Deck Size: 5 Land Rule: None Additional Banned list: Every card submitted in 2016. Cards submitted for 40:03 and on-wards are banned. (Please be sure to review the regular ban list and the land rule ban list at the end of this post)
Commentary
Find that sweet combo no one else has tried, play inferior versions of cards. Test out the newly spoiled cards for their power in the format!
Over time, the mana base of these rounds will get worse. The inevitable December round will be painful.
How to Enter
Anyone is free to enter the Perfect Hand Magic League. To enter, simply send a private message (PM) to the user PerfectHandMagic with your deck submission. The standard rules of the format are explained below in the click-able spoilers. If you get stuck or need some advice, please don't hesitate to speak up on this thread or send a private message to user PerfectHandMagic for tips and tutorials. Decks are commonly submitted as:
Card 1 / Card 2 / Card 3
(eg. for a 3 card format)
Please submit your hand by 00:00 GMT Tuesday June 28.
You Make the Format
In PHM we vote on the formats YOU want to play! Submit your ideas for formats into the thread below, and they will be added to the vote for next week's format selection.
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.
There has been an issue recently where people propose formats, there is no meaningful discussion of them, and then we vote on and play them. For instance, when I suggested Learn to Read, I really hadn't thought it through at all, and even a little bit more development effort would have made it much better. But I forgot about it because the thread became about results, and then it somewhat unexpectedly won the vote and suddenly it was being played undiscussed and unmodified. And this most recent week, the banlist was significantly updated very close to the deadline!
What would people think of adding a one-week delay on formats to allow more discussion? So, this week we submit for 2016 Banlist, but we also close the vote for 46:03 nowish, and have this week to discuss the resulting format. To close the gap, we can also vote on the format for 46:04 this week. Then during the week of 46:03, we start a vote for 47:01, discuss and modify the selected format for 46:04, submit for 46:03, and score our 46:02 hands, and so on.
Oh, and also, InfiniteNutshell's suggestion gave me an idea for a way to fix the issue that came up in this week's round, which is that single-card strategies are just as if not more powerful than convoluted combos, which is boring. I propose It's Okay To Play Creatures Backbuild:
4CB LR Backbuild
Submissions must 6-0 any hand composed of four basic lands.
Each player begins the game with an emblem with "Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to you."
Thanks for the feedback! I'll move the poll closure date to Thursday evening, and then we can have some discussion about the selected format, as well as a new poll for the next-next format. Then after this week, each thread should contain:
Suggestions for future formats
A poll for the next format in the queue
Discussion on the already selected format that will be played next week, banlist and meta discussions
Round results for the current week
Format suggestion, since we'll need a surge of them right now:
Hold that thought. 3 Card Land Rule
All cards have split second. (Split second only functions on the stack. Lands never go on the stack. It is flavor text. Muraganda Petroglyphs is not a good card in this format)
I think a better way to fix backbuild would be to add the rule "Your deck cannot be able to win without at least three cards leaving or being revealed from your hand" (for 4CB LR). You would adjust the number for other hand sizes of course.
Also, I entirely agree with Personman's suggestion on round timing.
There is a format I've wanted to see happen. It would require some more moderator control, but I'd be willing to do it. I would also do this independently of PHML if there's interest.
Silver Border Land
Silver bordered cards (UG/UNH and holiday promos) are legal. Land rule is in effect; hand consists of either one silver-bordered card and one non-silver-bordered card or three silver-bordered cards. Players are assumed to be capable of taking any physical actions, and the ban list will be carefully considered.
So is that "Massive Additional Banlist" going to apply for the entire rest of the year? Or just the next challenge?
EDIT: ooOOOoooh I'm dumb so that's just this week's challenge then k
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"It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes... Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
So, since we have this nice new time period for discussing formats, is there anything that needs thinking about for Xathrid Curse?
