Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: Player B scores only one point. When Player B plays Ride the Wind to battlefield 2 while the first showdown at battlefield 1 has not yet resolved, the showdown at battlefield 2 never happens because the existing showdown must fully resolve first. Sequence: - Player A initiates showdown at battlefield 1 - Player B plays Ride the Wind to battlefield 2, staging a second showdown - The first showdown at battlefield 1 must fully resolve before the second showdown can begin - Player B plays Ride the Wind back to battlefield 1 before the first showdown resolves - Since Player B returned to battlefield 1 before the first showdown resolved, the showdown at battlefield 2 never happens - Player B wins at battlefield 1 and scores one point Nuances: - A showdown fully resolves when both players pass on an empty chain with focus - Playing Ride the Wind into an ongoing showdown at the same battlefield is called a "surprise defence"

Ruling: Yes, Player B scores a point for conquering. A player can score by gaining control of a battlefield they haven't scored that turn, regardless of whether they were the attacker or defender ("conquering on defense"). Sequence: - Player A moves unit to empty battlefield, applying contested status - Player A passes - Player B plays Ride the Wind, moving stronger unit to battlefield - Combat resolves, Player A's unit is defeated - Player B gains control and scores for conquering Nuances: - Rule 442.1.b states "A player will gain control of a Battlefield after establishing Control by applying Contested first" - the word "first" means contested must be applied before gaining control (temporal), not that the scoring player must be the one who applied contested - The attacker is always the player who applied contested first (Player A in this scenario), but either player can score if they gain control - Rule 345.2.a covers gaining control when only one player's units remain at a battlefield - Rule 440.2 covers the specific triggers for conquering during combat

Ruling: No, Player A cannot play a card after both players pass focus. Combat happens when both players voluntarily pass focus. Sequence: - When a unit is moved to the battlefield, "When I attack" then "When I defend" are added to the chain - Player B has the opportunity to react (passing priority) - Player A then has focus for a new chain, then Player B - This cycle continues until both players pass focus - Once both players pass focus, combat begins Nuances: - Focus (the opportunity to play Actions) is separate from priority - Priority is passed starting with the player with Focus when a chain is created, then focus automatically passes - When any chain item is placed, the player who placed it gets priority first

Ruling: Player A can play another action or reaction. Only Player B has passed; Player A's chain closed (which is different from passing). All players must consecutively pass in order for the combat showdown to close. Sequence: - Player A plays an action card and starts a chain - The chain resolves and closes - Player B gains focus (this is not A "passing") - Player B chooses to pass - Player A gains focus again and can start a new chain or pass Nuances: - When a chain closes, focus moves to the next player, but this is mechanically different from a player choosing to pass - All players need to consecutively choose the "pass" option (not just have focus move through chain resolution) for combat showdown to close - The terminology "focus is passed" can be ambiguous, but the rules distinguish between starting a chain (which closes and moves focus) versus choosing to pass

Ruling: No, you cannot get Altar of Memories to resolve before Baited Hook. Baited Hook must fully resolve (including killing the unit) before any triggered abilities can be added to the chain. Sequence: - Baited Hook is activated targeting Pouty Poro - Baited Hook resolves completely, killing the unit as part of its effect - Deathknell triggers immediately before death - Altar of Memories triggers on death after Deathknell - Both triggers go on the chain with Altar on top (resolving first) - Altar resolves, then Deathknell resolves Nuances: - Altar of Memories is not an activatable ability; it triggers on death and then you choose whether to exhaust it when the trigger resolves - While Baited Hook is resolving, no other effects can resolve - they must wait until it's done - It would be different if killing the unit were a cost to activate Baited Hook, but it's part of the effect - This interaction does work to influence the draw from Sacred Shears

Ruling: You cannot start a showdown while a chain exists. The showdown will stage and start at the first open state, which means after Promising Future fully resolves. Sequence: - Promising Future resolves completely - The showdown stages - The showdown starts at the first open state Nuances: - Players looking at their 5 cards cannot play those cards during the showdown staging, as the showdown doesn't actually start until the card fully resolves

