Respect My Prioritah!

A friend of mine contacted me this morning about a supposed rule change to be implemented on March 19, 2011, so I go and check it out. Apparently it was about how players could no longer call priority on Ignition Effects. I thought it was a bit strange, but the source was legit, so I came here to notify my readers about the change. 

...That was, until I looked at my blogroll and noticed that 8/20 of the blogs I follow already posted about it. Word travels fast I suppose. 

And anyway there's no mention of when this ruling would be implemented in the TCG. So until then make good use of your Ignition Effect guys, while you can. *Ominous music plays*

Remember players, the game ends with you.

P.S: I suppose this justifies why Book of Moon was limited, and why Bottomless Trap Hole is still semi'ed. The latter of which just got a heck of a lot better.

Regional Differences

Just wanted to clear up some differences between the TCG and OCG regarding the use of priority.

In the OCG, you only retain priority to activate the ignition effects of monsters you control or Spell Speed 2 or higher effects. (You don't control the cards in your hand, Graveyard, RFP Zone, etc.)

In the TCG, this extends to Ignition Effects that activate elsewhere as well.

For example, say you discard Destiny Hero - Malicious to Special Summon Dark Grepher. The summon is not negated by either player. In the OCG, you can only call priority on Grepher's effect whereas in the TCG you can choose to use it on the effect of the Malicious in your Graveyard instead. (Note that you would not be able to chain both effects together as they are Ignition Effects.) 

Remember players, the game ends with you. 

Speak Up!

Apparently there are no limits to the ways in which people show complete and utter disregard to basic game mechanics. I cannot count how time I've seen people summon, declare an attack and end their turn—in one sentence! In reality, however, things are not that simple. 

Take the following example: During my Standby Phase I revive Treeborn Frog and then declared that I wished to proceed to the next phase (Main Phase 1). My opponent states that at the end of my Standby Phase he's activates Raigeki Break to destroy Treeborn Frog, thinking that the game-state must proceed forward, but it doesn't work that way.

When it's a given player's turn and that player wishes to move on to the next phase, turn priority passes to the opponent and he/she is then allowed to activate any of his/her cards effects. If he/she does, however, you are allowed to chain your own cards and the phase will continue after both effects resolve. Once both players have no further actions can the game move forward.

In this case, I could revive Treeborn Frog again before moving on to my Main Phase, that is of course should either player have no further response.

The only exception to this rule in with regard to the End Step of the Battle Phase. After you enter it (if both players agree to enter it), it will be too late to declare another attack.

"Once players agree to move from the Battle Step to the End Step, play cannot return to the Battle Step. Requesting to move to the next step, however, does not advance play to the next step unless both players agree to do so."

Unfortunately, many players don't declare their phases which can complicate things especially when it comes to effects like Threatening Roar or Mirage Dragon. That's why its important to communicate with your opponent so that situations like this do not occur.

Remember players, the game ends with you.