If a unit is moved to a battlefield during a showdown (after attacker/defender triggers have already occurred), does this trigger attack/defend trigger abilities again?

Ruling: When a unit is moved to a battlefield during an ongoing showdown, it does not start a new showdown. Triggers that happen as a result of a NEW unit being declared attacker or defender can happen late, but triggers that require the unit itself to become an attacker/defender again (when it's already in that state) do not trigger again.

Sequence:

  • Unit is moved to battlefield during ongoing showdown
  • The moved unit gains attacker/defender designation
  • Abilities that trigger when seeing a NEW unit become an attacker/defender will trigger (like Ahri Legend ability)
  • Abilities on the moved unit itself that trigger when IT becomes an attacker/defender will trigger (like yellow Leona's attack trigger)
  • Abilities that require a unit to become a defender again when it's already defending do NOT trigger again (like Ahri, Inquisitive's champion passive)

Nuances:

  • Ahri Legend ability triggers on the newly moved attacker because it sees a new unit becoming an attacker
  • Ahri, Inquisitive's champion passive does not trigger again because Ahri is already defending and doesn't become a defender again
  • A unit gains the attacker/defender designation in cleanup after being present at a battlefield, and abilities trigger the first time it gains that designation each combat