Question about the Challenges phase timing windows.

There is a Player Action window before the Framework Action window where Active Player declares challenge type and opponent.

There is an arrow that points to this same Player Action window after the Challenge resolution framework action window where the results of the challenge are implemented.

What is the dependency of returning to this Player Action window? The fact that there may be additional eligible challenges remaining for the Active Player? Basically, the question is important because I don't see anything that states that the Active player can't do a Player Action here and choose not to declare a challenge.

So, let's say the Active player has no more eligible challenges remaining after the last challenge has been resolved. Does that automatically move to the "Active player is finished with challenges" framework action? Or does it go up to the Player Action at the top of the Challenges timing windows, and then once that window is finished, go to the "Active player is finished with challenges" Framework action?

This Player Action window might be important to have available at the end of the Challenges phase, so I'm just trying to make sure it is available or not.

I had this exact question come up at my game Saturday night. I was first player and did all my actions and challenges, then the second player did his three challenges with Military being last. After that last military challenge was done resolving, I tried to play Narrow Escape, but we couldn't figure out if that was a legal move or not based on looking at the flow chart.

The player action window at the end of that arrow is available after every challenge, even if "all" have been performed.

In dh's situation, say that the military challenge was first, but that his opponent didn't intend to initiate any more challenges. Could the opponent say "no Narrow Escape because I'm not doing anymore challenges"?

You always follow that arrow back to the Player Action Window so long as there is a potential that other challenges could be initiated. And there is always a potential until the active player gets to the "initiate challenge" framework window and says "no challenge." There are plenty of card effects and other possibilities to create challenge opportunities beyond the "standard 3," so the potential to initiate another challenge still exists after the 3rd standard challenge, too.

Short answer, keep following that arrow back until the active player formally says - at the point of challenge initiation - "no challenge."

ktom said:

I assume then that the active player should, also, after completing or forgoing all the challenges available to him, make it clear than he is passing active player over to the next person, or else ending the phase, so that each player has an opportunity to play Player Actions before the active player changes and/or the phase ends.

ktom said:

What you state sounds perfect, however I just wish that this logic was reflected in the flow chart because right now it does not appear to be. If I am understanding you correctly, after the "final" challenge is made by the last possible active player:

1. The framework loops back up to that top Player Action Window

2. Players can each play an actions etc until all are resolved

3. Then, once inside the next framework window, in step 1 where the active player can declare a challenge, once he opts not to, the flow jumps down to the 'End of Challenge Phase' window.

I suppose it could be argued that after the framework loops up to the top again after that final challenge, and after players swap any more player actions that they want to intiate, that the framework actually ends up going through a final 'blank' challenge where no attacker/defenders are declared [and you push through those two other Player Action Windows (because after all, there'd be no difference in executing a player action in the top window versus one of those 'dummy, mid 'blank' challenge' windows], and then the phase ends.

I just think there is probably a better way to illustrate what is actually happening in the flowchart so as to avoid confusion.

@ ktom,

Thank you for clearing that up. That's what I had thought but needed to be sure!