[Anonymoose]

Why can Stardust Dragon's effect be activated during the damage step?

If I tribute summon Mobius the Frost Monarch, and it is successfully summoned (i.e. not negated), and I ask my opponent if he or she has a response to the summon, does that automatically imply that I do not choose to activate Mobius the Frost Monarch's trigger effect?

Do mandatory draw effects activate when I have no cards left in my deck?

If I activate Morphing Jar's flip effect, and I only have 4 cards left in my deck, do I lose the duel?

Is there a difference between "Quick Effects" and "Optional Trigger Effects"?

Do "material" monsters need to be face-up for a fusion summon, or merely revealed to the opponent?

Do "material" monsters need to be face-up for a synchro summon, or merely revealed to the opponent?

Am I allowed to ask how many cards are left in my opponent's deck?

At what point in the battle phase (after the attack declaration step) am I unable to negate a monster's attack?

[Fox-fire]

1) Stardust Dragon's effect can be used in the damage step because it aims to negate the activation of an effect. Konami has clarified that such effects are permitted in the damage step.
2) Yes; as turn player, it is your right to activate an effect in response to a summon first. If you ask your opponent for a response, you are giving up that right.
3) Based on the below Morphing Jar ruling, I'm going to say yes. (No Dark Bribe, though)
4) Yes - a ruling says so.
5) A "Quick Effect" is the new name for what used to be a "Multi-trigger Effect" - this is something that can be used on your opponent's turn.
An optional Trigger Effect activates when its trigger is met and that trigger was the last thing to happen (these are where "missing the timing" come into play)
6) For Polymerization, the monsters may be on the field (even face-down) or in your hand. Other fusion summoning cards will tell you where the materials must come from.
7) All material monsters used for a Synchro summon must be face-up on the field.
8) Probably yes. More likely to be yes if there are fewer cards left in the deck.
9) Once play passes to the Damage Step, the attack cannot be negated.

[Anonymoose]

1) What other types of optional trigger effects (or whatever effect Stardust Dragon's is classified as), if any, can be activated during the damage step?

5) Just making sure, but Optional trigger effect =/= Quick Effect?
Can I get an example of each?

6) Does that also apply in the case of monsters that are not special summoned in the conventional "Polymerization" fusion summon (Like XYZ dragon cannon)?

[Tenken]

Just some stuff.

6) Gladiator Contact fusions can use facedowns by revealing the materials. I say this, because it seems like the most likely scenario.

8) I'm pretty sure Deck Count is public knowledge.

9) I would have to say it depends on the card, but I can't think of examples. Some cards have to be used on the declaration, while others can be activated before the damage step. But I can't think of specific negators.

[The OG Samurai]

EDIT: nevermind. misread the post.

This post has been edited by The OG Samurai: 05 November 2009 - 04:05 AM

[Anonymoose]

I can only think of Necro Gardna and Negate Attack. The latter, I think, needs to be in the attack declaration, the former, not so much.

What about cards that crate a condition that monsters cannot attack, such as threatening roar or gravity bind?

[Val]

Anonymoose, on 04 November 2009 - 08:57 PM, said:

What other types of optional trigger effects (or whatever effect Stardust Dragon's is classified as), if any, can be activated during the damage step?

Since even the most recently official list is outdated, I've done my best to gather together a more complete outline of what can be activated during the damage step. Its important to remember that Stardust Dragon's effect qualifies, while My Body As A Shield does not.

- Counter-Trap cards.
- Spell speed 2 stat modifiers (which are only valid candidates up to and including the "Before Damage Calculation" window)
- Monster effects that activate with the intent of negating the activation of a card or effect.
- Cards & effects with special allowance written in their text or rulings.
- Appropriate trigger effects, which often fall under the above category or don't need to specify otherwise.

Anonymoose, on 04 November 2009 - 08:57 PM, said:

5) Just making sure, but Optional trigger effect =/= Quick Effect?
Can I get an example of each?

Summon Condition - This is not an effect, which means it does not activate or claim a chain link. It is a printed summon requirement written on the card's text (or understood as the Synchro mechanic) that tells a player how they either can or must normal or special summon the monster in question. Examples of this include Cyber Dragon, Gyzarus, Sirocco & the Synchro Mechanic.

