Lich War

Rules

This is a simple variation, which is based loosely on Lich. Instead of using life points to determine who wins, your life is based on the number of cards remaining in your library.

Each player should start with an equal size deck (unless you wish to give one player a handicap).
Whenever you would normally subtract life, remove an equal number of cards from the top of your library instead. Remove these cards from the game - they do not go to the graveyard.
Whenever you would normally add life, take that number of cards from the top of your graveyard and place them at the bottom of your library. If you do not have any cards in your graveyard then you may not gain life. So if you had 2 cards in your graveyard and you cast a spell that gives you 3 life, you would only gain 2 life because you could only move 2 cards.

As usual, the game ends when any player cannot draw a card from their library.

Deck Construction

You should play with a 60-card deck if you are playing Constructed and a 40-card deck for Limited.

Sideboard

You can have a 15-card sideboard in Constructed and in Limited the cards you didn’t use are your sideboard.

Banned & Restricted List

When playing this variant it is usually decided what Type you will be playing. So, if you are playing Type 1, Type 1.5, Type 2, or Extended Lich Wars then, follow that format’s Banned and Restricted List.

Mulligan Rules

Standard “Paris” Mulligan is used for this variant.

Before each game begins, a player may, for any reason, reshuffle and redraw his hand, drawing one less card. This may be repeated as often as the player wishes, until he has no cards left in his hand. After the participant, who plays first, mulligans as often as he likes, the decision of whether to mulligan passes to the other player. Once a player passes the opportunity to mulligan, that player may not change his mind.

History

Thorin A Zanger created this variant.