Level One Rules and Policy Exam Study Guide

Intro

The Level One exam consists of twenty-five questions. Twenty of these questions will test candidates’ rules knowledge, five will test their knowledge of policy, specifically the JAR and the MTR. The exam is closed-book and untimed. Candidates need a score of 70% or greater to pass the exam. If a candidate fails, they may retake the exam after a waiting period of 45 days, during which they’re expected to review the rules and policy outlined in this study guide so they’ll succeed on their second attempt.

This study guide gives candidates an idea of what to know going into the test. Every rule listed here may not be tested on every candidate’s exam, but we do expect Level One Judges to be generally familiar with these rules. 

For each question, candidates should select the answer they believe best answers the question. Some questions ask candidates to “select all that apply” – we recommend candidates circle or highlight this instruction so they don’t forget to do so when they fill in the answer sheet.

Note: Some of the rules citation links on this page may be currently out of date. This is being worked on, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Rules

• Game Concepts (CR 100)
  • Play/Draw Rule (CR 103.8a)
  • Timing and Priority (CR 117)
• Parts of a Card (CR 200)
  • Mana Value of Spells and Permanents (CR 202.3)
• Card Types (CR 300)
  • Creature Summoning Sickness (CR 302.6)
• Zones (CR 400)
  • General (CR 400)
  • Library (CR 401)
  • Hand (CR 402)
  • Battlefield (CR 403)
  • Graveyard (CR 404)
  • Stack (CR 405)
  • Exile (CR 406)
  • Command (CR 408)
• Turn Structure (CR 500)
  • The Beginning Phase (CR 501)
    • Untap Step (CR 502)
    • Upkeep Step (CR 503)
    • Draw Step (CR 504)
  • Main Phase (CR 505)
  • Combat Phase (CR 506)
    • Beginning of Combat Step (CR 507)
    • Declare Attackers Step (CR 508)
    • Declare Blockers Step (CR 509)
    • Combat Damage Step (CR 510)
    • End of Combat Step (CR 511)
  • Ending Phase (CR 512)
    • End Step (CR 513)
    • Cleanup Step (CR 514)
• Spells, Abilities, and Effects (CR 600)
  • Casting spells (CR 601)
  • Activating Abilities (CR 602)
  • Triggered abilities (CR 603)
  • Mana Abilities (CR 605)
  • Resolving Spells and Abilities (CR 608)
  • One-Shot Effects (CR 610)
  • Continuous Effects (CR 611)
    • Layer 7: Power and Toughness Changing Effects (CR 613.4)
  • Replacement Effects (CR 614)
• Additional Rules (CR 700)
  • Keyword Actions (CR 701)
    • Focus on the ones that happen in a normal or commander game (no archenemy).
  • Keyword Abilities (CR 702)
    • Focus on evergreen and deciduous keywords and ones in standard.
  • Turn-Based Actions (CR 703)
    • Focus on the ones that happen in a normal game (no archenemy or attractions).
  • State-Based Actions (CR 704)
    • Focus on the ones that happen in a normal game, a two headed giant game, or a commander game.
  • Sagas (CR 714)
  • Prototype Cards (CR 718)
• Multiplayer Rules (CR 800)
  • Focus on Commander and Two-Headed Giant.
• Casual Variants (CR 900)
  • Commander (CR 903)

Policy

• Judging at Regular Rules Enforcement Level (JAR)
  • Intro
  • Common Issues
  • General Unwanted Behaviors
  • Serious Problems
• Magic: the Gathering Tournament Rules (MTR)
  • 1. Tournament Fundamentals
    • 1.1 Tournament Types
    • 1.3 Tournament Roles
    • 1.6 Tournament Organizer
    • 1.7 Head Judge
    • 1.8 Floor Judge
    • 1.9 Scorekeeper
    • 1.10 Players
    • 1.11 Spectators
    • 1.12 Rules Enforcement Levels
  • 2. Tournament Mechanics
    • 2.1 Match Structure
    • 2.2 Play/Draw Rule
    • 2.3 Pregame Procedures
    • 2.4 End of Match Procedures
    • 2.5 Conceding or Intentionally Drawing Games or Matches
    • 2.10 Dropping from a Tournament
    • 2.11 Taking Notes
    • 2.12 Electronic Devices
  • 3. Tournament Rules
    • 3.2 Format Categories
    • 3.5 Substitute Cards
    • 3.6 Card Identification and Interpretation
    • 3.8 Game Markers
    • 3.10 Card Shuffling
    • 3.11 Sleeves
    • 3.12 Marked Cards
    • 3.13 Hidden Information
    • 3.14 Tapped/Flipped Cards
    • 3.16 Sideboard
  • 4. Communication
    • 4.1 Player Communication
    • 4.2 Tournament Shortcuts
    • 4.3 Out of Order Sequencing
    • 4.5 Triggered Abilities
    • 4.6 Team/Two-Headed Giant Communication
  • 6. Constructed Tournament Rules
    • 6.1 Deck Construction Restrictions
    • 6.2 Card Legality
  • 7. Limited Tournament Rules
    • 7.1 Deck Construction Restrictions
    • 7.2 Card Use in Limited Tournaments
    • 7.3 Continuous Construction
    • 7.4 Abnormal Product
    • 7.6 Draft Pod Assembly
    • 7.7 Booster Draft Procedures
  • 9. Two-Headed Giant Tournament Rules
    • 9.1 Match Structure
    • 9.2 Communication Rules
    • 9.3 Play-Draw Rule
    • 9.4 Pregame Procedure
    • 9.5 Two-Headed Giant Constructed Rules
    • 9.6 Two-Headed Giant Limited Rules
    • 9.7 Two-Headed Giant Booster Draft Tournaments
  • 10. Sanctioning Rules
    • 10.1 Participation Minimums
    • 10.2 Number of Rounds
  • Appendix B
  • Appendix E

Questions or comments? Contact us at StudyGuides@JudgeFoundry.org.