1.1 Registration

1.2 Tournament Formats

1.3 Tournament Roles

Everyone in attendance at a Battle Barn event will be considered one or more of the following roles.

1.4 Player Eligibility

Battle Barn Organizers and tournament Hosts reserve the right to restrict player eligibility per tournament. All registered players are required to review and verify they meet the eligibility requirements for each tournament prior to registration being completed. Any registered player failing to meet a tournament's eligibility requirements once tournament play begins will be disqualified and forfeit any registration fees paid for the event.

Standard eligibility rules are as follows:

• Players must be at least sixteen (16) years of age with a valid state issued ID or passport.
• Players must not be on a current ban list with Battle Barn Administrators/Organizers.
• Players must not be on a current ban list with the chosen Host location.
• Players must not be prohibited by federal, state, or local laws that would make their participation/attendance illegal.
• Players are required to check-in with tournament officials prior to tournament play starting to be considered present and have their eligibility verified.

1.5 Rules Enforcement Level (REL)

While Battle Barn is not affiliated with or part of the official WotC tournaments, we want to maintain some level of consistency for players to help maximize participation and enjoyment. Rules Enforcement Level (REL) is the term used for official tournament classification to determine the level of rules enforcement, rigidness of technical gameplay procedures, and player understanding of said rules and procedures.

Most Battle Barn tournaments will fall under the Regular Rules Enforcement Level classification. This classification is generally used for casual play events. These events prioritize fun and social aspects of gameplay over strict enforcement. Players are expected to know most of the game rules but not intimate knowledge of how every interaction works. Players may seek rule clarifications from Floor Judges during a match and Judges may provide educational feedback to a Player.

1.6 Participation Limits

Each Battle Barn event may specify a minimum and/or a maximum number of players.

If an event's minimum number of registered players is not met by the scheduled start time, Organizers may choose to cancel the event. If an event is canceled; registered participants are eligible for a refund of registration fees consistent with the Battle Barn refund policy.

Once the maximum number of registered players is met, registration for that event will be closed and not additional participants will be able to register as players. If one or more registered players cancel/withdraw at least one (1) day prior to the event's scheduled date, Organizers may re-open registration but standard registration requirements will still be enforced. Players may not register in person to participate in an event, even if open seats are available.

1.7 Number of Rounds

Each tournament will consist of at least two (2) rounds of play. The total number of rounds per event will be based on the final number of registered participants. The more participants, the more rounds of play an event will include.

Brackets showing the anticipated number of rounds should be displayed by event Organizers prior to the first round of play beginning.

1.8 Pairing Algorithm

Initial pairings for all 1-v-1 events will be based on each player's current Battle Barn ranking. Some tournaments may "seed" players based on each player's win/loss record while others may "seed" players based on each player's accumulated point totals. Each tournament announcement should include which method will be used. 1-v-1 events will follow the standard "seeding" format of highest seed vs lowest seed, second highest vs second lowest, and so on. Subsequent round pairings will be determined by the previous round's win/loss or points conditions consistent with the tournament's format.

For multi-player formats, a similar pairing system will be used with half the table being top seeds and the other half low seeds until all positions are filled. For example, in a 4-player match format with 8 total players, Table 1 would be seeds #1, 2, 7, and 8 while Table 2 would be seeds #3, 4, 5, and 6.

2.1 Match Structure

Unlike official WotC tournaments, Battle Barn tournament matches will consist of one (1) game per tournament round unless otherwise stated in the event details. Players will play until all opponents have been defeated or until the round time limit expires.

If the round ends before a winner is determined, the match will be declared a draw. Advancement to the next round will be decided based on the following criteria:

1. Which player had the most health at the game's conclusion.
2. Which player scored the most points during the match.
3. A "flip-off" with one player revealing a card with a higher converted mana cost (CMC) than their opponent(s).

2.2 Play/Match Draw

At the beginning of each round, before players draw their opening hands, the highest seed player has the choice to start first. If that player declines first play, the choice passes to the next highest seed player at the table. If all players opt not to take the first play one time each, first play will be determined by a die roll. Each player at the table will roll a d20 and the player with the highest roll will take first play. In the event two or more players roll the same number and are tied for the highest roll, only those players will roll again until only one player has the highest roll value and deemed the first player.

