Commentary
Last week we went green. this week, we mostly went big. not having to (or for that matter being able to) cast spells is pretty sweet.
Next week's format will be 5 Card Vanilla.
Players cant cast spells.
At the beginning of each players end step, that player reveals a card from their hand. If that card is a permanent card, put it on to the battlefield.
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.
I'm debating on whether I should play some big fat fatties, or create some impossible board states for fun.
Something where everyone gets so frustrated trying to calculate it, they just give me the points.
Format Suggestion:
5CB Backbuild - Inevitability
Five cards. No land rule. Backbuild.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player has started at least 100 turns, that player loses 1 life.
Your deck must be able to 6-0 a deck that starts at 21 life, and has 0-5 cards in his or her hand that have no text.
I wanted a backbuild round, but I wanted to narrow the field. This stops the race of "I take a long time" builds, is designed so that many of our current go-to decks are extremely vulnerable, etc.
5CB Backbuild - Inevitability
Five cards. No land rule. Backbuild.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player has started at least 100 turns, that player loses 1 life.
I wanted a backbuild round, but I wanted to narrow the field. This stops the race of "I take a long time" builds, is designed so that many of our current go-to decks are extremely vulnerable, etc.
I like this idea. Historically, though, have the ultra-slow hands been competitive in 5CH Backbuild?
I have to agree might about containment priest I was even building around it but it's does comedown to win in the play unless they have prepared for exactly that
5CB Backbuild - Inevitability
Five cards. No land rule. Backbuild.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player has started at least 100 turns, that player loses 1 life.
I wanted a backbuild round, but I wanted to narrow the field. This stops the race of "I take a long time" builds, is designed so that many of our current go-to decks are extremely vulnerable, etc.
I also like this idea, but would recommend that the base hand to beat doesn't lose life. Otherwise self destruction decks won't even have to work at it, just throw a 2 damage spell or a 2 life gain spell and fill the rest of the hand with Darksteel Relics or what have you.
5CB Backbuild - Inevitability
* Five cards. No land rule. Backbuild.
* Your deck must be able to 6-0 a deck that starts at 21 life, and has 0-5 cards in his or her hand that have no text.
* At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player has started at least 100 turns, that player loses 1 life.
5CB Backbuild - Inevitability
* Five cards. No land rule. Backbuild.
* Your deck must be able to 6-0 a deck that starts at 21 life, and has 0-5 cards in his or her hand that have no text.
* At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player has started at least 100 turns, that player loses 1 life.
Is 21 life enough of a thing?
What's backbuild? I don't really understand this suggestion.
What's backbuild? I don't really understand this suggestion.
Backbuild basically means that for each match, you and your opponent switch decks. So you're trying to make the worst deck possible that can still win.
Another way to look at it: If your deck loses (while still being played at it's highest potential), you get points.
@Feyd: You still have a situation where you don't need an actual win-con to beat the base hand.
I'm curious with the relatively recent "You don't need to win against a blank deck" how we can have non-test-hand backbuilds.
5x Evermind seems solid in most situations.
vs. 01 Artscrafter: Humility is a problem. 0-6
vs. 02 Convoy_Avenger: My angels beat his angel. 6-0
vs. 03 Feyd_Ruin: Still a problem. 0-6
vs. 04 HerziQuerzi: I just take out all his permanents. 6-0
vs. 05 Madmanquail: I can actually swing FTW while Angels keep Emrakul down. 6-0
vs. 06 nerdyjoe: Angel/Tyrant cycle to kill all the things. 6-0
vs. 07 tidalslimshady: I concede, too complex and proj too strong. 0-6
vs. 08 tomsloger: OTP, Tyrant leyline. 3-3
I kind of forget Sigarda was a card.. oops. Oh well!
