1) The document provides examples of game rule violations in Magic: The Gathering and the appropriate remedies.
2) In most cases where an error is caught after some time, no backup is possible and the current game state is left as is, with some exceptions like putting an object in the wrong zone.
3) The remedies aim to correctly apply static abilities and make required choices, rather than undo actions or "fix" the game state through partial backups.
2. Back up (if you can)
If the error was discovered within a time
frame in which a player could reasonably
be expected to notice the error and the
situation is simple enough to safely back up
without too much disruption to the course of
the game, the judge may get permission
from the Head Judge to back up the game
to the point of the error.
3. A backup is to the point of the error.
Each action taken is undone until the game
reaches the point immediately prior to the
error. Cards incorrectly placed in hand are
returned to the location in the zone from
which they were moved (if the identity of the
incorrectly drawn card is not known to all
players, a random card is returned instead).
4. Back up everything or nothing
If not caught within a reasonable time
frame, or backing up is impossible or
sufficiently complex that it could affect the
course of the game, the judge should leave
the game state as it is after applying state-
based actions and not attempt any form of
partial ‘fix’ – either reverse all actions or
none. . .
6. Exceptions
with the following exceptions:
• If a player made an illegal choice or failed to make a required
choice for a permanent on the battlefield, that player makes a
legal choice.
7. Exceptions
with the following exceptions:
• If a player made an illegal choice or failed to make a required
choice for a permanent on the battlefield, that player makes a
legal choice.
• If a player forgot the turn-based action of drawing a card, that
player draws a card.
8. Exceptions
with the following exceptions:
• If a player made an illegal choice or failed to make a required
choice for a permanent on the battlefield, that player makes a
legal choice.
• If a player forgot the turn-based action of drawing a card, that
player draws a card.
• If a player forgot to discard or return cards from their hand to
another zone, that player does so.
9. Exceptions
with the following exceptions:
• If a player made an illegal choice or failed to make a required
choice for a permanent on the battlefield, that player makes a
legal choice.
• If a player forgot the turn-based action of drawing a card, that
player draws a card.
• If a player forgot to discard or return cards from their hand to
another zone, that player does so.
• If an object is in the wrong zone, the identity of the object was
known to all players, and it is within a turn cycle of the error, put
the object in the correct zone.
11. Go for the Throat
• Avery casts Go for the
Throat on Natalie's Golem
token.
12. Go for the Throat
• Avery casts Go for the
Throat on Natalie's Golem
token.
• Back up the game, putting
Go for the Throat back in
Avery's hand and
untapping the lands he
used to pay for it.
13. Geist of Saint Traft
• Anne casts Mind
Control on Norman's
Geist of Saint Traft in
her second main
phase.
• On her following turn,
she attacks with it.
• A judge passing by
the table notices. . .
14. Geist of Saint Traft
• Anne casts Mind Control on
Norman's Geist of Saint Traft in
her second main phase.
• On her following turn, she attacks
with it.
• A judge passing by the table
notices. . .
• It's too late to back up. The
game state remains as is.
15. Geist of Saint Traft
• Anne casts Mind Control on
Norman's Geist of Saint Traft in
her second main phase.
• On her following turn, she attacks
with it.
• A judge passing by the table
notices. . .
• It's too late to back up. The
game state remains as is.
• What about the harm to Norman?
16. Runed Halo
• Alyssa casts Runed
Halo, says "go".
• Nigel casts Strangleroot
Geist and attacks.
• Alyssa realizes she
forgot to name a card...
17. Runed Halo
• Alyssa casts Runed Halo, says "go".
• Nigel casts Strangleroot Geist and
attacks.
• Alyssa realizes she forgot to name a
card...
• There's no backup, but Alyssa must
name a card now.
18. Runed Halo
• Alyssa casts Runed Halo, says "go".
• Nigel casts Strangleroot Geist and
attacks.
• Alyssa realizes she forgot to name a
card...
• There's no backup, but Alyssa must
name a card now.
19. Runed Halo
• Alyssa casts Runed Halo, says "go".
• Nigel casts Strangleroot Geist and
attacks.