If the highest seed player draws their opening hand before declaring their option, it will be automatically implied that they choosing to play first.

All players in a match are not allowed to draw or view their opening hand BEFORE determining the play order.

In a 1-v-1 match, the player who plays first skips their draw step during their first turn.

All players may draw during their first turn for any match that includes three (3) or more Players.

2.3 Pregame Procedures

Once a round has started, the following steps must be performed by all players in a timely manner or be possible subject to penalties, disqualification, and/or bans from future events.

• Each player shuffles their decks. Each deck must present a fully randomized, i.e. fully shuffled, deck each game. "Pile shuffling" is not considered a sufficient manner of shuffling. If a Player sees any card face during shuffling their deck, that player is required to reshuffle to avoid knowing an approximate card position within the deck.
• Each player must present their deck to their opponents to be "cut".
  • When "cutting" an opponent's deck, a player may make only one (1) cut, i.e. remove X number of cards from the top of the deck and place them at the bottom of the deck. X is chosen by the "cutting" player.
  • A player may choose not to cut an opponent’s deck. This is referred to as "tapping". When "tapping" an opponent's deck, the player must verbally declare "Tap" to their opponent to indicate that they have chosen to leave the presented deck "as-is".
• If playing a commander format, each player must declare and reveal their commander and any partner cards.
• If it has not already been determined which player will play first, this must be decided now.
• Only after the first player has been determined; players will draw their opening hand. Opening hands consist of seven (7) cards unless other rules or conditions increase/decrease that number, e.g. multiple mulligans.
  • Each player may call one (1) mulligan per match without penalty before gameplay begins. If Player A declares a mulligan, Player B may opt to join Player A's mulligan and both players reshuffle with only Player A expending a mulligan. Likewise, after the reshuffle, Player B may still call a mulligan with penalty and Player A can opt to join Player B's mulligan without penalty.
  • Any deck reshuffled as part of a mulligan must be offered to an opponent to be "cut" just the same as if it were the first shuffle.
  • If a Player calls more than one (1) mulligan in a match, that player draws one (1) less card in their opening hand for each additional mulligan.
  • No player can call more than seven (7) mulligans in a match to ensure that each player begins play with at least one (1) card in hand.

2.4 Endgame Procedures

Once a game ends, each player in that match will be required to sign the match scorecard. Scorecards without signatures from all participating match players will not be recorded and may result in all players being disqualified. Event Organizers and the Head Judge will determine if all players will be disqualified or if only the player(s) refusing to sign the scorecard will be disqualified.

If the match time limit is reached with no winner determined, the current turn will be allowed to finish and then a total of five (5) additional turns will be played before the match is automatically ended. The five (5) additional turns are considered "overtime" for incomplete matches.

• A turn is one (1) Player's turn (untap, upkeep, draw, first main, combat, second main, discard).
• If a player takes "extra turns" through a card's effect, each turn is counted separately against the five (5) "overtime" turns. This means that it is possible that a single player may take all five (5) overtime turns without their opponent taking a single overtime turn.

Players in a specific match may be granted time extensions to the standard round time limit if a ruling, deck check, or another extenuating circumstance impedes play. Only Floor Judges and the Head Judge may grant a time extension.

2.5 Forfeiting/Conceding Play

Players may forfeit a match at any time, even before the round begins. Any player wishing to concede play to their opponent(s) will be required to notify a Floor Judge and/or the Scorekeeper. Failure to notify a Floor Judge and/or the Scorekeeper will result in that player being disqualified and thus, they are not eligible for any scores from the event to be added to their Battle Barn profile rankings. Nor will that player be able to receive any prizes from the event.

Players who properly forfeit a match will be able to retain any scores and prizes obtained prior to the forfeited round. However, any player who forfeits a round will not be eligible to advance to the next round. This is for fairness to other players who successfully completed that round.