2Convoy_Avenger : council of martyrs
Pariah / Avacyn, Angel of Hope / Detention Sphere / Tajuru Preserver
The Entries
1Artscrafter : Humble Dragon
Humility / Form of the Dragon / Exclusion Ritual / Volition Reins
0-6, Humility shuts me down
3Feyd_Ruin : trollface
Humility / Opalescence / Enchanted Evening / Sekki, Seasons' Guide
0-6, shuts off my Sphere
4HerziQuerzi : closet of tricks
Conjurer's Closet / Magister of Worth / Deadbridge Chant / Butcher of Malakir
6-0, Butcher does nothing against me, I get tosphere your best target
5Madmanquail : bombs
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Urabrask the Hidden / Exclusion Ritual / Exclusion Ritual
0-6 Rituals get me
6nerdyjoe : 1s and 2s
Seal of Primordium / Ghostly Prison / Archangel of Tithes / Palace Siege
0-6 Slow death by Palace Siege
7tidalslimshady : 187
Progenitus / Magister of worth / ashen rider / pyxis of pandemondiom
0-6 Yup
8tomsloger : kaalia
karakas / leyline of singularity / sigarda, host of herons / form of the dragon
0-6
9WhammeWhamme : oops all creatures
Tyrant of Discord / Angel of Serenity / Angel of Serenity / Arbiter of Knollridge
0-6 If only I used Sigarda instead.
7|0 6 2 6 6 6 X 6 6|38
Progenitus, ashen rider, magister of worth, Pyxis of pandemonium
(For people wondering pyxis was to fight the non existent progenitu :/ )
V1 0-6? Not to sure on this one but I believe I just lose to humility!?
V2 6-0 progenitous beats face till you setup combo in which I ashen rider
V3 2-2 you figured it out
V4 6-0 I believe that my removal and threats out classes what you can do
V5 6-0 kill what you play and you can't kill progenitus
V6 6-0 I play progenitus forcing you to play you prison effect which just gets exiled I do believe
V7 woot
V8 6-0 unbeatable progenitus
V9 6-0 I do believe that Progenitus will just kill you
Wow there was 0 other progenitus decks, that was surprising and it made my deck slightly worse having to play Pyxis over leyline of void
Edit: Updated for V3
2 Convoy_Avenger : council of martyrs Pariah / Avacyn, Angel of Hope / Detention Sphere / Tajuru Preserver
6-0
I play out Humility and Form of the Dragon. You can Detention Sphere one or the other, but then I Ritual your Sphere and win.
3 Feyd_Ruin : trollface Humility / Opalescence / Enchanted Evening / Sekki, Seasons' Guide
6-0
My own Humility says "no really, everything's 1/1" even if you play your Humility before Opalescence. Volition Reins is unaffected by the combo so I hijack your Sekki and win. You can't protect it by playing it last when on the draw because I can use Reins to skip my first turn.
5Madmanquail : bombs Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Urabrask the Hidden / Exclusion Ritual / Exclusion Ritual
6-0
I only win this one because the round mechanic forces people to put cards onto the battlefield if possible. Otherwise, your double Ritual would get me.
I wait out my first turn on the play by revealing Reins. As a result, I always get the last play. I play Form of the Dragon once you've used both of your Rituals, use Humility and Reins to stall Urabrask, and Ritual your Emrakul.
6nerdyjoe : 1s and 2s Seal of Primordium / Ghostly Prison / Archangel of Tithes / Palace Siege
6-0
If you play out Palace Siege in drain mode, I wind up with Reins stealing Siege, Humility, and Form of the Dragon. Any two of those win, so Seal can't help you.
If you play Palace Siege in Disentomb mode (just so I can't get value out of stealing it) then I Ritual your Prison and Reins the Archangel. You pop either Reins or Form with Seal but the other gets you.
8tomsloger : kaalia karakas / leyline of singularity / sigarda, host of herons / form of the dragon
6-0
I'm not sure why you think neither of us can get Form of the Dragon down first. We're dropping things during the end step, so it doesn't affect our own life total until the next turn. I just steal yours and lock down Sigarda with Humility.
Did... that really just happen?
