Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Your unit will **die**. ### The Breakdown 1. **Playing the Spell:** When you play *Call to Glory*, you must pay its costs. You choose to spend the buff as an additional cost. The moment you pay this cost, the buff is removed from your unit. 2. **State Assessment:** Your unit began with 2 might (1 base + 1 buff). After spending the buff, your unit is at 1 might. It currently has 2 damage marked on it. 3. **The Chain:** *Call to Glory* is now on the chain waiting to resolve. In Riftbound, the game performs a cleanup process to check for lethal damage after any chain item resolves or when priority passes. Because your unit currently has 2 damage and only 1 might, it is at or past its lethal threshold. 4. **Why it dies:** Because the removal of the buff is an **additional cost** paid to put the spell on the chain, the unit's might is reduced to 1 *before* the spell resolves. The unit immediately becomes a target for removal due to having 2 damage marked on it. ### Comparison to FAQs The FAQs you cited (#5865, #3828) involving *Call to Glory* describe scenarios where the units did not have marked damage at the time the buff was removed. Because those units had no damage, reducing their might did not kill them, allowing the spell to resolve and provide the boost. In your scenario, because your unit has 2 damage marked on it, it meets the requirement for being killed as soon as the buff is removed. ### Sequence 1. You initiate the process to play *Call to Glory* and pay the cost by removing the buff. 2. The unit’s might drops from 2 to 1. 3. The game state sees a unit with 1 might and 2 damage. 4. The unit is killed due to lethal damage. 5. *Call to Glory* remains on the chain, but its target is no longer in play, causing the spell to fail to resolve. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

When *Cull the Weak* resolves, your *Scuttle Crab* and your opponent's *Watchful Sentry* are destroyed simultaneously. Both units have *Deathknell* triggered abilities that are placed on the chain together. According to **Rule 376.3.b.1** (referenced in **FAQ #9265**): "If multiple players separately control Triggered Abilities that are triggered simultaneously, then starting with the Turn Player and proceeding in Turn Order, each player orders their Triggered Abilities on the Chain." ### The Resolution Sequence: 1. **Triggering:** Both *Scuttle Crab* and *Watchful Sentry* die simultaneously. Both *Deathknell* abilities trigger. 2. **Ordering:** The Turn Player places their trigger on the chain first, followed by the non-turn player. * If it is **your turn**, you place your *Scuttle Crab* trigger on the chain first, then the opponent places their *Watchful Sentry* trigger. Your *Scuttle Crab* trigger resolves second (after the draw). * If it is the **opponent's turn**, they place their *Watchful Sentry* trigger on the chain first, then you place your *Scuttle Crab* trigger. Your *Scuttle Crab* trigger resolves first (before the draw). 3. **Resolution (LIFO):** Abilities on the chain resolve in Last-In, First-Out order. ### Conclusion: **Whether the reveal includes the drawn card depends on whose turn it is.** If you are the non-turn player, your *Scuttle Crab* trigger will resolve first, meaning the reveal does *not* include the card drawn from the *Watchful Sentry*. If you are the turn player, your *Scuttle Crab* trigger will resolve second, meaning the reveal *will* include the card drawn from the *Watchful Sentry*. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules, as the outcome is dependent on the turn order status of the players involved.*

Ruling: The Poro has 4 Might during the combat showdown. Sequence: - Stalwart Poro (2 Might base) is alone at battlefield - Thousand-Tailed Watcher resolves, applying -3 Might (minimum 1) - Poro is at 2 Might when Watcher resolves - Snapshot calculation: 2 - 3 = -1, but minimum is 1, so the reduction snapshots at -1 (bringing Poro from 2 to 1 Might) - Unit moves to battlefield, showdown begins - Defender designation established - Shield ability triggers: +1 Might (while defending) - Wuju Bladesman triggers: +2 Might (defending alone) - Final calculation: 2 (base) - 1 (snapshot) + 1 (Shield) + 2 (Wuju) = 4 Might Nuances: - Snapshotting applies to effects with limitations (like 'to a minimum of 1') - The limitation is calculated at the moment the effect applies, based on the unit's current Might at that time - The calculated modifier is 'remembered' and fixed for the duration of the effect - Subsequent Might changes don't recalculate the snapshot - they simply add/subtract from the total - In this case, combat buffs (Shield and Wuju Bladesman) apply after the Watcher's effect has already snapshotted, so they add normally to the modified value

