I regulary attend my local FNMs but I don't usually play, I just observe. Is it okay for me as an observer to correct people's mistakes? A recent example was last week when a very young kid blocked with a creature with Lifelink and forgot to gain the life from it. I asked if he should have gained life and the two people playing gave the kind the 2 life from Lifelink. Should I not comment or is it ok?
If the opponent asks you to not speak then you basically shouldn't. If its a positive effect someone is forgetting like lifelink then noone has to remind them. If you see a negative effect being skipped though you should speak up.
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Getting back into MTGO maybe, depending on the cost
Generally speaking you should never actually comment on a match unasked. If you see something happen that is wrong (players taking down wrong life totals) you can tell them to hang on, call a judge over and explain what happened and let them handle it.
Also note that the previous poster is incorrect about lifelink. Purposefully forgetting to record the correct result of combat in your favor is cheating at any level. Triggered abilities are allowed to be forgotten without acknowledgement shown, but FNM is generally far more relaxed about this.
If it's local & casual I'll speak up if something is wrong with the current game state in the current turn, or someone casting Time Ebb as an instant, or counting Mountains as "devotion to red"
It's technically interference to pass comments about or relating to the game being played. It's extremely rude, even while it may be honorably motivated. You wouldn't go to Vegas, sit at a blackjack table and then tell everyone at the table whether to pass, hit, or double down - you'd get swiftly hustled away by large men in suits.
Sometimes, people have to learn by making mistakes, especially if the mistake is not knowing how to play the game. Magic is complicated - it takes time to learn, but you should know basics, at the very least. You should know what evergreen abilities do, you should know how damage is calculated, you should know the turn cycle and the steps you take in one, things like that.
I'll point out rules violations, or other things that are mandatory (esper guy verdicts and doesn't remove his BBOV), but for more minor things (azorius charm on a single creature to give it lifelink) that's RTFC sort of deals I leave until the game's over.
If I see someone use an Arid Mesa to fetch a Breeding Pool, I'll say something. But if it's a life total discrepancy, like both players forgetting to write down damage that happened, I'll try not to because one of them has told me not to mention it because it interferes with the match and makes them lose focus.
I'll point out rules violations, or other things that are mandatory (esper guy verdicts and doesn't remove his BBOV), but for more minor things (azorius charm on a single creature to give it lifelink) that's RTFC sort of deals I leave until the game's over.
This is my philosophy on helping games that I'm not a part of. Unintentional cheating is still cheating in my book, so if its something that has to happen that would effect how the game plays out, then I say something. Usually it ends up being if its beneficial to the player who missed it I'll tell them after the game, if its detrimental to that player such as a missed upkeep sacrifice from Shadowborn Demon ill chime in.
1.11. Spectators
Any person physically present at a tournament and not in any other category above is a spectator. Spectators are responsible for remaining silent and passive during matches and other official tournament sections in which players are also required to be silent. If spectators believe they have observed a rules or policy violation, they are encouraged to alert a judge as soon as possible. At Regular or Competitive REL, spectators are permitted to ask the players to pause the match while they alert a judge. At Professional REL, spectators must not interfere with the match directly.
Players may request that a spectator not observe their matches. Such requests must be made through a judge.
Tournament officials may also instruct a spectator not observe a match or matches
even at FNMs, its a little more forgiving for a spectator to say something abt maintaining the game state.
however:
From section 3.7 of the IPG, GPE-Failure To Maintain Gamestate
"Not pointing out an opponent’s missed trigger is never Failure to Maintain Game State or Fraud."
however in this situation, lifelink is not a triggered ability.
This. You ask them to pause their match & call a judge. The judge can decide whether to tell them.
It's worth noting, when you call a judge over... don't blurt out the problem you see to the judge. Talk to them away from the table. I've had helpful spectators do this with something that isn't an issue, and they accidentally wind up giving away very strategic information. Always easier to play it safe and take two steps away, then accidentally screw something up.
Also note that the previous poster is incorrect about lifelink. Purposefully forgetting to record the correct result of combat in your favor is cheating at any level. Triggered abilities are allowed to be forgotten without acknowledgement shown, but FNM is generally far more relaxed about this.
Sometimes, people have to learn by making mistakes, especially if the mistake is not knowing how to play the game. Magic is complicated - it takes time to learn, but you should know basics, at the very least. You should know what evergreen abilities do, you should know how damage is calculated, you should know the turn cycle and the steps you take in one, things like that.
This is my philosophy on helping games that I'm not a part of. Unintentional cheating is still cheating in my book, so if its something that has to happen that would effect how the game plays out, then I say something. Usually it ends up being if its beneficial to the player who missed it I'll tell them after the game, if its detrimental to that player such as a missed upkeep sacrifice from Shadowborn Demon ill chime in.
even at FNMs, its a little more forgiving for a spectator to say something abt maintaining the game state.
however:
From section 3.7 of the IPG, GPE-Failure To Maintain Gamestate
"Not pointing out an opponent’s missed trigger is never Failure to Maintain Game State or Fraud."
however in this situation, lifelink is not a triggered ability.
This. You ask them to pause their match & call a judge. The judge can decide whether to tell them.
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It's worth noting, when you call a judge over... don't blurt out the problem you see to the judge. Talk to them away from the table. I've had helpful spectators do this with something that isn't an issue, and they accidentally wind up giving away very strategic information. Always easier to play it safe and take two steps away, then accidentally screw something up.
Standard: UWG Bant Control
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