If a defending unit kills the attacker with a combat ability before the Combat Damage Step, does the defending unit heal all its marked damage during the Resolution Step?

Question

Accepted Answer

Ruling: Yes, the defending unit heals all marked damage. When the attacker is killed before the Combat Damage Step, the combat still completes and proceeds to the Resolution Step where all units heal.

Sequence:
- Attacker is killed by Hidden Blade combat ability
- Combat Damage Step is skipped (no units remain on both sides)
- Resolution Step still occurs
- All marked damage is cleared from remaining units

Nuances:
- The Resolution Step occurs even when the Combat Damage Step does not happen