ok so i was playing online. i was in my first main phase. i had {xenagos, god of revels} out. i attempted to go to combat. he responded by casting {turn/burn} on xenagod thus changing my plan. He claimed since I was attempting to go to combat, i was in "the end of my main phase" and could only cast instants and not activate a pws ability like domri, sorcery speed. this is baloney right. even though i attempted to go to combat, once the stack is empty after his spell resolves, i have priority and can do what i want right?
If you are attempting to go into combat that technically means that you are in the beginning of combat step and not in your main phase anymore. This is one of the reasons you need to be very clear about whether you are ending your main phase and going into combat or not.
it's always a good idea to say to your opponent "beginning of combat?" This lets them know that you are passing priority to them at the Enof of your pre-combat main phase giving them a chance to cast instance or activate abilities which you could then respond to. If they don't do anything and just say okay then it enters the beginning of combat phase and you have priority to cast instance or activate abilities. If you do nothing in your beginning of combat phase then priority passes to your opponent giving them a chance to cast instance or activate abilities before the declare attackers step.
So if you were trying to enter combat that means you skipped the beginning of combat step and your opponent has the right to say that he wanted to do something during that step. And in the beginning of combat steps only instant or activated abilities can be used.
ok so im not talking about using xenagod's ability. i am talking about just going from
main phase to the start of combat. i asked if we could go to the combat step and he responded with turn and burn. we were definitely still in my main phase, but since i was trying to go to combat previously, do i have to go to combat or i can do main phase sorcery speed things.
edit: i know no pw abilities during combat, i am attempting to use it during my main phase but my opponent claimed "at the end of my main phase" after attempting to go to combat only instant speed spells and abilities can be used.
Was this a casual game or was it Friday night Magic or such.
If you are attempting to change phases there is a priority pass to your opponent and they have to pass priority with no response for the phase to change. If they do respond you may respond with INSTANT speed responses only. At the next time the stack empties turn based actions will move you to the next phase as you already declared you were ready for that.
Unfortunately your opponent is right.
All players have to pass priority for the game to proceed from phase to phase.
This is what happens:
You are done with your 1st main phase. To go to the beginning of combat, you must pass priority and do so.
Your opponent now has priority. He casts {Turn//Burn}. Instants can be cast anytime a player has priority, which your opponent has because you passed it to him.
If you don't respond, {Xenagos, God of Revels} will lose indestructibility and become 0/1, which will then take 2 damage and die.
http://www.twoevils.org/html/mtg/turn.html
This is a very useful chart showing phases of magic and exactly what happens in each one.
Woah woah everyone
The main phase does not have steps. There is no end of main phase. To change from main to combat both players simply pass priority with an empty stack.
So when a player says "combat?" They are essentially just passing priority in their main phase allowing the opponent to do stuff with their priority. If an opponent does something you go back to APNAP in main with an empty stack.
505.2. (http://imtgapp.com/forum/index.php?action=imtg;area=rule;number=505.2.): The main phase has no steps, so a main phase ends when all players pass in succession while the stack is empty. (See rule 500.2.)
116.4. (http://imtgapp.com/forum/index.php?action=imtg;area=rule;number=116.4.): If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves or, if the stack is empty, the phase or step ends.
Edited for relevant rules
RESOLVED
Oh wow. Shows what player short cuts can do to our understanding of the rules. Thanks for bring up and correctly pointing this out.
This is a really great analysis of the rules
Very important one (since I use beginning I combat creatures)
Yes i was right! what a douchnozzle trying to cheat me on cockatrice! i could have fought his prime speaker before combat with domri. and even if he wasnt intentionally trying to deceive me, he refused to believe what i said or what rules or logic i presented him with. yay for rightness.
Cockatrice can prove difficult sometimes as players make up their interpretations of rules; then rage quit when they are wrong