Priority, combat phase, and how someone plays
Asked by Apoptosis 12 years ago
I want to make sure I have priority correct in the context of the combat phase. I want to explore this in the context of the new battalion mechanic and Instants that remove a creature (exile/destroy/tap -doesn't matter). Please let me know the parts that I have incorrect. And Thanks in advance.
In the following examples, It is the 1st main phase of my opponents turn and we'll say my opponent has 3 creatures in play with battalion that all can attack this turn and he is holding two creatures in hand that he could cast: one has haste, the other has flash & haste (I would use specific examples, but I can't think of a creature with both flash and haste) and a Giant Growth . I am holding two Unsummon and have enough U to cast them both.
At the end of the 1st main phase before the beginning of my opponents combat phase, I have the option to initiate playing instants onto the stack (I gain priority at the end of the 1st main phase). So I could Unsummon one (or 2) of the three creatures. My opponent would then have the option of not entering into the combat phase and casting creatures in hand before entering combat. If he has three creatures that are eligible to attack, as the attack is declared, those with battalion gain it regardless of whether all three creatures remain in combat (i.e. casting Unsummon after attackers are declared). This seems straightforward to me.
If my opponent is in his main phase and says "I attack you with all three creatures", I have the option of backing him up out of the combat phase to gain priority and cast Unsummon . We are now in the main phase prior to combat and he can also respond to the Unsummon before entering combat. This also seems clear to me.
If my opponent is a DCI lawyer and says "I am ending my first main phase and entering the combat phase" and I say "OK" then I am no longer allowed to cast Unsummon prior to the declaration of attackers (because I gave up priority after the transition from the 1st main phase to the combat phase). Thus, once the combat phase begins I cannot cast an instant as I don't have priority. My opponent would declare attackers and then I would gain priority to respond with the Unsummon but battalion would remain.
Ok... to keep it brief, I will stop with examples and just make some statements based on the scenario I originally outlined, and hopefully someone can tell me whether they are correct.
- Creatures can not be cast during the combat phase, so once we're in the combat phase a creature with haste cannot be cast. The only exception would be a creature with flash, but it could not attack unless it had haste as well.
2, If the DCI lawyer mentioned above, initiates the combat phase but then says "I cast Giant Growth " PRIOR to declaring attackers, that then gives me priority to Unsummon in the combat phase and since attackers were not declared, battalion might be lost.
Last thought. How does Maze of Ith interact with battalion?
Your best move would be to say "beginning of combat" or "before attackers," then cast your Unsummon s. Both of those phrases indicate your intention to use priority during the Beginning of Combat step (between the Precombat Main Phase and Declare Attackers Step).
January 31, 2013 10:26 a.m.
So you can cast Unsummon in the combat phase prior to declaration of attackers. Is this an effective way to neutralize battalion?
Do I have it right that once an opponent has declared that they want to enter the combat phase, they cannot summon/cast creatures (unless they have flash)?
Or can they still cast creature spells?
If they can't summon non-flash creatures in the beginning of combat step and you Unsummon a creature at that step prior to the declaration of attackers to lower the opponents creature count to 2, you neutralize battalion.
If they can still cast creature spells (with haste, but without flash) in the "beginning of combat" step before the declaration of attackers, then they could reestablish battalion status (by having 3 eligible creatures to attack with).
Which scenario is correct? Thanks again!
January 31, 2013 11:55 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
Both players get priority during the Beginning of Combat. Creatures without flash may only be cast at sorcery speed, so they can't be cast once the combat phase begins. A creature with flash could still be cast.
You would need to Unsummon the battalion creature before it attacks. If you can prevent a creature with battalion from attacking, then you will prevent its ability from triggering. You could also Unsummon enough other creatures to prevent battalion from triggering even if the battalion creature attacks.
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #1
You're missing a crucial part of the Combat phase. The steps of the Combat phase are Beginning of Combat, Declare Attackers, Declare Blockers, First Strike Combat Damage (only if necessary), Combat Damage, and End of Combat. Your last opportunity to make responses before your opponent declares attackers is in the Beginning of Combat step, and both players will get priority before the game can move on to Declare Attackers.
Maze of Ith doesn't do anything special here. It doesn't make the creature stop being an attacking creature or remove it from combat, it just untaps it and prevents all damage it would deal or be dealt.
January 31, 2013 10:12 a.m.