Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, your opponent can still tap their **Ezreal** legend ability in this scenario. ### The Ruling According to **RiftJudge FAQ #473**, Ezreal's legend ability triggers even if the spell is canceled (countered) after choices are made. Because the act of choosing the target occurs when the spell is played and placed on the chain, the requirement for Ezreal's ability is satisfied at the moment the spell is played, regardless of whether the spell subsequently resolves or is countered by *Defy*. ### The Sequence 1. **Playing the Spell:** Your opponent plays *Wages of Pain*. 2. **Making Choices:** As part of playing the spell, they choose an enemy unit as the target. This satisfies the requirement for Ezreal's legend ability. 3. **Reacting:** You play *Defy* to counter the spell. 4. **Resolution:** *Defy* resolves and counters *Wages of Pain*. Even though the spell does not resolve, the choice was already made. 5. **Activation:** Because they have made the required choice of an enemy unit with a spell this turn, the condition for Ezreal's legend ability is met, and they may exhaust the legend to draw a card. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Ruling: Yes, you draw a card. Combat does not end immediately when one player has no units at the Battlefield. Draven Legend checks at the end of combat, and if the opponent's unit was moved to Base, you have won that combat. Sequence: - Opponent uses Arcane Shift to banish their unit from Battlefield - Opponent plays the banished unit to Base (or another location) - Both players pass with focus on an empty chain - Combat ends - Draven Legend checks and sees you won the combat, triggering the draw Nuances: - Combat continues until both players pass with focus on an empty chain, not when units leave the Battlefield - The opponent retains control of the Battlefield until the end of combat even after their unit is banished - If the opponent played the unit back to the same Battlefield, you would not win the combat

Yes, you can resolve the first **Discipline** to draw a card and then play a second **Discipline** before the **Challenge** resolves. ### Reasoning This interaction is covered by **RiftJudge FAQ #4745**. According to the game's timing rules for the chain: 1. **Chain State:** When your opponent plays **Challenge** (Action) and you respond with **Discipline** (Reaction), the chain is formed (bottom to top): * **Bottom:** Challenge * **Top:** Discipline 2. **Resolution Process:** The chain resolves from the top down. * The first **Discipline** resolves, granting your unit +2 Might and allowing you to draw a card. 3. **Timing Window:** After an item on the chain resolves, the chain is not immediately empty if other items (like **Challenge**) remain. Before the next item resolves, both players are given an opportunity to react. 4. **Playing the Second Card:** Because you have drawn a card from the first **Discipline**, you can play that second **Discipline** (as a [Reaction]) during this priority window before **Challenge** resolves. **Sequence:** * **Opponent plays Challenge** (Chain is now Closed). * **You play Discipline** (Chain: Challenge, Discipline). * **Discipline resolves:** You gain +2 Might and draw a card. * **Priority Window:** Because **Challenge** is still on the chain, both players have the opportunity to react. You may now play your second **Discipline**. * **Challenge resolves:** Finally, the **Challenge** resolves once both players have passed priority. According to **Rule 340.4**, when the chain is not empty and there are no pending items, the controller of the newest item on the chain gains priority, allowing for these sequential reactions.

Ruling: Yes, Charm still resolves even if the targeted unit has moved to a different location (including base) before Charm resolves. Nuances: - Charm does not specify where the unit must be located when it resolves - Since the unit is now at base, Charm cannot "move" the unit to where it currently is (base) - When Charm resolves, you can still move the unit back to a battlefield or to another battlefield, since move effects target the unit (not a location) and the destination is chosen at resolution

Ruling: No, if you do not control the battlefield, the hidden card is immediately trashed. Sequence: - The unit is moved by Charm - You lose control of the battlefield - Cleanup step 5 occurs (cleanup happens anytime a move is completed) - The hidden card is trashed Nuances: - You can use a reaction to reveal the hidden card before it gets trashed - If the hidden card is Zhonya's, revealing it will play it to the battlefield it was hidden at, but since gear can't exist at battlefields, it immediately gets recalled to base - If the charmed unit dies at its new location, Zhonya's will save it (assuming no other units die)

Yes, you can choose which unit to save. According to the rules regarding replacement effects and simultaneous events, when multiple units would die at the same time, the controller of **Zhonya's Hourglass** chooses which unit to save. In your scenario, **Falling Star** deals 3 damage to two of your 3-Might units. Because damage from a single spell resolves simultaneously, both units would die at the same time. Since Zhonya's Hourglass is a replacement effect that triggers when a unit would die, you (as the controller of the gear) get to decide which of those two death events to replace. **Important Nuances:** * **Timing:** Zhonya's Hourglass must be face-up on the board *before* the damage from Falling Star is dealt. You cannot wait to see the results of the damage and then decide to flip it; it must be active to replace the death event. * **One Gear per Save:** If you only have one Zhonya's Hourglass, it can only save one of the two units. The other unit will die as normal. * **Not a Trigger:** Zhonya's Hourglass is a replacement effect, not a triggered ability. It does not use the chain and applies automatically to the death event you choose. *This is my interpretation based on the mechanics of replacement effects and simultaneous death events as outlined in the game rules. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction with Falling Star, but it follows the established ruling for simultaneous deaths.*

Yes, you can use **Hidden Blade** on your own unit in response to **Falling Star**, provided the Hidden Blade is already **Hidden** at that battlefield. Here is the breakdown of how this works: 1. **Timing:** While **Hidden Blade** is normally an [Action] (which cannot be played in response to other spells), the **Hidden** keyword (Rule 737.6) grants the card **[Reaction]** while it is facedown. This allows you to reveal and play it at any time a reaction is allowed, including in response to an opponent's spell like **Falling Star**. 2. **Targeting:** **Hidden Blade** targets "a unit at a battlefield." It does not specify an "enemy" unit, so you are free to target your own unit. 3. **Resolution:** If you kill your own unit with Hidden Blade before Falling Star resolves, the following happens: * You will draw 2 cards (as you are the controller of the killed unit). * When **Falling Star** attempts to resolve, if the unit it was targeting is now in the trash, that specific instance of damage will fail to deal damage to that unit because the target is no longer on the board. **Important Note:** You cannot play Hidden Blade **from your hand** to react to Falling Star, as it is an [Action] in your hand. It must already be hidden on the battlefield where your unit is located (Rule 737.1.d.2).

