Chess Magic

July 19th, 2010

Hello everyone, and welcome to Dark Designs. This week is Fortress Week, and all the articles this week will be related to fortresses or strongholds in some way or another. Except this one.

You see, originally I was going to write an article where I made a clever little metaphor about how design restrictions help designers the same way that the fortifications in a castle help the castle’s defenders: they narrow down the “field” (so to speak) from a vast, empty, rolling terrain to only a few isolated areas that need to be worked in. But then I realized that, besides the particular analogy, I wasn’t really going to say anything that Mark Rosewater hasn’t already said better, so I figured I’d just put the analogy up at the top and move on.

I promise we’ll get to the real article in a minute (I’m rather proud of it), but first I wanted to take a moment to address some mail I got recently about a previous article, Gygaxian: A Definition. This is the letter I received:

Hello Sir;

I just found your excellent website today, and have greatly enjoyed what I have so far read. In fact, I enjoyed one particular article enough that I feel compelled to comment on it. That article is “Gygaxian: A Definition” from June 21st, 2010. As I read your several definitions of “Gygaxian”, I realized that there was one additional definition that I think should be added to the list:

Mr. Gygax wrote all his sourcebooks from the perspective of being “one of us”. Every sentence on every page shows that he felt himself to be a gaming geek, no different from you or me, who had created/discovered something that he eagerly wanted to share with everyone. Gygaxian rules might sometimes have been a bit rough around the edges, but they were unfailingly friendly and personal.

I discovered this definition at Christmas last year. You see, I played 1st edition AD&D for a quarter of a century, from 1978 to 2003. In 2003 I began converting my campaign to 3.0 (and very soon thereafter to 3.5). While I enjoy Third Edition, I always felt that something was lacking. The 3.x rules seemed somehow bland, detached… I was never quite able to put my finger on it. Until, that is, some old friends came to visit for the holidays and we played a game of AD&D.

As I refreshed myself on the old rulebooks, which I had not looked at for half a decade, the difference in tone and approach leapt out at me: Gary Gygax shared his rules with us, whereas WotC dictates their rules to us!

So, while “Gygaxian” certainly means all the things you wrote about, it also means a fellow gamer who opened his toy chest and invited us all to play. The employees at WotC might sometimes play games, but when they are at work they write as designers, not gamers. Their rules are slick and professional, but they are also cold, detached, and impersonal. The exact opposite of Gygaxian in every way.

Regards,
Charles Lee Carrier

Like the other definitions of Gygaxian, I’d like to take a moment to weigh in on this one. As with the others, I’m not really examining whether or not the definition is the “real” definition of Gygaxian, or if it even really applies to Gygax himself (from what I’ve seen, though, it probably does), but instead taking a look at the values espoused by the claim. In this case: is a casual tone better than a clinical one? Yes and no.

I think, by now, everyone is aware (academically, at least) that they’re our damned games and if we want to change the rules we can. Wizards knows this just as well as Gary did, and they make it clear in their books (admittedly moreso in third edition than fourth, but it’s still there). That said, I’ve always made it clear that my position on the matter is that, if you want to make extensive house-rules (and I’m talking extensive, not just a couple banned feats and an adjustment on prestige class requirements) you might as well write your own game.

The reason that companies like Wizards of the Coast (and all the other 3rd party publishers, such as NNW) exist is because the people who work there (or, again, here) are professionals: it’s what they do day in and day out, and they know what’s going to happen if they start playing with wires and experimenting with how the game works. If you can do as well or better than they can, that’s great! Do it, and you’ll enjoy your game more. On the other hand, there are a lot of people (you might be surprised just how many) who think that being able to play all your lands at once makes Magic: the Gathering a more rich and enjoyable game. While it probably wouldn’t hurt Wizards (and other companies, including this one) to let that professional “listen to us, we’re the experts” mask slip from time to time, it’s a difficult thing to let go of when virtually everyone thinks they could be doing your job better than you can, and a lot of people really just couldn’t. They know their system, and they know the way that it runs best, at least for the general public. I guess it’s sort of like a gaming computer: you can open it up and mess with it to get more speed, but in order to do so you kind of have to violate the warranty.

Thank you for the letter, though, and I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying the site.

Now then, on to what I meant to make this article about: those of you who read my column regularly are aware that I am a huge fan of Magic: the Gathering and hope to someday weasel my way onto its design team, with the eventual goal of succeeding Mark Rosewater (I figure as long as I’m going to dream, I might as well dream big). It’s a tall order to fill, I know, but mountains and pebbles, and the longest journey is started with a single step, etc. The point is that when Wizards of the Coast (who makes Magic, for those of you who are only fans of their other product, Dungeons and Dragons) announced their “Summer of Multiplayer” and a contest to create fun and exciting new multiplayer formats, I was all over it like… well, like someone who’s really excited about something. They can’t all be gems.

