User:Lightning Laxus/Breakdown of the Battle Phase

You cannot enter the Battle Phase if you are the starting player. Entering your Battle Phase is optional, except where special conditions apply (like if you control a face-up Attack Position "Berserk Gorilla"). If you do not wish to enter the Battle Phase, you must immediately proceed to your End Phase, without proceeding to Main Phase 2. You may enter the Battle Phase even if you do not control any monsters, or if all monsters you control are in Defense Position.

TCG Battle Phase

Start Step

• The Turn player now declares that he/she is entering the Battle Phase.
• The Turn player has the right to activate Spell Speed 2 cards at this time. If he/she passes, then the Opponent has the chance to activate any of their fast effects as well.
• Decide if conducting battle. Note: entering Battle Phase doesn't mean you have to declare attacks. If you do not, go straight to End of Battle Phase

Battle Step

• The Turn player must declare that he/she is entering the Battle Step.
  • After resolving a Chain during any time in the Battle Step, if the number of legal attack targets changes, then a replay occurs immediately before anything can be activated in response.
  • After resolving a Chain during any time in the Battle Step, if the monster cannot attack (because of things such as "Fiendish Chain" or "Gravity Bind"), then the attack will stop immediately after the Chain resolves.
    • NOTE: "Fiendish Chain" or "Gravity Bind" does make the monster stop the attack after it resolves, but rather after the entire Chain resolves. If "Fiendish Chain" is chained to "Mystical Space Typhoon", targeting it, then even though that "Fiendish Chain" resolved first, the attack would not be stopped.

Attack declaration

• This is only 1 Chain.
• The Turn player can activate Spell Speed 2 cards now, that may, but not have to, respond to the attack declaration.
  • When an attack is declared, the Turn Player may retain the right to activate effects. At this time he/she is free to activate cards that perform an action when a monster attacks or any other effect with timing he/she can meet.
  • If the Turn Player decides that he/she will pass, the opponent is given a chance to activate effects that respond to the attack ("Sakuretsu Armor", "Mirror Force", etc.) or any other effects with timing he/she can meet.
  • If the Turn Player passes, and the opponent passes as well, the chance to activate cards like "Sakuretsu Armor", "Mirror Force", "Magic Cylinder", etc. is GONE.
  • The entire Chain is responding to the attack being declared (an action that does NOT start a Chain; see Fast Effect Timing), meaning that cards and effects that are activated responding to the attack declaration does NOT need be Chain Link 1.

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated (Before the Damage Step)

• Before moving on to the Damage step, fast effects can be activated at time. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain responding to an attack resolves, it is activated at this time as well. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.
• Several different Chains can be created before both players agree to enter Damage Step.

Damage Step

• The Damage Step is composed of a series of events. The start of the Damage Step, flipping the face-down attacked monster face-up, damage calculation, inflicting Battle Damage, activating the Flip Effect of the flipped monster, and sending a monster destroyed by battle to the Graveyard are separate events that all happen during the Damage Step.
• The Damage Step has specific rules that govern what can or cannot be activated. Some cards can't be activated at all, while others can only be activated during very specific events that occur within the Damage Step:

• Cards that can be activated at Damage Step:
  1. Counter Trap Cards
  2. Spell and Trap Cards and Effects, and Monster Effects that directly alter the ATK/DEF of a monster(s).
     • Note the use of “directly.” You cannot perform an optional action that would only modify ATK/DEF indirectly, such as activating “Mystical Space Typhoon” targeting “Necrovalley”, or activating “Reverse Trap”.
     • If the ATK/DEF modifier specifies Damage Step in its text, such as “Honest” or “Attack of the Cornered Rat”, it can be activated up to and including during damage calculation. If it doesn’t specify Damage Step in its text and is optional, it can be used up to but not including during damage calculation unless otherwise specified.
     • Exceptions: If the trigger of an optional ATK/DEF modifying effect is a monster being Summoned to the opponent’s side of the field, such as with “Armor Ninjitsu Art of Rust Mist” or “Evil Blast”, the effect cannot be activated during the Damage Step. Also, “Scrap Sheen”, “Zero Force”, and “Curse of Anubis” cannot be activated in the Damage Step, as well as cards like “Half or Nothing” which might not alter ATK/DEF at resolution.
  3. Spell Speed 2 Monster Effects (Quick Effects) that negate the activation of something.
     • “Gravekeeper's Watcher” and “Gemini Imps” are exceptions to this rule. They cannot be activated during the Damage Step.
  4. Spell Speed 2 Monster Effects (Quick Effects) that must activate directly in response to an effect activation to negate the activated effect.
     • This one’s a tad more complicated:
       • You can activate: ”Photon Strike Bounzer”, “Skull Meister”, "Bujingi Turtle", etc.
       • You cannot activate: ”Number 25: Force Focus”, “Number 106: Giant Hand”, etc.
       • The difference is that cards like “Photon Strike Bounzer” or “Skull Meister” only negate one effect that is activating, and they must be activated directly in response to what they are negating. “Number 25: Force Focus” doesn’t need to activate in direct response to an effect, and both it and “Number 106: Giant Hand” negate all effects rather than the specific one that was activated.
  5. Any effect that specifically mentions an activation timing during the Damage Step.
     • You’ll see phrases such as “During Damage Calculation,” “At the Start of the Damage Step,” “After Damage Calculation,” etc.
  6. Most Trigger Effects and Spell Card effects that trigger:
     • Generally, things of this nature are safe to activate during the Damage Step if they don’t specifically state that you cannot.
     • If the trigger of the effect is a monster being Summoned by the opponent or Summoned to the opponent’s side of the field, such as “Catoblepas the Witch of Fate” or “Naturia Horneedle”, the effect cannot be activated in the Damage Step unless otherwise specified.
     • An optional Trigger Effect of a monster to Special Summon itself from the hand cannot be activated in the Damage Step unless otherwise specified. This includes a monster like “Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest” whose effect has the potential to Summon itself from the hand or from another location, even if “Green Baboon of the Forest” is not actually in the hand.
     • For this category, it’s still a good idea to look at everything on a case by case basis.
  7. Cards that have no clear indication that they can be activated during the Damage Step BUT have rulings stating that they are allowed to do so: “Attack and Receive”, “Chthonian Blast”, “Desrook Archfiend”, “Null and Void”, and “Numinous Healer”.
  8. Mandatory Effects

Damage Step: The Damage Step Begins

• First, apply the Continuous Effects of monsters that are applied during the Damage Step, like “Steamroid”, “Rampaging Rhynos”, “Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger”, “Etoile Cyber”, “Super Robolady”, “Super Roboyarou”, “Black Veloci”, and “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin”.

"At the start of the Damage Step"

• This is only 1 Chain.
• Trigger effects whose timing is "at the start of the Damage Step" are activated at this time, like “Neo-Spacian Grand Mole”, the “Mystic Swordsman” cards, “The Six Samurai - Irou”, “Razor Lizard”, "Ally of Justice Catastor", “Sasuke Samurai”, and “Sasuke Samurai #4”.
  • The effect of “Nanobreaker” starts a Chain if it is attacking a face-up Level 3 or lower monster. “Disciple of the Forbidden Spell’s” effect starts a Chain if it is attacking a face-up monster with an Attribute that was selected by its effect. “Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke’s” effect activates if it attacks a face-up, Defense Position monster. (These effects won’t activate if the monster is face-down, since the monster is not flipped yet.)

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated

• Before moving on to the next part in the Damage step, fast effects can be activated at time. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain in "at the start of the Damage Step" resolves, it is activated at this time as well. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.
• Several different Chains can be created before both players agree to move on further into Damage Step.

Damage Step: Face-down Monsters are Flipped Face-up

• Only conduct if the attack target is face-down.
• If the monster being attacked is face-down, it is flipped face-up at this time. If the monster has a Flip Effect or a Trigger Effect that activates when it is flipped face-up, the effect will not activate at this time unless otherwise stated by the card text.

• If a monster is flipped and it has a Continuous Effect, then you apply the Continuous Effect. This includes the Continuous Effects of monsters like “Star Boy”, “Hoshiningen”, “Jinzo”, and “Spell Canceller” that apply as long as the monster is face-up on the field.
  • Effects that would prevent the flipped monster from being attacked, like “Command Knight’s” effect, are not applied at this time, because the monster is already being attacked. If the monster survives the battle, its effect will be applied against any following battles.
  • If the flipped monster has a Continuous Effect that causes it to destroy itself under certain conditions ("Giant Kozaky", "Zombie Mammoth", "Thunder Nyan Nyan", etc.), then the monster is not immediately destroyed and Damage Calculation is still conducted. If the monster is destroyed by the battle, its effect is not applied. If the monster survives the battle, it is destroyed by its effect after damage calculation.
    • Exception: "Scrap Shark" will destroy itself by its Continuous Effect, even if it was destroyed by battle.

