Second Main Phase

Dissatisfaction Over Template Change

Just adding my voice to the din, I hate the new template change from post combat main to second main on every card, which is very functional errata on cards like Neheb the Eternal. It nerfs a lot of things in extra combat decks. Entirely too many things are once per turn these days, there's no need to change to older cards to that too.

There are a lot of things to juggle when changing terminology. The impact on a single card often isn’t as important as other gains made.

Errata Eternal Functional Errata Once Per Turn Second Main Phase Templating

Phase Naming Principles

“Postcombat main phase” is a mouthful. But if you have topsy turvy then these two things aren’t equivalent. And neither are “at the beginning of your precombat main phase” and the weird “after your draw phase” thing that sagas do.

The names don’t change their order even with Topsy Turvy.

First Main Phase First Main Phase Sagas Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Topsy Turvy

Change to 'Second Main Phase'

"Is Fireglass Mentor the start of a precedent to use "second main phase" instead of "postcombat main phase"?It is." Why the change?

“Postcombat main phase” is a mouthful.

Fireglass Mentor Mentor Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Second Main Phase

About the Second Main Phase

If we started over, would you keep the second main phase?

Yes. Without it, you lose things that the game wants.

Second Main Phase Second Main Phase

Usage of 'Second Main Phase'

Is Fireglass Mentor the start of a precedent to use "second main phase" instead of "postcombat main phase"?

It is.

Fireglass Mentor Mentor Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Second Main Phase

Sphinx Card Wording

Why are Sphinx and Shadow of the Second Sun worded like that? (“At the beginning of [player’s] postcombat main phase, there is an additional beginning phase after this phase”)It’s not the most clear way what you’d phrase this effect in natural language if you were trying to explain it to someone, so I imagine it’s something to do with the rules.

Usually odd terminology comes from templating issues.

Rules Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Shadow Shadow of the Second Sun Sphinx Templating

Topsy Turvy Ruling

Hey, I was wondering why Topsy Turvy was downshifted to uncommon from rare in unsanctioned? Also can I get a ruling on this card? it reverses turn order so if a player plays it in their post combat mainphase they get an additional combat, main and draw untap and upkeep, right? if its destroyed in my opponents end step (at the beginning of that turn), they lose the rest of their turn, correct? I'm very excited for unfinity Btw, thanks so much!

If I remember correctly, the layout of the card with the front being upside down to the back didn’t work with the security stamp, so we downgraded it in rarity, so it wouldn’t get one.

Rares Rarity Rarity Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Tap / Untap Topsy Turvy Uncommons

Raid Evergreen Request

Can I request that Raid be made evergreen? It's AMAZING as a tool to teach new players the importance of playing your cards during your second main phase instead of your first.

Raid is a mechanic that we can revisit more often than most mechanics, but I’m not sure we want it evergreen.

Beginners Evergreen Mechanics Raid Second Main Phase Second Main Phase

Passionate About Maine

I thought I was over my obsession with Maine, but Magic seems to have really flared up my passion again. I guess you could say I have a second Maine phase

Let me know before you enter Maine. : )

Humor Second Main Phase

End of Combat Flicker

Can I request more flicker effects that last until end of combat instead of end of turn? Being able to do something with my creature in my second main phase would be nice for decks that care about that.

It’s either return immediately or end of turn.

Creatures Second Main Phase Second Main Phase

Topsy Turvy Rules

Un rules question, if you please. Topsy Turvy. Does it go into effect immediately? (so if I in theory played it in my 2nd main phase, would I get an extra combat step?)

Yes, the effect goes into effect immediately, so you can get a second combat step. Note that it won’t untap your creature. That will happen later at untap.

Creatures Rules Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Tap / Untap Topsy Turvy Un-sets

Clocknapper Land Drop Rules

If I use Clocknapper to steal an opponent's precombat main phase, and I play a land during that main phase, does that count as my opponent's land drop for the turn? Or are they still able to play one during the postcombat main phase?

They can still play one. You played the land not your opponent.

Clocknapper First Main Phase First Main Phase Lands Second Main Phase Second Main Phase

Post Combat Phase Rationale

The post combat main phase does not seem intuitive to game design. I would suspect that most would think, set up your field, then attack, next player goes. So how did such an important thing as the post combat main phase get thought of?

If Magic started over, we might lock down one combat phase but it would mean removing elements of the game that are very established and so we’ve opted not to do that.

Game Design Second Main Phase Second Main Phase Suspect