Hi,

as a MTG player I'm wondering now am I allowed to search my deck and not find what I was supposed to search even if I could fullfill the search (as in find the card type I was supposed to search). I don't know hwy I would do this, but what do the rules say about finding things in hidden zone?

The rules don't say anything in particular about what happens if you search for something and don't find it. If you do find it, you pretty much always have to reveal what you found, so it's not like you can substitute what you are supposed to be searching for with something else in secret. And since you have to shuffle each time you search your (entire) deck, it's not like you are given any sort of advantage for searching.

You're far more likely to get called on a sportsmanship thing than a rules violation if you keep searching for stuff you never seem to find.

I asked Damon the same question (however it was in Call of Cthulhu where it does matter if your deck gets thinner because if it is gone you lose the game).

My question: If I search my deck do I have to find something? If e.g. the story "The Dreams of Kingsport" gets triggered and I do not want to put a card into play (maybe because my deck is already low on cards) do I still have to "find" a card if a fitting one is in my deck?

His reply: If the card does not require you to reveal a set of cards to search and put into play the card, no. You can choose to not find the card. It is a bit of a finessed thing, essentially we don't make rules that must be enforced that cannot be enforced within the game.

So with At the Gates plot, I can choose to not find a maester and not put him in play? Let me say, I revealed Threat from the North plot and my opponent A the Gates. But his only maester living is Oldtown Scholar, who would be discarded if putted in play. Can ho choose not to find any?

aqwarty said:

However, there really is nothing stopping the player from searching, saying "I have no in-House or neutral Maesters cost 3 or lower left in my deck," shuffling, and moving on. He might get called on making the mistake later on.

Searching and "not finding" is not really allowed by the rules, although some effects themselves allow for it by saying you "may search." Whether or not you want to get that technical and allow someone to "not find" during a search may be more of a House rule since it is pretty hard to police in most circumstances.

Thanks KTom. I thought so, and argumented with the same arguments. But have to be 100% sure:-)

The way I understand "you may search" is that you can choose not to search at all (if you know you haven't any card matching the criteria left in your deck or don't want to get any).