When can you not cast an instant?

You can't cast an instant in Magic: The Gathering when you don't have priority, specifically during the untap step, most of the cleanup step, or if an effect (like Teferi, Time Raveler) prevents it, and you also can't cast a legendary instant without controlling a legendary creature or planeswalker. Instants are designed for "instant speed," meaning they can be cast almost anytime you do have priority, including during opponents' turns, combat, or other steps/phases, unlike sorceries.
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Can you cast an instant at any time?

Yes, in Magic: The Gathering, you can play an instant "at any time," which means whenever you have priority, including during your opponent's turn, in response to their spells or abilities, during combat steps, and even at the end of their turn. The key rule is you must have priority (permission to act) and enough mana to cast it, but they have no strict timing restrictions like sorceries. 
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Can I cast an instant after blockers are declared?

Yes, absolutely! You can cast instants after blockers are declared but before damage is dealt; it's a key combat trick timing, allowing you to surprise opponents by boosting attackers or killing blockers right before damage, even with new rules that changed damage assignment but not priority. 
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What phases can you cast instants in?

They can be used during the combat phases, draw steps, end steps, upkeeps, or the main phase. The only time they cannot be used is during the untap step and certain cleanup steps.
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Can I cast instants before damage?

It's important to know that neither player receives priority during the combat damage step, so neither player can cast instants or activate abilities once you're there. Your last chance to do so before creatures deal damage is the declare blockers step.
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Can I cast an instant before I untap?

No, you cannot cast an instant before your untap step because no player receives priority during the untap step; it's a mandatory action where permanents become untapped without any chance for spells or abilities. Your first opportunity to cast an instant on your turn is during the upkeep step, which happens after untapping but before the draw step. 
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Can you cast instants after the first strike?

Absolutely. You can play an instant spell at any point in response to anything happening in the game for the most part. Yes, assuming a creature is attacking or blocking with first strike or double strike.
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Can I cast an instant during upkeep?

Yes, you absolutely can cast instants during the upkeep step in Magic: The Gathering, either in response to an upkeep trigger (like drawing a card or paying costs) or even if nothing triggers, as priority is passed around for all players to act before moving to the draw step. This allows you to play instants on your own upkeep or an opponent's, typically to disrupt them before they can use mana or resolve their own spells. 
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Can you cast an instant during the end step?

Yes, absolutely! You can cast instants (and flash spells) during the end step in Magic: The Gathering, just like any other time you have priority, allowing you to disrupt opponents or set up your next turn after their main phase actions are done, as long as the stack is empty and players pass priority. 
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What is the rule 709.5 in Magic The Gathering?

709.5e A player who controls a permanent that has one or more locked halves may pay the mana cost of a locked half of that permanent to give that permanent the appropriate unlocked designation. This cost is referred to as an “unlock cost.” This is a special action (see rule 116).
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Can I cast instants after blockers are declared 2025?

You can do it either way. You can use your instant after you declare attackers and before blockers are declared, and you can also use it after blockers are declared but before combat damage is dealt.
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Can you cast an instant if you don't have priority?

Players can't cast spells, activate abilities or take special actions at a time when they do not have priority.
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Can you tap a blocker at instant speed?

The answer is yes. In the Declare Blockers Step, after Blockers have been Declared, there is a round of Priority.
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Can I channel as an instant?

Yes, in Magic: The Gathering, you can use a card's Channel ability at instant speed, meaning any time you could normally cast an instant spell (when you have priority), by discarding the card from your hand for its specific effect, even though casting the card normally has normal timing rules. This is because Channel is an activated ability, and unless stated otherwise, activated abilities can be used at instant speed, allowing for surprise plays during opponents' turns or in response to other actions. 
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Can you use an instant on a tapped card?

If it's phrased like "Tap target permanent", then yes, although nothing would happen as it's already tapped. Any other effects would happen though, such as not untapping next untap step, or putting a stun counter on it, or any other effect.
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Can you equip as an instant?

No, you cannot normally equip as an instant in Magic: The Gathering because the "equip" keyword ability is inherently activated only at sorcery speed (during your main phase when the stack is empty). However, some cards provide exceptions, like Leonin Shikari or abilities on cards like Cranial Plating, that let you attach equipment at instant speed by using a different, non-equip activated ability or a specific rule-bending effect. 
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Can I cast an instant whenever I want?

Instants are the only card type in Magic to have no timing restrictions. They can be played at any time one has priority, including during other player's turns and while another spell or ability is waiting to resolve.
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Can you make something unblockable after blockers are declared?

No, generally you cannot make a creature unblockable after blockers are declared in Magic: The Gathering; once an attacker is blocked, it stays blocked, even if the blockers are removed, as the "unblockable" status must be in effect when blockers are declared. You can, however, use instant-speed spells or abilities in the "Declare Blockers" step after blockers are declared to remove the blockers (like killing them) or to give the attacker Trample, but not to retroactively change the "blocked" status to "unblocked" for damage purposes. 
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Can I cast Madness at instant speed?

Yes, you absolutely can cast Madness cards at instant speed, even if they are normally sorceries, because the Madness ability gives you a special permission to cast them for their madness cost immediately when they are discarded, overriding normal timing rules for casting spells. This happens as part of the triggered ability resolving, allowing you to cast creatures, sorceries, or any card type at any time you discard it, including on an opponent's turn, as long as you pay the madness cost. 
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Can you cast an instant on your end step?

Yes, absolutely! You can cast instants (and flash spells) during the end step in Magic: The Gathering, just like any other time you have priority, allowing you to disrupt opponents or set up your next turn after their main phase actions are done, as long as the stack is empty and players pass priority. 
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Can I cast an instant before my untap?

No, you cannot cast an instant before your untap step because no player receives priority during the untap step; it's a mandatory action where permanents become untapped without any chance for spells or abilities. Your first opportunity to cast an instant on your turn is during the upkeep step, which happens after untapping but before the draw step. 
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Can you have multiple triggers?

Multiple triggers can be configured using an list of triggers, or wildcard event triggers.
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Can I cast an instant at the beginning of my upkeep?

Can I Cast an Instant Before My Upkeep? No, the only step that happens before your upkeep is the untap step, and you do not get priority during the untap step. The earliest point in the turn where you can cast an instant is during the upkeep, right after “beginning of upkeep” triggers have gone on the stack.
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Can you cast an instant after damage is assigned?

No player has the chance to cast spells or activate abilities between the time combat damage is assigned and the time it's dealt.
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Does first strike go through a blocker?

Yes, First Strike works when blocking in Magic: The Gathering; it allows the creature to deal its damage in a separate, earlier combat damage step, potentially killing blockers before they can deal damage back, and this applies whether the creature is attacking or blocking. If a First Strike blocker deals lethal damage to an attacker in the first strike step, the attacker won't get to deal damage in the normal step. 
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