4CH LR Bad Day
Hand Size: 4 cards.
Land Rule: Basic Land Rule.
Format Rule: Only cards that were printed in Homelands, Fallen Empires, or Prophecy may be submitted.
Additional Bans: none. Go wild. >_<
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. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits 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. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables him or her to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
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 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
I'd kinda like to do something a little closer to vanilla 5CH than we've done in a while. How about:
A li'l bit extra
5CH. Players begin the game with 22 life.
A lotta bit extra
5CH. Players begin the game with 1000 life. Felidar Sovereign, Blood Baron of Vizkopa, Divinity of Pride, Serra Ascendant, and Test of Endurance are banned.
One at a time
5CH. Your hand starts in your library in the order submitted.
Mycosynth Dance Party
5CH. Players may spend mana as though it were mana of any color.
I'm afraid knobbodi's deck isn't legal – as mentioned above, Island does not appear in any of the legal sets. Maybe I should've specifically called out that Foil doesn't work :/ It sucks, but I suspect that most players realized it wasn't allowed, so it doesn't seem fair to allow it. Did knobbodi submit anything else before that deck?
Plague wind was definitely wrong – I didn't think through the Wrangler mirror thoroughly, I lose way too fast to be able to cast Wind before dying when I'm on the draw. It should've been Arrows, which I think would've got me a few more points vs. WhammeWhamme and tomsloger.
On my play, I can try Thrull on 3 to force the Hatchling sac, then Roots Whamme's Thrull on my turn 4. Whamme then plays Wrangler first, but I'm still ahead on lands, so I think I get it? Not 100% sure, will revisit. On Whamme's play, Thrull hits me before I can Thrull or Roots, and one card isn't enough. 3-3
3) knobbodi
Foil / Island / Memory Lapse / Squirrel Wrangler
not real :/ Also, I feel pretty strongly that Memory Laps should be Coffin Puppets. In fact, I'm shocked that there are 0 copies of Coffin Puppets in the round - it was probably the card I was most tempted by that didn't make the cut.
4) Anachronity
Squirrel Wrangler / Avatar of Will / Mindstab Thrull / Ebon Stronghold
Accelerating Thrull is a neat meta read, but not as backbreaking as I first feared, since it only really works on the play. I'm glad it wasn't ELR.
On my play, Thrulls face off, I Roots Avatar, playing Wrangler first is enough. On my draw, I get stabbed right in the mind. 3-3
Yay, a Chime made it! I wanted to play it, but I figured everyone would be too afraid to run Homelands cards. Also, Homelands cards are bad :P
On the draw, I can't really interact with anything. All I can try is racing with Wrangler on 6, because I'm definitely dead by turn 11. It looks like this:
2: Hatch
2:
3: Hatch, 19
3:
4: Chime, 17
4: Thrull (Calvin no longer cares about Thrull's effect, so would probably rather keep racing than counter it)
5: Drake, 15
5: Can't attack, Roots to prevent 3 damage.
6: Chime to blow up Roots, 13
6: Attack, 18, Wrangler, Calvin would have to sac all threats to counter, so it resolves.
7: Drake untaps, 8. I make two squirrels.
7: 6 lands. Attack, 14.
8: Attack, 3. I make 6 squirrels.
8: Attack, 4
9: I lose
On the play, it looks like I get there even with roughly the above sequence, and I can definitely at least get rid of one Hatchling by making it block Thrull on my 5. 3-3.
6) Feyd_Ruin : Prophecy was too good
Ebon Stronghold / Order of the Ebon Hand / Mindstab Thrull / Ihsan's Shade
I can get hit by Thrull and maybe win with Wrangler. On the draw, I take 2 on 3 from Thrull, then 4 on 4 and 4 on 5 for a total of 11. Then I get four squirrels, which isn't quite enough to kill a 4 power first-strike Order, so I don't block. Now Feyd chooses between pumping and playing Shade
pump:
6: I go to 6
6: 4 lands, I can either have 8 squirrels, or 6 and make them 2/2s next turn. pumping is better.
7: Attack, I block with 4 2/2s. Now can either kill 3, or not pump and play shade. Either way I get to 5 squirrels next turn.
shade:
6: I go to 9
6: 4 lands, I can either have 8 squirrels, or 6 and make them 2/2s next turn. In this case I think 8 is better.
