When you advance from stage 2B of "The Trial of Strength" in the middle of the combat phase directly to stage 3, do the Guardians now engaged with you (per forced effect of stage 3B) attack you? Similarly, are you allowed to attack them?

The question arose while playing today. I assumed that since you were in the middle of player attacks that the newly engaged enemies cannot attack. But I wasn't sure if you were allowed to attack them since technically you are still in the combat phase.

Anyone know the official ruling on things like this? How have you been playing it?

If you defeat the guardian during your normal window to attack, then you go to the next stage of the quest and get a new guardian engaged with you. Now YOU can attack IT. It can't attack you, because enemy attack resolution has already been completed this round, before player attack resolution. But you are still in the player attack resolution part of the combat phase, so swing away!

It's just from the core set manual. When you advance to the next stage of a quest, nothing about the game state changes. Just follow instructions on the quest cards and continue the round normally.

Thanks for the feedback! I thought as much, but wasn't sure.

Just to add that if you reveal the key as a shadow card you will advance to the next stage in the enemy attack phase. In this scenario the three guardians would then get an attack I think as we are still in attack phase ? Anyway that's how I've played it.

Yes, there was the same situation with Murzagg : http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/94687-morgul-vale-captain-murzag-forced-effect-question/?p=926726

It would be funny to feint an enemy with the key attach. The key would only be discarded at the end of the combat phase.

Just to add that if you reveal the key as a shadow card you will advance to the next stage in the enemy attack phase. In this scenario the three guardians would then get an attack I think as we are still in attack phase ? Anyway that's how I've played it.

If a key is revealed as a shadow it is shuffled back into the encounter deck, not attached to a hero, so why would you advance to the next stage? Am I missing something?