League Event and Game Rules
Event Rules
Matches will follow the official Commander rules, which can be found here: http://mtgcommander.com/rules.php
No sideboards will be allowed. The “Partial Paris” mulligan will be used. No additional cards are banned or unbanned. In all other situations, games will follow the regular M:tG comprehensive and tournament floor rules.
Event Structure
Players will be assigned to pods of three to five, depending on attendance.
Each event will consist of two 75 minute, one-game matches. If the match is still in progress when the time limit is reached, the game proceeds immediately to overtime.
In the second round, pods will be formed with the goal of minimizing the number of repeat opponents and giving each player the same average number of opponents (i.e. ideally you won't play against the same player twice in one night, and you'll play one three player game and one four player game, if available). All else being equal, early-eliminated players and survivors will be matched in separate pods.
Handling Concession
Just as in other Magic formats, a player is allowed to concede at any moment. This has ramifications for various scoring mechanisms in this league, however, so it is handled slightly differently here.
When a player concedes, that player loses the match and the normal procedure for eliminating players from a multiplayer game is followed, as per the comprehensive rulebook. Next, a "goldfish" replaces that player, with the same life total, accrued commander damage, emblems and counters that were on him or her, but with no cards in any zone. If the conceding player was the active player, the remainder of the turn is completed as normal, but the goldfish is otherwise removed from turn order and never receives priority. The goldfish counts as a player for the purposes of targeting spells and abilities, declaring attackers, and earning league achievements. It always takes the advice of the other opponents if required to make a choice, and automatically pays any associated costs.
If a player has no non-goldfish opponents, that player immediately wins the game and the match ends.
On Collusion
Multi-player Magic is a naturally diplomatic enterprise, full of alliances, table talk, coercion and betrayal. That doesn't mean that collusion or team work is appropriate in an individual-based competition, however! You should never feel restricted from any course of action that you feel will give you the best chance of winning the game, but keep the following rules in mind as you play. Play honestly, watch the king-making, and you'll be fine:
Prizes
Event prizes will be awarded to the players with the greatest net gain in points at the end of each event. The amount of prize support and the distribution of the prize support will depend on attendance at that week, though the prize pool will always be equal to one booster pack per player which will be awarded to the top third.
League prizes will be awarded to the players with the greatest number of league points at the end of the eight week season, counting their best five events. The amount of prize support and the distribution of the prize support will depend on attendance during the entire league season, though the prize pool will always be equal to one dollar store credit per attendee throughout the season, which will be awarded to the top-scoring members, plus random prizes. (The number of players who receive a share of the grand prize is equal to one quarter of the number of players who attended the league 2 or more times that season. In other words, [# of winners] = [# of repeat players]/4.)
Special Thanks
To Steven Clarke, Sheldon Menery and the European Diplomacy Association, from whom I cribbed liberally in the creation of these documents.
Matches will follow the official Commander rules, which can be found here: http://mtgcommander.com/rules.php
No sideboards will be allowed. The “Partial Paris” mulligan will be used. No additional cards are banned or unbanned. In all other situations, games will follow the regular M:tG comprehensive and tournament floor rules.
Event Structure
Players will be assigned to pods of three to five, depending on attendance.
Each event will consist of two 75 minute, one-game matches. If the match is still in progress when the time limit is reached, the game proceeds immediately to overtime.
- In overtime, each player remaining in the game has 2 extra turns. The active player begins overtime in their first extra turn.
- Once a player has used both of their extra turns, they are removed from turn order and any additional turns will be skipped. When all extra turns have been used, the game is a draw between each remaining player.
- No table-talk is allowed during extra turns. (Table-talk is any chatter about in-game politics or strategy. Friendly banter is always encouraged.)
In the second round, pods will be formed with the goal of minimizing the number of repeat opponents and giving each player the same average number of opponents (i.e. ideally you won't play against the same player twice in one night, and you'll play one three player game and one four player game, if available). All else being equal, early-eliminated players and survivors will be matched in separate pods.
Handling Concession
Just as in other Magic formats, a player is allowed to concede at any moment. This has ramifications for various scoring mechanisms in this league, however, so it is handled slightly differently here.
When a player concedes, that player loses the match and the normal procedure for eliminating players from a multiplayer game is followed, as per the comprehensive rulebook. Next, a "goldfish" replaces that player, with the same life total, accrued commander damage, emblems and counters that were on him or her, but with no cards in any zone. If the conceding player was the active player, the remainder of the turn is completed as normal, but the goldfish is otherwise removed from turn order and never receives priority. The goldfish counts as a player for the purposes of targeting spells and abilities, declaring attackers, and earning league achievements. It always takes the advice of the other opponents if required to make a choice, and automatically pays any associated costs.
If a player has no non-goldfish opponents, that player immediately wins the game and the match ends.
On Collusion
Multi-player Magic is a naturally diplomatic enterprise, full of alliances, table talk, coercion and betrayal. That doesn't mean that collusion or team work is appropriate in an individual-based competition, however! You should never feel restricted from any course of action that you feel will give you the best chance of winning the game, but keep the following rules in mind as you play. Play honestly, watch the king-making, and you'll be fine:
- You should always play so that you maximize your own score and ranking in the league, or in the game you are playing.
- You should not engage in cross-gaming. That is, you must not give favours to another player in exchange for assistance in earlier games or for the hope or promise of assistance in later games. Every game is a new one and should be treated as such. You should not try to take revenge for any actions that occurred in any other game.
- You should never attack or ally with any other player purely for your out-of-game relationship with that player.
- Out-of-game bribery and coercion is forbidden. Promises of in-game resources or repercussions are fine, any incentives or disincentives related to out of game rewards or favours are not.
- Suspected cheating will be investigated, and given sufficient evidence game losses or event disqualifications may be issued. Extreme or repeated cases may require disqualification from the league.
Prizes
Event prizes will be awarded to the players with the greatest net gain in points at the end of each event. The amount of prize support and the distribution of the prize support will depend on attendance at that week, though the prize pool will always be equal to one booster pack per player which will be awarded to the top third.
League prizes will be awarded to the players with the greatest number of league points at the end of the eight week season, counting their best five events. The amount of prize support and the distribution of the prize support will depend on attendance during the entire league season, though the prize pool will always be equal to one dollar store credit per attendee throughout the season, which will be awarded to the top-scoring members, plus random prizes. (The number of players who receive a share of the grand prize is equal to one quarter of the number of players who attended the league 2 or more times that season. In other words, [# of winners] = [# of repeat players]/4.)
Special Thanks
To Steven Clarke, Sheldon Menery and the European Diplomacy Association, from whom I cribbed liberally in the creation of these documents.