Judge's Notes
Sections Updated: 7/21/02
Randomization of Decks
Local Customs
Game Materials
This summary will serve as a guide to the local game, with all of its customs of how cards are played and deals are struck. Its contents may enlighten those will will participate in the tournaments as to how the judge will rule in various situations. The goal of this document is to give players and judges the framework for consistently ruling in the many grey areas that present themselves during tournaments. While the tournament environment may be seen as cruel and unforgiving, our goal is to provide a consistant and fair experience for everyone involved..
Collusion
As per the official tournament rules, collusion is illegal and will not be tolerated. Collusion is not the same as "working-together". Collusion is when there is a conspiracy to alter the results of a game. This can happen when players agree to goals outside of the goal of each round such as agreeing to oust a player they don't like or agreeing to act a predetermined way if they come across each other in any round. Usually this is in the form of an agreement made before the tournament to assist a friend.
Randomization of Decks
Decks must be sufficiently randomized "face-down" before the start of each game. Players who "order", "unclump", "sort", or otherwise make face-up modifications to their decks before a round must still sufficiently randomize thier decks after this process (thereby eliminating any advantage that could be gained by the face-up modification process). All players are REQUIRED to shuffle the decks of their prey prior to the start of the each round.
Shuffling Methods
Acceptable:
Pile Shuffles - A pile shuffle is when the deck is dealt out into a number of piles and then grouped back up. This is the recommended way to shuffle other players' cards.
Unacceptable:
1) Riffle Shuffles - A riffle shuffle is when the deck is divided into two halves and riffled together, alternating one card from each. With a 60 card deck a minimum of 8 riffle shuffles are necessary to achieve a sufficiently randomized deck. Roughly 10 riffle shuffles would be needed for a 90 card deck. Many players will not allow other players to riffle shuffle their cards for fear of damage.
2) Overhand Shuffles - An overhand shuffle is just taking part of the deck and moving it to another part of the deck, such as taking a few cards from the middle and moving them to the top or bottom, over and over. It would take over 2500 overhand shuffles in order to get the same randomization as 7 riffle shuffles! Overhand shuffling of your own deck does not sufficiently randomize your deck.
Integrity of the Judge
The judges make every effort to make the events fair. It is a huge responsibility and the judges who volunteer to run events spend many hours in preparation and at the event to make sure things go smoothly. The judges also get to play in fewer events. Please treat the judges with respect. They are usually right and on the rare instances when they make a mistake it will at least be an honest one. If someone has some questions or concerns about the judging they can privately contact me, Robert Goudie, the event coordinator.
Game Goals
Players must play the game in an attempt to win each individual game. Players cannot play toward any other goals when the other goals conflict with the goal of the current game (the most VPs at the table). For example, a player may make a deal to get 3 VPs in the current game because they want to qualify for the National Championships. However, a player may not make a deal to split a table 1-4 because they know that 1 more VP is enough for them to qualify for the National Championships.
When a player does not have a reasonable chance of winning the current game (the most VPs), they may play to increase their standing at the current table by attempting to come in 2nd place (2nd most number of VPs), 3rd place, etc.
Prize Distribution
Prize support for our events will heavily favor the winner of the final round. Prizes to other finalists will either be completely non-existant or will be equally split among all finalists.
Deal-Making
Table-talk and deal-making are a big part of the local tournament scene and are allowed by the game's rules. Even deals which involve one party transfering out at some point may be acceptable.
Acceptable Deals
Players A and C are 1.5 hours into the round and decide to work together to split the table 3 VPs to 2 VPs. After assessing the situation, Player C agrees that the 2 VPs are more than she would get if she were not to make the deal since her resources are running low.
Player B is nearly ousted by Player A. Player A offers to let player B live for a while if he will help Player A weaken the other Methuselah's. Player B will be allowed to Withdraw if he accepts the deal. Player B agrees to the deal since the 1 VP for withdrawing is more than he would get if he were to refuse the deal.
Unacceptable Deals
Right as the first vampire is brought into the active region, Player A offers to several other players to split the table 3/2, with Player 'A' receiving only 2 VPs from the deal. Whether stated or not, it is clear to the judge that Player A's motivation for offering the deal is outside of the scope of trying to attain the best possible finish they can in the current round.
