permanent and gain control of it until end of turn. You can't sacrifice that permanent this turn."
Additional Bans: Homeward Path
Please note - this round uses the extra land rule. I think it's worth putting that option back into rotation.
Ooh, timeshare rule looks fun. But maybe it should give haste? Seems like the intention is to be able to use things.
Thanks, I totally had intended for the rule to give haste but left it off by mistake.
This is a perfect example of why I love posting these formats for discussion a couple of days in advance of them being finalized.
I'm assuming Anachronicity is playing Opalescence?
EDIT:
1) 1-4 Anachronity :: OTP, I play 2 Loti, you can add 4 from sanctum at best and kill 1 lotus, but Swipe for 1 still stops your wincon. OTD, Aura locks me out.
3) 6-0 Feyd_Ruin :: OTD, I can counter your first play. After that point, you'll get Swiped for casting anything.
4) 6-0 knobbodi :: ...am I missing something about Dust Bowl here? Anyway, you have no T1 play, so Swipe you or die to Salvagers.
5) 3-3 Mogg :: I can always Misstep Song, so I'll ignore it. OTP, you'll get Swiped. OTD, Titan can just kill me.
6) 3-3 Personman :: OTP, get Swiped. OTD: You do the whole Progenitus thing.
7) 0-6 WhammeWhamme :: Foil a Lotus. (Gilded Lotus?)
| 1 X 6 6 2 2 0 | 17 |
Sure, I'll take it! (As always tell me if I'm wrong.)
"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. 01 Anachronicity: OTP, a 2/4 can block forever. 1-4
vs. 02 CalvinSchwa: I foil the first Lotus and win. 6-0
vs. 03 Feyd_Ruin: Gameplan is Legacy Weapon a land. OTD, Void Snare gets Foiled and turn ends with 2 Loti in play FTW. 6-0
vs. 04 knobbodi: No answer to my combo. 6-0
vs. 05 Mogg: I don't think he has any winning lines. I'm sure Mogg will let me know if he finds one. 6-0
vs. 06 Personman: OTP, I can Foil-with-mana-open LED. 3-3
4) knobbodi
Anvil of Bogardan / Dust Bowl / Grove of the Burnwillows / Mountain / Punishing Fire / Ratchet Bomb
VS:
1) Anachronity :: Ley it on the Line
Aura of Silence / Leyline of Lifeforce / Leyline of Sanctity / Leyline of the Void / Sanctum Prelate / Serra's Sanctum
--All my spells cost 2, and I for some reason didn't run ghitu encampment as a backup 0-6
2) CalvinSchwa
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Mental Misstep / Mindswipe / Vedalken Orrery
7) WhammeWhamme
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Foil / Island / Legacy Weapon
--Get combo'ed out 0-6
This was a reeeaaal bad week to not be able to do anything on the first turn (in addition to forgetting how much dust bowl costs to activate and about the existence of ghitu encampment). Ah, well
Aura of Silence / Leyline of Lifeforce / Leyline of Sanctity / Leyline of the Void / Sanctum Prelate / Serra's Sanctum
2) OTP I Prelate for 0. OTD Prelate can't be countered due to LoL, but unless I'm missing something you can just play t1 Salvagers and win on the basis of having the bigger creature. ~ 3-3
3) OTD I lose to Void Snare on any Leyline. OTP I Prelate for 1. ~ 3-3
4) As mentioned, Prelate for 2. ~ 6-0
5) OTD lose to Snare. OTP I Aura or Prelate for 0, then Mogg Snares whichever I went with and gets the Titan in. ~ 0-6
6) OTD LotV prevents a t1 Progenitus by exiling Fatestitcher. From there I can Aura your Sapphire and win. ~ 6-0
7) OTP I win with an uncounterable Prelate for 0. OTD LotV stops Legacy Weapon shenanigans but, as with CalvinSchwa, I appear to lose to Salvagers in its capacity as a vanilla 2/4. ~ 3-3
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
4 | X 3 3 6 0 6 3 | 21 | 350
I was hoping Leyline of Sanctity would incidentally win me at least one game, but I guess not. Leyline of the Void, on the other hand, did its usual work in stopping graveyard shenanigans. I knew I was in trouble if anyone got a vanilla creature larger than a 2/2 out, but Void Snare took me entirely by surprise.
