Pokemon Proxy

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Proxy card - Wikipedia

Proxy card – Wikipedia

A proxy card is an easily acquired or home-made substitute for a collectible card. A proxy is used when a collectible card game player does not own a card, and it would be impractical for such purposes to acquire the card. This usually occurs when a player desires a card that is cost-prohibitive, or is “playtesting” with many possible cards. When doing intensive training for a competitive tournament, it often makes more sense to use proxy cards while figuring out which cards will be brought to the tournament. Another card is substituted and serves the same function during gameplay as the actual card would.
A proxy can also be used in cases where a player owns a very valuable card, but does not wish to damage it by using it in actual play.
Common use of proxies[edit]
Proxy cards can be used in various situations. The rules and restrictions are object of common agreement, or a given policy, and may differ from the above-mentioned “fair play requirements”.
In casual games, the players may agree on a common policy of how to deal with proxy cards. This allows to play a higher variation of card combinations and strategies, while keeping a limit on the expenses.
In tournaments, the organizer may permit a limited number of proxy cards, and define rules about how these cards must look. This policy has become especially popular in games or formats where some vital cards are far too expensive, such as the vintage format in Magic: The Gathering. [1]
For playtesting. Proxy cards allow a player to test new cards, before they decide to actually buy or trade for them.
In card prototyping. Card developers in companies like Wizards of the Coast use proxies to playtest their ideas for new cards before they are printed. [2]
Some players create cards based on their own ideas for card themes and mechanics. In this case, however, the term “proxy” may no longer be applicable, as these cannot be considered substitutes for existing objects.
An extreme form of copying original cards is forgery of expensive cards, which is again outside the “proxy” category.
Famous cards that are often proxied are the so-called power nine in Magic: The Gathering, which are considered totally out of balance in gameplay, while being unaffordable for the average player, due to their rarity and enormous price on the secondary market.
Rules when playing with proxy cards[edit]
Players who do not trust each other blindly will usually agree on common rules, defining which kind and number of proxies, if any, is allowed for each player. These rules may vary drastically depending on the participants and the occasion. However, some restrictions are implied naturally by common sense and plain physics.
Indistinguishable on the back[edit]
The main issue to guarantee fair play in a card game is that all cards in the deck must be indistinguishable for any player who does not view the front side (if card sleeves are used, the term ‘card’ means the sleeve with the card inside). Ideally, all cards should be indistinguishable in the following characteristics to effectively prevent cheating.
Card size and shape, including the typical rounding cut on the edges.
The card’s total weight, its center of gravity and, ideally, the moment of inertia (which implies a homogeneous distribution of mass on the surface).
Overall and local stiffness and elasticity – all cards should behave equally on bending.
Overall and local thickness.
Feel and relief (tactile characteristics) of the card, especially elevations and cavities on the surface on both sides.
The image printed on the back side, including its shininess.
Overall and local transparency, when examined with a light from behind.
Besides these physical implications, it should be considered that someone (the players or a judge) will need to control the validity of the cards – which may prove difficult with some of the above points.
Therefore, the use of proxies is sometimes further constrained to only one method of fabrication, for instance.
The difficulties of control can also be an argument to totally prohibit the use of proxy cards.
Unambiguous mappings on the front[edit]
Once the front of a proxy is revealed to the other players, it must be clear to everyone what it is meant to substitute. The decisions of what a player’s proxies are meant to substitute must be made before starting play. If two proxies are meant to substitute different cards, they must be easily distinguishable by looking at their front side.
Ideally, the label of a proxy should be enough to tell what it’s meant to substitute. Alternatively, a legend or agreement can be used to prohibit players from changing these mappings during play.
