Does a unit equipped with Zhonya's Hourglass still deal its combat damage before being recalled to base when it dies?

Ruling: Yes, a unit with Zhonya's Hourglass deals its combat damage before being recalled to base when it dies in combat.

Sequence:

  • Combat damage is assigned to units on both sides simultaneously
  • Damage is dealt to all units at the same time
  • Units with lethal damage are then killed
  • Zhonya's Hourglass triggers when the unit is killed, recalling it to base

Nuances:

  • If the unit dies through other means before reaching the combat damage step, it will be recalled by Zhonya's and won't contribute damage to combat
  • Zhonya's does not target; it applies automatically to the first unit killed, with player choice if multiple units die simultaneously