No, your **Pyke, Returned** does not go to your base. If you attempt to play a hidden unit (including **Pyke, Returned**) at a battlefield like **Rockfall Path** that prohibits playing units, the attempt is an **illegal activation**. Here is the breakdown of why this occurs: ### 1. The Rule Interaction * **Hidden Placement:** According to **Rule 811.1.b** and **Rule 811.1.d.1**, a card hidden via the **Hidden** keyword must be played to the specific battlefield where it is hidden. * **Battlefield Restrictions ("Can't beats Can"):** While the Hidden keyword gives you permission to play the card, battlefield restrictions (such as those on **Rockfall Path**) act as a prohibition. Per **RiftJudge FAQ #68**, the "can't" restriction of the battlefield overrides the "can" permission of playing a card from Hidden. * **No Override for Units:** While **Rule 811.1.d.1.a** provides a specific override for **hidden gear** to be played to a battlefield (instead of the base), there is no such override for **units**. Units must respect the playing restrictions of the location they are at. ### 2. The Consequence of Illegal Activation According to **RiftJudge FAQs #6500, #9325, and #10492**: 1. **Illegal Attempt:** Because **Rockfall Path** prevents playing units, attempting to reveal and play **Pyke, Returned** from there is an illegal activation. 2. **Rewind:** The game state is immediately rewound to the moment before you attempted to play the unit. 3. **Result:** The card remains hidden and facedown at the battlefield. It is not moved to your base, and the action to play it fails. 4. **Consequence:** Because you cannot play it, the card remains stuck there. If you later lose control of that battlefield (e.g., if your other units there leave and you lose the battlefield), the hidden **Pyke, Returned** will be sent to the trash during the next cleanup (**Rule 107.3.d**). **Summary:** You cannot play the unit to the battlefield, and it does not move to your base. The attempt simply results in an illegal activation, leaving the card hidden at the prohibited location until it is potentially discarded later.

No, Pyke will not grant the gold token in that scenario. Because Pyke's ability ("Once each turn, when an enemy unit dies while I'm at a battlefield...") requires him to be at a battlefield to trigger, he must be present on the board to "see" the death of the enemy unit. If Pyke dies at the same time as the enemy unit, he is no longer on the board at the moment the death condition is evaluated, and therefore his ability does not trigger. This is further supported by similar rulings in the RiftJudge FAQ (e.g., FAQ #7662 and #3223 regarding Viktor, Leader), which establish that units must remain in play to see simultaneous events. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Ruling: Quiana equipped with Hexdrinker will have Deflect 2. Nuances: - Deflect values stack when multiple sources grant the keyword ability

No, Ravenbloom Student will not gain +1 Might in this scenario. According to the established rulings for Ravenbloom Student (such as FAQ #7187 and FAQ #2377), a card is only considered "played" once it fully resolves. If a spell is countered—whether by a card like *Defy* or by the effect of *Hard Bargain* (if the controller fails to pay the cost)—it does not resolve, and therefore it is not considered "played." ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Play Stupefy:** You place *Stupefy* on the chain. 2. **React with Hard Bargain:** Your opponent plays *Hard Bargain* targeting *Stupefy*. 3. **Resolution of Hard Bargain:** *Hard Bargain* resolves. If you choose not to pay the [2] cost, *Stupefy* is countered. 4. **Result:** Because *Stupefy* was countered and did not resolve, it is not considered "played." Consequently, Ravenbloom Student’s triggered ability does not activate, and it does not gain the +1 Might bonus. As noted in the retrieved FAQs, this rule is consistent across all counter-effects in *Riftbound*: if a spell is prevented from resolving, it never reaches the state of being "played" for the purposes of triggered abilities.

Ruling: Yes, Ravenbloom Student triggers and gains +1 might before Hextech Ray resolves, allowing it to survive at 4 might when the 3 damage is dealt. Sequence: - Hextech Ray is activated targeting Ravenbloom Student - Player A activates a spell in response (e.g., Consult the Past) - The spell resolves - Ravenbloom Student's "play a spell" trigger goes on the chain - Ravenbloom trigger resolves, granting +1 might - Hextech Ray resolves, dealing 3 damage to the now 4-might Student

Ruling: No, Challenge resolves first, and Darius's might increase only triggers after Challenge has resolved. Darius will not have 7 might when Challenge resolves. Sequence: - Play Darius - Play Challenge (Challenge goes on the chain) - Darius's trigger goes on the chain on top of Challenge - Darius's trigger resolves first (increasing his might) - Challenge resolves second (readying and buffing Darius based on his current might) Nuances: - Cards are considered played after resolving, which is why Darius can ready himself when played as the 2nd card in a turn

Ruling: Heimerdinger copies the ability but does not copy the battlefield restriction, so he can use Renata's abilities from the backline. Nuances: - Heimerdinger copies the full ability including its cost - The battlefield restriction on Renata does not apply to Heimerdinger when he copies the ability - This allows Heimerdinger to stay safe in the backline while using the copied ability