Another issue for the front side labeling is to maintain a fluid game play. Poor labeling will likely cause unpleasant disruptions, even slips and mistakes caused by accidental confusion. It is therefore desirable that each proxy is labeled with the name of the card it substitutes, and its basic game-relevant characteristics, and erase all decorations and printed information that may be misleading. Any relevant information that is not written on the card should at least be found in the legend.
Agreements and coded rules[edit]
Additional rules can restrict the number of proxy cards allowed in a deck, and the physical ways in which they may be created. Such rules can be a simple agreement between two players, or they may be defined by the host of a tournament.
Magic: The Gathering tournaments sanctioned by the DCI allow the use of proxy cards only to replace cards damaged during play (e. g. water is spilled on a deck mid-tournament, causing some cards to be marked). Some third party organisations hosting Magic tournaments permit participants to include a set number of proxy cards in their decks (5 and 10 being common amounts), a clause that especially comes up for the cost-intensive vintage format. [2]
Common ways of fabrication[edit]
Some players create their own proxy cards by editing original cards. Ideally, they take a cheap original card that shares as many characteristics as possible with the card that should be proxied. Editing includes
partially erasing the original print using a rubber or chemicals (acetone). However, this will most likely carve and damage the material, and thus affect the stiffness, balance and transparency characteristics.
writing, painting or printing on the surface, preferably using a thin fine-liner.
Adhesive labels (stickers) attached to the front of the original card. However, this will most likely create a relief that can be read like braille. It will also affect the stiffness and balance characteristics (distribution of mass).
Cards can also be created from scratch, using an imaging software or specialized program (like Magic Set Editor for Magic: The Gathering, or), printer and scissors. Special attention needs to be paid on the choice of paper (for weight and stiffness) and the accuracy of the cut. Usually, a card back can not be printed in a way that would be indistinguishable from the original, however.
In some cases, proxy cards can be acquired from third-party manufacturers. For copyrighted card games, however, these will usually not be allowed to reprint original artwork – so the back side will not look like the original cards.
Difficulties with the back side are often dealt with by using card sleeves with an opaque back. This also allows to put more than one piece of paper in one sleeve.
Another possibility is to completely play with proxies, and thus get around most of the problems described above. In this case, the cards no longer need to look and feel like originals, only the proxies need to be equal to each other in the above characteristics.
Some players prefer to avoid any such pain of handcrafting, and instead use a legend – a table that maps some of the physical cards in that player’s deck to other cards that they would like to have instead.
This method doesn’t need any physical manipulation on the original cards, and it does not conflict with any of the above described physical restrictions. However, in actual play it can be rather confusing always having to look into the legend.
Copyright issues[edit]
People making proxy cards should also consider that card designs and artwork are copyrighted. For instance, commercial producers of proxy cards may not even be allowed to reprint a copyrighted card back, thus these cards would only be playable in sleeves with non-transparent back.
References[edit]
^ Avi Flamholz (2004-07-13). “Money, Proxies, and the Must-Have List – A Case for Vintage”. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2006-09-30. More and more, the larger U. S. Vintage tournaments are unsanctioned and allow growing numbers of proxies (usually five to ten, sometimes unlimited). In fact, I would be hard pressed to find a sanctioned Type 1 tournament (A. K. A. proxy-free) in the last year or so that drew more than thirty people (other than major conventions like GenCon).
^ a b Aaron Forsythe (2004-03-19). “A-Proxy-Mation”. When I first started working here at Wizards, however, I found that R&D uses proxies all the time to test cards. Obviously, the cards that are in development need to be proxied, but I was surprised to find out that R&D didn’t get upcoming sets much sooner than the rest of the world did.
Is Making Proxies Illegal - Magic General - MTG Salvation

