Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: No, you cannot conquer a battlefield you have already scored (held) during the same turn. Each player can only score each battlefield once per turn. Sequence: - If you hold a battlefield at the beginning of your turn, you score it - If you later retreat and move another unit there, you cannot conquer it again - Combat cleanup only results in a Conquer if that player has not yet scored that battlefield this turn Nuances: - Your opponent scoring a battlefield on your turn does not prevent you from scoring it (unless you already have) - The "once per turn" restriction is per player, not shared between players

Ruling: No, you do not get conquer triggers. Conquering is part of the scoring process, and if you don't score (because you already scored at that battlefield this turn through holding), you don't get conquer triggers. Nuances: - You can only score once per battlefield per turn, and conquering is part of the scoring process - If you're at 7 points and conquer a battlefield for the first time that turn, you still go through the entire scoring process including conquer triggers, even though you draw a card instead of gaining a point - Gaining a point from other sources (not through conquering) while at 7 points does not trigger the card draw replacement effect

Ruling: No, you cannot trigger the conquering ability because conquering is a subset of scoring. If you can't score the battlefield (because you already hold it), you can't get conquer triggers. Nuances: - You can score the same battlefield twice in a game, but not while you already hold it - The same principle applies to abilities as it does to scoring

Ruling: You cannot score a point from a battlefield you already held at the start of the turn, even if you leave and return to it. For the final victory point, a single unit can capture both battlefields sequentially in the same turn - you do not need to maintain control of the first battlefield while capturing the second. Sequence: - If you held a battlefield at turn start, you cannot gain a point from it that turn - A unit can capture battlefield A (scoring a point) - The same unit can then move to battlefield B and capture it (scoring another point) - Other units entering already-captured battlefields that turn do not score additional points Nuances: - You do not need to maintain simultaneous control of both battlefields to win the final victory point - Once a battlefield has been captured for a point in a turn, no additional points can be scored from it that turn by other units

Ruling: You cannot conquer a battlefield if you have already held it that turn. Once you've scored a battlefield by holding it, moving back to it later in the same turn does not trigger conquest effects. Sequence: - If you hold a battlefield at start of turn, you score it - If you then leave the battlefield and return to it later that turn - Even if you win a showdown and gain control, you do not conquer it again - No conquest effects trigger Nuances: - Conquering is a subset of scoring, not a separate mechanic - This applies even if the battlefield changes control between when you held it and when you return (e.g., through active defender mechanics)

Ruling: You can only score a given battlefield once per turn, regardless of whether you hold or conquer it. If you already scored a battlefield by holding it, you cannot conquer it again that turn. Nuances: - Conquering is part of scoring, so if you cannot score a battlefield (because you already scored it), you cannot conquer it - You will not draw a card from the conquer effect if you already scored that battlefield earlier in the turn

Ruling: Yes, you still win. You do not need to maintain control of the battlefield you held at the start of your turn in order to score the winning point from ganking/conquering the second battlefield. Sequence: - At the start of your turn (after readying but before channeling), you hold a battlefield and score point 7 - During your turn, you gank/conquer the opposing battlefield - You score point 8 from the conquest, achieving victory - You do not need to still control the first battlefield when you score point 8 Nuances: - You get points by holding (controlling a battlefield at the start of your turn, after readying everything but before channeling runes) - You do not get points by defending a battlefield you already control - If you are at 6 points and hold one battlefield at the start of your turn, then conquer the second, you also score the 8th point

Ruling: The hidden facedown card is trashed immediately once you lose control of the battlefield (when all units move away). You cannot score a battlefield twice in a turn, even if you held it and then try to retake it. Sequence: - At start of turn, you hold the battlefield and score a point - You move your unit away using ganking - The facedown card is immediately trashed when you lose control - If you move another unit to that battlefield, you do not score another point Nuances: - If you held a battlefield at the start of turn (scoring from holding), then lose control and retake it later that turn, you cannot score again because you already scored from that battlefield this turn - Retaking a battlefield you already scored from this turn does not count as a "conquer" and will not trigger conquer effects

Ruling: You can only gain a point from holding and conquering once per battlefield per turn. If you held a battlefield and left it, then reconquered it in the same turn, you do not get another point. Nuances: - You can score on your opponent's turn

Ruling: No, conquer effects do not trigger. Conquer is a subtype of scoring, so if you cannot score (which you cannot do twice on the same battlefield in one turn), you cannot conquer. Sequence: - You hold the battlefield - You retreat, leaving it empty - You move back into the battlefield - A showdown occurs on re-entry - The move completes but no scoring or conquer effects occur Nuances: - You can only score in each battlefield once per turn - Even at 7 points where "scoring" draws a card instead, you still need that scoring action to occur for conquer effects to trigger

Ruling: You win the game with the 8th point. You only need to score on both battlefields to win, not conquer both battlefields in the same turn. Nuances: - A common misconception is that you need to "conquer" both battlefields to win, but the actual requirement is to score on both battlefields

Ruling: You win the game. Scoring a battlefield through holding counts as scoring that battlefield on your turn, so you don't need to conquer both battlefields to win - you just need to score both battlefields on your turn. Sequence: - Hold one battlefield at the start of your turn to score it (reaching 7 points) - Conquer the other battlefield during the same turn - This counts as scoring both battlefields on your turn, triggering the win condition Nuances: - The hold action counts as "scoring" a battlefield for the purpose of the win condition - You do not specifically need to conquer both battlefields; scoring them through any means (hold or conquer) satisfies the requirement