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated

• If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.
• Several different Chains can be created before both players agree to move on further into Damage Step.

Damage Step: Before Entering the Damage Calculation

"Before Damage Calculation"

• This is only 1 Chain.
• Trigger Effects whose timing is "before damage calculation" are activated at this time, like "Ehren, Lightsworn Monk", "Drilloid", "Blast Sphere", "Ancient Lamp", "Reflect Bounder", and "Yubel".

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated

• Before moving on to the next part in the Damage step, fast effects can be activated at time. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain in "before damage calculation" resolves, it is activated at this time as well. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.
• Several different Chains can be created before both players agree to move on further into Damage Step.

Damage Step: The Damage Calculation

• Some Continuous effects are applied at this time, such as those of "Gaia Plate the Earth Giant", "Clear Vice Dragon", "Vampire Kingdom" and "Alien Telepath".
• Optional ATK/DEF Modifiers cannot be activated at this time, unless they either specifically say "during damage calculation" or "Damage Step", such as "Honest".
• If there is a Continuous effect that can prevent a monster from being destroyed by battle, you choose to apply it or not at this time; however, if there is something to be done "instead" of a monster being destroyed by battle, then it is done when destroyed-by-battle monsters are sent to the Graveyard.

"During Damage Calculation"

• This is only 1 Chain.
• Trigger Effects whose timing is "during damage calculation" are activated at this time, like "Bujingi Crane", "Injection Fairy Lily", and "Hedge Guard".
• If one of the battling monsters leaves the field at this time, the battle would end immediately with no damage inflicted and monsters such as "Metaion, the Time Lord" or "Gladiator Beast" monsters would not trigger.

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated

• Only Trigger Effects, Spell effects that got triggered, and Mandatory Fast Effects can be activated after "during damage calculation. Optional fast effects cannot be activated unless they are chaining to the activation of another effect.
• If a card or effect is triggered or must activate after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.

Damage Step: Battle Damage is Inflicted and Monsters are Destroyed by Battle

• Only conduct if a battle occurred.
• Battle damage is inflicted and monsters are now treated as destroyed-by-battle, although they are not sent to the Graveyard at this time. Effects such as of "Dark Ruler Ha Des" will start applying at this point.
  • Destroyed-by-battle monsters cannot be returned to the hand or Deck, be targeted for an effect, and optional effects that would destroy them cannot be activated.
  • Continuous monster effects the destroyed-by-battle monster have will no longer apply (except those such as of "Crystal Beast" monsters, that change where they go when they're destroyed); however, effects without classification and Lingering Effects will still apply.
  • Optional Quick Effects destroyed-by-battle monsters have cannot be activated; however Mandatory Quick Effects must still be activated and Trigger Effects can still be activated.
• Continuous effects of monsters that destroys themselves will now apply, if the monster survived the battle.

"After Damage Calculation" [I]

• This is only 1 Chain.
• Trigger Effects whose timing is "after damage calculation" are activated at this time, like "Red Dragon Archfiend" and "Barbaroid, the Ultimate Battle Machine".
  • These effects are very inconsistent of when they are activated—in fact, case-by-case. They may activate either at this time, or when Flip Effects occur.
• Cards and effects that are activated in response to a player(s) taking battle damage are also activated at this time, like "Tragoedia", "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness", "Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear", and "The Golden Apples".
• If the timing is unspecified, if a card or effect activates when an attacking monster destroys a monster by battle and that effect allows the attacking monster to make additional attacks (such as "Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning"), then it is also activated at this time.
  • NOTE: This is only for cards/effects that allow a monster to gain additional attacks; other "When/If this card destroys a(n opponent's) monster by battle (and sends it to the Graveyard)..." effects activate "at the end of the Damage Step".

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated

• Before moving on to the next part in the Damage step, fast effects can be activated at time. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain in "after damage calculation [1]" resolves, it is activated at this time as well. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.
• Several different Chains can be created before both players agree to move on further into Damage Step.

Damage Step: After the Damage Calculation Passed

"After Damage Calculation" [II]

• This is only 1 Chain.
• Trigger Effects whose timing is "after damage calculation" are activated at this time, like "D.D. Warrior Lady" and "Wall of Illusion".
  • These effects are very inconsistent of when they are activated—in fact, case-by-case. They may activate either at this time, or when responding battle damage.
• The Flip Effect of the monster flipped face-up by the attack activate at this time. If the flipped monster had a Trigger Effect that activates when the monster is flipped face-up (“Royal Keeper”, “Nightmare Penguin”, etc.), it will be activated at this time.