7: Attack, I block Shade with 5, and don't block Order. I go to 4.
7: 3 lands. I have 3 squirrels and can pump them next turn, which is enough to block a 5/1 first strike.
I stared at Ruins for a long time. It's cool, but I decided against it because it doesn't stop one big alpha strike from squirrels, and it's probably just worse than Roots against most other decks.
On my play, I get Thrull down. If you block with Thallid and play Ruins, I can sneak Wrangler down while you're tapped out and eventually win. If you don't, you're left with just Wrangler or Thallid, and my faster Wrangler wins.
On my draw, I just lose to an earlier Wrangler. 3-3.
I'm afraid knobbodi's deck isn't legal – as mentioned above, Island does not appear in any of the legal sets. Maybe I should've specifically called out that Foil doesn't work :/ It sucks, but I suspect that most players realized it wasn't allowed, so it doesn't seem fair to allow it. Did knobbodi submit anything else before that deck?
I suggest we replace Island with Svyelunite Temple.
Although the foil trick doesn't work, it's the closest to an island that's legal, and it allows him to Memory Lapse turn 2, into foil it Turn 3, so the deck isn't completely torn apart.
Thoughts?
So even though I posted this round, I thought The Dark was legal, rather than prophecy. Yeah, that kind of week. I luckily realized this after I submitted, before I started building the round. BUT, it also means that the protection from white that I thought was absolutely crucial wasn't useful at all. Witch Hunter and Preacher weren't legal, so.. yeah.... Wasted space..
1: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
2: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
3: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
4: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
5: I'll play it out later. I'm 90% sure I win.
6: xxx
7: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
Stupid wrangler.
I almost played Noxious Field. Hindsight is 20/20
2) Personman Mindstab Thrull / Roots / Squirrel Wrangler / Plague Wind
personman listed as 3-3 disagree
i win on the play, as stated
otd, i dont play thallid. if you want to sacrifice thrull, i discard everything but rethink and stop your wincon
4-1
3) knobbodi Foil / Island / Memory Lapse / Squirrel Wrangler
(if its legal. kind of think an island should always be available but it technically isnt in the sets)
t1 thallid
gets some damage in, makes some tokens. he cant foil it or i can counter his squirrel wrangler and win eventually
i think it makes me win the race if he goes for the early wrangler and foils my rethink
or just wins outright if he waits til he can hardcast foil/lapse backup
6-0?
vs. 02 Personman: OTP Spiketail/Mindstab wins. OTD Pretty sure Arrows/Wrangler beats Wrangler. 6-0
vs. 03 knobbodi: Still pretty sure Arrows/Wrangler beats Wrangler. 6-0
vs. 04 Anachronity: I think we end up in a Squirrel stalemate OTD? 4-1
vs. 05 CalvinSchwa: Pretty sure I get to Arrows or Wrangling. 6-0
vs. 06 Feyd_Ruin: OTD Hatchling can chump, then Arrows and Squirrels FTW. 6-0
vs. 07 tomsloger: I think I get Arrows/Wrangler, which beats Wrangler. 6-0
Please feel free to correct mistakes, I don't think that can be right but Wrangler math is a headache.
--Because of memory lapse to stall thrull and being able to sac temple for UU to wrangle early, this just comes down to a wrangler-off where we end up with the same number of squirrels 2-2
4) Anachronity
Squirrel Wrangler / Avatar of Will / Mindstab Thrull / Ebon Stronghold
--OTD I get mindstabbed. OTP I can lapse thrull, sac temple for an early wrangler, and make tokens to stop thrull once you get it down, ending up in a wrangler-off 1-4
--OTP, I can Memory Lapse a Hatchling to delay it, then use temple to get to 6 and cast Wrangler before Drake and through Hatchlings, and race from there. OTD, I lapse Drake and then sac temple to Foil through the Hatchlings, and then Wrangler races 6-0
6) Feyd_Ruin : Prophecy was too good
Ebon Stronghold / Order of the Ebon Hand / Mindstab Thrull / Ihsan's Shade
1) Even if I'm OTP, you can chump my Thrull with Spiketail and then trade with your own Thrull. At that point I can't play my own Wrangler due to Arrows and Avatar won't come out anywhere near fast enough to outrace your Wrangler. ~ 0-6
2) OTP I get through with Mindstab, and Avatar tilts the resulting squirrelmate in my favor; OTD Roots can't target Avatar, but it can let your Thrull get past mine so I need to play Wrangler T3 and let your Thrull nuke my hand. Then we get into a squirrelmate but you're up 2 squirrels since you didn't need to sac a land to cast your Wrangler, and from there you can repeatedly force damage through ~ 3-3
5) OTD I can cast Thrull on my turn 3 if I sac Stronghold, forcing you to sac both Hatchlings or let it hit play. From there you need to chump it with a Hatchling on my T4 to keep your Drake, then keep Drake untapped to block it indefinitely or else your hand is emptied and I can cast Avatar, forcing you to sac the Drake to counter it. One Hatchling (or a lone Drake, if you sac'd the Hatchlings to counter Thrull) doesn't kill me fast enough, and I eventually either force through Avatar or win with Wrangler, depending on if you let Thrull through. OTP favors me even more. ~ 6-0
6) Wrangler seems to be the best creature threat in the format. ~ 6-0
4CH LR Bad Day
Hand Size: 4 cards.
