Momiji's General Damage Step Ru..Generalization Guide

[darkwolf777]

There always seem to be a bunch of BKSS rulings out there that are never explained anywhere, many of these surround. I just want to point some general rulings/trends I've seen which can hopefully clear up some things or so we can make better initial judgments about rulings to particular cards. These are not official rulings by any means, but appear to be correct in most cases. I'm also looking for all of your help as well to help confirm/deny some of these generalizations with exceptions that may exist on these.

 

Rule 1

Cards that say it can be used during the Damage Step, or Trigger based on something that could only occur during the Damage Step (Battle Damage/Destruction by Battle)

 

Rule 2

Ignition-Like Effects of Spell Speed 2 cards (Quick-Play/Quick Monster Effect/Trap Cards where you must choose to activate yourself (flip face up) and do not follow a trigger (read trigger and not condition for activation) must Increase/Decrease the ATK/DEF stats of something on the field, or else they cannot be activated, EXCLUDING MONSTER QUICK EFFECTS THAT CAN NEGATE CARDS.

 

Rule 3

Quick-Effect Monsters whose effects can negate cards CAN be used during the Damage Step

 

Rule 4

Trigger Monster Effects that Special Summon THEMSELVES from the Hand or Graveyard CANNOT be used during the Damage Step EXCEPT when their Trigger could only occur during the Damage Step (i.e. Gorz/Tragoedia triggering through Battle Damage)

 

*Note: For Rule 4, so far there's some TCG issues in regards to Snyffus where its been said it can Special Summon itself during the Damage Step. I've contested this but haven't received a response from them about it :< Frankly, I don't believe it can, and it shouldn't be able to, or else it'll be the only card I can think of that breaks Rule 4.

 

Rule 5 (Append #3)

Trigger Effects of Monsters (both Optional and Mandatory) and MANDATORY Trigger effects of Continuous Spell/Continuous Trap/Field Spell Cards that do not apply to the above rules CAN activate during the Damage Step. OPTIONAL Trigger and Trigger-Like Effects of Spell/Trap/Quick Effects (like Inmato) that do not apply to the above rules CANNOT be used during the Damage Step (unless explicitly states it or said Optional Trigger only activates during the Damage Step (such as Machina Armored Unit to a machine destroyed by battle.) or modify ATK/DEF.)

Rule 5 is a stretch and made up on the spot here, though seems to work anyway... so probably find exceptions through here to fit into other ruling sections >_>;

Exceptions: "Card of Safe Return", whose wording appears to be Trigger-Like in nature, cannot be activated during the Damage Step. Perhaps Optional Triggers of Spell/Trap cards cannot be activated?

Exceptions: "Inmato" an Optional Triggered Quick Effect cannot activate during the Damage Step. Perhaps Optional Trigger Effects can activate during the Damage Step, but Optional Trigger-Like Quick Effects cannot (unless they negate).

 

Rule 6

If the card in question is "Null and Void". You can activate it during the Damage Step

For Rule 6, I can only see this as the true BKSS ruling ><

 

I think that should be it, so hopefully you guys can help with finding any possible exceptions to any of these and see if these generalizations can be modified in any way to work, whether there are only a few exceptions, or whether there are too many exceptions to make a ruling of it.

[darkwolf777]

*I must be crazy to have typed all this out >_>*

 

Breakdown of each kind of card/effect:

 

*Before Getting Started*

These should follow through with OCG rulings. TCG makes many inconsistent exceptions which you'll want to look up first x.o In any case, if you play any of the video games, they would follow OCG rulings.

 

Next, There is an exception to all of the following rules for Damage Step activation and that would be:

A) "If the effect modifies ATK/DEF of a card on the field".

B) "If the card effect specifically states it can be used during the Damage Step"

C) "if the Trigger of any card must occur during the Damage Step, say through receiving Battle Damage, or when monsters are destroyed by battle".

So if any of the below things mentioned says anything about "Damage Step" then consider the above exceptions as well when reading them.