Note: A few of the matchups play out the way I have them under the assumption that putting a permanent card onto the battlefield is mandatory if it's possible, as the current wording for the round's rule does not include a "may". Volition Reins lets me pass on dropping anything on my first turn if it's to my advantage to do so, since you can't put an Aura onto the battlefield if there is nothing for it to enchant. This is most relevant in 1v3 and 1v5.
Edit: A brief guide to hand 3.
Opalescence and Humility collectively apply three types of effects.
- Opalescence turns permanents into creatures. This applies in layer 4 (type-changing effects). If Enchanted Evening is in play, it changes what objects Opalescence can apply to; thus, Opalescence has a dependency on Enchanted Evening and you always apply Enchanted Evening first, even if it entered the battlefield second.
- Humility removes all abilities from creatures. This applies in layer 6.
- Both Opalescence and Humility attempt to set the power and toughness of creatures to a certain value (1/1 or equal to CMC.) These applies in layer 7b. Since there is no dependency, the one that entered the battlefield last gets the final word. Humility is still able to apply the effect that sets things to 1/1 even though the ability was removed because another part of the effect already started to apply in layer 6.
Short version: If Humility enters the field after Opalescence, everything except Opalescence itself is a 1/1 with no abilities. If Opalescence entered second, everything else has P/T equal to its CMC and has no abilities.
Of note: Sekki will enter with eight +1/+1 counts even when humility is out. His ability modifies how he enters the battlefield, and exists before he's actually there - and before humility can stop it. The goal is that everything on the field is a 1/1 with no abilities, and I have a 9/9 that your weenies can't stop. I've always wanted some way to play Opal+Humility as a legitimate call, and though I knew it wouldn't do great - it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up this round.
This is the current interaction between Humility and Opalescence: The type-changing effect applies at layer 4, but the rest happens in the applicable layers. The rest of it will apply even if the permanent loses its ability before it's finished applying. So if Opalescence, Humility, and Worship are on the battlefield and Opalescence entered the battlefield before Humility, the following is true: Layer 4: Humility and Worship each become creatures that are still enchantments. (Opalescence). Layer 6: Humility and Worship each lose their abilities. (Humility) Layer 7b: Humility becomes 4/4 and Worship becomes 4/4. (Opalescence). Humility becomes 1/1 and Worship becomes 1/1 (Humility). But if Humility entered the battlefield before Opalescence, the following is true: Layer 4: Humility and Worship each become creatures that are still enchantments (Opalescence). Layer 6: Humility and Worship each lose their abilities (Humility). Layer 7b: Humility becomes 1/1 and Worship becomes 1/1 (Humility). Humility becomes 4/4 and Worship becomes 4/4 (Opalescence).
1v3
Reins being an aura is a problem. You can always steal Sekki.
0-6, in your favor
2v3:
Opalescence -> Humility : Humility always hits to stop his wincons (9/9 blocks), but I can't stop him from using Pariah on my Sekki/Humility. I can't swing with my little guys to chip away either - if Humility dies, its over. Block a tie
2-2
3v4
Humility stops his critters abilities. Sekki comes down, and the 9/9 takes the field.
6-0, in my favor
3v5
I can't stop two rituals. Opal->Humility doesn't work, since you can Ritual both away.
0-6, in your favor
3v6
Seal hits Opal before Humility blanks it. This means Prison/Siege works, and I slowly die.
0-6, in your favor
3v7
Unlike "dies" abilities, Prog's shuffle triggers from the graveyard, which humility can't stop. Even when muted, prog can keep a 9/9 at bay.
2-2
3v8
There's quite a few ways it can play it, the order, etc. I think can adapt each time, but it needs more thought for me to call it.
?-?
3v9
Opalescence -> Humility -> Sekki
Humility stops him. He can Discord the Opal, but all his creatures will still be vanilla 1/1s. 9/9 Sekki beats.
