Riftbound Backline: what it does
GlossaryBackline is a Riftbound keyword on units that pushes combat damage away from them — the reverse of Tank. A unit with Backline must be assigned lethal damage after every other unit the same controller has that doesn't have Backline, so it's protected as long as there's anything else on the board to take the hit first.
How Backline's damage assignment works
In the Combat Damage step, an attacker assigning damage across a Backline controller's units must give lethal damage to every non-Backline unit before a Backline unit becomes a valid target at all. If more than one Backline unit is present, the attacker can pick between them once the rest of the board has already taken lethal — the same freedom Tank gives on the opposite end.
Backline as a value-protection tool
Backline is most useful on a unit you'd rather not lose in a small skirmish — a payoff engine, a card-advantage generator, anything you want alive at the end of the fight rather than the start of it. Pairing it with Tank on other units in the same battlefield creates a clear front line and back line, exactly the shape the keyword's name suggests. See the Combat Keywords guide for the full defensive picture.
Backline FAQ
What does Backline do in Riftbound?
A unit with Backline must be assigned lethal combat damage after every other unit the same controller has without Backline — it's protected until the rest of the board has already taken damage.
Is Backline the opposite of Tank?
Yes — Tank must be hit first, Backline must be hit last, among a single controller's units in the same combat.
What if all my units have Backline?
With no non-Backline unit to take priority, an attacker can choose freely among the Backline units, the same way multiple Tank units work.