When in combat showdown, if a unit with deathknell is killed, does the deathknell trigger and resolve before healing or after?

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FAQ #10547·May 21, 2026·Asked before Vendetta
Answer

In a combat showdown, Deathknell abilities resolve after the units are healed.

According to the official combat sequence (Rules 461.1, FAQ #9514, and FAQ #10157), the process is as follows:

  1. Combat Damage Step: Combat damage is dealt to units ().
  2. Triggering Deathknell: Units with lethal damage trigger their Deathknell abilities. These triggers are added to the chain as Pending Items (, ).
  3. Killing Units: Units with lethal damage are moved to the trash ().
  4. Healing: All surviving units on the battlefield are healed ().
  5. Resolution: The game returns to the FEPR (Finalize, Execute, Pass, Resolve) process, and the Deathknell triggers that were added to the chain in Step 2 now resolve ().

Key Implications

  • Healing First: Because healing occurs in Step 4, any non-lethal damage on surviving units is cleared before your Deathknell effects resolve. You cannot use Deathknell effects to "finish off" enemy units that survived combat damage.
  • No "Saving": Because units with lethal damage are moved to the trash in Step 3, Deathknell effects cannot be used to "save" a unit that took lethal combat damage.

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