Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

No, **Pirate's Haven** does not activate if a unit enters ready. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #6918** and **FAQ #9115**, Pirate's Haven only triggers when a unit is **readied**, which is defined as the specific game action of transitioning a unit from an exhausted state to a ready state (Rule 415). Units that **enter** play already ready, or units that transition to ready via the **Accelerate** keyword, do not trigger the effect because they are not undergoing the action of "readying" from an exhausted state.

No, units do not exhaust when recalled due to a tie in combat. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #7084**, recalls do not change the state of a permanent unless specified; the unit maintains its current ready or exhausted state. Furthermore, **RiftJudge FAQ #3001** clarifies that a unit only recalls exhausted if the effect specifically states to "recall exhausted." When combat ends in a tie (both players have units remaining at the battlefield): 1. **Combat Cleanup** occurs. 2. All units are healed. 3. The attacking units are recalled to their controller's base. 4. The units retain their ready/exhausted status from before the recall. If a unit was exhausted before the combat, it remains exhausted upon being recalled to the base. If it was ready, it remains ready.

No, a unit with existing damage counters will not die simply because *Imperial Decree* is played. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8633**, *Imperial Decree* only kills units that **take damage** after the card resolves. It does not look back in time to kill units that were already damaged before the effect became active. Here is the breakdown of how this works: * **"Takes damage" refers to the event:** The trigger condition for *Imperial Decree* is the event of receiving damage, not the state of being damaged. * **No retroactive effect:** If a unit already has damage counters on it when *Imperial Decree* resolves, it has not "taken damage" while the effect was active, so the trigger does not fire for that unit. * **Future damage:** If that same unit takes *additional* damage while *Imperial Decree* is active, the trigger will fire at that time, and the unit will be killed. This is also supported by **RiftJudge FAQ #2873**, which clarifies that *Imperial Decree* does not look back in time to kill units that were previously damaged.

Yes, you can absolutely do this. In Riftbound, chains do not resolve all at once; instead, they resolve one item at a time, and players have opportunities to add new reactions to the chain between each resolution. ### How it works: 1. **Chain Resolution:** When a chain is resolving, the top item resolves first. 2. **Priority Window:** After an item resolves, the chain is not yet empty. Before the next item on the chain resolves, both players are given a new opportunity to play reactions. 3. **Playing New Cards:** If a card effect (like *Discipline*) causes you to draw a card (like *Defy*) mid-resolution, you are free to play that newly drawn card as a reaction to the remaining items on the chain once you receive priority. ### The Sequence: * **Chain is built:** Multiple items (including *Discipline*) are on the chain. * **Resolution:** The top item resolves. * **Priority:** After that item resolves, priority is passed. If you draw a card from that resolution, you can now play it as a reaction to the next item on the chain. * **Adding to the Chain:** You add your new reaction (e.g., *Defy*) to the top of the chain. * **New Resolution:** The chain now resolves your new reaction first, before moving on to the previous items. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #7449**: "Players can play reactions during chain resolution, not just before it starts. After each chain item resolves, if more items remain on the chain, priority goes to the controller of the next chain item, and both players can add new reactions before the next item resolves." This process repeats until the chain is empty. You do not have to wait for the entire chain to finish resolving to play a card you just drew.

Ruling: You win because you've scored on all battlefields that same turn, so you can earn the 8th point by conquering. Nuances: - Awakening at 6 points and holding one battlefield for +1 point in Beginning phase puts you at 7 points before conquering the second battlefield - Conquering the second battlefield the same turn allows you to reach 8 points and win rather than draw

No, you do not get the full effect of **Baited Hook** if **Soraka, Wanderer** saves the unit. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8203** and **Rule 359.3.e.12**, because **Baited Hook** references "the killed unit" to determine the maximum might of the unit you can play, no kill game action occurring means there is no "killed unit" to reference. Here is the sequence: 1. **Baited Hook** is activated, targeting a friendly unit. 2. **Soraka, Wanderer's** replacement effect intercedes during resolution, replacing the "kill" action with "heal, exhaust, and recall." 3. Because the unit was not sent to the trash (it was recalled instead), it was not "killed" (see Rule 415.2). 4. **Baited Hook** looks for the might value of the "killed unit." Since no unit was killed, that check returns a null value. 5. You look at the top 5 cards of your main deck, but you are unable to play any of them because you cannot satisfy the "might up to 1 more than the killed unit" requirement. 6. You recycle all 5 cards. In summary, you still perform the action of looking at 5 cards, but you cannot play a unit from them because the "killed unit" reference fails.