Players may not concede a match in exchange for any reward or incentive. Doing so will be considered Bribery and could be ground for permanent bans from future events for anyone involved in that transaction.

If a player refuses to play without notification, it is assumed that they have forfeited the match without reporting their intent and will be disqualified from the event.

2.6 Deck Checks

Deck Checks are when a Floor Judge or the Head Judge scans a player's full deck. This may be done for a number of reasons throughout each event. Some Deck Checks may be performed at random while others are obligatory in specified situations. Any deck that is found to be illegal during a Deck Check is grounds for the owning player to be disqualified from the current event and may be banned from future events at the Head Judge's discretion. Each event announcement should include format and deck legality details. It is each Player's responsibility to ensure that the deck they use for each event is compliant with the listed constraints and formats.

All decks entering the final round of play will be checked by an event judge, if not previously checked in the event.

Players may call for an event judge to check an opponent's deck if they think there is an issue but the requesting player must provide adequate justification for the request before a Deck Check will be performed. "Hey, can I get a Deck Check?" is not sufficient justification. "I need a Deck Check. My opponent has an illegal number of X cards in their graveyard/battlefield." is sufficient justification. Players may not request Deck Checks on a whim or a hunch. Deck Checks can be a timely process that can impact fair play, match time limits, and more.

The Head Judge reserves the right to disqualify any player calling for Deck Checks that the Head Judge feels is repeatedly calling for checks dishonestly or with the intent to intimidate/distract/fluster their opponents.

2.7 Judge Rulings

Any Player that is unsure if a play or interaction during a match is legal may call for a judge ruling at the time the play occurs. A Floor Judge will come and determine what is or is not legal in that situation. This may include the Floor Judge using various methods to determine the legality in question.

A responding judge may also be the Head Judge, especially in events where the Head Judge is the only judge.

Players are expected to be respectful to all judges during the ruling processes, even if they disagree with a Judge's ruling. Players who are not respectful to judges can be viewed as having Unsporting Conduct that could result in disqualification from the current event and/or bans from future events.

2.8 Altered Cards

Battle Barn does not permit the use of altered cards. All cards played must be official cards with their original art, unless it is an approved card under the Battle Barn Card Proxies rule. Altered cards may present players an unfair advantage of being able to determine which cards are in what order of their library or in other "hidden" states.

2.9 Match Notes

Battle Barn does not allow Players to take notes during matches outside of the official scorecards provided by tournament officials. This means Players may not create notes using pen/pencil & paper, electronic notes, or any other form of physical or digital notes. We want Players focused on gameplay and not spending time making extra notes that may distract from gameplay or expend unnecessary time off the match time clock.

2.10 Electronic Devices

Players are not permitted to use any electronic devices during gameplay. This includes the wearing of headphones and earbuds.

Player may use medical assistance electronics such as glasses, hearing aids, pacemakers, and such but Players may not substitute these items with other items, i.e. the use of earbuds as hearing aids. Yes, new models of Apple Air Pods and iOS features can enable earbuds as basic hearing aids but for fairness the use of earbuds is prohibited for all players.

2.11 Photo/Video Coverage

All attendees of Battle Barn events have implied consent for event Organizers and Hosts to take photos and/or videos of event activities, i.e. match play, award announcements, etc. Attendees also have implied consent for event Organizers and Hosts to distribute any photos or video content of that event on their website and social media, including live streams.

Any attendees that do not wish to be photographed or videoed during an event will need to inform the event Organizer and Host upon their arrival.

3.1 Time Limits

Unless specifically stated for an individual tournament, all rounds are limited to forty (40) minutes. All matches in each round will start at the same time and will be subject to the same time limit.

There is no time limit on a player's turn. Players are expected to play efficiently and respectfully with their opponents. If a player feels an opponent is intentionally playing slow to limit another player's turns within the time limit, that player may notify a judge. If a judge thinks a player is playing too slow, the judge will issue a warning to that player. If the player continues to play slow, that play may be subject to disqualification and potential ban from future events.

