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Can I Tactical Retreat my temporary unit at beginning of turn to prevent it from dying?
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FAQ #10278·May 12, 2026·Asked before Vendetta
Answer
Yes, you can use Tactical Retreat on your unit with the Temporary keyword to save it.
Why this works:
- The Trigger: The Temporary keyword triggers at the start of your Beginning Phase ("At the start of this permanent's controller's Beginning Phase... kill this"). This trigger is placed on the chain.
- Reacting: Because this is a triggered ability on the chain, you have priority to play [Reaction] spells in response to it. You can cast Tactical Retreat and target the unit that is about to be killed by its Temporary effect.
- Resolution (LIFO): Your Tactical Retreat resolves first, creating a replacement effect for that unit: "The next time it would die this turn, heal it, exhaust it, and recall it instead."
- Replacement: When the original Temporary death trigger then resolves, it attempts to kill your unit. The Tactical Retreat replacement effect intercedes: instead of the unit dying and going to the trash, it is healed, exhausted, and recalled to your base.
Note: This interpretation is based on the interaction between triggered abilities and replacement effects as defined in the Core Rules. While no official FAQ exists for this exact card-keyword interaction, it follows the established rules for using Tactical Retreat to save units from death effects (as seen in RiftJudge FAQ #10096 and #9425).
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