Ruling: Yes, the opponent still draws. Dreaming Tree triggers when the spell that targets the unit is added to the chain, which happens before Defy can be played. Sequence: - Spell targeting unit at Dreaming Tree is added to the chain - Dreaming Tree triggers and opponent draws - Defy can now be played to negate the spell Nuances: - "When played" effects don't trigger until after a spell resolves (played = resolves) - Defy negates "when played" interactions but does not negate the targeting that occurred when the spell was added to the chain

Yes, the unit remains **ready**. According to the official FAQ for **Fight or Flight**, when a spell or effect instructs you to move a unit, you only perform the actions specified by that card. Unlike a **Standard Move** (Rule 143.2), which requires exhausting the unit as a cost to move, movement caused by a card effect is "free" and does not implicitly exhaust the unit. Since **Fight or Flight** does not state that the unit becomes exhausted, it arrives at the base in the same state it was in at the battlefield. If it was ready, it stays ready.

No, you cannot activate **Sun Disc** in that window. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 2075)**, **Sun Disc** is not a reaction and cannot be activated after a spell has been played and is in the process of resolving (or triggering its effects). You must activate **Sun Disc** *before* playing the spell that triggers the Phoenix. ### The Reasoning: 1. **Timing Restrictions:** **Sun Disc** has an activated ability. Activated abilities of gear/units are limited to your Main Phase during an **Open State** (Rule 145.2). When **Hidden Blade** is played, the game state becomes **Closed** (a chain is created). You cannot activate **Sun Disc** while the chain exists or while **Hidden Blade** is resolving. 2. **Triggering Immortal Phoenix:** As established in **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 2182)** and **Rule 376.2.c.1**, **Immortal Phoenix**'s triggered ability only enters the chain *after* **Hidden Blade** has fully resolved and left the chain. 3. **The Window:** There is no point after **Hidden Blade** starts resolving where you regain the **Open State** necessary to activate **Sun Disc** before the game checks for and places the **Immortal Phoenix** trigger on the chain. ### Correct Sequence for Sun Disc: To use **Sun Disc** to make a unit enter ready, you must follow this order during your Main Phase: 1. **Play a different card:** You must finalize another card first to satisfy the *Legion* requirement (FAQ #9805). 2. **Activate Sun Disc:** Exhaust **Sun Disc** while the state is **Open**. 3. **Play your spell/unit:** Now that the effect is active, proceed with your turn. If you play **Hidden Blade** to kill an enemy unit, and your **Immortal Phoenix** is in the trash, its trigger will be handled after the spell resolves.

Yes, you can summon Immortal Phoenix after Hidden Blade resolves. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 2182)** and **Rule 376.2.c.1**, this interaction works because the Phoenix is moved to the trash during the resolution of the spell, and its trigger condition is evaluated immediately after the spell finishes resolving. ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Play Hidden Blade:** You play Hidden Blade targeting your own Immortal Phoenix. 2. **Hidden Blade Resolves:** * The kill effect executes: Immortal Phoenix is moved from the battlefield to the trash (Rule 415.1). * You draw 2 cards. * Hidden Blade finishes resolving and leaves the chain. 3. **Trigger Check:** The game checks for triggered abilities. Since a unit was killed by a spell and Immortal Phoenix is now in the trash, its triggered ability ("When you kill a unit with a spell...") is now eligible to be put on the chain. 4. **Summon Phoenix:** You place the Phoenix's triggered ability on the chain. Once it resolves, you may pay the required cost ({1} Energy and {1} Fury Power) to play the Immortal Phoenix from your trash. **Relevant Rule:** > **Rule 376.2.c.1:** "If a Game Object with a Triggered Ability that is active in a specific zone, it is evaluated and subsequently triggered if it enters that zone at the same time that its Trigger’s condition is met. Example: Immortal Phoenix... This ability triggers if Immortal Phoenix is in your trash immediately after you kill a unit with a spell, even if the unit you killed with a spell was that Immortal Phoenix."