Land Rule: Basic Land Rule.
Format Rule: Only cards that were printed in Homelands, Fallen Empires, or Prophecy may be submitted.
Additional Bans: none. Go wild. >_<
Entries
1) WhammeWhamme
Spiketail Hatchling / Mindstab Thrull / Serrated Arrows / Squirrel Wrangler
2) Personman
Mindstab Thrull / Roots / Squirrel Wrangler / Plague Wind
3) knobbodi
Foil / Svyelunite Temple / Memory Lapse / Squirrel Wrangler
4) Anachronity
Squirrel Wrangler / Avatar of Will / Mindstab Thrull / Ebon Stronghold
5) CalvinSchwa
Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Drake / Apocalypse Chime
6) Feyd_Ruin : Prophecy was too good
Ebon Stronghold / Order of the Ebon Hand / Mindstab Thrull / Ihsan's Shade
7) Tomsloger
thallid / an-zerrin ruins / rethink / squirrel wrangler
Results:
X| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
1| X 6 6 6 6 6 6 | 36 | 600
2| 0 X 2 3 3 6 3 | 14 | 233
3| 0 2 X 1 6 6 0 | 15 | 250
4| 0 3 4 X 6 6 6 | 24 | 400
5| 0 3 0 0 X 0 0 | 02 | 033
6| 0 0 0 0 6 X 0 | 06 | 100
7| 0 3 6 0 6 0 X | 14 | 233
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. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits 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. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables him or her to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
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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I'd kinda like to do something a little closer to vanilla 5CH than we've done in a while. How about:
A li'l bit extra
5CH. Players begin the game with 22 life.
A lotta bit extra
5CH. Players begin the game with 1000 life. Felidar Sovereign, Blood Baron of Vizkopa, Divinity of Pride, Serra Ascendant, and Test of Endurance are banned.
One at a time
5CH. Your hand starts in your library in the order submitted.
Mycosynth Dance Party
5CH. Players may spend mana as though it were mana of any color.
Also, if Tom/Mogg don't get to post the round tonight, it'll be tomorrow afternoon when I can
No longer staff here.
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2) Personman
Mindstab Thrull / Roots / Squirrel Wrangler / Plague Wind
Plague wind was definitely wrong – I didn't think through the Wrangler mirror thoroughly, I lose way too fast to be able to cast Wind before dying when I'm on the draw. It should've been Arrows, which I think would've got me a few more points vs. WhammeWhamme and tomsloger.
vs
1) WhammeWhamme
Spiketail Hatchling / Mindstab Thrull / Serrated Arrows / Squirrel Wrangler
On my play, I can try Thrull on 3 to force the Hatchling sac, then Roots Whamme's Thrull on my turn 4. Whamme then plays Wrangler first, but I'm still ahead on lands, so I think I get it? Not 100% sure, will revisit. On Whamme's play, Thrull hits me before I can Thrull or Roots, and one card isn't enough. 3-3
3) knobbodi
Foil / Island / Memory Lapse / Squirrel Wrangler
not real :/ Also, I feel pretty strongly that Memory Laps should be Coffin Puppets. In fact, I'm shocked that there are 0 copies of Coffin Puppets in the round - it was probably the card I was most tempted by that didn't make the cut.
