Why 2nd main phase?

boeda · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 158

Okay, I really need clarification on this one:

Its my opps. turn, he edges, strips, wastes or simply destroys my land;
I tap it for lets say blue(obv. for my powerful spellpierce, force spike, spell snare, dispel or whatever counter you like);
He knows Im playing counters so he wants to empty my pool by going to 2nd mainphase WITHOUT having any creatures to declare as attackers;
He plays his spell in 2nd mainphase and laughs his ass off.

But why?

Whats the use for an attack phase if you dont declare any attackers? Simply a way of getting rid of a mana source?

I know its the way its played but why is it legal?

Thanks in advance,

The Wizard of Why

Kaz · Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 6

Pretty much as you stated. Since he destroyed your land in the first main phase, and you drained it for mana, it forces you to use it for an instant, or lose it. After it's lost, he's got more of an option to do things he wants to do. The second main phase is basically set up so that you can have tricks or a bluff during the combat phase, and then if you don't use them cast more things during the 2nd main phase (the way I always saw it at least). Just because there's no creatures on the board doesn't mean you skip the combat phase, every turn you always go through every phase barring something that says you don't (Stasis and Time Stop for examples).

Delicious · Joined: 08 Jun 2007 Posts: 883

I dont understand why you would think anything is wrong.

Going through the steps is part of magic

gypsy · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 1671

you float mana, he passes you priority, you dont use the mana so your mana pool empties, the turn goes to the next step/phase which is combat, there are no creatures to attack so it skips to his 2nd mainphase.

magicman85 · Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 548

... I guess I'll answer that when you can answer why the upkeep step is after the untap step.

Conkisstador · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 543

Going through the steps of magic is Magic. In your scenario where we don't need a 2nd mainphase... it'd set up a string of if A then B rules that all needed implementation. It's better to simply have a pattern for everything to follow.

Uses of the 2nd main phase:
-Able to play ManaDrain without needing to use the mana same turn.
-Play a Flameborn Hellion that can block
-Getting around their floated mana
-Playing cards post-combat to not reveal info

Farseer · Level 3 Judge Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Posts: 335

boeda · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 158

thanks Farseer, thats what I wanted to see. To me its not very rational to have a combat phase without any possible combat, but I didnt make the rules...

I've played magic since Revised (the 1st set to be published in the Netherlands) and back in those days me and my friends went to a bar or coffeeshop and played multiplayer or drafts all night.

We had those small rule-books that came with a starterbox but if we had any rule-problems these were discussed by the group and then we just went with the best solution. We all became great debaters but when I started to play tournaments most of our 'own' rules washed away.

Why am I telling you this? I still have this twist when I play games that I need to understand WHY the rules are as they are. This combatphase rule still doesnt feel right to me and I'm sure I could've convinced my playgroup back then=)

Ah well, thanks for all the responses, Im gonna ponder a bit more on the decks we played back then...

urafever · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 21

This has basically been answered, but if you are looking for some kind of "reason" here, it is simply because the game state can become very complex. It is entirely possible that you'll move to the combat step and someone will want to use an ability or play a spell in that step -- just because attackers weren't declared doesn't mean the step is skipped.