Can You Play Creatures After Combat Phase? A Comprehensive MTG Guide

Absolutely! You can play creatures after the combat phase in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). This occurs during your second main phase, which follows the combat phase. Knowing when to play your creatures, lands, and other permanents is a crucial aspect of strategic play. Let’s dive into the details and explore the nuances of playing creatures in relation to the combat phase, along with some frequently asked questions to enhance your gameplay.

Understanding the Phases of a Turn

To fully grasp when you can play creatures, it’s essential to understand the structure of a turn in MTG. Each turn consists of several phases, each with its own steps:

1. Beginning Phase: (Untap Step, Upkeep Step, Draw Step)
2. Precombat Main Phase: This is where you can play lands, creatures, and other spells before combat.
3. Combat Phase: (Beginning of Combat Step, Declare Attackers Step, Declare Blockers Step, Combat Damage Step, End of Combat Step)
4. Postcombat Main Phase: Your second opportunity to play lands, creatures, and other spells after the combat phase has concluded.
5. Ending Phase: (End Step, Cleanup Step)

The main phases are the primary times when you can cast spells and play lands, provided the stack is empty and you have priority. Critically, this includes playing creatures.

Timing is Everything: Strategic Creature Deployment

The key takeaway is that you have two main phases in each of your turns where you can play creatures: the precombat main phase and the postcombat main phase. Deciding when to play your creatures is a crucial strategic element:

• Playing Creatures Before Combat: You’d typically do this if:
  • You want to attack with the creature (and it has haste or is already on the battlefield).
  • You need the creature’s abilities to affect combat.
  • You anticipate needing the creature to block during your opponent’s turn.
• Playing Creatures After Combat: You’d typically do this if:
  • You want to keep your options open during combat, responding to your opponent’s actions.
  • You drew the creature during your draw step and want to deploy it.
  • You want to bait out removal spells from your opponent before committing other valuable creatures.
  • You don’t need the creature to block immediately and want to conserve resources.

Key Considerations

• Haste: Creatures with haste can attack the turn they enter the battlefield. If you want to attack with a creature, and it has haste, you’ll need to cast it before the Declare Attackers step of the combat phase.
• Mana Availability: Ensure you have the necessary mana to cast your creatures. Waiting until the postcombat main phase allows you to assess your mana situation after any combat-related expenses (e.g., using abilities to save creatures).
• Information Advantage: Waiting to play creatures can provide you with more information about your opponent’s strategy before committing your resources.

Creature Abilities

Remember that you can generally activate creature abilities any time you could cast an instant spell (as long as you’re able to pay any associated costs). However, some abilities may have restrictions, such as “activate only as a sorcery,” meaning you can only use them during your main phase when the stack is empty.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you summon creatures after the battle phase?

Yes, you can summon creatures during your postcombat main phase, which directly follows the combat phase, assuming you have the mana and it is your turn.

2. When can you play creatures in Magic?

Creatures are played on the player’s own main phase when the stack is empty. This means both during the precombat main phase and the postcombat main phase.

3. Can you cast creatures after attacking?

Absolutely! You can cast creature spells (and other spells like sorceries, enchantments, artifacts, and planeswalkers) during the second main phase after combat.

4. Are creatures still attacking at the end of combat?

A creature remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends. Effects can remove creatures from combat early, such as regeneration or effects that specifically remove them from combat.

5. Do creatures tap before or after combat?

The creature is tapped when it’s declared as an attacker, unless it has Vigilance.

6. Can you skip your combat phase?

Yes, you can skip your combat phase. If no attackers are declared, the declare blockers and combat damage steps are skipped, but the combat phase still occurs.

7. Can you cast an instant after combat damage?

Yes! After combat damage is dealt, players can cast instants and activate abilities before moving to the end of combat step.

8. Can you sacrifice a creature after combat damage?

If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature during the declare blockers step, it won’t deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, the damage will resolve, and the creature can be sacrificed if it is still on the battlefield.

9. Can you play a land during the combat phase?

No, you cannot normally play a land during the combat phase. You can only play one land during each of your main phases (precombat or postcombat).

10. When can you play creature abilities?

You can generally use creature abilities any time you could cast an instant spell, provided you can pay the costs. Some abilities are restricted to sorcery speed.

11. Can you play a land on your end step?

You typically cannot play a land on your end step. You can only play a land during one of your main phases.

12. Can you equip a creature during combat?

You cannot activate Equip in the Combat Phase. The Equip ability is restricted to your Main Phase when the stack is empty, and you have priority.

13. Do creatures heal after a fight in MTG?

No, damage dealt to a creature during combat remains until the end of the turn, unless the creature is regenerated or healed by another effect.

14. Can you regenerate a creature after combat damage?

You can regenerate a creature after combat damage, but you must activate the regeneration ability before the creature is destroyed by lethal damage. Regeneration is a replacement effect.

15. Can you tap a creature during combat?

Once a creature has become an attacking or blocking creature, tapping or untapping it generally does not change its status in combat. It will still deal and receive combat damage as normal.

Mastering the Phases: A Key to Victory

Understanding when you can play creatures and utilize their abilities is fundamental to success in MTG. By strategically timing your plays, you can gain a significant advantage over your opponents and secure victory on the battlefield. Remember the importance of mana management, information gathering, and reacting to your opponent’s moves. And for those interested in the educational aspects of gaming and its potential for learning, be sure to check out the Games Learning Society and see how gaming can promote innovation and education. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.