Ruling: No, once you have declared you are ending your turn and Annie's trigger resolves, the turn immediately ends with no extra window to play action spells. Sequence: - Turn player declares end of turn - Annie's End of Turn trigger goes on the chain - Players can play reactions here - Annie's trigger resolves - Turn immediately ends Nuances: - This applies to all phases outside the Action Phase - if a window of opportunity doesn't open due to a triggering ability, there is no opportunity to play cards until the Action Phase - If you had multiple end of turn effects, you could stack them so Annie's resolves first, then you could have an opportunity to use reactions before your opponent's turn

No. Reveal applies a temporary modification to a defined set of cards. The hand stays private as a zone; new cards entering it stay private unless something says otherwise.

Based on the card text and the rules of *Riftbound*, here is the ruling regarding when you can use the effect of **Last Rites**: ### Ruling You can only use the effect of *Last Rites* **at the specific times the trigger condition is met**. According to the card text, the effect triggers "When I conquer or hold." This means the ability is placed on the chain **only** when you perform a "Conquer" action or when you perform a "Hold" action (which occurs during the Beginning Phase). You cannot play a unit from your trash using this effect at any other time during the round. ### How it works 1. **Trigger:** When you perform a "Hold" action during your Beginning Phase (or a "Conquer" action), the *Last Rites* ability triggers and is placed on the chain as a pending item. 2. **Resolution:** When that trigger resolves, you are given the opportunity to play a unit from your trash. 3. **Timing:** Because this is a triggered ability, you must resolve the "play a unit" instruction **during the resolution of that specific trigger**. You cannot "save" the trigger to use later in the turn. ### Important Clarification * **Not a Passive Ability:** *Last Rites* does not grant you a continuous ability to play units from your trash at any time. It is a triggered ability that creates a specific window of opportunity tied to the "Conquer" or "Hold" events. * **Costs:** Remember that even when playing a unit from your trash via this effect, you must still pay the unit's energy cost (as noted on the card: "You still pay its costs"). *** *This is my interpretation based on the card text and Rule 383.4.d (Hold Effects). No official FAQ exists for this specific timing question, but it follows the standard mechanics for triggered abilities.*

Yes, you can use **Bone Skewer** to initiate another showdown, provided you satisfy the game's timing and state requirements. ### Timing and Execution According to the rules for Showdowns (Rule 342, Rule 344), a showdown begins when a battlefield is contested. Because your previous showdown has concluded, you are back in a "Neutral Open State." 1. **Playing the Spell:** Since **Bone Skewer** is a spell, you can play it during your Main Phase while the game state is open. 2. **Creating the Contested Status:** **Bone Skewer** instructs you to choose a battlefield and have your opponent play a unit from their hand to that location. If that battlefield was previously uncontrolled or had no units from your opponent, placing their unit there makes the battlefield contested between you and your opponent. 3. **Initiating the Showdown:** Per Rule 344.1, if control of a battlefield becomes contested between two players, a showdown is opened. Since you are placing an opponent's unit at a battlefield where you presumably have your own units (or will move them), this will trigger the conditions to start a new showdown. ### Important Considerations * **Combat vs. Non-Combat:** If your unit is already present at the battlefield where you play the opponent's unit, the showdown will open as a **Combat Showdown** because units controlled by different players are present (Rule 459.2). * **Spell Timing:** You can play **Bone Skewer** as an action because it is a spell and the game state is open. However, if you are currently *in* a showdown, you would not be able to play **Bone Skewer** because it lacks the **[ACTION]** or **[REACTION]** keyword (refer to RiftJudge FAQ #9671). Since you stated you have already won the previous showdown, you are back in the main phase and free to play it. * **Rule 465:** Keep in mind that per Rule 465, you can only score from a battlefield once per turn. Winning a second showdown at the same location will not grant you a second point for that battlefield. This is my interpretation based on the standard rules for initiating showdowns and playing spells. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction.

