I have designed a custom playmat for our playgroup where I have written the phases of a turn on top of the playmat. Can I use such a playmat or is this illegal information?
Also this playmat is for personal use only, at events such as GPs can WOTC sue me for using their symbols (mana, phyrexian, experience, energy)?
Favourite Deck: Elves (Modern & Legacy)
Standard: New Perspectives Combo
Modern: GW Hatebears | Death and Taxes | Eldrazi and Taxes | Abzan Liege | Abzan Company
Commander: The Gitrog Monster (Combo) | Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper (Control) | RIP Leovold Sultai (Elvestorm, no unfair locks) | Mono G (Yisan or Titania)
Tiny Leaders: Too many decks to keep track of
Pauper: RIP UR Drake | Mono B | GBx Goodstuff | Jund "Melira"
The rule is that your playmat cannot contain strategic information. If you asked a judge what the steps/phases in a turn were, they'd be happy to tell you, even in the middle of a match. This is no different.
Also, as long as you are not seeking to sell the playmat, I don't believe that there would be an issue with you producing such a playmat.
This is all I could find in regards to the legality:
Magic Tournament Rules 2.11, Taking Notes:
'Players are allowed to take written notes during a match and may refer to those notes while that match is in progress. At the beginning of a match, each player’s note sheet must be empty and must remain visible throughout the match. Players do not have to explain or reveal notes to other players. Judges may ask to see a player’s notes and/or request that the player explain his or her notes.
Players may not refer to other notes, including notes from previous matches, during games.'
Also, 'Artistic modifications to cards that indirectly provide minor strategic information are acceptable. The Head Judge is the final arbiter on what cards and notes are acceptable for a tournament.'
However, the mat hardly contains any strategic information, as the different steps of the turn are something that is just an integral part of the game. Everybody knows the steps and phases. Giving you a penalty for the incredibly minor strategic information featured on the mat shouldn't ever happen.
In regards to the suing, I'm no lawyer, but as long as it isn't for commercial use, you should be fine. I have seen many players with custom mats featuring MTG artwork, and of course no legal action was taken against them.
Tournament wise your mat is fine, the phases of a turn is hardly strategic information. However the mana symbols and such are copyrighted artwork, though I highly doubt wotc would sue over a single playmat.
The icons for energy, experience, and poison counters is a nice touch too.
(At the risk of being off-topic, the black mana symbol should be above the red, and instead of the 'X', you can use the acutal colorless mana symbol C now.)
Warning issued for off-topic discussion. Locking this thread to avoid this going further. -MadMage
Also this playmat is for personal use only, at events such as GPs can WOTC sue me for using their symbols (mana, phyrexian, experience, energy)?
Favourite Deck: Elves (Modern & Legacy)
Standard: New Perspectives Combo
Modern: GW Hatebears | Death and Taxes | Eldrazi and Taxes | Abzan Liege | Abzan Company
Commander: The Gitrog Monster (Combo) | Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper (Control) | RIP Leovold Sultai (Elvestorm, no unfair locks) | Mono G (Yisan or Titania)
Tiny Leaders: Too many decks to keep track of
Pauper: RIP UR Drake | Mono B | GBx Goodstuff | Jund "Melira"
Also, as long as you are not seeking to sell the playmat, I don't believe that there would be an issue with you producing such a playmat.
Magic Tournament Rules 2.11, Taking Notes:
'Players are allowed to take written notes during a match and may refer to those notes while that match is in progress. At the beginning of a match, each player’s note sheet must be empty and must remain visible throughout the match. Players do not have to explain or reveal notes to other players. Judges may ask to see a player’s notes and/or request that the player explain his or her notes.
Players may not refer to other notes, including notes from previous matches, during games.'
Also, 'Artistic modifications to cards that indirectly provide minor strategic information are acceptable. The Head Judge is the final arbiter on what cards and notes are acceptable for a tournament.'
However, the mat hardly contains any strategic information, as the different steps of the turn are something that is just an integral part of the game. Everybody knows the steps and phases. Giving you a penalty for the incredibly minor strategic information featured on the mat shouldn't ever happen.
In regards to the suing, I'm no lawyer, but as long as it isn't for commercial use, you should be fine. I have seen many players with custom mats featuring MTG artwork, and of course no legal action was taken against them.
StandardArena:U/R Drakes
Modern
URStormUR
UBRDeath's ShadowUBR
Warning issued for off-topic discussion. -MadMage
(At the risk of being off-topic, the black mana symbol should be above the red, and instead of the 'X', you can use the acutal colorless mana symbol C now.)
Warning issued for off-topic discussion. Locking this thread to avoid this going further. -MadMage