Can you play Deathgrip then save the unit with Tactical Retreat?
Yes, you can play Deathgrip and save the targeted unit with Tactical Retreat.
Why this works:
- Playing the Spells: You play Deathgrip (choosing a friendly unit to kill and another to receive the Might bonus) and place it on the chain. You then play Tactical Retreat in response, targeting the unit you chose for Deathgrip.
- Resolution (LIFO): The chain resolves in Last-In, First-Out order.
- Tactical Retreat resolves first, creating a replacement effect for your targeted unit: "The next time it would die this turn, heal it, exhaust it, and recall it instead."
- Deathgrip then resolves. It attempts to kill your chosen unit. The replacement effect from Tactical Retreat intercedes: instead of dying and being sent to the trash, the unit is healed, exhausted, and recalled to your base.
Critical Result:
According to RiftJudge FAQ #8668, because the unit was not actually killed (the death was replaced by a recall), the condition "If you do" for Deathgrip is not satisfied. Consequently, you do not give the Might bonus to the other friendly unit. However, you still draw 1 card, as that part of the spell is not contingent on the kill.