Ruling: Yes, focus passes to your opponent after Yasuo's attack trigger resolves and kills the defending unit, giving them an opportunity to use actions before you score the point. Sequence: - Yasuo attacks and the attack trigger resolves, killing the defending Deadbloom Predator - Focus passes to the opponent - Opponent gets opportunity to use actions (like Rebuke) - After both players pass, the showdown ends and scoring occurs Nuances: - You can use Ride the Wind to move Yasuo back to base before your opponent gets focus, but then you won't have any units at the battlefield when the showdown ends and cannot score - You score by having the only unit(s) after a showdown ends, not simply by being the only one with a unit at a battlefield at any point during the showdown

No. During a Surprise Defense, the battlefield remains Uncontrolled because control is only established at the end of a non-combat Showdown. Since Surprise Defense creates a Combat scenario (not a non-combat Showdown), control is not established during this phase. Shen requires playing to "a battlefield you control," so he cannot be played to an Uncontrolled battlefield during a Surprise Defense.

Ruling: Focus always starts with the attacker at the beginning of combat, then bounces back and forth in player order as chains fully resolve. Sequence: - If attacker plays an Action and the chain resolves, defender gets focus first - If defender passes, attacker gets focus - If attacker passes, proceed to damage - If defender plays an Action and the chain resolves, attacker gets focus first

Ruling: After a chain fully resolves in a showdown, players can play new action/reaction cards. The showdown only ends when both players pass focus without starting a chain. Sequence: - Player with focus can start a chain with an action or reaction, or pass focus - If a chain is started, priority passes back and forth as players add reactions - Chain resolves last-in-first-out - Focus passes to the next player in turn order - That player can start a new chain or pass focus - Once both players pass focus without starting a chain, the showdown ends - Special case: Attacker always gets empty focus first for the first chain Nuances: - Actions can only start a chain, they cannot be played to an existing chain - Actions resolve immediately before the opponent gets their showdown window (they don't stack) - Only reactions (and triggers) stack in chains - There can be any number of chains in a single showdown

Ruling: Only the player with focus can start chains by playing actions or reactions. A player cannot start a chain during another player's focus, even if that player chooses not to act. Sequence: - After a chain resolves, focus passes to the next player - Only that player can start a new chain (action or reaction) - If they pass, focus returns to the other player - The other player now has focus and can start chains - Combat showdown continues until both players pass on an empty chain Nuances: - You cannot start with an action during another player's focus - You also cannot start with a reaction during another player's focus - The player without focus must wait until focus is passed back to them before they can initiate any new chains

No, units do not heal after a non-combat showdown. According to the RiftJudge FAQ (ID 3513 and 7792): * **Ruling:** Units do not heal during or after non-combat showdowns. Healing only occurs after combat showdowns and at the end of the turn. * **Nuance:** A showdown only becomes a "combat" when a battlefield is contested and occupied by units controlled by different players. If the showdown does not meet these criteria, it is non-combat, and no healing is triggered. As stated in Rule 405.1, healing is the act of clearing damage from units, and this only occurs at specific points in the turn or when instructed by game effects. Combat cleanup (which includes healing all units) is specifically tied to the resolution of a combat showdown.

Ruling: Yes, each player receives priority after an element on the chain resolves. Sequence: - Player takes an action during showdown - Opponent plays a reaction (e.g., a discipline) - The reaction resolves - Both players receive priority (opponent can play the newly drawn card) - If no further responses, the original action resolves

Ruling: Players can play reactions as the chain resolves. After each spell resolves, the player who controls the next item on the chain gets priority first, then the other player gets priority. Sequence: - Player A plays a spell - Player B reacts with a spell (e.g., Consult the Past) - Player A passes - Player B's spell resolves - Player A gets priority first (they control the next item on chain) - Player A plays or passes - Player B gets priority - If something new is added, it resolves next; if not, continue resolving the chain Nuances: - Priority alternates between players as each item resolves, not just at the end of the entire chain

