DDR#773 - What Can I Say (Communication Policy)

I distinctly remember a guy in my LGS being annoying about tarmogoyf's P/T. I got him to change his tune by, every time he refused to answer, I'd ask him if there was a creature in his graveyard. Then an artifact. Then sorcery, and so on. After two times he stopped.

"Cards in hand?" "Two." "Hmm... How many blue cards in your hand?" "Six thousand and forty-eight."

20:12 Suggested fix: "If the contents of a hidden zone are temporarily visible to a player during the resolution of a spell or ability as a result of that spell or ability, information about the contents are derived information for that player until that spell or ability has finished resolving. In a game with more than two players, answers can be provided in a form inaccessible to players for whom the information is still private, such as in writing." Results: Questions don't have to be answered, but answers do have to be at least technically true during that window. (So you could answer "at least three" after the third Jace is found, or simply force the other player to look through your entire deck by refusing to answer.) A rule similar to the private-judge-conversation rule is added to account for multiplayer events. The player with temporary access is responsible for remembering or recording anything they want to know after they lose access. Of course, how this would work with intentional slow play rules—forcing a player to take the long way repeatedly when you could just answer truthfully might be stalling under some circumstances—is a reasonable concern, but it's also a concern under the current rules.

Howling Mine specifically as the example of not having to explain errata is interesting because that's a situation where a player unfamiliar with their opponent's Howling Mine could easily commit an infraction by assuming it also allows them to draw an extra card (as is written on the older version) even if it's tapped. I'm sure at more relaxed RELs this would be completely understandable, and one could argue that you should know that specific clause was added to older artifacts at comp REL, but it's still a very strange intersection of two philosophies that make sense on their own coming together in a dangerous way

10:46 I like how this example is going back to an earlier printing of Lightning Bolt, which is now accidentally worded correctly again.

Nick: I only play 3 copies Amy: OK, but I want to know what cards you're playing so I'll keep searching through your deck (and hand!)

I didn't know how much I needed Judge Dave to use the word cringy but here it is.

This is one of my favorite episodes. This is a tricky subject that isn't covered well when I just read the comprehensive rules.

My favorite thing about the communication and information rules is just asking my friends at EDH what cards they Demonic/Vampiric Tutored for. At this point it’s just a joke among the playgroup, but sometimes my friends forget and just outright tell me, and sometimes they just lie. Obviously I would not do this against a random set of players that I have not played against before, because I can’t expect everyone to know that they don’t have to answer truthfully.

0:43 the rules of magic are "arcane"? i sure hope so

My lgs has initiative players that use monopoly figurines or colored meeples to track where each player is at inside the dungeon, which is pretty cute

Particularly in commander, dice tend to become an issue due to the sheer number of counter and trigger/activated abilities. My TO has implemented a rule asking players to use mancala marbles of various colors to represent denominations of 1,5, and 10 for counters. For life totals, Pin and Paper is king, but we allow any unit that cannot be modified by accident by shaking or knocking over dice including the Commander click downs.

Good video. Not sure if this video was "in response" to it, but there is a very bad video just from 2 weeks ago the YT algorithm threw at me on the same topic that unfortunately has 218K views. It covers a lot of the same ground, but despite just explaining that you can't lie about derived information, the presenter then turns around and acts like lying about derived information is just bluffing and totally legal and deal with it. Very frustrating. (Attack on Cardboard was the producer for those darkly curious, although I don't want it get even more views.)

This prompted a question for me- at my LGS, there is a player who illiterate and has mental disabilities. He has the reading comprehension and communication skills of a 7 year old, and frequently does not know what his cards say. He memorizes what the cards do based on their pictures, or has players read the cards aloud, his included. In terms of derived information, he is frankly unable to perform certain computations and reason them. So things like humility batterskull, he genuinely doesn’t understand things like that. What do you do as a judge? Especially where derived information is concerned? Curious on your take.

How does derived information work for visually impaired players, since so much of it is visual? An assistant, similar to shuffling for players with dexterity issues?

This was absolute gold!!! You don't realized how much your channel has helped me ❤❤❤ thank you and that's my daily comment!!

Love you Dave!! Thanks for being such a friendly and knowledgeable voice in this community! Your vids are probably my favorite to watch of any mtg youtubers', I learn new stuff all the time from these and your thoughtful, well spoken explanations and humor are always just really entertaining and comfy to watch, even if I already know the rule. You rock man!

I always enjoy the longer form, in depth videos of the patron pick. This is definitely a good thing to know, about what you can and can’t say. I’ve been playing for almost a decade, so I’ve picked this up along the way. But starting out, there was definitely some things I missed. Derived information is the trickiest to understand

Question: What type of information would something like number of cards someone has drawn this turn be? It's information that if you were paying attention you ought to know, but it's impossible to know if you've forgotten past game actions and without your opponent telling you.

this is my favorite magic youtube channel, and you are my favorite judge dave. thank you for sharing you’re experience and making you’re advice free to the public