Can a player ask his/her opponent to announce the end of a step?
Asked by CHQ96 9 years ago
Can a player ask an opponent to tell him/her when a certain phase or step is about to end on their turn? Usually you don't keep track of the parts of the turn, at least not consciously. However, I know that many cards rely on being played at the right moment. A friend of mine requested that I tell him when my main phase was about to end, as he had an ability that did something to all of my creatures (I can't remember what it was exactly). I was taken aback by this odd request, and I thought that you had the right to keep that private.
You can't keep it private. Every step and phase of the turn happens whether you do anything in it at all. You should be announcing each phase starting as it comes up to give them time to respond.
You can't just say "I end my turn" to try and stop them doing things in your second main phase, for example. If you did that after combat, they can just say "Back in your second main, I'm going to do X" and the game will back up to that point.
July 10, 2015 8:01 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #3
You actually are required to answer completely and honestly which phase or step it is at tournaments because it is considered free information. Also both players must pass priority over an empty stack before any step or phase ends. So you should technically be clearly passing priority over an empty stack in your main phase and then again in the start of combat step before declaring attacks. However people don't usually clearly indicate when they are passing priority and the onus falls on the opponent to speak up that they would like to do something on upkeep/start of combat/end step.
You do not need to stick by the decision to go to combat if they do cast something in your main phase since you receive priority again after the spell or ability resolves. I'm also a bit interested in what they may be doing at the end of your main phase that they couldn't do at the start of combat and be better served because you could not cast non-instant speed spells afterward.
July 10, 2015 10:47 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
I'm a little interested in why you felt that the current step or phase that the game is in would be private information.
July 11, 2015 12:14 a.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #5
The current step or phase of the turn is free information (if someone asks about it, you have to give a true and reasonably complete answer), and a player can't shortcut past part of the turn without giving the opponent an opportunity to take an action somewhere in the middle if they want to.
July 11, 2015 12:17 a.m.
@Gidgetimer If a player has anything that triggers during the beginning of combat step (Boros Battleshaper, for example), then it might be worth playing your spell or ability during the main phase so it will resolve before that ability goes on the stack (something like Polymorphist's Jest maybe). Also Basandra, Battle Seraph would necessitate casting your spell during the main phase.
DrLitebur says... #1
I believe that, if at least in a tournament, you are supposed to announce each step as it begins, which would end the last or previous step. So, you would announce at the beginning of each turn, "Untap", and then untap your creatures, lands, artifacts, etc. Once that was completed, then you announce your Upkeep step, and take any appropriate actions, pay any costs, etc. Then "Draw", and draw the card, and move to "Main Phase 1". Then after that...well, you get the point. Most players know when each step is taking place, but if someone needs a specific step to do something, I think they are within their rights to ask you to announce the phases of your turn, if they need to time something right.
July 10, 2015 8:01 p.m.