Ruling: Yes, you still draw from Discipline even if the target unit is killed before Discipline resolves. All effects that reach the chain always resolve (unless countered), and you do as much as you can on resolution. Sequence: - Effects are added to the chain with targets declared when finalized - Chain resolves in reverse order (last in, first out) - Each effect resolves doing as much as possible - Non-conditional parts of effects (like "draw 1") always happen even if targets become invalid Nuances: - Fizzling does not exist in Riftbound - effects always resolve unless countered - "Then" vs "to" matters: "then draw 1" is not conditional, but "to draw 1" would be conditional - If an effect says "its owner draws" and the unit dies, you cannot draw because the owner cannot be established when off the board - Exception: If the spell itself killed the unit, that spell can look back to establish the owner - Targets are declared when effects finalize and cannot be changed (unless a card explicitly allows it) - If a target becomes invalid, effects that reference that target will "whiff" (resolve to no effect), but non-conditional parts still resolve - You cannot block reactions - counters can target any legal item on the chain at any time while the chain is open

Yes, your opponent can play *En Garde* in this situation. ### The Chain State 1. Your opponent plays **Hard Bargain** ([Reaction] spell). It is on the chain. 2. You play **Lilting Lullaby** ([Reaction] spell) in response. It is placed on top of *Hard Bargain*. 3. The chain is currently in a Closed State. ### Why the Opponent Can Play *En Garde* 1. **Reaction Timing:** *En Garde* has the [Reaction] keyword. Per Rule 813.1.c.1 and the [Reaction] keyword definition, cards with [Reaction] can be played during Closed States on any player's turn. 2. **Chain Resolution:** Because the chain has not yet finished resolving, players may continue to add more [Reaction] items to the top of the chain (LIFO - Last-In, First-Out). 3. **Lilting Lullaby's Restriction:** The restriction imposed by *Lilting Lullaby* only takes effect once that spell finishes resolving. It does not prevent the opponent from playing a [Reaction] spell in response to *Lilting Lullaby* while it is still on the chain. ### The Sequence 1. **Hard Bargain** is on the chain. 2. **Lilting Lullaby** is on the chain. 3. Your opponent plays **En Garde** as a [Reaction] in response to your *Lilting Lullaby*. 4. The chain consists of: * Top: *En Garde* * Middle: *Lilting Lullaby* * Bottom: *Hard Bargain* 5. The chain resolves in reverse order: * *En Garde* resolves first. * *Lilting Lullaby* resolves next, countering *Hard Bargain*. (Because *Hard Bargain* is countered, it is cleared from the chain and does nothing per Rule 425.1.a). * The "can't play spells" restriction applies to the controller of *Hard Bargain* only after *Lilting Lullaby* finishes resolving. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Ruling: Yes, you can still play action spells even after your only unit is killed during a showdown. The showdown does not end until both players pass while the state is open, so you can retaliate with spells to kill their unit and prevent conquest. Sequence: - Opponent plays Hextech Ray, killing your only unit - Your unit dies during cleanup (when state changes between open and closed) - Showdown continues because both players haven't passed - You can play action spells (like Hextech Ray) to kill their unit - If their unit also dies, conquest is prevented Nuances: - Units with lethal damage die during any cleanup that occurs while they have lethal damage - Cleanup is triggered when the state changes between open and closed (when there's a chain and when there's not a chain) - A showdown having zero units on one side does not automatically end the showdown

Yes, you do draw 2 cards. Here's why: When Hidden Blade resolves, its kill instruction executes and targets your unit. The Boss's replacement effect then intercedes during execution and alters what happens - the unit is recalled instead of dying. However, the kill instruction still executed; it was just altered by the replacement effect. Since Hidden Blade says "Kill a unit at a battlefield. Its controller draws 2," and the unit still exists with a valid controller after being recalled, the draw effect still applies. The replacement effect changes what happens to the unit (recall instead of death), but doesn't make the kill instruction fail to execute or remove the valid referent for "its controller." Therefore, you draw 2 cards even though your unit was recalled instead of killed.

The combat does not end simply because your opponent used **Retreat**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #976**, a showdown (including combat) continues even if there are no opposing units remaining at the battlefield. The combat only ends after both players have passed Focus in succession without starting a new chain. Here is the breakdown of what happens after your opponent’s **Retreat** resolves: 1. **Chain Resolution:** When the chain item (in this case, your opponent's *Retreat*) finishes resolving, the state returns to **Open**. 2. **Focus/Priority:** Per **Rule 346**, when the chain becomes empty and the turn returns to an Open State during a showdown, Focus passes, and the next player gains both Focus and Priority. 3. **Taking Actions:** Because the showdown is still ongoing, the player who currently has Focus (and Priority) can play a legally timed card or activate an ability. * Since **Stacked Deck** is an [Action] card, it can be played during a showdown in an Open State (when no chain exists). * If it is your opponent's turn to have Focus, they can indeed play *Stacked Deck*. If it is your turn to have Focus, you may play an action or pass priority to them, at which point they would have the opportunity to play *Stacked Deck*. **Summary:** Using *Retreat* does not force the combat to end. The showdown remains open, and the players continue to trade priority until both pass in succession. Your opponent can play *Stacked Deck* if they have Focus and Priority during that Open State.

