{"id":366,"date":"2019-08-07T04:43:15","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T11:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/road-to-l3\/?p=366"},"modified":"2019-08-07T04:43:15","modified_gmt":"2019-08-07T11:43:15","slug":"understanding-the-level-3-exams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/road-to-l3\/2019\/08\/07\/understanding-the-level-3-exams\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Level 3 Exams"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/p><\/div> About the Author<\/em><\/h4>\n

John Brian McCarthy is a Level 3 Judge from Arlington, VA, USA. He manages the Level 3 advancement exams. You can also find him at many Grand Prix, taking appeals in burgundy or taking photos for the Judges at Work albums.<\/em><\/p>\n

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When you were studying to become a Level 1 Judge, you probably focused a lot on the test. When you were studying to advance to Level 2, you probably split your focus between passing the test and completing the other requirements, particularly the evaluation of your performance at a Comp REL tournament.<\/p>\n

Many judges preparing for Level 3 are very focused on soft requirements \u2013 gathering recommendations, embodying the qualities of a Level 3 Judge, passing the panel. They\u2019ve already taken a number of rules and policy knowledge tests, they take rulings at every tournament, and they can explain the philosophy behind policy. As a result, the Level 3 Exam can catch them off guard \u2013 they didn\u2019t know how much they didn\u2019t know. And some what they did know turned out to be apocrypha.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to give you two questions that were recently retired from the L3P as an idea of the kind of questions you can expect. Try to answer them correctly \u2013 you\u2019ll find out which answer is correct, and why, at the bottom of the article:<\/p>\n

1.Anthony casts Skeleton Scavengers<\/a>. After Skeleton Scavengers resolves, Nadine casts Maggot Therapy<\/a>, targeting Skeleton Scavengers. In response, Anthony casts Puncture Bolt<\/a>, targeting Skeleton Scavengers. In response to Puncture Bolt, Anthony activates Skeleton Scavengers’s activated ability twice. What happens after each instance of Skeleton Scavenger’s ability has resolved?<\/p>\n

A) Puncture Bolt resolves. Skeleton Scavengers is regenerated twice. Maggot Therapy resolves. Skeleton Scavengers is put into Anthony’s graveyard, then Maggot Therapy is put into Nadine’s graveyard.
\nB) Puncture Bolt resolves. Skeleton Scavengers isn’t regenerated and is put into Anthony’s graveyard. Maggot Therapy is countered and is put into Nadine’s graveyard.
\nC) Puncture Bolt resolves. Skeleton Scavengers is regenerated once. Maggot Therapy resolves. Skeleton Scavengers is put into Anthony’s graveyard, then Maggot Therapy is put into Nadine’s graveyard.
\nD) Puncture Bolt resolves. Skeleton Scavengers is regenerated once. Maggot Therapy resolves. Skeleton Scavengers remains on the battlefield.
\nE) Puncture Bolt resolves. Skeleton Scavengers is regenerated once, then is put into Anthony’s graveyard. Maggot Therapy is countered and is put into Nadine’s graveyard.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. Andre attacks with Battle Hurda<\/a> and Stampeding Rhino<\/a>. Nanette declares Palace Guard<\/a> is blocking Stampeding Rhino and Battle Hurda, and that Pillarfield Ox<\/a> is blocking Stampeding Rhino. Which of the following best explains the announcement of the damage assignment order?<\/p>\n

A) In the declare blockers step, Nanette announces Palace Guard’s and Pillarfield Ox’s damage assignment order. Then Andre announces Stampeding Rhino’s and Battle Hurda’s damage assignment order.
\nB) In the declare blockers step, Andre announces Battle Hurda’s damage assignment order. Then Nanette announces Palace Guard’s and Pillarfield Ox’s damage assignment order. Then Andre announces Stampeding Rhino’s damage assignment order.
\nC) In the first combat damage step, Andre announces Battle Hurda’s damage assignment order. In the second combat damage step, Andre announces Stampeding Rhino’s damage assignment order. Then Nanette announces Palace Guard’s amd Pillarfield Ox’s damage assignment order.
\nD) In the first combat damage step, Andre announces Stampeding Rhino’s and Battle Hurda’s damage assignment order. Then Nanette announces Palace Guard’s amd Pillarfield Ox’s damage assignment order.
\nE) In the declare blockers step, Andre announces Stampeding Rhino’s and Battle Hurda’s damage assignment order. Then Nanette announces Palace Guard’s and Pillarfield Ox’s damage assignment order.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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In this article, I\u2019m going to break down how the Level 3 Exam works, dispel some myths about it, and give you some suggestions on what to study. But first\u2026<\/p>\n

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A bit of history<\/h2>\n

<\/p> Before testing on JudgeApps, judges took exams on Judge Center, a Wizards-managed property. Former Level 3 Judge Brian Schenck<\/a><\/span><\/span> managed Judge Center testing for Wizards, and he put quite a bit of thought into what a Level 3 Judge test should look like. Based on conversations with the Level 5 Judges at the time, the three principles Brian used were:<\/p>\n

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  1. Level 3 Judges should be experts in rules and policy<\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Level 3 Judges should possess broad knowledge and depth of knowledge<\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. Level 3 Judges can answer questions from any format<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    From these principles, Brian created the Level 3 Practice test, or L3P, and the two Level 3 Certification Exams, L3A and L3B. One innovation Brian had was that while the Level 1 and Level 2 exams included broad pools (both for repetition and test integrity reasons), the Level 3 Certification Exam would be somewhat static \u2013 most Level 3 Judges would have similar exams, to ensure that broad knowledge. For example, you can take a Level 2 exam that might happen to not include any questions on HCE or it might include several questions on HCE, but almost every Level 3 exam will include two questions on the parts of a turn.<\/p>\n

    Every candidate for advancement to Level 3 takes the L3A. Candidates who don\u2019t pass the L3A would have a chance to re-test with the L3B. The L3B was designed to be more difficult \u2013 the program didn\u2019t want candidates just going in again without studying and guessing better the second time, but instead wanted them to really master the rules and policy knowledge areas they missed the first time and shore up anything about which they were unsure.<\/p>\n

    During the Judge Center era, a total of 155 Level 3 Certification Exams were administered, with a pass rate of 86%, a median score of 86% and only two perfect scores<\/strong> (both perfect-scoring judges are still active today!).<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The Modern L3P test<\/h2>\n

    <\/p>Today, the L3P is a 25-question, open-book timed test. It includes 17 rules questions (from the CR<\/a>) and 8 policy questions (from the MTR<\/a>, IPG<\/a> and JAR<\/a>). Candidates have 100 minutes to take the test \u2013 enough time to carefully consider their answers but not enough time to scour the CR for the answer to every question. Candidates need a score of 80%, or 20 correct answers, to pass.<\/p>\n

    Since JudgeApps testing went live, more than 260 L3Ps have been administered. 74% of L3P takers passed on their first try.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Questions on the L3P will assume that you have access to the CR, and won\u2019t shy away from esoteric keywords whose reminder text isn\u2019t helpful (looking at you, Soulbond<\/a>). They also generally can\u2019t be answered by looking at the oracle notes for the cards involved.<\/p>\n

    There are presently almost 240 questions in the L3P pool, so we do have room for candidates to retake it (which is common, due to the lag between a candidate\u2019s TLTP qualification and advancement checklist submission), but we don\u2019t have enough questions for you to spam it. After failing an L3P, candidates are expected to study up on the things they missed before going to their mentor for another try.<\/p>\n

    Of the 10 L3P questions that judges most often missed<\/strong>, topics include:<\/p>\n