In the third qualifying round, Player A is doing well but knows she cannot advance to the final round, having 0 VPs in the prior two rounds. Player A agrees to transfer out in order to let another player win who has a chance of going into the finals. This deal is unacceptable because Player A has a chance to succeed in the current round and is exchanging their position to help another player advance to the final--a goal outside of the current game's goal of obtaining the most VPs possible.
Player 'A' offers to split a table with another player 2-3, with player 'A' to receive only 2 VPs. It seems to some players, given the table situation, that Player 'A' still has a reasonable chance to win the round. Other players request the judge's opinion. The judge reviews the table situation and makes a ruling that the deal cannot be made because Player 'A' still has a reasonable chance to win.
Player 'A' offers to split a table with another player 2-3, with player 'A' to receive only 2 VPs because player 'A' says he only needs 2 more VPs to get into the tournament finals. The judge rules that the deal cannot be made because Player 'A' admitted that his motivation isn't to win the current table.
King-Making
The term King-Maker comes from a player in a lost position throwing their remaining weight toward another player to give them the victory. The official opinion on this is that a player in a lost position is free to do any action they please (except for an action that is already specified as illegal, i.e. trying to sack a player's V:EKN rating or attacking a player to help a friend). If you are going to get 0 VP in the round anyway, there is nothing in the rules that dictates that some actions are acceptable and some aren't. If you aren't getting any VPs and you are about to die, then do whatever you wish.
Examples of Acceptable Play by a Player in a Lost Position (all play is acceptable):
My predator will oust me next turn since I have 1 pool left and no blockers available. I spend my last pool to Misdirect my grand-prey across the table because they didn't vote with me me at a key point in the game.
I am being stealth-bled out and have no bleed defense. I choose to make one final assault on my prey and reduce her to only 2 pool before I die--setting up an easy kill and probably sweep for my predator.
My predator will oust me next turn since I have 1 pool left and no blockers available. I spend my last pool on a useless transfer to oust myself.
I am being stealth-bled out and have little bleed defense. I will die before the end of next turn. I choose to do my best to intercept and destroy each of my predator's bleeding vampires before I finally succumb to the last bleed.
No Mulligans
We don't allow "take-backs" in these parts. The first reason is that it is kinder to be consistent and not allow people to take-back things. The problem with allowing people to take back actions is that you have to allow it all the time or it is disriminatory the times you don't. Its also hard to know where to draw the line. If you play the game too loosely you'll have individuals asking to undo entire combats because they thought they had a card in their hand that they didn't or because they thought that their Undead Persistance provided a press each round. When you let them gain the pool for the Edge during their minion phase each round, how will you tell them "No" when you call a KRC to vote them out next turn and they suddenly remember the Edge from last round and want to gain that pool and stay in the game. We believe our way is much kinder and draws the line consistently between games, tournaments, and different judges.
Examples:
If you've announced the end of your turn or discard then your turn is over. Too bad for you if you forgot to influence.
If you play a master card then you have effectively forgone optional things that trigger during your untap phase. You can just forget about that Hunting Ground and the pool from the Edge.
If you've taken any minion actions then you have given up the option of playing master cards.
If you've announced an Arson action on your opponent's Elysium, it is too late for them to talk you out of such an action. You cannot pick the card up or choose a different target.
If you announce an action and then realize that you have Millicent Smith this turn....well, you'd better hope you aren't blocked.
Card Layed Is A Card Played--Well, Sort Of
All card plays are fully defined upon announcement. If the play cannot be performed in the manner that it was defined then the card may be returned to the hand.
Eamples of Fully Defined Card Plays:
You must announce how much blood you wish to take off a minion via minion tap before replacing the card. "I Minion Tap Arika for 8".
Carlotta Giovanni must announce with which specific card from your hand will be exchanged for which specific card from your ash heap.
Examples of Illegally Defined Card Plays:
If you announce your wish to Minion Tap Arika for 8 and find that she has only 7 blood on her, you are not required to take the 7 blood and must return the card to your hand or re-announce the card play. (However, you may receive a caution or warning for revealing a card from your hand or for the misplay for the Minion Tap.)
If you announce a Govern the Unaligned at Superior and then realize that your minion has inferior dominate, you are not required to play the card in the inferior form and may return the card to your hand. (However, you may receive a caution or warning for revealing a card from your hand.)
If you accidentally play a Golconda on a minion of 7 capacity and then realize your error, you are not forced to play the Golconda on some other minion at the table of 8 capacity or more. (However, you may receive a caution or warning for revealing a card from your hand.)
