If my opponent plays Elder Dragon and targets my unit on the bf with its effect but I flash my unit back to base, does my unit still die?
Your unit will live.
According to RiftJudge FAQ #9919 and the Rules FAQ Clarification (2026-04-29), Elder Dragon's "When you play me" ability has specific targeting restrictions based on location. It targets "up to one enemy unit at [a specific location]."
The Sequence of Events:
- Playing the Ability: When your opponent plays Elder Dragon, its "When you play me" ability is placed on the chain. Your opponent must lock in targets at specific locations (e.g., "the unit at Battlefield 1").
- Reacting: You play Flash in response. Because Flash is a [REACTION], it is added to the chain on top of Elder Dragon's ability.
- Resolution Order: The chain resolves in Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) order. Flash resolves first, moving your unit to your base.
- Check on Resolution: When Elder Dragon's ability attempts to resolve, it checks the location of its target. Because your unit moved to your base, it no longer fulfills the targeting restriction of the ability (which required the unit to be at the battlefield).
- Result: Your unit is no longer a valid target for that specific location-based instruction and is unaffected by the damage.
As stated in the official clarification: "If you play Flash in reaction to the play effect of Elder Dragon, any units that are moved to a location other than the one where they were targeted will no longer fulfill the targeting restriction of the Elder Dragon play effect and will be unaffected by the ability as it resolves."
Note: This ruling is based on the mechanics of location-based targeting as clarified in the Riftbound rules updates.