4) Anachronity
Squirrel Wrangler / Avatar of Will / Mindstab Thrull / Ebon Stronghold
Accelerating Thrull is a neat meta read, but not as backbreaking as I first feared, since it only really works on the play. I'm glad it wasn't ELR.
On my play, Thrulls face off, I Roots Avatar, playing Wrangler first is enough. On my draw, I get stabbed right in the mind. 3-3
5) CalvinSchwa
Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Drake / Apocalypse Chime
Yay, a Chime made it! I wanted to play it, but I figured everyone would be too afraid to run Homelands cards. Also, Homelands cards are bad :P
On the draw, I can't really interact with anything. All I can try is racing with Wrangler on 6, because I'm definitely dead by turn 11. It looks like this:
2: Hatch
2:
3: Hatch, 19
3:
4: Chime, 17
4: Thrull (Calvin no longer cares about Thrull's effect, so would probably rather keep racing than counter it)
5: Drake, 15
5: Can't attack, Roots to prevent 3 damage.
6: Chime to blow up Roots, 13
6: Attack, 18, Wrangler, Calvin would have to sac all threats to counter, so it resolves.
7: Drake untaps, 8. I make two squirrels.
7: 6 lands. Attack, 14.
8: Attack, 3. I make 6 squirrels.
8: Attack, 4
9: I lose
On the play, it looks like I get there even with roughly the above sequence, and I can definitely at least get rid of one Hatchling by making it block Thrull on my 5. 3-3.
6) Feyd_Ruin : Prophecy was too good
Ebon Stronghold / Order of the Ebon Hand / Mindstab Thrull / Ihsan's Shade
I can get hit by Thrull and maybe win with Wrangler. On the draw, I take 2 on 3 from Thrull, then 4 on 4 and 4 on 5 for a total of 11. Then I get four squirrels, which isn't quite enough to kill a 4 power first-strike Order, so I don't block. Now Feyd chooses between pumping and playing Shade
pump:
6: I go to 6
6: 4 lands, I can either have 8 squirrels, or 6 and make them 2/2s next turn. pumping is better.
7: Attack, I block with 4 2/2s. Now can either kill 3, or not pump and play shade. Either way I get to 5 squirrels next turn.
shade:
6: I go to 9
6: 4 lands, I can either have 8 squirrels, or 6 and make them 2/2s next turn. In this case I think 8 is better.
7: Attack, I block Shade with 5, and don't block Order. I go to 4.
7: 3 lands. I have 3 squirrels and can pump them next turn, which is enough to block a 5/1 first strike.
6-0
7) Tomsloger
thallid / an-zerrin ruins / rethink / squirrel wrangler
I stared at Ruins for a long time. It's cool, but I decided against it because it doesn't stop one big alpha strike from squirrels, and it's probably just worse than Roots against most other decks.
On my play, I get Thrull down. If you block with Thallid and play Ruins, I can sneak Wrangler down while you're tapped out and eventually win. If you don't, you're left with just Wrangler or Thallid, and my faster Wrangler wins.
On my draw, I just lose to an earlier Wrangler. 3-3.
I suggest we replace Island with Svyelunite Temple.
Although the foil trick doesn't work, it's the closest to an island that's legal, and it allows him to Memory Lapse turn 2, into foil it Turn 3, so the deck isn't completely torn apart.
Thoughts?
So even though I posted this round, I thought The Dark was legal, rather than prophecy. Yeah, that kind of week. I luckily realized this after I submitted, before I started building the round. BUT, it also means that the protection from white that I thought was absolutely crucial wasn't useful at all. Witch Hunter and Preacher weren't legal, so.. yeah.... Wasted space..
1: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
2: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
3: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
4: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
5: I'll play it out later. I'm 90% sure I win.
6: xxx
7: 0-6 : I lose to Wrangler
Stupid wrangler.
I almost played Noxious Field. Hindsight is 20/20
No longer staff here.
7) Tomsloger
thallid / an-zerrin ruins / rethink / squirrel wrangler
Spiketail Hatchling / Mindstab Thrall / Serrated Arrows / Squirrel Wrangler
looks like an 0-6
2) Personman
Mindstab Thrull / Roots / Squirrel Wrangler / Plague Wind
personman listed as 3-3
disagree
i win on the play, as stated
otd, i dont play thallid. if you want to sacrifice thrull, i discard everything but rethink and stop your wincon
4-1
3) knobbodi
Foil / Island / Memory Lapse / Squirrel Wrangler
(if its legal. kind of think an island should always be available but it technically isnt in the sets)
t1 thallid
gets some damage in, makes some tokens. he cant foil it or i can counter his squirrel wrangler and win eventually
i think it makes me win the race if he goes for the early wrangler and foils my rethink
or just wins outright if he waits til he can hardcast foil/lapse backup
6-0?