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated

• Before moving on to the next part in the Damage step, fast effects can be activated at time. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain in "after damage calculation" [II] resolves, it is activated at this time as well. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.
• Several different Chains can be created before both players agree to move on further into Damage Step.

Damage Step: Destroyed by Battle Monsters are sent to the Graveyard

• Monsters that have been destroyed by battle are now sent to the Graveyard.
• Continuous Effects that allow you to do something "instead" of a monster being destroyed by battle are now done at this time.
• Monsters are now destroyed by battle; Continuous Effects like "The World Tree" or "Magical Citadel of Endymion" will now apply, cards that continuously-target (such as all Equip Cards, as well as "Call of the Haunted" and "Fiendish Chain") will be destroyed (by Game Mechanics and their own Continuous effects respectively), and Lingering Effects such of "Ojama Trio" will now apply.

"At the End of the Damage Step"

• This is only 1 Chain.
• Trigger effects and cards whose timing is "at the end of the Damage Step" are activated at this time, like "Blackwing Armor Master", "The Six Samurai - Zanji", "Chainsaw Insect", and "Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare".
• Cards and effects that activate "when/if [a monster] destroys a(n opponent's) monster by battle (and sends it to the Graveyard)..." will now activate at this time.
  • If the effect does not require to send the monster to the Graveyard, then in order to activate the triggered effect, the destroyed monster must leave the field by battle; also it triggers on the field. This means that no matter what happens to the attacking monster, as long as the attack target was a monster on the field, and it left the field by battle, the player who controlled the attacking monster can activate its effect (even if it's in the opponent's Graveyard).
  • If the effect requires to send the monster to the Graveyard, then in order to activate the triggered effect, the attacking monster must see the destroyed monster being destroyed by battle AND being sent to the Graveyard (as a monster). This means that the attacking monster must survive the battle and it checks the Graveyard if the destroyed by battle monster is there or not as a monster (tokens, Trap monsters, and non-Monsters from Magical Hats will not trigger these effects).
  • Since these effects are activated "at the end of the Damage Step", regardless of if it was destroyed by battle or not during damage calculation, if it leaves the field due to another card effect (such as Red Dragon Archfiend's) before "at the end of the Damage Step", these effects will not activate.
• Cards and effects that activate "when/if [a monster] is destroyed by battle (and sent to the Graveyard)"... will now activate at this time.
  • If the effect does not require the monster to be sent to the Graveyard, then in order to activate the triggered effect, the monster must leave the field by battle and be sent to a place of Public knowledge, and it activates where-ever it is sent. If "Grave Protector" is face-up on the field, these effects will not activate.
  • If the effect requires the monster to be sent to the Graveyard, then it must be sent to the Graveyard in order to activate the triggered effect in the Graveyard.
  • Since these effects are activated "at the end of the Damage Step", regardless of if it was destroyed by battle or not during damage calculation, if it leaves the field due to another card effect (such as Red Dragon Archfiend's) before "at the end of the Damage Step", these effects will not activate.
  • Cards and effects that activate when a monster is destroyed in general are activated at this time, if that monster is destroyed by battle (such as "Ghostrick Specter").

Trigger and Fast Effects can be Activated

• Before leaving the Damage step, fast effects can be activated at time. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain in "at the end of the Damage Step" resolves, it is activated at this time as well. If a card or effect is triggered and/or can be activated after a Chain resolves during this time, a new Chain can be formed.
• Several different Chains can be created before both players agree to leave the Damage Step, and ending effects that only apply during the Damage Step or until the end of the Damage Step such as "Armades, Keeper of Boundaries".

End Step

Once all battles have been done by repeating the Battle Step and Damage Step, the Turn Player may declare an end to the Battle Phase, resulting in the End Step (エンドステップ, Endosuteppu).

Either player may activate Trap Cards, monsters' effects like "Alien Mother", "Miracle Flipper", "Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon", "Sword Hunter", "Scrap Worm", "Protector of the Founders, Tyrus", "Dark Diviner" and/or Quick-Play Spell Cards at this time. The effects of "Gladiator Beast" monsters also take place during the End Step.

Effects that activate if a monster attacks or attacked at this time only activate if the monster reaches the damage calculation, and survived the battle.

