Why can't I respond to floowandereeze card effects?

[AlfaKayzer]

I know that monsters cannot activate their effects if they are in attack position, while Empen is on the field. But just had a duel where my opp had an Avian, I had an Impermanence (set the previous turn), I activated a GY effect, Avian negated, but I couldn't negate that avian with my imperm (had toggle set to on).

I noticed this is not the first time that I cannot respond to these card effects, making stuff like ash useless.

Is there a reason/lingering effect for this?

[ChaosBahamut]

A replay would help.

[EXO]

For cards like Ash blossom, if the chain is like this: Chain Link 1 Floowander monster on the field, chain link 2 Floowander monster in the banish pile, then you cannot ash blossom as the effect that you would be responding to is the effect of the Floowander monsters to go back to hand from the banish pile and that is something Ash cant negate.

For the imperm, it doesn't matter how the chain is built, but without a replay we cant tell you why you were not able to activate it.

[AlfaKayzer]

Written replay (toggle set on):
Cards on field:"
- Me: Aluber face-up ATK pos, Guardian Chimera face-down defense, Infinite Impermanence
- Oppon: Apex Avian, Empen, Eglen (all in ATK pos), magnificent map and unexplored winds.

1. Apex attacks Aluber
2. Empen attacks face-down Guardian Chimera
3. Activate Aluber effect to negate a monster (select Empen) and bring itself from GY.
4. Apex Avian activate effect to negate aluber.
5. Chain immediately resolves, couldn't respond with my set imperm, apex goes and negates aluber, gg

[Orochi Samurai]

Can't activate Imperm during the damage step.

[AlfaKayzer]

Originally posted by Orochi Samurai:

Can't activate Imperm during the damage step.

Really? Didn't know that, as the card doesn't mention anything excluding battle step. Will keep that in mind.

[ChaosBahamut]

Originally posted by AlfaKayzer:

Originally posted by Orochi Samurai:

Can't activate Imperm during the damage step.

Really? Didn't know that, as the card doesn't mention anything excluding battle step. Will keep that in mind.

That's actually more of a game rule than anything else.

In general, cards and their effects CAN'T be activated in the damage step. The only exceptions are:

Quick effects (quick-play spells, traps, or monster effects labeled as quick effects) that influence a monster's ATK and/or DEF
Cards that SPECIFICALLY state they can be activated during the damage step ("Damage Calculation" is part of the damage step so that works as well)
Counter traps activated in response to the previous exceptions

[Ichmag 🔑🌙]

yeah but why can avian trigger in the damage step? is it cuz konami said so?

[EXO]

Originally posted by Ichmag:

yeah but why can avian trigger in the damage step? is it cuz konami said so?

Because Apex Avian negates activation and that is one of the multiple effects that can be used during the damage step

[Otto]

Originally posted by Ichmag:

yeah but why can avian trigger in the damage step? is it cuz konami said so?

Mist Valley Apex Avian's effect is a quick effect that negates the activation of another card. Cards that negate an activation (not a card or effect) can be activated during the damage step and are lumped in with quick effects that change atk/def

[TormentedSalad]

Originally posted by Ichmag:

yeah but why can avian trigger in the damage step? is it cuz konami said so?

cards have to say they can activate during damage step or fall into one of the types that can things that change attack can do so negates so long as they specifically negate activation can and obviously battle floats like unchained monsters