My opponent and I are arguing about when an "Any Phase:" card can be played. He would like to play it during a framework action window as a Response because the FAQ and rule book do not say that something that is a player action cannot also be considered a response. Specifically during the dominance phase before standing strength has been determined. He would like to play a card like "Nightmares" during dominance before counting standing strength.

Could someone please end this argument for us once and for all?

Thanks.

Any triggered effect (bold text) with the words "Any Phase" (or a specific phase) is played as a "Player action", and can only be playing in a "Player action window". Other things that can be done in those windows include marshalling a card.

Responses are clearly identified by the bolded text "Response".

While in layman's terms I might well say I'm playing "Nightmares" in response to someone declaring an attacker, what I'm actually doing is playing Nightmares, as a player action, during the player action window between declaring attackers and declaring stealth.

So yeah, no opportunity to play Nightmares until after dominance has been awarded.

1. Only Response: cards can be played during the response window.

2. There is NO opportunity for any kind of Player Action in the Dominance phase BEFORE strength is counted for Dominance.

* The only thing you can do at the Beginning of Dominance is bring a card out of shadows as this is part of the "beginning" framework and is not considered a Player Action.

Nightmares is any Any phase action, as such, can only be played during the Player Action window.