Yes, if your opponent uses **Stormbringer** and its effect results in a battlefield becoming contested, it will initiate a showdown. ### 1. How Stormbringer Works According to the card text for **Stormbringer**: *"Choose a friendly unit in your base. Deal damage equal to its Might to all enemy units at a battlefield, then move your unit there."* * **Targeting:** As noted in **RiftJudge FAQ #3073**, you choose both the friendly unit and the battlefield when the spell enters the chain. * **The Move:** After the damage is dealt, the chosen unit is moved to the battlefield. This move is a game action that follows standard movement rules. ### 2. Initiating a Showdown A showdown is triggered when a battlefield becomes contested (Rule 344). * **Move Trigger:** Per Rule 445, a battlefield becomes contested if a unit moves to a battlefield not currently controlled by the controller of the moving unit. * **Showdown Initiation:** Per **Rule 344.1**, if control of a battlefield becomes contested between two players, a showdown is opened. If the moving unit results in both players having presence or the battlefield becoming contested under these conditions, this will open a **Combat Showdown** (Rule 459.2). ### 3. Timing and Chain * **Chain Usage:** Because **Stormbringer** is a spell, it creates a chain when played (Rule 342.1). * **Resolution:** Once the spell resolves, the unit is moved to the battlefield. Because moving is instantaneous (Rule 441.3) and happens as part of the spell's resolution, the "showdown initiation" occurs immediately following the resolution of the spell. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against all retrieved rules.* --- *I noticed multiple unrelated questions. I've answered the first one — please ask the others in separate messages so I can give each one proper attention.*

To answer your question: **No, the Elder Dragon’s ability will not kill your units in this scenario.** ### Ruling Because **Unyielding Spirit** prevents all spell and ability damage, the damage from **Flurry of Blades** is prevented. Since no damage is actually dealt, the Elder Dragon’s ability (which modifies the lethality threshold of *your* damage) never triggers or applies to your units. ### Reasoning 1. **Prevention Replacement:** According to **Rule 437.4** and **RiftJudge FAQ #9396**, damage dealt to a unit that has all of that damage prevented is not considered to have been dealt at all. 2. **Elder Dragon's Condition:** Elder Dragon’s ability relies on the event of "your damage" being dealt to enemy units. Because Unyielding Spirit replaces the damage event with a "Prevent" action, the game treats the event as if no damage occurred. 3. **No Damage, No Lethality:** Since the damage is prevented and treated as 0 (Rule 437.2.a), the Elder Dragon's passive ability—which changes the lethality threshold for "your damage"—has no damage to modify. Therefore, your units survive the Flurry of Blades. *** *Note: This is my interpretation based on the mechanics of damage prevention and the Elder Dragon's passive ability. Official FAQs #9396 and #9918 confirm that prevented damage does not satisfy the requirements for Elder Dragon's passive ability.*

Yes, the **Heart of Dark Ice** remains exhausted when your opponent takes control of it with Akshan. According to the rules of Riftbound, control-change effects (like the one created by Akshan) change which player controls the object, but they do not change the state of the object itself. Since the gear was already exhausted when it was taken, it remains in that exhausted state under your opponent's control. As a reminder, because the gear is now under your opponent's control, they will be the one who decides when to ready it (during their own turn) and they will be the one who can use its ability.

Yes, you can choose which unit to save. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #6895** and **FAQ #1042**, when multiple units die simultaneously from combat damage, the controller of the **Zhonya's Hourglass** replacement effect chooses which unit's death is replaced. ### The Breakdown: 1. **Simultaneous Deaths:** Although combat damage is assigned in an order, it is dealt simultaneously. Therefore, if both of your units are dealt lethal damage, they both enter the "dying" state at the exact same time during the Combat Cleanup step. 2. **Controller's Choice:** Because you control the replacement effect of **Zhonya's Hourglass**, you decide which one of those simultaneous death events to replace (Rule 373). 3. **Location Independence:** You mentioned having the Zhonya's in your base. Location is irrelevant for this interaction. Whether your **Zhonya's Hourglass** is hidden at a battlefield or already in your base, it functions as a replacement effect that triggers when a friendly unit would die. As stated in **RiftJudge FAQ #1042**: "Location is irrelevant - if a unit dies at any location, you can use Zhonya's to save a unit anywhere." 4. **Requirement:** You must have the **Zhonya's Hourglass** face-up on the board *before* the damage is dealt to have it active, as it is a replacement effect and not a triggered ability (RiftJudge FAQ #8618). **Sequence Summary:** * **Combat Damage Step:** Combat damage is dealt to your units. * **Death Event:** Both units would die simultaneously. * **Replacement:** You apply the **Zhonya's Hourglass** replacement effect to one unit, which saves it (heals it, exhausts it, and recalls it to base). * **Result:** The chosen unit is saved; the other unit proceeds to die as normal. This is my interpretation based on the mechanics of replacement effects and simultaneous death events as outlined in the game rules and verified by the cited FAQs.

Yes, the 1 damage from Elder Dragon's "When you play me" ability will still resolve. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10299**, when you play a unit with a "When you play me" (WYPM) ability, the unit enters the battlefield, and its triggered ability is placed on the chain. This creates a **Closed State**, allowing you to play **Star-Crossed**. ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Opponent plays Elder Dragon:** It enters the battlefield. Its "When you play me" triggered ability is placed on the chain. This creates a **Closed State**. 2. **Your Reaction:** You play **Star-Crossed** as a **[Reaction]**, adding it to the top of the chain, targeting your own friendly unit and the Elder Dragon. 3. **Resolution (LIFO - Last-In, First-Out):** * **Star-Crossed resolves first:** It returns both targeted units (your friendly unit and the Elder Dragon) to their owners' hands. * **Elder Dragon's "When you play me" ability resolves second:** Because the ability is already on the chain, it proceeds to resolve. The ability attempts to resolve against its targets. Since the Elder Dragon is no longer on the battlefield, it is treated as having "null" attributes (Rule 359.3.e.12), but the damage it was instructed to deal to the enemy units still executes. **Summary:** The Elder Dragon's triggered ability does not "fizzle" just because the unit itself left the battlefield. The ability continues to resolve, and the 1 damage will still be dealt to the targets chosen when the ability was originally placed on the chain.