6-0, in my favor
@Feyd_Ruin Auras dont work on you because of opalescence they become unable to be attached because they are creatures
Edit: Oh wait the decks where it matters have removal :/
vs 1: Order matters! When you're on the play, any time you put in form, i put in seal. So we really only have 3 things. you put in humility, then I put in prison. You then have to put something in. Whatever you put in, it does basically nothing. I then put in archangel. You can line yourself up to steal it, but then i get down palace siege to drain, races faster than angel, so I win. When you're on the draw, i put in prison, you put in humility, i put in angel, you put in exclusion ritual exiling prison, i put in siege on return creature, you put in reins taking angel, i put in seal, you put in form i destroy form, you beat with angel for 20 turns. When you're on the play, you show reigns, pass, and it's as though i was on the play.
vs 2: seal destroys sphere, siege does its work, prisons keep me safe.
vs 3: Layers, trollface. Seal destroys whichever of humility and opalescence comes down first, letting prism hold back the attackers, and siege to do its work.
vs 4: Prison, siege. The rest is icing and sillyness.
vs 5: Two exclusions for my two "blockers" gets there. I can't even stall out long enough to put in one of my blockers after both rituals get in.
vs 7: I need to dodge both ends of ashen rider and surivive. tall order. When you're on the play, you put in projenitus. I put in seal. You swing for 10, put in pixis. I put in angel, you put in either rider or magister, you choose rider (exiling angel). I put in siege, you swing for 15 gg. When i'm on the play, you can respond as i put things in to be able to swing with magister forever at the end.
vs 8: Seal eats dragon, prision protects me, siege drains ftw.
vs 9: one-sided final judgement every few turns gets there. Seems to be the best deck of the week.
vs 1: Order matters! When you're on the play, any time you put in form, i put in seal. So we really only have 3 things. you put in humility, then I put in prison. You then have to put something in. Whatever you put in, it does basically nothing. I then put in archangel. You can line yourself up to steal it, but then i get down palace siege to drain, races faster than angel, so I win. When you're on the draw, i put in prison, you put in humility, i put in angel, you put in exclusion ritual exiling prison, i put in siege on return creature, you put in reins taking angel, i put in seal, you put in form i destory form, you beat with angel for 20 turns.
Keep in mind, I can reveal Volition Reins on my first turn. Since there are no permanents at that point, it can't enter the battlefield and thus it remains in my hand. So if going first ends badly for me, I'm able to force going second.
Rules quote for reference:
303.4g If an Aura is entering the battlefield and there is no legal object or player for it to enchant, the Aura remains in its current zone, unless that zone is the stack. In that case, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard instead of entering the battlefield.
You can put volition reins into play with nothing for it to enchant, it goes to the yard as a state based action. You just can't cast it without a target (what you're thinking of).
I learned this from playing against zur. They put things into play, then if it's an aura, you can attach it to anything it could enchant (usually only effected by the types it enchants and protection). If there's nothing for it to enchant (e.g. daybreak coranet with no already enchanted things) it just goes to the yard as you had nothing to put it on.
Other people are welcome to weigh in, but I'm very sure of this.
Alright, I was wrong. Awkward ruling, but it's legit.
Commentary
Last week we went green. this week, we mostly went big. not having to (or for that matter being able to) cast spells is pretty sweet.
Next week's format will be 5 Card Vanilla.
At the beginning of each players end step, that player reveals a card from their hand. If that card is a permanent card, put it on to the battlefield.
The Entries
1Artscrafter : Humble Dragon
Humility / Form of the Dragon / Exclusion Ritual / Volition Reins
volition reins seems great.
2Convoy_Avenger : council of martyrs
Pariah / Avacyn, Angel of Hope / Detention Sphere / Tajuru Preserver
doesnt look like preserver will do much
3Feyd_Ruin : trollface
Humility / Opalescence / Enchanted Evening / Sekki, Seasons' Guide
this actually seems really good.
4HerziQuerzi : closet of tricks
Conjurer's Closet / Magister of Worth / Deadbridge Chant / Butcher of Malakir
chant is an interesting recursion engine. im curious how it will work.
