DDR

[@RibusPQR]

Yeah, I would definitely assume that Nick was trying to prevent Greasefang's ability from going on the stack. It's good that this is the default assumption.

[@jadegrace1312]

Usually it's better to let greasefangs ability go on the stack if there's no other creatures, because then they've removed a vehicle from their yard, so I wouldn't necessarily assume that

[@SpitefulAZ]

Not necessarily. If you let grease fang ability resolve but also remove the grease fang, that might be more advantageous because the vehicle will also be back in hand instead of in the graveyard.

[@s4ad0wpi]

As a Greasfang player, I always announce "Go to Combat" and if someone tries to kill her, I follow up with: "What phase are you killing her in?" It lets my opponent decide when they think the best time for interaction is. (And also helps decide my next moves)

[@DutchBlackMantha]

I didn't know what the default assumption was (and I would have guessed wrong), but I realized that it couldn't be the beginning of combat step, since Amy didn't get to put the triggered ability on the stack.

[@donniebankoebarkie7916]

if player A would pass priority, and player B responds with an instant spell, that doesn't sound like they also want to pass priority in order to go to the combat phase. I could see a casual player making the mistake of thinking in their head "we're moving to combat, and i immediately cast this spell" but even then it would be an out of turn action, wich i assume competitive players don't make very often

[@mn6334]

I had a fun one with something related to this the first time I played my Marisi, Breaker of the Coil commander deck. I had Marisi on the field having goaded a Mono-G Omnath, the other opponent played a removal spell on Omnath when the Omnath player said they were moving to combat thinking that the Omnath player wouldn't be able to recast their Commander and keep all their saved up mana. I pointed out that Marisi says they can't cast spells during combat so we were still in the Omnath players main phase.

[@funsun870]

May I ask? Is this nuanced phase-switching (main phase->"i pass to beggining of combat"-> kill a creature - still cast a sorcery) programmed on MTG Arena? I recall not being able to cast sorceries after something dies while "trying to" to move from main phase to beginning of combat. the game assumed nothing else can happen and moved immediately to BOC phase.

[@AsmoAstro]

Yeah I remembrr it the same way on arena. But maybe in the situation i was in opponent allways didn't had open mana available idk. Im very confused.

[@Slippils]

A late response but hopefully still helpful, Arena tends to pass priority in a number of situations where it's rarely held, such as immediately after casting a spell. If you assign stops, or use full control mode, you should be able to remain in the main phase here.

[@danontheinternets]

Either A) Phase changes, Greasefang's trigger goes on the stack but Greasefang's controller can't cast a Sorcery or B) The trigger doesn't yet go on the stack because phase hasn't changed, Greasefang dies to removal, but AP gets priority again in a main phase and can cast a Sorcery to reanimate Greasefang. No matter the scenario, Greasefang triggers (in the absence of a second removal spell), it's just a matter of how many cards each player used to get to beginning of combat with Greasefang's trigger on the stack.

[@TheRealPlato]

0:48 I thought at comp REL "go to combat" has meant "go to declare attackers step" for the past several years, which I hated. Has that changed?

[@JudgingFtW]

Yes. Reference DDR#626 for details: kzbin.info/www/bejne/raHEhWd8r71opas

[@TheRealPlato]

@@JudgingFtW Great news, thanks for the details

[@ninjawxyz1260]

I ran into this exact interaction at my first RCQ, and I was intimidated by the judge call because I was still relatively new to magic, my opponent had a luminarch aspirant and announced the intention to move to combat, I said, me being new to magic, “upon entering combat, I adventure my bonecrusher giant,” my intention was to end of main stomp to deny the counter and the judge cited the combat shortcut and ruled it to happen that

[@SpitefulAZ]

So if Nick says no, i meant to act in combat phase, then would Amy be allowed to pick a target for the trigger at that time?

[@johndoe9343]

I believe Greasefang's ability would still resolve on the stack. It doesn't matter if Greasefang is already destroyed. This is similar to how ETB (enter the battlefield) effects still trigger even when the ETB creature is removed from the battlefield. This interaction commonly occurs when the opponent wants to waste the other player's vehicle GY (graveyard) setup and send it back to the hand, making it harder for it be reanimated, but only if there isn't enough total power on the other player's field to crew the reanimated vehicle.

[@titanlord2000]

I JUST got got by this rules interaction the other day and YT is here to remind me lol. I knew about too and fired off the removal spell too early smh

[@mynt4033]

Because there is no trigger on the stack is ALWAYS assumed that we are in main phase.

[@AsmoAstro]

I'm very confused. Is this also the way arena is programmed in this situation? I remember it other ways.

[@Hyralc]

Does this change if the can't stay away is in the graveyard, ie Nick hasn't learned anything about Amy's hand?

[@franchello1105]

So if Nick says "I cast go for the throat in your begining of Combat step", can Amy say, wait I wanted to put this triggered ability on the stack, before that"?

[@gatherer818]

She can actually say "If it's beginning of combat, this trigger IS already on the stack, targeting [whatever]", because all triggers have to be added to the stack before players can receive priority.

[@ethanlarge3572]

Ugh the phrase “go to combat” still tilts me because of the Hazored incident at I think pro tour HOU?

[@richardwarbrush3404]

How can he cast his spell during the mainphase? How does he get priority?

[@andrewrockwell1282]

Amy has to pass priority to allow her to move phases and steps. If Nick were to pass priority, this both players have passed priority, and the stack is empty, then they will go to the next phase or step.

[@johndoe9343]

When Amy passes priority, Nick has priority to cast a spell before both players agree to move to combat.

[@alaraplatt8104]

oops we ran out of captions. great video otherwise

[@bobfranklin2572]

I was surprised amy was allowed to say "go to combat" then effectively change her mind

[@fieldrequired283]

Shortcuts only work if both players agree, so Amy didn't "change her mind" about passing to combat so much as Nick's reaction _prevented_ her from passing to combat, so she chose to do something else while she was still in the main phase.

[@bobfranklin2572]

@@fieldrequired283 ah now it makes way more sense, thanks mate!

[@fieldrequired283]

@@bobfranklin2572 Glad to be of service.