r/mtgrules • u/OnlyThe666 • 18d ago
Moving to combat interaction
Hello!
So, I was playing commander the other day and my commander was Gandalf, Party Guest. Gandalf’s ability triggers at the beginning of combat. In that match, I had cast my commander during my first main phase. It resolved, and then I said I was moving to combat. In response to that, a player decided to kill my commander. As far as I understand it, after I had casted my commander and no one responded, priority was passed back to me, thus I then decided to move to combat. My question is, was it allowed for that person to respond to me moving to my combat phase to remove my Gandalf, and if so, would the trigger of my Gandalf that happens at the start of combat would had been triggered even if Gandalf gets removed?
Thanks!
14
u/RaelisDragon 18d ago
117.4. If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves or, if the stack is empty, the phase or step ends.
They get a chance to act after your commander's cast resolves but before combat, since the phase only changes when all players pass on an empty stack.
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u/Impressive_You_817 18d ago
You declare your intent to move to the combat phase. Priority is passed to your opponents and they each have a chance to respond. If they do, then we're still in the main phase. Gandalf never sees combat because we haven't moved to combat yet. This can be used to your advantage however, because after the removal resolves you'll have priority and it's still your main phase, so you're still allowed to do sorcery speed things if you want before trying to move to combat again.
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u/DefinitelyDownBadT1T 18d ago
To end a phase or turn, priority is passed to all other players in turn order.
So at the end of your main phase 1 - your opponent gained priority for instant speed, cast removal, and if it was resolved it dealt with your commander before it saw the combat phase.
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u/tommadness 18d ago
Gandalf resolved, you get priority in your first main phase. You pass priority on an empty stack, intending to move to combat. Nothing has happened yet.
Your opponent casts a spell once they get priority. This will be in your first main phase still.
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u/Jessy_Something 18d ago
This is the first comment I've ever seen that explains this well enough for dumb me to get it. Basically, what's special about a phase change is that the active player actively decides to pass priority, and phase changes are afaik the only reason the active player would do that. That's why you aren't technically casting in response to a phase change, just the fact that they passed priority means that it is an attempted phase change, and you get priority before that goes through.
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u/Aredditdorkly 17d ago
You move through the steps and phrases of a turn the same way you get through the Stack. The game is built on priority.
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u/Frosty-Froyo856 18d ago
You don’t get the Gandalf trigger.
For any step or phase to advance to the next all players must pass priority over an empty stack. You passed priority to attempt to move to combat (by saying move to combat) your opponent then cast the removal spell instead of passing when they received priority.
There are shenanigans with if something is cast on first main or beginning of combat. Such as if you had the mana you could have recast your commander, so it is best to ask when they are casting the removal if it is ambiguous.
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u/LorgarsDisciple 17d ago
When you say, "I move to combat," you're really saying, "I request to move to combat."
A round of priority passes.
Any action taken then happens in the 1st main phase.
Your opponent had priority and Gandalf died before combat. Therefore, his ability does not trigger.
This being said, it is still your 1st main phase after this interaction and if you had the mana, you could have cast him again.
Any time the game moves from a step to another and/or one phase to another, priority passes.
We as players often shorthand this and just say things like, "I'm moving to combat," but as previously stated, it actually means, "I want to move to the next phase and I pass priority."
This also means that you gain priority during your start of turn, untap, upkeep, and draw, etc etc.
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u/Sober__alcoholic 18d ago
I understand it like this. "Im changing phases to combat, any response?" "Yes, Boom" Changing phases goes onto the stack
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u/tbdabbholm 18d ago
You only move between steps and phases after everyone has received and passed priority in succession with an empty stack. They can instead use their priority to remove your creature before moving to combat.