To answer your question: If you use *Deathgrip* on your *Immortal Phoenix* in reaction to an enemy's *Falling Star*, your *Immortal Phoenix* is removed from the battlefield (killed by your *Deathgrip*) before *Falling Star* resolves. Consequently, *Falling Star* will "fizzle" (or more accurately, fail to resolve its instructions) regarding your *Immortal Phoenix* because it is no longer a legal target. ### The Sequence 1. **Falling Star played:** Your opponent plays *Falling Star* targeting your *Immortal Phoenix* (either once or twice). *Falling Star* is now on the chain. 2. **Deathgrip played:** In response, you play *Deathgrip* (which has [Reaction] timing), targeting your *Immortal Phoenix* to kill it. 3. **Deathgrip resolves:** * *Deathgrip* kills your *Immortal Phoenix*. * *Immortal Phoenix* is moved from the battlefield to your trash. * *Immortal Phoenix's* triggered ability ("When you kill a unit with a spell...") is added to the chain because you were responsible for killing a unit with a spell. 4. **Immortal Phoenix ability resolves:** You choose to pay the cost to play *Immortal Phoenix* from your trash back to your base (entering exhausted). 5. **Falling Star resolves:** * *Falling Star* checks its targets. Since your *Immortal Phoenix* is no longer on the battlefield, the target is now illegal/invalid (Rule 359.3.e.2). * According to Rule 359.3.e.5: "If any of the spell's targets are no longer legal, those targets are unaffected by the spell as it resolves." * Therefore, *Falling Star* cannot deal damage to the *Immortal Phoenix* that was initially targeted. ### Important Nuances * **Targeting:** Because *Falling Star* requires you to choose targets when it is placed on the chain, those targets are locked. If that specific unit is no longer in the zone or state required by the spell when it resolves, it is an invalid target. * **"Fizzling" vs. Invalid Targets:** The entire spell does not necessarily "fizzle" if it has other legal targets. If the opponent chose to split *Falling Star's* damage between your *Immortal Phoenix* and another unit, the damage instance targeting your *Phoenix* will be ignored, but the instance targeting the other unit will still resolve normally. * **Immortal Phoenix Trigger:** You are able to return your *Immortal Phoenix* because *Deathgrip* is a spell, and you controlled the spell that was responsible for killing the unit (as supported by FAQ #9374 and FAQ #4668). * **Not the same object:** Even though you played *Immortal Phoenix* again, the rules treat the unit currently on the board as a new instance/game object compared to the one targeted by *Falling Star* (Rule 359.3.e.4). *This is my interpretation based on the provided rules for targeting and chain resolution. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction between Deathgrip and Falling Star.*

No, if your spell is defied (countered), it is not considered to have been played. According to **Rule 412.1.b**: "A card that is Countered is not considered to have been played." Because the card never finishes the process of being played, it will not trigger "When you play..." abilities, and it does not count toward conditions that check if you have played a certain number of cards that turn.

If your spell is countered after being played from the trash using Fizz's ability, it goes to the **trash**, not the bottom of your deck. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #5621**: * **Ruling:** When a spell played from the trash using Fizz's ability is countered, it goes to the trash rather than being recycled. * **Reasoning:** Fizz's ability requires the card to be successfully played in order to recycle it. Because a countered card is not considered to have been played (Rule 412.1.b), the recycle effect does not trigger. **Sequence:** 1. Fizz's ability is used to play a spell from the trash. 2. An opponent counters the spell. 3. The countered spell is placed in the trash (Rule 412.1.a). 4. Because the spell was not successfully played, the recycle instruction from Fizz's ability does not occur.

When multiple units with Deathknell die simultaneously (such as during a Cleanup step or a single game effect), their Deathknell abilities trigger simultaneously. These triggers are then added to the chain in an order determined by the players, starting with the Turn Player, and resolve in Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) order. According to **Rule 376.3.b.1**: > "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 Sequence: 1. **Triggering:** Both units die simultaneously, triggering both Deathknell abilities. 2. **Ordering:** The Turn Player chooses the order to place their controlled triggers on the chain first. Then, the next player in turn order does the same for their triggers, and so on. 3. **Resolution:** Once all triggers are on the chain, they resolve in **LIFO (Last-In, First-Out)** order, meaning the last trigger added to the chain resolves first. **Note on FAQ:** As per the RiftJudge FAQ #4235, if both triggers are from the same event (the units dying), the controlling player(s) choose the order to resolve them. If you control both units, you choose the order for both. If you and your opponent each control one, the Turn Player chooses the order for their trigger first, followed by the other player.

