What happens if I Wages of Pain a unit with Assault 2?

When you use Wages of Pain on a unit with Assault 2, the outcome depends on whether that unit is currently an attacker in combat.

1. If the unit is NOT an attacker

If the unit is not currently an attacker (e.g., it is sitting on the battlefield outside of combat, or it is a defender), the Assault 2 ability is inactive.

• Result: The unit simply takes 3 damage. It does not receive the +2 Might bonus from Assault.

2. If the unit IS an attacker

If the unit is currently an attacker in combat, it has the Assault 2 keyword active, granting it +2 Might.

• Result: The unit takes 3 damage. Because Wages of Pain deals damage and does not reduce Might, the unit's Might remains unchanged (it still has its base Might + 2). Whether the unit is killed depends on whether the 3 damage (plus any damage already marked on it) equals or exceeds its current total Might.

Important Rules Context

• Assault is a Passive Ability: According to Rule 807.1.c, Assault is functionally short for "While I am an attacker, I have +X [M]." It is not a triggered ability; it is a continuous effect that is either "on" or "off" based on the unit's status as an attacker.
• Damage vs. Might: As clarified in RiftJudge FAQ #9118, Wages of Pain deals damage; it does not reduce a unit's Might. A unit is killed if it has non-zero damage marked on it equal to or exceeding its current Might (Rule 142.2.a).
• Gold Token: Regardless of whether the unit survives or is killed, you will still create the Gold gear token. As noted in RiftJudge FAQ #9344, the instruction to create the token does not reference the target and will execute even if the target becomes illegal or is killed by a reaction.

This is my interpretation based on the rules for Assault and Damage. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction.