These guidelines are designed to give direction to Level Three+ judges who wish to submit a detailed evaluation on a level 2 DCI-certified judge for the purpose of their upcoming interview for advancement. Further, these guidelines will serve as a resource for current judges who wish to seek advancement to level three.

Level 3s are Regional judges who are the leaders of premiere organized play and the judge communities in key regions of the world. They generally operate in large areas, Provinces, and countries. They are often their regional-leaders, respected in their community. They mentor level 1s and level 2s in becoming better judges. Level 3 judges are expected to have a presence in their community and on the web, conduct judge reviews, be team leaders at major events, and provide feedback on judges to the DCI.

A Regional Judge requires more than knowledge of policy and rules. It requires demonstrating leadership, teamwork, community respect, commitment, availability, and understanding the philosophy of the DCI Judge Program. Just knowing the rules is not enough, though very important – how to apply them and when is often more important. A Regional judge is an ambassador of the DCI who works closely with their area office and the Worldwide judge manager. Regional judges are consulted on the judge program and its policies. They can be tasked to write articles, reports, reviews, and other documents for use in developing the judge program. In addition they are tasked with developing the local DCI gaming community, both by educating players, developing the judge program and encouraging organized sanctioned play in cooperation with the retail stores, game clubs, etc….

Testing for level 3 is a different experience than other level advancement tests. Because of the role and authority a level 3 has, the written test is used simply to benchmark a candidate as to whether they are eligible to be interviewed. The interview process plays a far more important role and consists of questions from a panel, roleplaying situations, and evaluation of a candidate’s reactions and philosophy. More than half those that test their first time for level 3, fail – mainly on the interview portion (and mostly from lack of experience with events in other regions or judging styles). A Level 5 (Professional), or multiple level 4 (International) judges are required to test Regional judges.

Among the most important duties of an expert-level judge are the education and training of judges with whom he or she works. In regard to a level 2 judge you are evaluating, this means that you must be able and willing to identify the potential candidate's strengths and weaknesses. If you are going to recommend the candidate, you should share with him or her the letter you mean to submit to the DCI worldwide judge certification manager. The best evaluations detail both strengths and weaknesses and demonstrate your familiarity with the candidate. You should be very specific with your examples. This discussion should include counsel on specific steps the candidate should take in order to prepare for advancement.

All evaluation for DCI judge certification advancement to level 3 or higher must be submitted in to the Judge Center (www.dciexam.com). This applies to judges living in regions that report to a DCI judge coordinator in a local or regional office outside the United States. Qualifications that a candidate for level 3 judge advancement should have follow.

• A level 3 candidate should be competent to run a Pro Tour Qualifier anywhere in the world. This entails skills and knowledge appropriate to head judge a DCI-sanctioned event at rules enforcement level 3. For this, a full understanding of the DCI Penalty Guidelines, Universal Tournament Rules, and Magic: The Gathering Floor Rules is necessary.
• A level 3 candidate should have expert-level rules knowledge. This entails familiarity with Magic card templating and current knowledge of Magic rules team rulings. Strong literacy in English is essential for this, and the level 3 judge written exam is administered only in English. This guideline also necessitates regular and consistent access to the online resources available from the DCI.
• A level 3 candidate is foremost a mentor of other judges. They must demonstrate the ability to explain rules and policies to others in a variety of means and ways. They must be good at evaluating other judge’s strengths and weaknesses with clear examples.
• A level 3 candidate must understand the philosophy behind the Penalty Guidelines; why infractions are awarded certain penalties and when discretion can be used and where it should not.
• A level 3 candidate should understand the Magic: The Gathering tournament structure as established by the DCI. This includes the ability to explain sanctioning procedures, the variable K-value ratings system, how invitations are extended over various levels of events, and the appeals process.
• A level 3 candidate should be a respected member of his or her Magic community. This means that players who have had experience with the candidate should recognize him or her as a fair and firm arbiter of disputes. Players and judges should also see the candidate as an expert to consult in all manner of Magic questions, ranging from game rules to policy matters.
• A level 3 candidate should be a diplomat and an ambassador. This means that he or she should represent the DCI and Magic: The Gathering organized play in a positive manner that encourages participants to continue and increase their involvement in the game. The candidate should also demonstrate clarity and succinctness when making rulings.