No, you cannot play **Rengar, Pouncing** as a reaction to your opponent starting a showdown at an open battlefield. ### 1. Can you play him? **No.** While the **[Reaction]** keyword grants you the timing permission to play a card during a Closed State, you must still satisfy the location requirements to play the unit. Per **FAQ 8779**, you may only play units to your base, a battlefield you control, or a battlefield you are attacking. An open battlefield is uncontrolled (**Rule 344.2**), and you do not gain control of a battlefield until you have legally played a unit there. ### 2. Ambush vs. Reaction * **[Reaction]** provides the timing permission to play a card during a Closed State. * **Ambush** provides additional location permissions, allowing you to play a unit to a battlefield where you already control other units. Rengar does not have *Ambush*, and because you do not control the open battlefield, it is not a legal location for him. You cannot use the [Reaction] timing to bypass the requirement for location permission. ### Summary of Timing and Designation 1. **Opponent's Move:** Your opponent moves to an open battlefield. It becomes Contested, and a showdown begins. 2. **Your Response:** Although the state is Closed (permitting [Reaction] timing), you must still target a legal location. 3. **Legality:** Because an open battlefield is uncontrolled, you have no legal location to play Rengar. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

To determine if your *Ambush* units will be stunned when played, we must analyze the interaction between the *Vex, Apathetic* trigger and the timing of playing a unit via *Ambush*. ### The Ruling **Yes, if you play an *Ambush* unit while *Vex, Apathetic* is present at the battlefield, your unit will be stunned.** According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9735** and **#9240**, *Vex, Apathetic* triggers its ability—"When an opponent plays a unit while I'm at a battlefield, [Stun] it"—whenever an opponent plays a unit, regardless of the method used to play it (including *Ambush*). ### Sequence of Events 1. **Preparation:** *Irresistible Faefolk* is at the battlefield and has moved *Vex, Apathetic* to that same battlefield. 2. **Reaction Timing:** Because *Vex* is now present at the battlefield, the game state is **Closed** (due to the presence of units from both players). You may play an *Ambush* unit as a **[Reaction]** to this state. 3. **Trigger:** As soon as you play your *Ambush* unit, it enters the board. *Vex, Apathetic's* triggered ability condition ("When an opponent plays a unit while I'm at a battlefield") is met. 4. **Chain Placement:** Your unit's entry into play and *Vex's* triggered ability are both placed on the chain. 5. **Resolution:** Per the chain rules (LIFO), *Vex's* ability resolves. Your *Ambush* unit is **Stunned** and gains the restriction that it cannot move for the rest of the turn. ### Summary of Mechanics * **Trigger Independence:** The stun is not contingent on *how* the unit arrived at the battlefield, only that it was "played" while *Vex* was present at a battlefield. * **Timing:** Even though you are using a [Reaction] to play the unit, the act of "playing a unit" still satisfies the specific trigger condition for *Vex, Apathetic*. * **Stun Impact:** Per **Rule 423.1.b**, a stunned unit does not contribute its Might to damage in the combat damage step, which will significantly weaken the impact of your *Ambush* unit in the ensuing combat. *This interpretation is based on the standard chain and triggered ability rules, as well as specific FAQs regarding Vex, Apathetic's interaction with units played via Ambush.*

Ruling: The unit will not heal until the end of the combat showdown, in the cleanup phase. Units only heal at the end of a showdown and end of a turn, not before a showdown starts. Sequence: - Riptide Rex deals 6 damage to the 8 might unit when summoned - A 2 might unit moves onto that battlefield to start a showdown - The showdown occurs (the two units will trade) - Healing occurs during cleanup at the end of the showdown Nuances: - In this specific scenario, the 8 might unit (with 6 damage already on it) and the 2 might unit will trade during the showdown

Ruling: Yes, the 6 damage effect still applies even if Riptide Rex dies before resolving. Nuances: - The ability requires no information from the Rex itself, so it resolves independently of whether Rex is still in play

Ruling: The damage ability fizzles if the target is no longer valid (not at the battlefield). You do not get to re-target once a target has been selected. Sequence: - Riptide Shark is played and resolves immediately onto the battlefield - The 6 damage ability goes on the chain with a target selected - If the target is moved before the ability resolves, the ability whiffs - No re-targeting is allowed Nuances: - You cannot react to the unit itself being played (units resolve immediately once they finalize onto the chain) - You can only react to the triggered ability once it's on the chain - Once a target is selected for the ability, it either resolves or whiffs - no re-targeting occurs