 

1) Monsters

1. Ignition Monster Effects
   · Being Spell Speed 1, These can only be activated during one of Main Phase.
   · Being Spell Speed 1, you cannot chain their effects to other cards.
   
2. Trigger Monster Effects
   · Monster Trigger Effects can be considered Spell Speed 2. Generally, they will activate when their Triggers are hit.
   · Both Mandatory (Sangan) and Optional (Botanical Girl) Trigger Monster Effects can be activated during the Damage Step, with the following exception: Optional Trigger Monster Effects that Special Summon themselves from the Hand or Graveyard (Green Baboon, Revival Rose, etc) CANNOT activate during the Damage Step, UNLESS their triggers only occur during the Damage Step (such as Gorz/Tragoedia).
    
   
3. Quick Monster Effects
   · Quick Monster Effects are Speed Spell 2, and can activate during an opponent's turn. These can activate (depending on the card) from the Hand (Honest), Field (Stardust Dragon), or Graveyard (Necro Gardna)
   · There are two kinds of Quick Monster Effects: Ignition-Like (D.D. Crow) and Trigger-Like (Stardust Dragon).
   · MANDATORY Quick Monster Effects... I can't find any. The only one I can think of is Light and Darkness Dragon, and that follows the next rule:
   · Ignition-Like (D.D Crow) and Optional Trigger-Like Quick Monster Effects (such as Inmato) cannot be activated during the Damage Step, UNLESS that Optional Trigger-Like Quick Effect negates (Herald of Orange Light, Stardust Dragon)
   
4. Summon-type Effects
   · Summon-type Effects for the more part are simply conditions for Special Summoning a particular monster from the hand (i.e. Dark Armed Dragon, Chaos Sorcerer, etc).
   · The "activation" of these cannot be chained to (so you cannot Divine Wrath them), but you can chain to the Special Summon (with Solemn Judgment/Horn of Heaven, etc).
   · These Special Summons don't have a Spell Speed (since they don't activate), but should follow Spell Speed 1 rules. Therefore, you can only Special Summon these during your Main Phases.
   

 

2) Spell Cards

1. Normal Spell Cards
   · Normal Spell Cards are Speed Spell 1. Therefore they can only be activated (read: played from your hand) during your Turn.
   · Mandatory Trigger Effects of Normal Spell Cards (Ojamagic) can activate during the Damage Step. Technically this kind of effect would appear to be Spell Speed 2. When a Speed Spell 1 and Speed Spell 2 card chain simultaneously, in the TCG, it states Ojamagic (Spell Speed 1) must be the lowest in the chain. In the OCG, if two effects of different speeds activate simultaneously, regardless of speed, a player can choose the chain order. This is why I feel any Trigger Effect, regardless of what kind of card it is on, is Spell Speed 2.
   · I cannot think of any Optional Trigger Effects of a Normal Spell Card. I would assume you cannot activate them during the Damage Step.
   
2. Quick-Play Spell Cards
   · Quick-Play Spell Cards are Speed Spell 2, so they can be activated during your opponent's turn.
   · Quick-Play Spells can be activated during your turn from the Hand, even those that can be activated during the Damage Step. In order to activate Quick-Play Spells on your opponent's turn, they must be set during your turn first.
   · All Quick-Play spells appear to be Ignition-Like in nature (there are no Trigger-like ones that come to mind). Therefore, in order to use them during the Damage Step, it must apply to the rules listed at the top (affecting ATK/DEF, stating it can be used during Damage Step, etc...)
   
