So basically the new Sphinx is unplayable at your venue

Very glad this would get you DQ'd at every venue I play at.

I think the reason you're getting such negative feedback is because many people feel this is part of the fun of the game. They only show you one click at a time for a reason. Even if you have memorized a thousand dials, the idea is you're not always sure. Sometimes you're going to get it wrong and leave someone on their best spot. A few people have made a very good argument about an hour knowing in advance ruins a good number of dials. Anyone with a stop click, for instance.

I read through this entire thread and I don't think anyone was being extremely harsh. Most are just shocked & alarmed that some people would play the game like this. It clearly states in the Comprehensive tournament rules; page 4, section 1.2.13; that this is cheating. I'd cut n past but PDF's reader isn't working right now.
but here is a link...
Comprehensive tournament rules

I'm of two minds here. On the one hand, if this approach produces satisfying results for the original poster and his friends, who am I to say they shouldn't do it? On the other hand, I wouldn't want to play in an environment where looking up dials was allowed, because not being 100% certain of what's coming next seems like part of the fun to me. Maybe the original poster should suggest more sealed games: I usually find that sealed tends to level the playing field a bit, since experienced players and novices alike are bound by the luck of their pulls, and oftentimes players end up using figures that they don't know as well.

Unfortunately a moderator did not respect my wish to close the thread and reopened it.

I play casually, will most likely not do tournaments, and do not like the assumption that I am a cheater at a place we all agreed to the rules at.

We have the most fun this way its as simple as that.

I would like the thread to be closed for good this time. I wont be asking questions here again.

No one is accusing you of being a cheater!

We are all just trying to make sure you are aware now that most venues don't allow that practice so you don't feel entitled to looking up dials, show up at another venue, get DQ'ed, and then get irate over the fact they did that when you were just trying to play how you always do! We are trying to educate you and with that knowledge protect you from very realistic future issues.

Don't give up on the community! Or, at least if you do, don't stop asking questions. Try posting future questions at http://wizkidseventsystem.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=3

I second AB's comments. Also, 2 things:

1) I believe they usually keep threads open in case someone has a related question when reading this thread (i.e. I was under the impression you couldn't use any electronic devices at all once the tournament began?). It helps to keep the boards less cluttered.

2) While they weren't very diplomatic about it, you shouldn't feel personally attacked by anything anyone said. It's just that your rules diminish one of the most interesting and exhilarating aspects of the game, which is "chance". Many venues have many different "house rules" to manipulate the game so that it is more enjoyable for their patrons, but normally these house rules do not change core mechanics of the game. A new player coming to your venue would be similar to a Magic player going to a new venue where the house rule is everyone plays with their hand face up on the table.

You guys forgot a couple of other reasons for pointing out that the practice is considered cheating.

1) More people than just the OP read the threads on here.

People are wanting to make it very clear to anyone reading this thread that your method is not the official way of doing this.

They want to make sure that it is perfectly clear in this thread that your venue's method is outside of the standard rules AND that such practices when using the official rules are considered cheating.

It isn't saying that you are cheating.

2) Simply put, you asked...
The answers to those first three q's are that by the official rules you cannot do so, and that doing so is considered to be cheating.

As others have said, anything on the dial not showing through the current stat slot is considered hidden information. You can look at the current click on any figure. Because the dials are considered hidden information, you cannot look up dials for figures during a game, whether they are for your own figures or your opponent's figures.

You can look at cards freely, though it is polite to ask before snatching your opponents card.

As Harpua mentioned just above me, this is a forum many people use to help understand the rules of the game. It is important we let you know that while you are free to do as you choose at your own venue, any type of method to track or look up dials during a game is expressly forbidden within the rules of Heroclix. This isn't to force you to reconsider your stance, but to make sure other users here on the forum understand you and your group are intentionally choosing to implement a house rule, one that adjusts a pretty core aspect to the gameplay.

I don't see much harshness above. No one called you a cheater, they said that the method you and your friends are choosing to play the game would be considered cheating at a vast majority of other venues. If its a rule you are allowing at your games, then by default it cannot be considered cheating.

We try not to close threads in the rules forum as it prevents follow up or peripheral questions from being asked.

I would also strongly encourage you to come back and ask questions, but keep two things in mind for some perspective:

First, this place is a resource many people use to better understand the game, so there is a very strong bias towards the official stance on things.

Second, because of that bias, house rules are not really encouraged. When house rules are discussed, great effort will be made to make sure they are identified as such.


No one was trying to attack you here. It was simply shock in response to your stance on a very core mechanic of the game.

Everyone keeps throwing out "core mechanic of the game". Maybe it's just me, but I do not see this as a core mechanic. It isn't even addressed in the RB, it's in the CTR! Core mechanics are adressed in the core rulebook. Periphery rules that enable a tournament to run smoothly are covered in the Comprehensive Tournament Rules. The CTR even blatantly states it is just a guideline of what Wizkids uses to give venues some perspective. This one is actually a very minor house rule compared to others.

So I'm not allowed to look up dials and if my figure has click numbers before the game, but I'm allowed to look up my opponent's dials during the game

The dial is a core mechanic of the game, and the rulebook tells you that you can only click it when the game instructs you to do so. If this doesn't imply to you that you are not supposed to look ahead or back on a dial, I don't know what would (aside from strictly spelling it out like the tournament rules do.

No, if playing in a tournament using the CTR, you would not be allowed to look up any dials or click numbers before or during a game. If not playing at a venue that utilizes the CTR, go to town looking up dials. The presumption is the average venue follows the CTR, but not all do.

Please cite this rule. It isn't explicitly spelled out, but I certainly see why you might imply it is there. The fact the CTR spells it out leads me at least to believe the issue is considered to not be resolved by the core rulebook.

Rulebook Page 5: