I'm not sure if this is the best forum for this, but I think it will get the best attention here none the less. I've been to a few different tournament in New York and Pa. and I must say that I am completely annoyed with the Judges. I can understand that judges have the final say in matters, that is what they do. But I think they should at least know the game. A good example about what I'm talking about is on this thread;
http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/showth...threadid=54581
In a few instances they've changed the rules so much, literally its a new game system almost. House rules are fine but this is ridiculous. I know they easies way to become a judge is the "silver spoon method", you own a gaming shop you can automatically be a judge. And the other method is that you go to 6 or so tournaments to train. The problem is that some of the people that own stores, know absolutely nothing about the game and refuse the ask wizkids or other sites questions. Then these people train other people "incorrectly" how to lay the game. I would go into further detail, but I don't wont to point fingers. And I'm definitely not speaking for all judges.

I just think that they should be a more in depth way of making someone a judge. There should be a test, and I think that before they become a judge they should be required to go to a GenCon tournament and learn from those judges. I know the travel might be a little hard, but if there serious about becoming a judge they will find a way there.

A long story short the judges need to make changes because there are a lot of people that I know that are refusing to play in tournaments. Not because they don't want to, but because the judges no little to nothing about the game and apparently they threw the rule book out.

There may be a testing method in the works. The WK envoy guidelines mention something along those lines.

I can't promise that I'm accurate in my statement. But you can hope.

Testing on rules knowledge is good.

Having to go to a major con? Forget it.

I'm not a HeroClix judge, but I was a TD for Decipher for 3 years. I've never been able to afford to go to any cons outside Colorado. If they'd had that requirement, the result would have been no Star Trek tournaments in Colorado for half a year.

There are no specifics regarding any possible testing.

At the one place I go to for tournaments, the judge doesn't show up half the time. If there is a problem, we need to figure it out. Some judge, eh?

Although it help once. I was hired at this particular place, and the judge didn't show up for a Marquee. The other guy working there said "Well, I don't play this game, so I guess that makes you the judge." So, I got Green Arrow LE!

i just went to my first tournament the other day, and i just asked the judge to make me a copy of the official faq from the wizkids web site. just so i can be familiar with alot of the loopholes and what not. that is the best advice i could give you, i would priint out the entire faq myself, but my computer is slow and ####py.

cheers

The judge at our venue is really good. Never had a single complaint. Good guy. I'd sign up to be a judge myself, but i enjoy playing too much.

Ugh.

I don't know any Judges myself (I live in a remote Canadian town with no tournaments yet), it seems like there are alot of incompetent judges. I mean, a simple run through the rulebook and the FAQ should settle most of these disputes, but it seems that Judges just don't seem to bother with such trivial things...

Well for the most part it seems that they see the rules and then twist them to fit there own needs, or they just can't comprehend them. Either way it makes tournaments not worth playing

i think one of the main problems is that some good judges are way too nice and they sponsor almost anyone who wants to be a judge... and most of the times these people are either underhanded and corrupt or just don't know the rules well enough to judge.

there are two types of judges:
1) a judge who enjoys being a judge, the game itself and putting on tournaments for other people.
2) a judge who only wants the benefits and is disinterested in actually judging.

sadly, 2's are abundant... but 1's are what makes this game great.

i personally know about a group of judges that are all friends and judge EVERYTHING that has to do with wizkids games (mageknight, mech, heroclix), yet they don't know many of the rules... i think they even like it when fewer people come to their events so they can get their judging benefits and get their job over quickly.

i think the best way to solve the judge problem is for the current judges to more strict in sponsoring other judges... actually make sure the guy is good for the game. already in our area we have more judges than venues anyways!