Omni Fist

OMNI FIST is a derivative of the OMNI League, which was pioneered by Jonathan Tweet for On The Edge, by Atlas Games. Like the OMNI League, OMNI FIST is a "non-localized community of people playing with a limited number of cards." It is a forum for fans of the game to compete against one another with the same handicap. OMNI FIST is great for introducing new players to Shadowfist because everybody begins on equal ground and must use their playing ability, not their wallets, to strengthen their deck. There is no trading in OMNI FIST, the only way to improve your deck is through kicking your opponent's butt. The rules for participating in OMNI FIST are as follows:

1. First you must attain a deck. You begin by selecting a Shadowfist starter deck. You can choose from either the Limited or Standard printing. You must designate this deck before opening it. It is not fair to open multiple starters and select the best of the lot. Next you may select one booster pack from each expansion that has been released: e.g., 1 Shadowpack, 1 Netherpack, and 1 Flashpack. The boosters are subject to the same rules as for starters: choose before opening. The sum total of these cards is your OMNI FIST set. From these you build a deck usieng the standard deck construction rules. This is your OMNI FIST deck. The cards outside of your deck are your reserves. Between games you may alter your deck by removing cards and/or adding in cards from your reserves.
2. Use all available errata while playing OMNI FIST.
3. OMNI FIST is an honor based system. There is no prize for having the best deck other than bragging rights. The name of the game is to have fun.
4. OMNI FIST games are played for stakes, selected and agreed upon by all the players from each players' set. Yes, you can play for cards that are in your opponents' deck, but they are not obligated to remove these cards while the game is played. Use a proxy or a note to stand in for the stakes. Since winning a card from your opponent is as close as it gets to trading, you are advised to play for stakes that will improve your deck. It is best if you play for only one card at a time, so decks do not become unbalanced too quickly. Furthermore, the total number of your OMNI FIST set can be used to keep track of your win/loss ration. A beginning OMNI FIST set contains 92 cards. If your set contains 95 cards, you have beaten 3 more people than you have lost to. You can also keep track of the number of games that you've played on your starter box or another piece of paper.
5. Put your initials or some other distinctive mark on the face of every card that you lose. Do not mark the backs of the cards. This provides OMNI FIST players with a history of the card in question. Cards with multiple mark on them mean that they have been hotly contested and may be considered more valuable because of their history. You can use these cards to show off to other players, especially if you own a card signed by one of Shadowfist's creators.
6. You may be tempted to go through the motions of playing in order to exchange cards with another player. Resist this temptation for it is no different than trading. You are on your honot not to engage in such practices. Playing game for stakes against non OMNI FIST decks is also not allowed.
7. If your set drops below 50 cards, you may retire your deck and start over with a new selection of starter and boosters. If your deck loses 10 games in a row you may retire it. (This is known as the Herrington clause.) You may never add cards to your deck from boosters except when a new expansion is released. If you somehow manage to lose all the Feng Shui sites in you set, you may retire your deck.
8. OMNI FIST is an unofficial league created to stimulate fun play. There is no administrator. OMNI FIST is a league of players. If a dispute arises, attempt to solve it peacefully. Call on the aid of other OMNI FIST players if necessary. One way to personalize your deck is to name it. At conventions, try your deck out against those of the Daedalus staff.
9. Any variant rules agreed upon by all participants may be used. You may also play OMNI FIST games without stakes in order to give them a test drive. You can play team games of OMNI FIST if all the people involved can agree on stakes. A nifty variant for multiplayer games is called "Vicious Circle," also created by Jonathan Tweet. In a Vicious Circle game, everyone player for an ante selected from the player to the left. If you win, you take the ante from the person to your left. If you lose, but the player to your right does not win, then you keep the card that you anted. If the person to your right wins, she takes your card. This gives each player an adversary to focus on, while maximizing the dynamics of multiplayer games.

The OMNI FIST rules were written by Richard Bark (rbark@nunic.nu.edu).

Last modified: February 23, 1996;