To answer your question directly: **No, Hidden Blade does not channel a rune.** According to the text of the card, **Hidden Blade** only has two instructions: "Kill a unit at a battlefield" and "Its controller draws 2." It does not contain an instruction to channel a rune. Regarding your interaction (Hidden Blading your own unit and recalling it): 1. **If you recall your unit *before* Hidden Blade resolves:** Per **RiftJudge FAQ #2058** and **#3700**, when Hidden Blade resolves, it looks for its target at a battlefield. If the unit is no longer at a battlefield (because you recalled it), the target is invalid. As a result, Hidden Blade cannot determine "its controller," and the draw effect **will not happen**. 2. **If you use a death-prevention ability (like Zhonya's/Hourglass) during resolution:** Per **RiftJudge FAQ #10456**, if the unit remains on the battlefield as a result of a replacement effect during resolution, it is still considered a valid target, and the controller **will draw 2 cards**. In neither scenario does Hidden Blade trigger a "channel" effect, as that is not part of the card's text. If you have another card in mind that you believe causes you to channel, please provide its name so I can help verify that interaction!

Ruling: No. Effects that check a card's cost always use its base (printed) cost, not the total cost paid. Defy would still be able to counter a Repeated Missile Barrage because it checks the base cost of 4 Energy + 1 Mind. Nuances: - This principle applies to all cards that look at costs - they always reference the printed cost, not what was actually paid

Ruling: No, you do not score if you Ride the Wind out and back into the same combat. You only score by conquering when you gain control of a battlefield you did not control before the combat started. Sequence: - When you Ride the Wind out of a contested battlefield, you still control it as the defender until the end of combat - If you Ride the Wind back into the same ongoing combat and win, you have successfully defended but won't score because you already controlled the battlefield - To score after losing control, you must wait for the current combat to end (letting opponent conquer), then start a new combat and win it Nuances: - Surprise defense (RTW into an empty battlefield being contested) does score if you win, because you didn't control the battlefield at the start of combat - Since Ride the Wind is an action, you can only play another one if your opponent starts a new showdown or activates a reactable effect after the first combat ends - Scoring via conquest requires gaining control you did not have before, not maintaining control you already had

Yes, all **Deathknell** effects will still trigger twice (the base trigger plus one additional trigger from Karthus). According to multiple **RiftJudge FAQs (including #9028, #9711, and #10162)**, this interaction occurs because Karthus, Eternal's ability ("Your [Deathknell] effects trigger an additional time") is a **passive ability**, not a triggered ability. ### Why this happens: 1. **Passive vs. Triggered:** Because Karthus's ability is 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 as long as Karthus is on the board. 2. **Simultaneous Events:** When Karthus and other units with Deathknell are killed simultaneously (such as from a board wipe like *Ruination*), Karthus's passive effect is still considered active at the exact moment the other units' Deathknell triggers are created. 3. **Result:** Each unit with a Deathknell effect will trigger once for its own death, plus one additional time due to Karthus's passive ability. This is distinct from triggered abilities (which would fail to trigger if their source was removed from the board at the same time the trigger condition was met); because Karthus provides a passive modifier, he successfully doubles the Deathknell triggers even while he is being killed by the same effect.

If you play **Sacrifice** as a reaction to an opponent's **Hidden Blade**, you will **not** draw 4 cards. You will only draw the 2 cards granted by the resolution of **Sacrifice**. Here is the breakdown of why this happens: ### The Sequence 1. **Opponent plays Hidden Blade:** They target your unit and place it on the chain. 2. **You react with Sacrifice:** You pay the cost by killing your own unit (the same one targeted by Hidden Blade). 3. **Sacrifice resolves:** You draw 2 cards and channel 1 rune exhausted. 4. **Hidden Blade attempts to resolve:** It checks its target. Because your unit was already killed by the resolution of Sacrifice, it is no longer at the battlefield. ### Why you don't draw 4 * **Hidden Blade's Draw:** According to RiftJudge FAQ #3700, if you kill your own unit in response to an opponent's **Hidden Blade**, the opponent's **Hidden Blade** loses its valid target. Because the unit no longer exists at the battlefield, the game cannot determine its controller, and the draw effect of the opponent's **Hidden Blade** fails to trigger. * **Sacrifice's Draw:** You successfully resolve **Sacrifice**, which grants you its own draw of 2 cards. **Summary:** You get the 2 cards from your **Sacrifice**, but your opponent gets 0 cards from their **Hidden Blade** because their spell's target was removed before it could resolve.

