If Tryndamere is brought in as a defender via Ride the Wind, wins combat, conquers the battlefield, and deals 5+ excess damage, does his ability trigger to score an additional point?

Question

Accepted Answer

Yes. If Tryndamere is moved into the contested Battlefield by Ride The Wind and is present at the Battlefield when that Battlefield is Conquered, his Conquer-triggered ability will see the Conquer and can trigger (assuming his text’s other conditions — e.g., dealing 5+ excess damage — are met). The fact he was moved in and gained Defender later via the Cleanup does not prevent his Conquer trigger from occurring; however, any attempt to Gain a Point via a Score will still be subject to the normal scoring/winning-point restrictions. [459.2.b.4.a] [466.2.a] [466.1.b]

Yes — provided Tryndamere is physically present at the Battlefield when it is Conquered and his ability’s other conditions (the 5+ excess damage) are satisfied, his Conquer ability will trigger at that Battlefield and may attempt to Score/Gain the additional point. Scoring restrictions for the final (winning) point still apply. [459.2.b.4.a] [466.2.a] [466.1.b]

You play Ride The Wind in the Showdown and choose to move Tryndamere to the contested Battlefield and ready him; you select the destination as part of finalizing the spell (moves pick a valid Location) [355.4.a]. Tryndamere becomes present at the Battlefield after Attacker/Defender designations were established. Per the combat rules, he gains the Defender designation during the Cleanup after the action that caused him to become present [459.2.b.4.a]. Tryndamere participates in combat, deals damage, and ends up dealing 5+ excess damage and remaining on the Battlefield; if that results in only one player’s units remaining, that player establishes Control, producing a Conquer [348.2.a]. When the Battlefield is Conquered, Conquer-triggered abilities of units at that Battlefield check and trigger; Conquer abilities trigger at a Battlefield that was Conquered [466.2.a]. If Tryndamere’s ability’s condition (5+ excess damage) is satisfied, that ability will be placed on the chain as a Conquer trigger and may resolve to attempt to Score/Gain the additional point. If that attempt would be the Winning Point, normal scoring restrictions apply [466.1.b].

If Tryndamere was moved into the Battlefield after the combat had already completed or after the Battlefield was already Conquered, he will not be present to see that Conquer and his Conquer ability will not trigger. [348.2.a] [466.2.a] If Tryndamere is moved in but then leaves or is killed before the Conquer occurs, he is not 'at' the Battlefield when the Conquer occurs and therefore will not see or trigger a Conquer ability. [466.2.a] If Tryndamere’s printed ability is instead a Defend Trigger (i.e., triggers when he gains Defender), that is a different timing and would be placed on the chain when he gains the Defender designation during Cleanup [383.4.f.2] [459.2.b.4.a]. Because we do not have his exact text in the provided materials, this is noted as a possible alternative interpretation. If Tryndamere’s ability attempts to 'Gain a Point' via a Score and that point would be the Winning Point, [466.1.b] may replace or modify what actually happens when the ability resolves (e.g., drawing a card instead of gaining the point in some specific Conquer situations).

Short answer: yes, assuming Tryndamere’s ability is a Conquer-trigger that checks excess damage and is at the Battlefield when the Conquer happens. Explanation: Playing Ride The Wind in a Showdown can move and ready a friendly unit; when you finalize that play you choose a valid destination for the move [355.4.a]. If you move Tryndamere into a Battlefield that already has a Combat Showdown ongoing, he will become present after Attacker/Defender designations were initially assigned; units that become present for the Defender after that moment gain the Defender designation during the Cleanup following the action that caused them to become present [459.2.b.4.a]. That timing (gaining Defender in Cleanup) does not prevent the unit from being on the Battlefield to participate in combat and be present when the Conquer occurs. When the Battlefield is Conquered (for example, because only one player’s units remain) that Conquer event causes Conquer abilities at that Battlefield to trigger [348.2.a] [466.2.a]. So if Tryndamere is physically present at the Battlefield at the moment it is Conquered and he satisfied his '5+ excess damage' check, his Conquer-trigger will see the Conquer and will be placed on the chain. If that trigger attempts to Score/Gain an additional point, remember the scoring/winning-point rules still apply (see [466.1.b]) — special replacement behavior may occur if that point would be the final Winning Point. Because the actual printed text of Tryndamere was not supplied in the materials you gave me, I’ve answered assuming the ability is a Conquer-trigger that awards a point when its 5+ excess-damage condition is met. If Tryndamere’s actual wording is a Defend trigger or is worded differently (e.g., 'When I defend...' or 'When I'm played...'), the timing could differ and that would change the ruling; please provide the exact Tryndamere text if you want a ruling without that assumption. [459.2.b.4.a] [383.4.f.2] [466.2.a] [466.1.b] [355.4.a] [348.2.a]