Other Condition - This is not an effect, which means it does not activate or claim a chain link. Instead, it is applied to whatever its applied to, in accordance to what the card or effect creating it says. As such, it cannot be negated since its not an effect. Examples include Hardened Armed Dragon's assigned protection, Royal Swamp Eel's inability to synch with non-fish monsters, and restrictions such as Chaos Sorcerer's inability to attack due to activating its Ignition Effect.

Continuous Effect - This is an effect that is continuously applied at the appropriate time (often as soon as the monster is face-up on the field) without claiming a chain link or having a spell speed. Examples of this include Command Knight's Boost, Marshmallon's inability to be destroyed by battle, and Bountiful Artimis' unique draw effect that reads more like a Trigger Effect.

Ignition Effect - This acts much like a normal spell card, as it is spell speed 1 effect cannot be chained to anything. Unless specified otherwise, it can only be performed during your main phase while the source card is face-up in your control. Examples of this include Exiled Force's destruction, Plaguespreader's revival, & Archfiend General's searching effect.

Quick Effect - This acts much like a quick-play spell card (hence the name), as it is a spell speed 2 effect that can be activated during either player's turn except the damage step (unless otherwise permitted). While there are rare cases such as Doomcaliber Knight, these effects are rarely mandatory, and don't necessarily need to respond to a specific activation or event. Its just that due to their design, they're often going to foil something else by negating or causing it to resolve without effect/desired effect. Examples of this include Stardust Dragon, Honest, D.D. Crow & Necro Gardna.

Trigger Effect - Generally speaking, trigger effects activate by forming the earliest links in response to whatever condition they are well, activating in response too. They are spell speed 1 effects, but form chains with each other if multiples are activated) before other effects can be activated or otherwise "cut in" on that chain. Common examples of these include Mystic Tomato, Zaborg, Don Zaloog & flip/flipped face-up/flip summoned effects, but a group of unique trigger effects that I like to unofficially refer to as "Uni-triggers"(mostly for the sake of my own understanding) also exist.

While they don't officially carry their own designation the way "Flip Effects" do, they are unique in that players are only allowed to activate 1 of them per response chain (even 2 different cards that respond to the same event), and they usually can't be activated during the damage step unless their texts/rulings say they can. Examples of these include Voltanis, Dark Voltanis, Van'Dalgyon, Gorz, Tragodia, Alien Dog, Green Baboon (possibly Yellow Baboon as well), & Winged Kuriboh LV9, as they look to follow a consistent form of bkss that I'm hoping will one day be defined as a named group.

Anonymoose, on 04 November 2009 - 08:57 PM, said:

Does that also apply in the case of monsters that are not special summoned in the conventional "Polymerization" fusion summon (Like XYZ dragon cannon)?

Players are allowed to return/remove face-down cost material monsters to perform the inherent special summon conditions of cards like YZ-Tank Dragon, Storm Neos & Gyzarus because the rules say they can.

Anonymoose, on 04 November 2009 - 09:05 PM, said:

I can only think of Necro Gardna and Negate Attack. The latter, I think, needs to be in the attack declaration, the former, not so much.

Since Necro Gardna has a pretty unique quick effect, I often like to think of as an effect that can be activated 3 different ways, none of which target.

1) Activated during the Battle Phase in response to an attack, at the same time Mirror Force would be. --> The attack that you're responding to will be negated.

2) Activated during the Battle Phase after the attack response window has closed, but before proceeding to the damage step. --> The current attack will be negated.

3) Activated during the Draw Phase, Standby Phase, Main Phase 1, or Battle Phase or your opponent's turn, before any attacks have been declared. --> The next attack declared that turn (if any) will be negated.

Anonymoose, on 04 November 2009 - 09:05 PM, said:

What about cards that crate a condition that monsters cannot attack, such as threatening roar or gravity bind?

Gravity Bind prevents certain attacks from being performed, while Threatening Roar prevents attacks from being declared. While this may not seem like that much of a difference, it is.

When you activate Threatening Roar, you need to do so before an attack is declared in order to prevent it. That's why its commonly used in response to entering the Battle Phase.

On the other hand, Gravity Bind maintains a continous effect that prevents certain from being performed. As such, it doesn't need to be active before the declaration, or even activated in response to the attack declaration, so you can activate it during an open window before moving to the Damage Step, and the attack will essencially be stopped without being negated.

[Rad]

Val is hands down the ruling master

[Val]

Thanks for the props, but its mostly a team effort. :)

[Anonymoose]

Thanks Val!