Can Teemo, Swift Scout be played from hidden after damage is assigned and the battlefield is lost under the new control rules?

verified
FAQ #1135·asked by 126106072539856897·December 31, 2025·Rules v1.4·Asked before Vendetta
Answer

Ruling: No, you cannot play Teemo from hidden after losing the battlefield in combat. You need priority to play a hidden card, and once past the damage dealing step, there is no window to gain priority before the hidden card is trashed due to losing control of the battlefield.

Nuances:

  • If a killed unit has a Deathknell effect that triggers after combat cleanup, there is debate about whether this creates a window to play the hidden card before it's trashed
  • Rules As Written (RAW): Deathknell would trigger after special cleanup but before contested status is cleared, potentially allowing the hidden card to be played, though what happens after is unclear
  • Rules As Intended (RAI): Hidden cards would be trashed before any triggers can enter the chain, so you would always lose the hidden card upon losing combat
  • A Chinese referee FAQ clarified that control doesn't change until after all cleanups are complete, but whether chains can finalize before control changes is not clarified
  • This represents a current gap in the rules; players should ask their head judge how they would rule it

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