Mini masters:
You and an opponent but one of the same booster.
Open packs face-down and do not look at cards.
Remove tokens (second card from the top, or 3rd with innistrad)
Add 2 of each basic land to pack.
Play without looking at what the cards contained.
Rule changes:
No mulligans
Cannot Deck out (laboratory maniac can still win you the game): just continue to play as if a card was drawn.
Something with 3 color-cost (3 forest) would require the original 2 forest added to the pack to be on the field; then you may tap two of any other (moutain, plain) to create the third forest. If one of the two original forest is in graveyard, then the spell cannot be played until you control at least 2 of the color-cost.Pack wars:
Open pack face-down (you and opponent0
Remove tokens.
Reveal bottom card. Look at converted mana cost. This is your 'attack'. Highest casting cost wins. Count the difference between cost (birds of paradise = 1. gideon's avenger = 3. 2 points difference, so the player with the gideon is +2)
At end of pack, total difference between cards is tallied. Person with the highest points win.
Usually these are also played for keeps, as in you buy a pack and your opponent and winner takes all.
I'd figure I'd share this with you, as possibly you do not know about it. This format adds alot of freshness and fun to the game of magic, without any process of deck-building or unfair starts (packs are pretty random).
Pack wars, while not being played, can still be fun as it runs off of ones anxiety/suspense level. I personally prefer mini-masters myself.
Have you tried either of these? Did you like it?
Post comments, please. Try a new format if you haven't before.