Can Volibear's 'split 5 damage' when attacking ability target a unit that Tideturner swaps in when revealed from hidden, before showdown?

Ruling: No, you cannot target the new unit that Tideturner swaps in. Targets for Volibear's attacking ability are chosen when the ability is finalized to the chain, and targets cannot be changed once finalized in Riftbound.

Sequence:

  • Volibear's attacking ability goes on the chain
  • Targets are chosen when the ability is finalized to the chain
  • Tideturner reveals and swaps units
  • The original targets are now invalid and the ability resolves to nothing

Nuances:

  • When splitting damage, you choose the targets when finalizing to the chain, but you assign how much damage each target receives later when the ability resolves (minimum 1 damage per target)
  • You must choose valid targets up to the amount of damage available (up to 5 units for 5 damage)