Is Making Proxies Illegal – Magic General – MTG Salvation

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Is Making Proxies Illegal
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#1
Sep 20, 2011
I’ve heard from a couple of people that making proxies of cards that are copyrighted is illegal in America, is this true?
#4
Ravarshi
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The copyright laws are specific as to prevent you from just printing copies at your local Kinko’s to play with. Proxies (aside from tournaments where they are legal) are not legal in any tournament environment. Thus if you wanted to print a “proxy” of Jace, the Mind Sculptor. it’d be “illegal” but not for kitchen table magic (and if you’re using JTMS in your kitchen table, you’re messed up anyways:P)
#5
Well, you can’t use proxies anywhere except casually anyway, so I don’t think anyone’s really going to call you out…
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#6
In theory: yes it’s illegal. Making copies of copyright protected material is illegal. (There are a few exceptions though like making copies of something you already own for personal use. You could ‘abuse’ this to make a playset while only owning 1 copy)
In reality: nobody really cares. I highly doubt anyone will call you out on a proxy unless you are actively selling loads of them.
#8
Boxxer81
Ascended Mage
3/19/2010
382
Making a proxies isn’t illegal. I can wallpaper my house at home with Fake $ if I want. As soon as I try and pass it off as real is where it becomes illegal.
Go ahead and make your FOIL Black Lotus for your home game!
Also, I have heard of a few shops doing Vintage events with x # of proxies allowed per deck.
#9
adam w
Resident Planeswalker
Massachusetts, USA
1/28/2010
4, 286
“Illegal” in the sense that you can’t use them in sanctioned tournaments, or “illegal” in the sense that you would go to jail?
It’s not “tournament legal” to use proxies. Some Vintage touraments allow proxies due to card availability issues, but those tournaments are not sanctioned by the DCI, so it’s fine.
It’s not illegal to make proxies; however, it is illegal to sell them, since the cards are protected under copyright law.
I have heard vague rumors of a moustache-dispensing vending machine in a distant laundromat, across the street from a tattoo parlor. However, this information is shaky, and time is of the essence.
#10
Yes making proxies by photocopy is illegal is you write down black lotus on an island like LMTRK brought up its not really illegal.
#11
fzian
11/1/2009
3, 045
I am not sure about US Laws but for most Commonwealth countries, that is illegal. The Forgery and Counterfeiting act covers counterfeiting currencies with or without intention of passing it off as genuine or even by merely possessing it.
On topic, it is nigh unenforceable but it remains as one of those stuff which you should probably not do in front of any Wizards’ legal staff.
#12
Actually (and this is only American money but) if you print money that is not at least half sized or double sized it is illegal. Haven’t you ever wondered why play money always looks so fake and is never anywhere near “real”size?
As some have said, printing any of the magic symbols, logos, or any magic artwork does violate the copyright but it really only becomes an issue if you attempt to profit from it. If you want to print from home to use for personal use, go ahead. No place like Kinkos should print any of the cards as that would make them legally responsible for whatever those prints get used for after and could be sued as a co-defendant.
There’s no proof she’s being chased
by ninja squirrels either. – Dr. Wilson
#13
Macius
is a devious catbus
NoVa
1/19/2011
9, 476
My belief is that it becomes illegal as soon as you try and pass it off as real.
i make proxies and use them, but i try and get the cards i proxied, i dont like using proxies forever. i also use them with high money cards and i keep the cards nearby in a screw case.
#14
pinkfloyd
Staff Sponsored Title
1/17/2009
6, 080
Claim its real or make profit off it = illegal
Writing a few words down on card or printing a copy out to use for lol’s = Legal
LOL… — –.. — /.. / –. — – /. – /. –. -. -… /.. —. / -. -.. -…. /…. -….. — -. –.. — / -….. – – /.. / -.. — / -. — – / -….. -…….. – /….. — / -…. — —.. / – — /. –… – – / — -. — / -.. — -… /. – -. / -… -……….. – — /. – / -. – -….. – – —. / —. / – — /.. / —.. – – /. –….. — —. /… —-. — / -. —… – –.. — -…… — — -…. – -………. — –.. —-…. – / –.. — /. / -….. – – / -. / -…. — -.. – -… —.. – / -.. / -……… – /… —-.. – -.. -…… -………. –
This is trolling. -GalspanicYou have been banned for violating our forum rules. If you would like to appeal this ban, please create a thread here.