Ruling: Yes, you can conquer Grand Plaza to win if a turn has passed since you held it, as long as you haven't already scored Plaza this turn. Sequence: - Hold Grand Plaza in one turn (scoring it) - Unit dies, turn passes - Place unit on Grand Plaza in a later turn to conquer it and score the winning point Nuances: - You cannot hold Grand Plaza and then conquer it in the same turn (unit dies and you place another in the same turn) - To score the final winning point, you must either hold a battlefield for the eighth point OR score both battlefields (which can include holding one to seven points and conquering the other to reach eight)

No, using **Zhonya's Hourglass** or **Guardian Angel** to save a unit does not count as "choosing" or "targeting" that unit. According to **Rule 352.10.c**, a game object mentioned in a replacement effect is not a target if it is included only as part of the replacement effect's condition. Because these cards function as replacement effects (identified by the word "instead" per **Rule 366.1**), they do not target or require you to "choose" the unit in the way a spell or ability would. Here is the breakdown of why: * **Replacement Effects:** Both Zhonya's Hourglass and Guardian Angel are replacement effects that intercede when a unit *would* die. They automatically apply to the event of the unit dying. * **No Targeting:** Because they do not target, they bypass targeting restrictions and do not trigger any abilities that care about a unit being "chosen" or "targeted." * **Simultaneous Deaths:** If multiple units would die simultaneously (such as in combat), you (as the controller of the gear) do choose *which* death event to replace, but this is a choice of which event to modify, not a choice of a target for an ability. **Important Nuance:** If you have both Zhonya's Hourglass and Guardian Angel on the same unit and it dies, you choose which replacement effect to apply (as per **FAQ #834**). Once you choose one, the other no longer has a valid trigger condition because the unit never actually died.

When your unit is returned to your hand (such as by the effect of the spell **Rebuke**), any gear attached to that unit does not return to your hand with it. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #2960**: "When a unit with attached gear is returned to hand, the gear falls off and stays in the base, just like when a unit dies or is banished." Additionally, **Rule 422.4.b** clarifies the zone change behavior: "If the Attached card was Detached because the Top-Most Card changed zones from a board zone to a non-board zone, then the location that the Attached Card will Detach to is the last location the Top-Most Card was at before changing from a board zone to a non-board zone." **Summary of the interaction:** 1. **Rebuke** resolves, targeting your unit on the battlefield. 2. The unit is returned to your hand (a non-board zone). 3. The attached gear detaches and remains at the battlefield where the unit was previously located. 4. Per **Rule 435.1**, because the gear is now an un-attached card present at a battlefield, it will be Recalled to your base during the next cleanup.

To answer your question: **No, you do not have to use the effect if you cannot pay the Deflect cost.** Here is the breakdown of how this interaction works based on the rules of Riftbound: ### 1. The Nature of Deflect According to **Rule 735.1.d**, the Deflect keyword imposes a **Mandatory Additional Cost** on any spell or ability that chooses the permanent with Deflect. ### 2. Finalizing the Ability When you attempt to play an ability that targets an enemy unit, you must go through the process of "finalizing" that ability on the chain. This includes choosing your targets and paying all costs associated with the ability (including any mandatory additional costs like Deflect). * **If you cannot pay the cost:** You cannot complete the process of playing the ability. Because you cannot pay the mandatory additional cost required to target that specific unit, you are unable to choose that unit as a target. * **If the ability is mandatory:** If the ability's text says you "must" target a unit, but you cannot pay the Deflect cost to target the only available enemy unit, you simply cannot play the ability. You cannot be forced to perform an action that you cannot legally pay for. ### 3. Summary of the Sequence 1. You attempt to activate your unit's ability. 2. You identify the target (the enemy unit with Deflect). 3. The game checks for mandatory additional costs. It identifies the Deflect cost. 4. You check your available Power. 5. **If you have the Power:** You pay the cost, the ability is placed on the chain, and it targets the unit. 6. **If you do not have the Power:** You cannot pay the mandatory additional cost. Therefore, you cannot choose that unit as a target. Since you cannot choose a legal target, you cannot play the ability. **In short:** You are never forced to pay a cost you cannot afford. If the only legal target for a mandatory effect is protected by Deflect and you cannot pay the Deflect cost, you are effectively prevented from playing that ability.

Ruling: Yes, you can conquer the battlefield this way if you haven't already scored it this turn, provided you are the only player controlling units there at the end of the non-combat showdown. Sequence: - The combat showdown at battlefield 2 must end first (both players pass with focus in open state) - Then the non-combat showdown occurs at battlefield 1 - If you are the only player with units at battlefield 1 when that showdown ends, you conquer it Nuances: - Your opponent could potentially remove the unit you played Ride The Wind on during the non-combat showdown to prevent the conquest - This requires two separate showdown resolution processes: one for the combat showdown, then another for the non-combat showdown

Ruling: You do not gain a point from successfully defending an attack. You only gain a point if you start your turn with a unit on the battlefield (holding it). Nuances: - Defending against a failed attack does not award points - Points are awarded for holding a battlefield at the start of your turn, not for defensive victories

Ruling: Both players must pass focus consecutively without playing anything for combat to resolve and end. After a chain resolves, focus automatically passes back to you, allowing you to play actions even if your unit was killed. Sequence: - Player passes focus - Opponent plays a reaction (like Void Seeker) instead of passing - The chain resolves - Focus automatically returns to the player who passed first - That player can now play actions again - Combat only ends when both players pass focus consecutively Nuances: - This works the same whether you are attacking or defending - Even if your unit is killed and you are no longer contesting the battlefield, combat does not end until both players pass focus

Ruling: You cannot use the Gear's own Equip ability to reattach it (because attached Gear has inactive rules text), but you can reattach it using other effects that move equipment, such as Weaponmaster or Jax's legend ability. Sequence: - When a unit is possessed, you still control any equipment attached to it - The Gear's rules text is inactive while attached, so its Equip ability cannot be activated - You can use external effects (like Weaponmaster or Jax) to move the equipment to another unit you control Nuances: - You still control the equipment even though the unit is possessed - The distinction is between using the Gear's own Equip ability (not allowed) versus using other card effects that reattach equipment (allowed)

Ruling: Yes, you still draw the cards even if Zhonya's saves the targeted unit. Sequence: - Hidden Blade targets a unit and identifies its controller - Zhonya's moves the unit from battlefield to base as a replacement effect - The controller was already identified before the unit moved, so card draw still occurs Nuances: - This is different from Flash and other recall effects, which move the unit before the controller is identified - Hidden Blade doesn't target for card draw; it identifies the controller of the targeted unit and then pays them on resolution - The spell can still find information about the target's controller even after Zhonya's moves the unit because the controller was identified when the unit was targeted