If a match has not been concluded before the round time limit has been reached, the match will automatically enter Sudden Death. Sudden Death is where a total of five (5) turns, not rounds, will be extended to all surviving players. If after five (5) turns a winner is not declared, the match will advance to the Tiebreaker rules to determine an overall match winner.

3.2 Tiebreakers

If a match winner cannot be determined within the specified time limit a winner will be determined using the following order of criteria. The first condition met will see that player declared the winner.

1. Highest Life Total
2. Highest Match Points Scored
3. Reveal the top card of each player's library, the highest Converted Mana Cost (CMC)
4. Repeat previous step until a winner is declared.

3.3 Score Keeping

At the beginning of each round, each table will receive a scorecard from the tournament Scorekeeper. While a single player may be nominated at each table to keep score, it is each player's responsibility to make sure their scores are accurately recorded. Scorecards will include each player's name, the round number, and the date of the match in addition to any scoring or challenge details.

At the end of each match, the winner's name will need to be PRINTED (no cursive please for legibility reasons) on the bottom of the scorecard in the specified line. Each player will need to sign the bottom of the scorecard to denote they accept the scorecard as accurate for ALL players, not just their own scores. A fully signed scorecard will need to be given to the Scorekeeper for the match to be considered complete and any points or rewards to be awarded to each player.

If a player is refusing to sign a scorecard, other players in the match will need to notify the Scorekeeper. The Scorekeeper will determine if the scorecard can be accepted without the missing signature(s) or if a review, and possible revision, of the scorecard is needed.

A scorecard CANNOT be filled out by anyone NOT listed on the scorecard. ONLY participating players can complete a scorecard for the matches they participate in. A player may continue to keep score for a match even after they have been eliminated. Any scorecard found to be kept by an invalid scorekeeper may result in all listed players being disqualified.

3.4 Card Proxies

Unlike official tournament rules, Battle Barn allows players to use suitable proxy cards for cards that they own but do not want to damage, usually due to card value or rarity. However, players are REQUIRED to declare to the judges any proxies in their deck PRIOR to the start of the first round of play. Likewise, players wanting to use proxies must provide proof that they own the card(s) being proxied. Any proxied card being used by a player that can be vetted to a judge will not be permitted in play. That player will either need to use another card or a proxy that can be vetted among their collection. Any player caught playing with an unvetted proxy will be subject to disqualification and potential ban from future events.

Proxied cards can utilize any graphical design of the player's choice, but ALL text/casting cost elements of the original card must be easily recognizable and accurate. Proxied cards must be printed on card stock of a similar weight to standard cards so they are of similar thickness. Likewise, proxied cards must be the same size as standard cards with the same rounded corner design. Proxied cards must not feel significantly different than a standard card.

3.5 Substitute Cards

Substitute cards are used to represent double-faced cards. Only official substitute cards may be used to represent double-faced cards in a deck as other versions may provide an unfair advantage in identifying those cards while in a hidden zone/phase.

When using a substitute card, only one (1) card can be checked on the card face. If more than one (1) card is checked, the substitute card will be considered illegal and will cause that player to be disqualified.

3.6 Game Markers

Game Markers are anything used to denote a variety of effects, statuses, etc. that may occur during gameplay. Players may use whatever they want for game markers so long as they do not completely obscure any card or disguise any cards in any zones for a player. Similarly, markers with a similar design may be used for multiple purposes so each player must clearly state what any given marker is denoting, and all players must agree to allow when more than one type of marker is denoted with the same object, i.e. a green bead on Creature A denotes a +1/+1 counter but a similar green bead on Creature B denotes +1/+0 counter.

3.7 Die Rolling

If a card requires the rolling of one or more die, the rolling player must roll the die/dice from a reasonable height and in a way to not damage or disrupt an opponent's cards or field of play. The rolling player must clearly state why they are rolling dice and what the various outcomes mean PRIOR to rolling.

Spindown dice (dice with number in sequential order) may NOT be used for these actions. All dice rolled must stay on the table to be considered legal. Any dice that falls off the table will need to be re-rolled.

