Is there an official policy on players rebuying into a PPTQ if they open an Expedition Land prior to the pass? There is a LOT of local debate and WoTC defaulted to TO and Head judge. I am trying to keep our local player experience consistent between judges. My thought is it seems ok to encourage actual play by allowing a full rebuy. This adds to the prize pool, allows magic to be played, and avoids players just sniping any good/competitive single card an opponent may acquire. Thank you for considering this question.

I don't think anyone would agree that's a good idea. “Judge, this pool
isn't very good…can I rebuy?”

We already have policy (MTR 2.10) in place if someone opens a nuts value
pool and wants to drop. That is legal and they are completely allowed to do
that. I think that handles this situation fine with no potential for
massive advantage based on how much you're willing to spend.

CJ

Oh I certainly agree but a WoTC member said it was up to the Head Judge and TO. I am looking for official guidance so all our events by different stores and judges can be consistent. There are a lot of players seeking guidance.

(Waited to confirm this hadn't changed.)

No. Errr, actually, make that N-O-NO! Sanctioned events will not, must not, use the “rebuy” option.

d:^D

In the new MTR section 7.3 it is very clear that Zendikar Expeditions are allowed for use in limited events when opened, so it is basically the same scenario as with something like a Foil Tarmogoyf.

Originally posted by MTR Section 7.3:

Other than basic land, only cards from the expansions of the boosters opened (and only cards opened in that player’s pool) may be used in a player’s deck. For example, in a Magic Origins Sealed Deck tournament, any card in a booster other than the Magic Origins game cards received by the player and basic land may not be used in a player’s deck during that tournament. The following are exceptions to this rule:

• Non-basic lands from the Return to Ravnica and Gatecrash expansions are allowed when opened in Dragon’s Maze boosters.
• Non-basic lands from the Khans of Tarkir expansion are allowed when opened in Fate Reforged boosters.
• Non-basic lands from the Zendikar Expeditions set are allowed when opened in Battle for Zendikar or Oath of the Gatewatch boosters.

Perhaps the TO could offer pool preregistration for players, saving the horror of a pass and potentially making a little extra cash on the tournament.

Originally posted by Michael Anderson:

Perhaps the TO could offer pool preregistration for players, saving the horror of a pass and potentially making a little extra cash on the tournament.

Yes, this is an option. It's been done in my area, with success.

d:^D

Originally posted by Scott Marshall:

(Waited to confirm this hadn't changed.)

No. Errr, actually, make that N-O-NO! Sanctioned events will not, must not, use the “rebuy” option.

d:^D

That is what I thought, until someone pushed me onto the following paragraph in the MTR:
2.10.:
Players who have dropped may reenter a tournament at the discretion of the Head Judge. Players may not reenter a portion of the tournament that requires a deck they did not draft or build. Players may not reenter a tournament after any cut has been made.

While I stood firm on that a player cannot ever re-buy into a sanctioned tournament for the obvious reasons, this seems to be the only paragraph in the documents talking about re-entering, which does not (technically) prohibit re-buying.
It just feels like a serious (and common) enough ‘problem’ to get a sentence in the MTR, just so that judges (and non-judge TOs or such, who I assume get asked this question, too) who do not check the forums also get the message. Or maybe I'm just blind.

*Players may not reenter a portion of the tournament that requires a deck they did not draft or build.*

That's the key line here. The player is dropping with their pool. If they would reenter, they'd have no pool and thus can't do so.
The section about reentering events is more for things like “Oh hey, sorry about not showing up for round 2 of the prerelease. I had my mom's keys by accident and had to take them home. Can I get back in for round 4?”

It is not meant for situations like the “rebuy” proposition.

Edited Charlotte Sable (Sept. 29, 2015 10:43:51 AM)

How would the pool preregistration work? Is this where the store opens the packs and makes the list then a player is just handed a open set of cards??

A.J. Reimann
Hobby Invasion
919-963-1336
Hobbyinvasion.com

AJ that is correct. It's the same way sleep in specials at Grand Prix
events typically work.

1) the Staff opens and sorts the pool
2) the pool is registered by the staff
3) player receives the pool and registers their deck they will be playing

the process just moves registering the pools to the staff (judge or TO) and
starts the players at the verify and build portion.

Ok I love that idea but I tried to do that once to speed up the first initial league night during I think rtr block and several players quit the league as they thought the store was just trying to cheat the pool. So my question is how do you avoid that kind of situation.

A.J. Reimann
Hobby Invasion
919-963-1336
Hobbyinvasion.com

Make sure that the players who receive a pre-registered pool with a foil Polluted Delta brag about it on social media.

(That worked well for our local store owners…)

d:^D

One thing to remember for players worried about there expedition value. I believe it is legal for them to play with a non expedition version of the card they have registered to their pool.

Given the existence of this thread, I'm guessing that some player's interpretation of MTR 7.5 (quoted below) with respect to expeditions are inaccurate? I'm getting a nonzero number of players thinking they will be able to keep whatever expeditions they open prior to the sealed deck swap.

Originally posted by MTR 7.5:

In Sealed Deck tournaments, the Head Judge may require players to perform a deck swap prior to deck construction. Players receive unopened product and register the contents (except non-foil basic land cards) on decklists. Foil basic land cards must be registered and kept with the registered card pool. Any card in a booster that is not a card from the expansion of the opened booster is retained by the player that registers the cards (e.g., a player that registers the contents of a booster during a deck swap keeps the token card, if any). Tournament officials then collect the recorded card pools and redistribute them randomly. A player may randomly receive the product he or she registered. The Head Judge should require players to sort the cards they register according to some criteria (e.g. by color and then alphabetically) to assist the player receiving the pool.

The line being quoted by players in support of this assumption has been bolded for emphasis. I thought the expeditions would be passed with the pool, as they are considered part of the card pool.