I slowly look at my hand. I've got three cards in it, and I glance at my opponent's grip. He's got a full mitt; I'm counting at least five cards. I don't want to be distracted, so I don't ask how much I'm down by. We're playing Legacy, so I know that this play is safe. I tap two lands, and declare that I've cast Argothian Enchantress.

“I thought those are banned,” my opponent states.

I shrug and say that it's really up to him. I don't think she's that bad, there are many ways to kill her.

“I think she's banned, so pick her up.”

I grimace, putting the Enchantress in my hand. I'm distracted, so I then play Enchantress again…. But this time, I name Albino Troll. My opponent doesn't bat an eye at my declaration. At end of turn, my troll gets to be the target of Slay, but the card my opponent is pointing at my sorta-Troll is a Spined Basher.

Welcome to the world of Mental Magic, where any card could be anything you can think of. A lot of players don't like playing Mental Magic because they're afraid of the format. Yes, that's right – afraid. The main reason is that they think they're going to suck… And you know what? I'm tired of that attitude. If you're new to something, of course you're not going to be the bombsauce! So stop being a whiny scrub.

Unfortunately, I can't wrangle all of you… So I'm going to write an article on how to play Mental Magic with a competent amount of skill. I am a decent Mental Magic player, but how can I improve my skills when I have no opponents? I want to increase the amount of Mental Magic players out there so I can get some time in. Onwards!

The Very Basics
Before you even need to start playing, you'll need a stack of cards. While you can borrow from your local game store's donation bin, or grab some leftover draft decks, I play often enough that I have built my own stack. I'll walk you through the stack-building process later – but first, we must get you ready to play.

Now, the second thing to consider of is what format you want to play. Playing Masques Block Constructed with a guy whose been playing Magic for six months is hardly fair. The most balanced format would probably be Legacy – but if they're new to the game, play Standard. Or Kamigawa block versus Odyssey block.

You and your opponent draw seven cards. Take a look at your hand. You can mulligan, but that's usually suicide, so I don't recommend trying that. Determine who decides who goes first. This will be important later.

You may place any card in your hand face-down as a land drop to have a land; they produce any color of mana. Some people have special rules for what these lands are called, or some other rules-style nonsense, but this is the simplest explanation, and I stand by it: these lands are basic lands without a land type. This means that random nonbasic land hate won't hose you, while no one can exploit random land types with landwalk or incarnations. Some stacks have lands in them; if you happen to draw a land, it can be played face-down as one of the special lands or face-up as any land you can name.

Cards can only be named once per game – and this is important, because if you have determined your opponent's strategy, you may begin to “steal” plays by naming cards. This is important with some casting costs that have a limited amount of powerful plays, such as 4G. The simplest method is to steal names is by playing a card before your opponent does. Whenever both players see a card, the one in control of the effect may name a card.

Let's walk through a couple of examples:

• I name Werebear when I cast a 1G spell.
• My opponent casts Ostracize, and forces me to discard a card with a mana cost of 1G, and he names Werebear.
• My opponent casts Funeral Charm, and I choose to discard a card with a mana cost of 1G, so I name Werebear.
• I discard a 1G card to feed my Masticore's upkeep, naming Werebear.
• I target a 1G card in the graveyard with Fade from Memory, naming Werebear.
• My opponent casts Commune with Nature, and reveals a 1G card, naming Werebear.

However, you can't go all willy-nilly with this. Whenever a revealed card is targeted, it must share the proper characteristics to be affected by the effect. For example, you may play 3B as a Gravedigger, no matter what the 3B is because it started in your hand. However, the Gravedigger must target a creature card because both players see it. If you have an effect that causes you to look at a card to see whether it is a Sliver, Rebel, or Spirit, as examples, the card must be the appropriate type. (Otherwise, Soulshift shenanigans or Rebel recruiting will occur.)

Now, the smart cookies out there asked “Hold on – what is naming?” Mental Magic is the highest sportsmanlike format, because you are relying on your opponent's trust. This means that when they name a card that you've never heard of, you must trust them not to lie to you in either making up a card or omitting details. If you cast a spell that doesn't exist in Magic, it is usually a game loss. This is a wonderful thing, because it means that you lost because of yourself. Learn from it; don't cry.

