Hello Canadian Judges! Our fourth judge spotlight is a well known Western Judge, Area Communicator, and veteran Team Lead. He’s also known for working events from one end of Canada to the other and even larger events across North America!
Name: Aaron MacLean
Level: 3
Location: Celista, B.C.
Judge start date: 2016
Occupation: Lumber Buyer
Favorite card: Snapcaster Mage
Least favorite card: Rystic Study
Favorite format: Sealed
What Single Colour, Two Colour Guild and Three Colour faction do you identify with personally?
Weirdly I have no color preferences. Most of my playing by far has been in limited so I play and enjoy whatever is good at winning at the time.
Commander General: I play real Magic, no commanders! (Editors Note: allowing this to be printed is how you know there’s no censorship here!)
Really? There has never been a commander you’ve been tempted to build around?
Not really, building constructed decks is not fun for me. I just like playing, so sealed is my favorite format.
Favorite non-Magic Game: Poker
Best tournament result: Top 64 GP Vancouver 2014. Beating the no2 and no7 ranked players in the world on the same day.
That’s incredible, do you ever feel tempted to play instead of judge?
I do not have enough time to be good these days. I would absolutely love to play a GP like event. The upcoming Toronto spotlight series is super tempting to play. (Editor’s Note: Someone please staff him before he ruins my excuse that I’m bad at magic because I judge so much…)
Random fact about yourself:
In a former life I was a fairly good Muay Fighter.
Why do you Judge? I love Magic Tournaments. I have played in some that were run well and some that were disasters. I want to have more tournaments that are run well.
Tell us your favorite Judge story. I was playing at a local sealed RC. Two players were yelling at each other about some game they played the day before. It was quite disruptive. I asked the judge “Isn’t deck building supposed to be a quiet process?” The judge replied “This isn’t a library”. I suggested that the judge should really do something about this yelling. His reply was “If I didn’t like it then I should become a judge so I can run events better than him…” The next day I became a judge.
What are some tips you have for other Judges? Make a regular schedule for studying, updating your skills and stretch the range of events you apply for.
Any tips for judges who are just getting started travelling to events?
Judging trips are 300% better when you are travelling with people you like. There are a lot of great people in the judging community. Spend some time getting to know other judges during events. Eventually events become 50% job 50% hanging out with friends.
You’re often one of the judges who does setup for events, any setup life hacks that you wish more judges knew? Wear comfortable clothes. Check the ceiling height when moving flags. Avoid setting up flags like the plague.
What is your favourite non-judging moment that happened with other Judges (or after-event story)? 2 Day Judge retreat at my rural property on a lake in B.C. We got to draft on a boat!
Who have been some of your biggest mentors in the Judge Program, and what did they teach you? Michael Nixon and Niko Skartvedt taught me there were a lot more skills needed for judging other than knowing the rules. Mike Hill and Tobi Vsyeri taught me to keep improving my skills.
What positive aspects has the Judge Program contributed to your everyday life?
Customer service issues, like delivering bad news without upsetting someone.
What’s the best part about your local Magic community? I am amazed at the number of highly invested players there are in a very small town.
What is your favorite non-Magic hobby? Collecting books.
How did you get involved in Magic in the first place? Played in high school in the 90s.
If you were a Planeswalker, what would be your ultimate? You get an emblem with each spell your opponents cast that would cost less than three mana to cast costs three mana to cast. (I like making things difficult for others.)
Where would you go if you could take an omenpath vacation on any magic plane? Innistrad. The most fun plane.
As a British Columbian wouldn’t you want to go somewhere bright and sunny?
Whatever! B.C. is the best province by a lot.
If you could have any magic character as your head judge who would it be? Grand Arbiter Augustin IV. The fairest of all judges.
Proudest moment of your Judge life? In the same week, I was accepted for leadership positions for SCG, F2F, and Magicon.
What character in Magic (real or fictional) represents you the best, and why?
Dark Confidant. Usually a great asset, but sometimes just kills you.
Two Truths and a Lie: (Choose three facts, one must be a lie and two must be truths, try to make it challenging to figure out which is which)
I got an A in a University class by winning a beer drinking contest.
I was player of the year for my high school football team, as a Nose Tackle.
I have a degree in Civil Engineering.
Last episodes answer:
Sierra played baseball in High School not College, good job if you figured out that was the lie!