Category Archives: Turn Structure

You can cast Azorius Charm after combat damage is dealt, and you can cast it on your own creatures.

Posted on January 10, 2013 by bimmerbot

The combat phase normally has five steps: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat (when first or double strike is involved, the combat damage step happens twice). Intuitively enough, when you declare a creature … Continue reading →

Posted in Casting / playing a spell or ability, Turn Structure | Tagged | Comments Off

Feeling of Dread can only stop attackers if cast before the declare attackers step.

Posted on December 19, 2012 by bimmerbot

A question that I’ve been asked a lot is, “When is the last time I can tap a creature to prevent it from attacking?” So today, let’s use Feeling of Dread as our example card. When is the last time … Continue reading →

Posted in Casting / playing a spell or ability, Combat Phase, Shortcuts, Turn Structure | Tagged | Comments Off

You can’t do anything in the untap step (other than untapping).

Posted on November 20, 2012 by bimmerbot

In Magic, the turn is broken down in to many steps and phases, which give players the opportunity to cast spells or activate abilities at different points in the turn. They are, in order: Beginning Phase: Untap* Upkeep Draw Main … Continue reading →

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Multiplayer tips: How attacking/blocking works.

Posted on September 19, 2012 by bimmerbot

So normally, when you attack, there’s no question which player you’re attacking. However, when there are multiple legal choices for who to attack, it gets a little more involved. You still only get one combat phase and one of each … Continue reading →

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You can’t play a land after you reveal a Miracle card but before you cast it.

Posted on May 9, 2012 by bimmerbot

There seem to be a lot of questions about the new miracle mechanic lately. To repeat, here is how it works: When you draw the first card in a turn, if it has miracle, you may reveal it. When you … Continue reading →

Posted in Casting / playing a spell or ability, Triggered Abilities, Turn Structure | Comments Off

A Miracle card must be cast in the same step you draw the card (even if it’s a sorcery).

Posted on April 29, 2012 by bimmerbot

When you draw your first card for the turn (usually in your draw step), you can reveal it as you draw it if it has the Miracle ability. When you do that, the ability triggers and goes on the stack … Continue reading →

Posted in Resolving spells and abilities, Static Abilities, Triggered Abilities, Turn Structure | Tagged , | Comments Off

The “next end step” means the very next one to begin (usually in the same turn).

Posted on April 12, 2012 by bimmerbot

Seance is an interesting card that lets you trade a creature card in your graveyard for a temporary creature on the battlefield. The only caveat is that your new best friend (or rather your returned best friend) will only remain … Continue reading →

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What first strike and double strike mean for the combat phase.

Posted on March 23, 2012 by bimmerbot

First Strike and Double Strike: Fun abilities that make creatures scary good in combat. But what exactly ARE they? How do they work? How does my Phyrexian Crusader deal damage ‘first’? Normally, during the Combat Phase, there’s only one step … Continue reading →

Posted in Abilities, Combat Phase, Turn Structure | Comments Off

A blocked creature stays blocked for the rest of combat, no matter what happens to the blocker.

Posted on February 27, 2012 by bimmerbot

The first thing that happens in the declare blockers step is that the defending player chooses which creatures will block and how they’re blocking. Once that happens, the blocks are locked in. Attackers that had a blocker declared become “blocked” … Continue reading →

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The token put into play by Séance is exiled in the next end step.

Posted on January 30, 2012 by krizriktr

Séance is a very flavorful white enchantment from Dark Ascension that allows you to temporarily bring back creatures from your graveyard as spirits. As mentioned, this is temporary. Séance’s ability triggers at the beginning of each upkeep step. When this … Continue reading →

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