If you drop a deflection to the table and then change your mind *before* fully announcing the card's effect (who you are deflecting to), you may return the card to your hand. (However, you may receive a caution or warning for revealing a card from your hand.)
Minor Procedural Errors
While we will make a player be very correct and specific with what they do there are a few procedural errors that have no effect on game play. I think it is likely that many players will take this small section and try to expand it far beyond its intentions. Don't waste your time. Most procedural errors have at least some chance of affecting gameplay. The exceptions are few and far between.
Insignificant Procedural Errors
The rulebook says that a tapped card must be turned 90 degrees. A player that taps their cards at 80 degrees would not be deemed to be breaking any signifcant rule.
Signifcant Procedural Errors
A player who brings an empty vampire from the uncontrolled region face-up into the active region and then does transfers to the vampire has committed a significant procedural error. Many games have been decided by an error by a player who transfers up the wrong vampire. Players who routinely influence "face-up" crypt cards are giving themselves an advantage since they will never make this mistake.
A player forgets to take the blood for the Edge during their untap and attempts to gain their pool during the Master Phase. We've witnessed too many games where players couldn't remember if they took the Edge pool during their untap and they would sometimes take an extra pool later because they think they forgot earlier. Rather than risk this error we will make sure the pool is gained during untap or not at all.
This document will no doubt be modified greatly and added to as time goes on. We will distribute this at the events in the future to avoid the hard feelings that sometimes accompany players new to the local tournament experience.
Local Customs
There are many times when players will use words or actions in a way that are clearly intended to communicate a type of game action. For example, a rap on the table or an open palm outstretched and displayed to a prey are both sometimes used to indicate that the current turn is over and that the prey may proceed with thier turn. Even though the player never actually said the words "my turn is over" the intention will be upheld. This Judge's Note does not constitute a new rule or a change in judging criteria but is an official recognition of the way everyone is already playing as well as a warning against trying to gain an advantage by abusing local customs.
Examples of Illegal Play
John
announces an action and then looks at his prey and says
"Well?" and the prey declares a block attemp
with Igo. John then plays a Seduction card and declares
that Igo cannot block. The prey says that Seduction must
be played before asking for block attemps. John says that
he never asked for block attempts.
Explanation: Even though
John never used the term "block" he did, in
effect, ask for blockers when he asked his prey what he
was going to do. Is is an accepted local custom to
substitute other words and hand motions to indicate that
the acting methuselah has opened the action for blocks.
In an
attempt to deprive his prey of his opportunity to play a
Sudden Reversal, John notices that his prey is distracted
and plays a Minion Tap.
Explanation: While it is an
acceptable local custom for players to intentionally
offer their silence as a declination to block, the
rulebook makes it clear that after the acting player
plays a card the other players have an opportunity to
play a card in reponse. This is an example of abusing a
local custom to gain an advantage.
Explanation:
Even though John never used the term "block" he
did, in effect, ask for blockers when he asked his prey
what he was going to do.
John announces a Mind Numb action by saying "Queen
Anne Mind Numbs at Superior" and places the Mind
Numb card on the lowly Igo. Igo's Methuselah tries to
talk John out of the action and asks him instead to
target one of his prey's vampires. John puts the Mind
Numb card on one of his prey's minions. John's prey
complains that John already announced the action and
can't take it back. John says that he never really announced
that Igo was the target.
Explanation: If a card is
thrown or dropped on the table and no verbal direction is
given, it will be ruled that the card the Mind Numb was
dropped on was effectively "announced as the target"
just as if John had said "Queen Anne is Mind Numbing
Igo at Superior". If the verbal announcement is in
conflict with the target announced by the physical
placement of the card on a target, the acting player must
pick up the card and re-announce the action.
Resolving Errors
When the judge is called to correct a mistake, such as the accidental skipping of a required decision, he will first attempt to rewind play back to the point of the error. Play then proceeds forward from the point of the error. If a significant event has since transpired and rewinding play is not a reasonable solution, the judge will then attempt to jump back to the point of the error, have the player make the required play or correct the original mistake, then resume the game from the point when the error was first discovered. If neither of these are appropriate, the judge will resolve the issue in some other fashion.
Game Materials
Single-item methods of tracking pool or blood on vampires are not acceptable. Dice may only be used for blood or pool when each die represents a single blood or pool.
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