Hi everyone, this article explains the ideas behind the REL Regular Event Certification (RegEC). Let’s dive right in!
What, and more importantly why is the RegEC?
If we look at the current 5 level system in very broad strokes, there’s a clear “path of improvement” through the levels as a tournament judge.
The L1 certifies that you are capable of running REL Regular events such as FNMs and similar. L2 adds REL Competitive Events, L3 adds working in teams, L4 adds leading teams…
This has worked well enough in the past, but as the judge programs changed, so did Magic events.
There have always been judges that enjoy and thrive in REL Regular events, with no interest in the competitive scene. And for some years now, REL Regular has become more and more important for large events, both as part of large events like MagicCons and as standalone events like Commandfests.
And both the past and the current level system do not represent the needs of these environments – knowledge of REL competitive is no longer a necessity to work some large events; And a judge that excels at the needs of a Command Fest but doesn’t enjoy working in competitive events is “stuck” with the Level 1 Certification.
This is where the RegEC comes in – a certification for judges with an interest to judge and specialize in large REL Regular events; The RegEC is a certification aimed primarily at Level 1 and Level 2 judges looking to judge at large REL Regular events. Holding at least the Level 1 certification is a prerequisite to be a candidate for the RegEC.
The RegEC is not a requirement for the Level 3, 4 or 5 certification, but a separate certification with a focus on REL Regular and Multiplayer outside of the numbered level structure.
Advancement Requirements and Explanations
The certification process is made up of four parts.
- Checklist: At medium-sized events with a dedicated REL Regular part the candidate
- has worked On Demand Events for at least 1 Day
- has worked Scheduled Events for at least 1 Day
- has worked at least one multiplayer event
- has headjudged a REL Regular event with at least 33 players and 3 rounds
- holds a current Level 1 or higher IJP Certification
When seeing that a judge is holding the RegEC, a judge manager staffing a large REL Regular event (portion) needs to be certain they are capable of meeting the demands of this. Having some first hand experience in the main aspects of these event types is irreplaceable, and thus required.
- Recommendation: The candidate has received a written recommendation from a L3+ or holder of the RegEC for at least 6 months, evaluating at minimum the following qualities and affirming that the candidate meets the skills required for the RegEC
- Can start ODEs and run Scheduled Events
- Is capable of maintaining professional customer service
- Is capable of and willing to find creative and good solutions for “in-game errors not mentioned above”
- Is capable of identifying significant information and communicates it to the correct people (i.e. Scorekeeper, Teamlead, Headjudge, Teammembers, TO)
- Understands how to prepare product and event space for non-standard events (e.g. Multiplayer-pods, Team Trios, Grand Melee)
- Can make clear, short and precise announcements suited for events in large spaces
Most of the required qualities of larger event judges are partially or entirely soft skills, which can not be tested properly in a written exam. As such, to make sure a candidate meets the demands of larger events and working as part of a judge team, the evaluation by a senior judge is used.
The recommendation does not need to be from a single event, and does not need to be extensive; The recommending judge should express how the candidate has met each of the requirements.
The recommending judge is encouraged to cooperate with other judges the candidate has worked with and to talk with the candidate where they require more information, not all requirements need to have been witnessed first hand by the recommending judge.
The recommendation needs to be entered into JudgeApps as a recommendation review.
- Written Exam: The candidate has passed the RegEC Exam, covering
- Multiplayer Rules (CR section 8)
- Commander Specific Rules (CR Section 903)
- Mechanics more prevalent in casual formats, such as e.g. Monarch or The Initiative
Large REL Regular events often have demands to a judges knowledge that go beyond the scope of the Level 1 Certification, in particular with regards to “weirder game forms” such as for example Grand Melee or Emperor with limited Range of Influence.
The Exam is open book, timed and non-proctored, but needs to be created for the candidate by a L3+, usually the interviewer for step 4. It contains 20 questions, with a 100 minute time limit and a passing grade of 80%.
In case of failing the written exam, it has a 3-month cooldown period, after which the candidate can re-attempt the exam.
- Advancement Interview: The Candidate has passed an advancement interview and subsequently received an advancement review from a L3+ Judge or holder of the RegEC certification for at least 6 months, covering the written exam and recommendation review
The Advancement Interview is the last step in obtaining the RegEC. It should cover the mistakes of the written exam and potentially points left unclear in the recommendation review; thus, the interviewer also checks on the quality of the recommendation and needs to be given a copy by the candidate.
The Judge holding the Advancement Interview should be different from the judge writing the recommendation review, and the recommendation review must be shared with the judge holding the Advancement Interview.
Both the Exam and the Advancement Interview can be held digitally, if that is preferred by the candidate and interviewer.
This is to ensure a more objective judgment of the candidate. Given circumstances where it is unrealistic for the judge holding the advancement review to be different from the recommending judge, as with everything else as usual, exceptions can be made and approved by the current Testing Manager of the RegEC.
Should the candidate fail the advancement interview, they can re-attempt the certification after a 3-month cooldown period, and needs to provide an updated recommendation addressing in particular the reasons for failing the interview. The updated recommendation can, but does not need to be, by the same judge as the original recommendation; similarly, the interview can, but does not need to, be held by the same judge as the original advancement interview.
Maintenance Requirements and Explanation
- Pass at least 3 of the annual set update quizzes each year
- Choose 1:
- Work at least 1 medium-sized event with a dedicated REL Regular part, in that part
- Work at least 6 REL Regular events
- Stay involved and engaged with the judge community
We expect members to keep up with changing rules, and to be active as a judge. No proof will be required of community involvement, but we encourage you to keep in touch and talk with your fellow judges to help improve the judge program together for all of us.