Ruling: No, you do not get the 8th point. You can score at most once per battlefield per turn. Nuances: - Scoring includes both conquering and holding - If you already held a battlefield this turn, you cannot conquer it - You cannot score twice from the same battlefield in one turn

Ruling: No, you do not draw a card if you cannot channel. You simply do not channel at all. Nuances: - Some learn-to-play videos incorrectly showed this rule, but it was a mistake - Ramp spells that draw cards when you can't channel may create confusion, as they seem like reminder text for channeling, but this is not how the base channeling rule works

Ruling: You win immediately. When you are at 6 points and holding both battlefields at the start of your turn, you score 2 points and win with 8 points. Sequence: - Start your turn at 6 points while holding both battlefields - Score 2 points for holding both battlefields - Reach 8 points and win immediately

Ruling: No, this does not give you the winning point. To win through conquer, you must score both battlefields during your own turn, not during your opponent's turn. Nuances: - Time Warp (if played from Promising Future) resolves completely before the showdown begins - The extra turn from Time Warp is added after the end of the current turn, so the showdown proceeds as normal first

Ruling: No, you do not win immediately by using Ride the Wind to conquer a battlefield on your opponent's turn. You need to score both battlefields during the scoring phase to reach 8 points and win. Nuances: - You will still draw a card from conquering the battlefield with Ride the Wind, even though you don't score the point immediately.

Yes, you must complete the first combat entirely before the second combat can begin. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #5896**, you cannot have two simultaneous combats; the active showdown continues until its combat damage step completes. Only after the first showdown ends can the new combat at the second battlefield begin. Here is the breakdown of how the sequence works: ### 1. The Sequence of Events * **Active Combat:** You are currently in a combat showdown at "Battlefield A." This combat is the active, ongoing event. * **Playing Rengar:** Because **Rengar, Pouncing** has the **[Reaction]** keyword, you can play him at reaction speed during the "Closed State" of that active combat (Rule 739.3.a, FAQ #8779). * **Staging the Second Combat:** When you play Rengar to "Battlefield B" (a battlefield you are attacking), you move him there. This creates a "Staged" combat (Rule 456). * **Completing the First Combat:** The game forces the current active combat at "Battlefield A" to proceed through all its steps (including the combat damage step and combat cleanup) to completion. * **Initiating the Second Combat:** Only after the first combat ends does the second combat at "Battlefield B" officially initiate. ### 2. Playing Spells Regarding your question about playing spells on the second battlefield while still in the first: * **While the First Combat is Active:** You are in a closed state. You can continue to play **[Reaction]** cards or use triggered abilities (like Rengar's) that are legal to play in that state. You cannot play **[Action]** spells, as those require an "Open State" (when the chain is empty). * **During the Transition:** Once the first combat finishes (cleanup step), there is a brief window where the game returns to an "Open State" before the second combat initiates. In this window, you have the opportunity to play **[Action]** spells. * **Once the Second Combat Initiates:** Once the second combat begins, you are in a new "Closed State" (or a new showdown window). You are restricted to playing **[Reaction]** cards again until that chain clears and the state opens. *** **Important Note:** Because the first combat must complete entirely before the second begins, any "this combat" effects or damage marked on units from the first battle will be cleared during the first combat's cleanup step (as per the Showdown Flow in your instructions). Those effects will not persist into the second combat.

Ruling: Revealing cards does not cause a Burn Out. You reveal as many cards as possible (in this case, 1 card) and do not Burn Out, even if your deck becomes empty during the reveal process. Sequence: - You attempt to reveal 5 cards but only have 1 (Nocturne) - You reveal the 1 card available - If Nocturne is revealed, you banish it and it remains pending - Complete the rest of the effect (dealing 0 damage if this was Teemo) - Play Nocturne - No Burn Out occurs Nuances: - Revealing is not defined as "reveal 1 card N times" (unlike drawing, which is defined as "draw 1 N times") - Revealing takes place simultaneously for all cards, not one at a time - Burn Out only occurs when drawing cards, not when revealing them - This ruling is based on rules as written (RAW) and may be subject to future clarification

Ruling: Yes, if both the attacking and defending units remain on the battlefield at the end of a combat showdown, it is considered a tie and attackers are recalled to base (this is not a move). Nuances: - This applies even when attacking stunned units where damage is dealt but neither unit is destroyed

