Your deck consists of a single sorcery card. Deck Size: 1 Land Rule: basic land rule Additional Banned list:(Please be sure to review the regular ban list and the land rule ban list at the end of this post)
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.
Tempted to flout the round rule by submitting an artifact creature, an enchantment creature, Dryad Arbor, one of the Origins flipwalkers, and...well I don't think there are any instant creatures or sorcery creatures, so I guess that idea is hosed
Given that there's been a few of these weeks, is there someone with backup access to the PHM account who would be able to post it on Wednesdays if they're not up already?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes... Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
vs. 02 FourLiberties: Whelk the Giant, Emrakul FTW. 6-0
vs. 03 tidalslimshady: OTP, get to 6 mana turn 2, 7 mana turn 3. I then have too many big dudes. 3-3
vs. 04 NemataGG: I can get to Whelk mana fast enough to stop the combo. 6-0 I think.
vs. 05 CalvinSchwa: An impressive array of hatebears that don't beat Chancellors and Emrakul. 6-0
vs. 06 knobbodi: OTP, Whelk protects Azusa into Emrakul (and deals damage so it's a one-hit kill). 3-3
If you kill Orcish Lumberjack, I hold Sidisi's Faithful to discard and play Kiki-Jiki + Conscripts turn 4 and turn 5. If you target Kiki-Jiki with Shriewmaw, I copy Sidisi's Faithful and bounce him then replay him next turn.
You can't both hold Sidisi's Faithful to discard to Sibsig and also play Sidisi's Faithful as Kiki-Jiki insurance which means that OTP I beat you
2FourLiberties Benevolent Bodyguard Mistmeadow Witch Magus of the Moat Furystoke Giant Faerie Macabre
Honestly I have no idea with this one. Discarding a card really throws a wrench into your gameplan(I discard Caterpillar so I can cast Genesis if need be), you can't play Faerie Macabre as a creature because you need it to prevent me from looping Shriekmaw
I must've suffered from some explosive amnesia between finding out what the deckbuilding rules were and submitting my deck, because I"m not sure what possessed me to run Caterpillar haha
1WhammeWhamme : 0-6: Yeah, I was expecting all the Emrakuls to be cheated in. Huh.
2FourLiberties : 0-6: Witch means you can eventually get rid of my stuff for the turn, long enough to attack or use your creatures' abilities. Mom just means you need to wait till 8 mana, and Magus buys you that time.
3tidalslimshady : 6-0: Pretty sure I eventually win. I can always prevent their ETB abilities with Mom (early on) or Gryff (later). Once Gryff is down, I can stonewall one thing (prob the Sower) with Mom+blocker, and trade off otherwise where necessary if you decide to attack me. Eventually, Student gets big enough to attack more or less with impunity, since if you kill it blocking you don't have enough left to stop me just attacking.
4NemataGG : 3-3: Agreed.
6knobbodi : 6-0: Agreed since I don't want to figure out the lines here. I'll update if you find something else (I wasn't sure if your creatures might be able to outrace Student).
| 0 0 6 3 6 | 15 |
Lessons learned: Gryff and Mom were awesome choices, but I still need to win somehow. Also, Mom makes calculating lines of play awful (which maybe explains why people play her IRL).
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes... Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
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1 Sorcery Land Rule
Deck Size: 1
Land Rule: basic land rule
Additional Banned list: (Please be sure to review the regular ban list and the land rule ban list at the end of this post)
Entries
1WhammeWhamme : turn5emrakul.dec
Chancellor of the Tangle
Chancellor of the Tangle
Azusa, Lost but Seeking
Draining Whelk
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
2FourLiberties
Benevolent Bodyguard
Mistmeadow Witch
Magus of the Moat
Furystoke Giant
Faerie Macabre
3tidalslimshady : 4 drop control
Noble Heirarch
Simian Spirit Guide
Flametounge Kavu
Sower of Temptation
Council of the Absolute[/quote]
4NemataGG : Hope you have removal!
Orcish Lumberjack
Sidisi's Faithful
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Zealous Conscripts
Simian Spirit Guide
5CalvinSchwa : Everyone loves Raymond
Student of Warfare
Mother of Runes
Containment Priest
Grand Abolisher
Hushwing Gryff
6knobbodi : "bad" control
Genesis
Shriekmaw
Faerie Macabre
Sibsig Icebreakers
Caustic Caterpillar
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Deck Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form that player's hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the theoretical player of each hand employs the strategy that will maximize the score for his or her hand, taking into account the strategy of his or her opponent.
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Deck Composition.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.4. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid that cost or the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that could enable that player to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would begin, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of his or her chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change his or her hand until the posted deadline.
