Hand Size: 4 cards.
Land Rule: Basic land Rule
Format Rule:
Once each turn, each player may cast a spell without paying its mana cost.
Each spell a player casts this way must have converted mana cost greater than the last spell he or she cast, unless it's the first spell that player cast this game.
This format deserves an encore. As a twist, I was planning on having land rule so tax effects are less effective this time around; please let me know if you have strong opinions on that!
Send a private message with your list of cards (your hand) to this account.
If you have any questions, just ask!
You can send a private message, or you can post in this thread. If you want to ask a question by private message, please note in your subject line that you haven't included your submission, because I want to respond to you quickly, and I don't review any submissions until I've chosen my own. I want to play, too!
Submission deadline: Tuesday, June 19, 11:00 pm GMT
Rules and Banned List
Be sure to review the rules and banned list(s) by clicking below.
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
Contents
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form their hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes the score for their hand, taking into account the strategy of their opponent(s).
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game that it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Hand Construction Rules.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.1a. Changes to the Comprehensive Rules or the Oracle text of a card take effect at the following times:
i. Changes that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or by the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.3a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
2.4. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and all cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that would enable them to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would end, 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 their chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change their 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 their hand prior to the deadline. If the hand is discovered to be illegal after the deadline has passed – or if the player does not submit a new hand – then the moderator may either disqualify that hand or replace it with a similar hand, in which any cards causing that hand to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name their hand. If he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at their discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
League Points = Points Scored / Number of Opponents x 100 (rounded to the nearest integer)
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
5.3a. If multiple players have the most League points at the end of the League, then the PHM moderator may allow those players to play additional rounds until only one of those players has the most League points or until a specified number of additional rounds has been played.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's result against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of their 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 their hand.
6.3a. Players are encouraged to determine or verify additional match results.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2a. Some variant formats generate continuous effects. A continuous effect generated by a variant format is treated as having the earliest timestamp within a layer or sublayer. If continuous effects generated by multiple variant formats would apply in the same layer or sublayer, assign timestamps to those effects in the order that the variant formats are listed in the rules or name of the round.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.3a. There are three versions of the land rule variant.
i. This is the basic land rule (LR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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.
ii. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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 their turns from their hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
iii. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land of their choice from outside the game into their hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of their first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. For all versions of the land rule variant, except as allowed by its owner, a basic land can't be caused to leave the battlefield, change control, or gain another card type by an effect of a source controlled by an opponent of its owner before its owner's second turn would end.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5a. If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
7.5b. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.6a. Players exchange hands before the start of each match. Each player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against a specified hand or specified hands, such that the player of any specified hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in the player of that specified hand losing the game. Ignore rule 3.1.
7.7. (Bonus).
7.7a. A player earns bonus points if their hand meets specified requirements.
PHM Banned List_________________Land Rule Banned List
Hands have been posted!
Please take a look and score your row.
I'm pretty happy with this mix of hands. I could definitely see re-running a variation of this format at some point in the future.
Since I didn't submit a hand for this round, I didn't delve too deeply into the mechanics past the point of creating the format; does anyone have suggestions for variations they'd like to see at some point down the line?
Also, in general, format suggestions are always welcome. I don't always use those suggestions right away, but I do maintain a list of every format that's been suggested, and I draw from it regularly.
We've had a long run of of variant consecutive variant formats.
In consideration of some recent banned list and rules changes, this seems like a good time for a simpler format and a chance to re-asses the fundamentals.
Send a private message with your list of cards (your hand) to this account.
If you have any questions, just ask!
You can send a private message, or you can post in this thread. If you want to ask a question by private message, please note in your subject line that you haven't included your submission, because I want to respond to you quickly, and I don't review any submissions until I've chosen my own. I want to play, too!
Submission deadline: Tuesday, June 19, 11:00 pm GMT
Rules and Banned List
Be sure to review the rules and banned list(s) by clicking below.
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
Contents
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form their hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes the score for their hand, taking into account the strategy of their opponent(s).
