Pass turn to transform a werewolf

Asked by Sinus 13 years ago

Okay, this is to settle a bet:Let's say that I have a human-werewolf out, and I pass the turn without casting any spells. When it becomes my opponent's next upkeep, does it transform, or does my opponent have to pass the turn without casting spells either?

Someone I know thinks that a 'turn' is a full rotation between all players, when I say a turn is from your beginning step to your cleanup step.

Sinus says... #1

Also, if possible could someone provide a rule number?

September 12, 2012 5:06 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #2

A turn is one player's turn, from the untap step through cleanup. This other person seems to be thinking of a "round", for which there currently isn't any definition or special purpose in the game. For specific rules detailing the structure of a turn, reference Section 5 of the Comprehensive Rules, titled "Turn Structure".

September 12, 2012 5:11 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #3

@Rhadamanthus: The term "turn cycle" exists and refers to a complete series of turns that begin at step/phase X of player Y and end at that same step/phase after all players have taken their turns.

For the purposes of the question, a turn is as follows:

500.1. A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat main, and ending. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the phase. The beginning, combat, and ending phases are further broken down into steps, which proceed in order.

Werewolves transform after one turn, not one turn cycle. Therefore, passing your turn without casting any spells will cause any Human Werewolves you control to transform.

September 12, 2012 5:18 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #4

I don't remember seeing "turn cycle" anywhere in the CR, only in the MTR. Is it actually used in both?

September 12, 2012 5:20 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #5

Turn cycles aren't in the CR, but it seems to be a pretty prevalent term. I'm kind of surprised that it isn't in the CR, but I suppose no card text actually references a turn cycle.

September 12, 2012 5:23 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #6

Yeah, there aren't any effects in the game that care about a turn-cycle, and I don't ever think about the MTR unless the question is specifically about sanctioned-play protocol.

September 12, 2012 5:29 p.m.

godswearhats says... #7

All the stuff I can think of that works on turn-cycle is explicit in the text. 'Until the end of your next turn' for example.

September 12, 2012 5:32 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #8

Detain easily could have read "for the remainder of the turn cycle"

September 12, 2012 9:49 p.m.

NDRue says... #9

Sounding acidic here, you could probably ask him how would he define the date "10th of August 2012" today, on the "13th of September 2012". Would it be "last month", or "2 months ago"?

As Epochalyptik and Rhadamanthus have mentioned, "someone you know" is probably thinking about turn cycles, which, if they were to be defined, would be very explicitly defined on the card itself, as Magic thrives on wording specifics.

Therefore, "last turn", and not "last turn cycle", is defined as the turn of the player who was the active player last before the current player's turn. If they wanted it to be a cycle, they would probably define it like "At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast since the beginning of the last upkeep".

September 12, 2012 10:16 p.m.