The resolution step

After combat damage is dealt, combat proceeds to its Resolution Step.¹Rule 465.3. 2. Skip the FEPR process and cancel any outstanding tasks. Proceed to the Resolution Step. Open in the rules browser This is where the units with lethal damage go, where the combat is won or lost, and where control of the battlefield is finally allowed to change.

The Combat Cleanup

The Resolution Step invokes a Combat Special Cleanup²Rule 466.1.a. Invoke a Combat Special Cleanup. Open in the rules browser: a cleanup with extra steps, inserted and defined by the combat rules that invoke it.³Rule 324.1. When a Special Cleanup is invoked, the unique steps added will be inserted and defined by the sub-section that invokes it.Example: When a Combat Cleanup is invoked, the Combat section defines what steps are added to the Cleanup. See rule 466. The Resolution Step for more information.Example: When an End of Turn Cleanup is invoked, the End of Turn Phase subsection defines what steps are added to the Cleanup. See rule 317. The Ending Phase for more information. Open in the rules browser Three of its steps matter here, and they run in the order of their labels.

• 3b. Every unit with lethal damage marked on it is killed and placed in its owner's trash.⁴Rule 323.5. 3b. All Units that have LethalDamage marked on themare killed and placed in their owners' Trash. See rule 142.4. For more information on lethal damage. Open in the rules browser
• 3c. The Combat Cleanup inserts a step that heals all units.⁵Rule 466.1.a.1. Insert “3c. Heal all Units.” Open in the rules browser To heal is to clear damage from a unit⁶Rule 418.1. Damage being cleared from Units is Healing. Open in the rules browser, and a Combat Cleanup is one of the two times damage is healed⁷Rule 143.3.b.2. During a Combat Cleanup. See rule 466.1. for more information about Combat Cleanups. Open in the rules browser. The end of each turn, from Track 1, is the other.⁸Rule 143.3.b.1. At the end of each player's turn. See rule 317.2. Ending Phase for more information. Open in the rules browser
• 3d. It inserts a second step that recalls the attackers still at the battlefield, if defenders are still there too.⁹Rule 466.1.a.2. Insert “3d. Recall Attackers present at the Battlefield if Defenders are still present.” See rule 454. Recalls for more information. Open in the rules browser A Recall relocates a permanent to its base without it being a Move¹⁰Rule 455. A Recall is when a Permanent is relocated from anywhere to its Base without it being a Move. Open in the rules browser, so effects that restrict or block movement cannot prevent it.¹¹Rule 456.3. A Recall cannot be prevented by actions and Game Effects that restrict or block Movement. Open in the rules browser

The order is the point. Killing comes before healing, so a heal never saves a unit that already had lethal damage; it clears damage only from the units that survived. And an attacking unit that survives is not killed for failing to clear the defenders. If defenders are still there, it goes back to its base.

Result and control

Next comes the combat result. A player has won the combat if they were the Attacker or the Defender and are the only player with units remaining at the battlefield.¹²Rule 466.3.a. A Player has won a combat if they received either the attacker or defender designation and are the only Player that has units remaining at this battlefield during this step. Open in the rules browser A player has lost if they were the Attacker or the Defender and are the only player with no units remaining there.¹³Rule 466.3.b. A Player has lost a combat if they received either the attacker or defender designation and are the only Player that does not have any units remaining at this battlefield during this step. Open in the rules browser There is No Result if units were recalled in step 3d of the Combat Cleanup, if both players have units there, or if neither player does.¹⁴Rule 466.3.d. There is “No Result” if units were recalled during step 3d of the Combat Cleanup, if both Players have units present during this task, or if neither player has units present during this task. Open in the rules browser

Then control. If no showdown or combat is staged at the battlefield, the player with units remaining there establishes control, if they did not already control it.¹⁵Rule 466.5. 1. If no Showdown or Combat is staged at this location, the player with Units remaining here Establishes Control if they didn’t already control this Battlefield. Open in the rules browser If no player has units remaining there, the battlefield becomes Uncontrolled.¹⁶Rule 466.5.b. If there are no Units remaining here controlled by any player, the Battlefield becomes Uncontrolled. Open in the rules browser Establishing control is a Conquer¹⁷Rule 466.5.d. Establishing Control results in a Conquer if that player has not yet scored this Battlefield this turn. See rule 188. Control for more information on Control. See rule 469.1. for more information on Conquering. Open in the rules browser if that player has not yet scored this battlefield this turn, and a player may score each battlefield only once per turn, from either method.¹⁸Rule 470. A player may only Score, from either method, once per Battlefield per turn. Open in the rules browser

Two things follow that are worth saying plainly. A Defender who already controlled the battlefield and keeps it establishes nothing, so there is no Conquer for them. And when both sides are wiped out, the old controller does not keep the battlefield. Nobody does.

Finally, combat ends: the Attacker and Defender designations are removed from all units and players¹⁹Rule 466.7.a. Remove Attacker and Defender Designation from all Units and Players. Open in the rules browser, and all "this combat" effects expire together.²⁰Rule 466.7.c. All “this combat” effects expire simultaneously. Open in the rules browser

Step through one whole combat below, from the move to the Conquer.