4.3. A player may name his or her hand. If that player doesn't, then the PHM moderator may name it. The PHM moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's results against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of his or her row.
6.2. A player may earn bonus League points as specified by the PHM moderator.
6.3. Each player is responsible for determining the match results for his or her hand.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Deck Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.4. Sanctioned Magic Format Variant.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. Bonus Points.
PHM Banned List
The following cards are automatically banned in all Perfect Hand Magic League rounds unless otherwise specified by the round rules. Each round may have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Acceleration
Channel
Fastbond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Pact of Negation
Chancellor of the Annex
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Barren Glory
Laboratory Maniac
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Vampire Hexmage
Land Rule Banned List
"Land Rule" is the most common variant for PHM, and thus a separate ban list has been developed to allow for easier moderation. The following cards are banned in Perfect Hand Magic League rounds when a Land Rule is used. There will be a reminder of this on the round rules.
Acceleration
Black Lotus
Disruption
Balancing Act
Energy Field
Time Walk
Win Conditions
Beacon of Creation
Maralen of the Mornsong
Nezumi Shortfang
Red Sun's Zenith
White Sun's Zenith
Follow me to be notified when weekly Perfect Hand Magic results are posted
--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. 03 tidalslimshady: OTP, get to 6 mana turn 2, 7 mana turn 3. I then have too many big dudes. 3-3
vs. 04 NemataGG: I can get to Whelk mana fast enough to stop the combo. 6-0 I think.
vs. 05 CalvinSchwa: An impressive array of hatebears that don't beat Chancellors and Emrakul. 6-0
vs. 06 knobbodi: OTP, Whelk protects Azusa into Emrakul (and deals damage so it's a one-hit kill). 3-3
You can't both hold Sidisi's Faithful to discard to Sibsig and also play Sidisi's Faithful as Kiki-Jiki insurance which means that OTP I beat you
1WhammeWhamme : turn5emrakul.dec
Chancellor of the Tangle
Chancellor of the Tangle
Azusa, Lost but Seeking
Draining Whelk
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
3-3, agreed
2FourLiberties
Benevolent Bodyguard
Mistmeadow Witch
Magus of the Moat
Furystoke Giant
Faerie Macabre
Honestly I have no idea with this one. Discarding a card really throws a wrench into your gameplan(I discard Caterpillar so I can cast Genesis if need be), you can't play Faerie Macabre as a creature because you need it to prevent me from looping Shriekmaw
3tidalslimshady : 4 drop control
Noble Hierarch
Simian Spirit Guide
Flametongue Kavu
Sower of Temptation
Council of the Absolute
0-6, Council prevents me from looping Shriekmaw to kill all your dudes and you can just discard SSG to Sibsig
4NemataGG : Hope you have removal!
Orcish Lumberjack
Sidisi's Faithful
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Zealous Conscripts
Simian Spirit Guide
3-3, on the play I kill Orcish Lumberjack, you have to discard one of SSG or Sidisi's Faithful, on turn 4 I bring back shriekmaw, and force you to wait til turn 10 to cast both and kill me, but by then you'd have already died to random beats
5CalvinSchwa : Everyone loves Raymond
Student of Warfare
Mother of Runes
Containment Priest
Grand Abolisher
Hushwing Gryff
Pretty sure this is 0-6, you just wait til turn 4 to cast both Gryff and Mom, and discard Containment Priest to Sibsig, then I die to Student with Mom to push it through
I must've suffered from some explosive amnesia between finding out what the deckbuilding rules were and submitting my deck, because I"m not sure what possessed me to run Caterpillar haha
2FourLiberties : 0-6: Witch means you can eventually get rid of my stuff for the turn, long enough to attack or use your creatures' abilities. Mom just means you need to wait till 8 mana, and Magus buys you that time.
3tidalslimshady : 6-0: Pretty sure I eventually win. I can always prevent their ETB abilities with Mom (early on) or Gryff (later). Once Gryff is down, I can stonewall one thing (prob the Sower) with Mom+blocker, and trade off otherwise where necessary if you decide to attack me. Eventually, Student gets big enough to attack more or less with impunity, since if you kill it blocking you don't have enough left to stop me just attacking.
4NemataGG : 3-3: Agreed.
6knobbodi : 6-0: Agreed since I don't want to figure out the lines here. I'll update if you find something else (I wasn't sure if your creatures might be able to outrace Student).
| 0 0 6 3 6 | 15 |
Lessons learned: Gryff and Mom were awesome choices, but I still need to win somehow. Also, Mom makes calculating lines of play awful (which maybe explains why people play her IRL).
--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.