What does taking damage for a unit in Riftbound mean?

In Riftbound, "taking damage" refers to the process of marking a specific value of damage on a unit. Based on the official rules and FAQs, here is the breakdown of what this means:

1. Damage vs. Might

It is important to distinguish between damage and a unit's Might:

• Might represents both a unit's attack power and its maximum damage capacity. Dealing damage does not reduce a unit's Might.
• A damaged unit is defined as any unit that has damage counters currently marked on it (Rule 142). Even if a unit has been buffed to have higher Might, it is still considered "damaged" if it has any damage counters on it.

2. The Mechanics of Taking Damage

• Marking Damage: When a spell, ability, or combat action deals damage, that amount is marked on the unit (Rule 417.1.b).
• Tracking: Damage is tracked per-unit using tokens, dice, or other markers. It is not a "game object" itself, but rather a value assigned to the unit (Rule 142).
• Lethal Damage: Damage tracks how close a unit is to being killed. If a unit has non-zero damage marked on it that is equal to or greater than its Might, the unit is considered to have "lethal damage" and will be killed during the cleanup step (Rule 143.2.a; Rule 323.5.3b).

3. When is Damage Healed?

Damage is not permanent. All damage marked on units is cleared (healed) at two specific times:

• At the end of each round (end of combat).
• At the end of each player's turn (Rule 143.3.b).

Key Nuance: Combat Damage

During the Combat Damage Step, players do not "deal" damage immediately. Instead, they first assign damage to enemy units. Damage is only actually "dealt" (marked on the units) once all assignments are complete and both players have finished assigning their units' total Might.

Source: Core Rules 142, 143, 417, 460; RiftJudge FAQ #2642.