Ruling: After the first action chain resolves in a showdown, players can play another action and start a new chain before combat resolves. Sequence: - Attacker moves units into contested battlefield and starts showdown - Attacker has priority and can play an action spell - Defender can respond with actions/reactions - Chain resolves - Priority passes to defender who can play action/reaction spell or pass - Combat does not immediately resolve after the first chain

Ruling: After a spell chain resolves during combat, players get priority again and can start another chain before the attacking unit conquers. Damage assignment only occurs when both players pass with an empty chain. Sequence: - Player A attacks with Poro and passes priority - Player B plays Void Seeker targeting Poro - Player A plays Defy targeting Void Seeker - Defy resolves, Void Seeker is countered - Chain is now empty, but players get priority again - Player B can play another Void Seeker before Poro conquers - Damage assignment only happens when both players pass with an empty chain

Ruling: Yes, both players must pass priority for the next item in the chain to resolve. After Discipline resolves and you draw En Garde, your opponent (who has priority first since their Void Seeker is next) must pass, then you get priority to play En Garde before Void Seeker resolves. Sequence: - Opponent plays Void Seeker, passes priority - You play Discipline in response, pass priority - Opponent passes priority - Discipline resolves (unit gets +2, you draw En Garde) - Opponent has priority (their spell is next on stack), passes - You have priority and can play En Garde - If both players pass, Void Seeker resolves Nuances: - Both players get a priority window after every item in the chain except for the last item

Ruling: When the last card on a chain resolves, focus passes to the other player. After the first Hextech Ray resolves (making the chain empty), the attacking player gets focus first and can play Cleave before the opponent can play a second Ray. Sequence: - Kai'Sa Survivor attacks into empty battlefield - Attacker passes focus - Opponent plays Hextech Ray, it resolves - Chain is now empty, focus passes back to attacker - Attacker can now play Cleave before opponent can play second Ray Nuances: - If the attacker plays Cleave first and lets it resolve, focus then passes to the opponent, who can then play an action before the attacker can play another card - You cannot play an action, let it resolve, then immediately play another action without giving your opponent the opportunity to respond - Cleave wouldn't save Kai'Sa when moving into an empty battlefield since assault requires an active combat for the might gain to work

Ruling: Yes, after the initial chain from an attack effect resolves, both players have the opportunity to play actions and reactions to start a new chain. Sequence: - Attack effect triggers and initial chain starts - Initial chain resolves completely - Both players can now play actions and reactions (attacker has priority) Nuances: - Action cards can only start a chain, not respond to another card on the same chain

Ruling: No, after both players pass focus, there is no window to play reactions before combat damage assignment. The game proceeds directly to combat damage assignment. Sequence: - Player A attacks - Player A passes focus - Player B passes focus - Combat damage is assigned (no reaction window)

Ruling: Yes, you can cast a Reaction from newly drawn cards to respond to a spell still on the stack. Priority passes again after every link in a chain resolves. Sequence: - Opponent casts Catalyst of Aeons (goes on stack) - You cast Meditation in response (goes on stack on top) - If no one responds to Meditation, it resolves and you draw 2 cards - Priority passes again, starting with the controller of Catalyst of Aeons - You can then cast Defy (from the newly drawn cards) to counter the Catalyst of Aeons - You can continue casting Reactions until you have no more answers

Ruling: No, there is no window to cast spells after combat damage is assigned but before damage is healed. Nuances: - Damage does not reduce might, so effects that target based on might values (like Foxfire) do not work differently on damaged units - This applies even in cases where a unit dies in combat and you want to cast a spell before healing resolves

Ruling: No, you cannot retreat after damage is dealt. Retreat must happen before damage is dealt, so you would not get to deal your unit's damage if you retreat. Sequence: - Retreat occurs before damage is dealt - If you retreat, your unit does not deal damage - If damage is dealt first, the opportunity to retreat has passed Nuances: - If your unit has already dealt damage and killed opponent units, those kills stand, but you cannot then retreat that unit afterward

