The matchups for each round are determined completely at random.
Each player starts with one registered spellbook (including the mage). You can "recruit" enemy spellbooks during a game.
Recruitment is a full action that can only be done by a friendly mage at range 0-2 from an enemy mage. To recruit an enemy spellbook, roll the effect die. Modify the result according to this chart.
44+ life after damage: the result does not increase.
40-43 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 1
36-39 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 2
32-35 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 3
28-31 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 4
24-27 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 5
20-23 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 6
16-19 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 7
12-15 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 8
8-11 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 9
4-7 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 10
1-3 life after damage: increase the result of the effect die by 11
0 life after damage: Game is already over. Recruitment fails.
If the final result is 13 or higher, that spellbook is recruited.
Each player can control at most three registered spellbooks at a time. A mage whose controlling player controls three spellbooks cannot use the recruitment action. When a mage is killed, its spellbook can no longer be used in the tournament and must be turned in to the tournament judges to be returned to its original owner once they themselves either win the tournament or are eliminated.
A player is eliminated when the number of spellbooks they control is 0. The last remaining player who controls at least one spellbook is the winner.