Mastering Priority: The Battlefield and Beyond

Yes, priority does pass after a creature enters the battlefield. In Magic: The Gathering, priority dictates when players can cast spells and activate abilities. After a creature resolves and enters the battlefield, the active player (the player whose turn it is) receives priority. They can then choose to cast another spell, activate an ability, or pass priority to the next player in turn order. Understanding this flow is crucial for mastering the intricacies of the game.

The Dance of Priority: A Detailed Explanation

Priority is the game’s mechanism for ensuring that players have a chance to react to each action taken. It’s often described as a “talking stick” – only the player with priority can act. This system governs everything from casting spells to activating abilities, creating a dynamic and interactive gameplay experience. Let’s break down how this applies specifically to creatures entering the battlefield.

1. Casting the Creature: A player casts a creature spell, placing it on the stack.
2. Priority Round: After casting the spell, the player has priority. They can choose to cast another spell (like a counterspell targeting their own creature to get a triggered ability from a card like “wild defiance”), activate an ability, or pass priority. If they pass, the next player in turn order receives priority. This process continues around the table (in multiplayer games) until all players have passed priority in succession.
3. Resolution: If all players pass priority without adding anything to the stack, the creature spell resolves.
4. Entering the Battlefield: The creature enters the battlefield under its controller’s control.
5. Post-Entry Priority: Once the creature is on the battlefield, the active player receives priority again. This is where triggered abilities like “enters the battlefield” effects will go on the stack. They can now respond with instants, abilities, or pass priority.

This sequence highlights that priority isn’t just a one-time event. It’s a recurring process that happens after nearly every action in the game, including the resolution of a spell or ability that brings a creature into play. It ensures all players have a fair opportunity to react and strategize at each pivotal moment. Understanding this intricate process is essential, and further resources on Magic: The Gathering and gaming in education can be found at the Games Learning Society website, GamesLearningSociety.org.

Understanding Priority: Common Scenarios

• Triggered Abilities: When a creature enters the battlefield and triggers an ability (e.g., “When this creature enters the battlefield, draw a card”), these abilities are placed on the stack. Players receive priority to respond to these triggers before they resolve.
• State-Based Actions: State-based actions, like a creature with lethal damage being put into the graveyard, happen before players receive priority.
• Multiple Creatures: If multiple creatures enter the battlefield simultaneously (e.g., through a spell like “Living End”), the active player determines the order in which any triggered abilities are put onto the stack. Players receive priority after this choice is made.

FAQs: Priority and Creatures

1. What happens if a creature enters the battlefield and immediately dies?

Even if a creature is immediately destroyed (e.g., due to a state-based action like having zero toughness), triggered abilities that trigger upon it entering the battlefield still trigger. Players receive priority to respond to those triggers before they resolve.

2. If I cast a creature spell on my opponent’s turn, who gets priority after it resolves?

If you cast a creature spell during your opponent’s turn, your opponent, being the active player, receives priority after the creature resolves and enters the battlefield.

3. Can I activate an ability of a creature the moment it enters the battlefield?

Generally, yes, provided the creature doesn’t have “summoning sickness” (i.e. it has haste, or you controlled it since the beginning of your most recent turn) and the ability doesn’t require tapping the creature as part of the cost. You receive priority after the creature enters, allowing you to activate its abilities.

4. Does “summoning sickness” affect triggered abilities of a creature entering the battlefield?

No. “Summoning sickness” only prevents a creature from attacking or activating abilities with the tap or untap symbol in their cost. It does not prevent triggered abilities from functioning when the creature enters the battlefield.

5. If I control multiple creatures with “enters the battlefield” triggers, how does the order work?

If you control multiple creatures entering the battlefield simultaneously and triggering abilities, you choose the order in which those triggered abilities are placed on the stack. The last ability you put on the stack will resolve first.

6. Can my opponent respond to a creature entering the battlefield with a removal spell?

Yes. After the creature enters the battlefield, your opponent receives priority. They can then cast a removal spell targeting your creature.

7. What’s the difference between “playing” a land and “putting” a land onto the battlefield?

“Playing a land” is a special action you can take once per turn during your main phase when the stack is empty and you have priority. “Putting” a land onto the battlefield is the result of a spell or ability resolving. Putting a land onto the battlefield does not count as your land play for the turn.

8. Do creatures that phase in trigger “enters the battlefield” abilities?

No. Phasing in or out is not considered entering or leaving the battlefield. Therefore, abilities that trigger when a permanent enters the battlefield will not trigger when a creature phases in.

9. If I sacrifice a creature as it enters the battlefield (due to an effect like Exploit), do any “enters the battlefield” abilities still trigger?

Yes. The “enters the battlefield” ability triggers when the creature enters the battlefield. You can then choose to sacrifice a creature (including the one that just entered) to exploit it. The exploit ability then goes on the stack.

10. Who gets priority at the end of the combat step?

At the end of the combat step, the active player gets priority first.

11. If a creature with first strike deals damage, does priority pass before regular combat damage is dealt?

Yes. After the first strike combat damage step, all players receive priority before the regular combat damage step begins.

12. Can I hold priority after casting a creature spell to cast another spell targeting it?

Yes, you can explicitly state that you are holding priority. This allows you to cast another spell targeting your creature before anyone else can respond.

13. Does tapping a land for mana pass priority?

Activating mana abilities, like tapping lands, doesn’t use the stack and doesn’t automatically pass priority. You retain priority and can take further actions. However, to move forward, you must eventually pass priority without taking any further actions.

14. Do I get priority during my opponent’s upkeep or draw step?

Yes. You receive priority during your opponent’s upkeep and draw step after they perform any turn-based actions associated with those steps.

15. What happens if two creatures enter the battlefield simultaneously with conflicting abilities that would trigger at the same time?

If two creatures enter the battlefield simultaneously with abilities that would trigger at the same time, the active player (AP) orders their own triggers as they want, then the non-active player (NAP) orders their own triggers as they want. Then, those triggers are put on the stack in APNAP order, meaning the triggers controlled by the Active Player will go on the stack first, followed by the non-active player’s triggers, and then the reverse order.

Understanding these nuances of priority allows for more strategic gameplay and informed decision-making in Magic: The Gathering. The game is not just about the cards, but the timing of your actions.