1) Anachronity :: Ley it on the Line
Aura of Silence / Leyline of Lifeforce / Leyline of Sanctity / Leyline of the Void / Sanctum Prelate / Serra's Sanctum
On the draw I obviously can’t do anything. On the play, I could get t2 Proggy through Leyline of the Void, because I choose which RE to apply and I don’t rely on Fatestitcher because of Sapphire. However, Judge’s Familiar unfortunately says "instant or sorcery" and not "noncreasture" like I thought for a sec, so Aura blows up or locks out Sapphire.
Well, I tried to build around Leyline, and it almost worked!
0-6
2) CalvinSchwa
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Mental Misstep / Mindswipe / Vedalken Orrery
On the draw I don’t get to do anything.
On the play I get Proggy and you can’t do anything.
On my play Familiar staves off Nodes just long enough. On your play, you can’t just stick Nodes, because I’ll pass and it’ll die. So you can only play Doll to stop t1 Prog. However, if I then try to go off at all, Shelldock becomes Lush, and then I just have Familiar, which is not nearly enough.
3-3
4) knobbodi
Anvil of Bogardan / Dust Bowl / Grove of the Burnwillows / Mountain / Punishing Fire / Ratchet Bomb
This deck doesn’t do anything on turn 1, which seems pretty bad in this format.
6-0
5) Mogg
Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Frost Titan / Island / Swan Song / Void Snare
On my play, you have no answer to t1 Proggy. On your play, I get to try Sapphire. If you Song it, I go off. If you don’t, I get Familiar. Then I can try to go off. You want to Song LED, but to pay for Familiar you have to give up Titan. Swan Song can't counter artifacts. Thanks Anachronicicity!
6-0
7) WhammeWhamme
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Foil / Island / Legacy Weapon
Yay, a Foil! I built specifically to survive Foil and Leyline of the Void on the play, at least I get to do one of 'em!
On my play you don’t have mana for Familiar, so it stops Foil, so I win. On Your play, you have plenty of mana for Familiar, so you counter LED and I lose.
3-3
6 | 0 3 3 6 6 X 3 | 18 | 300
Anachronicity, I think you have 350 points, not 300 – it looks like you divided by players rather than opponents.
On your play, I get to try Sapphire. If you Song it, I go off. If you don’t, I get Familiar. Then I can try to go off. You want to Song LED, but to pay for Familiar you have to give up Titan.
1. 0-6 Prelate shuts me down pretty good.
2. 0-6 Orrery-Mindswipe keeps me from coming out of the hole.
3. xxx
4. 6-0 Remembrance gets around Anvil. Lush on Grove. Heap eventually swings.
5. 6-0 See below
6. 1-4 See below
7. 0-6 Foil stops any action, which leads to weapon->paradise
On my play, I cast Heap Doll. If you go for shelldock, Heap Doll hits Fatestitcher before he returns from Unearth. This keeps Isle tapped. I untap and Lush Growth it to render it useless.
If you cast Mox + Judge's Familiar first and go through the above, however, Familiar will be there to counter my Serene Remembrance, which means Heap Doll never comes back and I can't kill you.
Titan taps Swan token and Heap Doll when it attacks, and in addition it doesn't work like Kira. It increases the cost by 2 for every spell or ability, so you can't Void Snare or use Nodes
On my play, I cast Heap Doll. If you go for shelldock, Heap Doll hits Fatestitcher before he returns from Unearth. This keeps Isle tapped. I untap and Lush Growth it to render it useless.
If you cast Mox + Judge's Familiar first and go through the above, however, Familiar will be there to counter my Serene Remembrance, which means Heap Doll never comes back and I can't kill you.
So it's a tie on my play.
Why can't you just play Nodes, and then play Serene once Familiar is dead?
Regarding 3v5, Nodes doesn't target, and can hit Titan just fine.
Another problem with the existing analyses is that Titan's ETB trigger is mandatory, so on the play, it's either hitting itself or Island. Here's how I think it goes, it's pretty surprising:
1. Island, Titan tapping Island
1. Nodes, gg
.. ok so Titan has to hit itself.
1. Titan tapping itself, Island.
1. Lush on Island. It must get Swan Song'd, or Mogg immediately loses to Nodes again.
2. Titan doesn't untap. The 2/2 isn't worth wasting Snare on, though, we need that for Nodes.
2. Nodes
3. Swing tapping Swan token, 14. Bounce Nodes.
3. Nodes
4. Swing tapping Swan token, 8.
4. Swan token dies to Nodes.
5. Swing tapping Paradise, 2.
5. Titan dies to Nodes, Feyd wins.
1. Titan tapping itself, Island.
1. Nodes, Swan Song'd.
2. Titan doesn't untap. The 2/2 isn't worth wasting Snare on, though.
2. Remembrance Nodes (and attack for 2 since it'll get tapped anyway, but it doesn't matter)
3. Swing tapping Swan token, 14.
3. Draw Remembrance. It's bad to play Doll, because it will never block and gets in the way of Nodes. So does Swan, so let's Snare that.
