A controversy erupted at the Pro Tour Modern Horizons 3 (MH3) when Bart Van Etten was disqualified for a game rule violation involving the card Nethergoyf. The incident took place during Round 13 in a feature match against Javier Dominguez and was caught on camera, going unnoticed by both commentators and many viewers initially.

The critical moment occurred in Game 3 when Dominguez's Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury targeted Van Etten’s Nethergoyf, intending to deal 3 damage to the 2/3 creature. Van Etten responded by casting Not Dead After All on Nethergoyf, which would place a Wicked role token on it upon its death. However, this interaction unintentionally pumped Nethergoyf’s toughness to 4 due to the third card type entering the graveyard, meaning Nethergoyf never actually died.

MTG's Official Statement:

“On turn three of Game 3, Dominguez played Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury to deal 3 damage to Van Etten’s Nethergoyf, which was a 2/3 creature (with two card types in Van Etten’s graveyard). In response, Van Etten played Not Dead After All targeting Nethergoyf, tapped it, and put a Wicked role token on it, indicating the Nethergoyf had died and been returned to the battlefield by the spell. However, Not Dead After All was in the graveyard as the third card type so Nethergoyf was a 3/4 creature when the Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury trigger resolved. Nethergoyf would not have died and, therefore, should not have received a Wicked role token.”

The issue was raised to tournament judges who investigated the situation. After interviewing both players, the judges concluded that Van Etten had intentionally violated the game rules. Consequently, Van Etten was disqualified from the tournament, awarding Dominguez the match win.

Explanation of the Violation

To break down the situation:

• Nethergoyf had three toughness initially.
  
• Dominguez’s Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury dealt 3 damage to it.
• Van Etten cast Not Dead After All, increasing Nethergoyf’s toughness to 4.
• Van Etten incorrectly placed a Wicked Role token on Nethergoyf, as it never died.

This type of interaction is common with cards like Nethergoyf and Tarmogoyf, where players must carefully track graveyard card types to determine toughness. In competitive play, such mistakes can lead to severe consequences, as seen in this case.

This incident highlights the importance of understanding and correctly applying game mechanics, especially at high-level tournaments. While this particular violation was deemed intentional, similar mistakes occur frequently at casual events. Players should be vigilant about interactions involving dynamic card attributes to avoid such errors.