RulingHall of Heroes (rules 1.0–1.4)

Expansion card questions: If an attack is defended by a character and it’s defeated or leaves play before the attack fully resolves…

Question

1.If an attack is defended by a character and it’s defeated or leaves play before the attack fully resolves like from a boost effect, Can another character then defend? 2. With Starlords helmet upgrade, do you draw an additional card if you run out of cards while drawing back up to your hand size? 3. I’ve seen a ruling on (defense) labeled abilities being able to be used outside of an attack. This is interesting. If you use shield block (defense) against a treachery that deals damage, can you then trigger the Indomitable upgrade to ready your hero?
4. Is overkill damage, damage from an attack? Because then you could shield block and then use unflappable to draw a card, correct? I have concerns with the latest (defense) ruling. It doesn’t seem to like up with the rules and the spirit of the game. The Basic THW power and (thawrt) labeled abilities do the same thing. Basic ATK power and (attack) labeled abilities do the same thing but the basic DEF power and (defense) labeled abilities are different. DEF is for defending attacks and (defense) is for preventing any source of damage. It Seems You should only be able to defend an attack and not defend a concussive blast boost ability for example.

Answer

1) We have made a ruling that, if a defending ally leaves play due to a boost effect, a hero can play a defense event to declare themselves the new defender for the same attack. (Please note that this interaction occurs after the window that allowed the hero to make a basic defense; only an event could cause the hero to become the defender.)

2) Yes; if you were to empty your player deck while drawing cards, you’d receive an encounter card in front of you before you finished and you would be granted an additional hand size if you’re not already at the maximum.

3) You can play defense cards so long as you satisfy their triggers, but you are not considered to have “defended” against something that’s not an attack. You could not trigger Indomitable if you used a defense event like Shield Block on a non-attack.

4) Overkill damage is considered damage “from an attack”, but does not in itself mean a separate attack was made against the target of the Overkill damage. What this means for the cards you referenced is, you can block Overkill damage with Shield Block because of Shield Block’s trigger, but in doing so you have not “defended against an attack”, so you could not trigger Unflappable.

-Alex