Locked in Combat

[jackalopespam]

Locked in Combat: Basic Action Card
Target a character die from each player's Field Zone and set them aside until end of turn (then return them to play at their previous level).
When they return to the Field Zone, deal each 2 damage.

Suppose a character die with 3 Defense was dealt 1 point of damage, then Locked in Combat was used targeting that die. Does that die retain the 1 point of damage from before it went out of play and thus KO'd? Or once the die leaves play it would lose any and all damage and/or applied abilities.

[dmrulesteam]

The Character die in question would remove any damage and lose any Applied abilities.

Pertaining to clearing damage, the Character die in this scenario would have any damage cleared before it returns to the Field Zone. At which time the Locked in Combat ability will deal that die 2 damage. This scenario is similar to how Regenerate handles the clearing damage - if the KO’d Character die regenerates (thus returning to the Field Zone), any damage on that Character die is cleared.

Pertaining to the retention of any Applied abilities, such abilities would be lost per the following rule:

Rule 3.4.3.9 Applied abilities last until the end of turn, unless otherwise stated. However, an Applied Ability is lost if the die that gained the Applied ability leaves the Field Zone - being KO'd, rerolled to energy, captured, or removed by a specific ability - even if that die returns to the Field Zone later in the same turn.