This is the results for Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03. For submissions to Perfect Hand Magic League 29:04, go here.
Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03
This round was 3 Card Land Rule - Gallywix.
Commentary
Some chose to build around the round rule (e.g. notgreat or WhammeWhamme), some tried to attack it (e.g. chalice of the void), and others still predicted that creatures would be prevalent, and set about beating those decks.
The new rules have arrived! Special thanks to Mogg for drafting and revising them. The rules and banned lists have not changed, but hopefully they are clearer now. Please take moment to look through the new revised rules and comment here if you have any feedback or criticism.
Calculate Your Row Now
Please submit your score row in the following format:
You don't need to calculate the final PTs or score, just your individual results. The scoring conventions are outlined in the rules at the bottom of this post. If there are any difficult or controversial matchups, please highlight these in some way and provide a brief note in your post.
Gallywix
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell other than Lotus Petal, each opponent puts a card with the same name from outside the game into his or her hand. If they do, put a Lotus Petal from outside the game into your hand.
Each player owns cards which are put into his or her hand in this way.
Deck Size: 3 Land Rule:: Basic Land Rule Additional Banned list:: None (remember to check the "permanently banned cards" and "land rule" banned cards)
The Entries
01 Madmanquail :: "Three Amigos" Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept A bit boring but hopefully reliable (MD5: Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept)
03 WhammeWhamme :: "Turn1emrakul.dec" Mana Vault / Sneak Attack / Emrakul, the Aeons Torn At first I thought "this is illegal" but then I realised - you are using the petals and the shuffling rules to slow yourself down
08 notgreat :: "Braindrain" Exploration / Mana Drain / Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle This deck is more powerful than it looks. It has a very strong opening of Forest - Exploration - Island - Lotus Petal
10 Feyd_Ruin :: "You've Mayor Point" Foil / Island / Mayor of Avabruck Foil sort of gets around the rule, although you have to throw away your win condition to cast it for the alternative cost.
Contents
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Deck Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form that player's hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the theoretical player of each hand employs the strategy that will maximize the score for his or her hand, taking into account the strategy of his or her opponent.
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Deck Composition.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.1a. Changes to the Comprehensive Rules or the Oracle text of a card take effect at the following times:
i. Changes that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.3a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
2.4. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid that cost or the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that could enable that player to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would begin, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
i. win the game
ii. take an infinite number of turns
iii. cause a card to leave an opponent's hand.
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.1a. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents' cards had no rules text.
3.1b. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents had no maximum hand size.
3.1c. That player could achieve one of these results only during a game that was restarted after an opponent's second turn had begun.
3.1d. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be put onto the battlefield by that effect.
3.1e. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be in that opponent's hand once that effect resolved.
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.2a. An unreleased card is treated as though it's legal in Vintage if it will become legal in Vintage upon release and if the release notes for the set that contains that card were published prior to the start of the round (See rule 4.1).
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of his or her chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change his or her hand until the posted deadline.
4.2a. If a player submits an illegal hand, then the moderator will try to notify that player to change his or her hand prior to the deadline. If the hand is discovered to be illegal after the deadline – or if the player does not submit a new hand – then the moderator may either disqualify that hand or replace it with a similar hand, in which any cards causing that hand to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name his or her hand. If that player doesn't, then the PHM moderator may name it. The PHM moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
League Points = Points Scored / Number of Opponents x 100 (rounded to the nearest integer)
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
5.3a. If multiple players have the most League points at the end of the League, then the PHM moderator may allow those players to play additional rounds until only one of those players has the most League points or until a specified number of additional rounds have been played.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's results against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of his or her row.
6.2. A player may earn bonus League points as specified by the PHM moderator.
6.3. Each player is responsible for determining the match results for his or her hand.
6.3a. Players are encouraged to determine or verify additional match results.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Deck Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2a. Some variant formats generate continuous effects. A continuous effect generated by a variant format is treated as having the earliest timestamp within a layer or sublayer. If continuous effects generated by multiple variant formats would apply in the same layer or sublayer, assign timestamps to those effects in the order that the variant formats are listed in the rules or name of the round.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.3a. This is the basic land rule (LR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. Any player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns from his or her hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3c. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land or basic snow land card of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game into his or her hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of his or her first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.4a. Only cards contained in sets legal in the named format may be submitted.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5a. If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
7.5b. A player must choose an opening hand that enables that player to win both games of a match against at least one legal hand, irrespective of rule 7.5a.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.6a. Players exchanges hands before the start of each match. A hand must enable the player of that hand to win both games of a match against a specified hand or specified hands. Ignore rule 3.1.
7.7. Bonus Points.
7.7a. A player earns bonus points if his or her hand meets specified requirements.
PHM Banned List
The following cards are automatically banned in all Perfect Hand Magic League rounds unless otherwise specified by the round rules. Each round may have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Land Rule Banned List
"Land Rule" is the most common variant for PHM, and thus a separate ban list has been developed to allow for easier moderation. The following cards are banned in Perfect Hand Magic League rounds when a Land Rule is used. There will be a reminder of this on the round rules.
Trying something new here, just to see how it works.
This will be the thread for Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03. If you would like to discuss the round, this is the place. When the deadline is up, this is the place where the decks will be posted. The basic idea is one round per thread.
Also: one of our long time mods and players, Mogg, is currently updating and streamlining the PHM rules. Please check out the new rules and offer feedback and constructive criticism here.
Next Round : Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03
Next Round will be '3 Card Land Rule - Gallywix'.
Entries are due Monday 23rd Feb at 19:00 UTC
3 Card Land Rule - Gallywix
Gallywix
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell other than Lotus Petal, each opponent puts a card with the same name from outside the game into his or her hand. If they do, put a Lotus Petal from outside the game into your hand.
Each player owns cards which are put into his or her hand in this way.
Deck Size: 3 Land Rule:: Basic Land Rule Additional Banned list:: None (remember to check the "permanently banned cards" and "land rule" banned cards)
Send your deck submission via private message (PM) to PerfectHandMagic
Follow PerfectHandMagic to be notified when the new round is posted
MD5 of Madmanquail's deck: 87ed9c7a01cc3b7655af940d8e962889
What is Perfect Hand Magic?
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is an online Magic format played here on the forums. Players play with an extremely limited deck size, such as 3 cards. Players begin with their entire deck (ie: those three cards) in hand and have no library (players don't lose when they fail to draw a card because of this). Due to the extremely limited number of play options given with their small deck size, games are calculated, rather then played, with an absolute determined winner (or a tie). Each player plays a match of two games against each other player who submitted - once going first, and once going second. Wins, losses, and ties for each of those two games are calculated by the moderator and players. The actual fun of the game comes from trying to decide which cards you will be playing.
What is the Perfect Hand Magic League?
The Perfect Hand Magic League is a four-week PHM tournament, which spans all Perfect Hand formats and embraces a constantly evolving set of rules. For each week of the four-week tournament, a new PHM format is announced for players to enter. Players compete for tournament points each round. At the end of the four-week tournament, the player who has accumulated the most points over the four weeks wins the tournament.
Basic Rules of Perfect Hand Magic League
Below lies the rules of PHM League written in laymen's terms for ease of understanding.
While a comprehensive rule system exists, new players and quick glances are best left for this basic explanation.
Overview
The Perfect Hand Magic League (PHM League) is a Magic tournament that consists of four rounds of Perfect Hand Magic (PHM), run entirely within this forum. To compete, entrants submit decks containing a varying number of cards which are played against each other. Scoring assumes optimal play, without randomness or concealed information.
Deck Construction Rules
1. A deck must contain exactly the number of cards specified by the week's rules. This usually ranges from 2 - 6 cards
2. A deck may contain any number of copies of any Vintage-legal card, but can't contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
3. A player's deck must not enable that player to win the game before an opponent's second turn.
4. A player's deck must not enable that player to force an opponent to lose any cards in his or her hand before an opponent's second turn.
5. A player's deck must enable that player to win the game.
Deck Submission Rules
6. An entrant submits his or her deck to the PHM moderator (user: PerfectHandMagic) by private message.
Playing the Decks
7. Entrants don't actually play their decks, because game results can be determined theoretically.
8. Each player starts the game with the cards in his or her deck in his or her hand.
9. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
10. A random effect resolves in favor of the opponent of the owner of that effect.
11. Players know all information that would normally be concealed from them.
12. Each player plays one two-game match against each other player, and each player is the starting player once per match.
Points
13. The entrant with the most points in a round is the round winner. For each match, an entrant earns 3 points per game win and 1 point per drawn game. However, an entrant earns only 2 points for a split match (each player wins a game).
14. The entrant with the most points in the four rounds comprising the rolling 4-weekly Perfect Hand Magic League is named the tournament winner. Extra Rules
15. Some optional rules may be used; see Optional Rules.
16. The Basic Rules don't cover every issue. For in-depth rules, see Comprehensive Rules.
Optional Rules
Land Rule
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.
Expanded Land Rule
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.
Alternative Land Rule
If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land card 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.
Sanctioned Magic Format
A deck may contain only cards contained in sets legal in the specified format.
Counter Rule
Until each player has completed two turns, each player ignores any part of an effect of a source an opponent owns that would counter a spell that player controls.
Life Rule
If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game. Determine whether a deck enables the player of that deck to win the game as though this rule didn't exist.
Special Format
Other rules are specified.
Note: Rules below this line still refer to "ABT and "XCB" rather than "PHM" (review/change is ongoing)
XCB Comprehensive Rules
Below lies the comprehensive rules system for the ABT.
Rules are written for precision and game clarification. They are not written for ease of reading.