Yes, your unit keeps the +2 Might from **Discipline**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8433** and **FAQ #810**, when a unit is saved by **Guardian Angel**, it never technically "dies." Because **Guardian Angel** functions as a replacement effect, the event of the unit "dying" is replaced by the unit being healed, exhausted, and recalled to your base. Because the unit never leaves the board (it moves only between board zones—from the battlefield to your base), it retains all of its current status, including: * Attached equipment * Buffs (including +2 Might from **Discipline**) * Damage (which is healed by the **Guardian Angel** effect) * Exhausted status (the unit becomes exhausted as part of the **Guardian Angel** resolution) As noted in **RiftJudge FAQ #810**, "until end of turn" effects like **Discipline** are preserved because the unit is never sent to the trash and thus does not lose its active effects.

Ruling: Yes, you will score before your unit loses its Assault bonus and dies. The attacker designation (and thus the Assault bonus) is not removed until combat ends as the very last step, which occurs after determining the combat result and establishing control. Sequence: - Combat damage is dealt and Ruined Rex is killed - Ruined Rex's Deathknell resolves via FEPR, dealing damage to your unit (which still has Assault active) - Combat result is determined - your unit survived, so you win - Control is established and you score from Conquer - Combat ends and attacker designation is removed (Rule 461.7.a) - Only now does your unit lose Assault; if the marked damage is now lethal, the unit dies Nuances: - The Assault bonus remains active throughout result determination and scoring because the attacker designation persists until Rule 461.7.a executes - Death from losing the Assault bonus occurs after scoring is complete

Ruling: Yes. When Temporary triggers during your Beginning Phase, the Deathknell ability is added to the chain as a pending item before the unit moves to the trash. Because a pending item exists on the chain, the game is in a Closed State, not an Open State. Battlefields only become uncontrolled during an Open State, so you retain control until the Deathknell resolves and you can play a unit to that battlefield. Sequence: - Temporary triggers at the start of your Beginning Phase, creating a chain - Temporary resolves, issuing a Kill instruction - Deathknell triggers and is added to the chain as a pending item - The unit moves to the trash and cleanup occurs - The battlefield does not become uncontrolled because the game is in a Closed State (pending item on chain) - Deathknell resolves, allowing you to play a unit to the battlefield - You retain control and can Hold and Score Nuances: - Rule 323.6 only causes battlefields to become uncontrolled during an Open State (no chain exists) - A Neutral Closed state exists when there is no Showdown or Combat but a chain does exist - Pending items are on the chain, preventing the Open State condition

Yes, you still get the draw from **The Dreaming Tree**. According to the established ruling for this interaction (RiftJudge FAQ #8781): 1. **The Dreaming Tree** triggers the moment you play a spell that targets a friendly unit at that location. This trigger is placed on the chain *above* the spell you just played. 2. If your opponent plays a card like **Defy** to counter your spell, that counter effect is placed on the chain *above* the draw trigger. 3. When the chain resolves (Last-In, First-Out): * The counter resolves first, negating your spell. * **The Dreaming Tree** draw trigger resolves next, allowing you to draw your card. Because the draw trigger is added to the chain the moment the spell is played, it remains on the chain and resolves regardless of whether the original spell is countered.

Yes, the effect will still activate. According to **Rule 187.6.b**, when a battlefield is uncontrolled, its abilities are also uncontrolled. The turn player takes responsibility for adding the ability to the chain and is treated as its controller for the purpose of the effect. As stated in the rule's example: > "Example: The Arena’s Greatest is a battlefield that reads 'At the start of each player's first Beginning Phase, that player gains 1 point.' This ability will usually trigger while the battlefield has no controller. If it does, the Turn Player goes through the steps of adding the ability to the chain and receives priority after doing so, exactly as if they controlled the ability."

Ruling: No, the surviving unit takes no damage. When a unit dies before Dragon's Rage resolves, it has 0 might (or null), so there is no damage to deal. Nuances: - The rule allowing effects to "look back" at a unit's last known information only applies to the spell/effect that caused the zone change, not to other effects resolving afterward - Hidden Blade can look back to find the unit's controller because it caused the death, but Dragon's Rage cannot look back to find the unit's might because it didn't cause the death

Ruling: No, the spell does not affect the remaining target. If a spell specifies that targets must be on the "same battlefield," both units must be present at resolution for the spell to have any effect. Sequence: - When the spell is played, both targets must be on the same battlefield to enter the chain - At resolution, both targets must still be on the same battlefield - If one target is no longer present, the spell has no effect on the remaining target Nuances: - Riftbound does not have "fizzling" as a mechanic, but spells with "same battlefield" requirements still fail to resolve if the condition is not met - The key distinction is the "same battlefield" text on the card, which creates an ongoing requirement at resolution

Ruling: The Combat Damage Step is skipped if units remain on only one side. The step only occurs if both Attacking and Defending units remain at the location. Nuances: - The clarifying sub-rule stating "if neither Attacking Units nor Defending Units remain" only addresses the edge case where both sides have zero units, which is already covered by the parent rule requiring both sides to have units - The clarifying sub-rule is unnecessary but was added to clarify how the rule works compared to a previous version

Yes, the Deathknell unit's effect will trigger twice. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #5353**, when Karthus and another unit with Deathknell die at the same time, the Deathknell unit's effect still triggers twice. This is because Karthus's ability is a **passive ability**, not a triggered ability. Because it is a passive, it does not need to "evaluate" its own trigger condition at the moment of death; it simply applies its effect to the game state. Therefore, even though Karthus is leaving the board at the same time as the other unit, his effect remains active for that simultaneous event. **Summary of the interaction:** 1. **Falling Star** resolves, dealing lethal damage to both Karthus and the other unit. 2. Both units are killed simultaneously. 3. Because Karthus's passive ability ("Your Deathknell effects trigger an additional time") is active at the moment of death, the other unit's Deathknell triggers once for its own death, plus one additional time due to Karthus.

