petition for phases being mandatory in Magic-league tournys

AnnulVapore · Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

If someone swings when an opponent has 4 mana up and does not give him the chance to command, then the opponent has the right to revert the game-state to BOC (and has an advantage due to the opponent's error). This does not mean we need to make phases MANDATORY. That's rather stupid.

Craze · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 5378 Location: Indiana, U

start a petition banning people without brains from the forums, curly couldn't post: problem solved.

Besides the mere fact that phases slow gameplay and are often forgotten even by those of us who use them, how do you plan on enforcing this? someone doesn't do a phase it == gl? yeah thats not gonna cause an ass load of problems or anything...

TugaChampion · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 369

I'm against this.

Some people go through all phases like upkeep, draw, etc even in the first few turns or when their opp is tapped out. If you wanna do that that's fine but there's no way you are making me do it. Also it's annoying when you just untap and draw and starts changing phases on you turn. Even worse when you are declaring blocks and you opp changes phases so you have to declare again.

I mean if I'm playing against blue with 4 mana open I use phases in combat. Against faeries I always ask or at least pause a bit on upkeep and stuff to see if I can go.

If you wanna use phases use them just don't make other people have to keep clicking on those stupid squares all the time when 90% of the time it's useless.

Kuberr · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 19

The only thing that needs a petition is the use of the "OK?" button when casting a spell or ability to solve all those problems.

Also, if I have an upkeep effect, I say so in the chat at my end of turn, so my opponent knows to wait at his upkeep.

Lastly, the one phase that I always (and only) use is the one of "begin of combat step".

Combine those 3 "tips" and you won't have any problems with timing.

mTk-Away · Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 75

Lenin · Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 55

Sometimes phases are necessary (vintage tournaments, complicated combo decks...), sometimes they are not (T2 aggro, burn vs burn matchup...). Sorry but you really have to find better rules on this sector then just YOU HAVE TO or DO AS YOU PLEASE. I refuse the petition in its current form.

CMA-Flippi · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:19 am Post subject:

Magic-league is not a democracy, therefore, such petitions won't do much. The better alternative is to suggest such an idea to an Op. He will explain why why don't want such a policy.

mossivo1986 · Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 54

For all those people who don't use phases irl.

1. By not giving your opponent adequate time to play the game your going to make the judges pretty misserable all day at you which can cost you.

2. It's pretty bad sportsmanship to rush gameplay. Relax its only a game remember? To give you an example it's like saying very quickly enter discard phase , and your opponent says "ok." and then says "wait" because he needed priority at eot, but techniquely your rules lawyering by this point saying he said ok.

using the phases saves alot of trouble irl and if you go slowly you can pick off bits of information from him and your just soaking it all up. But if you rush you will never get these signs and by playing fast it can get you game warnings and losses depending on your attitude, which probobly wont be all that cheery.

This thread is quite interesting, but I think if I were magic-league i'd rather just limit the place to people who speak English. Soo many problems occur because someone speaks poor english ratger then a lack of use of phases in the game interface.

Pong_God · Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 18

I'll sign.

But Analvapore makes a very good point. By not using phases it does give control players an advantage. Its ridiculous to think that phases slow the game down. The fact that your opponent tells you to pause on upkeep means dont click the draw button so fast next turn. how hard is that? the step before declaring attackers is huge. and you can obv skip phases not in use if you dont want to attack. im sure your opp. will back you up if he has a master warcraft in hand don't worry. and doesnt end my turn just pass priority through your entire turn unless your opponent decides to act on one of the remaining phases or steps?

Bottom line they should be mandatory to ensure fair and flowing play in all official M-L tourneys.

bladerisen · Joined: 03 Jan 2006 Posts: 17

add me

ILikeBananas · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 144

I think most of us can agree that we don't need to declare phases 100% of the time. Only when it matters. But that brings in the issue of players sometimes failing to realize when it's necessary.

Example: Extirpate during draw step (after draw).
If you say at EoT that you'll play during draw step, it gives away the fact that you'll be playing extirpate. Really hardly anyone plays during draw step so having people declare their draw step will slow the game down.

I don't think reverting game state is always fair. In the case of cryptic command, it gives away information. Suppose 2 players both have an army. Opponent might not attack with everything. If you wait until opponent declares an attack, you have more information then you should have. On the other hand, if opponent casts overrun, then pretty obviously you'd want to tap all.

JeZeus · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 113

Add me as well, I cannot stand people who do not use phases, or give you proper time to respond to actions in specific phases.

PV · Joined: 17 Sep 2004 Posts: 77

I refuse to use phases and I'll refuse even if any petition of any kind is signed no matter by how many people ¬¬

BigBallin · Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 24

add me

blundercrush · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Posts: 15

a couple of things:
if you do things in the wrong order because your opponent "didn't use phases" its a cop out, you messed up, own up to it or the judges will call you out on it in the subsequent ruling.

using phases is a great way to stall....with a couple mana up you can go to every phase and be like...my opponent COULD HAVE had a reaction, even if you know it is highly unlikely he isn't going to do anything. while this gets into the infinitely tricky art of ruling on slow play....it's an enabler.....which seems bad.

I disagree with this petition for a couple of reasons; one it forces magic players to do something that they don't do in irl, and since this is basically a testing ground. it seems self defeating. second people tell you to use phases and then don't do it themselves, which makes life much more complicated... as an example I have had people not click the end turn phase button and then when I click it for them they think it is there turn again.....grrrrr.

It seems pretty inane to force people to do this on what is essentially a testing ground. magic online does some pretty bureaucratic shit, but even it lets you skip phases at will (yes I know it checks each one automatically, but you can probably figure out that your opponent might play something if they set the stop before the moment they need it.)