Game Rules
1.1. There are many versions of XCB. Each version has a name, of the form XCB 'Land Rule' 'Sanctioned Magic Format' 'Special Format' '(Bonus)' 'Counter Rule' 'Life Rule'.
1.1a. X is a number.
1.1b. 'Land Rule' can be LR, ELR, ALR, or nothing. LR indicates that the basic land rule is in effect, ELR indicates that the expanded land rule is in effect, and ALR indicates that the alternative land rule is in effect (see Rule 1.7).
1.1c. 'Sanctioned Magic Format' can be the name of a sanctioned Magic constructed format or nothing. The name of a format indicates that only cards contained in sets legal in that format may be submitted. This is an exception to rule 2.3c.
1.1d. 'Special Format' can be the name of at least one special format or nothing. The name of a special format indicates that the special format in effect (see Rule 1.8).
1.1e. 'Bonus' can be (Bonus) or nothing. (Bonus) modifies the preceding special format, indicating that an entrant must not follow the rules of that format, but that entrant will earn a specified number of bonus points if he or she does (see Rule 2.4f).
1.1f. 'Counter Rule' can be C or nothing. C indicates that the counter rule is in effect (see Rule 1.9).
1.1g. 'Life Rule' can be LF, AL, or nothing. LF indicates that the life rule is in effect and AL indicates that the alternative life rule is in effect (see Rule 1.10).
1.2. Decks are not played, but are scored as though they were. The player of a deck is the entrant who submitted that deck.
1.3. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
1.3a. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or the rules of Magic.
1.3b. Rules 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 (see Rule 2.3d).
1.4. An entrant's deck contains exactly X cards (see Rule 1.1).
1.4a. A player's opening hand contains the cards in his or her deck.
1.4b. Players don't draw hands or mulligan.
1.4c. Players don't have sideboards.
1.5. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
1.5a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
1.6. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid the cost or the owner of the source of the effect instead.
1.7. Some versions of XCB use a land rule.
1.7a. 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.
1.7b. This is the expanded 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.
1.7c. This is the alternative land rule (ALR). 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.
1.8. Some versions of XCB use a special format. A special format is an extra set of rules. These rules overwrite any other applicable rules. A non-comprehensive list of special formats is maintained here.
1.8a. Some special formats cause players to draw hands. The drawn cards become part of that player's opening hand.
1.8b. Some special formats generate continuous effects. Continuous effects generated by special formats are applied in the order those formats are listed in the XCB version name, before any other effects that could be applied in a layer.
1.8c. Some special formats require an entrant to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a deck. An entrant's submission is that entrant's deck and any decisions that entrant makes. An entrant's submission must not violate rule 2.3 if all instances of the word 'deck' in that rule are replaced with 'submission'.
1.8d. Some special formats refer to decks that obtain or could obtain results. Saying that a deck obtains or could obtain a result means that the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result in a game or match against another player (see Rule 1.11). If a deck obtains or could obtain a result against another deck, then the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result against the player of the other deck.
1.9. Some versions of XCB use the counter rule.
1.9a. This is the counter rule (C). Until each player has completed two turns, each player ignores any part of an effect of a source an opponent owns that would counter a spell that player controls.
1.10. Some versions of XCB use a life rule.
1.10a. This is the life rule (LF). If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game. Determine whether a deck enables the player of that deck to win a match as though this rule didn't exist (see Rule 2.3b).
1.10b. This is the alternative life rule (AL). If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
1.11. Each player plays one match against each other player.
1.11a. Each match has two games.
1.11b. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
1.11c. Games are played with perfect information; players know the identities of face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
1.11d. Games are played optimally. The best outcome for a player is to win the game and the worst outcome is to lose the game.
1.11e. 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.
1.11f. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
Tournament Rules
2.1. Entrants compete in a competition.
2.1a. The shortest type of competition is a round. Typically, each round lasts one week.
2.1b. The ABT is a competition consisting of four rounds.
2.2. An entrant submits his or her deck to the ABT moderator.
2.2a. An entrant submits his or her deck by private message (pm).
2.2b. An entrant may submit multiple decks, but only the most recently submitted deck is counted.
2.2c. An illegal deck is not counted. At the moderator’s discretion, an illegal deck may be replaced by a similar deck – in which any cards causing that deck to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
2.2d. The moderator determines the result of each match. Entrants may challenge results, but not after the results of the first round of a new ABT has been posted, except at the moderator's discretion.
2.2e. An entrant may name his or her deck. If an entrant doesn't, then the moderator may name it.
2.3. Decks are subject to some restrictions.
2.3a. An entrant may not submit a deck that could enable the player of that deck to win the game or force any cards in an opponent's hand to change zones before an opponent's second turn. A card is forced to change zones if the owner of that card could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in either that card changing zones or that player losing the game before his or her second turn. Ignore this rule in the following cases:
i. All cards in an opponent's hand that would be forced to change zones would not be cast by that opponent and would enter the battlefield under that opponent's control. For example, a 4CB deck with two copies of Black Lotus could contain Stronghold Gambit but could not contain Wild Evocation.
ii. All cards in an opponent's hand that weren't there as a result of a cost or effect that opponent controlled that would be forced to change zones during the resolution of a spell or ability would be in that opponent's hand after that spell or ability resolved. For example, a 3CB deck could contain Timetwister and Black Lotus but an 8CB deck could not.
iii. Cards in an opponent's hand would be forced to change zones only if cards in that opponent's hand that started outside the game would cause that opponent's maximum hand size at the start of the game to be exceeded. For example, a 3CB LR deck could contain two copies of Ancestral Recall.
iv. The rule would be violated only in a game that existed as a result of an effect that resolved not before the specified turn or until each player had completed the specified number of turns that restarted the game or created a subgame. For example, a 2CB LR deck could contain Karn Liberated.
2.3b. An entrant may not submit a deck that wouldn't enable the player of that deck to win a match (see Rule 2.4d) against the player of at least one deck satisfying all rules.
2.3c. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage (Type 1). Except as modified by a special format, all cards used in a game must be legal in Vintage.
2.3d. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card that will become legal in Vintage upon release of a set that's been revealed fully and officially since the start of the round.
2.3e. A deck may not contain any cards on the ABT Banned List.
2.4. Points determine round standings.
2.4a. Entrants are ranked – first to last – in order of decreasing number of points.
2.4b. For each match, an entrant earns 3 points per game win and 1 point per drawn game.
2.4c. The combined result of both games in a match is called a match result. Possible match results are: 6 – two wins, 4 – a win and a draw, 3 or 2 or S – a win and a loss, 2 – two draws, 1 – a draw and a loss, and 0 – two losses.
2.4d. Some match results are also denoted by names: two wins – match win, a win and a loss – split match, two draws – draw, and two losses – match loss. An entrant wins the match if he or she wins both games, splits the match if he or she wins a game and loses a game, draws a match if he or she draws both games, and loses the match if he or she loses both games.
2.4e. An entrant earns only 2 points for a split match. This is an exception to rule 2.4b.
2.4f. An entrant may earn a number of bonus points defined by a special format. An entrant earns these points in addition to any other points.
2.4g. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Its rows represent entrants and its columns represent those entrants' opponents. An entrant's total number of points is listed at the end of his or her row.
2.5. The entrant with the most tournament points over the course of the ABT is the tournament winner.
2.5a. Each round, an entrant receives tournament points equal to his or her average match result for that round multiplied by 100, rounded to the nearest integer or some number of decimal places chosen at the moderator's discretion. For example, an entrant scoring 6-6-6-6-X-0-0-0 in a round with 8 entrants receives 340 tournament points ((6 + 6 + 6 + 6) / (8 - 1) x 100).
2.5b. If two or more entrants would win the ABT, then each of those entrants competes in additional rounds specified by the moderator, until only one entrant has the most tournament points. Each additional round contains only the entrants who have the most tournament points. The moderator may specify a limit to the number of additional rounds.
3. Prize Rules
3.1. A prize shall be given to the tournament winner.
3.1a. The winner of the tournament shall be given the prize described within the tournament, or a suitable replacement upon the tournament's end.
3.1b. If the winner of the tournament has won two or more tournaments, then the highest ranked entrant who hasn't won two or more tournaments shall be given the prize instead.
3.1c. If the winner was a moderator for two or more rounds of the tournament, then the highest ranked entrant who wasn't the moderator for two or more rounds of that tournament shall be given the prize instead. This is to ensure fair play.
3.1d. An entrant may decline the prize. If he or she does, then that entrant may designate another entrant to receive the prize.
3.1e. Entrants under the age of 18 are ineligible for prizes, due to federal laws regarding the sharing of personal information of minors.
3.1f. In the event that a prize can't be given to an entrant, the moderator will do his best to find another suitable way to reward that entrant.
3.1g. No prize is 100% guaranteed, but is assumed upon a good faith basis. Let's face it, with international customs, weird laws, etc, we can't guarantee anything. We'll do our best.
3.2. As a prized tournament, special scoring rules and practices are in place.
3.2a. Entrants are responsible for their own scoring. Assistance will be given, especially to new entrants, but it is ultimately up to each entrant to ensure his or her scoring is completed and accurate.
3.2b. Incomplete scores are considered losses, even to both players in a match if necessary. This is to make sure a winner is determined at the end of a tournament.
3.2c. The moderator always has the final word regarding scores and rules. Entrants may question any scoring the moderator does, until the moderator says that a match's scoring is final.
3.2d. The moderator may, at his or her discretion, determine a match is too difficult to calculate and give it a tie score, or his or her best guess. Again, this is final.
