Two what extent are players expected to communicate what their land drop for the turn was? Does it matter what REL they're playing at? I realize that permanents on the board are free information. But is the burden on the opponent to see if a player drops a land with abilities beyond typical tapping for mana?
My first ever FNM was around when M14 came out, and most players were really friendly when I explained that I had just gotten back into magic and was unfamiliar with most of the cards in the metagame. But I suspect my final round opponent used that knowledge to sneak a play past me. He silently dropped a Kessig Wolf Run as his land for the turn (a card I didn't even know existed), right into a pile of the rest of his land, then sped right into making other plays. I later lost the game to a clearly on-board threat that I had no idea was present.
Now, when I play any card at all, I announce it, and I tend to do my opponents the courtesy of clearly playing atypical lands away from piles of normal lands so as to not, in my eyes, get an unfair advantage.
Is this simply a matter of politeness versus ruthlessness, or are there in fact some regulations at work here? I'd just like to protect myself from such a situation in the future.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Formerly Angrypossum over at the now-defunct WotC forums.
The only real requirement is to clearly indicate you are making a land drop for turn (ie you aren't trying to hide it). Putting a land in with the rest of your lands is fine and it is the onus of the other player to make sure he knows exactly what was played and what it does. If the opponent tries to speed up you have the right to stop them and ask to read the card or request the oracle text.
I will add that most of the time players don't really announce things like Kessig Wolf Run as a lot of players would take it as condescending if they did.
The only real requirement is to clearly indicate you are making a land drop for turn (ie you aren't trying to hide it). Putting a land in with the rest of your lands is fine and it is the onus of the other player to make sure he knows exactly what was played and what it does. If the opponent tries to speed up you have the right to stop them and ask to read the card or request the oracle text.
Fair enough. Seems to unjustly favor less-than-scrupulous players, though. Oh well, at least now I'm experienced enough to either know what my opponent's lands are or to at least know to ask about them.
I will add that most of the time players don't really announce things like Kessig Wolf Run as a lot of players would take it as condescending if they did.
Hm. It's entirely possible I've been condescending at my local shop, then. Most players seem grateful when I let them know I'm playing an unusual land like Encroaching Wastes or Grove of the Guardian. After all, FNM is about having fun, not collecting free wins by tricking opponents.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Formerly Angrypossum over at the now-defunct WotC forums.
I appreciate your responses, Genini. It just seems odd that the concept of maintaining a clear board state doesn't extend to clearly stating land cards as they're played. Noobier-me would have appreciated that sort of protection from players inclined to gain advantage through hazy communication.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Formerly Angrypossum over at the now-defunct WotC forums.
You keep mentioning people trying to trick you. It's also likely they where not trying to trick you, but just expected you to read the card if you didn't know what it was from the picture. I don't announce my land drops, not to trick others, but just because most players will know what's going on.
Of course, I do admit some people are trying to trick you at a card game. That's why you shouldn't make the decision not to read your opponents cards.
I do announce my land drops, but I don't make a big deal about it. More like "Forest, go." or "Wolf-Run, swing with these guys." I think its a good habit to get into, as it guards you against that ever-recurring question; "Have I played a land this turn?"
When a player plays something, anything, they need to announce what they are doing. Regardless of REL. So when they play a land, they cannot simply just take a land from their hand, silently shuffle it into their land pile, and let you try and figure out which of those seven lands they just played. Rather, they need to say "playing Kessig Wolf Run", or show it to you, or make it otherwise clear which card it is that they are playing. Granted, with lands that often doesn't happen in reality, but then they at the very least need to answer honestly to the question "hey, what was that land that you just played?"
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DCI Lvl 2 Judge
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
My first ever FNM was around when M14 came out, and most players were really friendly when I explained that I had just gotten back into magic and was unfamiliar with most of the cards in the metagame. But I suspect my final round opponent used that knowledge to sneak a play past me. He silently dropped a Kessig Wolf Run as his land for the turn (a card I didn't even know existed), right into a pile of the rest of his land, then sped right into making other plays. I later lost the game to a clearly on-board threat that I had no idea was present.
Now, when I play any card at all, I announce it, and I tend to do my opponents the courtesy of clearly playing atypical lands away from piles of normal lands so as to not, in my eyes, get an unfair advantage.
Is this simply a matter of politeness versus ruthlessness, or are there in fact some regulations at work here? I'd just like to protect myself from such a situation in the future.
I will add that most of the time players don't really announce things like Kessig Wolf Run as a lot of players would take it as condescending if they did.
Fair enough. Seems to unjustly favor less-than-scrupulous players, though. Oh well, at least now I'm experienced enough to either know what my opponent's lands are or to at least know to ask about them.
Hm. It's entirely possible I've been condescending at my local shop, then. Most players seem grateful when I let them know I'm playing an unusual land like Encroaching Wastes or Grove of the Guardian. After all, FNM is about having fun, not collecting free wins by tricking opponents.
Of course, I do admit some people are trying to trick you at a card game. That's why you shouldn't make the decision not to read your opponents cards.
"A Plague on All Your Houses!" - Thespian's Stage Pox