Chains of Mephistopheles and Memory Jar

[Robert the Swordsman]

I'm pretty positive that I know the answer to this, though I'm unsure of any errata has been placed on the Chains regarding the matter.

If a Chains is in play and an opponent casts Memory Jar during a main phase and activates it, each player would set aside their hands and mill the next seven cards of their library, correct?

Alright, let me know.

Thank you.

[Limbo]

Chains of Mephistopholes

As you can see, there is a distinction between during your draw step, or outside you drawstep. Indeed, if you activate the jar outside the draw step, both mill 7. If activated during the draw step, multiple things can happen.

First we look at the active players choices:
If the active player has already drawn a card (as he is entitled to), he mills 7, because he has already drawn a card, and because of the "setting aside" no cards to discard.

If he hasn't drawn a card yet, then he draws the first card, and after that starts the discard a card, draw a card process (remember his regular draw is affected as well in this scenario).

The opponent will do the same (draw a card first, the go into the draw / dicard loop), after the active player (because of the APNAP rule).

Remember that in the case of memory jar there is no opening for either player to cast a disenchant or something on the chains during the resolution of the memory jar.

Hope this answer clears things up instead of making it more confusing

[Jebus]

Just a note, there is no way to Activate Jar in the Draw step before the active player draws for the turn.  This action occurs as soon as the Draw step begins and does not use the stack.

Otherwise, everything above should be correct.

[Robert the Swordsman]

Alright, just for clarification...

...if active player kicks off the Jar during their first main phase with Chains in play, they would mill seven and their opponent would get to keep a single card after doing the draw-discard thing several times, correct?

I'm basing that on the fact that the opponent most likely wouldn't have drawn a card on the Jar players turn yet.

[DEA]

no
chains applies to every single draw outside of the first one during the draw phase
it's not the first card drawn in each turn
so everyone ends up with no cards in hand and milling 7

[Robert the Swordsman]

Right, good call, I forgot that the card specifically states "draw phase" on it. My apologies.

Alright, thanks to everyone who helped.

[Tristal]

Draw step.

Draw step draw step draw step draw step draw step.  Say it out loud five times.  It's a step, not a phase.  Welcome to 6th edition, everyone.

While it rarely makes any practical difference in this step, it's important to know that it's in the Beginning Phase, and specifically that the Upkeep step is a step and not a phase, so you won't mana burn in it.