Quick question on priority and the communication of priority in combat phase. Say it's my turn and I declare my attackers. I know that before it goes to my opponent to declare his/her blockers that both of us can cast instants or activate abilities. Since it's my turn I should have priority right? If so do I have to formally announce that I'm passing priority to my opponent if I choose to do nothing else? If I was playing slow and didn't announce I was passing priority would the other player be able to cast an instant prior to me declaring I declined to do anything else?
I guess my biggest confusion is I don't see a lot of people verbally communicate all of the small changes in priority. How should that be handled? I have never played in a tournament, is that something that's required.
Sorry if that's a dumb or confusing question but that's something I'm just not clear on. Thanks!
When you declare attackers it is generally assumed you pass priority unless you say you are holding it (not an official shortcut just generally how everyone treats it). Simply because there is not really a reason to not announce you are doing something along with declaring your attackers.
Imagine trying to play a game where players formally announced every time they passed priority. Players quickly become frustrated by this kind of cumbersome technicality, and, even worse, there would be little to no gain to be had by making everyone play like this. The rules are designed to be intuitive and natural for players to abide by so that your average FNM go-er need not worry themselves reading the entirety of the comprehensive rules; the rules are written to be what the player expects.
Because of this, players at all levels of competitive play are not required, expected, or even encouraged to verbally confirm priority unless it goes against the normal flow of events, and even then it's done quite informally.
Technically, in the Declare Attackers, you, as a turn-based action, choose a number of creatures that meet all criteria for being "able" to attack (not summoning sick, etc.). Then you gain priority and can choose to do something, or you can pass priority and give your opponent the chance to do something. Once somebody does something, priority returns to the active player player that did something (thanks Thorgor) and you have the same option to pass priority or do something and your opponent has the same option to pass priority or do something. Whenever both of you pass in sequence, the top item on the stack resolves or you move to Declare Blockers, where as a turn-based action you...
Yeah. See why that would be a hassle to go through every time?
Instead, what usually happens is something like this:
Active Player: Taps a few creatures "Attack?"
Non-Active Player: "Sure. These are blocks." pairs creatures with AP's creatures to indicate blocks.
Things like pauses or an inflection (like asking a question) will usually indicate when people are passing priority, because people naturally manage things like this in daily conversation all the time (who has a chance to speak? When is the person I'm speaking to changing topic before I have a chance to respond to something they said?)
In practice it's extremely rare that you would want to first declare your attackers and then (before going to the declare blockers step) cast something. (Most often if you want to affect the combat in some way before blockers have been declared, you would do it before even declaring attackers, unless there's a reason you can't or don't want to do that.) If there's a situation where you indeed want to do something after declaring your attackers and before going to the declare blockers step, it's best if you clearly say so as you are declaring, so as to inform your opponent to wait before their possible responses to your declaration.
I guess my biggest confusion is I don't see a lot of people verbally communicate all of the small changes in priority. How should that be handled? I have never played in a tournament, is that something that's required.
Sorry if that's a dumb or confusing question but that's something I'm just not clear on. Thanks!
edit: nm on the edit.
Because of this, players at all levels of competitive play are not required, expected, or even encouraged to verbally confirm priority unless it goes against the normal flow of events, and even then it's done quite informally.
Technically, in the Declare Attackers, you, as a turn-based action, choose a number of creatures that meet all criteria for being "able" to attack (not summoning sick, etc.). Then you gain priority and can choose to do something, or you can pass priority and give your opponent the chance to do something. Once somebody does something, priority returns to the
active playerplayer that did something (thanks Thorgor) and you have the same option to pass priority or do something and your opponent has the same option to pass priority or do something. Whenever both of you pass in sequence, the top item on the stack resolves or you move to Declare Blockers, where as a turn-based action you...Yeah. See why that would be a hassle to go through every time?
Instead, what usually happens is something like this:
Active Player: Taps a few creatures "Attack?"
Non-Active Player: "Sure. These are blocks." pairs creatures with AP's creatures to indicate blocks.
or
AP: Taps creatures "Attack with these and cast Lightning bolt on your Bear Cub"
NAP: "In response, cast Vines of Vastwood kicked on the cub"
and so on.
Things like pauses or an inflection (like asking a question) will usually indicate when people are passing priority, because people naturally manage things like this in daily conversation all the time (who has a chance to speak? When is the person I'm speaking to changing topic before I have a chance to respond to something they said?)
Hope this helps (and isn't too long, lol)
Rules Advisor
Say you're playing Radha, Heir to Keld
and want to cast Searing Blood after you declare her as an attacker, but before blockers.