Lords of the Earth: Thoughts on Rules

Thoughts on Rules

A New Timing Scheme or "My Grand Unification Theory"

Most of my changes (or clarifications, really) revolve around the dynamics of the newly termed "Stack". I want to break stacks up into two parts, “Actions” and “Reactions”. In Magic "Actions" would generally be thought of as the costs associated with spells - you pay a bunch of costs for spells, they are put on the stack (in forward order, of course), and then they resolve in reverse order. My main suggestion is to think of these "Actions" as part of the stack as well. The "Actions" build the stack, the "Reactions" resolve it. This "Action Chain" allows for clarification to Magic spell resolution dynamics. Every card may have both an "Action" and a "Reaction", but it goes further than that; it works with the other things can be put on the stack such as activated abilities, instants, damage prevention, and triggered abilities. "Actions" are the generic word for the things that put them there. Generally "Actions" are irrevocable, physical actions that occur:

+ I play an incinerate - once it is revealed, there is no un-revealing
it. You know it is there.
+ When an ability triggers - there is no un-triggering it.
+ When a mana is spent - it is gone.

This is all obvious. The basic point is that actions are un-counterable - not their resolutions, or effects - just the actions. Now, the advantage of making the cost portion of any spell a generic "Action" is that other things that might normally be thought of as "re-actions" can be moved into them. Firstly, mana sources.

Make all mana sources move at instant speed - they just add the mana to your mana pool during their action, and not during their reaction. Cards like Dark Ritual would operate the same as normal: during their action you would spend the B, during their reaction you would get the BBB. However, a swamp would operate different: during its action it would tap AND you get B, and during its reaction it would do nothing. Some mana sources could have both an action and a reaction, like City of Brass: Action: Tap, add one mana of any color to your pool; Reaction: Take one point of damage. Of course you wouldn't need to spell it out like this - the old format is just fine. What this buys you is obvious - mana sources operate at instant speed as well now - with no real change to the gameplay. One more element unified.

This "Action" chain also helps to clarify costs such as sacrificing. It is an action, and thus un-counterable. I could play something in response to it, but the action has already taken effect.

The next big thing this allows for is some clarification to the stages of the turn. Make each of the phases start with a predefined stack. This would better explain why some actions must be done before others. For instance, the turn starts with a stack containing the following: (For visual purposes, read from the bottom up at the left, then top down on the right.)

__Action__ __Reaction__
Pay upkeeps Upkeep ends
Do untapping Draw a card
Turn begins Start main phase

This makes it very clear why no spells resolve before you untap. Even if they trigger during the "At beginning of turn" or "Untap phase", they get placed on top of the stack, and thus they don't resolve until the actions have traveled all the way up, and then the reactions start coming back down. This also clarifies why only instant speed spells can be played during upkeep: it really is only a stack. The same can be done for the "end phase".

__Action__ __Reaction__
Discard down Cleanup
EOT announced End of turn (Start next player's turn)

The only twist here is that "End of turn announced" is what would trigger "End of turn" abilities. This way when EOT really resolves, there is nothing left. No more strange stuff about cards resolving after your turn. But, players can go back to the old way of playing things in response to the EOT - it is just that they are really doing it in response to it being announced. You could also make combat into a stack as well, and thus simplify your main phase even more - but you've probably already realized this, and I've spent too much of your time already.

With that though in mind, let me hit my last point, the final step in this "Grand Unification Thesis". Once we give players two automatic stacks to play off per turn, it becomes clear that there is no reason to let anyone but the active player start a stack. Opponents may play onto the automatic stacks, or onto any stacks the active player initiates, but there is no reason for them to need to start their own - especially with your new rule of cards resolving singularly off the stack. This opens up some new doors.

Sorceries, Creatures, Artifacts, Lands, and Enchantments all come into play, currently, at a different "speed" than instants. My last suggestion is to make them operate at normal speed - just limit them to only starting a stack. They would become "Stack Initiators" (A technical term not printed on the cards, of course). This would mean they could only be played to start a stack, not on a pre-existing one. (Of course, you would need an additional rule for lands.) Since we limited players to starting stacks during their turns, and the main phase is the only place where there isn't a stack already in progress, this now explains why the listed types of cards may only be played during your main phase. You could print it in a rule, but it is now a logical outflow of the game mechanics. It's all coming together!

Well, these are the big points. There are several other benefits to clarifying the "Action" side of things, but they should become clear if the cards are viewed with this mindset. Unfortunately this does mean re-evaluating cards to determine what is the "Action" and what is the "Reaction". The "Action" side of most spells and abilities are usually very clear (it is their cost), so the work would probably be minimal. In fact, I'd guess it really wouldn't require any more re-wording - it fits fairly well with what you've already laid out, and the rest could be implied.

The only other thing I'd like to touch briefly on is my terminology. Obviously you wouldn't want to use my "Action \ Reaction Chain", as Magic already has plenty of good words. It just doesn't currently have generalized terms for these things after they've all been unified like this. I would suggest lumping all "Actions" (costs) under the title of "Triggers". "Resolution" is already a good word, so keep it.

Summary:

1. The stack should become a two-fold pile of "Triggers" and their related "Resolutions".
2. Make mana sources give their mana as part of their "Trigger", as opposed to their "Resolution".
3. Your turn starts with an "Initial stack" and ends when the "Final stack" finishes resolving, and is divided by a main phase where you are free to start your own stacks, and during which you may launch a combat stack at will. (I really feel sorry for that guy, Will.)
4. Allow only active players to start stacks.
5. Define the playing of Sorceries, Creatures, Artifacts, Lands, and Enchantments as "Stack initiators", thus limiting them to only being played where there is nothing on the stack.