A die rolled must be left on the table with the result clearly visible to all opponents until all players are in agreement about the result. If a player disagrees with a roll result, players must notify a judge. The judge will make a determination if the result is valid or if a re-roll is required.

Player caught cheating on dice rolls are subject to disqualification and potential ban from future events.

3.8 Card/Deck Shuffling

Decks must be shuffled at the start of every game to ensure random card draws for each player.

Pile shuffling is NOT a sufficiently random method of shuffling by itself.

Decks must be shuffled in front of all opponents for fairness. Players may not "pre-shuffle" their deck before a round begins. Once a player has shuffled their deck but before the first turn is taken, or after a player's library is shuffled during a game, each player must present their shuffled deck to an opponent. That player may choose to "cut" their opponent's deck or accept it "as-is". When cutting an opponent's deck, the cutting player may make one (1) cut meaning they may remove X number of cards in one (1) motion from the top of the deck and place it at the bottom of the deck. Multiple "cuts" are not permitted. Players accepting an opponent's deck "as-is" can indicate such by tapping the top of the deck to show that no cut is required.

If an opponent does not believe a player has made a reasonable effort to randomize their deck, the player may notify a judge and request the judge to shuffle their opponent's deck instead. Such requests will be honored only by the judge's discretion.

If a player sees the face of any card in their deck it must continue to be shuffled until sufficiently randomized. This includes any cards that may drop or slide off the library. If a player drops their deck or has cards fall off the top that reveal the card's face then the entire deck must be reshuffled.

3.9 Sleeves

Players may use plastic card sleeves or other protective devices on cards. In fact, Battle Barn recommends players sleeve all cards in any deck to be played at a Battle Barn event to help prevent unwanted damage.

If a Player chooses to use card sleeves, all sleeves must be identical and all cards must be sleeved in an identical manner as to avoid any card from standing apart in the deck.

If the sleeves feature holograms or other markings aside from a solid color or identical pattern, cards must be inserted into the sleeves so these markings only appear on the faces of the cards. Sleeves that present any type of difference on the back of the cards that would allow a player to predict a card in their library or another hidden zone is not permitted.

During a match, a player may request that a judge inspect an opponent's card sleeves. The judge may disallow the card sleeves if found to be outside of the listed requirements or in poor enough condition that might interfere with gameplay (including shuffling). If a judge determines that a change of sleeves would take too much time, the judge may allow the current match to continue but require that player to remove all sleeves or replace the sleeves to conform to the stated rules before their next match. Failure to comply may result in a player being disqualified.

3.10 Marked Cards

Players are responsible for ensuring that their cards and sleeves are not marked during tournament play. A card or sleeve will be considered "marked" if it bears any marking, discoloration, damage, or any other form of distortion that would make it possible to identify the card without seeing its face.

Only the Head Judge has the ability to declare a card to be "marked". Floor Judges may believe a card to be marked but only the Head Judge is authorized to make that ruling.

If the Head Judge rules that a Player's sleeves provide a marking potential, the Head Judge can require a Player to remove their cards from the sleeves or that any "marked" sleeves be replaced before the next round of play.

3.11 Hidden Information

Hidden information refers to any condition to which a card's face cannot be seen by one or more players. This includes cards in the library, cards in an opponent's hand, cards exiled face down, or any other mechanic that would prevent a player from seeing a card's face.

However, players may not obscure their cards in a way that might suggest or encourage cheating. During all phases of gameplay, including shuffling, players are required to keep ALL cards on or above the table's edge. Players may not hold their cards in hand below the table out of the view of their opponents. Hidden just means that your opponents are not allowed to see the faces of the cards in your hand, not that they can't see your hand at all.

If a player is found hiding their cards in hand below the table's edge, a judge may issue a warning. Continued use of illegal action may result in all cards in hand being exiled from gameplay by a judge. If similar gameplay continues, that player may be subject to disqualification.

3.12 Tapped/Flipped Cards

Tapped cards must be turned at least 45 degrees (preferably 90 degrees) so that they are noticeably tapped to show in use.

