"Next End of Turn" vs. "End of Turn": How Many Times Does It Try to Delete?
With "next," once only; without it, every single time
Compare "delete it at the end of your opponent's NEXT turn" (BT16-089 Arukenimon & Mummymon, EX3-069 Trial of the Four Great Dragons) with "at the end of the turn, delete it" (BT23-017 Betamon's inherited effect, EX11-022 Karakurumon). One word flips the behavior completely. Sorted out via Comprehensive Rules 18-1 (pending processing).
The one word that decides everything: "next"
Deletion riders on played Digimon come in two patterns:
- Pattern A: "delete that Digimon at the end of your opponent's **next** turn" (BT16-089 / EX3-069)
- Pattern B: "at the end of your opponent's turn, delete that Digimon" / "at the end of the turn, delete the Digimon played by this effect" (BT23-017 / EX11-022)
A is one-shot; B fires every time the condition is met. Nearly identical sentences — opposite behavior — all hanging on "next."
- Pattern A: "delete that Digimon at the end of your opponent's **next** turn" (BT16-089 / EX3-069)
- Pattern B: "at the end of your opponent's turn, delete that Digimon" / "at the end of the turn, delete the Digimon played by this effect" (BT23-017 / EX11-022)
A is one-shot; B fires every time the condition is met. Nearly identical sentences — opposite behavior — all hanging on "next."
Pattern A: "next end of turn" = deletes once (BT16-089 Q5534, EX3-069 Q5722)
Digimon played by BT16-089 Arukenimon & Mummymon's [On Deletion] effect carry "delete that Digimon at the end of your opponent's next turn."
- The deletion process occurs only at the FIRST "end of opponent's turn"
- If the Digimon dodges deletion then (via some other effect), later ends of turn do NOT try to delete it again (Q5534, Q5722)
- Basis: 18-1-1 pending processing — "next" pins the processing to that one timing
Digimon played by EX3-069 Trial of the Four Great Dragons' <Delay> behave the same. Note: its "can't digivolve into Lv.7" restriction is separate and DOES persist even after surviving that first end of turn (Q5722).
- The deletion process occurs only at the FIRST "end of opponent's turn"
- If the Digimon dodges deletion then (via some other effect), later ends of turn do NOT try to delete it again (Q5534, Q5722)
- Basis: 18-1-1 pending processing — "next" pins the processing to that one timing
Digimon played by EX3-069 Trial of the Four Great Dragons' <Delay> behave the same. Note: its "can't digivolve into Lv.7" restriction is separate and DOES persist even after surviving that first end of turn (Q5722).
Pattern B: "end of turn" = deletes every time (BT23-017 Q5561, EX11-022 Q5809)
Digimon played via BT23-017 Betamon's inherited effect or EX11-022 Karakurumon's [On Play] [When Digivolving] effect carry "at the end of the turn, delete it" — no "next."
- The deletion process occurs at EVERY end of turn
- Survive one (via some other effect) and the next end of turn tries again (Q5561, Q5809)
- For BT23-017, the accompanying "can't digivolve" restriction also never lets go (Q5561)
- Basis: 18-1-1 pending processing — without a "next"-style limiter, it re-arms every time the condition is met
- The deletion process occurs at EVERY end of turn
- Survive one (via some other effect) and the next end of turn tries again (Q5561, Q5809)
- For BT23-017, the accompanying "can't digivolve" restriction also never lets go (Q5561)
- Basis: 18-1-1 pending processing — without a "next"-style limiter, it re-arms every time the condition is met
What "pending processing" is (18-1-1)
Comprehensive Rules 18-1-1:
"'Pending processing' refers to processing that is pending due to a rule or effect. Pending processing is processed the same way as a triggered effect at the timing determined by the rule or effect."
The official example: "[When Attacking] Gain 3 memory. At the end of the turn, lose 3 memory" — the memory loss is pending processing handled like a trigger at end of turn.
The A/B difference reduces to: how many timings does the pending processing bind to — one, or every one?
"'Pending processing' refers to processing that is pending due to a rule or effect. Pending processing is processed the same way as a triggered effect at the timing determined by the rule or effect."
The official example: "[When Attacking] Gain 3 memory. At the end of the turn, lose 3 memory" — the memory loss is pending processing handled like a trigger at end of turn.
The A/B difference reduces to: how many timings does the pending processing bind to — one, or every one?
Reading it at the table
Whenever you see "...at the end of the turn, delete...", check for a limiter like **"next"** in front.
- With "next" → one-shot. Survive it once and you're safe forever
- Without → the deletion keeps coming back every end of turn
If your plan is to keep an effect-played Digimon on the board long-term, either pick cards without the recurring rider, or budget a survival tool for every single turn.
- With "next" → one-shot. Survive it once and you're safe forever
- Without → the deletion keeps coming back every end of turn
If your plan is to keep an effect-played Digimon on the board long-term, either pick cards without the recurring rider, or budget a survival tool for every single turn.
Relevant Comprehensive Rules sections
- 18-1-1 (definition of pending processing)
- 15-16-12-1 ([End of Your Turn] effects)
- 15-16-12-2 ([End of Opponent's Turn] effects)
- 15-16-12 ([End of Turn] effects)
- 15-16-12-1 ([End of Your Turn] effects)
- 15-16-12-2 ([End of Opponent's Turn] effects)
- 15-16-12 ([End of Turn] effects)
Key point One word — "next" — flips it from one-shot to every-turn. BT16-089 / EX3-069 delete once; BT23-017 / EX11-022 keep trying forever. Read the rider before you build around the body.