Ruling: If you move a unit to an unoccupied battlefield, a showdown (not a combat) begins and you are not considered an attacker. You can still play Cleave to target a unit since it only requires "a unit" as a target, but the unit won't get the +3 Might from Assault because they are not an attacker. Sequence: - Moving to an empty battlefield triggers a showdown, not a combat - Your unit is not an attacker in a showdown - Cleave can still be played on any unit (legal target) - The unit gains Assault until end of turn - If that unit later becomes an attacker in combat during the same turn, they will get the +3 Might from Assault Nuances: - If you move to an occupied battlefield and the opponent flashes their units away mid-combat, you still complete the full combat process and your units remain attackers with the Assault bonus until end of combat - Cleave does not help you play around Gust when moving to an empty battlefield because you won't be an attacker and won't get the +3 Might

Ruling: Yes, you can move another unit to the same battlefield on the same turn. If none of your attacking units survived, you haven't conquered it yet, so you can move to that battlefield again and start another combat to try and conquer it. Nuances: - If one of your attacking units survived and you've already conquered the battlefield, you can't conquer it again (but you can still move units there) - You can only score a battlefield once per turn - if you conquer, retreat to base, then move back to the same battlefield, you don't score again - The restriction is only about your ability to score, not about moving to or fighting at the battlefield

Ruling: Yes, the unit gets +1 from Back-Alley Bar when returned to base by Fight or Flight. Back-Alley Bar does not use the word "you" in its text, so control of the battlefield does not matter for its ability to trigger. Nuances: - Under the new rules update, battlefield abilities that use the word "you" require the player moving the unit to have control of that battlefield for the ability to trigger - Back-Alley Bar specifically does not use "you" in its wording, so it triggers regardless of who controls it - This is different from cards like Dreaming Tree which were errata'd specifically because they use "you" and the control requirement changed their functionality

Ruling: Yes, if Tideturner is at the other battlefield, flipping it will save the unit from Hidden Blade. When Hidden Blade is hidden, it gains the 'here' tag to its targeting, so when the unit is moved away it's no longer a legal target. Sequence: - Opponent reveals hidden Hidden Blade at the battlefield where your creature is - You flip Tideturner (which is hidden at the other battlefield) at reaction speed - Your creature switches to the other battlefield - Hidden Blade can no longer target the creature because it's not 'here' anymore Nuances: - If Hidden Blade was not hidden, it would still work because the target would still be 'at a battlefield' (the 'here' restriction only applies when hidden) - If Tideturner was at the same battlefield as Hidden Blade, the unit would still be 'here' and targetable, but this scenario isn't possible since you can't both control the same battlefield to hide cards - This same principle applies to other hidden removal like Fight or Flight - they can only target units at the battlefield where they are hidden due to the 'here' restriction gained when hidden

No, you cannot play the unit back to the same battlefield in this situation. According to the card text and established rulings, **Arcane Shift** requires you to target both a friendly unit AND an enemy unit at a battlefield to be played. If you have moved your unit to an empty battlefield, there are no enemy units present at that location for you to target. As stated in FAQ #8655: > "Arcane Shift requires targeting both a friendly unit AND an enemy unit at a battlefield - you cannot play it without valid targets for both. If you have moved your unit to an empty battlefield, there are no enemy units present at that location for you to target." Furthermore, even if you were in a situation where you could legally play the spell (e.g., if there were an enemy unit present), you generally cannot replay a unit to a battlefield you do not control. When you move to an empty battlefield, you are the attacker, and you do not control that battlefield until the showdown is resolved and you have successfully conquered it. As stated in FAQ #8609: > "As the attacker, you do not control that battlefield—the defender does, even while contested. You can only play the unit to your base or to a battlefield you control." Because you do not control the empty battlefield you are attempting to conquer, you cannot play the unit back to that location.

No, casting **Cull the Weak** does not trigger **Deflect**. According to the official rulings for this interaction: * **Deflect** only activates when a spell or ability specifically targets (chooses) the permanent with Deflect (Rule 735.1.c). * **Cull the Weak** does not target. The choice of which unit to kill happens during the resolution of the spell, not when it is played. Because no targeting occurs, Deflect does not trigger.

