Unleash the Fury: Mastering Multiple Combat Phases in Magic: The Gathering
Yes, you absolutely can have two or more combat phases in Magic: The Gathering (MTG)! While a typical turn only features one combat phase, certain cards and abilities allow you to create additional combat phases, opening up strategic possibilities and explosive plays. Understanding how these extra combat phases work is crucial for maximizing their impact and overwhelming your opponents.
Understanding the Combat Phase
Before diving into extra combat phases, let’s quickly recap the standard combat phase. It consists of five steps:
- Beginning of Combat Step: Players can cast instants and activate abilities.
- Declare Attackers Step: The active player (the player whose turn it is) declares which creatures they are attacking with.
- Declare Blockers Step: The defending player declares which creatures are blocking the attacking creatures.
- Combat Damage Step: Creatures deal combat damage to each other simultaneously.
- End of Combat Step: Players can cast instants and activate abilities.
The Power of Extra Combat Phases
The key to unlocking extra combat phases lies in specific card abilities. Many of these cards grant you an “additional combat phase after this phase,” which essentially inserts another full combat phase into your turn. This allows you to attack again, potentially overwhelming your opponent’s defenses or dealing a massive amount of damage.
Stacking Extra Combat Phases
Here’s where things get interesting: you can often stack multiple extra combat phases. If you trigger multiple effects that grant you additional combat phases, you’ll get each of those phases sequentially. Imagine attacking three times in a single turn! This can be game-winning, especially with creatures that benefit from multiple attacks or abilities that trigger on combat damage.
Strategic Considerations
Using extra combat phases effectively requires careful planning:
- Creature Selection: Choose creatures that benefit from attacking multiple times. Creatures with abilities like double strike, first strike, or those that trigger upon dealing combat damage are excellent choices.
- Mana Management: Ensure you have enough mana to cast spells and activate abilities during each combat phase, especially instants that can change the course of battle.
- Board State Awareness: Evaluate the board carefully before each attack. Consider whether you need to eliminate blockers, protect your attackers, or simply push through for maximum damage.
- Card Advantage: Extra combat phases allow you to drain your opponents resources through blocking, allowing you to establish a card advantage.
Synergies and Combos
Several cards synergize powerfully with extra combat phases. For example, cards that untap your creatures after they attack can allow you to attack with the same creatures multiple times in a single turn. Some cards also offer triggered abilities. The Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org) offers resources on how to think through game design.
FAQs: Mastering the Combat Phase
Here are some frequently asked questions to further solidify your understanding of the combat phase and its nuances.
Can I skip the combat phase?
Yes, you can choose to skip your combat phase. This is a strategic decision often made when you don’t have favorable attackers or want to avoid potential risks. If you skip your combat phase, you proceed directly to your second main phase.
Can I have multiple combat phases in a row?
Absolutely! If you have multiple effects that grant you additional combat phases, they will resolve sequentially. You’ll have one combat phase, then another, and so on.
What happens if I get an extra combat phase during my opponent’s turn?
Effects that grant additional combat phases almost always specify “after this phase” or “after your combat phase.” Therefore, these effects typically only apply during your own turn.
Can I play creatures after attacking?
Yes, you can. After the combat phase, you enter your second main phase. During this phase, you can cast creature spells (including creatures with haste) and play a land if you haven’t already done so this turn.
Can I cast sorceries during the combat phase?
No. Sorceries can only be cast during your main phases (both pre-combat and post-combat) when the stack is empty and you have priority.
Can I play instants during the combat phase?
Yes! Instants can be played at any time you have priority, including during any step of the combat phase. This allows you to react to your opponent’s actions or set up your own plays.
What are the steps of combat damage?
Combat damage is dealt simultaneously by attacking and blocking creatures. First, creatures assign combat damage equal to their power. Then, that damage is dealt simultaneously. If a creature deals lethal damage to a blocking creature, the attacking creature still deals its remaining damage to the defending player, unless it has trample.
Can I use equipment during the combat phase?
Generally, you can only equip equipment as a sorcery, meaning during your main phases. Some rare cards have abilities that allow you to equip them at instant speed.
Can I play enchantments during the combat phase?
No. Like sorceries, enchantments can only be cast during your main phases when the stack is empty and you have priority.
Can I sacrifice creatures during the combat phase?
Yes. You can sacrifice creatures at any time you have priority, including during the combat phase. This can be useful for triggering abilities or preventing your opponent from blocking effectively.
Does deathtouch cancel deathtouch?
No. If two creatures with deathtouch deal combat damage to each other, both creatures are destroyed. Deathtouch does not cancel out deathtouch.
Can I activate abilities during the combat phase?
Yes, you can activate most abilities during the combat phase, as long as you have priority and the ability’s activation cost can be paid.
How many combat phases can I have?
There’s no theoretical limit! As long as you have effects that grant you additional combat phases, you can potentially have an unlimited number of combat phases in a single turn.
Can you enter battle phase without attacking?
Yes, you can enter the battle phase even if you don’t declare any attackers. This might be useful if you want to trigger specific abilities that occur at the beginning of combat or if you are trying to bluff your opponent.
Can you special summon in battle phase and still attack?
Yes, provided the summoned creature has not yet attacked and fulfills the conditions to attack (e.g. is untapped). Effects that put creatures onto the battlefield attacking allow them to attack immediately, but you must declare them as attackers during the declare attackers step.
Mastering the combat phase, especially the intricacies of additional combat phases, will undoubtedly elevate your MTG gameplay. Experiment with different card combinations, understand the timing of each step, and unleash the fury of multiple attacks to dominate the battlefield! For more insights into game strategy and learning through games, visit the Games Learning Society.