Yes, Rengar does get a conquer point in that situation. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #5137**, a player can score by gaining control of a battlefield they haven't scored yet that turn, regardless of whether they were the attacker or the defender. This is often referred to as "conquering on defense." Here is the breakdown of why this happens: 1. **Gaining Control:** The battlefield was contested and Rengar joined as a defender. Once combat resolves and your opponent's units are defeated (leaving only your units present), you establish control of the battlefield. 2. **Scoring Criteria:** Per **Rule 464.1**, you score a Conquer point when you gain control of a battlefield you did not yet score that turn. 3. **The "Attacker/Defender" Distinction:** As clarified in the FAQ, the terminology of "attacker" and "defender" designates combat roles, but it does not prevent the defender from scoring the Conquer point if they end the combat in control of the battlefield. **Sequence Summary:** * You play Rengar to the contested battlefield (joining as the defender). * Combat resolves; your units are the only ones remaining at the battlefield. * You establish control of the battlefield. * Since you have not yet scored this specific battlefield during this turn, you gain 1 Conquer point. *Note: You can only score each battlefield once per turn. If you had already scored this battlefield earlier in the turn, you would not gain another point.*

To resolve this interaction, we must look at the combat sequence, the timing of **Deathknell**, and the mechanics of **Shield**. ### The Interaction Sequence 1. **Showdown:** During the Showdown, *Hidden Blade* is played to kill Ruined Rex. Ruined Rex is sent to the trash (Rule 428.1.a.1). 2. **Deathknell Trigger:** Because Ruined Rex has **Deathknell**, his ability is added to the chain as a pending item before he is moved to the trash (Rule 808.1.d.2). 3. **Deathknell Resolution:** The chain resolves, and Ruined Rex’s **Deathknell** deals 4 damage to Shen. 4. **Combat Cleanup:** Following the Showdown, the combat proceeds to the damage step and subsequent cleanup where all surviving units are healed (Rule 461.1.a.1). ### Does Shen have 5 Might? **Yes, Shen will have 5 Might.** According to the **Shield** keyword mechanics (Rule 814.1.c), Shen gains +2 Might only while he holds the **Defender** designation. * Shen enters combat as the defender, which grants him the **Defender** designation. * This designation persists throughout the combat phase until the **Combat Cleanup** step is complete (Rule 461.7.a). * Because the **Deathknell** ability of Ruined Rex resolves during the Showdown (before combat cleanup), Shen still holds the **Defender** designation at the moment the damage is dealt. Therefore, his **Shield 2** is active, and his Might is 5 (3 base + 2 from Shield). ### Conclusion When Ruined Rex’s **Deathknell** resolves, it deals 4 damage to Shen. Since Shen has 5 Might, **the 4 damage from Ruined Rex is not enough to kill him.** *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

No, you cannot kill an 8 Might unit with Ruined Rex's **Deathknell** trigger. According to the card's data, Ruined Rex's **Deathknell** ability deals **4 damage** to an enemy unit. Since an 8 Might unit requires at least 8 damage to be killed, the 4 damage from the **Deathknell** trigger is insufficient to kill it. Additionally, as established in **RiftJudge FAQ #10090, #10182, and #10410**, there is a specific timing sequence in a combat showdown that prevents this damage from being combined with combat damage to kill a unit: 1. **Combat Damage Step:** Units deal combat damage to each other. Ruined Rex (if lethal damage is assigned) is marked with damage and dies. 2. **Triggering Deathknell:** As Ruined Rex dies, his **Deathknell** trigger is added to the chain as a pending item. 3. **Killing Units:** Ruined Rex is moved to the trash. 4. **Healing:** During the combat cleanup, all surviving units on the battlefield are **healed** (Rule 461.1.a.1). Any damage they received during the Combat Damage Step is cleared. 5. **Resolution:** Only after the healing step is complete does the game resolve the pending **Deathknell** trigger, dealing 4 damage to your chosen target. Because the unit you are targeting is healed during step 4, the combat damage it previously received is removed before Ruined Rex's 4 damage is applied in step 5. Therefore, the 8 Might unit will only ever be under the influence of the 4 damage from the **Deathknell** trigger, which is not enough to kill it.

According to the official Riftbound rules and **RiftJudge FAQ #5520**, **you cannot opt out of using a Deathknell ability.** Deathknell triggers are mandatory. As established in Rule 808.1, Deathknell is a triggered ability that occurs automatically when the permanent is killed and sent to the trash. Because Ruined Rex's text does not include the word "may" (e.g., "you may deal 4"), the effect must occur. If there is a valid target for the effect, you must resolve it. If there are no valid targets on the board, the ability will still trigger and enter the chain as a pending item, but it will simply do nothing when it resolves.

