"CountDown" House Rules for Multiplayer EDH

The Monday "CountDown" Magic player community has changed the Magic: The Gathering rules because we often play 2HG and 3HG. The aim is to make the game and some unbalanced mechanics fairer.

These rules are designed to balance cards in multiplayer formats like 2HG or 3HG, where the "each opponent" wording can disproportionately advantage certain cards. The additional mana cost provides flexibility while maintaining fairness across gameplay.

These houserules constitute modifications to card text pursuant to CR 101.1 and supersede a card's printed text for games played under these rules wherever explicitly stated.

1. Opponent Scope Rules

1.1. Spells and Activated Abilities — "Each Opponent" Effects

When casting a spell or activating an ability that would affect each opponent (or each opponent's permanents or resources), its cost increases by {1} for each opponent beyond the first that it affects in this way. This rule applies regardless of whether the effect is beneficial, detrimental, or neutral to the affected opponents.

A spell or ability is subject to this rule if and only if both of the following conditions are met:

Its printed text causes an effect to apply to each opponent (or each opponent's permanents or resources) individually, and
Its printed text does not already require the caster or activator to pay an additional cost for each opponent or target beyond the first.

Such spells and abilities will only affect one opponent by default.

The controller must pay an additional {1} generic mana for each extra opponent beyond the first when announcing the spell or ability. If the additional cost is not paid, the controller must choose a single opponent to be affected.

This rule constitutes a modification to the card's effect pursuant to CR 101.1 and supersedes the card's printed text for games played under these rules.

1.1.1. Example

In a 3HG game, a player casts Windgrace's Judgment. They may:

Destroy one nonland permanent of an opponent,
OR pay an additional {1} generic mana to destroy up to two nonland permanents.
OR pay an additional {2} generic mana to destroy up to three nonland permanents.

1.1.2. Example

The card Fireball is not subject to this rule, because its printed text already requires the caster to pay an additional {1} for each target beyond the first (condition 2 is not met).

1.2. Static Abilities — "Each Opponent" Effects

When a continuous effect generated by a static ability impacts only opponents, the controller of the source chooses one opponent to be affected by that effect. This choice is made when the source enters the battlefield or when this rule first applies to the source.

If the controller of the source changes, the new controller selects one of their opponents to be affected (see Example 1.2.2.). This choice is not a copyable property of the card (see Examples 1.2.3. and 1.2.4.).

1.2.1. Example

The static ability of Grand Arbiter Augustin IV ("Spells your opponents cast cost {1} more to cast.") affects only one chosen opponent.

1.2.2. Example

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV is on the battlefield under Player A's control, who chooses Player B as the affected opponent. Player B then casts Sower of Temptation and takes control of Grand Arbiter Augustin IV. Player B now chooses a new opponent to be affected by the static ability.

1.2.3. Example

A player casts Clone and copies Anafenza, the Foremost . The controller of Clone chooses a new opponent for the effect of Anafenza, the Foremost.

1.2.4. Example

A player casts Nanogene Conversion targeting Anafenza, the Foremost . For each creature on the battlefield that becomes a copy of Anafenza, the Foremost, the controller of that creature chooses an opponent for the effect.

1.2.5. Example — Ward

Ward is a triggered ability (CR 702.21). When a creature with Ward (e.g. Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm) enters the battlefield, the controller chooses one opponent against whom the Ward cost applies. When that permanent is targeted by a spell or ability controlled by any opponent other than the designated opponent, the Ward cost does not apply.

1.2.6. Example — Hexproof

When a permanent gains hexproof (e.g. via Swiftfoot Boots), or when an equipment granting hexproof becomes attached to a permanent, that permanent's controller immediately chooses one opponent. That permanent has hexproof only against spells and abilities controlled by the chosen opponent. This choice persists until the source of hexproof leaves the battlefield or is transferred to another permanent, at which point the controller may choose a new opponent.

1.3. "An Opponent" Persistent Condition Abilities

When a spell, activated ability, or triggered ability references "an opponent" as an open condition — meaning it watches for or responds to events or states involving any opponent without specifying which — the controller of the source must, at the time the source enters the battlefield, is cast, or its ability first becomes active, declare one opponent to whom that condition applies. The ability or effect only watches for and responds to events or states involving the declared opponent. This declaration persists until the source leaves the battlefield, changes zones, or the controller changes (see Rule 1.2), at which point a new declaration must be made.

This rule applies regardless of whether the resulting effect is beneficial, detrimental, or neutral to the declared opponent.

1.3.1. Example — Tapping an opponent's creature

The card Hylda of the Icy Crown reads: "Whenever you tap an untapped creature an opponent controls, you may pay {1}. When you do, choose one — [effects]." When this card enters the battlefield, the controller declares one opponent. The triggered ability only watches for creatures controlled by the declared opponent being tapped. Tapping creatures controlled by other opponents does not trigger this ability.

1.3.2. Example — Committing a Crime

The card Magda, the Hoardmaster that triggers whenever its controller "commits a crime" (i.e., targets an opponent, a permanent an opponent controls, or a card in an opponent's graveyard — see CR 700.13) only recognizes crimes committed against the declared opponent. Targeting a permanent controlled by a non-declared opponent does not satisfy the crime condition for this ability.