4. Swing tapping Paradise, which, tragically, does not bounce itself immediately, forcing Titan to tap Island. Oh well. 8.
4. Draw and play Nodes.
5. Snare Nodes, swing tapping Paradise. 2
5. Play Nodes, but it's too late.
1. Island
1. Lush on Island, Swan Song
2. Titan tapping token.
2. Nodes
3. Swing tapping token, 14. Snare Nodes.
3. Nodes.
4. Swing tapping token, 8.
4. Nodes kills token.
5. Swing tapping whatever, 2.
5. Nodes kill titan, Feyd eventually wins.
1. Nothing
1. Doll (must play it eventually or accept draw)
2. Titan tapping Doll, must play Island now or lose to nodes - bounce - nodes with no opportunity for Song.
2. Lush on Island. Song.
3. Swing tapping token, 14.
3. Nodes. Heap untaps.
4. Swing tapping Heap, 8. Bounce Nodes.
4. Nodes. Token untaps.
5. Swing tapping token, 2.
5. Nodes finally triggers. Sac Heap targeting Song to get it out of the way of Nodes. If Feyd had a land in upkeep, e could also Snare the token and make Nodes hit Titan. But e doesn't, and it's too late!
6CH
Land Rule: None.
Format Rule: None.
Hands:
1) Anachronity :: Ley it on the Line
Aura of Silence / Leyline of Lifeforce / Leyline of Sanctity / Leyline of the Void / Sanctum Prelate / Serra's Sanctum
2) CalvinSchwa
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Mental Misstep / Mindswipe / Vedalken Orrery
3) Feyd_Ruin :: Bad.dec – Journey into the Unseen
Heap Doll / Lush Growth / Porphyry Nodes / Serene Remembrance / Undiscovered Paradise / Void Snare
4) knobbodi
Anvil of Bogardan / Dust Bowl / Grove of the Burnwillows / Mountain / Punishing Fire / Ratchet Bomb
5) Mogg
Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Frost Titan / Island / Swan Song / Void Snare
6) Personman
Fatestitcher / Judge's Familiar / Lion's Eye Diamond / Mox Sapphire / Progenitus / Shelldock Isle
7) WhammeWhamme
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Foil / Island / Legacy Weapon
Results:
X| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1| X 3 3 6 0 6 3 | 21 | 350
2| 3 X 6 6 3 3 0 | 18 | 300
3| 3 0 X 6 2 3 0 | 12 | 200
4| 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 | 00 | 000
5| 6 3 2 6 X 0 0 | 16 | 267
6| 0 3 3 6 6 X 3 | 18 | 300
7| 3 6 6 6 6 3 X | 28 | 467
WhammeWhamme wins!
Rules and Banned List
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
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 an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form his or her 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 player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes 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 that 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 – Hand Construction Rules.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
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 by 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.
2.4. 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 all 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 would enable him or her 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:
ii. Take an infinite number of turns.
iii. Cause a card to leave an opponent's hand.
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.1b. 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.
3.3. 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.
4.2b. 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 he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or her discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
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 result 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.
6.3b. 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 typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand 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.
7.2b. 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.
7.3b. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land 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 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.
7.4. Sanctioned Magic Format Variant.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5b. A player must choose an opening hand that enables him or her to win both games of a match against at least one legal hand, irrespective of rule 7.5a.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. (Bonus).
Beast Within________________________Beacon of Creation
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Black Lotus
Channel_____________________________Energy Field
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Maralen of the Mornsong
Fastbond____________________________Nezumi Shortfang
Flash_______________________________Red Sun's Zenith
Force of Will_______________________White Sun's Zenith
Ghost Quarter
Laboratory Maniac
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Leyline of the Meek
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
Pact of Negation
Show and Tell
Strip Mine
The Rack
Trinisphere
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Vampire Hexmage
Wasteland
Channel_____________________________Black Lotus
Fastbond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Beast Within________________________Balancing Act
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Energy Field
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Pact of Negation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Barren Glory________________________Beacon of Creation
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Maralen of the Mornsong
Laboratory Maniac___________________Nezumi Shortfang
Leyline of the Meek_________________Red Sun's Zenith
Magus of the Moon___________________White Sun's Zenith
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Vampire Hexmage
Format Ideas?