As suggested, it's somewhat unclear whether it was supposed to be LR or not. I guess no, since it's not specified, but we should probably clarify that. Also, is it desirable that in the absence of interacting directly with the life loss, you can't submit a deck that wins? That is, if you don't gain life or do something else clever, you will lose on the upkeep of your third turn, which on the play gives you a very small window to kill your opponent - that is, while the lethal Xathrid trigger is on the stack. Maybe this is fine, but especially if it's 4CB no LR, it's a bit restrictive.
It was really shocking to me that Leyline/Karakas hadn't been played. I wanted to run it, but then I noticed Mutavault, and then I noticed Dark Depths, and running all-lands seemed too good. But I knew Karakas was good, so I decided I'd tech against it - and somehow at 3am last night I convinced myself that Temple + Stifle does that. It doesn't, and if I'd realized that, I might've played Urborg/Pox or Urborg/Snuff Out instead. I think if I had done that I would have cost myself quite a few points - Temple gets me necessary speed sometimes, and Stifle turned what would've been my one 0-6 into a 6-0.
1BronyAur: Get out of my road
Ancient Spring / Oboro, Palace in the Clouds / Vindicate / Syncopate / Slippery Bogle
I don't need to cast spells, but you can Vindicate a land. So I have to try Mutavault beats first. If you Vindicate Mutavault, I just win, but you can Vindicate the land I play to activate it instead. But whichever one it is, I can activate with the other, and a 2/2 beats a 1/1.
6-0
2HerziQuerzi: Mr. Bigs
Woodland Stream / Subterranean Hangar / Urban Burgeoning / Endless One / Maelstrom Pulse
Pulse doesn't hit lands.
6-0
3InfiniteNutshell: Tron
Urza's Power Plant / Urza's Mine / Urza's Tower / Bane of Bala Ged / Not of This World
I make Marit-Lage on 3 and you don't attack til 4, so I just win. On the draw I can sac two lands to your attack.
6-0
4nerdyjoe: One troll good, two trolls better.
Troll Ascetic / Troll Ascetic / Tree of Tales / Mox Ruby / Mox Opal
I kill turn 4, you kill turn 5.
6-0
6psly4mne: Death, no taxes
Leyline of Singularity / Mangara of Corondor / Karakas / Calciform Pools / World Queller
Well, I thought I would lose to Karakas, but you can't play any threats before you're not allowed to tap Karakas anymore. Unfortunately, if I stand up Mutavault, you can just bounce that, and then I can't make enough mana for Stage.
2-2
7Reyemile: Staxs
Ancient Tomb / Ratchet Bomb / Thorn of Amethyst / Null Rod / Epochrasite
None of these cards do anything to me.
6-0
8SeeNamedPerson: The Phyrexian Menace
Maze of Ith / Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth / Black Knight / Knight of Stromgald / Glistening Oil
The one match where stile is relevant. Maze of Ith would've wrecked me otherwise.
6-0
9WhammeWhamme: Reanimator
Reanimate / Empyrial Archangel / Hapless Researcher / Mox Jet / Snow-Covered Island
Mine's bigger.
6-0
5 | 6 6 6 6 X 2 6 6 6 | 40
Well, that's the best I've ever done in a 5CH round, I think!
vs. 01 BronyAur: First tirn Archangel has shroud. 6-0
vs. 02 HerziQuerzi: Still shroudy. 6-0
vs. 03 InfiniteNutshell: OTD, he swings twice with Bane before death. 3-3
vs. 04 nerdyjoe: Archangel can take ALL the Troll damage. 6-0
vs. 05 Personman: Marit Lage? Seriously none all year? 0-6
vs. 06 psly4mne: I outrace Queller and ignore targeted. 6-0
vs. 07 Reyemile: He has to lead with Null Rod or Thorn (or else face Archangel) OTP, so can't Bomb/race Researcher. 4-1
vs. 08 SeeNamedPerson: Archangel has shroud. 6-0
Another reason why it's really good we have a format discussion period now!
I would suggest that in cases like this (where a card's legality can't be determined by looking at the card) it is not reasonable to ask all players to do the research work, and that it ought to be up to the format submitter to provide the official ban list. This doesn't mean they have to do the research either, if others are willing, just that they should sign off on it before the round starts, so if the provided list ends up being "wrong" under the initial list-defining criteria, at least everyone's on the same page about how it's wrong.
I unfortunately think there's no real remedy this week, but this sucks pretty bad for SeeNamedPerson, who was punished for having a good memory :/
Wow, did not realize how much of a mess-up this was. Seriously, this round should be a write-off; anybody going by the listed round rules would NOT have been expecting the "legal" decks this round.
Either that, or DQ the three illegal decks (self included).
I don't really think those solutions make sense. Just accepting that the banned list was the one Reyemile posted makes one player a little bit sad, whereas your solutions either make ever player sad or three players very sad.
I agree it's unfortunate and we should be more careful in the future, but I think we should just let it stand.
Another alternative would be to try to replace the illegal cards with substitutes, which wouldn't hurt me or you much I think, but would pretty much destroy psly4mne's deck, so I'm not too happy about that solution either.
I'd rather be personally DQ'd than let the round result stand, Personman. Or apply the iirc standard fix of replacing illegal cards with basic lands (which takes out my win-con, so I'm pretty sure I still lose all the points).
Why? Because otherwise the winning deck is one I'm pretty sure *everyone else* correctly assumed was illegal based on the round rule. That's unacceptable.
Wait, what? My deck barely gets worse with a basic land substitution, unless you're saying that Dark Depths was played and no one mentioned it yet?? As far as I know my deck is only illegal because of Mutavault, which had almost no impact on my results (from memory it maybe will cost me 6 points to have a basic instead?).
Why? Because otherwise the winning deck is one I'm pretty sure *everyone else* correctly assumed was illegal based on the round rule. That's unacceptable.
For the record, I was relying 100% on the posted ban list in this thread.
Wait, what? My deck barely gets worse with a basic land substitution, unless you're saying that Dark Depths was played and no one mentioned it yet?? As far as I know my deck is only illegal because of Mutavault, which had almost no impact on my results (from memory it maybe will cost me 6 points to have a basic instead?).
I'm assuming someone ran Dark Depths at some point this year, yes (Given Leyline/Karakas apparently skipped the filter, I'm rather assuming there was a significant failure at some point). I'm not terribly inclined to check every single round manually to confirm, however.
Or, as I keep saying, cancel this entire round and never run it again. It was a terrible idea for a format, because it's too complicated to keep in your head.
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5CB 2016 Banlist
Deck Size: 5
Land Rule: None
Additional Banned list: Every card submitted in 2016. Cards submitted for 40:03 and on-wards are banned. (Please be sure to review the regular ban list and the land rule ban list at the end of this post)
Commentary
Find that sweet combo no one else has tried, play inferior versions of cards. Test out the newly spoiled cards for their power in the format!
Over time, the mana base of these rounds will get worse. The inevitable December round will be painful.
Entries
1BronyAur: Get out of my road
Ancient Spring / Oboro, Palace in the Clouds / Vindicate / Syncopate / Slippery Bogle
Resiliant threat, good removal. But maybe a little slow.
2HerziQuerzi: Mr. Bigs
Woodland Stream / Subterranean Hangar / Urban Burgeoning / Endless One / Maelstrom Pulse
Removal and a threat, what more can you want?
3InfiniteNutshell: Tron
Urza's Power Plant / Urza's Mine / Urza's Tower / Bane of Bala Ged / Not of This World
Looks solid, if a little slow to start.
4nerdyjoe: One troll good, two trolls better.
Troll Ascetic / Troll Ascetic / Tree of Tales / Mox Ruby / Mox Opal
Quick, resilient, but no removal.
5Personman: Lands
Thespian's Stage / Dark Depths / Mutavault / Svyelunite Temple / Stifle
Hard to believe Dark Depths hasn't been played.
6psly4mne: Death, no taxes
Leyline of Singularity / Mangara of Corondor / Karakas / Calciform Pools / World Queller
Good removal, but a bit slow.
7Reyemile: Staxs
Ancient Tomb / Ratchet Bomb / Thorn of Amethyst / Null Rod / Epochrasite
This looks like a good read of the week
8SeeNamedPerson: The Phyrexian Menace
Maze of Ith / Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth / Black Knight / Knight of Stromgald / Glistening Oil
I like it. Quick, dangerous, efficient.
9WhammeWhamme: Reanimator
Reanimate / Empyrial Archangel / Hapless Researcher / Mox Jet / Snow-Covered Island
The real question is, is archangel the right threat to bring out?
How to Enter
Anyone is free to enter the Perfect Hand Magic League. To enter, simply send a private message (PM) to the user PerfectHandMagic with your deck submission. The standard rules of the format are explained below in the click-able spoilers. If you get stuck or need some advice, please don't hesitate to speak up on this thread or send a private message to user PerfectHandMagic for tips and tutorials. Decks are commonly submitted as:
Card 1 / Card 2 / Card 3
(eg. for a 3 card format)
Please submit your hand by 00:00 GMT Tuesday June 28.
You Make the Format
In PHM we vote on the formats YOU want to play! Submit your ideas for formats into the thread below, and they will be added to the vote for next week's format selection.
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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What would people think of adding a one-week delay on formats to allow more discussion? So, this week we submit for 2016 Banlist, but we also close the vote for 46:03 nowish, and have this week to discuss the resulting format. To close the gap, we can also vote on the format for 46:04 this week. Then during the week of 46:03, we start a vote for 47:01, discuss and modify the selected format for 46:04, submit for 46:03, and score our 46:02 hands, and so on.
Oh, and also, InfiniteNutshell's suggestion gave me an idea for a way to fix the issue that came up in this week's round, which is that single-card strategies are just as if not more powerful than convoluted combos, which is boring. I propose It's Okay To Play Creatures Backbuild:
4CB LR Backbuild
Submissions must 6-0 any hand composed of four basic lands.
Each player begins the game with an emblem with "Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to you."
Suggestions for future formats
A poll for the next format in the queue
Discussion on the already selected format that will be played next week, banlist and meta discussions
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Hold that thought. 3 Card Land Rule
All cards have split second. (Split second only functions on the stack. Lands never go on the stack. It is flavor text. Muraganda Petroglyphs is not a good card in this format)
Also, I entirely agree with Personman's suggestion on round timing.
There is a format I've wanted to see happen. It would require some more moderator control, but I'd be willing to do it. I would also do this independently of PHML if there's interest.
Silver Border Land
Silver bordered cards (UG/UNH and holiday promos) are legal. Land rule is in effect; hand consists of either one silver-bordered card and one non-silver-bordered card or three silver-bordered cards. Players are assumed to be capable of taking any physical actions, and the ban list will be carefully considered.
(IE: The following 400+ cards have been played in 2016 and are considered banned)
Of note, Plains is the only (normal) basic land not banned.
/in before we all play white >_<
No longer staff here.
EDIT: ooOOOoooh I'm dumb so that's just this week's challenge then k
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
Fixed
No longer staff here.
As suggested, it's somewhat unclear whether it was supposed to be LR or not. I guess no, since it's not specified, but we should probably clarify that. Also, is it desirable that in the absence of interacting directly with the life loss, you can't submit a deck that wins? That is, if you don't gain life or do something else clever, you will lose on the upkeep of your third turn, which on the play gives you a very small window to kill your opponent - that is, while the lethal Xathrid trigger is on the stack. Maybe this is fine, but especially if it's 4CB no LR, it's a bit restrictive.
edit: this isn't very important, but City of Traitors appears twice on the list
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5 Personman: Lands
Thespian's Stage / Dark Depths / Mutavault / Svyelunite Temple / Stifle
vs.
1BronyAur: Get out of my road
Ancient Spring / Oboro, Palace in the Clouds / Vindicate / Syncopate / Slippery Bogle
I don't need to cast spells, but you can Vindicate a land. So I have to try Mutavault beats first. If you Vindicate Mutavault, I just win, but you can Vindicate the land I play to activate it instead. But whichever one it is, I can activate with the other, and a 2/2 beats a 1/1.
