Rules of Combat

[DT Tricky]

You are the Planeswalker
There are no players but you. Your loyalty is your life. From the moment a story starts, you are in a match. You have no hand, you have no deck. You have an arsenal, but you can only use each permanent once per match, and each spell only once per turn.
“Turn” Structure
A typical turn is about three posts per person, unless one uses the few “counter” spells we will be creating is thrown into play, or someone reacts quickly to something. There is no upkeep or draw step. Remember the golden rule of MTG: Nothing is absolute. If you intend to do multiple things, cut it into pieces. There may be few counters, but there are a lot of instants that can still destroy you. Sorceries and creatures can only be cast during the first or second main phase, unless they have flash. If you have no play to make, make an observation or a “reaction.” Except for abilities or spells that do so, you do not gain loyalty counters. Your converted mana cost and the land that you are currently in are the only mana you get at first. As you summon creatures, you may draw on either their colorless or colored mana the next turn (example: Evan casts Druid Slayer on turn 1. On turn 2, Evan may draw on the creature’s two blue mana, or the one colorless, to cast a new spell). As long as you have mana to spend, you may cast spells.
Combat and Life
Unlike in the typical card game, the creatures can target either “the player” or a creature. If a creature is targeting “the player,” then the defending “player” may assign a blocker as in typical Magic fashion. Unless a spell or effect negates or redirects damage, there is no dodging. If a spell or effect indicates for a player to gain life, half the amount and add that many loyalty counters to your Planeswalker instead, rounded down. The same is done for effects that cause players to lose life, half the amount and take that much away. Keep track of your loyalty counters in some way, preferably in a way that everyone else can take note of, too.
Death, Exile and Resurrection
If a normal creature dies, no big deal. If a Legendary creature dies, it is gone...or is it? With the proper application of manners, you may convince Evan or Des to fix the broken tool. If you, the planeswalker, lose all of your loyalty counters, you will be out of play for one story arc. If a normal creature is exiled, again, no big deal. If a Legendary creature is exiled without being “returned at the (beginning/middle/end) of the X step,” it is gone, so to speak. You may find it again, somewhere. It may be changed, it may not remember you. If you, the planeswalker, are exiled, you will be lost in a world that may or may not try to kill you. Evan or Des will probably find you before then. Probably.

 

[DT Tricky]

Here is a list of certain abilities that creatures will have, and what that ability does:

Battlecry- Whenever this creature attacks, all other attacking creatures get +1/+0 until end of tun.
Bloodthirst X- When this creature comes onto the battlefield, if an opponent has already taken damage this turn, it gets X +1/+1 counters attached to it.
Flying- Only creatures with flying or reach can block this creature. Unless otherwise specified, this creature can block both other creatures with flying and creatures without flying.
Reach- This creature can block creatures with Flying. Otherwise, completely useless.
Trample- When a creature's toughness is less than the attacking creature's power, any remaining damage carries through to damage the player. In this situation, you'll usually be close by, and it only takes one well-aimed throw to drop your ally creature right on top of you for some damage.
First Strike- This creature deals combat damage first. In Magic, normally creatures deal combat damage at the same time. In this situation, it usually refers to speed or range as an advantage over enemies.
Double Strike- This creature deals both First Strike damage and regular combat damage. In other words, it deals damage twice. This does not mean it attacks twice. Some controversy over certain parts involves what happens if the first strike damage kills the opposing creature(s). All that means is that it will still carry through with the other attack and deal that damage either to the next blocker or to the player/planeswalker.
Haste- All creatures suffer from something known as "Summoning Sickness." For this, that means that they cannot attack or activate their abilities on the first post out. For creatures with Haste, however, this rule is negated. This means that they are an adaptive creature that is ready for any environment.
Vigilance- Creature does not tap to attack. In the case of the story, that means that if it attacks, it can still be there to defend you when the opponent(s) attack(s) you. Otherwise, the attack they make will basically make the creature need to catch its breath.
Shroud and Hexproof- Shroud means that that creature cannot be the target of any spells or abilities. Field-encompassing effects, however, like using a spell that would set the forest around you on fire, would affect them. Hexproof means that the creature has Shroud, but only against enemy spells or abilities. The only time you'll see either of these is if the creature is very stealth-oriented, like an assassin.
Bushido X- The Japanese Art of the Sword is only activated when a creature blocks or is blocked. When a creature with Bushido blocks or is blocked, it gets +X/+X, where X is the number signified in the key text.
Bolt X- This is a special keyword that I developed for this. When a creature with Bolt attacks, it deals X damage to each other creature, where X is the number in the key text.
Chaos- Creatures with Chaos give each other creature with Chaos +1/+1, as well as another effect unique to each creature with Chaos.
Hunger X- Whenever a creature with Hunger deals enough combat damage to an opposing creature to cause it to die, it gets X +1/+1 counters.
Divinity X- Creatures with Divinity get +X/+X for each other creature you control.
Traitor- Traitors can be bought, but if there are other creatures with Traitor on your side, you will suffer the consequences.
Scry- Scrying normally lets you look at the top cards of your library. In this, scrying lets you see what is going on elsewhere in the Multiverse. This will help you learn spells, since observation is part of learning.
More will be posted at various times, so check the list often.