If a defending unit survives a spell and the attacking unit is removed (via Gust) before dealing damage, does the defending unit still heal during combat resolution?

Ruling: Yes, the defending unit will heal during the Resolution step of combat. Combat is initiated when an opponent moves into your battlefield, and healing occurs in the Resolution step regardless of whether damage was dealt.

Sequence:

• Showdown step occurs
• Damage step occurs
• Resolution step occurs (unit heals)

Nuances:

• Combat has three steps: Showdown, Damage, and Resolution
• Combat is initiated when a unit moves into the battlefield, not just when damage is dealt
• Healing happens in the Resolution step even if no damage was dealt in the Damage step