Ruling: The attacker retains focus after the initial attack/defend trigger chain resolves. The attacker always gets to play an action first in showdown. Sequence: - Attacker has focus during the initial chain - After initial chain resolves, attacker still has focus - Attacker plays first action in showdown Nuances: - This is a known oversight in the rules that will be fixed in updated rules - Focus is the ability to start a chain with activated abilities and spells; starting a chain with a triggered ability does not cause you to lose focus after that chain resolves

Ruling: When a chain fully resolves in Showdown, focus automatically passes to the next player. If they pass, you gain focus back and can play another action. Sequence: - Your Cleave chain resolves completely - Focus automatically passes to your opponent - If opponent passes, you gain focus back and can play another Cleave - If opponent plays a spell, the entire chain resolves first, then you get focus back Nuances: - Focus is automatically passed when a chain fully resolves, while priority is passed voluntarily by players during an ongoing chain - On an initial chain (like a "when you attack" trigger), you maintain focus after the chain resolves and don't auto-pass - Add abilities (like Malzahar's) are an exception where priority and focus do not pass when finalized

Ruling: You do not shuffle your deck after mulligan. You only shuffle once per game before you draw (except for burnouts). Nuances: - Burnouts are an exception where shuffling occurs during the game - The game is designed to minimize shuffling requirements

Ruling: Both players must pass in succession for combat to start. As long as one player keeps starting a new chain by playing an Action or Reaction, combat does not begin. Sequence: - Player X passes - Player Y plays an Action and passes - Action resolves - Player X now has the opportunity to play an Action/Reaction - Players can continue playing Actions back and forth - Combat only starts when both players pass consecutively without playing anything Nuances: - The key requirement is passing "in succession" - both players must pass without either one playing a card in between

Ruling: Yes, there is another open state after En Garde resolves where you can activate a card like Cleave. Passing does not lock you out of future actions in the showdown. Sequence: - Attacker action/reaction - Defender reaction, then attacker reaction (back and forth) - Resolve chain - Defender action/reaction - Attacker reaction, then defender reaction (back and forth) - Resolve chain - This continues until both players pass in a row Nuances: - Both players must pass consecutively (in a row) to end the showdown - If you pass, then your opponent plays an action that resolves, you can still play another action afterward - Passing once does not prevent you from taking actions later in the same showdown

Ruling: When both players pass priority in sequence (pass-pass), the top item on the chain resolves. The player who added the reaction and then passed priority does not get another opportunity to add items before their reaction resolves. Sequence: - Player A plays R2 and passes priority - Player B passes priority - R2 resolves (no opportunity for Player A to play R3 here) - After R2 resolves, Player B gets priority to add reactions, followed by Player A Nuances: - Playing an item and passing priority afterward are considered different "loops" from the game's perspective for the purpose of determining if a player has "passed priority without adding any items to the chain" - The priority gained immediately after adding something to the chain is a new priority window that counts as the first pass when determining pass-pass resolution

Ruling: Yes, the opponent can play an Action card after their unit is sent back to base and before the showdown resolves. The opponent will still receive focus because showdowns cannot automatically end. Sequence: - Fight or Flight resolves, sending the opponent's unit back to base - The showdown cannot automatically end - The opponent receives focus - The opponent can cast Hextech Ray targeting the active player's unit on the battlefield - The showdown then continues to resolve

