5 players, each with a different
mono-colored deck. The first player to eliminate their "enemy" colors is the winner. “Draws” often occur, but only one player may be declared as the winner. Each player has two allies and two enemies, and may only have the combat phase with their enemies. Players sit in a strict seating arrangement where each player is in between two allies and across from two enemies. See color listing for example. Format is similar to the basics of a
Free For All, with added stipulated rules. This is a format unknown to the majority of
Magic players, but it is not new. I learned about it on (
MTGO)
Magic: The Gathering Online, where it doesn’t even have the format built to play it. For best success when playing with one or more new players to this format, I suggest using “regular decks” (not made for this format) that were constructed for multi-player
free for all style. If all players construct a deck for this format, it will be just as successful. The core sets, 6th, 7th, and 8th edition, are the easiest source to build Classic - Star Match decks from.
Enemy Color List:
- White - black and red
- Blue - red and green
- Black - white and green
- Red - white and blue
- Green - black and blue
Ally Color List:
- White - green and blue
- Blue - white and black
- Black - blue and red
- Red - black and green
- Green - red and white
Restrictions:
Banned cards are:
Anything that outrightly destroys an enemy color, their possessions, or would be declared as “unfair” by the group. Specific card (from editions after the Invasion block) list that I suggest banning: Blasting Station, Cabal Coffers, Lightning Greeves, Boil, Choke, Flashfires, Sanctimony, Karma, Yawgmoth's Edict, Circle of Protections, Hibernation, Wrath of Marit Lage, Story Circle, Divining Top, all swords, and Skullclamp. Universal cards that do not hinder the ally/enemy format are allowed. See http://gatherer.wizards.com/default.asp?term=time_walk&fields=|name|rules|type&format=Allsets&color=All&output=summary&sort=name&first=1 for card listings or descriptions.
Often house rules can be a better judgement of what is allowed in this format. For instance, a white card like Eight and a Half Tails has a protection ability, and may be deemed unfair. Though both white's enemey colors could deal with that card easily, it is a 2/2 creature and could be directly damaged for 2 when white has no available mana. Another possibility is that blue can counter this card. Thus there are unlimited ways to play the format, depending on allowed cards.
Artifacts and Abilities:
- Played as desired by players (No artifacts, or unlimited), but often max number of non-land artifacts is eight. The idea behind this format is to win by using the abilities of your chosen color, artifacts can misuse the purpose of this format.
- Abilities must be played from your color only. (Only exception is as Blue you can steal your opponents’s cards and use them however desired).
- Mana attributed artifacts and artifact lands are allowed without counting towards max number of artifacts.
- I’ve noticed that if every player plays with their creatures having protection from their two enemy colors, (land)walk, and fear, game play is not as fun. I would suggest a minimum of under eight creatures with these abilities per player.
Strategy:
White: Life gaining is a necessity. I stack four Glorious Anthems in the deck with multiple flying creatures for best winning scenarios. The most important idea White must understand is that All of White’s enchantments are basically indestructible because only White and green have disenchant or naturalize. I suggest going heavy in enchantments as a result. If red played a card such as Browbeat, my personal favorite, white should be the player who takes the damage and does not allow red to draw three cards. Any other examples where any player may choose to take damage to not allow a player to gain anything, should be taken white (If white’s enemies black or red are to gain). Personal opinion, White is 2nd easiest to play as in this format (2/5), with a win ratio 3rd highest (3/5). On the fun scale White is the 3rd most fun to play as (3/5)
Blue: Counter spells and gain control of target X are a necessity. Using cards that search other players libraries and play that chosen card is a good strategy. Blue almost always makes the first move, and should as well. Counter spells are cost effective and use a low amount of mana, often used early on in the game. Blue should attack red first, who has (DD) direct damage that will be the death of Blue. If red is destroyed Blue can then concentrate on killing green with very little interference. Blue should desire to have their white ally die first before black, but to win unconditionally has to lose both allies before killing the last opponent, this is very difficult for Blue. Personal opinion, Blue is the 5th easiest (hardest) to play as in this format (5/5), with a win ratio of 5th highest (lowest win ratio) (5/5). On the fun scale Blue is the most fun to play as (1/5).
Black: Creature destruction is a necessity, whether this is by Dark Banishing or Terror type cards, or by target creature gets -X/-X, Black has to win by having more creatures out and the more powerful of those creatures attacking their enemies. Black has little chance to keep an enchantment out with both white and green as enemies. Black usually has no preference in order of kill, but must take heed on white’s life gaining and green’s creatures. Personal opinion, Black is the 4th easiest to play in this format (4/5), with a win ratio of (2/5). On the fun scale Black is the fourth most fun to play as (4/5).
Optional Dilemma:
Black and Red are the devious colors, for added fun I suggest allowing these two colors to fight it out if they are remaining two colors. I mean, it is safe to assume, that the zombies wouldn’t want to share their glory with those goblins, that the dwarfs wouldn’t want to be victorious knowing that evil walked the earth! Added stipulation that I came up with is to allow a grace period of two turns of no combat phase following the destruction of third player. This is by all means my own creativity and imagination, it is not apart of the Class Star match’s originality.
Red: (DD) Direct Damage is a necessity. I play what I call the “ultimate deck” as red, which works in any format, against those stupid new artifact affinity decks, or anything else. In the deck there is a lot of (DD), but three key cards that I will list: Sulfuric Vortex, War Elemental, and Glacial Chasm. Best three card combination (allowed in most formats, and my unique idea) in my opinion. The Glacial Chasm is pushing the mono-colored idea though, but even without it the Sulfuric Vortex takes care of white’s life gain, and the War Elemental is pumped up enough to slaughter any player. Red has an intricate place in this format, unsure of whom to kill first. Blue will mess with Red first, but Red also has to keep an eye on white’s life gain. Red should play for a slow win, becoming aggressive early will lose the game surely. Abilities such as Haste probably won’t aid a win. Dragon decks are too slow, but I suggest having a couple of large creatures with flying (or some other non-blockable ability) to destroy opponents. Personal opinion, Red is the third easiest to play in this format (3/5), with a win ration of fourth highest (4/5). On the fun scale Red is the 2nd most fun to play as (2/5).
Green: Bigger the creatures, the better. Elves just don’t cut it in this format. Green is the most straightforward color, making sense to the human brain above all other colors. If it can’t walk on land, or doesn’t have legs, kill it. Green is always passive for some reason, never really getting involved in the major conflict of the game. It is a good color for new players, and constructing decks for this color is very easy. I have seen many different ideas as of how to use green to its best of abilities, all seemingly able to work just as equally well as any other. Personal opinion, Green is the easiest to play in this format (1/5), with the highest win ratio (1/5). On the fun scale Green is the 5th most fun to play as (5/5).
Disclaimer of color strategy:
If you noticed my personal opinion, the harder to play your role, the more fun it is. For optimum results in color strategy, swap colors after every game and get a feel for all aspects and sides of this format. The format color strategy is not perfect, needs to constantly updated and reformatted for each individual group, and banned card lists always will need revisions. If you have any strategy you would like to disagree with me, please msg me your concern. Also any banned cards that you think I should add to the format list, please msg me those as well.