4) Anachronity
Squirrel Wrangler / Avatar of Will / Mindstab Thrull / Ebon Stronghold
0-6 mindstabbed+multiple wincons
5) CalvinSchwa
Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Drake / Apocalypse Chime
?
need to turn by turn this
6) Feyd_Ruin : Prophecy was too good
Ebon Stronghold / Order of the Ebon Hand / Mindstab Thrull / Ihsan's Shade
0-6 see #4
Unless I'm seriously missing something, Rethink doesn't stop Wrangler, I just wait til turn 8 so I can pay.
vs. 03 knobbodi: Still pretty sure Arrows/Wrangler beats Wrangler. 6-0
vs. 04 Anachronity: I think we end up in a Squirrel stalemate OTD? 4-1
vs. 05 CalvinSchwa: Pretty sure I get to Arrows or Wrangling. 6-0
vs. 06 Feyd_Ruin: OTD Hatchling can chump, then Arrows and Squirrels FTW. 6-0
vs. 07 tomsloger: I think I get Arrows/Wrangler, which beats Wrangler. 6-0
Please feel free to correct mistakes, I don't think that can be right but Wrangler math is a headache.
Foil / Island (Svyelunite Temple, since Feyd suggested it, assuming that's fine with everyone) / Memory Lapse / Squirrel Wrangler
VS:
1) WhammeWhamme
Spiketail Hatchling / Mindstab Thrull / Serrated Arrows / Squirrel Wrangler
--Serrated Arrows plus your own wrangler does the job 0-6
2) Personman
Mindstab Thrull / Roots / Squirrel Wrangler / Plague Wind
--Because of memory lapse to stall thrull and being able to sac temple for UU to wrangle early, this just comes down to a wrangler-off where we end up with the same number of squirrels 2-2
4) Anachronity
Squirrel Wrangler / Avatar of Will / Mindstab Thrull / Ebon Stronghold
--OTD I get mindstabbed. OTP I can lapse thrull, sac temple for an early wrangler, and make tokens to stop thrull once you get it down, ending up in a wrangler-off 1-4
5) CalvinSchwa
Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Hatchling / Spiketail Drake / Apocalypse Chime
--OTP, I can Memory Lapse a Hatchling to delay it, then use temple to get to 6 and cast Wrangler before Drake and through Hatchlings, and race from there. OTD, I lapse Drake and then sac temple to Foil through the Hatchlings, and then Wrangler races 6-0
6) Feyd_Ruin : Prophecy was too good
Ebon Stronghold / Order of the Ebon Hand / Mindstab Thrull / Ihsan's Shade
--Wrangler wrangles order, thrull, and shade 6-0
7) Tomsloger
thallid / an-zerrin ruins / rethink / squirrel wrangler
--Thallid breaks the stalemate of squirrel tokens 0-6
3 | 0 2 X 1 6 6 0 | 15 | 250
2) OTP I get through with Mindstab, and Avatar tilts the resulting squirrelmate in my favor; OTD Roots can't target Avatar, but it can let your Thrull get past mine so I need to play Wrangler T3 and let your Thrull nuke my hand. Then we get into a squirrelmate but you're up 2 squirrels since you didn't need to sac a land to cast your Wrangler, and from there you can repeatedly force damage through ~ 3-3
5) OTD I can cast Thrull on my turn 3 if I sac Stronghold, forcing you to sac both Hatchlings or let it hit play. From there you need to chump it with a Hatchling on my T4 to keep your Drake, then keep Drake untapped to block it indefinitely or else your hand is emptied and I can cast Avatar, forcing you to sac the Drake to counter it. One Hatchling (or a lone Drake, if you sac'd the Hatchlings to counter Thrull) doesn't kill me fast enough, and I eventually either force through Avatar or win with Wrangler, depending on if you let Thrull through. OTP favors me even more. ~ 6-0
6) Wrangler seems to be the best creature threat in the format. ~ 6-0
(squirrel math is hard, I'll get the rest later)
- Rabid Wombat