When to play tactics and abilities

[Chonen]

This is a question I know was answered for me at some point but I need clarification.
You can play tactics and abilities at any time during your own turn. but on your oppoenents turn you can only respond to the playing cards, using abilities, and ending their turn.

So if I have a Pilgramage Auditor I can't use his ability on my oppoenents turn until he does one of the aforementioned things. And if the first thing he does it attack, then I can't deplete one of his characters to prevent it from attacking can I?

Thanks,
-Chance

[Hordak]

Correct.

[kingofthejank]

hang on,i'm sorry but i can't play a tactic or an ability in reponse to my opps atk proposal?

[bic]

You cannot respond to your opponent's Announcement of their attack.

606 Responding to Actions
606.1 You can respond to your opponent whenever they play a card, use an ability, or end their turn. You cannot respond to your own actions.

[thegnomishone]

You can respond to the attack, but not before the attacking party is depleted. I think of it similar to paying costs. The "cost" of the attack action is depleting all members of the proposed attacking party. Since your opponent cannot respond before costs are paid, they are unable to stop the attack by depleting a character. They can, however, play other tactics or abilities that might affect the attack in other ways.

[Lioge]

The primary difference to keep in mind is that you don't have to announce that you are "entering your combat phase" like Magic. This is a bias most players hold over from Magic. In this game, the active player may declare an attacking party as their first non-trigger action for a turn. The members of the attacking party are depleted before the opponent has a chance to respond, thus the Pilgrimage Auditor would be unable to prevent any members of this attacking party from swinging in.

In contrast, if the opponent decided to swing in with the covert characters they control to deal damage unblocked, then you could respond by depleting a non-covert character and prevent it from attacking you.

I hope this kinda makes sense.

[KingOfBadaBing]

You can respond to the attack, but not before the attacking party is depleted. I think of it similar to paying costs. The "cost" of the attack action is depleting all members of the proposed attacking party. Since your opponent cannot respond before costs are paid, they are unable to stop the attack by depleting a character. They can, however, play other tactics or abilities that might affect the attack in other ways.

This is not entirely correct. You never actually "respond to an attack."

First, they announce that they are attacking and declare the target of the attack.

Then, they form the attacking party by depleting all members that they want to attack with that can legally attack.

NOW is a tactics and abilities phase. First the attack has a chance to play tactics and abilities. You have the chance to respond to these. If the attacker doesn't play any tactics or stops using them, you have the chance (as defender) to play your own tactics and abilities. Your opponent can then respond to these.

When this is all done, you declare blockers.
________
Ram

[Lioge]

Well, IMHO thegnomishone says tomato, KingOfBadaBing explains to you how to grow a tomato. The comprehensive rules will give you the specifics of "How to handle combat" including the subtle nuances of when you are able to respond and how you have to declare your attacks.

Good luck!

[kingofthejank]

oh no!....i've been playing this soooo wrong :P

thanks for the heads up guys.....couple of quick questions :

Blockers – The defending player may choose one or more characters they control that are not depleted. If they do, those characters form the blocking party. Otherwise, there is no blocking party during this battle.

does that mean i don't have to deplete to block?and i can use a "deplete ability during battle?

if i use stolen inspiration and discard a 4 cost card can i play a 3 cost card by paying 1 more resource?

can i respond to my opps development rule? or when he plays a resource at the start of his turn?

what is a party?if i have 3 chars on my side not in battle are they considered chars in my party?

thanks a bunch!!!!

[Fry]

Blockers – The defending player may choose one or more characters they control that are not depleted. If they do, those characters form the blocking party. Otherwise, there is no blocking party during this battle.

does that mean i don't have to deplete to block?and i can use a "deplete ability during battle?

That's correct. Note that any blockers deplete at the end of the battle.

if i use stolen inspiration and discard a 4 cost card can i play a 3 cost card by paying 1 more resource?

Nope, that doesn't work. Stolen Inspiration isn't reducing the cost of the card, it is making a card of a particular cost free.

can i respond to my opps development rule? or when he plays a resource at the start of his turn?

Playing a resource at the start of his turn is part of the develop rule. You cannot respond to the develop rule, because it's a trigger.