Rumble, Scrapper equipped with Skyfall of Areion will play 1 Mech unit token when he conquers a battlefield. ### Reasoning: 1. **Trigger Mechanics:** Skyfall of Areion modifies the abilities of the equipped unit so that its "When I hold..." effects are also treated as "When I conquer..." effects (and vice versa). This modification allows the ability to be eligible to trigger on either event. 2. **Single Event, Single Trigger:** When Rumble conquers a battlefield, he performs a single "Conquer" game action. This event satisfies the condition for his "When I hold..." ability (because Skyfall has expanded that ability to also trigger on "Conquer"). Because it is a single event, the ability triggers exactly once. 3. **Clarification on FAQ #7492:** The reason Trinity Force triggers twice in that specific scenario is not because the "Hold" event itself triggers the ability twice. Rather, it triggers once from the "Hold" event, and then triggers a second time because Reckoner's Arena has a separate ability that explicitly activates conquer effects. Without an additional effect like Reckoner's Arena to re-activate or duplicate the trigger, a single "Conquer" event will only cause the modified ability to trigger once. In summary, Skyfall of Areion expands the conditions under which the ability can trigger, but it does not cause the ability to trigger multiple times from a single event. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Ruling: Yes, Seth would still draw 2 cards even if the unit doesn't die. The unit is still on the board when Hidden Blade resolves, so information about its controller is still available. Nuances: - The unit doesn't have to die for the draw effect to trigger - As long as the unit is still on the board when the effect resolves, the controller information is available

Ruling: Yes, Sett would die. When you activate the ability, removing the buff is a cost paid to add the ability to the chain, which means Sett loses the health buff before the ability resolves. Sequence: - The buff is removed as a cost to activate the ability - The ability is added to the chain - Before the ability can resolve, cleanup happens - Sett has 0 health (due to the 4 damage and loss of the buff) and dies during cleanup - The ability never resolves Nuances: - If removing the buff were part of the effect (not the cost), Sett would survive because the +4 attack would be gained simultaneously with losing the buff during resolution

Yes, spending the buff DOES trigger Fiora's Leader ability. Here's why: When Sett activates his ability "Spend my buff: Give me +4 [M] this turn", the buff is spent (removed) as a cost during step 4 of activating abilities. This causes Sett to drop from 5 Might to 4 Might (losing the +1 from the buff). Then, when the ability resolves, Sett gains +4 Might, going from 4 to 8 Might. Since he crosses from below 5 Might to 5 or greater Might, he "becomes Mighty", which triggers Fiora's "When one of your units becomes Mighty" Leader ability. Note: Fiora also triggers when Sett is first played, as his Play Effect buff causes him to go from 4 Might to 5 Might, making him become Mighty for the first time.

Ruling: You cannot legally target Sett with Call to Glory in this situation. When you pay the cost by removing the buff, Sett dies during cleanup before the spell is finalized, making him an illegal target. The entire action is undone and the spell returns to the zone it was played from. Sequence: - You attempt to cast Call to Glory, choosing to remove Sett's buff as the cost and targeting Sett - The buff is removed as part of paying the cost - Cleanup occurs before the spell finalizes - Sett dies (4 might = 4 damage) - The game checks target legality during finalization - Sett is no longer a legal target (he's dead, not a friendly unit) - The action is undone in its entirety - Call to Glory returns to the zone it was played from Nuances: - You can cast Call to Glory by removing Sett's buff if you target a different unit - Sett will still die but the spell will resolve on the other target - You must choose either a different buff to remove or a different unit to target - If Sett uses his own ability to buff himself while damaged, this is allowed because his ability doesn't target himself, so there's no illegal target check during finalization even though he dies

Ruling: Sett Brawler will not die when reduced to 0 Might after the buff is removed. Units only die when they have non-zero damage on them, not from having 0 Might alone. Sequence: - Smoke Screen reduces Sett Brawler to minimum 1 Might while buffed - When the buff is removed (e.g., by activating Sett leader ability), Sett becomes 0 Might - Sett survives at 0 Might unless he takes any non-zero damage Nuances: - A unit at 0 Might will die if it takes any amount of non-zero damage afterward - Removing Sett's buff via the leader ability also increases his Might, which should be considered in the calculation - When Sett is recalled to base, damage is removed but Might modifiers remain (the unit retains modifiers as the same game object)

Ruling: Yes, you can spend the buff to draw a card and then buff Sett Brawler from the conquer trigger. Sequence: - Both triggers happen at the same time when Sett Brawler conquers Monastery of Hirana - As the controller of both abilities, you choose the order to put them on the chain - You can order them so the buff from conquering resolves first, then spend that buff to activate Monastery's draw ability

Ruling: Yes, this triggers Fiora's Legend ability. Sequence: - Sett pays the cost of his ability, reducing his Might from 5 to 4 (ceasing to be Mighty) - The ability resolves, increasing his Might to 8 (becoming Mighty again) - Fiora's Legend ability triggers when Sett becomes Mighty

