A common question gets asked, every time there's a “Masters” set released, or a new set contains ultra-rare versions of cards (Invocations, Masterpieces, Expeditions, etc).

Q: can a player who opens a high-value booster, during a sanctioned, limited tournament, opt to buy another pack to replace the high-value pack?
A: NO. Do NOT allow “rebuys” for any (non-casual) event.
The player is allowed to drop at that point, with any of the cards they've opened; policy is clear that those cards belong to the player who possesses them (i.e., opens them). This isn't great, since it screws up that draft a bit - but it is allowed. Having the player buy a different pack to replace the high-value pack, is NOT allowed.

This is most likely to come up with sets like the upcoming Ultimate Masters; perhaps the regular rare is in high demand, and there's also a valuable foil rare in the same pack - no one *wants* to pick just one and pass the other, in a draft. And many players who open high-value cards, esp. foils, in Sealed don't want to devalue that card by shuffling it.

From a previous post: What about players who have an Expedition, want to play with it, but don't want to degrade the condition and value of the card?

• The player may use an exact replacement - e.g., a Khans of Tarkir Polluted Delta instead of an Expedition Polluted Delta.
  
• The player may double-sleeve their deck and shuffle carefully.
  
• The player may elect to play without the Expedition, to protect it.
  
• DO NOT CREATE PROXIES (unless a card is damaged during the normal course of play)
  

For further reference, here's one thread where this was asked, then re-asked later:
https://apps.magicjudges.org/forum/topic/21568

Please spread this message to store owners you know. Thanks!

d:^D

P.S. - what I'm posting is for Regular REL (or Competitive/Professional, obv); for Casual events, lots of weird things are allowed.

A lot of people have contacted me since I posted this, mentioning the quote from a Nelson Brown, in the WPN Facebook group.

First, I became aware of that post; next, I confirmed that the Policy team agreed with my concerns, and that Policy hasn't changed; next, I informed some people at Wizards; finally, I sent the above message to all Judges, to try and address the potential confusion.

Note that what was said in that WPN group is correct for Casual events only. For Regular REL, Competitive REL, and Professional REL, buybacks are not allowed. If Wizards and our Policy team craft changes to that policy, we'll let you know.

In the meantime, I simply can't keep responding to all the personal messages; I know you're trying to be helpful, but I'm already aware of that other message, and was when I wrote this.

d:^D