3.2e. Once a winner has been announced as final, that entrant shall receive the prize, even if errors in scoring or points are shown later.
Permanently Banned Cards
The following cards are permanently banned in the All Blind Tournament.
Each round will have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Player Standings
Previous standings will always be posted below the opening post of each week's thread.
Standings will be updated after the current week has been completed and score checking has finished.
i had to look it up, so i figure i'd save the rest of us the google. gallywix is a hearthstone card that does basically the round rule. one of these days, i'll get around to playing hearthstone.
This feels like a good week to 1. play creatures/lands and avoid the rule altogether or 2. play universal effects you don't mind the opponent having (like Wrath of God). There are some neat ways to abuse what you're putting in your opponent's hand, but I have a feeling the meta might warrant disregarding a huge portion of them.
The most noteworthy thing to me is always how much mana you can make turn 1. Blotus is banned in land rule rounds, but 4 mana on turn 1 is still possible with dark ritual or mana crypt along with the free lotus petal.
If you want to use two cards to accelerate, you can get to 7 on turn 1, but that seems like a bit much
Er... it's not a "may" ability as written. I'm not sure why the Lotus Petal making part is a "if they do", but getting the card is not written to be optional.
How exactly are the round criteria being created? Just the host's choice? The last two rounds I thought were interesting but required improvement on how they were executed.
Also, can I assume that Death Wish in fact works to tutor any non-creature spell in my opponent's deck?
The round rule is just "cast" not "cast from hand" so things like hive mind, eye of the storm, possibility storm get very weird. Especially when there's multiple of them, because they themselves are non-creature spells.
I would love to submit a silly deck: eye of the storm / word of command / opalescence, but it seems like it wouldn't be that good.
I'd also like to point out that a previous winner also looks very good this week: Ashen Rider / Recurring Nightmare / Putrid Imp
This is the results for Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03. For submissions to Perfect Hand Magic League 29:04, go here.
Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03
This round was 3 Card Land Rule - Gallywix.
Commentary
Some chose to build around the round rule (e.g. notgreat or WhammeWhamme), some tried to attack it (e.g. chalice of the void), and others still predicted that creatures would be prevalent, and set about beating those decks.
The new rules have arrived! Special thanks to Mogg for drafting and revising them. The rules and banned lists have not changed, but hopefully they are clearer now. Please take moment to look through the new revised rules and comment here if you have any feedback or criticism.
Calculate Your Row Now
Please submit your score row in the following format:
You don't need to calculate the final PTs or score, just your individual results. The scoring conventions are outlined in the rules at the bottom of this post. If there are any difficult or controversial matchups, please highlight these in some way and provide a brief note in your post.
Gallywix
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell other than Lotus Petal, each opponent puts a card with the same name from outside the game into his or her hand. If they do, put a Lotus Petal from outside the game into your hand.
Each player owns cards which are put into his or her hand in this way.
Deck Size: 3 Land Rule:: Basic Land Rule Additional Banned list:: None (remember to check the "permanently banned cards" and "land rule" banned cards)
The Entries
01 Madmanquail :: "Three Amigos" Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept A bit boring but hopefully reliable (MD5: Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept)
03 WhammeWhamme :: "Turn1emrakul.dec" Mana Vault / Sneak Attack / Emrakul, the Aeons Torn At first I thought "this is illegal" but then I realised - you are using the petals and the shuffling rules to slow yourself down
08 notgreat :: "Braindrain" Exploration / Mana Drain / Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle This deck is more powerful than it looks. It has a very strong opening of Forest - Exploration - Island - Lotus Petal
10 Feyd_Ruin :: "You've Mayor Point" Foil / Island / Mayor of Avabruck Foil sort of gets around the rule, although you have to throw away your win condition to cast it for the alternative cost.
Contents
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Deck Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form that player's hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the theoretical player of each hand employs the strategy that will maximize the score for his or her hand, taking into account the strategy of his or her opponent.
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Deck Composition.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.1a. Changes to the Comprehensive Rules or the Oracle text of a card take effect at the following times:
i. Changes that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.3a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
2.4. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid that cost or the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that could enable that player to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would begin, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
i. win the game
ii. take an infinite number of turns
iii. cause a card to leave an opponent's hand.
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.1a. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents' cards had no rules text.
3.1b. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents had no maximum hand size.
3.1c. That player could achieve one of these results only during a game that was restarted after an opponent's second turn had begun.
3.1d. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be put onto the battlefield by that effect.
3.1e. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be in that opponent's hand once that effect resolved.
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.2a. An unreleased card is treated as though it's legal in Vintage if it will become legal in Vintage upon release and if the release notes for the set that contains that card were published prior to the start of the round (See rule 4.1).
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of his or her chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change his or her hand until the posted deadline.
4.2a. If a player submits an illegal hand, then the moderator will try to notify that player to change his or her hand prior to the deadline. If the hand is discovered to be illegal after the deadline – or if the player does not submit a new hand – then the moderator may either disqualify that hand or replace it with a similar hand, in which any cards causing that hand to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name his or her hand. If that player doesn't, then the PHM moderator may name it. The PHM moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
League Points = Points Scored / Number of Opponents x 100 (rounded to the nearest integer)
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
5.3a. If multiple players have the most League points at the end of the League, then the PHM moderator may allow those players to play additional rounds until only one of those players has the most League points or until a specified number of additional rounds have been played.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's results against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of his or her row.
6.2. A player may earn bonus League points as specified by the PHM moderator.
6.3. Each player is responsible for determining the match results for his or her hand.
6.3a. Players are encouraged to determine or verify additional match results.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Deck Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2a. Some variant formats generate continuous effects. A continuous effect generated by a variant format is treated as having the earliest timestamp within a layer or sublayer. If continuous effects generated by multiple variant formats would apply in the same layer or sublayer, assign timestamps to those effects in the order that the variant formats are listed in the rules or name of the round.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.3a. This is the basic land rule (LR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land or basic snow land of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game any time he or she could normally play a land. Any player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns from his or her hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3c. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land or basic snow land card of the subtype of his or her choice from outside the game into his or her hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of his or her first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.4a. Only cards contained in sets legal in the named format may be submitted.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5a. If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
7.5b. A player must choose an opening hand that enables that player to win both games of a match against at least one legal hand, irrespective of rule 7.5a.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.6a. Players exchanges hands before the start of each match. A hand must enable the player of that hand to win both games of a match against a specified hand or specified hands. Ignore rule 3.1.
7.7. Bonus Points.
7.7a. A player earns bonus points if his or her hand meets specified requirements.
PHM Banned List
The following cards are automatically banned in all Perfect Hand Magic League rounds unless otherwise specified by the round rules. Each round may have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Land Rule Banned List
"Land Rule" is the most common variant for PHM, and thus a separate ban list has been developed to allow for easier moderation. The following cards are banned in Perfect Hand Magic League rounds when a Land Rule is used. There will be a reminder of this on the round rules.
Not too upset with this. When planning, I didn't realize counterspells were useful. Mana costs are pretty relevent. Karakas was great, mangara was so-so. The lack of haste really hurt.