Ruling: Yes, you can stack the triggers. When both Sett and Monastery of Hirana trigger simultaneously on conquest, you choose the order. You can resolve Hirana's trigger first (drawing a card and removing Sett's buff), then resolve Sett's trigger (which will buff him since he's no longer buffed). Sequence: - Both Sett's conquer trigger and Hirana's conquer trigger go on the chain simultaneously - You choose to place Sett's trigger on the chain first, then Hirana's trigger - Hirana's trigger resolves first, drawing a card and removing Sett's buff - Sett's trigger resolves second, buffing Sett since he is no longer buffed Nuances: - Sett's trigger is added to the chain even if he is already buffed; it simply won't do anything if he's still buffed when it resolves - Buffed units can always be targeted by buff effects (unless a card specifies non-buffed units), even if the effect won't do anything to them

Ruling: No. Orange Sett's ability is an activated ability that requires you to actively declare and pay the cost to gain the +4 Might. It is not a triggered ability that automatically happens when the buff is spent. Nuances: - Triggered abilities use "When" or "At" in their text and happen automatically when their condition is met - Activated abilities use ":" in their text and work like spells - you must actively pay for them and can only play them at the proper timing - The legend ability spending Sett's buff does not automatically trigger orange Sett's ability because it is an activated ability, not a triggered one

Ruling: Yes, Sett will survive. A Cleanup occurs after an item on the Chain resolves, but since Sett's ability resolves and no other Chain items are added (opponent doesn't respond), no Cleanup occurs that would kill him. Nuances: - The opponent can force a Cleanup by responding with any ability (like tapping a rune for energy or recycling a rune), which would cause a Cleanup after that ability resolves and kill Sett. - Moving a unit causes a Cleanup to occur, but Cleanups do not clear damage from units. - Only combat resolution and end of turn clear damage from units.

Ruling: Yes, Sett dies. Damage and Might are tracked separately - damage counts up from 0, while Might can be increased or decreased. When a unit's Might falls below its accumulated damage, the unit dies. Sequence: - Falling Stars hits Sett twice, giving him 6 damage counters - Call to Glory buffs Sett to 8 Might (he now has 8 Might with 6 damage) - Smokescreen reduces Sett's Might by 4, bringing him to 4 Might - Sett still has 6 damage counters, which is now greater than his 4 Might - Sett dies because his damage (6) exceeds his Might (4) Nuances: - Damage does not reduce Might - only effects that specifically reduce Might (with the Might symbol) affect Might - Damage and Might are completely separate values that are not directly related - Healing removes damage counters (sets damage back to 0) but does not affect Might - Any time non-zero damage is greater than or equal to Might, the unit dies

Ruling: If Sett is buffed and at a battlefield, he gets +2 total: +1 from the buff and +1 from his ability. Sett's ability counts himself because the text says "each buffed friendly" and not "each other buffed friendly unit." Nuances: - Units cannot trigger their own death effects unless specified (like Deathknell) - Wraith of Echoes does not see itself die because it is already in the trash when death abilities are checked, and abilities need the unit to be on board to resolve

Ruling: Sett will not die at 0 might. A unit only dies from 0 might if they also have damage on them. Sequence: - Sett gets Smoke Screened while at 5 might with a buff - Buff is removed to save him, bringing him to 0 might - Sett replacement effect heals him to 0 damage - Sett survives at 0 might and 0 damage Nuances: - 0 might alone does not kill a unit; they must have both 0 might AND damage to die

Ruling: No, Sett cannot trigger Sunken Temple's ability if he is not mighty when he conquers it. Nuances: - Because the mighty condition on Sunken Temple is before the comma, it is part of the trigger condition and will not trigger if no unit is mighty during the conquer - If the condition was after the comma, it would trigger any time you conquer and only check for mighty at resolution (like Loose Cannon)

Ruling: No, Viktor, Leader will not spawn a recruit unit token when Sett's Legend Ability saves a unit, because the unit doesn't die. Nuances: - Sett's ability is a replacement effect that prevents the death from occurring - Viktor, Leader's ability only triggers when units actually die

Ruling: The unit does not die. Units only die when they have non-zero damage equal to or greater than their might. A unit with 0 might and 0 damage does not meet the lethal damage condition. Sequence: - The Boss's effect replaces death with not death - The buff is removed from the unit - The -4 might from Smoke Screen remains as a continuing effect - The unit survives at 0 might because it has 0 damage (non-zero damage is required for lethal damage) Nuances: - Healing removes damage, but does not remove continuing might modification effects - Recall moves units to base, but does not remove continuing effects - The Boss only replaces the death itself, it does not remove other continuing effects