The second thing about naming is that all parties involved have to agree to the same naming process. Generally, most players are okay with it if you can list everything that the card does but cannot provide a name. Giving an art description, summary of flavor text, and the like may be helpful as well. Some groups have more draconian rules – but our group is so easygoing that if you can flash us a generic cost and name a common effect, we'll name a card for you unless both players are stumped. For example, if you have a 1W card and ask for an effect that destroys enchantments when Disenchant has already been played, we'll cheerfully remind you about Serene Offering, Ray of Revelation, and Aura Blast.

There is contention between Mental Magic players whether the graveyard should be shared or separate. I believe that it should be shared, as that ups the skill notch of the game to a whole new plane. It also means that Dredge effects will benefit both players. It also means that Threshold and Flashback can be utilized by both players, instead of letting one player dominate the game because their graveyard is bigger than their opponent's.

Another minor point is that some Mental Magic purists say that you can't use cards as they are. I disagree, as this punishes the player for drawing what they needed, as well as completely alienating new Mental Magic players. Hell, I try to keep my stack balanced with a variety of creatures and non-creatures that are useful spells, so if the player gets stuck they can take inspiration from what's in front of them.

A final rules aspect of Mental Magic is gold spells. My area plays with gold spells, and they enhance the game a lot. How do you use them? Gold spells can be played as any gold spell of the same converted mana cost. That Horned Cheetah in your hand? It could anything from a Yore-Tiller Nephilim to a Decimate to a Fervent Charge.

Playing the Game
The first step to playing Mental Magic is figuring out what cards you're the worst with – and then play with them the most. If you're an amazing Counterspell user, start playing tempo games. Specialize in Blue and Black? Expand your horizons with the other colors. Swear by Onslaught Block? Take a peek at other sets. Fallen in love with the 1U slot? Learn some other casting costs. The reasoning is simple; any amazing plays before you should be remembered, and if you're stuck in a corner with something you specialize with, you can do the best you can.

Remember when I said that both players take a look at their hands before deciding on who goes first? Mental Magic is not a set format, so you never know what plays you or you opponent will make. Looking at your hands before deciding who will play first is answering “Who's the Beatdown?” Remember my example of Enchantress at the beginning? I didn't think of my role and how to exploit it when I cast Albino Troll, and thus earned myself a loss.

The quick way to really get better? Learn all the cantrips, master Flashback, and memorize Dredge. There was a time when Mental Magic games were defined by Scry effects, since the player who got off the greatest number of Scry effects was usually guaranteed victory. Dredge revolutionized the game by obliterating such perceived notions, neutering Volrath's Stronghold draw screws, and allowing each player to Tutor for something each turn. These days, the whole game is based on using Dredge more than your opponent. This enables Threshold, and sets up Flashback. As a new player, the graveyard is your sworn enemy: destroy it frequently and destroy it wholly.

Never settle for just Disenchant or Dark Banish. Use Aura Blast or Divine Offering for your non-creature woes to get some advantage out of it. Rend Soul, Slay, Execute, Annihilate, Zap, and Afflict are your best friends. Two-for-ones are important, so never forget Nekrataal, Flametongue Kavu, Haru-Onna, or even something as simple as Sick and Tired. Buyback like a fiend, as you want to milk the maximum value out of every card you have. Shattering Pulse into a Burnout, flashed back as Volcanic Spray, is perhaps the best use of 1R… But don't think that's the best that can be done. Better plays have been made! Just keep your eyes open for card advantage, and it might just plop into your lap. However, trying to be cool by attempting to use every keyword in the game during your match will lead to game loss.

Do not let the hype or plays hypnotize you. If a two-mana artifact is in your hand, it is not always an Umezawa's Jitte or an Isochron Scepter; accelerating with a Fellwar Stone may make you feel dirty when you know it could be The Best Equipment Ever, but sometimes that's the best play. A three-mana artifact does not always have to be a Sword of Fire and Ice, and 1BB does always equal Hypnotic Specter or Phyrexian Arena. A land doesn't need to be face-up, and doesn't always need to be a Volrath's Stronghold.