Additional Resources
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3CH ELR Timeshare
Hand Size: 3 cards.
Land Rule: Extra Land Rule
Format Rule: Each player starts the game with an emblem with "At the beginning of your upkeep, choose a permanent an opponent controls. Untap that permanent and gain control of it until end of turn. You can't sacrifice that permanent this turn."
Additional Bans: Homeward Path
Please note - this round uses the extra land rule. I think it's worth putting that option back into rotation.
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Well, plenty of broken stuff to do that round.
Lands could be made exempt, and I don't have a personal preference on that subject, so let me know if I should consider it.
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- Rabid Wombat
ooh, good point. I second this.
- Rabid Wombat
This is a perfect example of why I love posting these formats for discussion a couple of days in advance of them being finalized.
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Please take a look and score your row.
I'll score my own row (Mogg) this weekend.
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EDIT:
1) 1-4 Anachronity :: OTP, I play 2 Loti, you can add 4 from sanctum at best and kill 1 lotus, but Swipe for 1 still stops your wincon. OTD, Aura locks me out.
3) 6-0 Feyd_Ruin :: OTD, I can counter your first play. After that point, you'll get Swiped for casting anything.
4) 6-0 knobbodi :: ...am I missing something about Dust Bowl here? Anyway, you have no T1 play, so Swipe you or die to Salvagers.
5) 3-3 Mogg :: I can always Misstep Song, so I'll ignore it. OTP, you'll get Swiped. OTD, Titan can just kill me.
6) 3-3 Personman :: OTP, get Swiped. OTD: You do the whole Progenitus thing.
7) 0-6 WhammeWhamme :: Foil a Lotus. (Gilded Lotus?)
| 1 X 6 6 2 2 0 | 17 |
Sure, I'll take it! (As always tell me if I'm wrong.)
--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.
Sorry about that. I did leave off a card, but it's Sanctum Prelate, not Opalescence.
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vs. 01 Anachronicity: OTP, a 2/4 can block forever. 1-4
vs. 02 CalvinSchwa: I foil the first Lotus and win. 6-0
vs. 03 Feyd_Ruin: Gameplan is Legacy Weapon a land. OTD, Void Snare gets Foiled and turn ends with 2 Loti in play FTW. 6-0
vs. 04 knobbodi: No answer to my combo. 6-0
vs. 05 Mogg: I don't think he has any winning lines. I'm sure Mogg will let me know if he finds one. 6-0
vs. 06 Personman: OTP, I can Foil-with-mana-open LED. 3-3
Anvil of Bogardan / Dust Bowl / Grove of the Burnwillows / Mountain / Punishing Fire / Ratchet Bomb
VS:
1) Anachronity :: Ley it on the Line
Aura of Silence / Leyline of Lifeforce / Leyline of Sanctity / Leyline of the Void / Sanctum Prelate / Serra's Sanctum
--All my spells cost 2, and I for some reason didn't run ghitu encampment as a backup 0-6
2) CalvinSchwa
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Mental Misstep / Mindswipe / Vedalken Orrery
--Get combo'ed out 0-6
3) Feyd_Ruin :: Bad.dec – Journey into the Unseen
Heap Doll / Lush Growth / Porphyry Nodes / Serene Remembrance / Undiscovered Paradise / Void Snare
--Growth stops Grove (you just rebuy it if I blow ratchet bomb), and since I can't actually activate dust bowl I get the heap doll beatdown 0-6
5) Mogg
Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Frost Titan / Island / Swan Song / Void Snare
--Get frost titan'ed
6) Personman
Fatestitcher / Judge's Familiar / Lion's Eye Diamond / Mox Sapphire / Progenitus / Shelldock Isle
--Get progenitus'ed
7) WhammeWhamme
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Foil / Island / Legacy Weapon
--Get combo'ed out 0-6
This was a reeeaaal bad week to not be able to do anything on the first turn (in addition to forgetting how much dust bowl costs to activate and about the existence of ghitu encampment). Ah, well
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
4 | 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 | 0 | 0
2) OTP I Prelate for 0. OTD Prelate can't be countered due to LoL, but unless I'm missing something you can just play t1 Salvagers and win on the basis of having the bigger creature. ~ 3-3
3) OTD I lose to Void Snare on any Leyline. OTP I Prelate for 1. ~ 3-3
4) As mentioned, Prelate for 2. ~ 6-0
5) OTD lose to Snare. OTP I Aura or Prelate for 0, then Mogg Snares whichever I went with and gets the Titan in. ~ 0-6
6) OTD LotV prevents a t1 Progenitus by exiling Fatestitcher. From there I can Aura your Sapphire and win. ~ 6-0
7) OTP I win with an uncounterable Prelate for 0. OTD LotV stops Legacy Weapon shenanigans but, as with CalvinSchwa, I appear to lose to Salvagers in its capacity as a vanilla 2/4. ~ 3-3
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
4 | X 3 3 6 0 6 3 | 21 | 350
I was hoping Leyline of Sanctity would incidentally win me at least one game, but I guess not. Leyline of the Void, on the other hand, did its usual work in stopping graveyard shenanigans. I knew I was in trouble if anyone got a vanilla creature larger than a 2/2 out, but Void Snare took me entirely by surprise.
