Can you please help explain non-lethal damage? I'll give you the example of Imperial Decree, Bellows Breath on a Stalwart Poro who has a GA on it.

To understand how non-lethal damage interacts with effects like Imperial Decree, it is important to distinguish between damage (a marked value) and lethal damage (damage equal to or exceeding a unit's Might).

In your example, Imperial Decree creates a triggered ability that says: "When any unit takes damage this turn, kill it." This trigger fires regardless of whether the damage dealt is "lethal" (enough to kill the unit via normal combat rules) or "non-lethal" (1 damage to a 2-Might unit).

Here is the step-by-step breakdown of the interaction between Bellows Breath, Imperial Decree, and Zhonya's Hourglass (GA) on a Stalwart Poro:

The Sequence

1. Setup: You have Imperial Decree active. You target the Stalwart Poro (2 Might) with Bellows Breath.
2. Damage: Bellows Breath resolves, dealing 1 damage to the Poro.
3. Trigger: Because the Poro took damage, Imperial Decree triggers. This "Kill" instruction is placed on the chain.
4. Reaction: The opponent flips their hidden Zhonya's Hourglass face-up to react to the "Kill" trigger.
5. Resolution (LIFO):
   • Zhonya's Hourglass resolves first. It is a replacement effect (Rule 369.1). It replaces the "Kill" instruction: instead of the Poro dying, the Zhonya's Hourglass is destroyed, the Poro is healed, exhausted, and recalled to the base.
   • The Poro survives because the "Kill" was replaced.

Key Takeaways

• Non-Lethal Damage is still Damage: Even though 1 damage is not "lethal" to a 2-Might Stalwart Poro, it is still an instance of the unit "taking damage." This satisfies the condition for Imperial Decree to trigger.
• Kill vs. Lethal Damage: Imperial Decree does not care about the unit's Might or whether the damage is lethal. It simply issues a "Kill" instruction whenever damage is taken.
• Replacement Effects: Zhonya's Hourglass works because it intercepts the "Kill" instruction before it happens. It doesn't matter if the kill was caused by 1 damage or 100 damage; the replacement effect functions the same way.

Summary: In your example, the Poro takes 1 damage (non-lethal), which triggers Imperial Decree. The Zhonya's Hourglass then successfully saves the Poro by replacing the "Kill" instruction with its own effect.

This is my interpretation based on the provided rules and mechanics. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction, but it follows the established rules for damage, triggers, and replacement effects.