Can you play an instant during combat?
Yes, you can play an instant during combat, as instants can be cast at any time, including during the combat phase, and players can cast instants and activate abilities during this phase. The combat phase is divided into several steps, including the declare attackers step, the declare blockers step, and the combat damage step, and instants can be cast during any of these steps, allowing for strategic plays and counter-plays.
Understanding Instants in Combat
To fully understand the role of instants in combat, it’s essential to grasp the basics of instant spells and how they interact with the combat phase. Instants are a type of spell that can be cast at any time, including during other players’ turns, and they can greatly influence the outcome of combat.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the rule for instants in MTG?
Instants can be cast at any time, including during other players’ turns and while another spell or ability is waiting to resolve, differing from sorceries which may only be cast during the player’s own main phases.
2. Can you cast an instant before blockers are declared?
Yes, you can cast an instant before blockers are declared, as players receive priority after attackers are declared and before blockers are declared.
3. Can you cast an instant after blockers are declared?
Yes, each player receives priority and can cast instants after blockers are declared, although the attacking creature will still be considered blocked if the defender is killed or removed from combat.
4. Can you cast an instant during the declare attackers step?
Yes, after declaring attackers, players can cast instants and activate abilities.
5. Can you cast an instant before combat damage?
Yes, you can cast instants before, after, and during different parts of the combat phase, including before combat damage is dealt.
6. Can you cast an instant after combat damage?
Yes, once combat damage is calculated and dealt, players can then cast instants and activate abilities.
7. Does 0 damage count as combat damage?
No, a creature with 0 or negative power deals no damage during the damage step and does not count as dealing combat damage.
8. Can you play an instant after first strike damage?
Yes, all players get priority and can cast instants, cast cards with flash, and activate abilities between first strike and regular damage.
9. Can you respond to an instant with an instant?
Yes, if you respond to an instant by casting an instant, yours will be on top of the stack and resolve before the opponent’s spell.
10. Can you escape as an instant?
It depends on the card; if the card has an escape cost and is an instant, then you can cast it at instant speed for that cost.
11. Can you stack first strike?
No, multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant and do not provide additional benefits.
12. Is double strike the same as first strike?
No, double strike isn’t the same as first strike; creatures with double strike deal combat damage twice, whereas creatures with first strike deal combat damage before creatures without first strike.
13. Can you block with summoning sickness?
Yes, a creature with summoning sickness can block, but it cannot attack or use abilities that tap it.
14. Can you regenerate during combat?
Yes, if a creature with regeneration faces a creature with deathtouch, both deal combat damage, but the creature with regeneration is tapped, removed from combat, and has all damage removed from it.
15. Can you respond to declare blockers?
No, you can’t respond to blockers being declared in the same way you could respond to a player casting an instant, as declaring blockers is a turn-based action that doesn’t use the stack.