• Alyssa realizes she forgot to name a
card...
• There's no backup, but Alyssa must
name a card now.
• Can she name Strangleroot Geist?
What if Nigel objects?
20. Jace, the Mind Sculptor
• Ava "brainstorms" with
Jace and forgets to put
cards back.
21. Jace, the Mind Sculptor
• Ava "brainstorms" with
Jace and forgets to put
cards back.
• If there's no backup,
she still puts 2 cards
back.
23. Mindlock Orb • Nancy controls
Mindlock Orb. Alistair
controls Arid Mesa.
• He activates Arid Mesa
and fetches a Plains
from his library.
battlefield graveyard
24. Mindlock Orb • Nancy controls
Mindlock Orb. Alistair
controls Arid Mesa.
• He activates Arid Mesa
and fetches a Plains
from his library.
• Then Nancy says,
“Wait, you can't do
that!”
battlefield graveyard
“No search for you!”
27. Green Sun's Zenith
• Archimedes casts Green Sun's
Zenith with X=4.
• He fetches Hellrider and puts the
Zenith in his graveyard.
28. Green Sun's Zenith
• Archimedes casts Green Sun's
Zenith with X=4.
• He fetches Hellrider and puts the
Zenith in his graveyard.
• He attacks with Hellrider, and Niobe
takes 1 damage.
29. Green Sun's Zenith
• Archimedes casts Green Sun's
Zenith with X=4.
• He fetches Hellrider and puts the
Zenith in his graveyard.
• He attacks with Hellrider, and Niobe
takes 1 damage.
• She blocks with Oculus. It dies, and
she draws a card.
30. Green Sun's Zenith
• Archimedes casts Green Sun's
Zenith with X=4.
• He fetches Hellrider and puts the
Zenith in his graveyard.
• He attacks with Hellrider, and Niobe
takes 1 damage.
• She blocks with Oculus. It dies, and
she draws a card.
• She casts Doom Blade on Hellrider.
31. Green Sun's Zenith
• Archimedes casts Green Sun's
Zenith with X=4.
• He fetches Hellrider and puts the
Zenith in his graveyard.
• He attacks with Hellrider, and Niobe
takes 1 damage.
• She blocks with Oculus. It dies, and
she draws a card.
• She casts Doom Blade on Hellrider.
32. Green Sun's Zenith
• Archimedes casts Green Sun's
Zenith with X=4.
• He fetches Hellrider and puts the
Zenith in his graveyard.
• He attacks with Hellrider, and Niobe
takes 1 damage.
• She blocks with Oculus. It dies, and
she draws a card.
• She casts Doom Blade on Hellrider.
• Then the players realize Archimedes
improperly resolved the Zenith.
33. Green Sun's Zenith: GRV
• Archimedes searched for an illegal creature. Hellrider isn't
green.
• He also failed to shuffle Green Sun's Zenith into his library.
34. Green Sun's Zenith: GRV remedy
• It's too late to back up.
• Green Sun's Zenith is an object in the wrong zone. It shouldn't
be in the graveyard. Archimedes shuffles it into his library.
• Hellrider remains on the battlefield.
35. Duress
• Alice casts Duress on
Nicholas, and chooses
Primeval Titan. He
discards it.
36. Duress
• Alice casts Duress on
Nicholas, and chooses
Primeval Titan. He
discards it.
• Alice casts Rise from
the Grave on Primeval
Titan, and after it
resolves, searches her
library for two lands.
37. Duress
• Alice casts Duress on
Nicholas, and chooses
Primeval Titan. He
discards it.
• Alice casts Rise from
the Grave on Primeval
Titan, and after it
resolves, searches her
library for two lands.
• Then she casts Fervor
and attacks with
Primeval Titan.
38. Duress
• Alice casts Duress on
Nicholas, and chooses
Primeval Titan. He
discards it.
• Alice casts Rise from the
Grave on Primeval Titan,
and after it resolves,
searches her library for
two lands.
• Then she casts Fervor
and attacks with
Primeval Titan.
• As she searches again,
Nicholas rereads Duress
and calls for a judge.
