3CB Tournament #46

[wonkey_donkey]

*SPECIAL FORMAT*

The main rule for this format is “whenever a player plays a spell, that player may play a copy of that spell without playing its mana cost any time you could play an instant. The next time you pass priority, remove that copy from the game.” Basically, lands aren’t copied and you get 2 of everything else. Not quite sure if the wording’s ideal, but it’s the best I could do. It needs to be this awkward as if someone can make a lotus-FoW-threat deck work, then fair play to them. This is not an invitation to play something that’ll 2-2 everything, though – inspired counter-decks only, if you’d be so kind .

Banned List:
Portal
Unglued
Unhinged
Any deck that can feasibly win on the first turn
Any deck/cards that can make your opponent discard or RFG any number of cards
Any deck that can’t win under it’s own steam (i.e. NO MISE DECKS)
[card]Sphere of Resistance[/card]
[card]Trinisphere[/card]
[card]Null Rod[/card]
[card]Chalice of the Void[/card]
[card]Glowrider[/card]
[card]Time Walk[/card]
[card]Meddling Mage[/card]
[card]Null Chamber[/card]
[card]Leveler[/card]

NB this is subject to change within 72hrs of first posting.

CHALICE OF THE VOID IS BANNED
NULL ROD IS BANNED

What is 3cb?

3-Card Blind (3CB) is a very unique game. The rules are as follows

Your deck is composed of 3 cards, all of which start in your hand.
You have no library (technically, the library exists, but starts at 0 cards) and no sideboard (Wishes fetch nothing).
Random effects always go in your opponent's favour.
You can see your opponent's hand, so you can always make the best possible play.
You don't lose as a result of not being able to draw a card.
You will play each opponent twice, once going first, once going second.
For each win, you score 3.
For each draw, you score 1.
For each lose, you get nothing.
Other than the aforementioned, EVERYTHING IS HANDLED EXACTLY LIKE A REAL GAME OF MAGIC!

To make an entry, PM your deck to wonkey_donkey in the following format:

Subject: 3cb Tournament #46 Entry or 3cb Tournament#46 Revision
Deck Name
Card #1
Card #2
Card #3

Optional Deck discussion, random sucking up, etc.

I'll close entries after 2 weeks. Get your entries in by 9th December and I'll calculate. As I said, the banned list may change within 48 hours of this post going up. After that, it stays as it is. This is not a reason to withold your decks, though - this is not a particuarly serious format! If something's broke, please fix it whilst we can!

I’ve banned those because they fall into one of three categories; they stop spells from being played (both Spheres, Glowrider and Null Chamber) or they are a threat that is very strong but can be played in conjunction with another threat (Meddling Mage and Leveler). The third category is Time Walk; it breaks the ‘win on the first turn’ rule too easily when coupled with [card]Anurid Scavenger[/card]. I’m fairly sure it’s too degenerate for this format even without that, so I’m banning it.

This is a banned list that I’m really unsure about – I’d like it to be as high-powered as possible, but not so that every game will automatically be 3-3. I’d like to keep lotus for this one, but that’s just a quirky thing – if people feel too strongly either way, then let me know.

If I could have entries sooner rather than later for this, then it’d be much appreciated. I’m going to be away for a few days near the end of the tournament, so calculating may prove awkward for that period of time. No big problem, just means a minor delay.

Speaking of delays, I'm sorry this didn't go up any sooner. My internet's been down since first thing thursday morning. Now that it's working again, results for 3CB #45 go up in about 10-15 minutes.

Tom

[CaptainPlanet.dec]

So if I play a creature, it's only copied until end of turn?

[wonkey_donkey]

No, it's copied for good. Think of putting a copy of each spell into play, except that each copy can be countered (hence the highly contrived wording).

Tom

[Zelc]

Are you going to ban Null Rod as well?

[wonkey_donkey]

I was thinking about banning null rod, yes, although I'm unsure. I think it should probably go, as it has much the same effect as sphere of resistance. I'll have a think.

Tom

[Zelc]

Are decks that win on the second turn allowed?  If so, can decks that can win on the first turn be allowed, but not be allowed to win until the second turn?

[CaptainPlanet.dec]

Are decks that win on the second turn allowed?  If so, can decks that can win on the first turn be allowed, but not be allowed to win until the second turn?

Already asked. Nope, Lotus, Lotus, Urza's Rage is NOT allowed.

[Tristal]

Why would that win the game?  I count 6 damage.

[CaptainPlanet.dec]

Why would that win the game?  I count 6 damage.

Each Lotus equals 2 Loti. 2 Loti = 6 mana. Therefor, 2 Lotus = 12 mana. Kickered Urza's Rage doubled equals 20 damage.

[Tristal]

Ahh, I keep thinking it's just creatures and sorceries/instants, not artifacts too.  There goes that fun (but bad) Lotus/Brothers Yamazaki idea I had.