OCG Battle Phase

Start Step

• The Turn player now declares that he/she is entering the Battle Phase.
• The Turn player can activate Spell Speed 2 cards now.
• After both players pass, you enter the Battle Step or the End Step, at the Turn Player's discretion.

Battle Step

• At the start of the Battle Step, the Turn Player can act first. Before the opponent can respond, the Turn Player may attack with a monster or activate a Spell Speed 2+ effect.

• If the Turn Player declares an attack, only one Chain can be used in response to the attack.

• Multiple Chains are allowed during this Step. After both players pass, you enter the Damage Step (if a monster is attacking) or the End Step (if no monster is attacking).

Damage Step

Start of Damage Step

• If attacking a face-down monster, the monster is not flipped yet. If the monster is face-down, its effect doesn't activate.
• "Sasuke Samurai ^#4", "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke", "Neo-Spacian Grand Mole", "Mystic Swordsman LV2", "Nanobreaker", etc. activate their effects before flipping the monster.
• You can activate cards which increase/decrease monsters' ATK/DEF.
• Multiple Chains are allowed during this Substep.

After starting the Damage Step

• Flip the monster, if it is face-down:
  • Flip Effects are not activated yet.
  • Apply the Continuous Effect of the monster, if it has one.
  • Apply Continuous Effects to the monster (such as effects which change its Battle Position, like "Gaap the Divine Soldier", "Level Limit - Area B", "Level Limit - Area A", "Final Attack Orders", etc.) and Rule Effects.
• Activate effects that activate before Damage Calculation, like "Blast Sphere", "Drillroid", and "Reflect Bounder".
• You can activate cards which increase/decrease monsters' ATK/DEF.
• Multiple Chains are allowed during this Substep.

During damage calculation

• You can activate effects that activate during damage calculation, like "Injection Fairy Lily" or "Kinetic Soldier".
• Effects which increase/decrease ATK/DEF CANNOT be activated.
  • "Honest" and "Prideful Roar" are exceptions, due to their rulings.
• After resolving cards, you move onwards. Cards cannot be activated in response to the chain. Only one Chain is allowed during this Substep.
• After the chain, apply Continuous Effects like "Skyscraper", "The Wicked Avatar", "The Wicked Dreadroot".

Inflict battle damage

• Inflict battle damage, and decide whether the monster is destroyed by battle.
• Apply Continuous Effects like those of "Amazoness Swords Woman" and "Susa Soldier".
• You can activate the effects of "Kuriboh", "Defense Draw", and "Nutrient Z".
• Damage has already been calculated and the monsters have already considered to have battled. If a monster is removed from the field or has its ATK/DEF altered, then do not recalculate the damage.

After damage calculation

• Cards and effects cannot be activated.
• Determine if the monster is destroyed by battle.
  • Decide whether the monster will be negated by "Dark Ruler Ha Des".
  • Decide whether the monster will be removed from play by "Dark Magician of Chaos" or "Divine Knight Ishzark".
  • If a monster is destroyed, then its Continuous Effect is no longer applied.

Immediately after inflicting battle damage

• "Thunder Nyan Nyan", "Spirit Reaper" (if it was targeted), and "Giant Kozaky" destroy themselves.
• Trigger Effects like "Airknight Parshath", "Marshmallon", "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness", "Red Dragon Archfiend", "Poison Fangs", and "Begone, Knave!" activate.

Damage result; Flip Effects; destroyed by battle

• Flip Effects like "Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo" and Trigger Effects like "D.D. Warrior Lady" activate.
• The monster is still on the field, so "Destiny Hero - Plasma", "Rainbow Veil", and "Skill Drain" will still affect the monster.

At the end of the Damage Step

• Monsters which are destroyed by battle are removed from the field.
  • "Dark Magician of Chaos", "Exodius the Ultimate Forbidden Lord", etc. are removed from play.
  • Apply the effect of "Banisher of the Light", "Banisher of the Radiance", "Dimensional Fissure", "Macro Cosmos", etc.
• "Mystic Tomato", "Neos Force", "Coffin Seller", etc. activate when a monster is destroyed.
• Effects that activate "at the end of the Damage Step" like "Ryu Kokki", "B.E.S." monsters, and "Neos Wiseman" activate.
• Monsters that are destroyed by battle are not on the field, so "Destiny Hero - Plasma", "Rainbow Veil", and "Skill Drain" will not affect the monster.