BattleWorld
A PLANAR WAR FOR THE EMPTY THRONE
The Throne Stands Empty
“Join us in the grand competition of BattleWorld! The mantle of leadership lies vacant, awaiting the one worthy enough to claim it.
Will you stand idly by as our world descends into turmoil, or will you seize this moment to shape the fate of BattleWorld?
Rally behind your chosen baron and let your bravery be known. Fight alongside your fellow warriors, for in this trial of strength and will, the victor shall emerge as the rightful Emperor of BattleWorld!”
The Shattered Plane
Beyond the borders of the known planes lies BattleWorld: a patchwork realm assembled from the remnants of destroyed and altered realities scattered across the Multiverse of Magic.
It is a chaotic world locked in eternal night, where the survivors of fallen realities have waged ceaseless war over land, power and the right to endure.
Mishra, wielding the power of the Weakstone, imposed order upon this fractured realm. He gathered the remnants of separate realities into territories known as domains and claimed dominion over them as the sovereign ruler of BattleWorld: the God Emperor.
Some domains were forged from the remains of several realities, united through conquest, necessity or mutual agreement. Each was placed under the rule of a baron or baroness personally appointed by Mishra.
The borders of the domains were absolute. Travel between kingdoms was discouraged and required special dispensation from the ruling baron. Those who crossed a border without permission did so under threat of severe punishment.
So long as they swore allegiance to Mishra, the rulers possessed absolute authority within their own territories. Disputes between domains were carried before the God Emperor in the ancient Halls of Thran.
Judgements ranged from negotiated settlements to ruthless decrees. Restitution might be demanded in gold, territory or blood.
The Contest of Wills
Any accused warrior could invoke trial by combat and challenge the accuser to mortal battle in The Arena. Should the accuser refuse the challenge, all charges against the accused were declared null and void.
Mishra ruled BattleWorld for a millennium. Then, without warning, the God Emperor disappeared.
His vanishing left an empty throne and shattered the fragile peace between the domains. Warlords rose, old grievances returned and civil war spread across the borders of the five kingdoms.
In a final attempt to prevent the complete destruction of their world, the five rulers agreed upon a grand contest. Their chosen war hosts would enter The Arena and fight for dominion over the entire plane.
The victorious warlord shall be crowned Emperor of BattleWorld.
The Five Domains
Every war host must swear allegiance to one of the five domains. The colours of that realm determine which cards its warriors may wield.
Aysen
Ruled by Baron Hazduhr
The Abbot of Aysen Abbey
A realm of abbeys, ancient fields and ordered faith, where devotion is defended by blade, spell and living earth.
The Floating Isle
Ruled by Baron Reveka
Wizard Savant of the Wizard’s School
An arcane kingdom suspended above the broken world, governed by secret knowledge, celestial law and forbidden magical study.
Dark Barony
Ruled by Baron Sengir
Count of Castle Sengir
Beneath a bloodless moon stand haunted towers, drowned valleys and the ancient seat of a ruler whose hunger has outlived kingdoms.
Koskun
Ruled by Baron Eron the Relentless
Warlord of Koskun Keep
A brutal frontier of volcanic stone, savage wilderness and unending conflict, where only strength earns loyalty.
The Great Wood
Ruled by Baroness Autumn Willow
Protector of the An-Havva Township
An ancient forest realm of primal spirits, hidden settlements and warriors bound to defend the living land.
Order of Battle
Two three-player war hosts face one another across The Arena. Each host consists of one Emperor and two Generals.
A war host is defeated only when its Emperor is defeated.
Rules of the Arena
Open each chapter to consult the laws governing combat between the domains.
01 War Hosts and Shared Card Pools
- Each war host consists of three players positioned together on one side of the table, facing the opposing team.
- Before battle, each team selects one domain to represent.
- Players may use only cards belonging to the colours associated with their selected domain.
- The three teammates share a card pool. No more than four copies of any non-basic-land card may be divided among the team.
- Banned and Restricted rules apply to each individual player rather than to the team. Each teammate may therefore include one copy of every restricted card.
- Teammates may examine one another’s hands and openly discuss plans and strategy.
