since we're clarifiing-

jedispyder brought a detail up I may be missing (Help Me Please )
this activation restriction happens:
at EACH NEW Iniatiative check?
or
Just at the Beginning of the Skimish...?

whoa...

so maybe Ol Tarken does see a little more play....

The rules now say "On the first phase of the round", so I assumed it was every round. It would be a silly, almost meaningless change if it only applied on the very first round of the game. That one is never really a concern unless you did something ridiculously silly while setting up your pieces. In which case, you probably deserve to lose anyways.

well

Not know ing a lot about the DDM game play
I wasn't sure, after all, because this was something BLATENTLY taken from the DDM game as a means to "Balance" their game...





But look at where they are now...

No offense, but as sure as you say that, someone will bring it to GenCon. Hell there were people at GenCon 08 who didn't know what Gambit was.

And I won't even get started over here about the init rule not being in the rulebook, (although I do think it was a good change). I have already said all that I have to say on the subject on WotC, and specifically there because my comment was directed primarily at Rob.

True enough, but if you're coming to a DCI competition at someplace like GenCon, then it's your responsibility as the player to know the official rules that are being used in the competition. Quite a few games have specific rules for what you can and can't do in the competitive games. People who play MTG know that certain cards are banned in competitive play, but people can still use those in casual play whenever they want. To top it off, it kills me every time people worry about the one guy who will show up to GenCon and not know the rules and will want to make a fuss about it. Honestly, if you show up to GenCon and you don't know all the correct rules, there's no way you are going to do well in the competitive games anyways.

As for the Ossus/Korriban issue. That's sort of why I don't like the way the Floor Rules are currently written. It would be better to just have a list that says "These are the only maps that are legal for DCI tournaments". Shouldn't even need a list of maps that are not legal. If it isn't on the 'legal' list, well, then it should be obvious. Otherwise, there's no difference between someone trying to use Ossus, or someone trying to use a custom map, since the Floor Rules don't address those either.

I agree it is the player's responsibility but it doesn't make it any less of a headache for judges at GenCon who have to try to politely explain that to the angry person who didn't take the time to find out on his or her own. (Speaking from personal experience.) It also ruins the experience for other players, and not just at tournaments, when arguments break out about what rules are in effect.

Really what it comes down to for me is this is an UNNECESSARY layer of headache that could have been very easily avoided by putting the extra info in the rulebook. Even a link to the webpage for floor rules would have been something.

Its funny they think they need to reprint Stormtrooper and Nikto Soldier umpteen times, but create an easily avoidable complication in the rules structure.

Did their use to be a list of what maps were legal on here somewhere. Not that it is a really big deal or anything.

if you look at the DCI floor rules, towards the end
there is usually an Appendex/Addendum of what exactly was changed.
From what item to what new item...
you could look there

Dean or Lobo may be able to tell you as well...

Not sure what you're asking about, Jeff.

In the Archives here, in the Supplements section, there is a thread with all of the WOTC maps, and it is shown in there which maps are legal for which DCI point levels.

Also, I put up a thread in the General section a week or so ago, sort of going over the history of WOTC's official maps, and it talks about when the different ones became DCI legal.

If what you're looking for isn't in one of those places, then you'll have to clarify your question.