Answers to in-game questions — mulligans, turn structure, combat tricks, and timing. — 11 questions answered.
Under the London Mulligan rule (current), you draw 7 cards. If you don't like your hand, you shuffle back and draw 7 again, but put 1 card on the bottom of your deck. You can mulligan again (putting 2 back), and so on. In competitive play, knowing when to mulligan is one of the most important skills.
A turn has these phases in order: (1) Beginning Phase — Untap, Upkeep, Draw. (2) Pre-Combat Main Phase — play lands, cast spells. (3) Combat Phase — Declare Attackers, Declare Blockers, Damage. (4) Post-Combat Main Phase — play more spells. (5) Ending Phase — End Step, Cleanup (discard to hand size).
You can cast instants (and cards with flash) any time you have priority — during any phase of any player's turn, including in response to other spells and abilities. This is what makes instants so powerful: surprise blockers, removal during combat, counterspells in response to threats.
If you need to draw a card but your library is empty, you lose the game. This is called 'decking' or 'milling yourself out.' Some decks use this as a win condition by milling the opponent's library. Cards like Thassa's Oracle can even win you the game when YOUR library is empty.
No. Only untapped creatures can be declared as blockers. This is why tapping down opposing creatures (with cards like Frost Breath) is powerful — it prevents them from blocking. Attacking causes your creatures to tap, which is why vigilance is valuable (it lets you attack and still block).
A board wipe (or sweeper) is a spell that destroys all creatures on the battlefield at once. Examples: Wrath of God, Damnation, Cyclonic Rift. Board wipes are essential for control decks to reset the game when behind. In Commander, board wipes are even more important since you face 3 opponents.
When a player casts a spell or activates an ability, other players get a chance to respond by putting their own spells/abilities on the stack. 'In response to your Lightning Bolt, I cast Counterspell' means the Counterspell goes on the stack above Lightning Bolt and resolves first, countering it.
If a single commander deals 21 or more combat damage to a player over the course of a game, that player loses regardless of their life total. This is tracked per commander — each commander has its own 21-damage counter. Only combat damage counts, not damage from abilities.
A combo is a combination of two or more cards that creates a powerful (often game-winning) interaction. Infinite combos generate unlimited resources — like infinite mana, infinite damage, or infinite tokens. Examples: Splinter Twin + Deceiver Exarch (infinite attackers), Thassa's Oracle + Demonic Consultation (instant win). Combos vary in power and acceptance by playgroups.
A tutor is a card that lets you search your library for a specific card. Named after Demonic Tutor from Alpha, tutors increase consistency by letting you find exactly what you need. Powerful examples: Demonic Tutor (any card), Vampiric Tutor, Worldly Tutor (creature). Tutors are format staples in Commander and Vintage.
A cantrip is a cheap spell that draws a card as part of its effect — it replaces itself. Examples: Ponder, Preordain, Opt, Consider. Cantrips are powerful because they cycle through your deck to find better cards while triggering abilities like prowess. They're staples in spell-based strategies across all formats.