Ruling: No, you do not draw a card. Noxian Guillotine creates a delayed trigger that kills the unit when it takes damage, so the kill credit goes to Guillotine's delayed trigger, not to Disintegrate. Sequence: - Noxian Guillotine resolves and creates a delayed triggered ability - Disintegrate resolves and deals 3 damage to the unit - The delayed trigger from Guillotine goes on the chain to kill the unit - The delayed trigger resolves and kills the unit Nuances: - Kill instructions work differently than damage for determining kill credit - The rule about damage credit looking back at the last resolved spell does not apply to explicit kill instructions - Disintegrate's text may receive errata in the future which could change this interaction

Ruling: The unit joins the current combat. Nothing is staged when moving a unit to a battlefield where you already have units fighting. Sequence: - Ride the Wind is cast as an action during a showdown - When Ride the Wind resolves, the unit moves to the other battlefield - If you already had units at that battlefield, the moved unit simply joins the current combat - If you didn't have units there, a combat will be staged at that battlefield and will begin when the current showdown closes Nuances: - The player who applied contested status to that battlefield will be the attacker (the player who moved there first) - When moving to an unoccupied battlefield, a showdown or combat is staged depending on whether enemy units are present

Ruling: Yes, the Mind Splitters die. Watcher reduces their might from 7 to 4, and they already have 6 damage marked on them, so they die when their damage meets or exceeds their might. Sequence: - Singularity deals 6 damage to the Mind Splitters (7 might units) - Mind Splitters are now 7 might with 6 damage marked - Watcher is played, reducing their might by 3 - Mind Splitters become 4 might with 6 damage marked - Mind Splitters die because damage (6) exceeds might (4) Nuances: - Damage does not reduce might; it is tracked separately - Watcher's might reduction applies to the unit's current might value, not the damaged value - The "minimum of 1" clause on Watcher does not prevent this interaction because the units start at 7 might

Ruling: Time Warp gives you another turn after your current turn ends, and each turn is taken separately. During overtime, the extra turn from Time Warp counts as one of the total overtime turns, meaning your opponent loses one of their turns in the final turns of the round. Sequence: - Cast Time Warp during your current turn - Continue playing actions, spells, and moves during your current turn (Time Warp does not end your turn immediately) - End your current turn - Take the extra turn granted by Time Warp (this counts as one of the overtime turns) Nuances: - If you cast Time Warp on the 5th overtime turn (the final turn), it does nothing because there are no more turns available - Time Warp is not an end-of-turn effect; it resolves immediately but the extra turn only happens after you end your current turn

Ruling: For every instance of Time Warp that resolves, the player who resolves it queues an extra turn after the current one, regardless of normal turn order. You get both extra turns. Nuances: - This applies even though it would be more efficient to cast the second Time Warp during the first extra turn

Yes, you can still trigger your **Ezreal** legend ability in this scenario. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9631**, **RiftJudge FAQ #8979**, and **RiftJudge FAQ #9463**, the requirement for Ezreal’s legend ability is satisfied the moment you choose your targets and the spell is finalized on the chain, not when the spell successfully resolves. ### Why it works 1. **Finalization vs. Resolution:** When you play a spell, you choose targets as part of the process of finalizing it on the chain. Even if the spell is later countered (e.g., by *Defy*), the act of choosing the target has already been completed and locked in. 2. **Countering:** Per **Rule 425.1.b**, a card that is countered is not considered to have been "played" for effects that require successful resolution (like *Viktor, Innovator*), but the "choosing/targeting" action has already occurred on the chain. 3. **Requirement Satisfaction:** Because Ezreal’s legend ability specifically requires that you have "chosen enemy units and/or gear... with spells," the condition is satisfied the moment the spell finalizes, regardless of whether the spell subsequently resolves or is cleared from the chain by a counter. ### The Sequence 1. **Playing the Spells:** You play two spells, each targeting an enemy unit/gear. 2. **Finalization:** As each spell is finalized on the chain, the choice of target is locked in. This satisfies the "chosen" condition for Ezreal. 3. **Reaction:** Your opponent plays a counter (like *Defy*) to counter the spells. 4. **Resolution:** The counter resolves and removes the spells from the chain. 5. **Activation:** Because you have already completed the "choosing" actions, you may now exhaust your Ezreal legend to activate its ability and draw a card, provided you are in an **Open State** (the chain is empty and you have focus). This is my interpretation based on established **RiftJudge FAQs** regarding targeting mechanics and counter interactions. No official rule chunk explicitly contradicts this behavior.