Battle Barn leverages a chess-like set of rules regarding tapping of cards. As long as you have not removed your hand from a card, you may choose to reverse the decision to tap a card. However, if you tap a card for any reason and then remove your hand completely from that card, it must remain tapped until you are legally allowed to untap it.

3.13 Graveyard Order

Contrary to modern tournament rules, Players are not allowed to modify the order of cards in their graveyards. Because players may use cards from across the many sets released, some older cards specify graveyard removal order, i.e. "Remove the bottom card of target graveyard from the game." For the sake of fairness to all players, graveyards must remain in the order the cards were placed there.

Players caught reorganizing their graveyard without legal interaction will be required to shuffle their graveyard. If a Player is found to be reorganizing their graveyard after being warned are subject to disqualification and/or banned from future Battle Barn events.

3.14 Sideboards

Battle Barn events do not permit the use of Sideboards once tournament play has begun. Players may alter their decks prior to the start of the first round of play but once the first round begins, the deck they play that round must remain unmodified/unaltered for the duration of their participation in that event. Decks are not allowed to be edited during matches or between matches.

3.15 Authorized Cards

Each Battle Barn event announcement will specify which deck format and any special card rulings will be in effect. It is each Player's responsibility to be familiar with each event's legalities when it comes to what cards are authorized and which are not. Any questions regarding card legalities should be addressed with an event official before tournament play begins.

The general level of authorized cards is any card not from an "Un" set (Unglued, Unsanctioned, Unfinity, etc.). The exception to this rule is any card from the Unfinity series that was printed in a standard tournament legal format, oval hologram = legal while acorn hologram = illegal. This means players may use pretty much any card from 4th Edition up to the most recent set.

Playtest cards are not considered legal for any event unless explicitly stated in the event announcement.

4.1 Player Communication

Players are required to announce their plays, including what cards are being tapped for mana and any color(s) that card will produce if it can produce more than one (1) color or combination of colors. This is to ensure that all players in a match have the opportunity to know what is being played, generated, declared, etc. so that each player may have the ability to interact with each play appropriately. This also allows each player the opportunity to question if an action is legal and may require a judge's review.

If a card being played triggers an ability or contains an effect, the player playing that card is REQUIRED to announce all trigger(s) or ability(ies) to the table that will be activated they control. This includes triggers/abilities that target an opponent such as Path to Exile's ability that allows the targeted creature's owner the option to search their library for a basic land. It is not the targeted player's responsibility to know what each card played by their opponents do. It is the playing player's responsibility to communicate any interaction their actions allow.

If a player wishes to take an action during an opponent's turn, e.g. countering a spell, etc., that player must announce their intent at the time appropriate with the action. Players will not be allowed to take actions during an opponent's turn that targets an interaction that has already resolved. For example, a player may not choose to counter a spell after another spell has entered the stack. However, each player must allow opponent's the opportunity to respond, i.e. taking priority, to any action taken before taking a new action. For more information about Priority see section 4.2 Priority.

Players are allowed to communicate with each other in polite conversation during gameplay so long as it does not interfere with a player's action. Players are not obligated to help/instruct other players in gameplay strategy, rules, etc. It is the responsibility of each player to understand the rules defined for each tournament.

4.2 Out-of-Order Sequence Plays (OOSP)

Out-of-Order Sequence Plays (OOSP) are when players perform actions, triggers, effects in the wrong phase or in a different order than described on the cards in play. While Out-of-Order Sequence Plays are not recommended, players are not always perfect and may do things out of sequence by accident.

OOSP can be performed by a player as long as it does not result in an illegal sequence, i.e. attempting to take an action for a missed trigger at a later time or performing a trigger in a different phase/step of a turn and in doing so gains an unfair advantage over their opponent(s).

Players may ask opponents to do actions in the correct sequence to allow for responding at the appropriate time that may also affect later actions. If a player performs OOSP after being asked not to, a judge may be asked to intervene at which point no OOSP will be allowed and any player continuing to insist or attempt OOSP may be subject to penalty, disqualification, and/or ban from future events at the Head Judge's discretion.