5Madmanquail : bombs
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Urabrask the Hidden / Exclusion Ritual / Exclusion Ritual
ritual should be pretty strong
6nerdyjoe : 1s and 2s
Seal of Primordium / Ghostly Prison / Archangel of Tithes / Palace Siege
its almost like death and taxes. should be interesting.
7tidalslimshady : 187
Progenitus / Magister of worth / ashen rider / pyxis of pandemonium
not fully sure what pyxis is for, but those 3 creatures are pretty beastly.
8tomsloger : kaalia
karakas / leyline of singularity / sigarda, host of herons / form of the dragon
seemed like a good week for ol' krakularity
9WhammeWhamme : oops all creatures
Tyrant of Discord / Angel of Serenity / Angel of Serenity / Arbiter of Knollridge
the most threat dense deck of the week.
The Grid
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
1 | X 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 | 48 | 600
2 | 0 X 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 | 08 | 100
3 | 0 2 X 6 0 0 2 1 6 | 17 | 213
4 | 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 0 | 00 | 000
5 | 0 6 6 6 X 6 0 0 0 | 24 | 300
6 | 0 6 6 6 0 X 0 6 0 | 24 | 300
7 | 0 6 2 6 6 6 X 6 6 | 38 | 475
8 | 0 6 4 6 6 0 0 X 6 | 28 | 350
9 | 0 6 0 6 6 6 0 0 X | 24 | 300
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
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I'm debating on whether I should play some big fat fatties, or create some impossible board states for fun.
Something where everyone gets so frustrated trying to calculate it, they just give me the points.
Format Suggestion:
Five cards. No land rule. Backbuild.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player has started at least 100 turns, that player loses 1 life.
Your deck must be able to 6-0 a deck that starts at 21 life, and has 0-5 cards in his or her hand that have no text.
I wanted a backbuild round, but I wanted to narrow the field. This stops the race of "I take a long time" builds, is designed so that many of our current go-to decks are extremely vulnerable, etc.
No longer staff here.
Is Containment Priest ban-worthy?
I like this idea. Historically, though, have the ultra-slow hands been competitive in 5CH Backbuild?
BWTeysa, Orzhov Scion
GWRhys the Redeemed
GUKruphix, God of Horizons
GRXenagos, God of Revels
GThrun, the Last Troll
GStompy
I also like this idea, but would recommend that the base hand to beat doesn't lose life. Otherwise self destruction decks won't even have to work at it, just throw a 2 damage spell or a 2 life gain spell and fill the rest of the hand with Darksteel Relics or what have you.
5CB Backbuild - Inevitability
* Five cards. No land rule. Backbuild.
* Your deck must be able to 6-0 a deck that starts at 21 life, and has 0-5 cards in his or her hand that have no text.
* At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player has started at least 100 turns, that player loses 1 life.
Is 21 life enough of a thing?
No longer staff here.
3 Card Pauper No Land Rule
Only cards printed (or published on MTGO) as a common and basic lands are allowed.
Example deck:
Sandstone Needle / Curse of the Pierced Heart / Bloodcrazed Neonate
What's backbuild? I don't really understand this suggestion.
Backbuild basically means that for each match, you and your opponent switch decks. So you're trying to make the worst deck possible that can still win.
Another way to look at it: If your deck loses (while still being played at it's highest potential), you get points.
@Feyd: You still have a situation where you don't need an actual win-con to beat the base hand.
5x Evermind seems solid in most situations.
"Your deck must be able to 6-0 a deck that starts at 21 life, and deals 1 damage to you a turn" ? Put a finite clock on it.