As of the time that I’m writing this, the NNW team is hard at work hammering out a new multi-player format (not RIGHT at this time, obviously, since I’m writing this, instead of working on, well, you get the idea). Personally, I have high hopes. [Editor’s Note: As of the time of posting this, our format is long since complete, and can be viewed here. I’m quite proud of how it turned out. Wish us luck.] But, along the way we’ve stumbled across some interesting things that either aren’t quite unique enough to really be called “new,” or else are fun formats that simply aren’t especially multiplayer. So today, instead of telling you a story or getting up on a soapbox, I’m going to give you a brand new Magic: the Gathering variant from the second category. And you thought this wasn’t a crunch column!

Chess Magic:

Ultimately, this is a fast-paced variant of Frontier Magic, the rules for which can be found here, but for just two people. In Chess Magic, creatures move across a board made of lands like pieces on a chessboard (though they don’t actually move the same way as various chess pieces – let’s get that out of the way right now), capturing territory and destroying the opponent’s pieces. Each player has a single creature designated as the “king” and the goal of the game is to destroy (or exile) that creature. It works best in conjunction with the sealed format, though it may be manageable with a draft (where it’s possible that players will be unable to get enough of the cards they need, making the game less fun) or constructed (where it’s possible that the power level of cards will be too high, warping the format).

Set Up:
Place 64 basic lands in eight rows of eight, just like a chessboard. If playing with sealed decks, use equal amounts (or as close to equal as possible) of each type of basic land, and lay them out randomly or in sequence (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest, Plains…), whichever you prefer. Make sure to lay them out face-up, as unlike in Frontier Magic, the entire board is revealed at the beginning of the game.
Next, select exactly 16 creatures from your sealed deck. These will be your pieces, and must conform to the rules for whichever type of piece you make them (see below). Set aside the rest of your creatures; you won’t need them for this game (though if you have anything that makes tokens, you may want to hang on to tokens of the appropriate sort).
Finally, pick out exactly 20 non-land, non-creature spells which will make up your deck. You’ll probably want to avoid spells that involve gaining or losing life, mass land destruction, anything that fetches creatures or lands from your deck, etc.

Winning And Losing
This variant of Magic does not use life. Instead one of your pieces will be designated as the “king,” and the game ends when your king is destroyed or exiled. Any time a player would gain or lose life, instead they don’t. Spells and effects which require you to pay life cannot be played. Spells or effects which would cause you to win or lose the game if you are at a certain life total instead don’t. In fact, if a player would win or lose the game from any spell or effect besides losing their king (such as Door to Nothingness, Epic Struggle, or being forced to draw from a library that doesn’t have any cards in it), instead they don’t. Note that although milling is no longer a win condition, it can still cut your opponent’s access to precious spells, which can be a deciding factor in games of Chess Magic.

Drawing Cards
Players begin the game with a hand of three cards from their deck, and have no maximum hand size. At the beginning of each player’s turn, that player chooses “move” or “draw.” If the player chooses move, he or she skips his or her draw step, but can move or attack with a single creature on the battlefield. If the player instead chooses draw, he or she draws a card during his or her draw step, but cannot move or attack with any of his or her creatures that turn.

Pieces
Each player starts with all of his or her “pieces” in play. These consist of 16 creatures, each of which corresponds to a standard chess piece. In this fashion, players should have eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, a king and a queen. These pieces are positioned in the same way that they would be on a chessboard, with the pawns in the second row from the edge, and the rest of the pieces in the back row, with the rooks on the outside, then the knights, bishops, and finally the king and queen. In order to be a specific type of piece, a creature must meet a certain number of prerequisites, listed below (if the prerequisites look a little restrictive, don’t worry: you won’t have to actually play any of these creatures, meaning that you can pick them from all five colors).

Pawn: A creature can be a pawn if it meets all of the following criteria:

A pawn’s power cannot exceed 2.
A pawn’s toughness cannot exceed 4.
A pawn’s combined power/toughness cannot exceed 5.
A pawn’s converted mana cost cannot exceed 3.

Rook: A creature can be a rook if it meets all of the following criteria:

A rook cannot have any activated abilities (it may still have triggered abilities).
A rook’s converted mana cost cannot exceed 8.

Knight: A creature can be a knight if it meets all of the following criteria:

A knight’s combined power/toughness cannot exceed 8.
A knight’s converted mana cost cannot exceed 6.