Vs 1: On the draw, preacher and adept tag-team to remove mangara, and you can beat in for the win. On the play, I drop mangara on turn three, before preacher or adept. If you play either one, I get to exile it, and replay mangara on my turn, setting up for the next one. Otherwise i'll just exile mayor (in the same way). Eventually, you run out of things on the board for me to exile with mangara, and I start beating in for the win. Judgment not needed. 3-3
vs 2: Even with bridge ramping out chalice on 3, I get to exile bridge and have mangara in play when you get to 6 mana. If you play one of megaliths or chalice without the other, I can remove one, and set up to remove the other. You need to wait for turn 6 to play chalice on 3 and play megaliths. On my turn, I exile chalice with mangara. You can ping me with megaliths on your next turn. On my next turn, I play mangara. You now have to ping mangara, who I save, every turn til the end of the game. If you ever don't, I get to exile megaliths, and win. 2-2
vs 3: If you're on the play, you get to crack in for 15. If you're on the draw, I play karakas, and bounce emrakul at the begining of combat. Eventually, I play mangara, and use it and karakas to exile your sneak attack. This is before turn 15, so you can't hardcast emrakul yet. Now you can't flash in emrakul during combat, so I'm free to attack with mangara. Once you can hardcast emrakul, if you were on the play, we do nothing, and draw. If you were on the draw, I keep beating in. If you do cast emrakul, you get the extra turn, swing in for 15, I sac 6 lands. Then on my turn, I exile emrakul with mangara, and continue beating to win. 4-1
vs 4: Braids hits t1 but karakas bounces braids at your eot for the whole game. Mangara beats ftw. Alternatively, you can use your ritual/petal to cast chalice for 3 on turn 3. If you're on the play, we tie, if not, I've got Mangara at the ready for my turn 4 to exile it. Braids comes down and sticks the turn after that, but I can sacrifice a worthless land and we're back to karakas bouncing braids. 4-1
vs 5: Karakas for the win. You can crack in for 15 once, but karakas doesn't come down until emrakul does, and then he's outtahere. You can slowly ramp to hardcasting emrakul by repeatedly using LED for an extra petal, but the shuffle from emrakul makes this take a bunch of turns. I think it takes around 95 turns for you to get 15 petals. 6-0
I forgot land rule, so you don't need to led for mana, you just play some lands. So... You do your thing, casting emrakul on your turn 2, and I bounce emrakul with karakas. If you ramp to hardcasting him, you get an extra turn to swing, so I sac my 6 lands and go to 5. Then I judge emrakul, and keep swinging to win. This is dependent on me getting to 8 lands before emrakul comes down the second time. By looping LED and emrakul, you get an extra petal every two turns. The math is close. I think it is 6-0
vs 7: see 5. 6-0
vs 8: Mana drain protects against mangara, I have no other interaction. I can wait, and build up islands, to mana drain back. Unfortunately, we can just keep stacking Islands until you have enough explorations out to kill me in a single turn (play 12 mountains in a row, gg.) 0-6
vs 9: If you drop leyline: tie, gg. We bounce eachothers threats, no-one does damage. If you don't drop leyline, if you cast student without leyline/karakas backup, the student gets judged to be inadequite, you bounce managara, tie gg. If you cast student with leyline/karakas backup, student gets bounced, managara gets bounced, we have a happy bouncing party, with one of those bouncy castles that kids play in, and tie. 2-2
vs 10: Mangara comes down on t3. If you foil, then it's a tie. If you don't, you cast mayor on t2, he flips on your t3, swing for 3, get a token. My t3, I cast mangara. Your turn4, you swing for 6, get a third wolf. My turn 4, I exile mayor, attempt to cast council's judgement. I exile a token. You then get to swing for 2 a turn. If I try to cast managara, you can foil it. If I'm on the play however, I can get down mangara right after you cast mayor, mayor doesn't flip until my turn 4, but I can exile the flipped mayor with judgment (unless you foil) then beat with mangara (or exile with mangara if you foiled). Win to me if you cast mayor, so you don't, hold up foil for mangara. I play mangara to force you to discard your hand, so you can't hardcast foil. we tie when i'm on the play. 1-4
vs. 01 Madmanquail: Turn two Emrakul + Turn three Emrakul = win. 6-0
vs. 02 snurfy8: I can't stop Bridge, and Emrakul is no Ulamog. =/ 0-6
vs. 04 yarn: I can Emrakul from under Chalice @0 (land, vault, followed by Sneak, followed by use it)
Turn 1 Chalice @1 is also beatable. (play Vault for a Lotus Petal, play Chalice @1 for a Petal and a permanent.) 6-0
vs. 05 tomsloger: I can kill his Isle whenever it hits. 6-0
vs. 06 nerdyjoe: Emrakul actually ties with this on the play - if Mangara swings, turn 15 Emrakul sneaks in for a second 15. 1-4
vs. 07 psymunn42: see 05. 6-0
vs. 08 notgreat: I can use the round rule to get into the world's oddest counter-war, which forces him to not kill me, so eventually I hard-cast Emrakul. 6-0
vs. 09 Heinsun: Yeah, I lose to Karakas. 0-6
vs. 10 Feyd_Ruin: If Vault eats the Foil, turn 3 Sneaky Emrakul wins. If not, I can Foil back soon enough. 6-0?
02 snurfy8 :: "Crossing the Void" Chalice of the Void / Ensnaring Bridge / Keldon Megaliths
3-3 i think. when im on the play, i tuck emmy turn 1. snurfy can cast led for a petal and play a land. the only way to get a 3rd mana source is to cast chalice of the void, but that stops him from playing the lotus petal.
chalice definitely beats me on the draw.
06 nerdyjoe :: "No Messing Around" Council's Judgement / Mangara of Corondor / Karakas
listed 0-6. disagree. pretty sure its 2-2, but ill work it out later.
edit: definitely 2-2. i dont cast emmy from under the isle unless you target it with mangara. if you do that, you either tap karakas to bounce mangara and leave yourself open to emmy-ing or lose mangara for good. thats a no go.
once i get to 16 mana plus shelldock, i can cast twice in a turn. that means you have to keep from attacking with mangara to be able to answer.
08 notgreat :: "Braindrain" Exploration / Mana Drain / Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
this also will require some working out.
edit: 6-0. i definitely win on the play. on the draw is a bit more complicated.
n1 forest, exploration, island, lotus petal
t1 forest, exploration, island, lotus petal, LED.
if you counter exploration, you cant counter LED.
if you counter LED, i can counter right back.
10 Feyd_Ruin :: "You've Mayor Point" Foil / Island / Mayor of Avabruck does the LED i give you come fast enough to pitch to the foil for the LED? i dont know.
edit: assuming it does, 3-3. on the play i can wait til turn 4 to play LED. if you foil, i can hardcast my foil copy. you dont have the mana for a third foil.
edit 2. that does happen. it just doesnt matter. 0-6
In my reading of the round rule, it's a triggered ability that activates on cast. So casting an LED gives Feyd_Ruin a card to pitch to Foil. They can pitch it to counter the LED that's still on the stack if they want.
It works like heroic/prowess/emmrakul/cascade/argothian enchantress triggers. Someone else can weigh in on this, especially madmanquail, that'd be nice.
01: 6-0 nice creature suite.
02: 6-0 I either get t1 or t2 Braids which stops the Bridge. This is my favourite deck here!
03: 0-6 subtle use of round rules, and I can't beat the Sneak.
04: X that's me.
05: 3-3 On the play I Chalice@0 after Braids.
06: 1-4 good call with Karakas. On the play I get to t3 Chalice@3.
07: 3-3 same as 05.
08: 0-6 also a great deck; land based seems to be great these few rounds.
09: 2-2 Chalice@1 and I can't beat Karakas.
10: 0-6 casting things gives Foil more fodder.
madmanquail: 6-0 megaliths owns you
WhammeWhamme: 6-0 first emmy hit hurts, but b/c of shuffling rules i can drop bridge and lock you out
Yarn: 4-1 I think. You ritual into braids, then I ritual into bridge. The only problem is Braids forces me to sac Megaliths on the draw, making the game a tie. On the play I can drop chalice on 0, which keeps you off braids until turn 2, which is enough time to play megaliths.
Tomsloger: 3-3 I can lock you with chalice on play, but I can't stop you tucking Emmy on draw.
Nerdyjoe: 2-2 megaliths and maganara is a stalemate
psymunn42: 3-3
notgreat: 0-6 valakut outraces me
Heinsun: 0-6 student grows before I can ping it and karakas bounces my bridge
Feyd_Ruin: 3-3 I can ping mayor before it flips on play, but on draw mayor flips too fast.
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A mirror, a shield, a promise, a great distance, and a kind word-- five ways to avoid harm.
Please note, I can foil turn 0.
Lets say you cast Darksteel Relic.
Well.. round rules puts a darksteel relic in my hand.
It actually goes in my hand as a triggered ability "irsp".
So I'll ditch my copy and island to foil your original.
Assuming I do this turn 0, I get a petal from my foil, and can drop mayor turn 1. This lets me skip my opponent's foil. Even turn 1, my opponent will usually only have two lands a petal. Creatures won't give me the extra card, so a turn 0 foil here is at best a tie. They can also Foil my turn 1/2 if they have the right kind of accel (although I don't think any appear here).
My Results:
01. 0-6. If I foil mayor, he eot bounce my mayor, then cast foil. preacher makes my tokens trade eachother.
02. 6-0. Foil Bridge. No hellbent. (See below.)
03. 3-3. (Edit: See post 16)
04. 6-0. Foil Braids if Ritual'd -> Cast mayor. Race Braids if no Rit.
05. 6-0. Race the slow play that lets him hardcast foil back. (See below.)
06. 2-2. Foil Mangara, ditching my mayor.
07. 6-0. Race the slow play that lets him hardcast foil back. (See below.)
08. 6-0. Foil Exploration. Tokens race Valakut.
09. 2-2. Foil Student, ditching mayor.
Decided to go back over everyone who posted, since my deck is slightly confusing.
MMQ: Agreed
Heinsun: Agreed
Yarn: Agreed
Nerdyjoe:
I can always Foil Mangara by ditching mayor. Ties 2-2.
Edit: I win the play evidently, per NerdyJoe above/below.
Tomsloger: (relevant to psymunn42 as well)
You can cast LED on turn 4 (I hold Foil to stop Mayor's flip since I know it won't go anywhere), but to do this you hold shelldock, and drop it turn 5. You thus cast Em turn 6. At this point you're at 2 (3:-3, 4:-6, 5:-9). So you cast Em turn 6 at 2. Extra turn, swing. I sac 5 lands and a token, go to 5. I then proceed to swing back and kill you.
snurfy8:
This one's really confusing actually, and I went back and forth a little, but I'm fairly certain I end up 6-0ing you.
In order to be hellbent and use Megaliths to ping Mayor, you have to drop Bridge from your hand. This gets foiled. The issue is, then, that you have a Foil in your hand via round rules. In order to get rid of it, you'll have to cast a petal and then hardcast foil on the petal. I will, in turn, be able to foil your petal/foil IRSP. This puts another Foil into your hand. In the end, you get stuck with a foil in hand and no way to be hellbent. You might be able to get it out eventually, but Mayor has definitely flipped and made a token by this point, which races.
WhammeWhamme:
Redacted. See post 16. I of course go to foil Sneak.
Your out is to hardcast the copy of Foil I give you to stop me.
Unfortunately, I get a copy of foil and can hardcast back.
To cast Sneak and Foil, you need 5 lands:
Land1->Vault. Petal. This gives you Sneak mana.
You then need 2UU in lands to hardcast foil
By the time you get to 5 lands, I will have 4 - even on my draw.
This means I get a copy from your foil, and cast back.
This makes the play:
WW's Sneak -> Feyd's Foil ->(Copy to you)-> WW's Foil ->(Copy to Me)-> Feyd's Foil
So the original sneak if countered, and I race your Em hardcast.