[wonkey_donkey]

Chalice and Null Rod seem to be too strong for this - they both stop everything in their tracks for this, really. The aim of this is to not have things that win automatically going first (usually giving lee-way for very out-of-the-box thinking). Consequently, do I want to ban either [card]Nether Void[/card] and/or [card]Force of Will[/card]? They are both very abusable, and easy enough to build a deck around (well, making a good FoW deck's not so easy, but I'm sure it's possible).

To summarise,

Null Rod and Chalice of the Void are banned.
Force of Will and Nether Void may well be best off going, but I'm not so sure.

Tom

[CaptainPlanet.dec]

Ahh, I keep thinking it's just creatures and sorceries/instants, not artifacts too.  There goes that fun (but bad) Lotus/Brothers Yamazaki idea I had.

Lotus are copied! Artifacts are spells!

Please don't kill my Void deck!!!! I'm guessing you did receive my email. Back to the drawing board I suppose.

[leviat]

“whenever a player plays a spell, that player may play a copy of that spell without playing its mana cost any time you could play an instant. The next time you pass priority, remove that copy from the game.”

You need to reword this as it's not very clear at all. For example, based on this wording, none of the copies would ever resolve as you have to pass priority in order to have them resolve. (eg. They would be removed before they ever resolve)

Could you instead explain what effect you are going for along with an example or two? Also be clear as to whether you get a copy of the card (like Scepter) or a copy of the spell (like Fork).

[rvs]

Ban Balance. Please.

[Tristal]

It is banned, it can make your opponent discard.

[wonkey_donkey]

“whenever a player plays a spell, that player may play a copy of that spell without playing its mana cost any time you could play an instant. The next time you pass priority, remove that copy from the game.”

You need to reword this as it's not very clear at all. For example, based on this wording, none of the copies would ever resolve as you have to pass priority in order to have them resolve. (eg. They would be removed before they ever resolve)

Could you instead explain what effect you are going for along with an example or two? Also be clear as to whether you get a copy of the card (like Scepter) or a copy of the spell (like Fork).

I know it's confusing, but I was hoping to get the full effect across with that wording. I've clearly failed dismally.

When you play a spell, you copy that spell and put that spell on the stack (so the copy will resolve before the original). You don't have to pay its mana cost. Kickers/entwine work as follows - if you play the original with kicker/entwine, the copy also has the kicker/entwine; if played without, you may pay any additional costs when you play the copy to kick/entwine it.

Think of forking every spell that you play, including permanents. I would have just said 'fork everything' but unfortunately it didn't work with permanents - I didn't use the 'put a copy into play' thing because I want people to be able to counter both the copy and the original if countermagic is available and used. The 'until you next pass priority' idea was to make it so that the copy has to be played instantly.

Speaking of the 'until you next pass priority' caveat, is it so bad? Surely the triggered ability to create a copy of the spell goes on the stack. That ability resolves (the passing priority is still part of the same triggered ability), giving the active player both a copy of the spell and priority. He then plays the copy without any extra costs incurred. That's how it was meant to work, anyway.

To use an example, and to demonstrate why time walk is banned, let me use a hypothetical deck of Lotus-Time Walk-Anurid Scavenger. You drop the lotus, which is copied. You sac the original lotus to play the scavenger (again, which is copied), giving you a board position of 2xscavenger, 1xlotus token. You then sac the lotus to play time walk, which in turn is copied. You then have 2 scavengers, 2 extra turns, and a graveyard of lotus and time walk. Next upkeep, you return both cards and drop the lotus before time walking again. Same again next turn, and so forth.

I hope this clarifies things a little.

Tom

[leviat]

Thanks for clearing that up.

Shouldn't [card]Nether Void[/card] be banned on the same principals as other spells (Sphere of Resistance)

[wonkey_donkey]

Probably, yes. I've in theory missed the 'deadline' for banning cards, but I'm running the thing - it's my rule, so I'll break it if I feel the need to   .

Tom

[leviat]

Just wanted to remind everyone that the new Legend rule rulez them out of this tournament

[Jacob Orlove]

Just wanted to remind everyone that the new Legend rule rulez them out of this tournament ;)

Actually, they're World Enchantments, not Legends.

[Nibble]

I would have just said 'fork everything' but unfortunately it didn't work with permanents - I didn't use the 'put a copy into play' thing because I want people to be able to counter both the copy and the original if countermagic is available and used. The 'until you next pass priority' idea was to make it so that the copy has to be played instantly.

Unless I'm missing something, countermagic should be forked as well, so what's the problem? Player A casts Lotus, putting Lotus and LotusCopy on the stack. Player B gets priority and Force of Wills, getting a Force targeting Lotus and ForceCopy targeting LotusCopy.

[wonkey_donkey]

The problem arises if I worded it as "when you play this spell, put a copy of it into play" or something like that. You wouldn't be able to counter the copy.

Tom