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game that it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Hand Construction Rules.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.1a. Changes to the Comprehensive Rules or the Oracle text of a card take effect at the following times:
i. Changes that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or by the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.3a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
2.4. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and all cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that would enable them to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would end, 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 their chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change their 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 their hand prior to the deadline. If the hand is discovered to be illegal after the deadline has passed – or if the player does not submit a new hand – then the moderator may either disqualify that hand or replace it with a similar hand, in which any cards causing that hand to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name their hand. If he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at their discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
League Points = Points Scored / Number of Opponents x 100 (rounded to the nearest integer)
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
5.3a. If multiple players have the most League points at the end of the League, then the PHM moderator may allow those players to play additional rounds until only one of those players has the most League points or until a specified number of additional rounds has been played.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's result against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of their 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 their hand.
6.3a. Players are encouraged to determine or verify additional match results.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2a. Some variant formats generate continuous effects. A continuous effect generated by a variant format is treated as having the earliest timestamp within a layer or sublayer. If continuous effects generated by multiple variant formats would apply in the same layer or sublayer, assign timestamps to those effects in the order that the variant formats are listed in the rules or name of the round.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.3a. There are three versions of the land rule variant.
i. This is the basic land rule (LR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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.
ii. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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 their turns from their hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
iii. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land of their choice from outside the game into their hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of their first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. For all versions of the land rule variant, except as allowed by its owner, a basic land can't be caused to leave the battlefield, change control, or gain another card type by an effect of a source controlled by an opponent of its owner before its owner's second turn would end.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5a. If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
7.5b. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.6a. Players exchange hands before the start of each match. Each player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against a specified hand or specified hands, such that the player of any specified hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in the player of that specified hand losing the game. Ignore rule 3.1.
7.7. (Bonus).
7.7a. A player earns bonus points if their hand meets specified requirements.
PHM Banned List_________________Land Rule Banned List
Also, please note that the new land protection rule for land rule formats and the updates to the banned lists in discussed in the previous thread are now in effect.
In summary:
Lands are safe from most opponents' effect during each player's first two turns. Lion's Eye Diamond is banned in land rule rounds. Vampire Hexmage is legal in all formats and Dark Depths is banned in all formats.
Sorry for not putting up the format for discussion earlier. I thought I'd posted this morning, but it must have been as a preview only.
Format notes:
1) Each player starts the game with their two submitted cards in their hand.
2) The starting player skips the draw step of their first turn.
3) If a player would replace more than one draw during the resolution of a single effect, the result is potentially unintuitive, so here's an example.
A player has zero experience counters and casts Night's Whisper. That player chooses to apply the replacement effect of the format rule twice. After Night's Whisper has finished resolving, there will be two triggers on the stack. On the resolution of each trigger, the player has two experience counters, so the player will get two copies of their second card.
4) If a player gets their third experience counter and the triggered ability is countered, they can choose to continue getting experience counters, which won't let them bring in more cards from outside the game, but could be relevant for some cards.
Hand Size: 2 cards
Land Rule: Basic Land Rule.
Format Rule:
Each player submits an ordered list of two cards.
Each players starts the game with an emblem with
"If you would draw a card, you may get an experience counter instead" and
"Whenever you get an experience counter, if you have exactly one experience counter, put a copy of your first card from outside the game into your hand" and
"Whenever you get an experience counter, if you have exactly two experience counters, put a copy of your second card from outside the game into your hand" and
"Whenever you get an experience counter, if you have exactly three experience counters, you lose all experience counters."
Be sure to review the rules and banned list(s) by clicking below.
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
Contents
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form their hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes the score for their hand, taking into account the strategy of their opponent(s).
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game that it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Hand Construction Rules.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
2.1a. Changes to the Comprehensive Rules or the Oracle text of a card take effect at the following times:
i. Changes that would take effect during the prerelease for a set take effect during the first round for which cards from that set may be submitted instead.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or by the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.3a. A player doesn't lose the game as a result of being unable to draw a card.
2.4. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and all cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that would enable them to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would end, 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 their chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change their 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 their hand prior to the deadline. If the hand is discovered to be illegal after the deadline has passed – or if the player does not submit a new hand – then the moderator may either disqualify that hand or replace it with a similar hand, in which any cards causing that hand to be illegal have been removed or replaced.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name their hand. If he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at their discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
League Points = Points Scored / Number of Opponents x 100 (rounded to the nearest integer)
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
5.3a. If multiple players have the most League points at the end of the League, then the PHM moderator may allow those players to play additional rounds until only one of those players has the most League points or until a specified number of additional rounds has been played.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's result against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of their 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 their hand.
