MTG: Does a player receive priority during the Beginning of turn phase, before the beginning of their untap?

Question

My opponent controls several enchantments from the Apocalypse "Sanctuary" cycle, (Dega, Ana, Necra, and the like), which all trigger at the beginning of a players upkeep. He also has just summoned a Scuttlemutt.
After I have taken my turn and passed, my opponent would like to tap the Scuttlemutt to activate it's second ability during his Beginning of Turn Phase, (just prior to the untap step).
This is a two part question;
1. The rule on summoning sickness says a creature is not sick if it has been "under your control since the beginning of your most recent turn". My opponent is assuming his creature is no longer sick because his turn has begun. He further argues that since he receives priority in response to his Beginning of Turn Phase, he may now tap to activate the Scuttlemutt's second ability, targeting itself and choosing "all colors". He can then untap, and all of his sanctuaries will trigger at the beginning of his upkeep.
2. Aside from the summoning sickness timing issue, is it true that the active player receives priority at the beginning of the Beginning of Turn Phase? Because this would seem to allow "doubling up" tap abilities during your turn. For example, is it legal to tap Prodigal Sorcerer to deal 1 damage to Grizzly Bears during your Beginning of Turn Phase, then untap, and tap to do it again during your upkeep to destroy the bears?

Thank you for reviewing my question.

Answer 1

I appear to be getting a lot of use out of this. These are the 10 phases in a turn of magic in the order you do them in.



1) Untap

2) Upkeep

3) Draw

4) Main phase 1

5) Battle phase(declare attackers)

6) Battle phase(declare blockers)

7) Battle phase(combat damage)

8) Main phase 2

9) End of turn

10) Cleanup



During each of these phases either player may play spells/activate abilities, starting with the active player (i.e. the one who's turn it is). Note there is no "Beginning of turn phase" there is simply the untap step. Upon reaching the untap step every permanent the active player controls is untapped. There is no responding to this it simply happens. You may still do things after untapping, but your permanents will not untap again except from another source (such as pupeteer).



Also summoning sickness is removed during the upkeep step, as a state based effect.



EDIT: The beginning phase isn't really a phase in and of itself. The comprehensive rules use that terminology to try and make things easier to read. The ten phases above are the only "true" phases where you can interact or the game mechanics have something done. Please if you have more questions feel free to post more info.



If you would be up for it I would be happy to have a chat through IM on the subject.



EDIT2: It's kind of a combination between the comp rules and the standard rules. Check rule 300.2, second paragraph. There's where it lists the untap step as the only one where no players receive priority. Also in 300.2 is that nothing can happen between, phases, turns, or steps. Since the beginning of the turn is the beginning phase, and that phase starts with the Untap step, there is no way to have something carry over from before the untap, through it. Thus there is nothing you can do before the untap step, unless it is before the end of your opponents turn.



There is one workaround, and that is something that will remove a card until the end of the turn. This however doesn't need to be discussed here as it would not help your friend.



The thing about the terminology is mostly personal. I don't think the need to break the turn up into phases, and then into steps. Would be just as easy to keep it only steps, and solve a fair amount of confusion.



Again if you still have more questions, feel free to e-mail me, IM me if I'm on, or simply add more here.

Answer 2

The Mathmagitian is technically correct, but as you well know, if a real game of Magic went like this with verbal passing of priorities it would take a long time just to get to turn 2. Here's a list of when you can respond during your opponent's turn" Upkeep Draw Main phase 1 Beginning of combat, before attackers are declared After attackers are tapped After you assign blockers After first strike damage is dealt After regular damage is dealt Main phase 2 end of the turn Clean up, after he discards and/or if anything triggers If you want to do something, I would be verbal, and say something like, "During your upkeep, I'm tapping your elf." In short, you have priority to cast a spell (or an ablility) on your opponent's turn after he does or chooses not to when he could. If your opponent wants to keep priority after he casts a spell(which is technically true all the time) he must announce this before or as he is casting.

Answer 3

for one there is no such phase as beginning of turn.

in order

draw

untap

summon/spells

combat

combat damage

end.

Note abillities can only be activated after the untap phase or if it's your opponents turn and you have the corect cost being whatever the cost is.

the most creature effects are only activated on the controlling players turn.

and there is no such thing as priority.

Answer 4

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