What is the order of resolution when you conquer a site: do you draw a card first or trigger 'when you conquer' abilities first?

Question

Accepted Answer

When you Conquer a battlefield, the Conquer event happens (you established control). Any “When you conquer” triggered abilities see that event and trigger (are placed on the chain). Any immediate effects that are part of scoring (for example, the draw that occurs when scoring your first battlefield) are resolved as part of the scoring process, while the triggered abilities go on the chain to be resolved afterward.

Establishing Control produces the Conquer event [461.5] [464.1]. Triggered abilities that read “When you conquer…” see that event and trigger—these triggers are put on the chain and will resolve in the normal order for chain items [FAQ:unleashed#23] [340.1]. Effects that are part of the scoring process itself (for example, the draw described in the Aspirant’s Climb / Green Father example) occur as part of scoring; the conquer-triggered abilities are placed on the chain in response and resolve after the current resolution completes [FAQ:unleashed#12] [157.3].

A player establishes control of the Battlefield (e.g. via the Resolve/Cleanup tasks) which, if that Battlefield hasn’t yet been scored this turn, results in a Conquer [461.5] [464.1]. The Conquer event is considered to have occurred; any abilities that read “When you conquer” see that event and trigger. Those triggered abilities are placed on the chain to be resolved in due course [FAQ:unleashed#23]. If scoring the battlefield produces immediate game effects that are part of scoring (for example, the draw that occurs when you score your first battlefield as described in the Aspirant’s Climb / Green Father example), those scoring effects are applied as part of the scoring process [FAQ:unleashed#12]. After the current resolution finishes, the newest item on the chain resolves first; conquer-triggered abilities on the chain then resolve in normal chain order [340.1] [157.3].

If a card’s text ’activates’ a conquer-like effect (for example, the Reckoner’s Arena activation discussed in the FAQ), it is treated as if a conquer event occurred for the purposes of seeing triggers, but that activation may not be an actual Conquer/Score—so other scoring consequences may not apply the same way [FAQ:unleashed#23]. Abilities that require additional conditions beyond “when you conquer” still need to have those conditions true to go on the chain [FAQ:unleashed#23]. In Modes with teammates, some Battlefields are disqualified from being Scored by Conquer (see rule 464.1.a); that can change whether scoring draws or conquer triggers ever occur [464.1.a]. Replacement effects or other simultaneous effects not included in the provided excerpts could alter ordering; the ruling above assumes no intervening replacement effects or other conflicting tasks are present.

When you ‘Conquer’ you are gaining Control of a Battlefield you haven’t yet Scored this turn; that Conquer event originates from Establishing Control during the Resolution/Cleanup step [461.5] [464.1]. The game treats that moment as a Conquer event that other cards can see. Abilities that read “When you conquer…” observe that event and trigger; per the official clarification, those triggered abilities will see the conquer event and (assuming any further conditions they have are satisfied) will be placed on the chain to be resolved [FAQ:unleashed#23].

Separately, scoring a battlefield can have immediate consequences that are part of the scoring process itself. The provided FAQ example with Aspirant’s Climb and Green Father explicitly states that if a player scores their first battlefield they ‘draw 1’ as part of that scoring, and that this draw happens immediately as part of applying the score’s effects [FAQ:unleashed#12].

Putting those points together: the Conquer event occurs when control is established [461.5] [464.1]. That event causes two kinds of results simultaneously: (A) any scoring consequences that are part of scoring/Conquer are applied as part of that scoring, and (B) “When you conquer” abilities see the event and trigger, being placed on the chain to resolve afterward. The chain resolution rules mean the newest chain item resolves first once the current resolution finishes [340.1], and while something is resolving you do not finalize or resolve other spells/abilities until it is done [157.3].

So in plain terms: the Conquer happens; any immediate scoring effects (like the draw-for-first-score example) happen as part of the scoring; “When you conquer” abilities trigger in response to that Conquer and are placed on the chain to resolve after the current resolution completes [461.5] [464.1] [FAQ:unleashed#12] [FAQ:unleashed#23] [340.1] [157.3].