EDIT: updated points. Thanks Personmacin!
- Rabid Wombat
Fatestitcher / Judge's Familiar / Lion's Eye Diamond / Mox Sapphire / Progenitus / Shelldock Isle
vs
1) Anachronity :: Ley it on the Line
Aura of Silence / Leyline of Lifeforce / Leyline of Sanctity / Leyline of the Void / Sanctum Prelate / Serra's Sanctum
On the draw I obviously can’t do anything. On the play, I could get t2 Proggy through Leyline of the Void, because I choose which RE to apply and I don’t rely on Fatestitcher because of Sapphire. However, Judge’s Familiar unfortunately says "instant or sorcery" and not "noncreasture" like I thought for a sec, so Aura blows up or locks out Sapphire.
Well, I tried to build around Leyline, and it almost worked!
0-6
2) CalvinSchwa
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Mental Misstep / Mindswipe / Vedalken Orrery
On the draw I don’t get to do anything.
On the play I get Proggy and you can’t do anything.
3-3
3) Feyd_Ruin :: Bad.dec – Journey into the Unseen
Heap Doll / Lush Growth / Porphyry Nodes / Serene Remembrance / Undiscovered Paradise / Void Snare
Well! Those sure are some Magic cards!
On my play Familiar staves off Nodes just long enough. On your play, you can’t just stick Nodes, because I’ll pass and it’ll die. So you can only play Doll to stop t1 Prog. However, if I then try to go off at all, Shelldock becomes Lush, and then I just have Familiar, which is not nearly enough.
3-3
4) knobbodi
Anvil of Bogardan / Dust Bowl / Grove of the Burnwillows / Mountain / Punishing Fire / Ratchet Bomb
This deck doesn’t do anything on turn 1, which seems pretty bad in this format.
6-0
5) Mogg
Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Frost Titan / Island / Swan Song / Void Snare
On my play, you have no answer to t1 Proggy. On your play, I get to try Sapphire.
If you Song it, I go off. If you don’t, I get Familiar. Then I can try to go off. You want to Song LED, but to pay for Familiar you have to give up Titan.Swan Song can't counter artifacts. Thanks Anachronicicity!6-0
7) WhammeWhamme
Auriok Salvagers / Black Lotus / Black Lotus / Foil / Island / Legacy Weapon
Yay, a Foil! I built specifically to survive Foil and Leyline of the Void on the play, at least I get to do one of 'em!
On my play you don’t have mana for Familiar, so it stops Foil, so I win. On Your play, you have plenty of mana for Familiar, so you counter LED and I lose.
3-3
6 | 0 3 3 6 6 X 3 | 18 | 300
Anachronicity, I think you have 350 points, not 300 – it looks like you divided by players rather than opponents.
Swan Song can't counter artifacts.
- Rabid Wombat
Any time!
- Rabid Wombat
3 | 0 0 X 6 6 1 0 | 13 | 217
1. 0-6 Prelate shuts me down pretty good.
2. 0-6 Orrery-Mindswipe keeps me from coming out of the hole.
3. xxx
4. 6-0 Remembrance gets around Anvil. Lush on Grove. Heap eventually swings.