4.3 Triggered Abilities

Players are expected to remember their own triggered abilities. If a player if believed to be intentionally ignoring one or more triggers to gain an advantage is considered cheating and may be subject to disqualification and/or banned from future events at the Head Judge's discretion. Players are NOT required to point out triggers that they do not control but can at their discretion.

A player's triggered ability is not taken during the point/phase/step where the triggered ability would have been expected consistent with the card's ruling, the ability is considered forgotten and may not be retroactively triggered, i.e. missed triggers are missed and cannot be done in a later sequence. Forgotten triggers do NOT go onto the stack for that turn.

4.4 Reversing Play/Takebacks

Once a player has committed to a play, that player may not "reverse" that decision. Players are not allowed "take-backs", "rollbacks", "do-overs", "resets", or any other euphemism. Once a player has taken their fingers off a card, declared an attacker, declared a blocker, targeted a creature or player with spell, that's it. Players are expected to consider their options "PRIOR TO" taking any action in a match.

If a player erroneously specifies an invalid target for a spell, i.e. tries to Lightning Bolt a creature with hexproof or some other form of protection, that player's spell "fizzles", has no impact on the targeted player, spell, or permanent, and is put into the controlling player's graveyard the same as if it were countered (unless the card or some other effect would put the card into a different state).

4.5 Day/Night Time

If a card/spell initiates the Day/Night state, that state is a global game state that must be tracked by all players, even if no objects in the game care about the current state. If any player finds that the state is currently wrong, it is the responsibility of that player to point out the invalid state. If the current state cannot be determined by players of a match and/or tournament judges, it is assumed that the current state is Night consistent with the official WotC ruleset.

5.1 Cheating

If anyone (player, spectator, staff) thinks a player is cheating (anything that might be considered out of compliance with the stated rules), that person may report their concerns to the Head Judge. Only the Head Judge can review any allegations of cheating and make the determination of it a player is in violation of the rules. The Head judge will apply any penalty at their discretion up to and including disqualification, loss of points, and/or future ban from events.

The Head Judge's decision is final. Since Battle Barn is not a DCI tournament, disqualifications are not eligible for DCI review.

5.2 Bribery

Players and spectators may not offer any incentives to other players that may influence their decision to drop, concede, or any other action that impedes fair play. This includes offering cash, cards, or other "gifts". All players should be able to play in any Battle Barn event without interference or pressure to perform less than their capability.

Any person found to be attempting to bribe a player or tournament official will be ejected from the event. If the offender is a player, that player will be automatically disqualified, any rewards and scoring achieved in the event will be forfeited, and that player may be banned from participating in future events at the Head Judge's discretion. If the offender is a spectator, that individual may be banned from attending future events as both a spectator and player.

5.3 Wagering/Betting

Players, spectators, and officials are prohibited from any form of wagering or betting on any portion (including the outcome) of a tournament or single match. Anyone found to be violating this rule will be automatically ejected from the current event and prohibited from participating in future events in any capacity.

5.4 Unsporting Conduct

Tournament participants must behave in a polite and respectful manner at all times. Unsporting conduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Excessive profanity (preferably players will refrain from ALL use of profanity though)
• Harassing, bullying, or stalking other players or tournament officials
• Acting belligerently toward or insulting tournament officials, players or spectators
• Violating the personal privacy or safety of any participant, including staff and spectators
• Using social media to bully, shame, or intimidate other players
• Failing to follow the instructions of a tournament official

5.5 Slow Play

All players must take their turns in a timely fashion regardless of the complexity of the play situation. Players must maintain a pace to allow a match to be completed within the specified time limit. Stalling is considered unacceptable and potentially a violation of rule 5.4 Unsporting Conduct. Players may ask a judge to watch their game for slow play; such a request will be granted if feasible.

5.6 Outside Assistance

Player may not seek or receive play advice from spectators during a match. Likewise, spectators may not give play advice to players during a match. Any player or spectator found to be violating this rule are subject to disqualification (players only), ejection from the current event, and/or banned from future events in any capacity.