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So, the difference between "At the beginning of your end step" and "At the beginning of each end step" is pretty obvious, but what is the meaning of "At the beginning of the end step" and how does it compare to other two?

All three wordings are present on cards and seem to be used on new cards, here are examples from recent standard sets:

Thassa, Deep-Dwelling: "At the beginning of your end step"

Underworld Breach: "At the beginning of the end step"

Resplendent Angel: "At the beginning of each end step"

3 Answers 3

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"At the beginning of the end step" refers to any player's end step.

That wording is equivalent to "At the beginning of each end step", but it is used for abilities that are expected to trigger only once, often because the ability instructs you to sacrifice the permanent it is on.

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  • If you used a Sundial of the Infinite to skip the end step, would it be sacrificed at the next one?
    – JonTheMon
    Feb 4, 2020 at 17:21
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    @JonTheMon You would, but that's an unusual case the card isn't written for. "At the beginning of each end step, sacrifice this card" would read strangely, so they say "the end step" instead even though it's functionally equivalent. It's the same reason they use "when" sometimes and "whenever" other times; the former for triggers that are expected to only happen once, the second triggers that are expected to happen multiple times, but still functionally identical the same way.
    – doppelgreener
    Feb 4, 2020 at 17:29
  • But is "at the beginning of the end step" not marking the current turns end step? Shouldn't it be written "at the beginning of the next end step" if it refers to any next beginning end step?
    – Eggi
    Feb 6, 2020 at 10:20
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    The wording "the next end step" makes sense in a delayed triggered ability, where there is one "next" end step relative to whenever the trigger is created. But on a permanent, every end step is going the be the "next" end step, as long as the permanent exists, and during the end step, it's not the "next" end step anymore, it's the current end step.
    – murgatroid99 ♦
    Feb 6, 2020 at 16:19
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The wording seems to change based on the intent/frequency of the event (end step).

Thassa (“your end step”): Repeating, during your turn only

Breach (“the end step”): Single time, this turn (technically it behaves the same as "each end step")

Angel (“each end step”): Repeating, every turn (including opponents)

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"At the beginning of the end step" as opposed to "At the beginning of your end step" is different in one major scenario. Consider: If you were to play Underworld Breach on your opponent's turn (as through Vedalken Orrery or similar means), than it would still be sacrificed at the beginning of their end step, whereas if it was worded using your instead of the than you would keep it until the end of your turn.

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