Ruling: Darius will untap in both cases. Darius's ability triggers when a spell is played and goes on the chain regardless of whether Mageseeker is present. By the time Darius's trigger resolves, Mageseeker will already be dead from cleanup. Sequence: - Damage/kill spell resolves (marking damage or killing Mageseeker directly) - Darius's trigger sees the played spell and goes onto the chain as pending - Cleanup begins from the spell resolving - During cleanup, Mageseeker dies (either from marked damage in step 2, or already dead from kill effect) - Darius's trigger is finalized during cleanup (step 8) - Darius's trigger eventually resolves with no Mageseeker present, allowing Darius to untap Nuances: - Mageseeker doesn't prevent these effects from entering the chain; it only causes them to resolve with no effect if Mageseeker is still present when they resolve - The only difference between the damage spell and kill spell scenarios is when Mageseeker dies: damage spells mark damage that kills during cleanup step 2, while kill spells destroy the unit as part of the ability resolving - Even if Mageseeker were present when Darius's ability resolves, Darius would still get +2 Might

Ruling: No token is created. When Sprite Mother is returned to hand before her ability resolves, she is no longer at a location where a token can be played, so the ability creates no token. Nuances: - If Sprite Mother is moved to a different battlefield location after her ability triggers but before it resolves, the token will be created at the new location - The ability doesn't target, so it's not a mistargeting issue - the "here" reference simply means the token can only be created where Mother currently is when the ability resolves - If the ability didn't reference "here" and instead targeted a battlefield or had other location text, it could resolve even with Mother in hand

Based on the rules and FAQs for *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* and *Ravenbloom Student*, your student will end up at **2 Might**. ### Ruling When *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* reduces a unit's Might, it does not create a static "lock" at 1 Might. Instead, it "snapshots" the amount it reduced the unit's Might by at the time the effect resolves and applies that as a modifier for the rest of the turn. When your *Ravenbloom Student* buffs itself by playing a spell, that buff is added to its current Might value (which includes the snapshot modifier). ### Sequence 1. **Watcher Resolution:** Your 2-Might *Ravenbloom Student* is affected by *Thousand-Tailed Watcher*. The ability calculates the reduction (2 Might - 3 Might = -1 Might). Because the Might cannot go below 1, the result is 1. The game "snapshots" this as a **-1 Might modifier** for the rest of the turn. 2. **Spell Played:** You play a spell. 3. **Ability Trigger:** *Ravenbloom Student*'s ability triggers and adds +1 Might to its current Might value. 4. **Final Calculation:** 1 (current Might) + 1 (self-buff) = **2 Might**. This interpretation is consistent with several RiftJudge FAQs regarding *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* (e.g., FAQ #5538, #8027, #8931), which clarify that subsequent Might increases are applied normally to the modified value.

Your Ravenbloom Student will be at **2 might**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #5538**, when a unit buffs itself, the buff is added to its current might value (which already includes any reductions from effects like Thousand-Tailed Watcher). ### Sequence of events: 1. **Thousand-Tailed Watcher** is played. Its triggered ability resolves, reducing your Ravenbloom Student's might from 2 to 1 (2 - 3 = -1, capped at a minimum of 1). The effect "snapshots" this reduction as a -1 might modifier for the rest of the turn. 2. **You play a spell.** 3. **Ravenbloom Student's ability** triggers and adds +1 might to its current total. 4. **Calculation:** Your unit's current might (1) + the self-buff (+1) = **2 might**.

Yes, the passive ability of **Elder Dragon** still goes through even if it is stunned by **Vex, Apathetic**. ### Reasoning 1. **Passive Abilities and Stun:** According to **Rule 423.1.b**, a stunned unit cannot contribute its might to combat damage; however, being stunned does not turn off a unit's passive abilities. Passive abilities remain active unless the unit is removed from the board or a specific effect disables them. 2. **Timing of the Interaction:** * **Dazzling Aurora** plays the **Elder Dragon**. * **Vex, Apathetic's** triggered ability ("When an opponent plays a unit...") is added to the chain because the opponent played a unit while Vex is at a battlefield. * Elder Dragon's "When you play me" ability is also added to the chain. * The chain resolves, and Vex's ability stuns the Elder Dragon. * **Elder Dragon remains on the battlefield** throughout this process. Because it is still on the board, its passive ability ("Any amount of your damage is enough to kill enemy units") remains active. 3. **Passive Application:** The Elder Dragon's passive ability is not a combat action that is restricted by the stunned state. It is a continuous modification to the rules of how damage works for its controller's units. **Summary:** The stun prevents the Elder Dragon from contributing its 10 Might during the Combat Damage Step, but it does not deactivate its passive ability. Any damage dealt by the opponent's other units while the Elder Dragon is on the board will still be lethal to your units.

No, you cannot. You must play your hidden card **before** *Unchecked Power* resolves. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #7958**, the window to play a hidden card as a reaction exists while *Unchecked Power* is on the chain, before it resolves. Once *Unchecked Power* resolves and deals its damage, there is no further opportunity to react until a new chain begins. If your units die from that damage, you have missed your window to act. Here is the sequence of the game state: 1. **Chain Starts:** Your opponent plays *Unchecked Power*. It goes on the chain. 2. **Reaction Window:** You have priority to play a reaction. This is your opportunity to flip your hidden card. If you do, it will be on the board when *Unchecked Power* resolves and will be subject to its damage (12 damage). 3. **Resolution:** If no further reactions are added, the chain resolves (LIFO). *Unchecked Power* deals 12 damage to all units. 4. **Combat Cleanup:** Any units that took lethal damage are sent to the trash. 5. **No Post-Damage Window:** There is no window to play a hidden card after the damage has already resolved and potentially cleared the battlefield. If you wait until after the damage resolves, your window has closed. This is consistent with **Rule 358.3**, which governs the legality of playing cards based on timing and state. You cannot use a hidden card to "dodge" the damage of a spell that is already resolving.

To answer your question directly: **No, you do not draw 2 cards.** When your opponent plays *Hidden Blade*, it targets your unit at a battlefield. When you respond with *Star-Crossed*, the chain resolves in reverse (Last-In, First-Out). Because *Star-Crossed* removes your unit from the battlefield (returning it to hand) before *Hidden Blade* attempts to resolve, your unit is no longer a valid target for *Hidden Blade*. ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Opponent plays *Hidden Blade***, targeting your unit at a battlefield. It is added to the chain. 2. **You play *Star-Crossed*** in response, targeting your unit and an opponent's unit. It is added to the top of the chain. 3. **Chain Resolution (LIFO):** * ***Star-Crossed* resolves first**: Your unit and the opponent's unit are returned to their owners' hands. * ***Hidden Blade* attempts to resolve**: It checks for its target at the battlefield. Because your unit has been returned to your hand, it is no longer a legal target at a battlefield. 4. **Result**: Per the rulings on *Hidden Blade* (see **RiftJudge FAQ #5879** and **#9309**), if the target is no longer at the battlefield when *Hidden Blade* resolves, the spell cannot identify "its controller," and the entire draw effect fails. No cards are drawn. This interpretation is consistent with Rule 359.3.e.12, which states that if a target becomes illegal or changes location such that information like "its controller" cannot be determined, that check returns "null," and the resulting instruction is ignored.

Ruling: No, you cannot play Gust while combat is still contested after Deathknell resolves. Combat must proceed through its resolution steps first. Sequence: - Deathknell resolves (assuming no abilities trigger from its resolution) - Combat immediately proceeds with the last part of combat resolution step before closing - If units from different players remain, a second combat opens where you can play Gust when you get focus - If only one player's units remain and that player gains control (and hasn't scored yet), they conquer the battlefield - You can only play Gust in response to conquest triggers, or after you get priority later Nuances: - You cannot proceed to the next combat step while the turn is in a closed state (chain not empty) - If someone played a unit with reaction in response to Deathknell before it resolved, and units from different players remain, a second combat opens with the same attacker and defender - Deathknell doesn't cause special cleanup; it is finalized by the combat cleanup

Ruling: When assigning damage during combat, you only need to assign enough damage to reach lethal when combined with damage already on the unit. You do not need to assign full lethal damage if the unit already has damage that hasn't been healed. Sequence: - Spell effect (Flurry of Blades) deals 1 damage to each unit - During combat damage assignment, the attacker can assign 1 damage to the 2 might unit (bringing it to 2 total damage, which is lethal) and 3 damage to the 4 might unit Nuances: - This only applies if the damage has not been healed yet

Yes, you can react to *Pyke, Dockside Butcher* with *Gust* after it is played from hidden, but there is a nuance regarding the timing of the Might buff. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #11017** and the mechanics of playing from hidden: ### The Sequence 1. **Playing Pyke:** Your opponent plays *Pyke, Dockside Butcher* from Hidden. The unit enters the battlefield. 2. **Triggered Ability:** If they paid the additional cost ([C]), *Pyke's* "When you play me" triggered ability is placed on the chain to grant him +2 [S] (Might) and ready him. 3. **Reaction Window:** Because there is an item on the chain (the triggered ability), the game state is **Closed**, creating a window for you to play [Reaction] speed cards like *Gust*. 4. **Reaction:** You play *Gust* targeting *Pyke*. *Gust* is placed on the chain *on top of* the *Pyke* trigger. ### Resolution (LIFO) According to **Rule 404.1** and the standard LIFO (Last-In, First-Out) resolution flow: 1. **Gust resolves first:** *Gust* checks the target. If *Pyke* currently has 3 Might or less, he is returned to his owner's hand. 2. **Pyke's trigger resolves:** *Pyke's* ability attempts to resolve, but because *Pyke* is no longer on the battlefield, the ability fails to find its target/source and does not grant the +2 [S] or ready him. ### Important Note on Might If you play *Gust*, note that *Gust* can only return a unit with **3 Might or less**. *Pyke, Dockside Butcher* enters the board with 2 Might. If his triggered ability had already resolved, he would have 4 Might (2 base + 2 from ability), making him an illegal target for *Gust*. However, because the trigger uses the chain, you gain a priority window to play *Gust* **before** that trigger resolves. As long as you play *Gust* while *Pyke* is still at his base Might (2), he is a legal target and will be returned to the hand before he ever receives the buff.

Ruling: Yes, Draven gets a point. Combat consists of three steps (Showdown, Combat Damage, Resolution), and "winning combat" means only your units remain after combat ends, regardless of whether combat damage was dealt. Sequence: - Combat showdown begins when Draven attacks into Reaver's Row - Attacker and Defender statuses are applied at the beginning of combat showdown - Opponent's unit is retreated via Reaver's Row - Combat damage step is skipped (no defending units) - At end of combat, only your units remain, so you win combat - Draven's ability triggers Nuances: - Winning combat does not require dealing combat damage - it only requires that only your units remain after combat ends - The same logic applies if you kill an attacking or defending unit with a spell during combat showdown (like Hidden Blade) - as long as only your units remain at the end, you win combat - Glorious Executioner's text clarifies this interpretation with similar templating