6.3a. Players are encouraged to determine or verify additional match results.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2a. Some variant formats generate continuous effects. A continuous effect generated by a variant format is treated as having the earliest timestamp within a layer or sublayer. If continuous effects generated by multiple variant formats would apply in the same layer or sublayer, assign timestamps to those effects in the order that the variant formats are listed in the rules or name of the round.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
7.3a. There are three versions of the land rule variant.
i. This is the basic land rule (LR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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.
ii. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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 their turns from their hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
iii. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land of their choice from outside the game into their hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of their first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. For all versions of the land rule variant, except as allowed by its owner, a basic land can't be caused to leave the battlefield, change control, or gain another card type by an effect of a source controlled by an opponent of its owner before its owner's second turn would end.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5a. If neither player would win otherwise, then the player who maintains the higher life total wins the game.
7.5b. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.6a. Players exchange hands before the start of each match. Each player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against a specified hand or specified hands, such that the player of any specified hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in the player of that specified hand losing the game. Ignore rule 3.1.
7.7. (Bonus).
7.7a. A player earns bonus points if their hand meets specified requirements.
PHM Banned List_________________Land Rule Banned List
4CH LR Incremental Omniscience
Land Rule: Basic land Rule
Format Rule:
Each spell a player casts this way must have converted mana cost greater than the last spell he or she cast, unless it's the first spell that player cast this game.
This format deserves an encore. As a twist, I was planning on having land rule so tax effects are less effective this time around; please let me know if you have strong opinions on that!
3CH LR Dragons
Land Rule: Basic Land Rule.
Format Rule:
1) Convoy_Avenger
Shapesharer / Mirror Entity / Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
2) Heart of Draco :: The Turn 6 Gambit
Spellbound Dragon / Runehorn Hellkite / Eternal Dragon
3) ManyCookies :: Tasty Kobolds
Preyseizer Dragon / Prossh, Skyraider of Kher / Ruthless Deathfang
4) Mogg
Mirror Entity / Mothdust Changeling / Shapesharer
5) NTheo
Ghostly Changeling / Shapesharer / Mirror Entity
6) Sizel :: These are not the Dragons You're Looking For
Mothdust Changeling / Shapesharer / Mirror Entity
7) Superbajt
Chameleon Colossus / Dragonlord Silumgar / Ojutai, Soul of Winter
8) xStormaggedonx
Icefall Regent / Dragonlord Silumgar / Spawn of Thraxes
How to Submit
If you have any questions, just ask!
You can send a private message, or you can post in this thread. If you want to ask a question by private message, please note in your subject line that you haven't included your submission, because I want to respond to you quickly, and I don't review any submissions until I've chosen my own. I want to play, too!
Submission deadline: Tuesday, June 19, 11:00 pm GMT
Rules and Banned List
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form their hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes the score for their hand, taking into account the strategy of their opponent(s).
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game that it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Hand Construction Rules.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or by the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.4. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and all cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that would enable them to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would end, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
ii. Take an infinite number of turns.
iii. Cause a card to leave an opponent's hand.
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.1b. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents had no maximum hand size.
3.1c. That player could achieve one of these results only during a game that was restarted after an opponent's second turn had begun.
3.1d. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be put onto the battlefield by that effect.
3.1e. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be in that opponent's hand once that effect resolved.
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of their chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change their hand until the posted deadline.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name their hand. If he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at their discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's result against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of their 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 their hand.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
ii. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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 their turns from their hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
iii. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land of their choice from outside the game into their hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of their first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. For all versions of the land rule variant, except as allowed by its owner, a basic land can't be caused to leave the battlefield, change control, or gain another card type by an effect of a source controlled by an opponent of its owner before its owner's second turn would end.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5b. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. (Bonus).
Beast Within________________________Beacon of Creation
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Black Lotus
Channel_____________________________Energy Field
Dark Depths_________________________Lion's Eye Diamond
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Maralen of the Mornsong
Fastbond____________________________Nezumi Shortfang
Flash_______________________________Red Sun's Zenith
Force of Will_______________________White Sun's Zenith
Ghost Quarter
Laboratory Maniac
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Leyline of the Meek
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
Pact of Negation
Show and Tell
Strip Mine
The Rack
Trinisphere
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Wasteland
Channel_____________________________Black Lotus
Fastbond____________________________Lion's Eye Diamond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Beast Within________________________Balancing Act
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Energy Field
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Pact of Negation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Barren Glory________________________Beacon of Creation
Dark Depths_________________________Maralen of the Mornsong
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Nezumi Shortfang
Laboratory Maniac___________________Red Sun's Zenith
Leyline of the Meek_________________White Sun's Zenith
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Format Ideas?
Additional Resources
3LR Dragons
Land Rule: Basic Land Rule
Format Rule:
Please post if you have any comments or suggestions! (Any other broken dragons I can't think of off the top of my head?)
You're good - I just missed the re-submission.
Please take a look and score your row.
I'm pretty happy with this mix of hands. I could definitely see re-running a variation of this format at some point in the future.
Since I didn't submit a hand for this round, I didn't delve too deeply into the mechanics past the point of creating the format; does anyone have suggestions for variations they'd like to see at some point down the line?
Also, in general, format suggestions are always welcome. I don't always use those suggestions right away, but I do maintain a list of every format that's been suggested, and I draw from it regularly.
In consideration of some recent banned list and rules changes, this seems like a good time for a simpler format and a chance to re-asses the fundamentals.
3CH LR
Land Rule: Basic Land Rule.
Format Rule: None.
1) Convoy_Avenger
Shelldock Isle / One with Nothing / Blightsteel Colossus
) Heart of DracoSubmission Withdrawn by Author
2) ManyCookies :: Commando Torro
Commandeer /Torrent Elemental /Reality Shift
3) Mogg
Arcane Denial / Hammer of Bogardan / Swan Song
4) nerdyjoe
Vessel of Malignity / Dread Wanderer / Liliana of the Veil
5) Superbajt
Anurid Scavenger / Kolaghan's Command / Path to Exile
6) xStormaggedonx
Eternal Scourge / Volrath's Stronghold / Necrotic Sliver
How to Submit
If you have any questions, just ask!
You can send a private message, or you can post in this thread. If you want to ask a question by private message, please note in your subject line that you haven't included your submission, because I want to respond to you quickly, and I don't review any submissions until I've chosen my own. I want to play, too!
Submission deadline: Tuesday, June 19, 11:00 pm GMT
Rules and Banned List
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form their hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes the score for their hand, taking into account the strategy of their opponent(s).
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game that it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Hand Construction Rules.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or by the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.4. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and all cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that would enable them to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would end, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
ii. Take an infinite number of turns.
iii. Cause a card to leave an opponent's hand.
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.1b. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents had no maximum hand size.
3.1c. That player could achieve one of these results only during a game that was restarted after an opponent's second turn had begun.
3.1d. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be put onto the battlefield by that effect.
3.1e. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be in that opponent's hand once that effect resolved.
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of their chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change their hand until the posted deadline.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name their hand. If he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at their discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's result against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of their 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 their hand.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
ii. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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 their turns from their hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
iii. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land of their choice from outside the game into their hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of their first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. For all versions of the land rule variant, except as allowed by its owner, a basic land can't be caused to leave the battlefield, change control, or gain another card type by an effect of a source controlled by an opponent of its owner before its owner's second turn would end.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5b. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. (Bonus).
Beast Within________________________Beacon of Creation
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Black Lotus
Channel_____________________________Energy Field
Dark Depths_________________________Lion's Eye Diamond
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Maralen of the Mornsong
Fastbond____________________________Nezumi Shortfang
Flash_______________________________Red Sun's Zenith
Force of Will_______________________White Sun's Zenith
Ghost Quarter
Laboratory Maniac
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Leyline of the Meek
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
Pact of Negation
Show and Tell
Strip Mine
The Rack
Trinisphere
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Wasteland
Channel_____________________________Black Lotus
Fastbond____________________________Lion's Eye Diamond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Beast Within________________________Balancing Act
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Energy Field
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Pact of Negation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Barren Glory________________________Beacon of Creation
Dark Depths_________________________Maralen of the Mornsong
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Nezumi Shortfang
Laboratory Maniac___________________Red Sun's Zenith
Leyline of the Meek_________________White Sun's Zenith
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Format Ideas?
Additional Resources
In summary:
Lands are safe from most opponents' effect during each player's first two turns.
Lion's Eye Diamond is banned in land rule rounds.
Vampire Hexmage is legal in all formats and Dark Depths is banned in all formats.
Format notes:
1) Each player starts the game with their two submitted cards in their hand.
2) The starting player skips the draw step of their first turn.
