
# Catfight: The Cat Has Nine Lives (And You'd Better Use Them All)

Magic is at its best when it's fast, scrappy, and unpredictable. **Catfight** is a fan-made format created by [ReyaaDawnMTG](https://www.youtube.com/@ReyaaDawnMTG) that delivers exactly that. Low-cost spells, singleton deckbuilding, and a single creature that anchors every game: your **Nine-Lives Familiar**.

It's cheap to build, quick to play, and every game feels like it matters. Now you can play it on ManyTCG.

## What is Catfight?

Catfight is a 1v1 format built around one core idea: protect your cat, kill theirs.

Each player starts at **9 life** with a **Nine-Lives Familiar** on the battlefield carrying **8 revival counters**. Your cat is your only creature. If it dies with no counters left, you lose. Simple as that.

The rest of your deck is built from **non-creature spells with CMC 1** _(with some exceptions)_ and **lands**. No expensive bombs, no creature-heavy boards, just tight, efficient spellcasting and a cat that refuses to stay dead.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-FDN-321" />

## The Full Ruleset

Here's everything you need to know:

### Setup

- 1v1
- 9 starting life
- Non-combat damage dealt to you by your opponent is **prevented** (life loss is still allowed, and you can damage yourself)

### Deckbuilding

- **40-card singleton minimum** (excluding Nine-Lives Familiar)
- Only **non-creature cards of CMC 1** and **lands** (no zero-cost spells, no Dryad Arbor)
- X spells, Kicker, Talent, and similar mechanics are allowed
- **9-card sideboard**

### The Cat

- Each player starts with a **Nine-Lives Familiar** on the battlefield with **8 revival counters**
- The cat doesn't count toward your 40-card minimum
- It can attack on turn 1
- **If your cat dies with no counters left, you lose the game**

### Cat-Specific Interactions (The Golden Rule)

**You cannot make the cat do what the cat doesn't want to do.**

In other words, you cannot stop the cat from coming back from the graveyard as designed and intended. Specifically, you cannot:

- **Exile** the cat from any zone
- **Bounce** the cat (it can't go into anyone's hand)
- **Put the cat into a library** from any zone
- **Remove the cat's death trigger ability** ("loses all abilities" effects will remove other abilities, but not the return-from-death trigger)
- **Stifle or counter** the cat's death trigger
- **Make the cat leave either graveyard** (or not leave) beyond its own trigger (no Reanimate, no Malakir Rebirth, no Grafdigger's Cage)
- **Turn the cat face down**, manifest it, or similar effects
- **Permanently gain control** of your opponent's cat (if you do, it returns at the end of turn)

**Edge cases:**

- If something would affect multiple cards and one of them is the cat, it resolves as normal **except** it doesn't affect the cat. (Example: Bojuka Bog exiles everything in a graveyard except the cat.)
- If something requires you to return, exile, or otherwise move a card and you have options other than the cat, **you must choose the other card**. (Example: Curfew is cast while you have a cat and a token in play. You must return the token.)

## Why Catfight Works

The CMC 1 restriction and singleton rule mean every card matters. There are no dead draws, no waiting around for a big finisher. You're making meaningful decisions from turn one.

The format naturally stays budget-friendly since you're only playing cheap spells. And because non-combat damage from your opponent is prevented, the game revolves entirely around combat with your cat and strategic use of your 1-mana toolkit.

Games are **fast**. If you've ever wanted a format you can squeeze into a lunch break, Catfight is it.

## How to Play Catfight on ManyTCG

Getting started is straightforward:

1. **Create an account** (if you haven't already -- [Sign Up Here](https://manytcg.com/signup))
2. **Build a Catfight deck** -- select "Catfight" as your format when creating a new MTG deck. The deck validator will enforce all the rules for you.
3. **Pick your Nine-Lives Familiar** -- you'll be prompted to select it as a format extra, just like choosing a Commander.
4. **Hit Playtest** and invite your opponent.

When the game starts, your Nine-Lives Familiar will already be on the battlefield with its 8 revival counters. No setup needed.