Bishop: A creature can be a bishop if it meets all of the following criteria:

A bishop’s power cannot exceed 3.
A bishop must have at least one activated or triggered ability.
A bishop’s converted mana cost cannot exceed 6.

Queen: A creature can be a queen if it meets all of the following criteria:

A queen’s converted mana cost cannot exceed 10.

King: A creature can be a king if it meets all of the following criteria:

Kings cannot be indestructible.
Kings cannot have abilities which prevent or redirect damage away from themselves.
Kings cannot have regeneration.
Kings cannot be unblockable or have landwalk of any kind.
A king’s combined power/toughness cannot exceed 8.
A king’s converted mana cost cannot exceed 6.

Using Land
You control lands which your creatures are on, meaning that you start the game with 16 land under your control. Further, as in Frontier Magic, you can tap an untapped creature you control to tap an adjacent, uncontrolled land for mana. Note that “diagonal” does not count as adjacent, as with Frontier Magic. Unlike Frontier Magic, you cannot sacrifice your own lands, though if a land is destroyed by a spell or ability it creates a similar “hole.” See Frontier Magic for more details, or play without land destruction. As with Frontier Magic, mass land removal does not work with this format.

The land which your king is on is called the Keep, and it is different from the other lands in that your Keep has protection from spells or abilities your opponent controls. Further, any creature ON your keep has protection from spells or abilities you opponent controls. This ensures that your king is well-protected, and that your opponent will have to bring his creatures to bear if he hopes to defeat you. Additionally, artifacts and enchantments can’t be played onto the Keep (though you may still put auras on creatures occupying the Keep. Note that these auras do not gain the protective benefits that the Keep provides, however, and can be disenchanted as normal).

Movement
Each turn, if you selected “move” instead of “draw,” you may move a single creature you control to an adjacent square. This occurs during the “move” phase, which replaces the combat phase (it is very similar, however, and anything which can’t be done during the combat phase, such as casting sorceries, also can’t be done during the move phase). It is important to note that even though the creatures are modeled on chess pieces, they all move in exactly the same way, rather than the way that their style of chess piece moves. No two creatures may occupy the same square (with the exception of creatures with banding), though creatures can occupy squares that contain artifacts or enchantments.

The special rules for movement in Frontier Magic apply, so flying creatures can move one or two spaces, etc. The only exception to this is landwalk and shadow, see Additional Rules, below.

If your creature is adjacent to a creature controlled by an opponent, and is untapped, you may use your move to have your creature attack your opponent’s creature. For the purposes of the rules, your creature is the attacker and the opponent’s creature is the blocker. At the end of combat, if the blocking creature no longer occupies its square, the attacking creature’s player may choose to move the attacking creature onto the blocking creature’s square. This otherwise works exactly like combat in regular magic.

Localization and Auras of Influence
Spells and abilities are localized in Chess Magic, meaning that they can only affect certain areas of the board. Each creature you control has an area of influence of 2 squares, meaning it extends 2 squares in each direction from the land that the creature is on (not inclusive). Any spells or abilities that creature possesses only affect permanents within that aura (for example, a Prodigal Pyromancer can only use its pinging ability on creatures within 2 squares, and a Lord of Atlantis only grants benefits to merfolk within 2 squares.

Further, you can only cast instants and sorceries on targets that are within the aura of influence of at least one of your creatures. This restriction doesn’t apply to instants and sorceries which don’t affect permanents (for example, one which causes your opponents to discard cards or which allows you to draw cards). However, in order for you to hit an opponent’s creature with a Lightning Bolt, the target creature must be within the aura of influence of at least one of your creatures. Instants and sorceries with multiple targets, or which affect multiple permanents (such as Agony Warp or Wrath of God) are considered to have their own aura of influence, though it is only 1 square. This aura of influence must be contained entirely within squares that are in the aura of influence of creatures you control.

Finally, whenever you play an artifact or enchantment spell (that is not an aura), it comes into play on a square that is occupied by a creature you control, and which is not occupied by any other artifacts or enchantments. Enchantments and artifacts are considered to have an aura of influence of 2 squares, like creatures (again, in cases where this does not apply to permanents, such as Howling Mine, the artifact or enchantment functions normally). Unlike creatures, enchantments and artifacts cannot move on their own. Equipped equipment and attached auras move with the creatures they are attached to, and do not count against the number of non-creature permanents which can be in a square at any given time. Other artifacts and enchantments can be “carried” by a creature as it moves, as long as the creature and the artifact or enchantment are both controlled by the same player, the creature begins its move on a square containing the artifact or enchantment, and ends its move on a square that does not already have an artifact or enchantment.

Capturing Artifacts and Enchantments
If a creature shares a square with an artifact or enchantment which its controller does not control, its controller may pay that artifact or enchantment’s mana cost to gain control of it permanently. This ability may be played only when its controller could play a sorcery.