Reason: Habitual trolling – no hint that it will stop.
#15
I think it’s only illegal if you try to sell them as the real thing. Then it becomes less about copyright infringment as it does fraud. I doubt the proxy police are going to knock down your door if you’re doing it for your own use though.
#16
i was thinking about to create my own set of basic lands to play in tournaments, i think is maybe illegal but, what about if use a normal forest card and print a different art on it, i think that’s legal its like altering the art by painting to me.
#17
Several issues but lets see if I can hit them all.
1. you are using custom printed cards that may not be the same thickness even in sleeves and may then be considered “marked” by tournament standards.
2. The artwork isn’t the only thing that’s copyrighted, the mana symbols and card frame are also copyrighted and owned by Wizards of the Coast.
you try to sell these new basic lands then you are still violating Wizards trademarks, if not then you still have the problem pointed out in 1.
#19
Valarin
9/11/2010
5, 831
Technically, I believe it’s “illegal” if you don;t own the card. Not that anything will ever come of it.
If you own the card you can photocopy as many copies as you want for personal use legally. Any card I own worth anything substantial is in a binder safe at home and I xerox off about 30 copies of it to use in decks. Someone could walk away with every deck I own (16) and they’d have maybe $20 worth of cards. I thnk my keep at home binder is approaching the $5000 mark
#20
So, this is what I took from all the replies, let me know if I’m correct or not:
It’s legal in US law to create a proxy of a card you already have, if you don’t sell them.
#21
I think the main point there is the not selling them part. If you Xerox a card and put it in front of another card to use it as a proxy, even if you don’t own the card, you’re not going to get in trouble. If you show up to a sanctioned tournament doing this, that is against the rules and you will be penalized. I’m fairly certain America’s police force has enough to deal with before they start worrying about people proxying Magic cards.
***Note: I am not a lawyer. Please do not use this as real legal advice.
#22
K405
Archmage
6/20/2011
995
Technically reproducing a card in proxy form (IE printing it, or otherwise creating) is copyright infringement. Writing “Jace The Mindsculpter” on a forest is not however. The plus side is wizards doesn’t seem to care very much about it so long as you aren’t trying to sell the proxy. Trying to actively sell fake cards however will probably land you in court.
That said most people make proxies of cards they don’t own every so often, and in fact a number of people proxy cards to playtest before investing in them. Wizards only really cares if you’re trying to make money off the fakes. So if you print up a full set of Innistrad and put it on ebay, you’ll probably get a cease and desist letter at the most lenient, or more likely a lawsuit. If you’re making some alternate art forests to run at FNM as long as you can’t tell the card is different in anyway aside from looking at the art on the front of the card then it’s fair game.
Likewise making tokens isn’t copyright infringing unless you use something that they own a copyright on like mana symbols (if they want to copyright 1 they can rot because that’s just retarded but I’ll give them WUBRG and the hybrids and phybrids). So making your own Ooze token won’t get you any flak, nor will writing “Black Lotus” on a basic land. You just can’t play proxies in tournaments unless the TO specifically allows it. Which doesn’t happen in anything but vintage and sometimes legacy generally.
Through me the way to the suffering city; Through me the everlasting pain; Through me the way that runs among the Lost. Justice urged on my exalted Creator: Divine Power made me, The Supreme Wisdom and the Primal Love. Nothing was made before me but eternal things And I endure eternally. Abandon all hope – You Who Enter Here.
#23
RaikouRider
World Project Leader
Resident Alaran Crusader
Illinois
12/16/2007
6, 378
Though making proxies is technically illegal, it is nigh unenforceable. Just stick to personal use only and you should be fine. I own one Force of Will and use it in nine different decks, for instance.
#24
It is absolutely not even a little illegal to use proxies of magic cards.
To make counterfeit cards and sell them as real cards would be illegal.
#25
Kraezy
8/29/2011
195
Technically reproducing a card in proxy form (IE printing it, or otherwise creating) is copyright infringement.
If this were the case or in any way enforced I think tcgplayer would be in trouble, but I haven’t heard anything about that yet. When you search up a card, at the bottom of that card’s page is a print proxy button with 1-4 proxies, however many you need.