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vs. 02 Convoy_Avenger: My angels beat his angel. 6-0
vs. 03 Feyd_Ruin: Still a problem. 0-6
vs. 04 HerziQuerzi: I just take out all his permanents. 6-0
vs. 05 Madmanquail: I can actually swing FTW while Angels keep Emrakul down. 6-0
vs. 06 nerdyjoe: Angel/Tyrant cycle to kill all the things. 6-0
vs. 07 tidalslimshady: I concede, too complex and proj too strong. 0-6
vs. 08 tomsloger: OTP, Tyrant leyline. 3-3
2Convoy_Avenger : council of martyrs
Pariah / Avacyn, Angel of Hope / Detention Sphere / Tajuru Preserver
1Artscrafter : Humble Dragon
Humility / Form of the Dragon / Exclusion Ritual / Volition Reins
0-6, Humility shuts me down
3Feyd_Ruin : trollface
Humility / Opalescence / Enchanted Evening / Sekki, Seasons' Guide
0-6, shuts off my Sphere
4HerziQuerzi : closet of tricks
Conjurer's Closet / Magister of Worth / Deadbridge Chant / Butcher of Malakir
6-0, Butcher does nothing against me, I get tosphere your best target
5Madmanquail : bombs
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Urabrask the Hidden / Exclusion Ritual / Exclusion Ritual
0-6 Rituals get me
6nerdyjoe : 1s and 2s
Seal of Primordium / Ghostly Prison / Archangel of Tithes / Palace Siege
0-6 Slow death by Palace Siege
7tidalslimshady : 187
Progenitus / Magister of worth / ashen rider / pyxis of pandemondiom
0-6 Yup
8tomsloger : kaalia
karakas / leyline of singularity / sigarda, host of herons / form of the dragon
0-6
9WhammeWhamme : oops all creatures
Tyrant of Discord / Angel of Serenity / Angel of Serenity / Arbiter of Knollridge
0-6 If only I used Sigarda instead.
2 | 0 X 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 | 6
Did real good.
8tomsloger : kaalia
karakas / leyline of singularity / sigarda, host of herons / form of the dragon
Humility / Form of the Dragon / Exclusion Ritual / Volition Reins
2-2 i think. no one can drop form first.
2Convoy_Avenger : council of martyrs
Pariah / Avacyn, Angel of Hope / Detention Sphere / Tajuru Preserver
6-0 karakas does some work.
3Feyd_Ruin : trollface
Humility / Opalescence / Enchanted Evening / Sekki, Seasons' Guide
0-6 probably
4HerziQuerzi : closet of tricks
Conjurer's Closet / Magister of Worth / Deadbridge Chant / Butcher of Malakir
6-0 karakas stops you attacking. form kills you
5Madmanquail : bombs
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Urabrask the Hidden / Exclusion Ritual / Exclusion Ritual
6-0 exclusion ritual cant hit sigarda or karakas
6nerdyjoe : 1s and 2s
Seal of Primordium / Ghostly Prison / Archangel of Tithes / Palace Siege
0-6 cant stop palace siege.
7tidalslimshady : 187
Progenitus / Magister of worth / ashen rider / pyxis of pandemondiom
0-6 probably
9WhammeWhamme : oops all creatures
Tyrant of Discord / Angel of Serenity / Angel of Serenity / Arbiter of Knollridge
listed 3-3. should be 6-0
i dont have to start with the leyline in play. i can just get it for free at my second eot once sigarda is there to protect it.
i feel like i dont have a really good handle on how all of these decks play out. ill come back and think some more on some of these.
Progenitus, ashen rider, magister of worth, Pyxis of pandemonium
(For people wondering pyxis was to fight the non existent progenitu :/ )
V1 0-6? Not to sure on this one but I believe I just lose to humility!?
V2 6-0 progenitous beats face till you setup combo in which I ashen rider
V3 2-2 you figured it out
V4 6-0 I believe that my removal and threats out classes what you can do
V5 6-0 kill what you play and you can't kill progenitus
V6 6-0 I play progenitus forcing you to play you prison effect which just gets exiled I do believe
V7 woot
V8 6-0 unbeatable progenitus
V9 6-0 I do believe that Progenitus will just kill you
Wow there was 0 other progenitus decks, that was surprising and it made my deck slightly worse having to play Pyxis over leyline of void
Edit: Updated for V3
I'll admit I'm not actually that good at resolving these sorts of things. Timestamps are very likely involved.