If Irelia, Fervent is exhausted when you play Ride the Wind, she gains **+2 Might** total. According to the official ruling for this interaction: * **+1 Might** is gained when she is chosen as the target for the spell. * **+1 Might** is gained when she is readied by the spell's effect. **The sequence of events is as follows:** 1. Ride the Wind is played and becomes a pending chain item. 2. Irelia is chosen as the target, triggering her ability (+1 Might). 3. Irelia's ability enters the chain above Ride the Wind and resolves first. 4. Ride the Wind resolves, moving and readying Irelia. 5. Irelia's "ready" trigger adds to the chain as a pending item and resolves (+1 Might). **Nuance:** Irelia must be exhausted beforehand to receive the full +2 bonus, as a unit that is already ready cannot be readied again.

No, you cannot conquer **Forgotten Monument** before your third turn, so it cannot count as a conquer for any triggers. According to the card text of **Forgotten Monument**, "Players can't score here until their third turn." Because "Conquering" is a method of scoring (Rule 464.1), you are prohibited from performing a Conquer action on that battlefield until the condition on the card is met. If you attempt to move a unit to the battlefield before your third turn, you will not be able to score or conquer it, and therefore no "When you conquer" abilities will trigger.

Ruling: You cannot score a battlefield more than once per turn. When you close the second showdown after moving back to a previously scored battlefield, you will not score a point and thus will not conquer. No conquer effects will trigger. Nuances: - Conquering is a type of scoring, not a separate step that happens after scoring - If you conquer but cannot get a point (like when you're at 7 points), you still get conquer effects - If you take control of a battlefield you've already scored that turn, you don't conquer at all, so no effects trigger - You can still win on your 8th point via conquering, as long as you've scored every other battlefield that turn

To determine if you can use a battlefield you "swapped back" to (or revealed) after replacing a **Brush** token, we must look at the rules regarding scoring limitations and how **Brush** functions. ### The Ruling: No You **cannot** use the restored battlefield's conquer or hold effects to score again that turn if you have already scored a battlefield earlier in that same turn. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #2805** and **Rule 465**: * A player may only score a given battlefield **once per turn**, regardless of the method used (Hold or Conquer). * Because conquering is inherently tied to the act of scoring a battlefield (Rule 464.1), you cannot trigger conquest effects if you are unable to score the battlefield. ### Why swapping back doesn't reset the limit: When you use the "Swap Back" ability on a **Brush** token (as described in **RiftJudge FAQ #9912** and **Rule 438.7.b**), the original battlefield is returned to the space, inheriting all current effects and statuses—including the fact that it has already been scored this turn. 1. **Scoring Limit:** If you have already scored by holding or conquering this turn, you have reached your scoring limit for that location. Replacing a token with the original battlefield does not reset this restriction. 2. **Conquering:** Since conquering is a subset of scoring, if you cannot score the battlefield (because you already scored it earlier), you cannot trigger its "When you conquer" effects, even if you just "swapped back" to it. ### Summary If you have already scored a battlefield this turn: * You cannot conquer it again, even after swapping back from a **Brush** token. * You cannot trigger conquest-based effects again. * The game treats the restored battlefield as having already fulfilled the scoring condition for that turn. If you have **not** yet scored that turn, swapping back to your original battlefield would allow you to trigger its effects if you were to conquer it (by taking control and scoring), but once you have scored, you are locked out for the remainder of the turn.

Ruling: Yes, you score the 8th point and win by conquering. You only need to have scored all other battlefields in order to score the final point via conquering - you do not need to maintain control of the previously conquered battlefield. Sequence: - Conquer first battlefield, reaching 7 points - Remove unit from first battlefield (no longer controlling it) - Conquer second battlefield - Score 8th point for conquering both battlefields Nuances: - You do not need to simultaneously control both battlefields, only to have scored them both through conquering

No, you cannot play a unit onto that battlefield after moving your only unit away from it. According to the rules and established FAQs: 1. **Control Requirement:** To play a unit from your hand to a battlefield, you must currently control that battlefield. 2. **Loss of Control:** You maintain control of a battlefield only as long as you have at least one unit present there (Rule 184.4.a). If you move your last unit out of a battlefield, you immediately lose control of it (Rule 184.4.c). 3. **Ruling:** As stated in **RiftJudge FAQ #5737**: "No, you cannot play a new unit into a battlefield if you have no units there. You need to have a unit at the battlefield and be in control of it to play additional units there." **Correct Sequence:** If you wish to replace a unit at a battlefield without losing control, you must play the new unit to that battlefield *first* while the original unit is still present, and only then move the original unit away.

