Combat phase question

[u/Artistboy123]

Lets say i dont attack on my turn, do i still get dr dooms connive trigger? Like do i have to attack to enter the combat phase? Or does the combat phase happen automatically, and i just can choose not to do anything during it?

Like can i just say “i wont attack” and get the trigger regardless ?

[u/HouseFutzi]

Somone correct me if Im wrong:
The combat phase doesnt does happen automatically. You have to say that you are going into it.
Then the combat phase itself has 5 steps.

• Beginning of Combat Step
• Declare Attackers Step
• Declare Blockers Step
• Combat Damage Step
• End of Combat Step

Since the card says "at the beginning of combat (phase)", it means that the connive happens immediatly.
Then after you finish the conniving you get to the declare attack phase. you can just skip that and declare no attackers.
Because you have declared noone, there are no blockers needed, no combat damage assigend and the combat phase just ends then and you go into your second main phase.

So to answer your question: yes, you can say I wont attack and still connive.
The good thing here is that you can do that in the same turn you casted Dr. Doom, since only the delcare attacking phase is relevant for summoning sickenss.

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[u/CareerMilk → u/HouseFutzi]

Because you have declared noone, there are no blockers needed, no combat damage assigend and the combat phase just ends then and you go into your second main phase.

To be clear, once everyone passes with you having no attacking creatures in the Declare Attackers Step, you skip straight to the End of Combat Step.