Feyd, you can win against me on the play. I explained a little in my first post, in more detail here:
T1 Forest
T1 Plains
T2 Plains, Mayor
T2 Plains
T3 upkeep mayor flips, Island, swing for 3, eot token
T3 Karakas, Mangara
T4 Island, swing for 6 (11), eot token
T4 Plains, Karakas/Mangara exiles mayor, Judgement, we both vote for one of the tokens
T5 Plains, swing for 2 (9)
T5 Island
T6 Island, swing for 2 (7)
T6 Island
T7 Island, swing for 2 (5)
T7 Island. I could cast Mangara, you foil, I foil your foil, mangara resolves. But then you get to cast council's judgement on mangara, and I had to tap karakas, so I wouldn't make this play.
T8 Island, swing for 2 (3)
T8 Island. I can cast Mangara, you foil, I foil your foil, but now you have the 4 mana to cast foil again, mangara doesn't resolve. I wouldn't make this play
T9 Island, swing for 2 (1)
T9 Island
T10 Island, swing for 2 (-1)
You win on turn 10, and there's no better lines for me.
W: Mountain
F: Land
W: Island
F: Land, Mayor
W: Island, Mana Vault (burning foil here is suicide)
F: Land (3 lands - can play Vault and a Petal, but this gives me a Vault and a Petal... which is counter mana for yet another foil)
W: Island, Sneak Attack. Tapping Vault and a Mountain, three islands and petal untapped.
So that's a win on the play. On the draw it's dicier, but let's try it...
F: Land
W: Mountain
F: Land, Mayor
W: Island, Mana Vault (again, countering it here is suicide...), Lotus Petal
F: Land. Can drop Mana Vault + Petal here, but that gets awkward... I'll call that line A:
Line A:
F: Mana Vault, Lotus Petal
W: Island, Mana Vault #2, Lotus Petal (note: Mayor isn't flipping while we do this)
Note that I'm at nine mana... and if I get to 15, it's game over, I just hardcast an uncounterable Emrakul.
Also, I can play Sneak + Foil for two more Petals (plus unflipping Mayor to stop a token production)... and I can pay to untap Vaults.
I'm a ramp deck!
Scenario two: My brain is fried, but I think the key play is still "get enough Lotus Petals and Vaults to hit 15 mana, while playing spells to stop Mayor from killing me fast"
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This is the results for Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03. For submissions to Perfect Hand Magic League 29:04, go here.
Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03
This round was 3 Card Land Rule - Gallywix.
Commentary
Some chose to build around the round rule (e.g. notgreat or WhammeWhamme), some tried to attack it (e.g. chalice of the void), and others still predicted that creatures would be prevalent, and set about beating those decks.
The new rules have arrived! Special thanks to Mogg for drafting and revising them. The rules and banned lists have not changed, but hopefully they are clearer now. Please take moment to look through the new revised rules and comment here if you have any feedback or criticism.
Calculate Your Row Now
Please submit your score row in the following format:
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | PT | Points
1 | X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
You don't need to calculate the final PTs or score, just your individual results. The scoring conventions are outlined in the rules at the bottom of this post. If there are any difficult or controversial matchups, please highlight these in some way and provide a brief note in your post.
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell other than Lotus Petal, each opponent puts a card with the same name from outside the game into his or her hand. If they do, put a Lotus Petal from outside the game into your hand.
Each player owns cards which are put into his or her hand in this way.
Deck Size: 3
Land Rule:: Basic Land Rule
Additional Banned list:: None (remember to check the "permanently banned cards" and "land rule" banned cards)
The Entries
01 Madmanquail :: "Three Amigos"
Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept
A bit boring but hopefully reliable (MD5: Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept)
02 snurfy8 :: "Crossing the Void"
Chalice of the Void / Ensnaring Bridge / Keldon Megaliths
An intelligent take on the format, I look forward to seeing this in action
03 WhammeWhamme :: "Turn1emrakul.dec"
Mana Vault / Sneak Attack / Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
At first I thought "this is illegal" but then I realised - you are using the petals and the shuffling rules to slow yourself down
04 yarn :: "Braidy Bunch"
Braids, Cabal Minion / Chalice of the Void / Dark Ritual
Fast Braids will be a showstopper for some decks.
05 tomsloger :: "Emrakul's Eye"
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Lion's Eye Diamond / Shelldock Isle
Tried and true, although possibly open to creature hate this week
06 nerdyjoe :: "No Messing Around"
Council's Judgement / Mangara of Corondor / Karakas
I wonder whether the redundancy of your two white spells will be a help or a shortcoming?
07 psymunn42 :: "Emrakul's Eye"
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Lion's Eye Diamond / Shelldock Isle
See 05
08 notgreat :: "Braindrain"
Exploration / Mana Drain / Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
This deck is more powerful than it looks. It has a very strong opening of Forest - Exploration - Island - Lotus Petal
09 Heinsun :: "Single Student"
Karakas / Leyline of Singularity / Student of Warfare
Avoids the rule, and punishes others who do the same.
10 Feyd_Ruin :: "You've Mayor Point"
Foil / Island / Mayor of Avabruck
Foil sort of gets around the rule, although you have to throw away your win condition to cast it for the alternative cost.
1 | X 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 | 08 | 089
2 | 6 X 6 4 3 2 3 0 6 0 | 28 | 311
3 | 6 0 X 6 6 1 6 6 0 3 | 33 | 367
4 | 6 1 0 X 3 1 3 0 1 0 | 13 | 144
5 | 6 3 0 3 X 0 3 6 0 0 | 18 | 200
6 | 3 2 4 4 6 X 6 0 2 1 | 27 | 300
7 | 6 3 0 3 3 0 X 6 0 0 | 18 | 200
8 | 6 6 0 6 0 6 0 X 3 3 | 28 | 311
9 | 6 0 6 4 6 2 6 3 X 2 | 34 | 378
0 | 0 6 3 6 6 4 6 3 2 X | 34 | 378
For next week's submission rules and discussion, go here!
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Deck Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form that player's hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the theoretical player of each hand employs the strategy that will maximize the score for his or her hand, taking into account the strategy of his or her opponent.
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Deck Composition.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.4. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid that cost or the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that could enable that player to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would begin, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of his or her chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change his or her hand until the posted deadline.
4.3. A player may name his or her hand. If that player doesn't, then the PHM moderator may name it. The PHM moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's results against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of his or her row.
6.2. A player may earn bonus League points as specified by the PHM moderator.
6.3. Each player is responsible for determining the match results for his or her hand.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Deck Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.4. Sanctioned Magic Format Variant.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. Bonus Points.
PHM Banned List
The following cards are automatically banned in all Perfect Hand Magic League rounds unless otherwise specified by the round rules. Each round may have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Acceleration
Channel
Fastbond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Pact of Negation
Chancellor of the Annex
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Barren Glory
Laboratory Maniac
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Vampire Hexmage
Land Rule Banned List
"Land Rule" is the most common variant for PHM, and thus a separate ban list has been developed to allow for easier moderation. The following cards are banned in Perfect Hand Magic League rounds when a Land Rule is used. There will be a reminder of this on the round rules.
Acceleration
Black Lotus
Disruption
Balancing Act
Energy Field
Time Walk
Win Conditions
Beacon of Creation
Maralen of the Mornsong
Nezumi Shortfang
Red Sun's Zenith
White Sun's Zenith
Trying something new here, just to see how it works.
This will be the thread for Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03. If you would like to discuss the round, this is the place. When the deadline is up, this is the place where the decks will be posted. The basic idea is one round per thread.
Also: one of our long time mods and players, Mogg, is currently updating and streamlining the PHM rules. Please check out the new rules and offer feedback and constructive criticism here.
Next Round : Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03
Next Round will be '3 Card Land Rule - Gallywix'.
Entries are due Monday 23rd Feb at 19:00 UTC
Gallywix
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell other than Lotus Petal, each opponent puts a card with the same name from outside the game into his or her hand. If they do, put a Lotus Petal from outside the game into your hand.
Each player owns cards which are put into his or her hand in this way.
Deck Size: 3
Land Rule:: Basic Land Rule
Additional Banned list:: None (remember to check the "permanently banned cards" and "land rule" banned cards)
Send your deck submission via private message (PM) to PerfectHandMagic
Follow PerfectHandMagic to be notified when the new round is posted
MD5 of Madmanquail's deck: 87ed9c7a01cc3b7655af940d8e962889
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is an online Magic format played here on the forums. Players play with an extremely limited deck size, such as 3 cards. Players begin with their entire deck (ie: those three cards) in hand and have no library (players don't lose when they fail to draw a card because of this). Due to the extremely limited number of play options given with their small deck size, games are calculated, rather then played, with an absolute determined winner (or a tie). Each player plays a match of two games against each other player who submitted - once going first, and once going second. Wins, losses, and ties for each of those two games are calculated by the moderator and players. The actual fun of the game comes from trying to decide which cards you will be playing.
What is the Perfect Hand Magic League?
The Perfect Hand Magic League is a four-week PHM tournament, which spans all Perfect Hand formats and embraces a constantly evolving set of rules. For each week of the four-week tournament, a new PHM format is announced for players to enter. Players compete for tournament points each round. At the end of the four-week tournament, the player who has accumulated the most points over the four weeks wins the tournament.
Basic Rules of Perfect Hand Magic League
Below lies the rules of PHM League written in laymen's terms for ease of understanding.
While a comprehensive rule system exists, new players and quick glances are best left for this basic explanation.
2. A deck may contain any number of copies of any Vintage-legal card, but can't contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
3. A player's deck must not enable that player to win the game before an opponent's second turn.
4. A player's deck must not enable that player to force an opponent to lose any cards in his or her hand before an opponent's second turn.
