Paldea Pro League Rules

You can find additional rules and guidelines in our Discord channel, specifically in the Q&A section.
Feel free to consult it for any clarifications or further details regarding the tournament.

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Decklist Submission

Decklists must be submitted through Limitless! Only the decklist you submit can be used during the tournament, and it will be your official deck for all games.

Note: If you notice your opponent using a different decklist, please contact a judge immediately.

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Tournament Check-in

Check-in begins one hour before the tournament start time. Players who fail to check in will be dropped from the tournament.

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Round Check-in

• Players have 5 minutes to check in at the start of each round.
• Only check in when you are ready to play.
• If your opponent does not connect within the 5-minute check-in window, you win by default. However, the match can be reset only if the player who wins by default agrees to reset the match.

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Swiss Rounds

Swiss rounds are Best-of-3 (BO3) matches lasting 40 minutes, with 5 minutes allocated for check-in at the start of each round.

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Top Cut Matches

• Top matches must be visible. Create rooms on Discord where a judge or organizer will join. (you can find a guide on our Discord channel)
• If you'd like to be featured live during Swiss rounds, set up a room, and the organizer will join after each round.

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Ties

• Matches can result in ties, worth one point each.
• If a round timer (40 minutes) concludes before a BO3 finishes, the match will automatically be a tie.

  Important: If the BO3 finishes on time but results cannot be submitted quickly: Call a judge immediately before the match ends, otherwise the match will be considered a tie even if it finishes within one minute after the time limit. If additional minutes are allowed in the tournament, this will be communicated through our Discord channel.

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Connection Issues & Turn 0 Situations

Connection Issues

• If connection issues occur before the game starts, try to reconnect.
• If the issue occurs mid-game, the player with the Victory Screen wins.
• Always take a timestamped screenshot of your victory screen for dispute resolution.

Turn 0 Situations

• Bug: If the screen shows "Empty history", a bug has occurred. Neither player wins. Report the issue to the staff and upload a screenshot to the #judge-screenshots channel.
• Intentional Forfeit: If your opponent forfeits intentionally, the screen will show "Match forfeited." You win automatically. Take a screenshot and upload it to the #judge-screenshots channel for confirmation.

For more detailed guidance, visit the Q&A section on our Discord server.

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Streaming

Players are allowed to stream their matches, but:

• Enable a delay to prevent unfair advantages.
• Using stream information, such as seeing an opponent’s hand or receiving external advice, is strictly prohibited.
• Proven stream sniping will result in immediate disqualification.

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Conduct and Rule Violations

Breaking rules, exploiting game bugs, or engaging in harassment or inappropriate behavior will result in penalties or disqualification.
Guidelines:

• Be respectful and polite to players and judges.
• Comply with judge instructions to avoid sanctions.

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Name Errors

This rule prevents abuse of late claims and discourages toxic behavior. It ensures fairness by avoiding disputes meant to unfairly influence the tournament's outcome.

• A win by default due to an incorrect name must be claimed within the first turns of the game.
• If the match has already ended, a win by default cannot be claimed (applies to both BO1 and BO3).
• If the error is noticed starting from Game 2, no action will be taken.

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Tournament Discord

Join the Discord for updates.

• If requested to stream your match during the Top 16 rounds, you must have Discord available for streaming.

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Day 2 Schedule

Day 2 is preferred for longer tournaments. The schedule will be communicated on Discord if applicable.

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Contacting Judges

Judges are available through Limitless or public Discord channels.

Avoid private messages for tournament-related queries.

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Number of Rounds and Top Cut

The number of rounds will depend on the number of participants that check in and submit a decklist. Below are the details:

• 4-8 players: 3 Swiss Rounds, no Top Cut
• 9-16 players: 4 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut
• 17-32 players: 6 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut
• 33-64 players: 7 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut
• 65-128 players: 6 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut
• 129-256 players: 7 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut
• 257-512 players: 8 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut
• 513-1024 players: 9 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut
• 1025-2048 players: 10 Swiss Rounds, Top Asymmetrical Cut

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Socials

Stay connected and up to date! Make sure you join the Discord to receive updates and know when rounds begin.

• The Discord
• The Stream
• Pocket Winds Socials

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Victory

What You're Playing For...

Currently, winners will receive a special role on Discord to recognize their achievement in the tournament.

• 1st Place: Exclusive Champion Role

Note: Depending on how the tournament evolves, additional prizes may be introduced in future editions. Stay tuned for updates!

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