When a defender uses surprise defense (e.g., Ride the Wind) to move to a battlefield and the showdown results in a draw, does the defender score the battlefield?

Ruling: Yes, the defender scores the battlefield after a draw. When a draw occurs, the attacking units are recalled to base, but the defending player remains in control of the battlefield and conquers it.

Sequence:

• Attacker moves to battlefield
• Defender uses surprise defense to move their unit to the same battlefield
• Showdown occurs with defender as defending player
• If the result is a draw, attacking units are recalled
• Defender remains at the battlefield and gains control, scoring a point

Nuances:

• The rule for recalling attacking units on a tie does not specify the defender having to be in control beforehand, so the defender remains after the draw
• This interaction works with cards that enable surprise defense, such as Ride the Wind or Leona's signature spell Zenith Blade