5. 6-0 See below
6. 1-4 See below
7. 0-6 Foil stops any action, which leads to weapon->paradise
1. Titan
1. Nodes
2. Void Snare -> Nodes. Swing=14
2. Nodes -> Swan counter.
3. Block Titan with token
3. Remembrance.
4. Swing=8
4. Draw Remembrance. Cast Heap Doll
5. Block with Heap Doll
5. Draw Nodes. Cast Nodes.
6. Swing=2
6. Nodes targets Titan. Countered. Void Snare hits Titan.
From here, it's one sided.
On my play, I cast Heap Doll. If you go for shelldock, Heap Doll hits Fatestitcher before he returns from Unearth. This keeps Isle tapped. I untap and Lush Growth it to render it useless.
If you cast Mox + Judge's Familiar first and go through the above, however, Familiar will be there to counter my Serene Remembrance, which means Heap Doll never comes back and I can't kill you.
So it's a tie on my play.
No longer staff here.
Titan taps Swan token and Heap Doll when it attacks, and in addition it doesn't work like Kira. It increases the cost by 2 for every spell or ability, so you can't Void Snare or use Nodes
Why can't you just play Nodes, and then play Serene once Familiar is dead?
Regarding 3v5, Nodes doesn't target, and can hit Titan just fine.
Another problem with the existing analyses is that Titan's ETB trigger is mandatory, so on the play, it's either hitting itself or Island. Here's how I think it goes, it's pretty surprising:
1. Island, Titan tapping Island
1. Nodes, gg
.. ok so Titan has to hit itself.
1. Titan tapping itself, Island.
1. Lush on Island. It must get Swan Song'd, or Mogg immediately loses to Nodes again.
2. Titan doesn't untap. The 2/2 isn't worth wasting Snare on, though, we need that for Nodes.
2. Nodes
3. Swing tapping Swan token, 14. Bounce Nodes.
3. Nodes
4. Swing tapping Swan token, 8.
4. Swan token dies to Nodes.
5. Swing tapping Paradise, 2.
5. Titan dies to Nodes, Feyd wins.
1. Titan tapping itself, Island.
1. Nodes, Swan Song'd.
2. Titan doesn't untap. The 2/2 isn't worth wasting Snare on, though.
2. Remembrance Nodes (and attack for 2 since it'll get tapped anyway, but it doesn't matter)
3. Swing tapping Swan token, 14.
3. Draw Remembrance. It's bad to play Doll, because it will never block and gets in the way of Nodes. So does Swan, so let's Snare that.
4. Swing tapping Paradise, which, tragically, does not bounce itself immediately, forcing Titan to tap Island. Oh well. 8.
4. Draw and play Nodes.
5. Snare Nodes, swing tapping Paradise. 2
5. Play Nodes, but it's too late.
1. Island
1. Lush on Island, Swan Song
2. Titan tapping token.
2. Nodes
3. Swing tapping token, 14. Snare Nodes.
3. Nodes.
4. Swing tapping token, 8.
4. Nodes kills token.
5. Swing tapping whatever, 2.
5. Nodes kill titan, Feyd eventually wins.
1. Nothing
1. Doll (must play it eventually or accept draw)
2. Titan tapping Doll, must play Island now or lose to nodes - bounce - nodes with no opportunity for Song.
2. Lush on Island. Song.
3. Swing tapping token, 14.
3. Nodes. Heap untaps.
4. Swing tapping Heap, 8. Bounce Nodes.
4. Nodes. Token untaps.
5. Swing tapping token, 2.
5. Nodes finally triggers. Sac Heap targeting Song to get it out of the way of Nodes. If Feyd had a land in upkeep, e could also Snare the token and make Nodes hit Titan. But e doesn't, and it's too late!
so that looks like 2-2 to me.
X| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5| 6 3 2 6 X 0 0 | 16 | 267
It looks like the matches have been pretty thoroughly worked out, and I agree with the results.
BWTeysa, Orzhov Scion
GWRhys the Redeemed
GUKruphix, God of Horizons
GRXenagos, God of Revels
GThrun, the Last Troll
GStompy
Leaders by Average Total:
WhammeWhamme 22
Mogg 18.5
knobbodi 12.5
Feyd_Ruin 11.75
CalvinSchwa 10.75
tomsloger 10.5
Anachronity 6.5
Personman 4.5
Jantesviker 4.25
Leaders by Average League Points:
WhammeWhamme 312.25
Mogg 228.875
Feyd_Ruin 185.1875
CalvinSchwa 160.1875
knobbodi 130.625
Personman 76.125
tomsloger 70.125
Anachronity 41.625
Jantesviker 0.0625