Do you draw or untap first?

Do You Draw or Untap First? A Guide to the Beginning Phase of Magic: The Gathering

When playing Magic: The Gathering, it’s essential to understand the order of the game’s phases, as it can greatly impact the outcome of the match. In this article, we’ll dive into the intricacies of the beginning phase, focusing on the draw and untap steps.

Direct Answer: Untap, Then Draw

To put it simply, you untap, then draw in the beginning phase of a turn. This sequence might seem trivial, but understanding the nuances of these two steps is crucial to maximizing your card advantage and set up your turn for success.

The Beginning Phase: An Overview

Before we delve into the details, let’s quickly overview the beginning phase. The beginning phase consists of three steps: untap, upkeep, and draw. These steps occur in that order, with each player taking individual turns performing them.

The Untap Step: What Does It Mean to Untap a Permanent?

During the untap step, each player untaps all their untapped lands, as well as any other untapped permanents on the battlefield. This includes creatures, planeswalkers, and artifacts that didn’t receive a mana or ability trigger in the previous turn. To untap a permanent, turn it sideways from its upright position.

Important: You cannot untap a creature that has summoning sickness, as it is unable to use its abilities or attack until it’s untapped and then resolves its mana ability.

The Draw Step: Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Drawing

Next, during the draw step, each player draws a card from their deck. This is a critical phase, as drawing a card can lead to gaining crucial card advantage, allowing you to adapt to changing circumstances, build toward a win condition, or extend the game with a potentially game-winning spell.

Why Timing Matters: When you’re drawing, don’t neglect drawing your land cards! They might provide the mana you need to cast crucial spells or power up your board. On the other hand, if you have a surplus of lands, you might be able to save up mana for a future turn, allowing you to blow up your opponent’s board.

Q&A

Q: Can I untap an exerted creature?

A: No, exerted creatures cannot untap. Once a creature exerts, it is exhausted by the effort and doesn’t untap in the next untap step.

Q: Can I do something in response to discarding?

A: Yes, you can play instant-speed spells while a spell or ability that would cause you to discard is on the stack. However, you cannot play spells while a spell or ability is resolving.

Conclusion

Understanding the untap and draw steps in the beginning phase of Magic: The Gathering is vital to mastering the game. By recognizing the sequence and importance of these steps, you can improve your overall game sense and make more informed decisions during the game. Remember, untap first, then draw – it’s a fundamental part of playing Magic effectively.

Hope this helps!