7. Keywords and effects

Ambush

Units that join a fight already going on

A unit is usually played in your own main phase, with nothing on the chain, to your base or a battlefield you control. A unit with Ambush has one more option: you can play it as a Reaction, to a battlefield where you have units.

That means it can arrive in the middle of a fight. Anywhere a Reaction could be played, with something on the chain or with focus in a showdown, you can play it into a battlefield where your units already are.

An example

On your opponent's turn, they move a Shipyard Skulker (3 ) onto a battlefield where you have a Recruit (1 ). In the showdown, they pass focus to you.

1. You play Soulspinner (3 ) to that battlefield, using its Ambush. It arrives exhausted, as units do, but exhausted units still fight.
2. You both pass focus. The showdown ends, and the combat starts.
3. Their 3 damage: 1 kills the Recruit, and the last 2 on Soulspinner aren't enough.
4. Your 1 + 3 = 4 damage kills the Skulker. You keep the battlefield.

Without Soulspinner, the Skulker kills your Recruit and takes the battlefield.

On your own turn

Ambush works when you're the attacker too. Move your units onto your opponent's battlefield, and you have units there: in the showdown, you can Ambush another one in to join them.

A unit played with Ambush leaves the chain at once, like any unit. So your opponent can't answer the unit itself, only what comes after it.