6-0
2HerziQuerzi: Mr. Bigs
Woodland Stream / Subterranean Hangar / Urban Burgeoning / Endless One / Maelstrom Pulse
Pulse doesn't hit lands.
6-0
3InfiniteNutshell: Tron
Urza's Power Plant / Urza's Mine / Urza's Tower / Bane of Bala Ged / Not of This World
I make Marit-Lage on 3 and you don't attack til 4, so I just win. On the draw I can sac two lands to your attack.
6-0
4nerdyjoe: One troll good, two trolls better.
Troll Ascetic / Troll Ascetic / Tree of Tales / Mox Ruby / Mox Opal
I kill turn 4, you kill turn 5.
6-0
6psly4mne: Death, no taxes
Leyline of Singularity / Mangara of Corondor / Karakas / Calciform Pools / World Queller
Well, I thought I would lose to Karakas, but you can't play any threats before you're not allowed to tap Karakas anymore. Unfortunately, if I stand up Mutavault, you can just bounce that, and then I can't make enough mana for Stage.
2-2
7Reyemile: Staxs
Ancient Tomb / Ratchet Bomb / Thorn of Amethyst / Null Rod / Epochrasite
None of these cards do anything to me.
6-0
8SeeNamedPerson: The Phyrexian Menace
Maze of Ith / Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth / Black Knight / Knight of Stromgald / Glistening Oil
The one match where stile is relevant. Maze of Ith would've wrecked me otherwise.
6-0
9WhammeWhamme: Reanimator
Reanimate / Empyrial Archangel / Hapless Researcher / Mox Jet / Snow-Covered Island
Mine's bigger.
6-0
5 | 6 6 6 6 X 2 6 6 6 | 40
Well, that's the best I've ever done in a 5CH round, I think!
vs. 02 HerziQuerzi: Still shroudy. 6-0
vs. 03 InfiniteNutshell: OTD, he swings twice with Bane before death. 3-3
vs. 04 nerdyjoe: Archangel can take ALL the Troll damage. 6-0
vs. 05 Personman: Marit Lage? Seriously none all year? 0-6
vs. 06 psly4mne: I outrace Queller and ignore targeted. 6-0
vs. 07 Reyemile: He has to lead with Null Rod or Thorn (or else face Archangel) OTP, so can't Bomb/race Researcher. 4-1
vs. 08 SeeNamedPerson: Archangel has shroud. 6-0
I certainly trusted Feyd_Ruin's list rather than digging through the archives. Anyone know how many of the decks were legal in the stated format?
I would suggest that in cases like this (where a card's legality can't be determined by looking at the card) it is not reasonable to ask all players to do the research work, and that it ought to be up to the format submitter to provide the official ban list. This doesn't mean they have to do the research either, if others are willing, just that they should sign off on it before the round starts, so if the provided list ends up being "wrong" under the initial list-defining criteria, at least everyone's on the same page about how it's wrong.
I unfortunately think there's no real remedy this week, but this sucks pretty bad for SeeNamedPerson, who was punished for having a good memory :/
But yeah, can we not have this format again? Enormous Banned List.format is super-annoying to build for.
4 | 6 ? 3 X 0 6 6 ? 0 |
Will work out the other two sometime.
Either that, or DQ the three illegal decks (self included).
I agree it's unfortunate and we should be more careful in the future, but I think we should just let it stand.
Another alternative would be to try to replace the illegal cards with substitutes, which wouldn't hurt me or you much I think, but would pretty much destroy psly4mne's deck, so I'm not too happy about that solution either.
Why? Because otherwise the winning deck is one I'm pretty sure *everyone else* correctly assumed was illegal based on the round rule. That's unacceptable.
I'm assuming someone ran Dark Depths at some point this year, yes (Given Leyline/Karakas apparently skipped the filter, I'm rather assuming there was a significant failure at some point). I'm not terribly inclined to check every single round manually to confirm, however.
Or, as I keep saying, cancel this entire round and never run it again. It was a terrible idea for a format, because it's too complicated to keep in your head.