- Each player retains a separate life total, hand, library, graveyard and battlefield.
02 The Emperor and the Generals
- The player seated in the centre becomes the team’s Emperor and begins the game with 30 life.
- The players seated to the Emperor’s left and right become Generals and each begin with 20 life.
- The team remains in the battle until its Emperor is defeated.
- When a player is eliminated, every card owned by that player is removed from the game.
03 Imperial Protection and Vulnerability
- While both allied Generals remain alive, the Emperor cannot be attacked by creatures or targeted by opposing spells and abilities.
- The Emperor’s permanents and spells are not protected. Opponents may counter an Emperor’s spell or destroy a permanent that Emperor controls.
- A direct spell such as Fireball cannot target the Emperor while both allied Generals remain alive.
- A General may attack the opposing Emperor only after the enemy General seated directly opposite that General has been eliminated.
- Before attacking the Emperor, the attacking General’s creatures must first move onto the Emperor’s battlefield.
- Once an Emperor has been legally attacked by creatures or targeted by a spell, both Emperors become vulnerable to creature attacks and targeted spells.
04 Moving Creatures Between Battlefields
- During a player’s second main phase, that player may tap creatures they control to move them to an adjacent teammate’s battlefield.
- A creature cannot move while affected by summoning sickness.
- A creature that attacked this turn cannot be moved.
- Creatures may move only to a teammate seated directly beside their current position.
- Moving a creature does not transfer control of that creature. Its original controller continues to make all decisions concerning it.
05 Range of Spells and Abilities
Targeted spells and abilities have a range of plus one position. They may affect players seated directly adjacent to the controller’s position, as well as both Emperors.
- A General can normally reach the opposing General seated directly across from them and the two Emperors.
- An Emperor’s targeted spells can reach both opposing Generals and the opposing Emperor.
- Spells and abilities that do not target have unlimited range.
- Wrath of God therefore destroys all creatures throughout The Arena.
- Wheel of Fortune affects every player in the game.
BattleWorld uses full modern Magic rules, including no mana burn.
Legal Sets
BattleWorld uses cards from the following chapters of Magic’s early history.
Reprints are legal when they have the same English name and the same original card frame. Foreign printings and International or Collector’s Edition cards are also permitted.
Players are encouraged to use printings from the legal BattleWorld sets whenever possible.
Authorized Relics
The following promotional cards from 1994–1995 are also legal:
- Arena
- Sewers of Estark
- Nalathni Dragon
- Giant Badger
- Windseeker Centaur
- Mana Crypt
Imperial Decrees
BattleWorld uses the November 1995 Banned and Restricted List, modified where necessary to preserve balance, flavour and fun.
RESTRICTED One copy per player
- All Legendary cards
- Balance
- Black Vise
- Braingeyser
- Copy Artifact
- Demonic Consultation
- Demonic Tutor
- Diminishing Returns
- Fastbond
- Feldon’s Cane
- Force of Will
- Fork
- Hymn to Tourach
- Ivory Tower
- Jester’s Cap
- Land Tax
- Lim-Dûl’s Vault
- Mana Crypt
- Mishra’s Factory
- Necropotence
- Recall
- Regrowth
- Sol Ring
- Strip Mine
- Thawing Glaciers
- Wheel of Fortune
- Zuran Orb
BANNED Not legal in BattleWorld
- Amulet of Quoz
- Bronze Tablet
- Channel
- Contract from Below
- Darkpact
- Demonic Attorney
- Jeweled Bird
- Mind Twist
- Rebirth
- Tempest Efreet
- Timmerian Fiends
Storm Cauldron
Storm Cauldron is legal and unrestricted. Its interactions with Fastbond and other powerful land engines remain under observation by the Imperial authorities.
Enter The Arena
BattleWorld is The Edge-Man Championship’s three-versus-three Emperor-variant side event. Rally two allies, pledge your swords to one of the five domains and build your decks from that realm’s colour identity.
You will not enter The Arena alone. Your Emperor, your Generals and the strength of your chosen domain will determine whether your war host is forgotten—or whether one of you claims the empty throne.
RALLY YOUR WAR HOST.
FIGHT FOR BATTLEWORLD.