3) If a player would replace more than one draw during the resolution of a single effect, the result is potentially unintuitive, so here's an example.
A player has zero experience counters and casts Night's Whisper. That player chooses to apply the replacement effect of the format rule twice. After Night's Whisper has finished resolving, there will be two triggers on the stack. On the resolution of each trigger, the player has two experience counters, so the player will get two copies of their second card.
4) If a player gets their third experience counter and the triggered ability is countered, they can choose to continue getting experience counters, which won't let them bring in more cards from outside the game, but could be relevant for some cards.
2CH LR Lore
Land Rule: Basic Land Rule.
Format Rule:
Each players starts the game with an emblem with
"If you would draw a card, you may get an experience counter instead" and
"Whenever you get an experience counter, if you have exactly one experience counter, put a copy of your first card from outside the game into your hand" and
"Whenever you get an experience counter, if you have exactly two experience counters, put a copy of your second card from outside the game into your hand" and
"Whenever you get an experience counter, if you have exactly three experience counters, you lose all experience counters."
Hands:
1) Convoy_Avenger
Steppe Lynx / Exploration
2) Feyd_Ruin
Lightning Bolt / Looter il-Kor
3) ManyCookies :: Zombilee
Abrupt Decay / Dark Salvation
4) NTheo
Kindle / Kindle
5) Superbajt
Solemnity / Wand of the Elements
6)xStormaggedonx :: The Goblin-Wizard's Fury
Mizzix of the Izmagnus / Aurelia's Fury
Results:
X| 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
1| X 0 0 0 6 3 | 08 | 160
2| 6 X 0 2 0 0 | 08 | 160
3| 6 6 X 0 0 0 | 12 | 240
4| 6 6 6 X 0 6 | 24 | 480
5| 0 6 6 6 X 6 | 24 | 480
6| 3 6 6 0 0 X | 14 | 280
Superbajt and NTheo win!
Rules and Banned List
Cards on the PHM Banned List are always banned, and cards on the Land Rule Banned List are banned as well when the round uses a Land Rule.
1. Overview
2. Game Rules
3. Hand Construction Rules
4. Entry
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
6. Scoring
7. Variant Format Rules
1. Overview
Perfect Hand Magic (PHM) is a competitive strategy game for two or more players. It can be played using pencil and paper; however, it's most commonly played via an online forum. To play the game, each player secretly chooses a specified number of Magic cards which form their hand. Once all players have chosen hands, the hands are revealed and scored.
The object of the game is to choose the hand that will score the most points. The score for each hand is determined by the result that it would achieve if it were used to play two games of Magic – one match – against each competing hand; the rules for these theoretical games are covered in Section 2 – Game Rules. During each theoretical game, the player of each hand employs the strategy that maximizes the score for their hand, taking into account the strategy of their opponent(s).
A hand scores 3 points for each game that it would win, 0 points for each game that it would lose, and 1 point for each game that would end in a draw. However, a hand scores only 2 points for any match that would have a symmetrical result, regardless of whether the result would be two drawn games or a win for each hand.
The composition of a hand is limited only by a short banned list and a few restrictions on the game states that it can enable; these restrictions are covered in Section 3 – Hand Construction Rules.
2. Game Rules
2.1. Except for the changes described in these rules, games follow the rules for a normal game of Magic.
ii. Changes that would take effect at any other time take effect during the first round for which those rules have been in effect since the start of the round instead.
2.1b. Ignore any part of an instruction that isn't covered by these rules or by the rules of Magic.
2.2. A player's opening hand contains that player's chosen cards.
2.3. Players' libraries begin the game empty.
2.4. An effect that would produce a random result produces the result that least benefits the owner of the source of that effect instead.
2.5. Each player is the starting player for one game in each match.
2.6. Players know the identities of all face-down cards and all cards in hidden zones, and players know which decisions have been made by other players.
2.7. If a game would continue indefinitely, then the game is a draw.
2.8. If a loop containing at least one optional action would be repeated indefinitely during a turn, then any player may propose a number of times for that loop to repeat instead. If a player does, then each other player may propose a different number and the loop is repeated for the greatest number of times proposed instead. No player is required to make a choice that would end a loop that crosses multiple turns.
2.9. Cards can't be brought into the game from outside the game.
3. Hand Construction Rules
3.1. A player may not choose an opening hand that would enable them to achieve any of the following results before an opponent's second turn would end, such that that opponent could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in at least one of these results:
ii. Take an infinite number of turns.
iii. Cause a card to leave an opponent's hand.
