In an uncontested showdown (when a player moves to an unoccupied battlefield), is the team that moved there still considered an attacker?

verified
FAQ #7651·asked by 122217217499594752·January 4, 2026·Rules v1.4·Asked before Vendetta
Answer

Ruling: No, there is no attacker or defender in an uncontested showdown. The attacker and defender designations only exist during combat.

Nuances:

  • When a player moves to an unoccupied battlefield, this triggers what is called an "Open Showdown" rather than an uncontested showdown, since all showdowns require Contested status to start
  • Even without attacker/defender designations, all players still get an opportunity to play actions and reactions during the showdown
  • Players alternate playing actions/reactions when they have focus, with both players needing to pass before resolving each item on the chain

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