Steps vs. Phases

[colo]

Maybe a dumb question, but I'm just not sure about this one and can't think of a possible explanation/probable answer right now...

Is there any meaningful semantic difference between a phase (like, say, the first main phase) and a step (draw setp, etc.)? If not, what's the point in keeping them separate? Since mana pools empty at the end of states and phases since a recent-ish rules update, I don't seem to be able to recount any differences between those two concepts - or am I just missing something obvious?

[Esper3k]

Think of Steps as small parts within the larger overarching Phases.

For example, abilities & spells that have a limit where they can be used only during the Combat Phase could be used during any of the individual steps within it. A Legacy example of this would be using Maze of Ith after the Combat Damage Step to untap your attacker yet allow it to still deal combat damage.

[cdr]

Steps are subunits of phases. It is necessary to have a subunit of phase and necessary to have a superunit of step.

[Koby]

I agree that Phases are a by-product of the 6th Edition rules that doesn't neatly or purposefully translate to M10 rules. The only portion that still matters is Combat Phase and its sub-steps for cleaning up floating mana and playing spells and abilities (ie., Beginning of Combat Step, End of Combat Step, etc).

[Tammit67]

Regarding the combat phase in particular, there is no point in the combat step where my opponent can tap my silvergill adept with twiddle that would prevent me from attacking with them while also not allowing me to animate a mutavault afterwards, correct? Specifically beginning of combat step is what i am looking for?

Two of my friends were testing modern, 'Andrew' and 'Nadine'. Andrew says "declare attacks", and in response Nadine plays Cryptic command, choosing tap and draw. After it resolves, Andrew said he could not activate his treetop village and attack with it. I am sure he was incorrect, but clarification is always useful.

[Esper3k]

Regarding the combat phase in particular, there is no point in the combat step where my opponent can tap my silvergill adept with twiddle that would prevent me from attacking with them while also not allowing me to animate a mutavault afterwards, correct? Specifically beginning of combat step is what i am looking for?

Two of my friends were testing modern, 'Andrew' and 'Nadine'. Andrew says "declare attacks", and in response Nadine plays Cryptic command, choosing tap and draw. After it resolves, Andrew said he could not activate his treetop village and attack with it. I am sure he was incorrect, but clarification is always useful.

Using your example:

When Andrew says "declare attacks", that's a common shortcut used that pretty much means he's passing priority until the declare attackers step.

In response, Nadine can play Cryptic Command to tap an attacker and draw a card.

After Cryptic Command resolves, Andrew can indeed activate his Treetop Village and attack with it.

So the tricky part gets to this:

When Andrew says "declare attacks", if Nadine says "ok", THEN it's too late for Andrew to activate his Treetop Village and attack with it because he used the common shortcut to pass priority until the declare attackers step.

==================================

Pretty much, if I suspect something like that is going to matter, you want to make sure you're very clear about what step you're in and what you're doing.

Oftentimes, if I have something like that happening, I like to say "Move to Beginning of Combat step?" (The Beginning of Combat step is the last opportunity anyone has to do anything (ie, tap attackers) before attackers are declared.
).

If I'm expecting a tap effect or something, I'll oftentimes move to my Beginning of Combat Step and pass priority to see what they do. If they pass it back, it's too late for them to tap anything now before you can declare it as an attacker.

[Koby]

Specifically:

Combat Phase
- Beginning of Combat Step
- Declare Attackers Step
- Declare Blockers Step
- Combat Damage Step
- End of Combat Step

During each the middle three steps of this phase, there are actions that do not use the stack. During each of these steps, players also gain priority, but only after actions not-using-the-stack have been performed. These are "declare attackers", "declare blockers", and "assign and deal damage" specifically.

[cara]

It's not a dumb question at all! While phases and steps are both parts of a turn, they have different functions and follow different rules.

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