ThRules

LotE

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c2m

WDATM?


A New Timing Scheme or "My Grand Unification Theory"
Most of my changes (or clarifications, really) revolve around the dynamics of the newly termed "Stack". I want to break stacks up into two parts, “Actions” and “Reactions”. In Magic "Actions" would generally be thought of as the costs associated with spells - you pay a bunch of costs for spells, they are put on the stack (in forward order, of course), and then they resolve in reverse order. My main suggestion is to think of these "Actions" as part of the stack as well. The "Actions" build the stack, the "Reactions" resolve it. This "Action Chain" allows for clarification to Magic spell resolution dynamics. Every card may have both an "Action" and a "Reaction", but it goes further than that; it works with the other things can be put on the stack such as activated abilities, instants, damage prevention, and triggered abilities. "Actions" are the generic word for the things that put them there. Generally "Actions" are irrevocable, physical actions that occur: + I play an incinerate - once it is revealed, there is no un-revealing it. You know it is there. + When an ability triggers - there is no un-triggering it. + When a mana is spent - it is gone. This is all obvious. The basic point is that actions are un-counterable - not their resolutions, or effects - just the actions. Now, the advantage of making the cost portion of any spell a generic "Action" is that other things that might normally be thought of as "re-actions" can be moved into them. Firstly, mana sources. Make all mana sources move at instant speed - they just add the mana to your mana pool during their action, and not during their reaction. Cards like Dark Ritual would operate the same as normal: during their action you would spend the B, during their reaction you would get the BBB. However, a swamp would operate different: during its action it would tap AND you get B, and during its reaction it would do nothing. Some mana sources could have both an action and a reaction, like City of Brass: Action: Tap, add one mana of any color to your pool; Reaction: Take one point of damage. Of course you wouldn't need to spell it out like this - the old format is just fine. What this buys you is obvious - mana sources operate at instant speed as well now - with no real change to the gameplay. One more element unified. This "Action" chain also helps to clarify costs such as sacrificing. It is an action, and thus un-counterable. I could play something in response to it, but the action has already taken effect. The next big thing this allows for is some clarification to the stages of the turn. Make each of the phases start with a predefined stack. This would better explain why some actions must be done before others. For instance, the turn starts with a stack containing the following: (For visual purposes, read from the bottom up at the left, then top down on the right.) __Action__ __Reaction__ Pay upkeeps Upkeep ends Do untapping Draw a card Turn begins Start main phase This makes it very clear why no spells resolve before you untap. Even if they trigger during the "At beginning of turn" or "Untap phase", they get placed on top of the stack, and thus they don't resolve until the actions have traveled all the way up, and then the reactions start coming back down. This also clarifies why only instant speed spells can be played during upkeep: it really is only a stack. The same can be done for the "end phase". __Action__ __Reaction__ Discard down Cleanup EOT announced End of turn (Start next player's turn) The only twist here is that "End of turn announced" is what would trigger "End of turn" abilities. This way when EOT really resolves, there is nothing left. No more strange stuff about cards resolving after your turn. But, players can go back to the old way of playing things in response to the EOT - it is just that they are really doing it in response to it being announced. You could also make combat into a stack as well, and thus simplify your main phase even more - but you've probably already realized this, and I've spent too much of your time already. With that though in mind, let me hit my last point, the final step in this "Grand Unification Thesis". Once we give players two automatic stacks to play off per turn, it becomes clear that there is no reason to let anyone but the active player start a stack. Opponents may play onto the automatic stacks, or onto any stacks the active player initiates, but there is no reason for them to need to start their own - especially with your new rule of cards resolving singularly off the stack. This opens up some new doors. Sorceries, Creatures, Artifacts, Lands, and Enchantments all come into play, currently, at a different "speed" than instants. My last suggestion is to make them operate at normal speed - just limit them to only starting a stack. They would become "Stack Initiators" (A technical term not printed on the cards, of course). This would mean they could only be played to start a stack, not on a pre-existing one. (Of course, you would need an additional rule for lands.) Since we limited players to starting stacks during their turns, and the main phase is the only place where there isn't a stack already in progress, this now explains why the listed types of cards may only be played during your main phase. You could print it in a rule, but it is now a logical outflow of the game mechanics. It's all coming together! Well, these are the big points. There are several other benefits to clarifying the "Action" side of things, but they should become clear if the cards are viewed with this mindset. Unfortunately this does mean re-evaluating cards to determine what is the "Action" and what is the "Reaction". The "Action" side of most spells and abilities are usually very clear (it is their cost), so the work would probably be minimal. In fact, I'd guess it really wouldn't require any more re-wording - it fits fairly well with what you've already laid out, and the rest could be implied. The only other thing I'd like to touch briefly on is my terminology. Obviously you wouldn't want to use my "Action \ Reaction Chain", as Magic already has plenty of good words. It just doesn't currently have generalized terms for these things after they've all been unified like this. I would suggest lumping all "Actions" (costs) under the title of "Triggers". "Resolution" is already a good word, so keep it. Summary: 1. The stack should become a two-fold pile of "Triggers" and their related "Resolutions". 2. Make mana sources give their mana as part of their "Trigger", as opposed to their "Resolution". 3. Your turn starts with an "Initial stack" and ends when the "Final stack" finishes resolving, and is divided by a main phase where you are free to start your own stacks, and during which you may launch a combat stack at will. (I really feel sorry for that guy, Will.) 4. Allow only active players to start stacks. 5. Define the playing of Sorceries, Creatures, Artifacts, Lands, and Enchantments as "Stack initiators", thus limiting them to only being played where there is nothing on the stack.