5. A player's deck must enable that player to win the game.
8. Each player starts the game with the cards in his or her deck in his or her hand.
9. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
10. A random effect resolves in favor of the opponent of the owner of that effect.
11. Players know all information that would normally be concealed from them.
12. Each player plays one two-game match against each other player, and each player is the starting player once per match.
Extra Rules
16. The Basic Rules don't cover every issue. For in-depth rules, see Comprehensive Rules.
Land Rule
Note: Rules below this line still refer to "ABT and "XCB" rather than "PHM" (review/change is ongoing)
XCB Comprehensive Rules
Below lies the comprehensive rules system for the ABT.
Rules are written for precision and game clarification. They are not written for ease of reading.
Game Rules
1.1. There are many versions of XCB. Each version has a name, of the form XCB 'Land Rule' 'Sanctioned Magic Format' 'Special Format' '(Bonus)' 'Counter Rule' 'Life Rule'.
1.1b. 'Land Rule' can be LR, ELR, ALR, or nothing. LR indicates that the basic land rule is in effect, ELR indicates that the expanded land rule is in effect, and ALR indicates that the alternative land rule is in effect (see Rule 1.7).
1.1c. 'Sanctioned Magic Format' can be the name of a sanctioned Magic constructed format or nothing. The name of a format indicates that only cards contained in sets legal in that format may be submitted. This is an exception to rule 2.3c.
1.1d. 'Special Format' can be the name of at least one special format or nothing. The name of a special format indicates that the special format in effect (see Rule 1.8).
1.1e. 'Bonus' can be (Bonus) or nothing. (Bonus) modifies the preceding special format, indicating that an entrant must not follow the rules of that format, but that entrant will earn a specified number of bonus points if he or she does (see Rule 2.4f).
1.1f. 'Counter Rule' can be C or nothing. C indicates that the counter rule is in effect (see Rule 1.9).
1.1g. 'Life Rule' can be LF, AL, or nothing. LF indicates that the life rule is in effect and AL indicates that the alternative life rule is in effect (see Rule 1.10).
1.3. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
1.3b. Rules 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 (see Rule 2.3d).
1.4b. Players don't draw hands or mulligan.
1.4c. Players don't have sideboards.
1.7. Some versions of XCB use a land rule.
1.7b. This is the expanded 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.
1.7c. This is the alternative land rule (ALR). 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.
1.8b. Some special formats generate continuous effects. Continuous effects generated by special formats are applied in the order those formats are listed in the XCB version name, before any other effects that could be applied in a layer.
1.8c. Some special formats require an entrant to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a deck. An entrant's submission is that entrant's deck and any decisions that entrant makes. An entrant's submission must not violate rule 2.3 if all instances of the word 'deck' in that rule are replaced with 'submission'.
1.8d. Some special formats refer to decks that obtain or could obtain results. Saying that a deck obtains or could obtain a result means that the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result in a game or match against another player (see Rule 1.11). If a deck obtains or could obtain a result against another deck, then the player of that deck obtains or could obtain that result against the player of the other deck.
1.10b. This is the alternative life rule (AL). If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
1.11b. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
1.11c. Games are played with perfect information; players know the identities of face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
1.11d. Games are played optimally. The best outcome for a player is to win the game and the worst outcome is to lose the game.
1.11e. 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.
1.11f. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.1. Entrants compete in a competition.
2.1b. The ABT is a competition consisting of four rounds.
2.2b. An entrant may submit multiple decks, but only the most recently submitted deck is counted.
2.2c. An illegal deck is not counted. At the moderator’s discretion, an illegal deck may be replaced by a similar deck – in which any cards causing that deck to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
2.2d. The moderator determines the result of each match. Entrants may challenge results, but not after the results of the first round of a new ABT has been posted, except at the moderator's discretion.
2.2e. An entrant may name his or her deck. If an entrant doesn't, then the moderator may name it.
ii. All cards in an opponent's hand that weren't there as a result of a cost or effect that opponent controlled that would be forced to change zones during the resolution of a spell or ability would be in that opponent's hand after that spell or ability resolved. For example, a 3CB deck could contain Timetwister and Black Lotus but an 8CB deck could not.
iii. Cards in an opponent's hand would be forced to change zones only if cards in that opponent's hand that started outside the game would cause that opponent's maximum hand size at the start of the game to be exceeded. For example, a 3CB LR deck could contain two copies of Ancestral Recall.
iv. The rule would be violated only in a game that existed as a result of an effect that resolved not before the specified turn or until each player had completed the specified number of turns that restarted the game or created a subgame. For example, a 2CB LR deck could contain Karn Liberated.
2.3c. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage (Type 1). Except as modified by a special format, all cards used in a game must be legal in Vintage.
2.3d. A deck may contain any number of copies of any card that will become legal in Vintage upon release of a set that's been revealed fully and officially since the start of the round.
2.3e. A deck may not contain any cards on the ABT Banned List.
2.4b. For each match, an entrant earns 3 points per game win and 1 point per drawn game.
2.4c. The combined result of both games in a match is called a match result. Possible match results are: 6 – two wins, 4 – a win and a draw, 3 or 2 or S – a win and a loss, 2 – two draws, 1 – a draw and a loss, and 0 – two losses.
2.4d. Some match results are also denoted by names: two wins – match win, a win and a loss – split match, two draws – draw, and two losses – match loss. An entrant wins the match if he or she wins both games, splits the match if he or she wins a game and loses a game, draws a match if he or she draws both games, and loses the match if he or she loses both games.
2.4e. An entrant earns only 2 points for a split match. This is an exception to rule 2.4b.
2.4f. An entrant may earn a number of bonus points defined by a special format. An entrant earns these points in addition to any other points.
2.4g. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Its rows represent entrants and its columns represent those entrants' opponents. An entrant's total number of points is listed at the end of his or her row.
2.5b. If two or more entrants would win the ABT, then each of those entrants competes in additional rounds specified by the moderator, until only one entrant has the most tournament points. Each additional round contains only the entrants who have the most tournament points. The moderator may specify a limit to the number of additional rounds.
3.1. A prize shall be given to the tournament winner.
3.1b. If the winner of the tournament has won two or more tournaments, then the highest ranked entrant who hasn't won two or more tournaments shall be given the prize instead.
3.1c. If the winner was a moderator for two or more rounds of the tournament, then the highest ranked entrant who wasn't the moderator for two or more rounds of that tournament shall be given the prize instead. This is to ensure fair play.
3.1d. An entrant may decline the prize. If he or she does, then that entrant may designate another entrant to receive the prize.
3.1e. Entrants under the age of 18 are ineligible for prizes, due to federal laws regarding the sharing of personal information of minors.
3.1f. In the event that a prize can't be given to an entrant, the moderator will do his best to find another suitable way to reward that entrant.
3.1g. No prize is 100% guaranteed, but is assumed upon a good faith basis. Let's face it, with international customs, weird laws, etc, we can't guarantee anything. We'll do our best.
3.2b. Incomplete scores are considered losses, even to both players in a match if necessary. This is to make sure a winner is determined at the end of a tournament.
3.2c. The moderator always has the final word regarding scores and rules. Entrants may question any scoring the moderator does, until the moderator says that a match's scoring is final.
3.2d. The moderator may, at his or her discretion, determine a match is too difficult to calculate and give it a tie score, or his or her best guess. Again, this is final.
3.2e. Once a winner has been announced as final, that entrant shall receive the prize, even if errors in scoring or points are shown later.
Permanently Banned Cards
The following cards are permanently banned in the All Blind Tournament.
Each round will have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
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 Cards
The following cards are often worth banning when a Land Rule is used.
They are included here for reference.
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
Player Standings
Previous standings will always be posted below the opening post of each week's thread.
Standings will be updated after the current week has been completed and score checking has finished.
Follow me to be notified when weekly Perfect Hand Magic results are posted
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If you want to use two cards to accelerate, you can get to 7 on turn 1, but that seems like a bit much
Also, can I assume that Death Wish in fact works to tutor any non-creature spell in my opponent's deck?
I would love to submit a silly deck: eye of the storm / word of command / opalescence, but it seems like it wouldn't be that good.
I'd also like to point out that a previous winner also looks very good this week: Ashen Rider / Recurring Nightmare / Putrid Imp
This is the results for Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03. For submissions to Perfect Hand Magic League 29:04, go here.
Perfect Hand Magic League 29:03
This round was 3 Card Land Rule - Gallywix.
Commentary
Some chose to build around the round rule (e.g. notgreat or WhammeWhamme), some tried to attack it (e.g. chalice of the void), and others still predicted that creatures would be prevalent, and set about beating those decks.
The new rules have arrived! Special thanks to Mogg for drafting and revising them. The rules and banned lists have not changed, but hopefully they are clearer now. Please take moment to look through the new revised rules and comment here if you have any feedback or criticism.
Calculate Your Row Now
Please submit your score row in the following format:
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | PT | Points
1 | X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
You don't need to calculate the final PTs or score, just your individual results. The scoring conventions are outlined in the rules at the bottom of this post. If there are any difficult or controversial matchups, please highlight these in some way and provide a brief note in your post.
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell other than Lotus Petal, each opponent puts a card with the same name from outside the game into his or her hand. If they do, put a Lotus Petal from outside the game into your hand.
Each player owns cards which are put into his or her hand in this way.