3. Field-Spell Cards and Continuous Spell Cards
   · There doesn't appear to be any differences between them that I can think of, so combining both here.
   · Both Field and Continuous Spell cards are Spell Speed 1. They can only be activated (read: played from your hand/flipped face-up) during your Main Phases.
   · Field and Continuous Spell Cards can have both Ignition Like Effects (The World Tree, Black Garden's Special Summoning of a Plant-type monster in the Graveyard) and Trigger-Like Effects (Black Garden halving ATK and Special Summoning a token, and Card of Safe Return).
   · Ignition-Like Effects of Field/Continuous Spell Cards can only be activated during your Turn (since they are Spell Speed 1)
   · MANDATORY Trigger-Like effects of Field Spells/Continuous Spell Cards can be used during the Damage Step.
   · Optional Trigger-Like effects of Field Spells/Continuous Spell Cards (Rainbow Ruins +3 Card Effect that negates, Card of Safe Return) CANNOT be activated during the Damage Step.
   · Trigger-Like effects of Field/Continuous Trap Cards can be chained to.
   · Continuous Effects of Field/Continuous Trap Cards cannot be chained to.
   · Only cards like Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode, Stardust Dragon and Prime Material Dragon can negate the activation of an Ignition/Trigger-Like effect that starts a chain of an already face-up Field/Continuous Spell card because these cards can negate effects that are activated and not just initial card activations.
   
4. Ritual Spell Cards
   · Ritual Spell Cards are Spell Speed 1 and can only be activated during your Main Phase. There are no Special Ritual Spell card rulings to mention.
   
5. Equip Spell Cards
   · Equip Spell Cards are Spell Speed 1 and can only be activated during your Main Phase. There are no Special Ritual Spell card rulings to mention.
   · Ignition-like effects of Equip Spell Cards (such as Wattcube) can only be activated during your Main Phases (since Equip Spell Cards are Spell Speed 1)
   · Both Mandatory and Optional Trigger-Like Effects of Equip Spell Cards can be activated during the Damage Step (such as Core Blaster, Malevolent Nuzzler, Horn of the Unicorn, etc)
   

 

3) Trap Cards

1. Any Trap Cards
   · Activating a Trap Card (flipping it face-up when it was set) cannot be activated during the Damage Step (except Counter Traps) unless it follows standard Damage Step requirements (affects ATK/DEF, says it can be used during Damage Step, etc).
   
2. Normal Trap Cards
   · Normal Trap Cards are Spell Speed 2. These can be activated during your and your opponent's turn. They cannot be played from the hand and must be set for a turn before activation. You can only set them during your Main Phases (or through other card effects like Dust Tornado)
   · If the card in question is "Null and Void", then it can be used during the Damage Step, though there seems to be no reason for this aside from "BKSS".
   
3. Continuous Trap Cards
   · Continuous Trap Cards are Spell Speed 2. These can be activated (read: flipped face-up) during you and your opponent's turn.
   · Ignition-Like Effects of Face-Up Continuous Trap Cards CAN be activated during your opponent's turn (since they are Spell Speed 2) unless specifically stated otherwise (Pitch-Black Power Stone can be activated only during your own turn, Ultimate Offering can be activated during your Main Phase and Opponent's Battle Phase, etc).
   · Continuous Trap Cards with Ignition-Like Effects is flipped face up and activated, you can choose to activate its effect, even though the timing appears wrong. (You can activate Pitch Black Power Stone during an opponent's turn, and one time only at activation, use its effect to place 1 Spell Counter on a monster, even though its not your turn).
   · Continuous Trap Cards with Optional Trigger-Like Effects CANNOT be used during the Damage Step (an already face-up Royal Oppression triggering to a Special Summon of a monster.).
   · Continuous Trap Cards with Mandatory Trigger-Like Effects CAN be used during the Damage Step (an already face-up Appropriate triggering to cards being drawn by your opponent).
   · Trigger-Like effects of Continuous Trap Cards can be chained to.
   · Continuous Effects of Continuous Trap Cards cannot be chained to (say when Call of the Haunted is destroyed, it destroys the equipped monster as well)
   · Cards like Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode, Stardust Dragon and Prime Material Dragon can negate the activation of an Ignition/Trigger-Like effect that starts a chain of an already face-up Continuous Trap card since these cards can negate effects that are activated and not just initial card activations.
   
4. Counter Trap Cards
   · Counter Trap Cards are Spell Speed 3. These can be used at any time where the timing on the card is appropriate. These can always be activated even during the Damage Step, no matter what they do.