To determine if your units take damage, we must look at the chain and the timing of the effects. ### The Chain Sequence 1. **You play *Bellows Breath*:** You choose up to three units at a battlefield as targets. This places *Bellows Breath* on the chain. 2. **Opponent reacts with *Emperor's Divide*:** Your opponent flips their hidden *Emperor's Divide* face-up and plays it. This places *Emperor's Divide* on top of the chain. 3. **Chain Resolution (LIFO - Last In, First Out):** * *Emperor's Divide* resolves first. It moves the chosen friendly units from the battlefield to their base. * *Bellows Breath* then attempts to resolve. ### Ruling on Damage According to **Rule 359.3.e.9** and the logic provided in **RiftJudge FAQ #7422** and **#9018**, when a spell's targets move to a different location (such as from a battlefield to a base) before the spell resolves, the spell's instructions must be evaluated based on the new state of the targets. * **Targeting Restriction:** *Bellows Breath* requires targets to be "at the same location" when played. This is a targeting restriction for *playing* the spell. * **Resolution:** Because the units have moved to the base, they are no longer at the battlefield where they were targeted. Per **FAQ #9018**, if the targeted units are no longer at the location where they were targeted, you must choose one location where the targeted units are currently present. Since they are now at the base, you can choose the base as the location to resolve the damage. * **Result:** You will deal 1 damage to the targeted units at the base. ### Interaction with *Imperial Decree* *Imperial Decree* creates a triggered ability that kills any unit that takes damage this turn. * Because the units take 1 damage from *Bellows Breath* at the base, *Imperial Decree* will trigger. * Per **FAQ #8761**, *Imperial Decree*'s kill trigger does not require the unit to be at a specific location; it will find and kill the unit even though it has been moved to the base. **Summary:** Yes, you will deal damage to the units at the base, and because *Imperial Decree* is active, those units will be killed by the resulting triggered ability. *** *This is my interpretation based on the provided rules and FAQs. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction between Bellows Breath and Emperor's Divide, but it follows the established mechanics for targeting and resolution when units move zones.*

Ruling: Yes, if there is a Showdown active, your opponent can play an action when priority passes back to them. Sequence: - You play your reactions to buff a card - The reactions resolve (chain ends) - Priority passes back to your opponent - Your opponent can start a new chain by playing an action - Showdown only ends after all players pass in succession without starting a chain Nuances: - Multiple chains can occur within the same Showdown - This only applies during Showdown; the ability to respond depends on whether Showdown is active

Ruling: No, Deathknell will not trigger if the death is replaced by Zhonya's. If the permanent with Deathknell is not sent to the trash because its "killed" event was replaced (such as by Zhonya's recall), the Deathknell will not occur. Sequence: - During combat cleanup step 2a, Deathknell abilities are added as pending chain items for units about to die - If Zhonya's replaces the death before step 2b, the unit is not sent to the trash - Pending chain items that don't result in the card going to trash do not finalize and are removed Nuances: - You CAN activate a hidden Zhonya's in response to a Deathknell trigger that has already been added to the chain, because contested status is removed in a separate step from combat cleanup - Pending chain items are not finalized chain items - they only finalize when the trigger condition (card going to trash) is met - Deathknell triggers before the card moves to trash to capture state information about the unit and its location, but still requires the card to actually go to trash to finalize

Ruling: No, you cannot play a Hidden card in response to a Deathknell trigger. By the time the Deathknell trigger is placed on the chain, players have already lost attacker/defender status during the combat special cleanup, meaning no showdown or combat is staged at the location and the Contested status is cleared. Sequence: - Combat special cleanup occurs, removing attacker/defender status and Contested status - Deathknell triggers are placed on the chain (before units die) - Units (both Deathknell and non-Deathknell) die and go to trash in the following cleanup step Nuances: - Before the CR update, it was possible to use Hidden cards in response to Deathknell triggers during combat, but this changed with the clarification that removing Contested status is NOT part of the special cleanup - Outside of combat, if a Deathknell unit is killed by a spell, the Hidden card is removed from the battlefield in the following cleanup - Karthus (passive ability) will see Deathknell triggers created and cause them to trigger twice when dying simultaneously, because the Deathknell trigger is placed on the chain before the units die - Viktor Leader will not trigger when dying simultaneously with other units because his trigger evaluates precisely when units die

Ruling: Focus returns to the attacker, who can play another action. The showdown only ends when both players consecutively pass focus on an empty chain (no chain exists). A pass that occurs while responding to a chain does not count toward the two consecutive passes needed to end the showdown. Sequence: - Attacker plays action, creating a chain - Both players pass priority on the chain - Chain resolves - Focus passes to defender (automatic, not a "chosen pass") - Defender passes without creating a chain (first chosen pass) - Focus returns to attacker, who may play another action - If attacker also passes without creating a chain, that would be the second consecutive pass, ending the showdown Nuances: - The automatic passing of focus when a chain resolves does not count as a "chosen pass" for the purpose of ending the showdown - If the attacker passes without creating a chain, then the defender passes, that would be two consecutive passes on an empty chain and would end the showdown - To continue playing actions after the defender passes, the attacker must have created a chain previously (or the defender must create one)

