<\/p>\n
Today we look at the structure of the Battle Phase, another fundamental element of every duel.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Fast Effect Timing is extremely relevant to\u00a0understanding the Battle Phase. In case you missed it or want to refresh your memory, you can read about it here in the last article: www.ygorganization.com\/learnrulingspart7<\/a><\/p>\n Structure<\/strong> Every Battle Phase begins at the Start Step. After that, the\u00a0Battle Step is always entered, and the turn player declares attacks (one at a time) at this point. A successful attack goes through the Damage Step, where the monsters’ ATK\/DEF are compared. The Battle Step and Damage Step then repeat in sequence until the turn player wishes to end the Battle Phase, at which point we finish things up in the End Step.<\/p>\n An important thing to note is that each Step follows the Fast Effect Timing (FET) chart from last article (though, for example, Ignition Effects cannot be performed in the Open Game States). In particular, recall that Phases and Steps can’t change in general until everything has finished resolving and both players are done activating cards.<\/p>\n Now let’s go through each Step in detail.<\/p>\n Start Step Battle Step An attack is declared once a player picks an attacking monster and an attack target. Both players can respond to the attack (according to the rules of FET, as usual). In a similar vein to responding to a Summon, the whole Chain is in response to the attack.<\/p>\n So this is OK:<\/p>\n Chain Link 1<\/span>: Mirror Force However, only that one Chain is in response to the attack. Another Chain cannot be started afterwards that is also responding to the attack.<\/p>\n So this is not OK:<\/p>\n Chain Link 1<\/span>: Mirror Force However, the following is OK:<\/p>\n Chain Link 1<\/span>: Mirror Force Fiendish Chain doesn’t have to respond to an attack, \u00a0so it can be used in a new Chain.<\/p>\n The Battle Step is also the place where a Replay will occur. The Rulebook explains what this is:<\/p>\n “After you\u2019ve announced your attacking monster and the attack target monster during a Battle Step, the attack target might be removed from the field, or a new monster may be placed on the opponent\u2019s side of the field before the Damage Step, due to a card\u2019s effect. This causes a “Replay”. When this occurs, you can choose to attack with the same monster again, or choose to attack with a different monster, or choose not to attack at all. Note that if you attack with a different monster, the first monster is still considered to have declared an attack, and it cannot attack again this turn.”<\/i><\/p>\n For example, suppose I attack my opponent\u2019s Dark Magician with my Blue-Eyes White Dragon. My opponent responds to the attack with Call of the Haunted, to Special Summon a Witch\u2019s Apprentice: My potential attack targets have changed, so I can either:<\/p>\n 1) Reselect my attack target as either Dark Magician or Witch\u2019s Apprentice, or Note that with (1), I\u2019m not re-declaring the attack itself. My opponent couldn\u2019t activate Mirror Force at this point.<\/p>\n Either way, the attack has now been declared. Even if I go with (2), and attack with a different monster, I couldn\u2019t attack again with Blue-Eyes this turn.<\/p>\n Note that replays only occur when the potential attack targets change. If my opponent used Shrink (Target 1 face-up monster on the field; the original ATK of that monster is halved until the End Phase) <\/i>instead of Call of the Haunted in response to my attack, I couldn\u2019t call the attack of Blue-Eyes off.<\/p>\n Damage Step
\nThe Battle Phase is comprised of 4 Steps:
\n1) The Start Step
\n2) The Battle Step
\n3) The Damage Step
\n4) The End Step<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>There’s nothing in particular I want to say\u00a0here, except that this is a good time for Threatening Roar:
\nYour opponent cannot declare an attack this turn.<\/i><\/p>\n
\n<\/b>We reach this point even if no\u00a0attack is going to be declared.\u00a0We start in the Open Game State, so if the turn player wants to attack or activate something, they can do so (otherwise, if the opponent agrees, the game moves to the End Step). So for example, Juragedo can always be Summoned if the Battle Phase is entered, even if the\u00a0players control\u00a0no monsters:
\nDuring either player’s Battle Step: You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, gain 1000 LP.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
\nChain Link 2<\/span>: Dimensional Prison<\/p>\n
\nChain Link 2<\/span>: Wiretap
\n(Then in a new Chain)
\nChain Link 1<\/span>: Mirror Force<\/p>\n
\nChain Link 2<\/span>: Wiretap
\n(Then in a new Chain)
\nChain Link 1<\/span>: Fiendish Chain<\/p>\n
\nAs long as this card remains face-up on the field, increase the ATK of all DARK monsters by 500 points and decrease the ATK of all LIGHT monsters by 400 points.<\/i><\/p>\n
\n2) Call off the attack.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>Here’s where the monsters actually do battle. It might sound simple, but in fact, this innocuous-sounding Step houses some of the most bizarre and confusing rulings in the game. But don\u2019t worry, we won\u2019t be getting into the weird stuff –\u00a0this series is supposed to demystify <\/i>rulings, after all.<\/p>\n