Rules
Comprehensive Rules
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Additional Rules34 chapters
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700General701Keyword Actions702Keyword Abilities703Turn-Based Actions704State-Based Actions705Flipping a Coin706Rolling a Die707Copying Objects708Face-Down Spells and Permanents709Split Cards710Flip Cards711Leveler Cards712Double-Faced Cards713Substitute Cards714Saga Cards715Adventurer Cards716Class Cards717Attraction Cards718Prototype Cards719Case Cards720Omen Cards721Station Cards722Preparation Cards723Controlling Another Player724Ending Turns and Phases725The Monarch726The Initiative727Restarting the Game728Rad Counters729Subgames730Merging with Permanents731Day and Night732Taking Shortcuts733Handling Illegal Actions
726. The Initiative
726.1
The initiative is a designation a player can have
726.2
There are three inherent triggered abilities associated with having the initiative. These triggered abilities have no source and are controlled by the player who had the initiative at the time the abilities triggered. This is an exception to rule 113.8. The full text of these abilities are “At the beginning of the upkeep of the player who has the initiative, that player ventures into Undercity,” “Whenever one or more creatures a player controls deal combat damage to the player who has the initiative, the controller of those creatures takes the initiative,” and “Whenever a player takes the initiative, that player ventures into Undercity.” See rule 701.49, “Venture into the Dungeon.”
726.3
Only one player can have the initiative at a time
726.4
If the player who has the initiative leaves the game, the active player takes the initiative at the same time that player leaves the game. If the active player is leaving the game or if there is no active player, the next player in turn order takes the initiative.
726.5
If the player who currently has the initiative is instructed to take the initiative, this causes the last triggered ability in 726.2 to trigger but does not create a second initiative designation.