Ruling: Zhonya's Hourglass trigger is automatic, not optional. The errata did not change this aspect of the card. Nuances: - There is nuance around when you might or might not have to play a hidden Zhonya's under the new rulebook - In the new 1.1 rules, if you control a battlefield during combat (even if all your units die), you don't lose control until combat is over, so you can wait until later in the showdown to play Zhonya's from hidden - In the old rules, once your last unit died you would lose the hidden Zhonya's immediately if you didn't play it - When a unit is killed by an effect like Hextech Ray during a showdown, you must react with Zhonya's before that effect resolves if you want to save that specific unit

Ruling: Focus passes automatically when a chain resolves, with one exception: when resolving the initial chain in combat (the attack/defense triggers chain), the attacker retains focus afterward. After any subsequent chains resolve during the showdown, focus passes to the other player. Sequence: - Attack triggers go on chain → defense triggers go on chain - Players alternate adding reactions until both pass - Initial chain resolves one link at a time - Attacker retains focus (exception to normal rule) and can play an action to start a new chain - When this new chain resolves, focus passes to the defender - Players alternate having focus after each chain resolves - Combat continues until both players pass focus back-to-back without playing anything Nuances: - The player who owns the next link when something resolves gets priority during chain resolution - You can play multiple reactions before passing while holding priority - Attacker always gets focus first in showdowns, regardless of turn player - If showdown is initiated via contested (e.g., Ride the Wind to open battlefield), the player who applied contested gets focus first - A chain resolving is not the same as passing focus - both players must pass consecutively for combat to proceed

Ruling: The attacker gets focus and priority after the initial chain resolves.

Ruling: Yes, after Gust resolves there is still a window for either player to play action or reaction spells before combat ends. The opponent can play Hextech Ray on the Deadbloom before it heals. Sequence: - Moving the Ravenbloom starts a showdown - After Gust resolves, a new round of priority begins - Both players must pass priority without playing any cards for the showdown to finish - Only after the showdown finishes does combat end and damage heal Nuances: - Every time a card is played, a new round of priority starts after that card resolves

Ruling: Yes, you can reactivate Accelerate to ready it after Portal Rescue. Nuances: - You must pay the Accelerate cost to reactivate it

Ruling: No, the showdown must be resolved first before you can move additional units to that battlefield. Nuances: - You can move in other units with an ability during the showdown itself.

Yes, you are allowed to cast two **Falling Star** spells to stack damage on a single unit at the enemy base. ### How it works: 1. **Targeting:** Each **Falling Star** is an independent spell. When you play the first one, you declare its targets (you can choose the same unit for both instances of damage). When you play the second one, you declare its targets again (you can choose that same unit for both instances of damage). 2. **Stacking:** Because each spell resolves independently, the damage from the first spell and the damage from the second spell will both be applied to the unit. 3. **Legality:** There is no rule in Riftbound that prevents you from targeting the same unit with multiple instances of the same spell or multiple copies of the same spell. ### Important Timing Note: * **Main Phase:** You must play these spells during your **Main Phase** while you have **Focus** (an **Open State**). * **Chain Resolution:** If you play the first **Falling Star**, it goes on the chain. You must allow players to pass priority (or play reactions) until the chain is empty and the first spell resolves. Once the chain is empty again, you regain **Focus** and can play the second **Falling Star**. You cannot play both spells at the exact same time; they must be played and resolved sequentially. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8503**, you are explicitly allowed to target the same unit with both instances of damage from a single **Falling Star**. Extending this logic to multiple spells, you can indeed stack the damage from two separate **Falling Star** casts onto one unit.

