I posted this on the wrong forum, so I'm posting it in the right one.

The other day I had Apocalypse and attacked with it, forgetting to destroy "up to two resources" from my opponent. I noticed before resolving combat and before my opponent playing plot twists, but he didn't let me "rewind back" to correct the situation. He claimed that, since its "up to two resources", that compulsory ability had been used already with "0 resources".

I ended up losing that game because of that. I was wondering if he was right, or if a real judge would have ruled in my favor, allowing me to destroy the resources. I'm hoping here that forgetting to use a compulsory ability is not the same as chosing the most convenient option of that ability for my opponent.

Thanks in advance.

This is a tricky situation and it really doesn't have a "right" ruling. It really comes down to the fact that Apocalypse's ability is not mandatory, and in fact you can choose not to do it. Because of this, some judges (like myself) say that onces its effect is triggered, if you do not use it, it is too late to rewind and do it again.

This is different from Game effects that are mandatory and would require a reverse in game state in order to at least attempt to fix.

However, there is a debate about whether or not this is the right way to play this, and some judges have been more lax about Apoc's ruling, allowing players to go back and use Apoc.

I don't agree with this call really (since as I stated above, Apoc's effect isn't a mandatory one), however, I have known it to happen.

I believe the rational behind how that rulings came about is that:

Apocalypse's effect *is* madatory. At the start of the combat phase, it is added to the chain, and must resolve.

If the game state can be preserved by allowing the effect to resolve, it will. Choices should not be made 'by default' for a player because they forgot to resolve an effect.

If no resources have been revealed, and/or plot twists played where their threshold would not have been met, then allowing Apoc to resolve does not change how the game state would have been.

If they have, then the judge could instead rule not to allow Apoc's effect resolve, rather than to 'choose none' for the player. Both players will get a warning for failing to resolve a madatory effect.

Regardless, yes, this is a tricky situation - if nothing else, this incident should help you remember to resolve Apoc's effect in future.

Either way, both players would receive a warning for sloppy play.

I dont think its the judges who are lax when it comes to allowing the game to rewind, it is because it is the judge's duty to preserve the game state or repair the game state where possible.

By allowing a rewind and resolving Apoc's effect, you are indeed maintaining a proper game state rather than assuming on behalf of the Apoc's controller.

On a related question, can I play Gamma Bomb before Apcalypse effect resolves?

Yes. There is a point of priority in the combat phase after triggered effects have been added to the chain.