Game variants

Totems (3 Players)

In the game MTG variant “Totems” players no longer have their own life totals, instead they have a shared life total with each other player represented by a “Totem” between them.


Each player must reduce the life total of the Totem between their opponents to zero while keeping the totem on both their sides alive.

Example: Sally wins the game when she reduces the life total of the totem between Ben and Tom to zero. She loses the game any other totem is reduced to zero before that.


The Totems

  • Players can only attack the totem in front of them (the one between the other two players) and or enemy planeswalkers.
  • When gaining life, the recipient chooses one of the adjacent totems to gain life.
  • When dealing damage to a player, that player must allocate the damage to a totem that is not adjacent to the inflicter.
  • When a player loses the game (empty library, concedes etc.) both adjacent totems are destroyed, resulting in a draw between the surviving players.
  • When a player wins the game (Thassa's Oracle etc.) the Totem in front of that player is destroyed.
  • Both players may block for their mutual totem.
  • Poison counters are placed on totems instead of players and can be proliferated.

Complex interactions

  • Angel of Destiny:

    When choosing if you have more life than your starting total, you may choose either Totem.

    When attacking a totem, you attack both players at the same time.

    When this creature is dealing damage to the totem, the totem will heal twice the amount.

  • Revenge of Ravens:

    Triggers when your totem and or planeswalkers are attacked.

    Controller can heal either the totem being attacked or the other.

  • Captive Audience:

    You select a player not a Totem.

    The controller selects which of that player adjacent totems life total becomes 4.

    Both your opponent creates five 2/2 zombies.

  • Flame Rift :

    The spells controller assign damage any the two adjacent totems

    The totem in front of the spells controller loses 8 life.


Setup

Can be combined with any existing format such as Standard, Commander, Limited, etc. and follows their respective special rules and life totals.


Emperor (6 Players)

In the game MTG variant "Emperor" each team consist of three players (An emperor and two generals)

The trick to this format is the world is scoped between two adjacent players (friend or foe) on either side. Meaning the Emperor cannot interact with any opponents until one of their own generals are removed from play.

Example: Both Sally's generals are defeated and removed from play. If Sally plays Day of Judgment she will remove all creatures except Sam's. Sally can attack Ben or Tom as they can attack her. Odds are however in Sam's favor as he still has both his generals and time to build up and aid his team.


Special rules

  • The game only ends if an emperor is defeated, loses, concedes or leaves in anger.
  • The game is played in team turns, generals in play control their own phases, but only the emperor may pass the turn to the opposing team.
  • Due to world limitations (range of influence) and the fact that emperors only operates in sorcery speed, only generals can respond to opponent actions until someone leaves play
  • Any effect that states you win the game (Thassa's Oracle etc.) have no effect.
  • Effect that states you lose the game (Glorious End, no cards in etc.) works and you leave the game.
  • Effect that prevents loss (Platinum Angel etc.) works against generals but not emperors.
  • Once a player leaves the game a World breach occurs for all players adjacent to the leaving player
  • Each opponents effect usually only works for the emperor ()
  • The emperor may see the generals cards if they allow it, but generals may not see each other's cards, the emperor may reveal cards in his hand to his generals.

World breach

  1. Emblems and counters placed on players are removed from play.
  2. All cards, tokens and counters belonging to the leaving player cease to exist.
  3. Exile all spells and abilities from the stack and damage wears off.
  4. Taps all permanents, loses priority and skip remaining steps and phases.

The Generals

Each general's world consists of a foe (general or emperor) and friend (emperor), each global effect will therefore alway affect a teammate.


The Emperor

Once an emperor has been defeated the opposing team wins.

All spells and abilities made by the emperor are in sorcery speed until one of his generals are removed from play.

The emperor's creatures has a special activated ability:

Target friendly General gain control of this creature. Can only be used by the emperor.

Complex interactions

  • Rampant Frogantua:

    This can can gain a maximum of +40/+40 and it requires the emporer has lost both his generals, then defeats all remaining generals.

    Does not account for player leaving the game outside world scope

  • Belbe, Corrupted Observer:

    The emperor will never benefit from a friendly general controlling this

  • Aminatou, the Fateshifter:

    Yes.

  • Teyo, Geometric Tactician:

    As emperor you might not always have a legal target for +1.

    The -2 will most likely not have effect as there usually only is one opponent at a time.

  • Order of Succession:

    This only works if there are no more than three players left.

Setup

Can be combined with any existing format such as Standard, Commander, Limited, etc. and follows their respective special rules and life totals.

*It is recommended that the emperor has a more supporting deck that can interact with the adjacent generals.