Since I noticed quite a few have asked questions about the phases and steps
and quite often have those two mixed up, I figured I might as well write up an article
and explain the difference.
I'll go through the turn sequence step by step, phase by phase, and break
it all down. I know you can read this in the rule book, but as it turns out, nobody
seems to read the rule book as the case may be.Now, before I get into how the turn works and every step of it explained,
a few things you must know. State Based Effects (here on out it will be SBE)
are checked whenever someone receives priority to play spells.
SBEs are as follows:
1. A player with 0 life or less or who was required to draw more cards than were in his or her library loses the game.
2. A creature with toughness 0 (or less) is put into its owner's graveyard. Regeneration can't replace this event.
3. A creature with lethal damage is destroyed. Lethal damage is an amount of damage greater than 0 and greater than or equal to a creature's toughness. Regeneration does replace this event.
4. A local enchantment that enchants an illegal or nonexistent permanent is put into its owner's graveyard.
5. If two or more Legends or Legendary permanents with the same name are in play, all except the one with the earliest timestamp are put into in their owners' graveyards. This is called the "Legend rule." In the event of a tie for earliest timestamp, each Legend with the same name is put into its owner's graveyard.
6. A token in a zone other than the in-play zone ceases to exist.
We'll take a look at the turn sequence; take it apart and examine separately.
The turn is broken down into 5 phases: Beginning, Main, Combat, Main-2, End
Beginning Phase:
The beginning phase is broken down further into 3 steps: Untap, Upkeep, Draw
Untap Step: Pretty easy, untap (upright) your cards that are tapped (sideways)
(course there are always exceptions)
Upkeep Step: Once you enter Upkeep, all at beginning of upkeep effects trigger.
(this only happens once) They go on the stack. (you get to order them
as you see fit for your effects first, then your opponent's effects go
on the stack and you order them as you want) Beginning resolution of the
the stack for triggered effects. Instants are allowed to to be played
in this step. Both players pass priority to end Upkeep Step.
Draw Step: Draw a card is treated as a "at beginning of your draw step, draw a card"
trigger that goes on the stack. Players have chances to play instants.
Both players pass priority to end step and phase. Any mana left in pool
that was drawn from Upkeep or Draw step results in mana burn.
Main Phase 1:
Main Phase has no steps.
Begins with active player having priority, after any and all triggered abilties go
on the stack, then both players will have priority to play spells.
During the Main Phase, the active player may play enchantments, sorceries, artifact,
and creature spells.
The active player may also play a land card from their hand if the stack is empty, and
only if they havent taken this action this turn yet (can do this only once between the
2 Main Phases).
Both players pass priority to end main phase and move into Combat.
Combat Phase:
Note: declaring a null attack (no creatures) ends combat phase and proceed directly to End of Combat.
Combat Phase is broken down down to 5 steps: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, end of combat.
Beginning of Combat: Triggered abilities go on the stack, active player receives priority
If both players pass priority, proceed to declare attackers. (this is where you
can tap someone's creature and stop it from attacking.)
Declare Attackers: Active (attacking) player gets to decide if they will be attacking with any and which creatures. Then determines if all attacks are legal.. costs are paid upon declaration. Tap creatures that are attacking, this doesnt go on the stack. The attack and all attackers are declared at the same time, not sequential. After a legal attack has been declared, active player receives priority to play spells.
Declare Blockers: Non-Active (Defending) player gets to decide if they will be blocking with any and which creatures. Then determins if all blocks are legal.. costs are paid upon declaration. Blocking creatures do not tap. The blocking and blockers are declared at the same time like attackers. After a legal block has been declared, active players receives priority to play spells and abilities.
Combat Damage: Combat Damage goes on the stack, active player then receives priority to spells and abilities. Once both players yield priority, the stack begins to resolve. Creatures taking lethal damage will be placed in the graveyard. Anything that triggered from combat damage is put on the stack and then resolved.
End of Combat: Here all the end of combat effects trigger and is put onto the stack. Active player gets priority to play spells/abilities to the stack, once stack resolves, priority is given again and if both players yield, combat phase is over
Main Phase 2: (see Main Phase 1)
End Phase:
The End Phase consists of 2 steps, End of Turn Step, and Cleanup Step.
End of Turn Step: All "at end of turn" abilities/effects trigger and active player has priority.
Cleanup Step: (this step follows a specific order) First the discarding of cards above max hand size. Secondly, all damage from permanents and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end simutaneously. (doesnt go on stack). Third, check for state based effects or if any abilities have triggered, active players receives priority. Once stack is empty and both players yield priority, another cleanup step begins. If nothing, then no player receives priority and step ends.
Now it seems as if I copied this out of the rule book.. I didn't.. however.. it wouldnt matter much as a good majority of you skipped this section in the rule book anyways I'd bet. I was running this down for those who
were unclear on the turn sequence and for those also who mix up phase and steps (especially those who said you still burn at end of upkeep). Watch out for my next article: MOTL Stack: The STACK - use and abuse and getting away with it
©
*EDIT - italiacs & bold lettering
__________________
References
DCI Certified Level I Judge (Awaiting Lvl 2 test results)
Deck Help & Construction Moderator
Soon to be Co-Tournament Organizer of Western New York (Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester)
[Edited 2 times, lastly by coolio on October 08, 2000]
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posted October 08, 2000 05:26 AM
