This Surfer stuff is confusing. Say turn 8 my opponent plays a 7 drop Joker on his init. I play Surfer on my build. I want to discard a card to get the init, he wants to use Joker's power (used only on his attack step) on one of my guys.

Is the start of the combat phase seperate from the attack step? Could I use Surfer first to get the init without him getting to use the Joker's stun ability? What is the proper way to play this?

This would also clear up Demon vs Surfer problems too.

Thanks!

The beginning of the combat phase is seperate from the beginning of a specific player's attack phase (thing of the combat phase as a big circle with both attack phases inside of it as smaller circles).

With that in mind, you can use surfer's ability to get init before someone has the ability to use Joker's ability.

The start of the Combat Phase is indeed different from the start of the Attack Step.

The Combat Phase begins first. Effects that trigger at the start of the Combat Phase trigger at this point (Surfer being an example). After those effects have all triggered, there is a point of priority going to the initiative player (the controller of Joker). However, it is still not the beginning of his/her attack step and will not be until all relevant effects at the start of the Combat Phase resolve and both players pass on an empty chain (which will not happen until the Surfer's effect resolves).

After all these effects resolve, move to the Attack Step of the person who controls initiative (assuming you used Surfer's effect, that would be you.)

However, The Demon vs. Surfer is different. The Demon's power triggers upon being put into play. If it is the would-be-controller of The Demon's initiative, when The Demon comes into play, you will either need to pay 8 endurance or immediately lose all your resources. If you don't pay the 8, then you will have no resources (well, probably have 1) to recruit anything.

Oh, that's right. I forgot about the Demon. I thought he was combat only. But this should help clear up other effects.

Thanks

lol noob