1 Artscrafter : Humble Dragon
Humility / Form of the Dragon / Exclusion Ritual / Volition Reins
Pariah / Avacyn, Angel of Hope / Detention Sphere / Tajuru Preserver
6-0
I play out Humility and Form of the Dragon. You can Detention Sphere one or the other, but then I Ritual your Sphere and win.
3 Feyd_Ruin : trollface
Humility / Opalescence / Enchanted Evening / Sekki, Seasons' Guide
6-0
My own Humility says "no really, everything's 1/1" even if you play your Humility before Opalescence. Volition Reins is unaffected by the combo so I hijack your Sekki and win. You can't protect it by playing it last when on the draw because I can use Reins to skip my first turn.
4HerziQuerzi : closet of tricks
Conjurer's Closet / Magister of Worth / Deadbridge Chant / Butcher of Malakir
6-0
Humility blanks this hand.
5Madmanquail : bombs
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Urabrask the Hidden / Exclusion Ritual / Exclusion Ritual
6-0
I only win this one because the round mechanic forces people to put cards onto the battlefield if possible. Otherwise, your double Ritual would get me.
I wait out my first turn on the play by revealing Reins. As a result, I always get the last play. I play Form of the Dragon once you've used both of your Rituals, use Humility and Reins to stall Urabrask, and Ritual your Emrakul.
6nerdyjoe : 1s and 2s
Seal of Primordium / Ghostly Prison / Archangel of Tithes / Palace Siege
6-0
If you play out Palace Siege in drain mode, I wind up with Reins stealing Siege, Humility, and Form of the Dragon. Any two of those win, so Seal can't help you.
If you play Palace Siege in Disentomb mode (just so I can't get value out of stealing it) then I Ritual your Prison and Reins the Archangel. You pop either Reins or Form with Seal but the other gets you.
7tidalslimshady : 187
Progenitus / Magister of worth / ashen rider / pyxis of pandemondiom
6-0
Humility blanks this hand.
8tomsloger : kaalia
karakas / leyline of singularity / sigarda, host of herons / form of the dragon
6-0
I'm not sure why you think neither of us can get Form of the Dragon down first. We're dropping things during the end step, so it doesn't affect our own life total until the next turn. I just steal yours and lock down Sigarda with Humility.
9WhammeWhamme : oops all creatures
Tyrant of Discord / Angel of Serenity / Angel of Serenity / Arbiter of Knollridge
6-0
Humility blanks this hand.
1 | X 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 | 48
Did... that really just happen?
Note: A few of the matchups play out the way I have them under the assumption that putting a permanent card onto the battlefield is mandatory if it's possible, as the current wording for the round's rule does not include a "may". Volition Reins lets me pass on dropping anything on my first turn if it's to my advantage to do so, since you can't put an Aura onto the battlefield if there is nothing for it to enchant. This is most relevant in 1v3 and 1v5.
Edit: A brief guide to hand 3.
Opalescence and Humility collectively apply three types of effects.
- Opalescence turns permanents into creatures. This applies in layer 4 (type-changing effects). If Enchanted Evening is in play, it changes what objects Opalescence can apply to; thus, Opalescence has a dependency on Enchanted Evening and you always apply Enchanted Evening first, even if it entered the battlefield second.
- Humility removes all abilities from creatures. This applies in layer 6.
- Both Opalescence and Humility attempt to set the power and toughness of creatures to a certain value (1/1 or equal to CMC.) These applies in layer 7b. Since there is no dependency, the one that entered the battlefield last gets the final word. Humility is still able to apply the effect that sets things to 1/1 even though the ability was removed because another part of the effect already started to apply in layer 6.
Short version: If Humility enters the field after Opalescence, everything except Opalescence itself is a 1/1 with no abilities. If Opalescence entered second, everything else has P/T equal to its CMC and has no abilities.