1.4. Opponent-Individually Triggered Abilities

This rule is a specific and common application of Rule 1.3. It is stated separately due to its frequent occurrence in gameplay.

Triggered abilities that separately trigger whenever an opponent or a permanent that opponent controls fulfills a condition are subject to Rule 1.3. The controller of the source must choose one opponent when the source enters the battlefield. The ability only triggers for events involving the declared opponent. The chosen opponent cannot be changed between individual trigger instances.

1.4.1. Example

The triggered ability of Smothering Tithe ("Whenever an opponent draws a card, you may create a Treasure token unless that player pays {2}.") will trigger only for the chosen opponent. The choice is made when Smothering Tithe enters the battlefield and cannot be changed between draw triggers.

1.4.2. Example

Cards like Punishing Fire or Dogged Detective that trigger when an opponent gains life require the card's controller to choose one opponent when the card enters the battlefield or the ability becomes active. The trigger applies only for the chosen opponent.

2. Phase and Turn Manipulation

Any effect that grants only one team extra phases or turns affects only the individual player controlling the effect or the target of the effect, not the entire team. This rule does not include "End the turn or phase" effects (see Examples 2.3 and 2.4).

For the purposes of this rule, an "individual player's extra turn" means: that player takes an additional turn using the normal single-player turn structure (CR 500–514), during which their teammate does not take actions as though it were a shared team turn. The teammate may not cast spells or activate abilities during their partner's individual extra turn except in response to spells or abilities on the stack (i.e., only at instant speed).

2.1. Example — Paradox Haze

The Enchantment Paradox Haze only grants its controller an additional upkeep step, not the entire team.

2.2. Example — Temporal Mastery

The card Temporal Mastery only grants its controller an extra turn, not the entire team.

2.3. Example — Sundial of the Infinite

In a 2HG game, when the artifact Sundial of the Infinite is activated, the entire team's turn skips directly to the cleanup step.

2.4. Example — Mandate of Peace

The card Mandate of Peace ends the entire combat phase for all players.

2.5. Example — Mindslaver

Activating Mindslaver controls only a single targeted player's next turn (CR 722), not their entire team's turn. The targeted player's teammate continues to act normally during that turn.

3. Determine Life Points of a Player

The individual life total of a player from a team is equal to the current life total of the team divided by the number of players on that team, rounded up. If an effect sets a player's life total to a specific value, the team's life total changes by the difference between the player's individual life total (as calculated by this rule) and the specified value.

The team's single shared life total (CR 810.4) remains the authoritative game value at all times. Individual player life totals as defined in this rule are a calculation used only for resolving effects that reference a single player's life total.

3.1. Example — Doubling a player's life total

In a 2HG game, a team has 17 life points. An effect doubles one player's life total (Beacon of Immortality). That player's individual life total is 17 ÷ 2 = 9. The team's life total increases by 9, from 17 to 26.

3.2. Example — Win condition based on life total

In a 2HG game, one player controls Test of Endurance, which reads "At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 50 or more life, you win the game.". The win condition is met if the team's life total is 100 or more (since 100 ÷ 2 = 50).

3.3. Example — Setting a player's life total to a specific value

In a 2HG game, the team has 25 life. An effect sets one player's life total to 10 (Sorin Markov). That player's individual life total is 25 ÷ 2 = 13. The reduction is 13 − 10 = 3. The team's life total decreases by 3, from 25 to 22.

4. Proxy Cards

Proxy cards are permitted as long as:

The card's name, mana value, and effects are clearly readable.
The card's lowest-priced non-foil, non-altered version has a market value of less than 10€, based on the lowest available price on cardmarket.com at the time of the game.
The deck contains no more than 10 proxy cards.

Glossary

2HG

Two-Headed Giant play mode, or 2 vs. 2. Uses the Shared Team Turns option (CR 805) and Two-Headed Giant variant rules (CR 810).

3HG

Three-Headed Giant play mode, or 3 vs. 3. Uses the same rules as Two-Headed Giant (CR 810) extended to 3-player teams, plus any modifications defined in these houserules. The CR does not formally define Three-Headed Giant; 3HG is a casual extension of the 2HG format.

Command Zone

Defined in Play rule 6 of the official Commander rules.

Generic Mana

A mana cost that can be paid with mana of any type — any color or colorless mana.

Symbol: {1}, {2}, {X}, etc.

From the Glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (January 16, 2026):Generic Mana — Mana in a cost represented by numerical symbols (such as {1}) or variable symbols (such as {X}) that can be paid with mana of any type. See CR 107.4.

State-Based Actions

Specific game actions defined in CR 704 that the game checks automatically (e.g. a creature with 0 toughness dying, a player with 0 life losing). Not to be confused with static abilities (CR 604) or triggered abilities (CR 603). Rules 1.2 and 1.3 of these houserules govern static and triggered abilities respectively, not state-based actions.

Last Updated: based on CR effective January 16, 2026