Something that good Mental Magic players know is that discard is dirty. Starting out, you realize it is fairly powerful and begin to rely on it. Don't. Not a lot of it is backbreaking, as it is one-for-one, with perhaps some card quality exchanged. If you begin to rely one two-for-one discard, like Hymn to Tourach or Gerrard's Verdict, your opponents will begin to develop ways to abuse discard. Basking Rootwallas will be the least of your troubles; they could start dumping Decapods or Psychic Purge. Having your Hymn Diverted back to your face is unpleasant, to say the least… And imagine casting Ravenous Rats, only to have your opponent discard Mangara's Blessing. You have a 1/1 with no abilities that made your opponent gain two life, instead of casting a threat like Rotting Giant or drawing cards with Night's Whisper. Discard with card advantage attached, like from a Hypnotic Specter or Skull Fracture, is the only acceptable discard.

Specific Cards
Let's start with Isochron Scepter. Now, imprinting and using the same Instant over and over violates the spirit of Mental Magic, so we've developed “house rules” to the Stick. Whenever you imprint the Scepter, or use its activated ability you must name a different card, just like normal Mental Magic rules. You can decide to ignore this, but then you wind up with stupidity like your opponent sitting on a Remand or having your opponent going infinite with a Temple of the False God and Snap. It also means that you've got to dedicate crappy Instants to your memory, as you need to know what to “waste” (anyone remember the strategy to deny opponent plays?) on imprinting. 1U seems too easy, so my personal favourite casting cost on the stick is 1W; who knew 1W had so many useful cantrips?

Evermind has a casting cost of nothing; lands have a casting cost of nothing. If you have a land in your hand, play an arcane spell and splice Evermind on. The craziest way to achieve card advantage with a land is to play Thawing Glaciers to fetch a land, and then use Haru-Onna to draw a card. When your opponent tries to kill it, bounce it back with an arcane spell that answers one of their threats with a spliced Evermind. This is an ideal use of Evermind, but keep your eye open for card advantage.

As of Saviors of Kamigawa, ten life has officially ceased to be a valid life total. Hidetsugu's Second Rite is that reason, as it will randomly cause people to win games. Beatdown in Mental Magic doesn't need to count to twenty; it needs to count to ten. Sure, some players will say it's a waste, since Flametongue Kavu or Avalanche Riders are better cards. Your opponent will always have a counter, I'll always be better-looking than you, or they'll have life gain… Well, in the words of Rizzo, “what if you don't?”

I am quite serious about attempting to learn casting costs that you're bad with, rather than what you're good with. Personally, I used to be terrible with 4G. When your opponent is beating the snot out of you and you're in topdeck mode, drawing 4G would have me lose all the time. The best I could think of was playing the Honden game, which is powerful, but otherwise I was stumped. Then I rediscovered All Suns' Dawn, and combining that Golgari Grave-Troll becoming somewhat of a mini-combo. Then I began using 4G to nab a creature with Genesis or having Rude Awakening end games. My next cards to beat? Well, I'm currently trying to find good uses with 1RR, 4R, and 4B.

Archetypes
I wanted to make sure that everyone was on the same page, so now we can start. I've decided to name the variety of archetypes after famous decks, so when you're playing your opponent they will perhaps signal a warning bell. If you think your opponent is playing an archetype, your job is to stop them from doing that.

Another thing to consider is that different areas use different rules. I've discussed my house rules, but I've set the rules in order to maximize the skill level and to make it novice-friendly. Also, it happens to clear things up when the lands are specific types when dealing with Incarnations, or how Boil interacts with everybody's lands. My personal favorite is Vernal Bloom; does it make extra mana all the time, or only for green mana? Really, love ‘em or leave ‘em, the rules can be changed… But I play with them to maximize my enjoyment of Mental Magic.

CounterSliver
I call this archetype CounterSliver because it plays like CounterSliver. The ideal first two turns is Metallic or Plated Sliver followed up with a Crystalline Sliver. The rest of your plays are either to beef up your Slivers or counter every board sweeper, the first turn Sliver is there to make your Crystalline Sliver Diabolic Edict-proof. If your opponent begins to play Enchantress, drop a Winged Sliver to go over; if they're going Zoo Sligh on you, Muscle Sliver.

