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Level 1
Regular REL judge — rules & the game
Level 1 certifies you to run and judge events at Regular Rules Enforcement Level — Friday Night Magic, prereleases, casual store events — and to act as a floor judge at higher-REL events. The focus is a solid command of the game rules and the judge philosophy of keeping games fun, fair, and educational.
Before this level: You should be a comfortable, experienced player who knows how to play a full game of Magic. No prior judging is required.
lessons + exam
Lessons
Read a lesson, then pass its ruling test to complete it. Clear all 8 to unlock the level exam.
1 Judging Foundations & Rules Enforcement Levels
What a judge is for, the two RELs, and how you fix problems at Regular REL. 8 min Not done 2 Turn Structure, Priority & the Stack
Phases and steps, who acts when (priority), and how spells and abilities resolve. 12 min Not done 3 Casting Spells, Activating Abilities & the Golden Rules
The steps of casting, the difference between spells and abilities, and the golden rules of Magic. 11 min Not done 4 Combat
Attackers and blockers, the combat damage step, and the most common combat keywords. 12 min Not done 5 State-Based Actions & the Rest of the Keywords
The automatic checks that keep the game legal, plus more keywords you'll see constantly. 10 min Not done 6 Zones & Moving Cards Between Them
The seven zones, owner vs. controller, and what happens when a card changes zones. 11 min Not done 7 Starting the Game & the London Mulligan
Deciding who goes first, opening hands, the London mulligan, and losing to an empty library. 9 min Not done 8 Everyday Interactions & Common Rulings
Damage vs. life loss, counters, tapping, protection, regeneration, and lifelink. 12 min Not done
What a judge is for, the two RELs, and how you fix problems at Regular REL. 8 min Not done 2 Turn Structure, Priority & the Stack
Phases and steps, who acts when (priority), and how spells and abilities resolve. 12 min Not done 3 Casting Spells, Activating Abilities & the Golden Rules
The steps of casting, the difference between spells and abilities, and the golden rules of Magic. 11 min Not done 4 Combat
Attackers and blockers, the combat damage step, and the most common combat keywords. 12 min Not done 5 State-Based Actions & the Rest of the Keywords
The automatic checks that keep the game legal, plus more keywords you'll see constantly. 10 min Not done 6 Zones & Moving Cards Between Them
The seven zones, owner vs. controller, and what happens when a card changes zones. 11 min Not done 7 Starting the Game & the London Mulligan
Deciding who goes first, opening hands, the London mulligan, and losing to an empty library. 9 min Not done 8 Everyday Interactions & Common Rulings
Damage vs. life loss, counters, tapping, protection, regeneration, and lifelink. 12 min Not done
Level exam
★ Level 1 Final Exam
18 cumulative ruling questions drawn from every lesson in this level. Locked
18 cumulative ruling questions drawn from every lesson in this level. Locked
Pass all 8 lesson tests to unlock the final exam.
Take the Level 1 final exam →🎯 Training Room
Non-stop randomized situations from all of Level 1. Great warm-up or drill.