Who are the relevant players during a Showdown in a 4 player FFA, and can players other than the attacker and defender play actions and reactions?
Answered under Unleashed Rules FAQ and Clarifications
In a 4-player FFA Showdown all four players are "relevant" to the Showdown. One player is the Attacker (the player who applied Contested), one is the Defender (the player who did not), and the remaining players are the other (non-Defender) players. Non-attacker and non-defender players can and do participate: they may place Triggered Abilities on the Combat Chain when Combat opens and may play spells or activate abilities when they have Focus during the Showdown per the normal Showdown timing rules.
All four players are relevant. The Attacker is the player who applied Contested and gains Focus as the Showdown begins . When a Combat opens the Attacker places triggered abilities on the Chain first, then the other non-Defender players in Turn Order, then the Defender . Any player who has Focus may play legally timed cards or activate abilities during the Showdown . Focus passes around in Turn Order if players pass , so players other than the Attacker or Defender can play actions and reactions whenever they obtain Focus or when adding triggered abilities to the Chain as described above .
Citing
- 01A Showdown opens and the player who applied Contested becomes the Attacker and gains Focus as the Showdown begins .
- 02If Combat opens, add Triggered Abilities to the Combat Chain in this order: the Attacker first, then the other non-Defender players in Turn Order, then the Defender .
- 03