## Deckbuilding Tips

Since you're locked to CMC 1 non-creature spells, here are some directions to explore:

- **Removal:** Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Fatal Push -- the usual suspects all cost 1
- **Pump spells:** Giant Growth, Mutagenic Growth, Rancor -- making your cat hit harder is a real strategy
- **Protection:** Gods Willing, Snakeskin Veil, Tyvar's Stand -- keeping your cat alive is everything
- **X spells:** These are legal and scale into the late game. Fireball variants and flexible removal give you reach
- **Cantrips:** Brainstorm, Ponder, Opt -- consistency matters in singleton

The tension between going aggressive (attacking with your cat, pumping it) and playing defensive (holding up protection, managing counters) is what makes Catfight tick.

## Credit Where It's Due

Catfight was created by **ReyaaDawnMTG**. You can check out the full format breakdown and see it in action on their [YouTube channel](https://youtu.be/DHp2Wx-gFZ0).

## Ready to Scrap?

Build a deck, hit **Playtest**, and see how far nine lives can take you. Catfight proves that Magic doesn't need big mana or complex board states to be thrilling. Sometimes all you need is a cat, a handful of cheap spells, and the nerve to swing first.

Good luck out there. Your cat is counting on you.


Play Catfight on ManyTCG: A New MTG Player Format


# Dandân: The Shared-Deck Format That Breaks Your Brain

Magic: The Gathering has no shortage of formats, but some of the most interesting ones weren’t created by Wizards at all. **Dandân**, also known as _Forgetful Fish_, is a fan-made format (created by [Nick Floyd](https://bsky.app/profile/magicstorytime.bsky.social)) that turns Magic into a battle of memory, timing, and restraint.

It is minimal, strange, and deceptively deep... and now you can play it here on ManyTCG.

## Why do people call it Forgetful Fish?

The entire format revolves around these two cards:

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-CHR-18,MTG-DDM-24" />

- **Dandân**, is the only creature in the deck and the primary win condition
- **Memory Lapse**, counters spells by putting them back on top of the shared library

Because both players draw from the same deck, every counterspell, scry, or tutor affects _both_ sides. A play that looks strong now might hand your opponent the perfect answer on their next draw.

Dandân isn’t about raw power—it’s about timing and denial.

## Ok cool cool, so what are the rules of Dandân?

Dandân is originally a two-player format where **both players share a single deck and a single graveyard**.

The rules are simple:

- Two players
- One shared 80-card deck
- One shared graveyard
- Each player starts at 20 life
- You lose at 0 life or by drawing from an empty library

Other than that, Magic works as normal. The complexity comes from how the deck is built—and how much information both players are forced to share.

## So... How do I Play it on ManyTCG??

Playing Dandân on ManyTCG is easy and requires minimal setup.

1. Make an account (if you don't have one -- [Sign Up Here](https://manytcg.com/signup))
2. Build a Dandân deck (or copy one!) - remember to include 10 copies of Dandân and 8 of Memory Lapse.
3. Click **Playtest**.
4. Invite your opponent and start playing with shared-deck rules.

That’s it!

If you want a deck to copy for yourself try this one out: [Dandân](https://manytcg.com/decks/cml8o9i8u0001l904pwdp9ymg)

## Here is the full deck list for reference

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## Ok... so why do people like this format?

Dandân rewards careful play more than almost any other format.

- Every spell reveals information
- Every decision shapes future turns
- Mistakes are hard to hide and harder to recover from

For newer players, it’s a crash course in stack interaction and tempo. For experienced players, it feels closer to a strategy game than a traditional Magic match.

And since all you need is one deck, it’s perfect for quick games or downtime between rounds. _Actually quick is a bit of stretch... maybe set aside a night for this one..._

## Sweet... What were you talking about again?..

Dandân proves that Magic doesn’t need complex board states or flashy win conditions to be compelling. Sometimes, all it takes is a shared deck, a forgetful fish, and the constant fear that your best play might help your opponent more than you.

If you’ve ever wanted to test your understanding of blue Magic—or just try something genuinely different—Dandân is worth your time.

Build a deck, hit **Playtest** on ManyTCG, and see how deep the pond really is...


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Play Catfight on ManyTCG: A New MTG Player Format

Dandân (Forgetful Fish Format) - Learn and play it on ManyTCG!