Last Updated: 2026-07-16

465.2. 1. When the Showdown closes, Attackers and Defenders resolve Combat Damage at the Battlefield that was attacked, using their current Might.

465.2.a. Sum the Might of all Attacking Units.
465.2.b. Sum the Might of all Defending Units.
465.2.c. Starting with the Attacker, each player assigns an amount of damage equal to their summed Might among the other's Units.
465.2.c.1. Assigning Damage is not Dealing Damage.
465.2.c.2. Abilities or effects may influence the order in which damage is assigned. Reminder: Lethal Damage is non-zero damage equaling or exceeding the Might of a Unit.
465.2.c.3. Units must have lethal damage assigned to them in full before damage is assigned to a different Unit. Example: If a player has 5 damage to distribute among four 3 Might units, they may not choose to assign 2 damage to one of the units and 1 damage to each of the remaining 3. They must assign at least 3 damage to one, and the remaining 2 to another.
465.2.c.4. Units cannot have more damage assigned to them than the minimum required to constitute lethal damage unless no further units remain to have damage assigned to them. Example: If a player has 5 damage to distribute among four 3 Might units and those units each have 1 damage already marked on them, that player may not assign more than 2 damage to any of those units.
465.2.c.5. When assigning damage in this way, replacement effects that would apply to the resulting damage are considered to apply to the assignment instead. Example: A unit with 2 [M] is being assigned damage in the combat damage step. The unit has "prevent the first 3 damage I would take each combat." The unit would need to be assigned 5 damage in order to have lethal damage assigned to it. Example: The attacking player is assigning their 3 [M] worth of damage to two defending units with 2 [M] each. One of the units has a delayed replacement effect applied to it that reads "Double all damage that would be dealt to it this turn." The attacking player assigns two damage to the other defending unit, then when assigning damage to the unit with the delayed replacement effect they assign 2 damage to it; 1 damage that doubles to 2 damage as it is assigned to the unit. When that damage is dealt, it doesn't get doubled again--the doubling is considered to have already happened during damage assignment. Example: The attacking player is assigning their 3 [M] worth of damage to a 2 [M] unit. That unit has a prevent value of two being applied to it, as well as the effect of Lotus Trap, doubling the damage dealt to them. Both of these replacement effects apply to the assignment of damage, in the order of the controller of the 2 [M] unit's choice. If they choose to order the replacement effects so that the prevent value is applied first, the unit will prevent 2 of the assigned damage, then the last 1 point of damage will be doubled to 2. The unit will have 4 damage assigned to it. When damage is dealt, the unit will take 2 damage. If they choose the other order, the unit will have 6 damage assigned to it, 2 of which will be prevented. When damage is dealt, the unit will take 4 damage.
465.2.c.6. A player must obey all requirements and restrictions on damage assignment if able. Example: A player is assigning damage to the following units: a unit with Tank ("I must be assigned combat damage first."); a unit with Backline ("I must be assigned combat damage last."); and another unit without any abilities. That player must assign combat damage first to the unit with Tank, then to the unit with no abilities, then to the unit with Backline.
465.2.c.7. If multiple Units have abilities or effects that require a player to assign them damage with the same priority, that player may assign damage to those units in any order. Example: A player is assigning damage to the following units: two units with Tank ("I must be assigned combat damage first.") and one unit with no abilities. That player chooses one of the units with Tank and assigns combat damage to it. Then they must assign any remaining damage first to the other unit with Tank, then to the unit with no abilities.
465.2.c.8. If a Unit has one or more Abilities or effects applying to it that demand it be assigned damage in a specific way that is exclusionary, then the assigning player chooses only one of those abilities to apply when assigning damage. Example: Caitlyn, Patrolling with the Backline ability ("I must be assigned combat damage last.") has been given the Tank ability ("I must be assigned combat damage first."). A player is assigning damage to this Caitlyn with Tank and two units with no abilities. That player can't fulfill both of Caitlyn's damage requirements, so they may choose to assign damage to Caitlyn first, fulfilling the Tank requirement, or last, fulfilling the Backline requirement. They can't choose to apply damage to Caitlyn in between the other two units, because that wouldn't fulfill either requirement.
465.2.c.9. If there is more than one unit in which this situation applies to, each unit is dealt with individually. The assigning player chooses which ability or effect applies, and then resolves the assignment. If this creates a situation where now more than one unit must be assigned with the same priority, those units may be assigned damage in any order as normal within that priority. Example: Two copies of Caitlyn, Patrolling with the Backline ability ("I must be assigned combat damage last.") have been given the Tank ability ("I must be assigned combat damage first."). A player assigning damage to these two Caitlyns and one unit with no abilities could choose to fulfill both Caitlyns' Tank requirements by assigning them both damage before the other unit.
465.2.c.10. If a unit cannot be dealt damage, then no amount of damage can be considered lethal. Such a unit is exempt from any considerations of mandatory assignment. Example: Kayn, Unleashed says "If I have moved twice this turn, I don't take damage." While Kayn can't take damage, it is ignored for the purposes of assigning lethal damage in combat. Example: Counter Strike says "Choose a unit. The next time that unit would be dealt damage this turn, prevent it." The unit in question has a replacement effect applied to it, but it still can be dealt damage. Thus, it is not exempt from considerations of mandatory assignment.
465.2.d. Deal Damage to each unit equal to the amount assigned to it.