Additional Rules

If a creature is entering the battlefield, it enters the battlefield on an empty square within the aura of influence of the spell, permanent, or effect that is causing it to enter the battlefield (for example, if a Jund Battlemage creates a 1/1 Saproling token, it enters the battlefield on a square within the Battlemage’s aura of influence). If there are no empty squares within the spell, permanent, or effect’s aura of influence, the creature instead enters the battlefield off the grid, on its controller’s side, and may move onto the back row of the grid using a regular move.

If a creature with haste is entering the battlefield on its controller’s turn, its controller may have it move or attack once, in addition to any other moves he may make that turn.
If a creature is entering the battlefield and no spell, permanent, or effect is responsible (for example, if you are playing a creature that has been returned to your hand) it enters the battlefield on the back row of the grid. If there are no empty squares on the back row of the grid, the creature instead enters the battlefield off the grid, on its controller’s side, and may move onto the back row of the grid using a regular move.

Creatures which “must attack each turn if able” do not need to move each turn, but if they are able to attack an opponent’s creature then they must do so, which will count against its controller’s number of moves for that turn. If, at the start of a player’s turn, he or she controls a creature who “must attack each turn if able” and that creature is able to attack, he or she cannot choose “draw,” and must choose “move,” attacking with the creature on his or her “move” phase unless conditions change to make the creature no longer able to attack before then.
Being unblockable works differently in Chess Magic. Creatures which are unblockable instead can’t be attacked. This applies to creatures which are generally unblockable (such as Phantom Warrior) as well as creatures which are situationally unblockable (so an Aura Gnarlid can’t be attacked by creatures whose power is less than its own).

Creatures with landwalk cannot be attacked as long as they are on a land which corresponds to their landwalk ability (For example, a River Boa cannot be attacked as long as it remains on an Island).
Creatures with shadow cannot be attacked except by creatures with shadow, or creatures who are specifically able to block or be blocked by creatures with shadow.

Any effect that would change the number of combat steps a player has instead changes the number of move steps that player has.
The Annihilator ability can only force players to sacrifice permanents within the triggering creature’s aura of influence.

Modifications
Chess Magic can be played using non-basic lands as well, or with a different land mix. Generally speaking, lands which can become creatures should be avoided, though lands which can affect other permanents (such as Adventurers’ Guildhouse) are considered to have an aura of influence of 1.
Enchantments and artifacts do not necessarily have to be played on the board, and that aspect of the game can be ignored if you prefer.
For a 4-player game, add two rows of 8 to each side, forming a cross, and sit one player to each side of the grid. Note that a 4-player game may become exceptionally long and complicated, especially in the early turns.

And there you have it. If you enjoyed today’s column, and would like to see more like it, send me an e-mail at ariggs@necromancers-online.com and let me know. If you didn’t like it, and want me to stick to the standard fare, feel free to tell me about that to.

And that makes it time for Eldrazi. Namely, Kozilek: Butcher of Truth

First, for Pathfinder

Kozilek, Butcher of Truth (CR 21)

XP 409,600
N Colossal aberration (extraplanar, eldrazi)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, darkvision, blindsight; Perception +44
Aura Aura of Annihilation
DEFENSE
AC 44, touch 4, flat-footed 42 (+2 Dex, +40 natural, –8 size)
hp 558 (36d8+396)
Fort +24, Ref +16, Will +27
DR 15/-; Immune critical hits, disease, energy drain, massive damage, mind-affecting, negative energy, poison, sleep, stunning SR 32
OFFENSE
Speed 60 ft.
Melee 2 slams +35 (4d8+36) and 4 tentacles +33 (3d6+24 plus grab and paralysis)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 30 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (tentacles, 3d6+24), consume spawn, paralyzing tentacles
STATISTICS
Str 59, Dex 14, Con 31, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 15
Base Atk +27; CMB +53; CMD 65
Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Toughness, Improved Bull Rush, Lightning Reflexes, Improved Sunder, Improved Vital Strike, Great Fortitude, Power Attack, Vital Strike, Greater Vital Strike, Ability Focus (paralyzing tentacles), Iron Will
Skills Climb +40, Perception +44
Languages Eldrazi (can’t speak)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Aura of Annihilation (Su): Any living creature who moves or begins his turn within 80 feet of Kozilek takes 8d6 negative energy damage. For each point of negative energy damage dealt this way, Kozilek heals 1 hit point.

Paralyzing Tentacles (Ex): A creature hit by one of Kozilek’s tentacle attacks must succeed on a DC 39 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 3d4 rounds.

ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure incidental

And now, 4th edition