40. Duress
• It is too late to back up.
• This is not an "object in
the wrong zone".
41. Duress
• It is too late to back up.
• This is not an "object in
the wrong zone".
• There is no remedy to
apply.
42. Duress
• It is too late to back up.
• This is not an "object in
the wrong zone".
• There is no remedy to
apply.
• P.S. Nicholas, next time
don't wait so long before
reading yor opponent's
card.
43. Sword of Feast and Famine
• Abel resolves part of
Sword of Feast and
Famine's ability but not
the other part.
44. Sword of Feast and Famine - 1
• Abel resolves part of
Sword of Feast and
Famine's ability but not
the other part.
• His opponent discards
a card, but Abel doesn't
untap his lands.
45. Sword of Feast and Famine - 1
• Abel resolves part of Sword of
Feast and Famine's ability but
not the other part.
• His opponent discards a card,
but Abel doesn't untap his lands.
• In Abel's end step, his opponent
casts a spell, and Abel doesn't
counter it. Then Abel ends his
turn, and his opponent begins
her turn and draws a card.
46. Sword of Feast and Famine - 1
• Abel resolves part of Sword of
Feast and Famine's ability but
not the other part.
• His opponent discards a card,
but Abel doesn't untap his lands.
• In Abel's end step, his opponent
casts a spell, and Abel doesn't
counter it. Then Abel ends his
turn, and his opponent begins
her turn and draws a card.
• No backup. No remedy.
47. Sword of Feast and Famine - 2
• Abel resolves part of
Sword of Feast and
Famine's ability but not
the other part.
• Abel untaps his lands,
but his opponent
doesn't discard a card.
48. Sword of Feast and Famine - 2
• Abel resolves part of Sword of
Feast and Famine's ability but not
the other part.
• Abel untaps his lands, but his
opponent doesn't discard a card.
• In Abel's end step, his opponent
casts a spell, and Abel doesn't
counter it. Then Abel ends his turn,
and his opponent begins her turn
and draws a card.
49. Sword of Feast and Famine - 2
• Abel resolves part of Sword of
Feast and Famine's ability but not
the other part.
• Abel untaps his lands, but his
opponent doesn't discard a card.
• In Abel's end step, his opponent
casts a spell, and Abel doesn't
counter it. Then Abel ends his turn,
and his opponent begins her turn
and draws a card.
• No backup. Abel's opponent
must discard a card.
51. Etched Champion
• Antonia, who has
metalcraft, attacks with
Etched Champion.
• Newton blocks with Goblin
Guide. Goblin Guide dies.
52. Etched Champion
• Antonia, who has
metalcraft, attacks with
Etched Champion.
• Newton blocks with Goblin
Guide. Goblin Guide dies.
• On Newton's turn, he
casts another Goblin
Guide and attacks with it.
53. Etched Champion
• Antonia, who has
metalcraft, attacks with
Etched Champion.
• Newton blocks with Goblin
Guide. Goblin Guide dies.
• On Newton's turn, he
casts another Goblin
Guide and attacks with it.
• Then the players realize
he couldn't have blocked
Etched Champion.
54. Etched Champion
• Antonia, who has
metalcraft, attacks with
Etched Champion.
• Newton blocks with Goblin
Guide. Goblin Guide dies.
• On Newton's turn, he
casts another Goblin
Guide and attacks with it.
• Then the players realize
he couldn't have blocked
Etched Champion.
• No backup. No remedy.
55. Geist of Saint Traft, part 2
• Achilles casts Controlled
Instincts on Natalie's
tapped Geist of Saint
Traft.
• The error isn't discovered
until the first main phase
of his next turn.
56. Geist of Saint Traft, part 2
• Achilles casts Controlled
Instincts on Natalie's
tapped Geist of Saint
Traft.
• The error isn't discovered
until the first main phase
of his next turn.
• No backup. Correct the
game state. No further
remedy.
57. Shuffle
• Audra shuffles her hand into her library. There is no way
to verify the contents of her hand.
58. Shuffle
• Audra shuffles her hand into her library. There is no way
to verify the contents of her hand.
• No backup. No remedy.