If your opponent is playing combo, you use disruption and let your men do the work. If your opponent is playing control, let him kill off a Sliver or two, but protect your Crystalline. You want to use the “can't be targeted” to your advantage. Other examples of CounterSliver-style playing would involve playing Humble Budoka, Ascetic Troll, or Jolrael's Centaur. Create tokens and leave mana open to counter serious answers. When the opponent is near-death, you can completely flip on them and try to burn them out through a combination of Black spells and Fling effects.

Ponza
Play land destruction with a threat on the board; so that the opponent must decide to either stop your Land Destruction or your threat. A first-turn mana accelerant followed up with Turf Wound and then Solfatara is how the deck usually plays. Stone Rain, Pillage, Hoodwink, Rain of Tears, Sinkhole, and Fallow Earth are spells you generally want to play after disrupting them with Turf Wound. Try to Fallow Earth the first land they played, as you may notice, the first land drop is usually something you expect to never cast. This way, the opponent must redraw the same useless card again. Flashbacking Call of the Herd is how you get the clock ticking.

This archetype is the reason why Squee, Goblin Nabob is banned in Mental Magic. A whip out a second-turn Turf Wound during your opponent's upkeep, then recur Squee and Solfatara you during your upkeep. You've denied your opponent two land drops and drawn two cards out of the process. You might think it'd be hard to keep up the pressure for another five turns, but then you finish them off with a Hidetsugu's Second Rite.

Zoo Sligh
The Philosophy of Fire is your Bible. Your game is simple: the first few turns, play the highest power-to-casting-cost ratios you can think of. A first-turn Isamaru, Hound of Konda or Jungle Lion are common plays. Your second-turn creature is anything with three or more power. If I have a Sword of Light and Shadow of some sort in my hand, I play Flesh Reaver to make up for the life loss. Rotting Giant is my personal favorite against control, as it's a huge body that eats up irritating Flashback cards like Moment's Peace.

Hypnotic Specter, Nekrataal, Ghitu Fireslingers, or any creature that makes your opponent's life difficult is ideal. You want to attack their resources while playing dangerous creatures to try to encourage your opponent to tap out.

But why do you want them to tap out? Wild Might, my friend. Use other cards to let the Wild Might punch through, whether it is a Berserk or a Flashbacked Sylvan Might. Your opponent is at fourteen? Most Mental Magic stacks are creature-laden, meaning that Soulshriek equates Good Game. Don't be afraid to use Cabal Ritual to force out Hatred, or an X spell to the dome.

Necro
You draw a lot of cards, but at the expense of your safety. Essentially, Night's Whisper and Phyrexian Arenas start your card drawing, with Ambition's Cost to keep fueling your draws. This archetype requires the tightest play, as your life total is going to drop quickly. Almost all your plays must be two-for-ones, with recursion games involving card advantage as much as possible.

The one weakness this archetype has is you cannot play bidding cards, and your opponent will most likely win every bid card they play. Beware of Pain's Reward, Mages' Contest, or Browbeat. When you have to play life gain – and you most likely will have to – try to draw cards off of it through Dosan's Oldest Chant, or a cycled Renewed Faith. Having a vast array of Fog effects memorized is also helpful, allowing stupidity like Constant Mists into Lull flashed into Moment's Peace into three turns' worth of aggro foiled.

Enchantress
Really, this is the name of a game where you do something, and draw cards because of it. Perhaps you've broken Fecundity on your half of the table, or are playing the Wall of Mulch game. Even a silly Primordial Sage will do the trick, in a pinch. The most common example is the using Argothian Enchantress to win, gaining massive card advantage while playing useful enchantments, so I've dedicated this archetype to her. By playing Walls or Enchantress, cards you use should be slowing down your opponent as well as netting card advantage.

The reason this archetype is so powerful is the crushing accumulation of resources. Your opponent must either decide to attack your hand, your life, your card engine, or the by-products of your strategy. Generally, once your opponent has decided to commit to the destruction of one of your resources, they must follow through until they're successful, or they have lost. This archetype is very successful against newer Mental Magic players because they don't know a lot of global destruction effects, so you may want to have this archetype banned until all players are competent.

TurboMorphling
This archetype really emerges in the end game, where either player has a slight advantage over the other, so they play a creature that is really hard to kill. I call it TurboMorphling in memory of random BBS decks that tried to win with fast mana and a quick Morphling. Now, either players can use this archetype in the end game, with the idea being that the player ahead is trying to end the game through one final push while the player who is behind his opponent in cards is trying to have them expend resources to kill this threat or die.

