Does discard happen after end step?

Does Discard Happen After End Step?

One of the most common queries among Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts is when discard takes place during a player’s turn. The answer may seem straightforward, but understanding the intricacies of Magic’s timing can be puzzling, especially for new players. In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of the cleanup step and provide a direct answer to the question on everyone’s mind: Does discard happen after the end step?

Direct Answer

According to the Official Magic: The Gathering Ruling 512.1, the cleanup step follows immediately after the end step of the turn. This is when a player discards cards from their hand, as stated in Rule 701.8a, to bring their hand down to the maximum size.

When Does Discard Take Place?

So, to answer the question straightforwardly: discard takes place immediately after the end step. This is an important clarification, as some new players might assume that they have to discard cards immediately after their own turn.

Here’s a visual representation to help illustrate the correct timing:

Sub-events and Triggers

So, what happens if your Planeswalker ability resolves and you have to pay the mana cost on your end step? Does it interfere with the cleanup step?

The answer is yes. Your Planeswalker ability resolves and triggers would resolve before the cleanup step takes place. This ensures that you have the correct hand size after your triggers and abilities resolve.

Another common scenario is when multiple abilities trigger simultaneously, allowing for a series of interconnected effects. For instance:

1. Your life totals fall to 2 due to an effect, making your land "Sulam Djinn’s Oasis" a valid tap target.
2. You activate the Land, paying 2UU and sacrificing the Land for two colorless mana, your life totals falling back to 3.

In this case:

1. The End step finishes.
2. Abilities like Planeswalkers trigger.
3. Next, the Cleanup step ensues, and cards from the hand are discarded down to the maximum size, assuming you didn’t control it.
4. Discarding occurs immediately after all effects and triggers resolve (Rule 502.38b).

Summary Table

To better visualize when discard takes place, please find the following summary:

Additional Guidelines and Exceptions

While Magic is known for its flexible rules, there are special circumstances where the rules vary slightly. These include (but are not limited to):

• Planarscale creatures: Some planeswalker abilities might specify alternative cleanup procedures for certain circumstances, like during a cleanup step. Keep these distinct circumstances in mind.
• Legacy-specific cards: Old cards from earlier expansions, such as Mirage cards, might have specific abilities and interactions. Research them accordingly.
• Magic Errata: As an added precaution, be up to date with the errata on Magic: The Gathering’s official website in case any card text changed in a previous patch (as seen with older planeswalker abilities).

In Conclusion…

Discard happens at the cleanup step, after the end of your turn, not within your turn or after individual events. The Official Rulings, specific cards and rules, as well as card interactions will all ultimately decide when cards are removed from your hand.

Refer back to this article (or bookmark the Official Rule 512.1 on your favorite Magic resource page) whenever you’re perplexed about discard timing – for the best possible start at mastering the game mechanics and building an edge.

Sources:

1. The Official Magic: The Gathering Rulebook (4th Edition)
2. *MTG’s official FAQ section: When Do Cards Discard?
3. Card specifics (e.g., Card texts, Official Rulings) from official sources.