The LS has a focused, shielded unit at the start of the LS refresh phase. DS player wants to play Succumb to the Cold on the unit when its focus is removed. Does playing Succumb to the Cold as a reaction happen after step 1 of the refresh phase, allowing the LS player to use the shield, or after step 3, after the LS player has finished removing all tokens?
From the rulebook:
2. Refresh Phase
The active player takes the following steps in order:
1. He removes one focus token from each card in
his play area. (Any effect with the text “after you
refresh” can be used after completing this step.)
Exception: During his first turn only, the LS player
does not take this step of the refresh phase.
2. He removes all shield tokens from each card in
his play area.
3. If he has fewer than three current objective
cards, he replaces each missing objective card
by taking the top card of his objective deck and
putting it into play as a current objective card. If
the objective card just put into play has a “When this
card enters play …” (or similar) effect, this effect is
immediately resolved.
If multiple objective cards need to be replaced, they
are put into play, resolving any “When this card
enters play” effects, one at a time.
After taking these steps, the active player proceeds to
the draw phase.
From the FAQ:
Reaction Ability Timing
Reaction abilities can be used during framework event
windows and also during action windows, provided that
the triggering condition indicated by the reaction abilitiy’s
text is true.
For example: The card ability of the unit
card reads “Reaction: After you commit this unit
to the Force, deal 1 damage to a target objective”.
The words “After you commit this unit to the Force”
describe the triggering condition that must be true
for this reaction to be used
.
A reaction ability is always used immediately after its
triggering condition has occurred and has been resolved.
The active player always has the first opportunity to
use an ability in reaction to a given triggering condition,
followed by his opponent after which the active player
may use another reaction, and so forth. Reaction
opportunities for that triggering condition pass back and
forth between players in this manner until both players
have passed consecutively.
Once the opportunity to react to a triggering condition
has been passed, further reactions to that specific
triggering condition may not be used.
Looks to me like the shield would still be there when the DS would be able to play Succumb to the cold, but I could use some confirmation.