Dominick Paolercio · @Karatedom10
30th Nov 2022 from TwitLonger
Judge Policy and my experience round 6 at NRG Chicago
Round 6 at NRG Chicago (both my opponent and I 4-1) I was playing Izzet Phoenix and my opponent was playing Rakdos midrange. My opponent has a Sheoldred in play and has been announcing his triggers in a timely fashion whenever I draw my card and there has been no issue. Now buckle in because it gets crazy
I am at 7 life after taking 2 in my draw step. I lead my mainphase 1 with a consider, binning the card and drawing. My opponent does not announce the trigger so I then cast an opt, bottoming and drawing a card (only casting this opt because the missed trigger leaves me with enough life to dig deeper for a Lightning Axe for the Sheoldred). After drawing for Opt my opponent says "so you have draw 2 cards and lose 4 life". I inform him that he has missed the trigger from my draw off consider, he calls a judge, and now all hell breaks loose.
The judge (someone I respect, and who I trust a lot with a ruling) rules that it is possible that I cast this opt in response to the sheoldred trigger from consider, and that I will lose 4 life. I am internally losing my mind and the floor judge asks me if I want to appeal, which I do. The head judge upholds this ruling and also denies me the opportunity to rewind my opt given the missed trigger and absurdity of the situation would have lead me to make a different play.
The ruling from both of these judges is CORRECT, and that is what the problem is, with policy, not with the judges. I could lead my turn on 4 instant speed cantrips and at the end my opponent could just say "oh ya take 8". This is asinine. I was informed that the best way to circumvent this was to ask my opponent if the stack was empty. WHAT. Who does that.
I chatted with the floor judge who gave me this ruling after the round (which I lost partially due to this debacle). He then presented me an example from DH Atlanta that I will now give you, which hopefully hammers home how abusable this part of policy is for cheaters/angle shooters.
Player A is on Enigmatic fires and has an Enigmatic Incarnation in play. Player A passes the turn and does not announce the Incarnation trigger. Player B on UW control flashes in Wandering Emperor on end step and makes a token. Player A Leyline Beindings the token and then says "Sac leyline binding to my incarnation?". THIS IS ALLOWED. The UW control player is assumed to have responded to the incarnation trigger. WHAT?!?!?! The only way the UW control player can do this is to ask the opponent if the stack is empty. If they attempt to untap (giving information of no effects) the Incarnation player can still resolve their trigger as it was assumed thats what they were passing priority for.
This policy is terrible, and needs to change. It is very avoidable and giving cheaters windows within the rules is heinous and terrible. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.