Deck Size: 3
Land Rule:: Basic Land Rule
Additional Banned list:: None (remember to check the "permanently banned cards" and "land rule" banned cards)
The Entries
01 Madmanquail :: "Three Amigos"
Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept
A bit boring but hopefully reliable (MD5: Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept)
02 snurfy8 :: "Crossing the Void"
Chalice of the Void / Ensnaring Bridge / Keldon Megaliths
An intelligent take on the format, I look forward to seeing this in action
03 WhammeWhamme :: "Turn1emrakul.dec"
Mana Vault / Sneak Attack / Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
At first I thought "this is illegal" but then I realised - you are using the petals and the shuffling rules to slow yourself down
04 yarn :: "Braidy Bunch"
Braids, Cabal Minion / Chalice of the Void / Dark Ritual
Fast Braids will be a showstopper for some decks.
05 tomsloger :: "Emrakul's Eye"
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Lion's Eye Diamond / Shelldock Isle
Tried and true, although possibly open to creature hate this week
06 nerdyjoe :: "No Messing Around"
Council's Judgement / Mangara of Corondor / Karakas
I wonder whether the redundancy of your two white spells will be a help or a shortcoming?
07 psymunn42 :: "Emrakul's Eye"
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Lion's Eye Diamond / Shelldock Isle
See 05
08 notgreat :: "Braindrain"
Exploration / Mana Drain / Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
This deck is more powerful than it looks. It has a very strong opening of Forest - Exploration - Island - Lotus Petal
09 Heinsun :: "Single Student"
Karakas / Leyline of Singularity / Student of Warfare
Avoids the rule, and punishes others who do the same.
10 Feyd_Ruin :: "You've Mayor Point"
Foil / Island / Mayor of Avabruck
Foil sort of gets around the rule, although you have to throw away your win condition to cast it for the alternative cost.
1 | X . . . . . . . . . | |
2 | . X . . . . . . . . | |
3 | . . X . . . . . . . | |
4 | . . . X . . . . . . | |
5 | . . . . X . . . . . | |
6 | . . . . . X . . . . | |
7 | . . . . . . X . . . | |
8 | . . . . . . . X . . | |
9 | . . . . . . . . X . | |
0 | . . . . . . . . . X | |
For next week's submission rules and discussion, go here!
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Deck Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form that player's hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the theoretical player of each hand employs the strategy that will maximize the score for his or her hand, taking into account the strategy of his or her opponent.
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Deck Composition.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.4. A cost or effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the player who paid that cost or the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that could enable that player to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would begin, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of his or her chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change his or her hand until the posted deadline.
4.3. A player may name his or her hand. If that player doesn't, then the PHM moderator may name it. The PHM moderator may also rename a player's hand at his or discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's results against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of his or her row.
6.2. A player may earn bonus League points as specified by the PHM moderator.
6.3. Each player is responsible for determining the match results for his or her hand.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Deck Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.4. Sanctioned Magic Format Variant.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. Bonus Points.
PHM Banned List
The following cards are automatically banned in all Perfect Hand Magic League rounds unless otherwise specified by the round rules. Each round may have an additional banned list that extends beyond, but always includes, these cards.
Acceleration
Channel
Fastbond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Pact of Negation
Chancellor of the Annex
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Barren Glory
Laboratory Maniac
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Vampire Hexmage
Land Rule Banned List
"Land Rule" is the most common variant for PHM, and thus a separate ban list has been developed to allow for easier moderation. The following cards are banned in Perfect Hand Magic League rounds when a Land Rule is used. There will be a reminder of this on the round rules.
Acceleration
Black Lotus
Disruption
Balancing Act
Energy Field
Time Walk
Win Conditions
Beacon of Creation
Maralen of the Mornsong
Nezumi Shortfang
Red Sun's Zenith
White Sun's Zenith
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X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | PT | Points
6 | 3 2 4 4 6 X 6 0 2 1 | 27 | 300
Vs 1: On the draw, preacher and adept tag-team to remove mangara, and you can beat in for the win. On the play, I drop mangara on turn three, before preacher or adept. If you play either one, I get to exile it, and replay mangara on my turn, setting up for the next one. Otherwise i'll just exile mayor (in the same way). Eventually, you run out of things on the board for me to exile with mangara, and I start beating in for the win. Judgment not needed. 3-3
vs 2: Even with bridge ramping out chalice on 3, I get to exile bridge and have mangara in play when you get to 6 mana. If you play one of megaliths or chalice without the other, I can remove one, and set up to remove the other. You need to wait for turn 6 to play chalice on 3 and play megaliths. On my turn, I exile chalice with mangara. You can ping me with megaliths on your next turn. On my next turn, I play mangara. You now have to ping mangara, who I save, every turn til the end of the game. If you ever don't, I get to exile megaliths, and win. 2-2
vs 3: If you're on the play, you get to crack in for 15. If you're on the draw, I play karakas, and bounce emrakul at the begining of combat. Eventually, I play mangara, and use it and karakas to exile your sneak attack. This is before turn 15, so you can't hardcast emrakul yet. Now you can't flash in emrakul during combat, so I'm free to attack with mangara. Once you can hardcast emrakul, if you were on the play, we do nothing, and draw. If you were on the draw, I keep beating in. If you do cast emrakul, you get the extra turn, swing in for 15, I sac 6 lands. Then on my turn, I exile emrakul with mangara, and continue beating to win. 4-1
vs 4: Braids hits t1 but karakas bounces braids at your eot for the whole game. Mangara beats ftw. Alternatively, you can use your ritual/petal to cast chalice for 3 on turn 3. If you're on the play, we tie, if not, I've got Mangara at the ready for my turn 4 to exile it. Braids comes down and sticks the turn after that, but I can sacrifice a worthless land and we're back to karakas bouncing braids. 4-1
vs 5:
Karakas for the win. You can crack in for 15 once, but karakas doesn't come down until emrakul does, and then he's outtahere. You can slowly ramp to hardcasting emrakul by repeatedly using LED for an extra petal, but the shuffle from emrakul makes this take a bunch of turns. I think it takes around 95 turns for you to get 15 petals. 6-0I forgot land rule, so you don't need to led for mana, you just play some lands. So... You do your thing, casting emrakul on your turn 2, and I bounce emrakul with karakas. If you ramp to hardcasting him, you get an extra turn to swing, so I sac my 6 lands and go to 5. Then I judge emrakul, and keep swinging to win. This is dependent on me getting to 8 lands before emrakul comes down the second time. By looping LED and emrakul, you get an extra petal every two turns. The math is close. I think it is 6-0
vs 7: see 5. 6-0
vs 8: Mana drain protects against mangara, I have no other interaction. I can wait, and build up islands, to mana drain back. Unfortunately, we can just keep stacking Islands until you have enough explorations out to kill me in a single turn (play 12 mountains in a row, gg.) 0-6
vs 9: If you drop leyline: tie, gg. We bounce eachothers threats, no-one does damage. If you don't drop leyline, if you cast student without leyline/karakas backup, the student gets judged to be inadequite, you bounce managara, tie gg. If you cast student with leyline/karakas backup, student gets bounced, managara gets bounced, we have a happy bouncing party, with one of those bouncy castles that kids play in, and tie. 2-2
vs 10: Mangara comes down on t3. If you foil, then it's a tie. If you don't, you cast mayor on t2, he flips on your t3, swing for 3, get a token. My t3, I cast mangara. Your turn4, you swing for 6, get a third wolf. My turn 4, I exile mayor, attempt to cast council's judgement. I exile a token. You then get to swing for 2 a turn. If I try to cast managara, you can foil it. If I'm on the play however, I can get down mangara right after you cast mayor, mayor doesn't flip until my turn 4, but I can exile the flipped mayor with judgment (unless you foil) then beat with mangara (or exile with mangara if you foiled). Win to me if you cast mayor, so you don't, hold up foil for mangara. I play mangara to force you to discard your hand, so you can't hardcast foil. we tie when i'm on the play. 1-4
vs. 02 snurfy8: I can't stop Bridge, and Emrakul is no Ulamog. =/ 0-6
vs. 04 yarn: I can Emrakul from under Chalice @0 (land, vault, followed by Sneak, followed by use it)
Turn 1 Chalice @1 is also beatable. (play Vault for a Lotus Petal, play Chalice @1 for a Petal and a permanent.) 6-0
vs. 05 tomsloger: I can kill his Isle whenever it hits. 6-0
vs. 06 nerdyjoe: Emrakul actually ties with this on the play - if Mangara swings, turn 15 Emrakul sneaks in for a second 15. 1-4
vs. 07 psymunn42: see 05. 6-0
vs. 08 notgreat: I can use the round rule to get into the world's oddest counter-war, which forces him to not kill me, so eventually I hard-cast Emrakul. 6-0
vs. 09 Heinsun: Yeah, I lose to Karakas. 0-6
vs. 10 Feyd_Ruin: If Vault eats the Foil, turn 3 Sneaky Emrakul wins. If not, I can Foil back soon enough. 6-0?
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | PT | Points
3 | 6 0 X 6 6 1 6 6 0 6 | 37 |
05 tomsloger and 07 psymunn42 :: "Emrakul's Eye"
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn / Lion's Eye Diamond / Shelldock Isle
Mayor of Avabruck / Preacher / Temporal Adept
6-0 beatdown
02 snurfy8 :: "Crossing the Void"
Chalice of the Void / Ensnaring Bridge / Keldon Megaliths
3-3 i think. when im on the play, i tuck emmy turn 1. snurfy can cast led for a petal and play a land. the only way to get a 3rd mana source is to cast chalice of the void, but that stops him from playing the lotus petal.
chalice definitely beats me on the draw.