If the question is whether or not proxying cards is legal then the answer is yes and no. no it isn’t legal for most tournaments unless otherwise stated and you will get disqualified. It is Legal by law, counterfeiting would be illegal but you can’t pass off a paper print out of a card as that card to anyone. Alternate art is also legal as long as it is that card.
You could probably even get away with selling proxies to your friends in the sense that you are selling someone the ink it took to print them off, but that’s between you and that person and would be hard to enforce whether it’s legal or not.
#26
I don’t mean taking it to kinkos and photo copying it or printing it onto computer paper I mean actually printing copies of the cards. Cardstock wise that is. Trying to pass them off as the real thing.
#27
I’ve seen a guy with a fake Foil Jace TMS. He uses it in EDH/Cube idk but This would be illegal right?
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#28
Surprisingly, every one of you who have posted so far is wrong in some respect, or wrong entirely. Usually at least one person posts the right answer. Son, I am disappoint.
Making a proxy by copying the image of a card, etc, is INFRINGEMENT, but it may or may not be illegal. That is because an infringement is not illegal if it is done under fair use, as codified in law at 17 USC 107. The enforcement of fair use is determined as the dispute arises, with abundant case law out there to guide the court, such as Campbell v. Acuff-Rose, LA Times v. Free Republic, Kelly v. Arribasoft, MGM v. American Honda, and so on.
To the extent that it affects any of you, your use is likely, but not guaranteed, to be fair use if you are making and using the proxies for your own, personal, recreational use, and not distributing them either freely or by sale. Instances where people sell custom-painted proxies alongside ballast (a legitimate card, whether the real card the proxy is based on or not) are much less certain to be fair use, and in fact might not be, depending on a given court’s assessment using the four-point balancing test from the statute. It is wisest NOT to get yourself into a situation where you might have to find out at the business end of a gavel whether your infringement was fair use or not!
EDIT: Whether you are trying to “pass it off as the real thing” could be evidence toward one of the elements in the four-point balancing test, but it is not the central element of a fair use determination. In practice, doing that falls under the criminal conduct category known as “uttering, ” which encompasses concepts such as forgery, counterfeiting, and other forms of fraud. Copyright is a civil issue, while uttering, being fraud, is a criminal issue. Create an obvious proxy and sell it, and Wizards of the Coast LLC may have a civil claim against you. Create a proxy that is intended to counterfeit the real thing, and WOTC doesn’t even enter the picture — the STATE may have a criminal CHARGE to lay against you. The More You Know (Tm).
Hope this helps!
/I am not your attorney. For legal advice get yourself an attorney, don’t base a potentially life-changing decision on what you read on an internet message board.
#29
Sep 21, 2011
Jaruri
4/23/2011
157
As long as you dont try to pass them off as real, or try to sell them, there shouldnt be any problems with the law.
And the guy with the fake foil jace, I’d say it depends on your playgroup. I myself dont mind proxies as long as they look good and dont give them any ingame advantage. It’s pretty much the same with my friends and we have an unspoken rule with it.
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Frequently Asked Questions about pokemon proxy

What is a proxy Pokemon card?

A proxy card is an easily acquired or home-made substitute for a collectible card. A proxy is used when a collectible card game player does not own a card, and it would be impractical for such purposes to acquire the card.

Are proxy Pokemon cards legal?

Some Vintage touraments allow proxies due to card availability issues, but those tournaments are not sanctioned by the DCI, so it’s fine. It’s not illegal to make proxies; however, it is illegal to sell them, since the cards are protected under copyright law.Sep 20, 2011

How do I know my Pokemon proxy?

The most reliable method of distinguishing a genuine card from a fake card is that the real cards have a black layer sandwiched in between two white layers, when you look at the edge of the cards. This is because real cards are constructed with better materials to make them stiffer and less prone to wearing out.Jul 2, 2019

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