Ruling: Yes, the Sett leader readies after conquering. Conquering happens after combat cleanup, which is when units dying to combat damage can be saved by Sett's leader ability. Sequence: - Step 1: Special cleanup occurs (units die or are healed from combat damage) - Step 2: Sett's leader ability can exhaust to save a dying unit during this cleanup - Step 3: Control is established and conquering occurs - Step 4: Sett leader readies from the conquer Nuances: - The saved unit that was recalled won't be at the battlefield when conquering occurs, so its "when I conquer" abilities won't trigger

Ruling: No, Baited Hook does not work if Sett prevents the unit from being killed. You still look at the top 5 cards, but you don't play anything since there's no killed unit to compare its might to. Nuances: - The variable (X) becomes null (not zero) when no unit is killed, so you cannot grab something with 0 or 1 power - This is different from Hidden Blade targeting your own creature - in that case, you can use Sett to recall the unit and still draw two cards because Hidden Blade doesn't specifically reference a "killed" unit, only requiring the target to be valid during resolution

Ruling: Units do not die from having 0 Might. Units only die if they are damaged and the amount of damage equals or exceeds their Might. Nuances: - Having 0 or negative Might from debuffs alone does not kill a unit - A unit must take damage that meets or exceeds its Might value to die

Ruling: Shakedown still resolves and goes to trash, but its effect does nothing. Since the unit is no longer on the board, there is no legal target to deal 6 damage to, and the unit's controller cannot be determined so no one can choose to let you draw instead. Sequence: - Shakedown is played and targets a unit - Opponent plays Retreat (or similar) to remove the unit from the board - Shakedown resolves but has no legal target - The damage cannot be dealt (no target) - No one can make the draw choice (controller cannot be determined) - Shakedown goes to trash Nuances: - The spell still counts as having been played and resolved for effects that care about spells being played (like Ravenbloom Student and Legion) - The target is chosen when the card is played and cannot be changed on resolution - Having no legal target does not prevent a spell from resolving; only the parts that rely on that target fail to apply

Ruling: During combat damage step and cleanup in a showdown, units die and damage is healed immediately one after the other, so Shen dying does not cause Sett to die because damage is healed before Sett is reevaluated with his new might. Sequence: - Units with lethal damage are killed and placed in Trash - Damage is healed from all units - If an event during cleanup qualifies for another cleanup, it occurs after the first completes Nuances: - Outside of showdowns (e.g., with a spell like Singularity), there is no heal until end of combat, so Shen dying would cause Sett to be reevaluated with reduced might and his current damage, potentially killing him in the subsequent cleanup

Ruling: You cannot play Shen as a reaction to a battlefield you don't control. However, if Shen could somehow be played in this scenario, he would have 3 Might during the initial non-combat showdown, then 5 Might during the subsequent combat showdown. Winning the combat would conquer the battlefield and score a conquest point, even as the defender. Sequence: - Initial non-combat showdown occurs where Shen has 3 Might (Shield doesn't apply) - Non-combat showdown ends, battlefield remains contested - Combat showdown begins where Shen has 5 Might (Shield now applies) - If Shen wins the combat, the player conquers the battlefield and scores a point Nuances: - Shen can only be played as a reaction to battlefields you control - A defender can conquer a battlefield on the opponent's turn and score a conquest point

Ruling: Damage does not reduce might. The unit still has 8 might but has 6 damage marked on it, meaning it only needs 2 more damage to be killed. Damage persists until the end of a combat showdown or end of turn. Sequence: - Singularity deals 6 damage to the 8 might unit - The unit now has 8 might with 6 damage marked on it - During a showdown, the unit still deals 8 damage to attackers - The unit will die if it takes 2 or more additional damage - Marked damage is removed at the end of a combat showdown or at the end of turn Nuances: - Non-combat showdowns do not heal units - Effects that reduce might explicitly state they reduce might - Track damage marked on units separately from their might value