03 WhammeWhamme :: "Turn1emrakul.dec"
Mana Vault / Sneak Attack / Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
0-6 agreed
04 yarn :: "Braidy Bunch"
Braids, Cabal Minion / Chalice of the Void / Dark Ritual
3-3 chalice stops me on the draw. on the play i can sacrifice the petal and cast emrakul t2
06 nerdyjoe :: "No Messing Around"
Council's Judgement / Mangara of Corondor / Karakas
listed 0-6. disagree. pretty sure its 2-2, but ill work it out later.
edit: definitely 2-2. i dont cast emmy from under the isle unless you target it with mangara. if you do that, you either tap karakas to bounce mangara and leave yourself open to emmy-ing or lose mangara for good. thats a no go.
once i get to 16 mana plus shelldock, i can cast twice in a turn. that means you have to keep from attacking with mangara to be able to answer.
08 notgreat :: "Braindrain"
Exploration / Mana Drain / Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
this also will require some working out.
edit: 6-0. i definitely win on the play. on the draw is a bit more complicated.
n1 forest, exploration, island, lotus petal
t1 forest, exploration, island, lotus petal, LED.
if you counter exploration, you cant counter LED.
if you counter LED, i can counter right back.
09 Heinsun :: "Single Student"
Karakas / Leyline of Singularity / Student of Warfare
0-6 agreed
10 Feyd_Ruin :: "You've Mayor Point"
Foil / Island / Mayor of Avabruck
does the LED i give you come fast enough to pitch to the foil for the LED? i dont know.edit: assuming it does, 3-3. on the play i can wait til turn 4 to play LED. if you foil, i can hardcast my foil copy. you dont have the mana for a third foil.
edit 2. that does happen. it just doesnt matter. 0-6
5 | 6 3 0 3 X 2 3 6 0 0 | 20 |
7 | 6 3 0 3 3 2 X 6 0 0 | 20 |
It works like heroic/prowess/emmrakul/cascade/argothian enchantress triggers. Someone else can weigh in on this, especially madmanquail, that'd be nice.
Braids, Cabal Minion / Chalice of the Void / Dark Ritual
02: 6-0 I either get t1 or t2 Braids which stops the Bridge. This is my favourite deck here!
03: 0-6 subtle use of round rules, and I can't beat the Sneak.
04: X that's me.
05: 3-3 On the play I Chalice@0 after Braids.
06: 1-4 good call with Karakas. On the play I get to t3 Chalice@3.
07: 3-3 same as 05.
08: 0-6 also a great deck; land based seems to be great these few rounds.
09: 2-2 Chalice@1 and I can't beat Karakas.
10: 0-6 casting things gives Foil more fodder.
4 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | PT
4 | 6 6 0 X 3 1 3 0 2 0 |
@nerdyjoe I think that's right actually - let the Gallywix trigger resolve for a spell, then pitch to Foil.
EDIT: new score line
4 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | PT
4 | 6 1 0 X 3 1 3 0 1 0 |
X | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | PT | Points
2 | 6 X 6 4 3 2 3 0 0 3 | 24 | 267
madmanquail: 6-0 megaliths owns you
WhammeWhamme: 6-0 first emmy hit hurts, but b/c of shuffling rules i can drop bridge and lock you out
Yarn: 4-1 I think. You ritual into braids, then I ritual into bridge. The only problem is Braids forces me to sac Megaliths on the draw, making the game a tie. On the play I can drop chalice on 0, which keeps you off braids until turn 2, which is enough time to play megaliths.
Tomsloger: 3-3 I can lock you with chalice on play, but I can't stop you tucking Emmy on draw.
Nerdyjoe: 2-2 megaliths and maganara is a stalemate
psymunn42: 3-3
notgreat: 0-6 valakut outraces me
Heinsun: 0-6 student grows before I can ping it and karakas bounces my bridge
Feyd_Ruin: 3-3 I can ping mayor before it flips on play, but on draw mayor flips too fast.
1 | X 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 6 | 10 | 111
2 | 6 X 6 4 3 2 3 0 0 3 | 24 | 267
3 | 6 0 X 6 6 1 6 6 0 6 | 37 |
4 | 6 6 0 X 3 1 3 0 2 0 | 19 |
5 | 6 3 0 3 X 2 3 6 0 0 | 20 |
6 | 3 2 4 4 6 X 6 0 2 1 | 27 | 300
7 | 6 3 0 3 3 2 X 6 0 0 | 20 |
8 |
9 | 6 0 6 4 6 2 6 3 X 2 | 34 | 378
0 | 0 6 3 6 6 4 6 6 2 X | 38 | 422
disagreements:
1v6, listed 4-3
2v4, listed 4-6
2v10, listed 3-6
3v10, listed 6-3
4v9, listed 2-4
5v6, listed 2-6
6v7, listed 6-2
Lets say you cast Darksteel Relic.
Well.. round rules puts a darksteel relic in my hand.
It actually goes in my hand as a triggered ability "irsp".
So I'll ditch my copy and island to foil your original.
Assuming I do this turn 0, I get a petal from my foil, and can drop mayor turn 1. This lets me skip my opponent's foil. Even turn 1, my opponent will usually only have two lands a petal. Creatures won't give me the extra card, so a turn 0 foil here is at best a tie. They can also Foil my turn 1/2 if they have the right kind of accel (although I don't think any appear here).
My Results:
01. 0-6. If I foil mayor, he eot bounce my mayor, then cast foil. preacher makes my tokens trade eachother.
02. 6-0. Foil Bridge. No hellbent. (See below.)
03. 3-3. (Edit: See post 16)
04. 6-0. Foil Braids if Ritual'd -> Cast mayor. Race Braids if no Rit.
05. 6-0. Race the slow play that lets him hardcast foil back. (See below.)
06. 2-2. Foil Mangara, ditching my mayor.
07. 6-0. Race the slow play that lets him hardcast foil back. (See below.)
08. 6-0. Foil Exploration. Tokens race Valakut.
09. 2-2. Foil Student, ditching mayor.
XX | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 |
10 | 0 6 3 6 6 4 6 6 2 X | 38 | 422
Long Edit:
Decided to go back over everyone who posted, since my deck is slightly confusing.
MMQ: Agreed
Heinsun: Agreed
Yarn: Agreed
Nerdyjoe:
Edit: I win the play evidently, per NerdyJoe above/below.
In order to be hellbent and use Megaliths to ping Mayor, you have to drop Bridge from your hand. This gets foiled. The issue is, then, that you have a Foil in your hand via round rules. In order to get rid of it, you'll have to cast a petal and then hardcast foil on the petal. I will, in turn, be able to foil your petal/foil IRSP. This puts another Foil into your hand. In the end, you get stuck with a foil in hand and no way to be hellbent. You might be able to get it out eventually, but Mayor has definitely flipped and made a token by this point, which races.
I of course go to foil Sneak.
Your out is to hardcast the copy of Foil I give you to stop me.
Unfortunately, I get a copy of foil and can hardcast back.
To cast Sneak and Foil, you need 5 lands:
Land1->Vault. Petal. This gives you Sneak mana.
You then need 2UU in lands to hardcast foil
By the time you get to 5 lands, I will have 4 - even on my draw.
This means I get a copy from your foil, and cast back.
This makes the play:
WW's Sneak -> Feyd's Foil ->(Copy to you)-> WW's Foil ->(Copy to Me)-> Feyd's Foil
So the original sneak if countered, and I race your Em hardcast.
No longer staff here.
T1 Forest
T1 Plains
T2 Plains, Mayor
T2 Plains
T3 upkeep mayor flips, Island, swing for 3, eot token
T3 Karakas, Mangara
T4 Island, swing for 6 (11), eot token
T4 Plains, Karakas/Mangara exiles mayor, Judgement, we both vote for one of the tokens
T5 Plains, swing for 2 (9)
T5 Island
T6 Island, swing for 2 (7)
T6 Island
T7 Island, swing for 2 (5)
T7 Island. I could cast Mangara, you foil, I foil your foil, mangara resolves. But then you get to cast council's judgement on mangara, and I had to tap karakas, so I wouldn't make this play.
T8 Island, swing for 2 (3)
T8 Island. I can cast Mangara, you foil, I foil your foil, but now you have the 4 mana to cast foil again, mangara doesn't resolve. I wouldn't make this play
T9 Island, swing for 2 (1)
T9 Island
T10 Island, swing for 2 (-1)
You win on turn 10, and there's no better lines for me.
F: Land
W: Island
F: Land, Mayor
W: Island, Mana Vault (burning foil here is suicide)
F: Land (3 lands - can play Vault and a Petal, but this gives me a Vault and a Petal... which is counter mana for yet another foil)
W: Island, Sneak Attack. Tapping Vault and a Mountain, three islands and petal untapped.
So that's a win on the play. On the draw it's dicier, but let's try it...
F: Land
W: Mountain
F: Land, Mayor
W: Island, Mana Vault (again, countering it here is suicide...), Lotus Petal
F: Land. Can drop Mana Vault + Petal here, but that gets awkward... I'll call that line A:
Line A:
F: Mana Vault, Lotus Petal
W: Island, Mana Vault #2, Lotus Petal (note: Mayor isn't flipping while we do this)
Note that I'm at nine mana... and if I get to 15, it's game over, I just hardcast an uncounterable Emrakul.
Also, I can play Sneak + Foil for two more Petals (plus unflipping Mayor to stop a token production)... and I can pay to untap Vaults.
I'm a ramp deck!
Scenario two: My brain is fried, but I think the key play is still "get enough Lotus Petals and Vaults to hit 15 mana, while playing spells to stop Mayor from killing me fast"