Reality Benders

In this Death Match, engage in a spell-slinging duel where you determine how different spells interact.

Designer(s): e_is_cool	Match Type: DM (for 2 players)
Featured in: Genius Game 4

Final Match 2: Reality Benders

"Hey, isn't this just Wizard's Duel but with a different name?"

Overview

In this game, players will bend the rules of reality and cast spells. Each round will consist of two phases: the rule bending phase, and the spell casting phase.

Spell Rules

In the rule bending phase, both players will privately submit two spells, in the form of X > Y where X and Y are spell letters. Imagine the rules like a graph, where each spell is represented by a node. If X > Y is a rule, then there is a directed edge going from X to Y. X > Y is an illegal submission if there is already a connection going from X to Y.

Then, both players' submissions will be revealed, and the rules applied to the graph.

It will then be the spell casting phase. Both players will privately submit a spell to cast, as well as anything else required by its ability. You cannot cast the spell you casted last round. Both spells will then be revealed, then resolved. First, all spell abilities activate, in alphabetical order. Spells that are the same will activate simultaneously, then their effects will take place. Then, the player whose spell beats the other will win.

Given two spells X and Y, the following outcomes can result:

If the distance from X to Y is less than the distance from Y to X, spell X beats spell Y.

If the distance from Y to X is less than the distance from X to Y, spell Y beats spell X.

Otherwise, the distances are equal, and it is a tie.

If one cannot reach Y from X, then the distance from X to Y is considered infinity. Similarly, if one cannot reach X from Y, then the distance from Y to X is considered infinity. Infinity is considered equal to infinity.

If a spell wins, then the player who played that spell gains a point, and both spells are trashed. Otherwise, it is a tie, neither player gets a point, and the spells return to each players' hands if they are different; if the spells are the same, both are trashed.

Winning

These two phases alternate until one player has no more spells, in which case the bout ends. Whoever has more points at this time wins.

The first player to win two bouts wins the DM. However, it is important to note that bouts are not independent. The rules from the previous bout will carry over into all future bouts.

Spells

Here are the spells. Each spell's ID is just the first letter of its name.

A - Armageddon - If the duel is a tie, gain 1 point, then trash both spells.

B - Build - Submit two spells of your choice. Build a two-way connection between them.

C - Combo - Submit a spell of your choice. It will be revealed to your opponent. If you play it the next duel, gain 1 extra point in that duel if you don't lose.

D - Dizzy - Submit a spell of your choice; flip the direction of all connections to and from that spell.

E - Explosion - Submit a spell of your choice. All connections to and from that spell will be destroyed.

F - Foresight - Submit a spell of your choice. If your opponent casts it this duel, win the duel instead.

G - Greed - Double the value of any points gained during this duel.

H - Hellfire - Submit two spells of your choice. Destroy the shortest path(s) from the first spell to the second.

I - Imagination - Your opponent picks three non-Imagination spells; select one to add to your hand. This resolves after the duel is over.

Timing

Players have 1 minute per turn. Each player also has 5 minutes of reserve time, which is automatically used in increments of 1 minute when the normal turn timer runs out. At the beginning of the second and third bout, each player is given an additional 5 minutes of reserve time. Running out of reserve time is an instant loss.

Restrictions

You may take notes during the DM; however, the use of external tools such as calculators, programs, or spreadsheet formulas is prohibited.

Items

All item uses are public.

Bonus: If you use this during a phase and win, gain an extra point. This item has 1 use.

Bridge: In the rule bending phase, you may build an extra connection. This item has 1 use.

Break: In the rule bending phase, you may destroy a connection. This item has 1 use and may only be used on existing connections.

Clarification: Greed does not stack with Bonus.

Clarification: Foresight wins you a duel, not a bout.

Clarification: Abilities that change whoever wins or loses activate last. A's ability to trash both spells occurs immediately after the phase.

For example, using Foresight to "win this duel instead" does not prematurely end the duel if played against G/H/I.

Clarification: Graphics will be provided during the DM, consisting of a circular arrangement of the spells in alphabetical order with arrows pointing from one spell to another indicating connections.

Clarification: Because the same spell cannot be played back to back, if a player cannot play any spell they have currently, the bout also ends.

(Primarily regarding spells required via imagination)

Edit: In bouts 2-3, if there is a tie in phases 16+, both cards will always be trashed regardless if they are the same or not.

Reality Benders

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