Can I skip my combat step even if I have a trigger on it??
Asked by koylucumert 2 years ago
so lets say we are playing commander. opponent B has a Telepathy and I know that opponent A has a Smite the Monstrous in their hand, along with the mana to play it. my commander is Arahbo, Roar of the World and my only creature on the battlefield is Fleecemane Lion which I dont have the mana to give it monstrous. to protect my cat, can I skip my combat phase to not give it the buff, or since arahbo doesnt say may, even if Im not gonna attack I have to enter the combat phase, arahbo triggers giving my cat +3 +3 and making it a removal target?
Gidgetimer says... #2
If you are interested in what the corner cases are that make it so no other cat is buffed by Arahbo's ability, it is if he changes zones after his ability triggers but before it resolves. So if he is cast with flash after the buff ability triggers, or if he is removed/sacrificed in response to it.
The ability has an intervening if clause which means that he must be in the command zone or on the battlefield both when it triggers and when it resolves. Since changing zones means that a card is a new game object the intervening if will fail upon a zone change.
August 11, 2021 5:04 p.m.
Named_Tawyny says... #3
Additionally if you have an end the turn effect (eg Sundial of the Infinite) you would also be able to skip your combat step, and not give your Fleecemane Lion +3/+3.
But yes, as Gidgetimer mentioned, unless you're getting into shenanigans, you will go through a combat step every turn, regardless of if you want to or not.
August 11, 2021 9:59 p.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #4
You would need an effect that specifically allows you to skip it, such as Fatespinner, which in this case must be under your opponents control.
But if you skip it, that means any and all triggers that would happen from it as well.
August 14, 2021 10:36 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #5
koylucumert: Answers to your question have been up for a while. Since there don't see to be any follow-ups or corrections to be made, I marked one of them as the "Accepted answer" so this topic can move out of the list of unanswered questions. In the future you can take care of this yourself using the "Mark as Answer" button on the response that you feel best answers your question.
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1
No matter what, the game proceeds to the combat phase after the first main phase. The beginning of combat step happens and then the declare attackers step. If no attackers are declared on the declare attackers step the declare blockers and combat damage steps are skipped. The game then goes to the end of combat step and then the second main.
Except in two extreme corner cases, Arahbo's trigger not being a "may" will cause you to have to give another cat you control the +3/+3.
August 11, 2021 4:56 p.m.