Mastering the Art of Holding Priority in Magic: The Gathering

In Magic: The Gathering, priority is the right to act, to cast spells, activate abilities, or take special actions. Holding priority means not passing that right to your opponent after you’ve taken an action. You can hold priority any time you would normally receive it, specifically: after you cast a spell, activate an ability, or take a special action on your turn. While you technically receive priority at the beginning of each step and phase of your turn, and after certain actions resolve, holding it is most relevant when you want to chain actions together rapidly.

The Essence of Holding Priority

The core concept is this: Magic operates on a stack. Spells and abilities go onto the stack, and they resolve one at a time in a last-in, first-out order. Normally, after you put something on the stack, you pass priority, giving your opponent a chance to respond before it resolves. Holding priority allows you to put multiple things on the stack before your opponent gets a chance to respond to any of them.

Why Hold Priority? Tactical Advantages

Holding priority is a powerful, if somewhat nuanced, technique. It opens up possibilities for plays that would be impossible otherwise. Here’s why it matters:

• Combo Execution: Many combos require sequencing actions without giving your opponent a chance to disrupt them individually. Holding priority allows you to execute key parts of a combo before your opponent can react.

• Exploiting Triggered Abilities: You can stack triggered abilities in a specific order to maximize their effect. Holding priority lets you control that stacking order, denying your opponent the chance to influence it.

• Mana Efficiency: In certain situations, holding priority can allow you to use mana more efficiently. For instance, you might cast a spell that generates mana and then immediately use that mana to cast another spell before your opponent can respond.

• Bluffing and Mind Games: Even if you don’t have a specific play in mind, holding priority can create uncertainty for your opponent. They may hesitate to act, fearing that you have a devastating response lined up.

• Avoiding Responses: Sometimes, you want to cast a sequence of spells without giving your opponent the chance to react to each one individually. By holding priority, you force them to respond to the entire sequence as a whole.

The Limitations of Holding Priority

It’s crucial to understand that you cannot hold priority on your opponent’s turn and it can only be done on your turn. You also can’t hold priority indefinitely. Eventually, you must pass priority to allow the stack to resolve. Holding priority doesn’t guarantee success; your opponent can still respond to the entire stack of spells and abilities you’ve created. Priority is given first to the active player, then to the non-active player, at every point in game actions. This includes casting a spell on your opponent’s turn.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I hold priority to cast multiple instants in response to my own spell?

Yes! This is a classic use case. You can cast an instant, hold priority, and then cast another instant in response to the first, stacking them in the order you desire.

2. What happens if I accidentally pass priority when I meant to hold it?

Once you’ve passed priority, you generally can’t take it back. Your opponent then has the opportunity to act. This highlights the importance of communicating clearly when you intend to hold priority. In Magic Arena, use Full Control to avoid misclicks.

3. Does holding priority prevent my opponent from activating mana abilities?

No. Mana abilities don’t use the stack and can be activated at any time a player could pay mana. Holding priority doesn’t change that.

4. Can I hold priority after a triggered ability triggers?

Yes. Triggered abilities automatically go on the stack when they trigger. You receive priority to respond to them (or add more abilities to the stack) immediately after that. Holding priority lets you stack multiple triggers in a specific order.

5. Can I hold priority to activate the same ability multiple times?

If the ability doesn’t have a restriction preventing multiple activations in the same turn or in response to itself, then yes. You can activate it, hold priority, activate it again, and so on. A common use is when you want to activate the same creature ability multiple times.

6. How does holding priority interact with Split Second?

You can hold priority and cast your split second spell. However, once that spell resolves, everyone has to pass priority again for your creature to resolve so they can just counter it then.

7. If I hold priority and cast multiple spells, does my opponent respond to each one individually?

No. Your opponent responds to the entire stack of spells you’ve created by holding priority. They can’t pick and choose which spells to counter or interact with.

8. Can I hold priority to take multiple special actions?

Special actions, like playing a land, generally can only be performed when the stack is empty. Playing a land will pass priority and the stack has to be empty.

9. What’s the best way to signal that I’m holding priority in a paper Magic game?

The most effective method is simply to clearly and verbally state, “I’m holding priority.” Avoid ambiguous phrases that could be misinterpreted.

10. Can I use holding priority to get around “can’t be countered” effects?

No. If a spell has “can’t be countered,” it simply can’t be countered, regardless of whether you hold priority.

11. Does holding priority work differently in Two-Headed Giant?

The fundamental principles are the same, but in Two-Headed Giant, you and your teammate share a turn. You can coordinate to hold priority and chain actions together as a team.

12. What role does priority play in digital Magic games like Magic: The Gathering Arena?

Digital clients like MTG Arena automate many priority passes for convenience. To actively hold priority, you’ll often need to enable “Full Control” mode (usually by pressing Ctrl), which ensures you receive priority at every possible opportunity. You can also use Shift+Enter to give you priority during specific points of the game.

13. What are some advanced plays that require holding priority?

One complex example involves using effects that copy spells. You can cast a spell, hold priority, and then cast a copy spell targeting your original spell. This can create a cascade of effects that your opponent struggles to answer effectively.

14. Does tapping a land pass priority?

Activating mana abilities (like tapping lands), while not using the stack, is an action. For the game to move forward, each player must pass priority “without taking any actions”; as such, passing of priority restarts with the player who tapped the land.

15. Where can I learn more about complex Magic: The Gathering rules and strategies?

Excellent resources include the official Magic: The Gathering rulebook, strategy websites and forums, and educational content created by experienced players. Organizations like the Games Learning Society and GamesLearningSociety.org also offer insightful perspectives on the cognitive and strategic elements of games like Magic.

Conclusion

Holding priority is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any serious Magic player. Mastering this technique requires a deep understanding of the stack, priority rules, and the specific interactions of various cards and abilities. While it may seem complex at first, the strategic advantages it offers are well worth the effort. Practice using this skill, and you’ll see your gameplay improve exponentially.