Ruling: No, you cannot score at the same battlefield more than once per turn. If you began your turn with control of a battlefield, you Held it for points, and you cannot conquer it again that turn. Nuances: - There is no conquering without scoring (7 points scores a draw instead of a point) - If you began a turn other than yours with control of a battlefield, left it, and returned during a different showdown, you would score a point for conquering (assuming you won the showdown)

Ruling: No. A hidden unit must be played to the battlefield where it was hidden, and this restriction cannot be overridden by Miss Fortune's ability. Sequence: - When playing a hidden unit, you must play it to the battlefield where it was hidden - Miss Fortune's ability grants permission to play units to open battlefields - The "must" requirement from hidden rules supersedes the "may" permission from Miss Fortune - This applies both to hidden units themselves and to units played via hidden spell effects Nuances: - The restriction is based on "can't beats can" as a broad method of determination - requirements trump permissions - Miss Fortune's ability adds to valid locations for normal units, but cannot override the mandatory restriction on where hidden units must be played - The hidden unit has only one valid location (the battlefield it was hidden at), and this cannot be expanded by other effects - This is not about whether hiding is valid at the new location, but about where a hidden card can be played when revealed

Ruling: No, you cannot ready 2 runes at the end of turn. You cannot score on the same battlefield twice in one turn, and conquering is a form of scoring. Nuances: - You could lose control of the battlefield by simply moving your units away, not just through losing a showdown - This restriction only applies during your own turn; if you lost and regained control during your opponent's turn, the conquer effect could trigger again (though Targon's Peak's specific effect wouldn't be useful in that case)

Ruling: No, you cannot get the conquer effect again. You can only score each battlefield once per turn, and to conquer you must be able to score. Nuances: - Even if you leave and return to a battlefield in the same turn, you cannot trigger conquer effects again if you already scored that battlefield

Ruling: You do not score a conquest point in this scenario because you were already in control of the battlefield when combat started and remained in control at the end. You never lost control. Nuances: - To score a conquest point, you must actually lose control of the battlefield and then regain it - Simply having all your units killed and then bringing in new units while maintaining control throughout does not count as conquering - In the specific scenario with Zenith Blade, the Stormbringer unit would be stunned and likely repel to base if it can't kill the defending unit

Ruling: Yes, a showdown begins when you move a unit to the now-empty battlefield. However, you cannot conquer at that battlefield (for triggers like Qiuana or Candlelit), though you can regain control. Nuances: - The showdown that occurs is not a combat - Rule of thumb: anytime a unit entering a battlefield could change its controller, do a showdown

Ruling: No, you cannot conquer the same battlefield twice in one turn. You can score each battlefield only once per turn, and conquering counts as scoring. Nuances: - Even if the battlefield becomes empty after you've already scored it, you cannot score it again that turn - This applies even if you use a different unit to move onto the battlefield

Ruling: You need to score both battlefields in the same turn to win via conquest. Simply holding one battlefield from your previous turn and conquering another on your opponent's turn does not count, because you must conquer both battlefields in the same turn. Sequence: - You held the first battlefield on your own turn, not your opponent's turn - To win on your opponent's turn, you would need to score both battlefields during that opponent's turn - If you had two Ride the Winds, you could move back and forth to score both battlefields on their turn and win Nuances: - The key requirement is that both conquers must happen in the same turn - Holding a battlefield from a previous turn does not count toward the "both in same turn" requirement

Ruling: If you have a deathknell ability, you can respond to that ability with Zhonya's hidden ability to send Zhonya back to base. Without a deathknell ability, Zhonya will be discarded when you lose the battlefield. Sequence: - Combat damage occurs - If you have a deathknell ability, it triggers - You get priority to respond to the deathknell trigger with Zhonya's hidden ability - Zhonya returns to base - Opponent gains control of the battlefield Nuances: - Deathknell is the only way to get priority in the window after combat damage but before the opponent gains control of the battlefield - Without deathknell, you go straight to the opponent controlling the battlefield without getting a chance to respond - You cannot use other reactions to activate Zhonya's hidden ability in this situation