When Kog'Maw dies in combat, does the unit heal before the Deathknell trigger?

verified
FAQ #8813·April 9, 2026·Rules v1.4·Asked before Vendetta
Answer

Yes, units heal from combat damage before Kog'Maw's Deathknell trigger resolves.

According to the official rulings for Kog'Maw:

  1. Combat Damage is dealt: Units take damage based on Might.
  2. Special Cleanup: Units that have lethal damage (including Kog'Maw) are identified. Kog'Maw's Deathknell trigger is added to the chain as a pending item.
  3. Healing: All units heal from combat damage during this cleanup step.
  4. Resolution: After healing is complete, players have an opportunity to react to the Deathknell trigger on the chain. Once the chain resolves, Kog'Maw's Deathknell deals 4 damage to all units at that battlefield.

Because the healing occurs before the Deathknell damage resolves, Kog'Maw cannot kill a unit with 5 Might using only the 1 damage he dealt in combat plus his 4 Deathknell damage; the unit will have healed the combat damage before the Deathknell damage is applied.

Reference: FAQ entries regarding Kog'Maw's Deathknell interaction with combat cleanup and healing.

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