General Priority Explanation

[TorpidNinja]

Who knows of a solid, non-premium explanation of the rules of priority? I've been experimenting with Solidarity off and on for some time now but would like to up my game and really abuse the stack. You know, effectively preventing other players from gaining priority and such.

[parallax]

You can't prevent players from gaining priority.

Priority follows rather straightforward rules.

1) At the beginning of each phase, the active player (player whose turn it is) gains priority.
2) Whenever you play a spell or ability, it goes on the stack and you receive priority again.
3) Whenever a spell or ability resolves, the active player gains priority again.
4) Whenever you have priority, you may pass without playing anything. Your opponent then receives priority. When both players pass priority without taking any game actions, the top spell or ability of the stack resolves.

Note that both players must always receive priority before any spell or ability resolves.

[TorpidNinja]

In which case, how does is the stack abused to prevent split second cards from mattering?

[nitewolf9]

If a player receives priority and then casts a split second card, the split second card is going to resolve (nobody can play a spell on top of it, although I guess that counterbalance could counter a split-second card, without the aid of top, because it's triggered, but that's not relevant to the discussion here). Of what split second card are you referring to that solidarity would care about? Angel's grace? Provide context, please.

[TorpidNinja]

Actually, I think what I was looking for was right here the entire time: http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showpost.php?p=106704&postcount=1014

No worries.

[Tacosnape]

Players still both recieve priority in turn when a Split Second card is played. Split second does not alter priority at all. It merely prevents a player from doing anything with that priority.

Priority generally works like this.

At the beginning of any turn step where spells or abilities can be played (Upkeep, Draw, Main1, Any Combat step, Main2, End), after triggered abilities are put on the stack and in the case of the draw step, special actions are taken, the active player gets priority. The active player, as you know, is the person whose turn it is. Triggered abilities that have "At the beginning of your upkeep/draw step/combat step" or "At end of turn," are placed on the stack before any player gets priority to respond. Then the active player gets priority.

With this priority, the Active Player can do the following:
1. Play a spell legal to play during the given step. The spell is added to the stack and priority does not change.
2. Play an activated ability. The ability is added to the stack and priority does not change.
3. Take a special game action if circumstances permit. (such as playing a land if it's in the main step and the stack is empty) Priority does not change.
4. Play Mana Abilities. Woohoo! This doesn't use the stack and priority doesn't change.
5. Pass priority to the opponent.

Once it's the opponent's priority, they have the exact same set of options.

Once both players pass without putting anything on the stack, one of two things will happen.

1. If there is any spell, activated ability, or triggered ability on the stack, it will go through its resolution process.
2. If the stack is empty, the turn will proceed to the next step.

Split Second, again, doesn't take away your priority. It merely prevents you from performing options one and two, and to my knowledge there aren't any special game actions you can do with a split second spell on the stack. This means you -can- play mana abilities with your priority. So if by some weird fluke you've managed to manipulate the game state to where a mana ability can somehow produce a triggered ability that would counter/copy the Split Second spell, you can do so with your priority.

[Drathro]

to my knowledge there aren't any special game actions you can do with a split second spell on the stack.

FYI, The Time Spiral FAQ states that you may activate the Morph static ability to flip the creature, even with a Split Second spell on the stack.

I must say that I think a strict literal reading of the comprehensive rules would refute this, but I'm certain that allowing morph is how Wizards is intending it to work. Judges will be allowing the Morph-flip ability while Split Second is on the stack.

Edit - Cut and pasted from the Time Spiral FAQ:

* Split second doesn't prevent players from performing special actions. Most notably, players may turn face-down creatures face up while a spell with split second is on the stack.

[Pinder]

FYI, The Time Spiral FAQ states that you may activate the Morph static ability to flip the creature, even with a Split Second spell on the stack.

Voidmage Apprentice FTW?

[Tacosnape]

FYI, The Time Spiral FAQ states that you may activate the Morph static ability to flip the creature, even with a Split Second spell on the stack.

I must say that I think a strict literal reading of the comprehensive rules would refute this, but I'm certain that allowing morph is how Wizards is intending it to work. Judges will be allowing the Morph-flip ability while Split Second is on the stack.

Edit - Cut and pasted from the Time Spiral FAQ:

Good call. It's a good thing my knowledge isn't all encompassing. Morph would indeed be an example of something else that could be done here.

[Locutus]

From Cranial Insertion (http://mtgsalvation.com/493-cranial-insertion-splitting-faces.html):

Three of the “special actions” described in the CompRules can also be taken:


408.1i Special actions don’t use the stack. The special actions are playing a land (see rule 408.2d), turning a face-down creature face up (see rule 408.2h), ending continuous effects or stopping delayed triggered abilities (see rule 408.2i), ignoring continuous effects (see rule 408.2j), and removing a card with suspend in your hand from the game (see rule 408.2k).


Playing a land is obviously out; that requires the stack to be empty. Removing a card with suspend in your hand from the game is also illegal as you can only suspend a spell when you could otherwise play it; if you can't play any spells then you can't suspend any spells either.

However, you can turn a face-down creature face up (more on that later), and end a continuous effect (Enraging Licid), ignore one (Damping Engine), or stop a delayed triggered ability (Nafs Asp).