Dealing with Battle Phase Sub- Sections

[JesusofChaos™]

The Battle step is probably the most complicated step in the game. It first can be divided into the start step, battle step and damage step. However we can break these down further to smaller sub steps, thus making it easier to know when effects activate. Here i will go through what happens in each sub section

 

Start Step

 

The turn player declares that he/she is entering the battle phase

The turn player has priority to activate spell speed 2 effects

 

Battle Step

 

Sub step 1

The turn player has priority to activate spell speed 2 effects

e.g. Rageki Break, PWWB and limit reverse

 

Sub Step 2

Decide if you are going to battle, if you do not go to end step

 

Sub Step 3

Declare 1 monster that you will attack with and declare which of your opponents monsters you will attack.

 

Here there is an Attack response chain where turn player has priority to activate spell speed 2 or higher effects. Also this is the only chain where mirror force or sak armour can be activated.

 

After this chain is complete the turn player has priority to activate any other cards such as book of moon and shrink. There are infinite number of chains possible here and this phase only ends when both players agree to move to the damage step.

 

Damage step

 

Sub step 1

Some trigger effects activate here such as Mystic Swordsman lvl 2.

Triggers effects worded like this-

If this monster attacks a _____ monster, _____ the _____ monster immediately with this card's effect without flipping it face-up or damage calculation.

 

Sub Step 2

In this step flip the face down monster face up now (if it was face down). Continous effects of the face down monster are now active such as Jinzo.

Trigger effects that activate in the damage step activate here such as Reflect Bounder's damage inflicting effect .

 

Sub Step 3

Here damage calculation starts, first of all calculate the damage. The turn player has priority to activate spell speed 2 or higher effects here but only ones that modify attack/defense such as Shrink, Rush Recklessly and Limiter Removal. These can also be negated to form a chain by cards such as solemn judgment and dark bribe. Monster effects that activate in the damage step can be activated here such as Injection Fairy Lily. If spirit reaper is targetted by an effect here it will not be destroyed until sub step 5.

 

Sub Step 4

Here damage calculation is finished and the damage is inflicted to the players life points.

Effects that activate when damage is done activate here and form a chain such as Don Zaloog or Airknight Parshath

 

Sub Step 5

From here monsters are considered destroyed by battle. So monsters destroyed by Dark Ruler Ha Des cannot activate their effects. Here continous effect that involve destroyed monsters resolve. Effects that activate when a monster is not sent to the graveyard activate now and form a chain such as Reflect bounder's destroying itself effect or D.D. Warrior Lady's removal effect.

 

Sub Step 6

Send destroyed monsters to the graveyard

Searcher effects also activate here such as Mystic Tomato and Giant Rat

Effect that activate at the end of the damage step activate here such as Legendary Jujitsu Master or Ryu Kokki

 

Now if you wish to battle with a different monster you go all the way back to the beginning of the battle step.

 

Finally when all battles have been conducted you arrive at the End Step of the battle phase. Here Turn player declares end of battle phase. Effect that activate at end of battle phase such as Gladiator Beasts and Goblin Attack Force activate here and form a chain. Turn Player also has priority to activate spell speed 2 effects.

 

 

To sum up most of the steps in the Battle Phase are automatic and second nature to advance duelist. But for beginners, it's new, complex, and hard to understand. For example, not many duelist are aware of Battle Step Sub-step 1. If the turn player has a Set "Trap Jammer" for more than 1 turn, then they can use this sub-step to activate continuous Trap cards and don't have to worry about "Dust Tornado". Another example is pretend that the Turn Player has 2 Set "Zero Gravity", "Magical Scientist" in face-up DEF mode, and "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" in ATK mode. The Opponent has a "Labyrinth Wall" in face-up DEF mode. The Turn Player can activate "Zero Gravity" in Battle Step Sub-step 1, attack LW with MS to destroy LW, then activate the second "Zero Gravity" in the second pass on Battle Step Sub-step 1, Then attack directly with BEWD.

 

Also remember if you don't enter the battle phase at all you skip your main phase 2 and go straight to end phase. However you can still enter the battle phase if you dont have any monsters, this is usually used by a player if they do not want to attack with beserk gorilla on the turn it is summoned. They enter their battle phase with no monsters, then in main phase 2 they summon beserk gorillia.

 

Hope this helps

[Yogg-Saron]

Should help people. Nicely done JoC.