3 | 0 2 6 0 0 2 ? 6 |
3. Feyd_Ruin :: trollface
Humility / Opalescence / Enchanted Evening / Sekki, Seasons' Guide
Of note: Sekki will enter with eight +1/+1 counts even when humility is out. His ability modifies how he enters the battlefield, and exists before he's actually there - and before humility can stop it. The goal is that everything on the field is a 1/1 with no abilities, and I have a 9/9 that your weenies can't stop. I've always wanted some way to play Opal+Humility as a legitimate call, and though I knew it wouldn't do great - it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up this round.
1v3
Reins being an aura is a problem. You can always steal Sekki.
0-6, in your favor
2v3:
Opalescence -> Humility : Humility always hits to stop his wincons (9/9 blocks), but I can't stop him from using Pariah on my Sekki/Humility. I can't swing with my little guys to chip away either - if Humility dies, its over. Block a tie
2-2
3v4
Humility stops his critters abilities. Sekki comes down, and the 9/9 takes the field.
6-0, in my favor
3v5
I can't stop two rituals. Opal->Humility doesn't work, since you can Ritual both away.
0-6, in your favor
3v6
Seal hits Opal before Humility blanks it. This means Prison/Siege works, and I slowly die.
0-6, in your favor
3v7
Unlike "dies" abilities, Prog's shuffle triggers from the graveyard, which humility can't stop. Even when muted, prog can keep a 9/9 at bay.
2-2
3v8
There's quite a few ways it can play it, the order, etc. I think can adapt each time, but it needs more thought for me to call it.
?-?
3v9
Opalescence -> Humility -> Sekki
Humility stops him. He can Discord the Opal, but all his creatures will still be vanilla 1/1s. 9/9 Sekki beats.
6-0, in my favor
No longer staff here.
Edit: Oh wait the decks where it matters have removal :/
Seal of Primordium / Ghostly Prison / Archangel of Tithes / Palace Siege
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 | PT | Points
6 | 0 6 6 6 0 X 0 6 0 | 24 | 300
Notes:
vs 1:
Order matters! When you're on the play, any time you put in form, i put in seal. So we really only have 3 things. you put in humility, then I put in prison. You then have to put something in. Whatever you put in, it does basically nothing. I then put in archangel. You can line yourself up to steal it, but then i get down palace siege to drain, races faster than angel, so I win.When you're on the draw, i put in prison, you put in humility, i put in angel, you put in exclusion ritual exiling prison, i put in siege on return creature, you put in reins taking angel, i put in seal, you put in form i destroy form, you beat with angel for 20 turns. When you're on the play, you show reigns, pass, and it's as though i was on the play.vs 2: seal destroys sphere, siege does its work, prisons keep me safe.
vs 3: Layers, trollface. Seal destroys whichever of humility and opalescence comes down first, letting prism hold back the attackers, and siege to do its work.
vs 4: Prison, siege. The rest is icing and sillyness.
vs 5: Two exclusions for my two "blockers" gets there. I can't even stall out long enough to put in one of my blockers after both rituals get in.
vs 7: I need to dodge both ends of ashen rider and surivive. tall order. When you're on the play, you put in projenitus. I put in seal. You swing for 10, put in pixis. I put in angel, you put in either rider or magister, you choose rider (exiling angel). I put in siege, you swing for 15 gg. When i'm on the play, you can respond as i put things in to be able to swing with magister forever at the end.
vs 8: Seal eats dragon, prision protects me, siege drains ftw.
vs 9: one-sided final judgement every few turns gets there. Seems to be the best deck of the week.
Rules quote for reference:
Also:
Opalescence specifies that it only affects non-Aura enchantments.
I learned this from playing against zur. They put things into play, then if it's an aura, you can attach it to anything it could enchant (usually only effected by the types it enchants and protection). If there's nothing for it to enchant (e.g. daybreak coranet with no already enchanted things) it just goes to the yard as you had nothing to put it on.
Other people are welcome to weigh in, but I'm very sure of this.
Alright, I was wrong. Awkward ruling, but it's legit.