Ignore this rule in the following cases:
3.1b. That player's hand would be legal if that player's opponents had no maximum hand size.
3.1c. That player could achieve one of these results only during a game that was restarted after an opponent's second turn had begun.
3.1d. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be put onto the battlefield by that effect.
3.1e. All cards that would leave an opponent's hand during the resolution of an effect would be in that opponent's hand once that effect resolved.
3.2. A hand may contain any number of copies of any card legal in Vintage.
3.3. A hand may not contain any cards on the PHM Banned List.
4. Entry
4.1. A player plays a round of PHM by submitting a list of their chosen cards to the PHM moderator.
4.2. A player may change their hand until the posted deadline.
4.2b. The moderator also will try to notify a player if that player's hand doesn't enable that player to win the game against any possible hand.
4.3. A player may name their hand. If he or she doesn't, then the moderator may name it. The moderator may also rename a player's hand at their discretion.
5. Perfect Hand Magic League (PHML)
5.1. PHM League play consists of four rounds of PHM.
5.2. Each round, a player earns League points according to the following formula:
5.3. The player with the most League points at the end of League play is the PHM League winner.
6. Scoring
6.1. A table of match results is posted at the end of each round. Each row lists one player's result against each other player. A player's points and League points are tallied at the end of their 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 their hand.
6.3b. An undetermined match result is counted as a loss for both players in that match.
6.3c. A player may challenge any result until the moderator announces that the result is final.
7. Variant Format Rules
7.1. Perfect Hand Magic has been played with hands typically containing between one and seven cards. Additionally, the Game Rules and Hand Construction Rules have been adapted to create hundreds of variant formats. Five commonly-played variants are described in Sections 7.3-7.7.
7.2. The rules of a variant format overwrite any other applicable rules.
7.2b. Some variant formats require a player to make some number of decisions in addition to or instead of submitting a hand. A player's submission must comply with the Hand Construction Rules, taking into account any decisions made at this time.
7.2c. Some variant formats require players to make decisions "before the start of each game". For these decisions, follow the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, replacing "active player" with "starting player".
7.3. Land Rule Variant.
ii. This is the extra land rule (ELR). Any player may play a basic land of their 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 their turns from their hand. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
iii. This is the draw land rule (DLR). If a player would draw a card from an empty library, that player puts a basic land of their choice from outside the game into their hand instead. The starting player doesn't skip the draw step of their first turn. A hand may not contain any cards on the Land Rule Banned List.
7.3b. For all versions of the land rule variant, except as allowed by its owner, a basic land can't be caused to leave the battlefield, change control, or gain another card type by an effect of a source controlled by an opponent of its owner before its owner's second turn would end.
7.5. Life Rule (LF).
7.5b. Irrespective of rule 7.5a, a player must choose an opening hand that enables them to win both games of a match against at least one hand, such that the player of the losing hand could make no sequence of decisions that would not result in that player losing the game. The losing hand must conform with the Hand Construction Rules but need not consider this rule.
7.6. Backbuild.
7.7. (Bonus).
Beast Within________________________Beacon of Creation
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Black Lotus
Channel_____________________________Energy Field
Dark Depths_________________________Lion's Eye Diamond
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Maralen of the Mornsong
Fastbond____________________________Nezumi Shortfang
Flash_______________________________Red Sun's Zenith
Force of Will_______________________White Sun's Zenith
Ghost Quarter
Laboratory Maniac
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Leyline of the Meek
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
Pact of Negation
Show and Tell
Strip Mine
The Rack
Trinisphere
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Wasteland
Channel_____________________________Black Lotus
Fastbond____________________________Lion's Eye Diamond
Flash
Show and Tell
Disruption
Beast Within________________________Balancing Act
Chancellor of the Annex_____________Energy Field
Force of Will
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Singularity
Pact of Negation
Trinisphere
Lands
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Win Conditions
Barren Glory________________________Beacon of Creation
Dark Depths_________________________Maralen of the Mornsong
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn_____________Nezumi Shortfang
Laboratory Maniac___________________Red Sun's Zenith
Leyline of the Meek_________________White Sun's Zenith
Magus of the Moon
Meddling Mage
The Rack
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Format Ideas?
Additional Resources
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