Defend

Declaration Trigger

Defend may be declared in either of the following ways:

• during the unit's normal activation
• when the unit is targeted by an attack before that attack reaches Target Lock, Critical Damage, damage rolls, or damage application

Resolution Timing

• If declared during activation, the Defend effect becomes active immediately when resolved and remains active until the first applicable attack against the unit is fully resolved, or until the end of that unit's activation if no such attack occurs.
• If declared when the unit is targeted by an attack, Defend is an explicit timing exception and the Defend effect resolves before that triggering attack reaches Target Lock, Critical Damage, damage rolls, or damage application.
• If declared against a triggering attack, the Defend effect applies only to that triggering attack.

Targeting

Defend applies only to the declaring unit.

Resolution

When Defend resolves:

1. The unit gains +1 Resolve while the Defend effect is active.
2. If the unit is in Cover and does not move, it also gains bonus Resolve equal to its Cover bonus while the Defend effect is active.
3. While the Defend effect is active, any Critical Damage that would be applied to the unit is resolved as normal damage instead.
4. The Defend effect ends immediately after the first applicable attack against the unit is fully resolved, or at the end of the unit's activation if no such attack occurs.

Restrictions Applied

After Defend resolves, apply:

• the Defend restriction

The Defend restriction lasts until the end of the turn under the normal restriction rules. It prevents another Defend command, but does not keep the Defend effect active.

Cannot Be Declared If

Defend cannot be declared if:

• the unit already has the Defend restriction
• the unit is otherwise ineligible to perform Defend

Notes

• The Defend effect modifies damage resolution but does not redefine the damage engine.
• The Defend effect converts Critical Damage into normal damage rather than preventing the attack entirely.
• The Defend effect must resolve before the triggering attack's damage steps in order to affect that attack.