Battle phase skipping

[Manta]

Let's say I have a face up Berserk Gorilla on the field and there is also and active Gravity Bind in play.

Usually it is impossible to skip my own battle phase with Berserk Gorilla, since it must attack if possible, however as it stands, Beserk gorilla cannot attack at all. Is it therefore possible to skip my own battle phase in this case?

 

[daivahataka]

The ruling only says that you must conduct your battle phase IF Beserk Gorilla can attack so in this case you don't have to I'd say.

 

[masterwoo0]

The ruling only says that you must conduct your battle phase IF Beserk Gorilla can attack so in this case you don't have to I'd say.

Even though the only monster on the field is unable to attack, it is not because of an effect that "prevents" the actual Battle Phase from occuring. Gravity Bind in itself does not "skip" the Battle Phase for the controller of Gorilla, it just prevents him from attacking when the Battle Phase is entered.

Unless an effect causes you to skip a particular Phase of Gameplay, you must at least enter it since your opponent is also entitled to activate effects that can only be activated during those phases of the turn player's control.

You must Draw a card during "Draw Phase", unless an effect prevents this.

You must enter Standby Phase (unless an effect prevents such), even if there is no effect to resolve.

You must enter Main Phase 1 and 2, again, unless prevented by an effect.

Battle Phase must be entered, but you do NOT have to battle unless an effect states you must attack if possible.

End Phase also is mandatory unless skipped by effect.

You cannot arbitrarily skip a phase since both you and your opponent are entitled to activate effects during the same phases and you would be preventing them from playing cards they can activate by illegally choosing to bypass game rules without effects allowing you to do so.

 

[John Danker]

We don't know what will transpire during battle phase do we? Non-turn player might have something planned and destroy his own Gravity Bind so you'll attack his face down Morphing Jar. We have to assume that Beserk Gorilla will be able to attack, if he's prevented from doing so in battle phase so be it.

 

[miiaah]

Battle Phase must be entered, but you do NOT have to battle unless an effect states you must attack if possible.

Does it mean you can't skip your Battle Phase (no Berserk Gorilla on the field) in order to avoid Hellpoemer's effect ?

 

[masterwoo0]

Does it mean you can't skip your Battle Phase (no Berserk Gorilla on the field) in order to avoid Hellpoemer's effect ?

Even if you dont have a monster in hand or one on the field, you still have to proceed through each Phase of Gameplay unless a card effect prevents that Phase from being entered, like "Thunder of Ruler".

Text
You can only activate this card during your opponent's Standby Phase. Your opponent cannot conduct his/her Battle Phase this turn.


Now, if your opponent were allowed to just "skip" any phase he pleased, you obviously could not activate this card during his Standby, because he chose to skip it. And of course, you would like for him to be unable to conduct any battles, so your argument would be "How come he can just skip his Standby Phase?"

 

[densetsu_x]

But remember what it even says in the rulebook. After your Main Phase 1, you can skip your Battle Phase and proceed straight to your End Phase (meaning you don't get your Main Phase 2 either). That would be what you need to do to avoid Helpoemer's effect in this case.

 

[masterwoo0]

But remember what it even says in the rulebook. After your Main Phase 1, you can skip your Battle Phase and proceed straight to your End Phase (meaning you don't get your Main Phase 2 either). That would be what you need to do to avoid Helpoemer's effect in this case.

Good point. Forgot about that one, but Draw, Standby, and Main Phase 1 must be entered.

 

[daivahataka]

Last I'd checked the Battle Phase was optional, this will have no impact on your opponent since AFAIK the only cards which may only be activated in this phase and no other are those which do so in response to other actions (i.e. attacking) so if you've no intention of doing anything then they can't be activated anyway.
If you had to have a Battle phase there wouldn't be regular enough questions asking if you can have one with no monsters on the field posted here and to the Judgelist.

 

[Manta]

However, the problem is, usually the battle phase is NOT optional if you have a berserk gorilla under your control.

 

[masterwoo0]

However, the problem is, usually the battle phase is NOT optional if you have a berserk gorilla under your control.

You could always turn him to defense in Main Phase 1 if you dont want to attack, then he's gone, and you could do as Densetsu_x suggested.

 

[Manta]

That's not the point I'm making, I'm saying, is it possible to skip you battle phase even with beserk gorilla on the field, since he is unable to attack?

 

[masterwoo0]

That's not the point I'm making, I'm saying, is it possible to skip you battle phase even with beserk gorilla on the field, since he is unable to attack?

As the current ruling stands,

If your "Berserk Gorilla" can attack, you have to conduct your Battle Phase.


So that would lead me to believe that unless an effect prevents him from doing so, you must enter your Battle Phase if he is face-up.

 

[daivahataka]

Hence why, as I said above, with Gravity Bind preventing him from attacking I don't think you would have to conduct your Battle Phase.

 

[masterwoo0]

Hence why, as I said above, with Gravity Bind preventing him from attacking I don't think you would have to conduct your Battle Phase.

This is, I think, where I popped in. I dont think Gravity Bind exactly prevents the entrance into the Battle Phase. It very well could, but for all intents and purposes, Beserk Gorilla must attack, and it is only when he is in the Battle Phase, that his attack is prevented.

If Gravity Bind stated that, "As long as this card remains face-up, neither player can conduct a Battle Phase", then that would be different.

But that's why a coin has two sides. I'm sure there are more opinions out there to hear.

 

[daivahataka]

This is, I think, where I popped in. I dont think Gravity Bind exactly prevents the entrance into the Battle Phase. It very well could, but for all intents and purposes, Beserk Gorilla must attack, and it is only when he is in the Battle Phase, that his attack is prevented.

If Gravity Bind stated that, "As long as this card remains face-up, neither player can conduct a Battle Phase", then that would be different.

But that's why a coin has two sides. I'm sure there are more opinions out there to hear.

But what I'm saying is that the ruling only requires you to enter the Battle Phase IF Beserk Gorilla can attack, due to Gravity Bind he can't so you don't have to enter the Battle Phase.

 

[Manta]

This is exactly the argument that has been going around my head since I started to ponder this concept.

You could imagine this event occuring if a player could skip the battle phase:

(During main phase 1)
Turn player: "I wish to enter my end phase."
Other player: "I respond with dust tornado, targeting gravity bind."
(No responses)
Turn player: "Now I must enter my battle phase"

 

[novastar]

If Gravity Bind is destroyed at the end of or before Main Phase 1 is completed, barring another G-Bind, the Turn Player would be forced to enter the Battle Phase and attack with Berserk Gorilla (of course if Berserk Gorilla is left in ATK pos).

I would think that you wouldn't forced to enter the Battle Phase if G-Bind was active and you had an ATK pos. Berserk Gorilla.

 

[Digital Jedi]

I was a little suprised to hear some say that the Battle Phase wasn't optional. With all the goofyness floating around the rulings nowadays I'd thought I missed something.

If your "Berserk Gorilla" can attack, you have to conduct your Battle Phase.

Gravity Bind is on the field. So how can Berserk Gorilla attack? If Beserk Gorilla can't attack, why would you have to enter your Battle Phase?

 

[John Danker]

I was a little suprised to hear some say that the Battle Phase wasn't optional. With all the goofyness floating around the rulings nowadays I'd thought I missed something.

If your "Berserk Gorilla" can attack, you have to conduct your Battle Phase.

Gravity Bind is on the field. So how can Berserk Gorilla attack? If Beserk Gorilla can't attack, why would you have to enter your Battle Phase?

How do you know that once you enter battle phase your Berserk Gorilla WON'T be able to attack? You're assuming that it won't. We won't know this until it's the timing is right for it's attack.