Every month, several more or less local and not-so-local judges and not-yet-judges meet in my area (Frankfurt Main, Germany) in a restaurant for a nice evening. We’re usually around 8 players from Germany, including all kinds of levels (0-3) and experience(ranging from “I want to become a judge” to 15 years judge veteran). This meeting is not a meeting with a previously set schedule, like judge conferences have one. We simply meet, and since we’re all judges, it happens that we discuss and talk quite a bit about judging stuff too (and programming..). To share ideas and that we give not only us, but everyone else too, the opportunity to improve, I make notes about the topics and write about the meeting regularly.
This is my report from the latest meeting in August.
The topics from this week in a certain order:
1. Rules – Ensoul Artifact on Darksteel Citadel and Polymorphist’s Jest
2. Policy – Ajani Steadfast ability gone wrong
3. Best practices –
a) Bloodrush from Rubblepelt Maaka
b) Activating Polukranos ability
c) Legendary creatures and Clone
d) Pithing Needle vs. Underworld Connections
1. Rules – Ensoul Artifact on Darksteel Citadel and Polymorphist’s Jest
Alex controls a Darksteel Citadel enchanted with Ensoul Artifact. Nico resolves Polymorph’s Jest. What is that Darksteel Citadel now?
Before Polymorphist’s Jest, it was an Artifact Creature Land without subtypes, with Indestructible, tap: add 1 to your manapool and 5/5 base power/toughness.
Polymorphist’s Jest {1UU} |Instant| Until end of turn, each creature target player controls a) loses all abilities and b) becomes a blue Frog with c) base power and toughness 1/1.
Polymorphist’s Jest will change some things there. It will affect abilities, subytpe&color and base p/t. It will not affect types, because the part in b) refers only to color and subtype(creature type).
In the end, it’s an Artifact Creature Land – Frog that’s blue, has no abilities and is 1/1.
It is not Indestructible because Indestrucible is an ability. It’s still Artifact and Land, because Polymorph’s Jest never touched the types of the target.
2. Policy – Ajani Steadfast ability gone wrong
Aaron just resolved a Ajani Steadfast. He has it on 4 loyalty counters and controls some creatures.
Aaron mumbles something like “I make +1 counter, Go”. He puts the 5th loyalty counter on Ajani Steadfast and grabs his bag of dice to put +1/+1 counters on his creatures at the same time Nocturne untaps and draws the card for his turn. Nocturne wonders why Aaron put +1/+1 counters on the creatures and both players call a judge because of the disagreement.
The judge quickly finds out Nocturne didn’t completely understand what Aaron exactly stated. He also finds out that Aaron thought Ajani Steadfast has an ability (+1): Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
There happened a GPE-GRV somewhere. The remedy of GRV suggests to rewind to the “point of error”. (along with a penalty for Aaron, no penalty for N)
Our ruling depends on the players intent. Did he want to put a 5th counter on Ajani, regardless what the ability does? Or did he want to put +1/+1 counters on his creatures, but paid the wrong cost? Depending on the answers, we rewind to that “point of error”.
3. Best practices –
In these situations, André asks Judge Jack a question.
All questions can technically be answered in a clear, yet misleading way. On the other hand, it’s easy to provide coaching to the player asking the rules question.
What should be the answer by the judge at Comp REL?
The documents do not provide a clear answer. It requires some interpretation of the judge.
In this post, I list some answers to the question as I asked it on the JudgeApps forums.
a) Bloodrush from Rubblebelt Maaka
André plays a Standard tournament.
“Judge, can I counter Bloodrush from Rubblebelt Maaka? ”
Some possible answers:
“Bloodrush can be countered by anything that counters *activated abilities*.”
or:
“First I’d ask him to tell me exactly what he’s asking about, or what he’s planning to do, as that question is quite open ended. If he then procedes to ask if he can use Cancel to counter the Bloodrush ability, then I’d say “No. Bloodrush is an ability and not a spell, and since Cancel states ‘counter target spell’ it would not be a legal target.”
If he shows me Stifle, then I’d say “Yes, as Bloodrush is an activated ability.”
or:
“Judge: What do you want do do, and how will you do it?
Player: Use this Cancel to counter his Maka’s Bloodrush.
Judge. No, that won’t work. Cancel counters spells, and Bloodrush is an activated ability.”
b) Activating Polukranos ability
André controls a monstrous Polukranos with a few +1/+1 counters.
701.28a. “Monstrosity N” means “If this permanent isn’t monstrous, put N +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.” Monstrous is a condition of that permanent that can be referred to by other abilities.
“Judge, can I activate the activated ability of Polukranos again?”
“Judge, can I use Polukranos again?”
Some answers possible:
“Yes, you can *activate* the monstrous ability on Polukranos whenever you have priority, and the mana to do so.”
or:
“Yes, you can activate the ability again.” Given that they’re asking specifically about activating (as opposed to ‘monstrous again’ or anything), I’m fine with giving the precisely correct answer. I don’t know why a player might want to know this.
or:
Judge: What do you want to do, and how will you do it?
Player: Activate Polukranos with x=5, to damage his creature.
Judge: You can activate Polukranos, but it’s already monstrous, so the ability will do nothing.
not:
I’d ask if the creature is monsterous or not, or if he didn’t understand that; Have the monstrosity ability been activated since the creature entered the battlefield last time. Depending upon the answer it’d be a simple “yes, it isn’t monsterous.” or “no, it’s already monsterous.” (Activating the ability is technically possible if you have the mana, even if Polukranos is already monstrous)
c) Legendary creatures and Clone
André controls Jalira, Master Polymorphist, used the ability and revealed Mercurial Pretender
“Judge, can I copy Jalira, Master Polymorphist with the Mercurial Pretender?”
Some answers possible:
“Yes, you can have Mercurial Pretender enter the battlefield as a copy of Jalira.”
or:
“Yes, you can.” Or perhaps “Yes, since the Mercurial Pretender isn’t a legendary creature when you revealed it.” (Jalira refers to non-legendary creatures only)
or:
Judge: What do you want to do, and how will you do it?
Player: I want to have a copy of Jalira, so I’ll clone it.
Judge: You can do that, but because Jalira’s Legendary, you’ll have to sacrifice either Jalira or the Pretender.
or (myself):
Judge: What do you want to do, and how will you do it?
Player: I want to have a copy of Jalira, so I’ll clone it.
Judge: You can do that., but because Jalira’s Legendary, you’ll have to sacrifice either Jalira or the Pretender.
d) Pithing Needle vs. Underworld Connections
Naomi controls Swamps, one of which is enchanted with Underworld Connections. André just resolved a Pithing Needle:
“Judge, can I name Underworld Connections with Pithing Needle?”
Some answers:
“Yes, you can *name* Underworld Connections with Pithing Needle.”
or:
Judge: What do you want to do, and how will you do it?
Player: I want to make my opponent unable to use Underworld Connections, so I’ll disable it with Pithing Needle
Judge: Underworld Connections is a legal choice to name with Pithing Needle, but it doesn’t actually have any activated abilities.
As a reminder, he topics from this week were:
1. Rules – Ensoul Artifact on Darksteel Citadel and Polymorphist’s Jest
2. Policy – Ajani Steadfast ability gone wrong
3. Best practices –
a) Bloodrush from Rubblepelt Maaka
b) Activating Polukranos ability
c) Legendary creatures and Clone
d) Pithing Needle vs. Underworld Connections
The Best Practices questions seem to have some way to explore how judges should answer those questions. There will be a project/regular “Best Practices” (by someone else) soon.