Penalty guidelines not found in the official list

[votalesin]

I was asked to make a ruling at a league the other day involving forgetting to take an action. Many of the younger players forget to draw their cards at the beginning of their turns. It isn't once or twice, it is usually until they play their last card, then realize they have not drawn for 6-7 turns in a row.

Drawing an extra is game-play error: minor so would forgetting to draw be the same?

I have found that cards like copycat, and any pokemon that knows "pull away" as an attack are not used much due to the small hand size of these players.

My decision, since it was just league, was this:
If the player has taken ANY action, then realizes that they forgot to draw, their turn ends immediately.

It's harsh, but the players began to remember very quickly. Again, in the event that this happens at an event, what would be the appropriate penalty to give?

 

[bulbasnore]

Hi, interesting question.

Don't use penalty guidelines at league. League is a place for teaching, having fun. Better to try giving an extra stamp for going a whole game without forgetting to draw. Or for catching your opponent forgetting twice!

I would start it at game play error minor, in a tourney. You can escalate from there if it gives that player a significant advantage (you mention pull away, but also consider playing vs Rhyperior).

Forgetting throughout a tourney match could confuse the game state enough to escalate through prize penalty to a game loss.

Remember, drawing is a MANDATORY action. If they just forgot last turn, or at the beginning of the turn, they have to draw the card. Again, it it leads to a confused or unfixable game state it can escalate to a major or severe error.

Also the player who let this happen with his opponent gets a caution or warning.

The penalty "your turn ends" is not one of the penalty choices, by the way, and likely wouldn't be allowed at a Premiere event. If you have to escalate a penalty, choose one of the existing penalties.

Hope that helps.