After one player passes and the other plays and resolves an Action during the combat action/reaction window, can the first player then play an Action/Reaction, or does combat start immediately? Can players continue playing Actions back and forth until both pass in succession?
Ruling: Both players must pass in succession for combat to start. As long as one player keeps starting a new chain by playing an Action or Reaction, combat does not begin.
Sequence:
- Player X passes
- Player Y plays an Action and passes
- Action resolves
- Player X now has the opportunity to play an Action/Reaction
- Players can continue playing Actions back and forth
- Combat only starts when both players pass consecutively without playing anything
Nuances:
- The key requirement is passing "in succession" - both players must pass without either one playing a card in between