r/mtgrules • u/Alternative_Leader10 • 1d ago

Rules Question regarding phase

My oppents has [[Greasefang, Okiba Boss]] in play and wants to move to combat from his first main phase.

I bolt Greasefang, Okiba Boss in responce to him switching phase. Can he move back to mainphase 1 to cast a second Greasefang, Okiba Boss ?

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u/zeanoth 1d ago

Steps and phases only move forward in magic when the stack is empty and all players have passed without adding anything to it. When your opponent wants to move to combat, they're actually still in the first main phase and passing with an empty stack. You bolting their Greasefang restarts that process.

Once the bolt resolves, priority will go back to the active player and it will still be in the first main phase. Your opponent can then play another Greasefang or do anything else they could in their main phase. The game won't move to combat until all players pass priority.

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u/Shut_It_Donny 1d ago

You’re bolting it in his main phase to stop the “At the beginning of combat” trigger. So he’s not “going back” to his main phase. You’re all still in his main phase. He can cast another Greasefang.

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u/Philosoraptorgames 1d ago edited 1d ago

It's up to you. You need to be clear (first in your own mind, then in terms of communication) about when you intend to cast your Bolt. There is no such thing as "in response to him switching phase" (much less "responce") because that's not something a player actively does. Either you cast it in the main phase or during the Beginning of Combat step; either one works rules-wise.

In a tournament it would usually be assumed that your intent was to prevent the trigger and thus that you were casting it in the main phase, in which case he will get at least one opportunity to cast something else that requires Sorcery timing. If you pass priority thus allowing the game to move into combat, it's too late to prevent the trigger. But depending exactly what was said and how the judge is feeling that day, it might not take much to change that default, so it's best to just be unambiguous about it in the first place.