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Hunter/Prey

I was thinking that I should offer something up to you guys a little different this week. With nationals behind us and lots of new cards coming out to keep you busy, I thought I would go with something a little more on the lighter side this week. I also have gotten some request for some multiplayer stuff since we failed to include anythign about multiplayer Magic in the magazine.

(Note: If you haven't picked up the magazine yet, go out and find it. If you can't find it, e-mail me and I can send you a copy! We need your support and magazine sales if we are to go monthly!)

Anyway, this week I have a variant for you called Hunter/Prey. This is usually a great game for a group of 5 or more players. The trick is, you have to play for ante. Basically, everyone takes a cards of equal book value, every picks a bad rare, or in my case at the store, we all buy one booster packs. It helps us sell product. This is the incentive your Hunter has to kill you.

You start the game by getting a deck of cards. Get a number of black cards equal to the number of participants. Then the corresponding red cards from either suit should be taken out. (ex. 5 players = A, 2,3,4,5 of a black suit and a red suit).

You then take the black cards and pass them out. Give one to each participant. This represents them as a Hunter. You then do the same with the red cards. This resents them as the prey.

Everyone plays with their Prey card (red) face up. This let's everyone know what their mark is. No one knows who is coming after them as everyon'e Hunter card (black) is still face down at this point. The Hunter card shows you wh you are going after.

The rules to the game are simple. You can only attack or directly effect, target, etc., a player that is your prey. Once a player effects you, you can go after them and the lines are open.

However, cards like Wrath of God, Armageddon, and Hurricane DO effect all players. So be careful when you try to use a global effect. When you eliminate a player, you collect their prize card (or bounty as we like to call it). No one can take any of your winnings away. All they get for killing you is the bounty that you initially started with.

You randomly decide who goes first and play goes left (clockwise) around the group. Standard Magic rules apply. The only rule to remember is that when you target, attack, counter, etc., someone, you have to reveal your Hunter card to the group. You hunter card MUST match the person you have effected (unless it is a global effect). If it does not, you are automatically disqualified and your bounty goes up for grabs to the next person that eliminates someone.

Once you kill someone, you not only collect your bounty, but you also get a new Hunter Card. You are now going after whichever player they were hunting. This loosely represents the food chain.

It is possible for someone to be a Rogue. A Rogue situation occurs when a players gets a matching Hunter and Prey cards. Rogues can effect anyone. They can also only be effect by someone that they have effected.

>From here, you just play until all players are eliminated. If you are the last player remaining, you get to keep your own bounty.

This is a group game that helps pass a decent amount of time. It can help get new players some cards. It is also better than the average group game, because it is hard to "gang up" on one player. It also keeps any one player from siting back and building up to prolong a game. If you sit stable to long, you can get surprise attacked and get eliminated.

Sometimes you don't even try to win. Sometimes you can eliminate three players and still come out better than the overall winner.

It's a great variant with great game balance. Most of my store regulars seem to enjoy this when we play. Hope you all enjoy it.

Also, for those of you not attending the Team PTQ on June 23rd 2001, we are having a cash tournament at The Game Closet. E-mail me for details.

Keep the fan mail coming. I am doing my best to keep up with it :)

Well, until next week...

DeQuan Watson
a.k.a. PowrDragn
PowrDragn@pojo.com

Biography

name: DeQuan Watson

    Many readers have gathered a lot of information about me through my
writings. For those of you that haven't though, this should tell you a
little more.

    I'm 23 years old and I own my own business. Well, more accurately I own a
game store. The Game Closet, my store is one of the premiere places to play
in the Texas. I play Magic on a pretty regular basis. I help people build
decks and teach the game to people multiple times a week. Owning a store is
neat, because it gives me another perspective to write my articles from. I
can usually tell what the average player likes and can judge some of the
tendencies of the average player a little better.

    However, I know a decent bit about pro level play as well. I myself have
played on the Pro Tour. I have multiple Top 8 finishes at Pro Tour
Qualifiers. I also have made Day Two at two Grand Prix tournaments. I was
also invited to the Event horizons Invitational last year. These are not
stellar achievements, but high enough to let you know I have my head on
straight when talking about the game. I also spend lots of time each week
talking to, e-mailing, or chatting with top level players. I get to see
their perspective on a lot of things as well. Between the two, I think I get
a good sense of balance of the game.

    Most importantly, I still enjoy the game for the sake of the game itself.
I like the time, the competition, and the general interaction of players. I
plan to be playing it until it goes away...if it ever does.

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