Yes, you can trigger the ability, but the move will fail. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8815**, a **Minotaur Reckoner**'s passive ability ("Units can't move to base") does not prevent the *triggering* or *activation* of abilities that attempt to move units to the base. Here is the breakdown of the interaction: 1. **Triggering:** When you play **Tideturner**, its "When you play me" ability triggers and is placed on the chain. 2. **Resolution:** When the ability resolves, you attempt to perform the swap (moving Tideturner to the target's location and the target to Tideturner's original location). 3. **Restriction:** Because **Minotaur Reckoner** is on the board, the instruction to move a unit to the base cannot be followed. According to **Rule 359.3.e.6**, "Instructions that can't be followed, either because of illegal targets or other circumstances, are ignored." Therefore, the ability resolves, but the move itself fails to occur, and the units remain where they are.

He does have the second copy of his ability in time, and it will trigger. The “one that hasn’t been chosen this turn” restriction applies separately to each instance of his ability. So you could choose the same option for both, but you’ll have to track which options you’ve used for each copy of his ability.

Yes, you can replay the unit to the same battlefield, provided the battlefield is currently contested (i.e., you are in combat there). According to the established rulings for **Arcane Shift**: * **Contested Status:** If you move a unit to an occupied battlefield, that battlefield becomes contested. As long as the combat is ongoing, you maintain control of that battlefield, even if your unit is temporarily banished by Arcane Shift. * **Replay Location:** Because you maintain control of the battlefield throughout the showdown, you are permitted to play the unit back to that same location. **Important Nuances:** * **Combat Requirement:** This interaction relies on the fact that you are in a showdown/combat. If you were to use Arcane Shift at a battlefield that is *not* contested (e.g., a battlefield you control where no combat is occurring), you would lose control of that battlefield the moment your unit is banished, and you would be unable to play the unit back to that location. * **Targeting:** Remember that Arcane Shift requires you to target both a friendly unit (to banish) and an enemy unit (to deal 3 damage). You must have valid targets for both to play the spell. This ruling is consistent with the FAQ regarding Arcane Shift during combat: *"You maintain control of the battlefield during the showdown and can replay the unit to that battlefield. The player who controls a battlefield at the beginning of a showdown maintains control until the showdown is completed, even if they temporarily have no units there."*

Ruling: Yes, Battlefields are selected, placed, and revealed before Turn Order is determined. Sequence: - Legend selection - Champion selection - Battlefield selection and placement (revealed when placed in the Battlefield Zone) - Turn Order determination - Draw cards - Mulligan Nuances: - Some players incorrectly place Battlefields face down before determining Turn Order and then flip them, but this is not the correct procedure - Battlefields become public knowledge when placed in the Battlefield Zone

Ruling: Legend abilities are triggered abilities that go on the chain and can be reacted to. You can identify triggered abilities by keywords like "when", "at", or "the Nth time". Sequence: - For Irelia specifically: The spell or ability that targets a unit is added to the chain first - Irelia's triggered ability triggers during finalization of that spell/ability - It is added to the chain as a pending item - It then gets finalized and becomes the most recent chain item (on top of the triggering spell) Nuances: - The presence of trigger words ("when", "at", "the Nth time") indicates an ability is a triggered ability that uses the chain

Yes, Might, Energy Cost, and Power Cost are considered traits of a game object. According to Rule 454.3.a, these three values are specifically categorized as traits that are subject to arithmetic modification (the third layer of effect application): > "454.3.a. This layer deals with the mathematics of increasing and decreasing the numeric values of the traits of Game Objects. > * Might > * Energy Cost > * Power Cost" Additionally, Rule 454.1.a.1 notes that the assignment of Might is handled within the first layer (Trait-Altering Effects), further confirming its status as a trait.

Ruling: You can include a maximum of 3 total Signature cards in your deck. The champion itself does not count toward this limit because champions do not have the "Signature" card type. Nuances: - If a champion has multiple signature spells available, you can still only include 3 total signature cards (e.g., 2 copies of one signature spell and 1 copy of another) - Only cards with the specific "Signature" type count toward the 3-card limit