Editing M:tG RPG: Revised (section)

===Combat===

At the beginning of an encounter, all counters are removed from all permanents, all life totals return to their base values, and effects of indefinite duration such as “target creature gains horsemanship” end.

Each archmage entering an encounter will begin with [Channeling] mana in their mana pool and up to [Memory] cards in hand. They may also control [Focus] permanents or have cards in graveyard and exile. Each creature group entering an encounter will have no cards in hand, and a certain degree of access to mana depending on the terrain (plains, frost marsh, phyrexia’s core, etc). 

Turn order will be determined by the particulars of a given situation – surprise, suspicion, distraction, etc. Each archmage counts as a player for the purpose of taking turns, as does each distinct grouping of creatures (as determined by the DM). If a creature not owned by an archmage is placed on top of its owner’s library or returned to its owner's hand, results will vary depending on local mana flows.
Phases and steps within a turn are largely the same as those within a normal M:tG turn, with the following exceptions:
*Untap Step: Active player chooses any number of tokens they control up to their Focus score, as well as any number of nontoken permanents they control up to their Focus score. Active player sacrifices all other permanents they control and then untaps the chosen permanents. Active player adds [Channeling] mana to their mana pool.
*Combat Phase: There are no defending players. Creatures (including archmages) are attacked directly by other creatures. Any nearby creatures can block normally, declaring blocks in APNAP order as usual. Note that encounters generally take place in physical locations, and as such it is possible to have terrain features that prevent certain creatures from being easily attacked or blocked.
*Cleanup Step: If active player has more than [Channeling] mana in their mana pool, mana of their choice empties from their mana pool until they have [Channeling] mana in their mana pool. This is the only time that mana pools empty unless a card specifies otherwise.
Archmages cannot win the game due to effects such as Biorhythm. They either remain active or lose the game due to going to 0 life, having a number of poison counters greater than or equal to half their base life, or suffering a “lose the game” card effect. An archmage who has lost exiles all cards and objects they own and cannot take actions. Their life or death is in the hands of whomever is left standing at combat’s end.