The greatest threat to this archetype is two things: Fogs and you. You? Well, the reason is that the selection of your “Morphling” can determine win or loss. Spiritmonger, Morphling, Multani, Keiga, and Kokusho are common finishers with this archetype, but even Serra Angel will get the job done with a bit of counter backup. Another slight variant to this deck is some sort of small evasive creature with either a Sword of Fire and Ice, or Light and Shadow, or a Jitte. This archetype has the fatal flaw of Fog effects, which are numerous if your opponent is a competent player.

Banned Cards
I suggest Legacy as the most balanced format, but that is only within a certain skill gap. Generally, the players either have to have played Magic for more than a few years (or lived and breathed the Legacy format). Many effects are obvious in what needs to be banned in Mental Magic, but I'll give a little guide to make sure you understand what is stupid.

Transmute is a fine mechanic, but repeatable effects that are somewhat indiscriminate, such as Survival of the Fittest or Wild Research, are simply too good. The thought behind banning cards in Mental Magic is because they reduce skill. With Survival or Research, the player has to simply think of a card and they get it; no muss, no fuss. Arc-Slogger is such an example, just pick up the library (which is a stack of cards you're sharing with your opponent) and chuck it at their face.

Exploration and all of its effects are banned, as it is almost impossible to lose when you're increasing your mana so quickly. Personally, I don't think Azusa, Lost but Seeking would be that broken but I haven't tested her, simply because of the Exploration rule of thumb…. Namely, you will reach game-winning spells before your opponent has even hit their fourth drop. An enthusiast I know who likes to blow things out of proportion did make a claim that every time he played an Exploration effect ended in victory. I don't doubt him; the precarious balance of resource management in Mental Magic is easily tipped.

Secondly, no Trade Routes effects – which, sadly, eliminate Kamigawa's Soratami, such as Meloku the Lunar Battle Platform. Mental Magic signifies the ultimate resource management, as not only must you manage your life, cards, and yard, you select what you can (or cannot) play. With Meloku out, you are no longer hindered by your previous decisions, since you can pick up “lands” at will and transform them into gamebreaking spells. This is destructive to strategies, because players no longer rely on their skills but whatever lands they're sitting on. Some players will argue this, but you can no idea how cheesy it is when your opponent “Tutors their lands” for the perfect answer.

Inspiration, Sift, and Flight of Fancy are simply not good enough for some players: they want to use Fact or Fiction or Gifts Ungiven. Trust me when I say it is completely broken, and that you don't want to allow it in your game. Fact will almost always have you gain a three-for-one, while Gifts will do a two-for-one. The difference between those and normally playing card advantage is that the Deep Analysis will allow you to Dredge cards in your yard, or let you get first crack at Flashback cards before your opponent. What of All Suns' Dawn? Well, it is a Sorcery that costs five mana, as compared to an instant that nets insane advantage. Inspiration with a Deep Analysis can finish games, but Fact or Gifts ruins them.

And now, the final culprit in the debate of Mental Magic: Argothian Enchantress and Enchantress' Presence. I do not believe she is ban-worthy because she is amongst a group of cards that are in a special category called “If you get it off, your opponent deserves to lose” – like Mindslaver, Door to Nothingness, or 3GG's nine for two*. Those only happen in situations where your opponent is either so far behind that they've lost anyway, or they've lost because you outplayed them. There is also the random lucksack win – but that happens in every game, so stop whining. In the case of Argothian Enchantress, your opponent should be able to destroy her. There are a lot of cards that destroy all enchantments, and there are a lot of cards that nail a mere 0/1.

I hope this will give budding Mental Magic players a starting point. Mental Magic is a game built entirely of Magic's strategies and philosophies. Playing Mental Magic will give you a better grasp of Magic by causing you to think and play in ways you would never think to. Sure, you can't afford to play 5-Color Keeper – but Mental Magic will allow you to understand the philosophy, and that is a lesson worth every hour of play.

Tyler Savoy

* - “3GG's nine for two” is casting Stunted Growth, discarding a card to recur Gigapede to cast Plow Under, and Flashback Grizzly Fate with Threshold. It's very deadly, it's easy to stop, and it backfires so easily… But it wins games.