Whether Hwei survives or his movement trigger occurs depends on the exact sequence of the chain. According to the **Showdown Timing** and **Chain Rules**, when your opponent plays Singularity, they place it on the chain. Because it is a spell, it creates a **CLOSED** state, allowing you to react. ### The Sequence 1. **Opponent plays Singularity:** It targets Hwei and is placed on the chain. 2. **You react with Tideturner:** You play Tideturner (from Hidden). Since this is a [Reaction], it is placed on the chain on top of Singularity. 3. **Chain State:** The chain now has Tideturner on top and Singularity below it. 4. **Chain Resolves (LIFO):** The chain resolves from top to bottom (last in, first out). * **Tideturner resolves:** You perform its ability, swapping Tideturner and Hwei. * **Hwei's trigger:** Because Hwei has moved, his "When I move" triggered ability triggers. This is placed on the chain (on top of the remaining Singularity). * **Hwei's trigger resolves:** You draw and discard, gaining the associated benefit. * **Singularity resolves:** Finally, Singularity resolves. It deals 6 damage to Hwei (assuming he is still a legal target, which he is, as Singularity does not have a location restriction). ### Will Hwei die? **Yes, he will likely die.** * Hwei has **5 Might**. * Singularity deals **6 damage**. * Since the trigger resolves **before** the damage is dealt, Hwei will perform his movement ability (draw/discard and get his bonus) first. However, once the Singularity trigger resolves immediately after, he will have 6 damage marked on him. Since 6 damage is greater than his 5 Might, he will be killed and sent to the trash. **Summary:** You do get to use his movement trigger, but he will be killed by the Singularity immediately afterward. *This is my interpretation based on the LIFO resolution of the chain and the timing of triggered abilities. No official FAQ exists for this specific combination.*

Ruling: No, targets cannot be retargeted once chosen. When Singularity is played onto the chain, its two targets are locked and cannot be changed. If one target is Retreated by the time Singularity resolves, the other target still takes damage but no retargeting occurs. Nuances: - You can Retreat a unit in response to Singularity before it resolves (using priority) - If you Retreat before target selection (in response to a reflexive trigger that creates Singularity), the opponent can choose targets after your Retreat resolves, potentially to their benefit

Ruling: The effects apply in the order they resolve on the chain. If Siphon Power resolves before Ahri's trigger, recruits go to 2 might then back to 1 might when Ahri resolves. If you want recruits to stay at 2 might, wait to play Siphon Power after Ahri's trigger has resolved. Sequence: - When you move and start a showdown, Ahri's "when attacking" ability triggers and goes on the chain - If Siphon Power is played before this (e.g., chained to a move trigger), it resolves first, bringing recruits to 2 might - Then Ahri's ability resolves, reducing them back to 1 might (minimum 1) - After Ahri's trigger resolves, you can start a new chain and play Siphon Power with focus, which will bring recruits to 2 might and they'll stay there Nuances: - Ahri's ability triggers during the initial "when attacking/when defending" chain at the start of showdown - Siphon Power targets a battlefield, not individual units, so it applies to all units present at that battlefield for the turn - The "to a minimum of 1" clause means Ahri's effect reduces might by 1 at the time of resolution, not as a lingering conditional effect

To answer your question: **Yes, you must recycle another rune to exhaust Sivir, Battle Mistress again.** Here is the breakdown based on the game's mechanics: ### 1. Understanding the Trigger Sivir’s ability is a triggered ability: *"When you recycle a rune, you may exhaust me to play a Gold gear token exhausted."* * The **trigger condition** is "When you recycle a rune." * Every time you want to exhaust Sivir to play the token, you must satisfy that trigger condition again by recycling a rune. ### 2. Why you cannot exhaust her twice for one recycle When you recycled the first rune, that event happened, and Sivir's trigger condition was met. You then chose to place that instance of the ability on the chain and exhausted her to resolve it. Even though she readies after an enemy unit dies, that readying effect does not retroactively "reset" or re-activate the previous recycle event. To exhaust her a second time, you need a **new** recycle event to occur to satisfy the "When you recycle a rune" trigger condition again. ### 3. The Sequence To exhaust her a second time, the flow must look like this: 1. **Recycle Rune A:** Sivir’s ability triggers. 2. **Exhaust Sivir & Pay Cost:** You resolve the trigger to play a Gold gear token. Sivir is now exhausted. 3. **Enemy Dies:** An enemy unit dies (e.g., via Challenge). Sivir's second ability ("When one or more enemy units die, ready me") triggers. Sivir readies. 4. **Recycle Rune B:** You recycle a *second* rune. This creates a **new** trigger for Sivir. 5. **Exhaust Sivir Again:** You can now exhaust her again to play another Gold gear token. *** **Important Rules Context:** * **Triggered Abilities:** As defined in the *Unleashed* update, triggered abilities require their specific condition ("When you recycle...") to be met to be placed on the chain. * **Exhaustion Limits:** Per Rule 414.1.b, an exhausted unit cannot be exhausted again, and Sivir only readies when the specific "enemy unit dies" condition is met. Simply readying her does not grant her an "extra" activation; she is just waiting for the next time her specific trigger condition is fulfilled. *Disclaimer: This is my interpretation based on the mechanics of triggered abilities and standard Riftbound rules. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction.*