Checking: requirements for activation

[Dr Sin]

All right, this was already discussed but this specific point was not completely clarified (at least for me):

The situation is responding to an attack:

My opponent has a Blade Knight face-up in attack mode, 3 cards in hand. I have one Chiron The Mage in face-up attack mode and one set s/t (it's a Magic Cylinder). Right, he it comes:

1) This I really want to confirm: who has the right to 1st respond to an attack, turn player or non-turn player? Example: Turn player, after declaring the attack activates Enemy Controller, before opponent respond with anything. Does he have the right to do it? (be the 1st link on the chain)

2) For the first question, I believe the answer is yes, turn-player can first respond to an attack. But let's say he attacks with Blade and doesn't respond with anything. As the Blade is weaker than Chiron at this moment, I choose not to respond. Than, as I didn't respond, opponent activates EC from hand, targeting my Chiron. At this moment, can I still activate my Magic Cylinder (is the time still correct)? I believe that yes, I can.

thanks in advance.

 

[novastar]

Exception?

The exceptions:

- There are very specific hard-coded activation windows in the Damage Step, that for the most part, will always occur in the same specific sequence.

- You don't really choose to end the Damage Step, it seems for the most part to be an automated sequence, that will terminate itself. Once the "send to the graveyard" timing is over, the Damage Step is effectively over, there is no option to remain in the Step.

- There is no room for Response timing after a chain resolves. If a timing would occur, it is simply ignored and you move forward to the next window. Players have very little control over the flow of the Step itself.

For example, Reflect Bounder's effect has a very specific window that it is triggered in, however, once the ensuing chain resolves, there is no response timing to respond to his effect resolving. You would simply move on the next window.

The rules of chaining don't change, but it has a lot more structure to it than the other Phases/Steps.