Ruling: Yes, you gain points from holding battlefields on the additional turn granted by Time Warp. An extra turn includes all normal turn phases, including the holding phase where you gain points. Nuances: - Time Warp's power is amplified when combined with battlefield control, as you gain holding points multiple times - The effect can be further enhanced with cards like green Ahri

Ruling: If a combat showdown occurred, the Resolution Step (including healing) will happen regardless of whether units remain at the location. The Combat Damage Step can be skipped if units don't remain, but the Resolution Step still occurs. Sequence: - Combat showdown occurs - Step 2 (Combat Damage Step) is skipped if both attacking and defending units don't remain at the location - Step 3 (Resolution Step) still occurs, healing all units on the board Nuances: - Healing applies to ALL units on the board (both sides), not just units at the battlefield - The Combat Damage Step has specific requirements about units remaining at location, but the Resolution Step does not

Yes, Brynhir Thundersong's "When you play me" ability will still resolve even if Brynhir is killed after the ability has been placed on the chain. According to **FAQ #6035**, once a triggered ability has been put on the chain, it resolves regardless of whether its source permanent is still alive. The game only checks if the ability's specific instructions can be followed (such as targeting requirements or location references). **Sequence of Events:** 1. **Play Brynhir:** You perform the "play" action. Brynhir enters the battlefield and her "When you play me" ability triggers. 2. **Trigger on Chain:** The ability is added to the chain as a pending item. 3. **Brynhir Killed:** An opponent kills Brynhir. She is moved to the trash. 4. **Resolution:** When the chain resolves, the ability executes. Because the ability does not require Brynhir to be on the board to function (it simply applies a global effect for the turn), it resolves successfully. **Important Nuances:** * **Independence:** Triggered abilities are independent of their source once they are on the chain. As long as the ability does not require the source to be present to resolve (e.g., it doesn't say "deal damage equal to *my* might"), it will function normally. * **Effect:** Once the ability resolves, the restriction ("opponents can't play cards this turn") is active for the remainder of the turn, regardless of the fact that Brynhir is no longer on the board. Note: I could not fully verify the claim regarding the inability to react to units entering the battlefield against the retrieved rules.

Yes, you can replay **Immortal Phoenix** from your trash if you kill it with your own spell. According to **Rule 383.2.c.1** and the associated FAQ, 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 unit is killed. ### The Sequence 1. **Play the Spell:** You play a spell that includes a "Kill" instruction (e.g., *Cull the Weak*). 2. **Resolve the Spell:** As the spell resolves, you choose to kill your **Immortal Phoenix**. 3. **Move to Trash:** The Phoenix is moved from the board to the trash (Rule 415.1). 4. **Trigger Evaluation:** The spell finishes resolving. The game then checks for triggered abilities. Because the Phoenix is now in your trash and you were responsible for killing a unit with a spell, its ability triggers. 5. **Play from Trash:** You may now choose to pay the cost ([1] Energy and [1] Fury Power) to play the **Immortal Phoenix** from your trash to your base or a battlefield you control (as per FAQ #4527). ### Important Nuances * **Responsibility:** You must be the one who controls the spell and is responsible for the kill action. If an opponent's spell kills your Phoenix, you cannot use its ability (FAQ #6480). * **Timing:** You cannot react to the unit being killed while the spell is still resolving. The ability triggers and is placed on the chain only *after* the spell has finished resolving (Rule 157.3.a). * **Placement:** When played from the trash via this ability, the Phoenix enters the board exhausted (FAQ #4527).

Ruling: Yes, Phoenix can trigger and return from the trash when killed by Hidden Blade. The kill effect moves Phoenix to the trash as part of Hidden Blade's resolution, so Phoenix is in the trash when the spell finishes resolving and can trigger its ability. Sequence: - Hidden Blade is played targeting Phoenix (no reactions) - Hidden Blade resolves: Phoenix is killed (moved to trash) and two cards are drawn - Phoenix's triggered ability goes on the chain because it was in the trash when a unit was killed by a spell - Phoenix's ability resolves, allowing you to play it from trash Nuances: - Phoenix must be in the trash for its ability to trigger (similar to other "from trash" triggered abilities) - The kill effect moves the unit to trash during the spell's resolution, not during cleanup - Phoenix is in the trash by the time Hidden Blade finishes resolving, which is when triggers are checked and put on the chain

Ruling: You can move to and conquer the battlefield in the same turn after scoring a hold point there, but you will not score an additional point or trigger any conquer abilities. Nuances: - You can score each battlefield only once per turn - If you've already scored a battlefield on any turn (yours or opponent's), conquering it again that turn triggers no conquer effects and awards no points - You can always move to a battlefield regardless of whether you've scored there - This applies whether the battlefield becomes uncontested due to killing your own unit or your opponent killing your unit

Ruling: No, it does not count as a conquer for triggering 'when you conquer' effects. You can only score a battlefield once per turn, so moving back onto it does not count as conquering it again. Nuances: - This remains true even if your opponent conquered the battlefield after you scored it and you retake it on the same turn - you still don't conquer it again for triggering effects.

No, **Draven, Vanquisher** cannot use his defense trigger again in that same combat showdown. According to **Rule 376.4.e.2.a**: > "These triggers can only become fulfilled once per combat, despite a Unit being able to gain and lose the Defender designation multiple times in the same combat." ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Initial Showdown Begins:** Your unit moves to the battlefield. **Draven, Vanquisher** and **Overzealous Fan** gain the "Defender" designation. 2. **Initial Chain:** Both "When I defend" triggers are put on the chain. * **Draven's Trigger:** The opponent chooses to decline the effect (or pays and it resolves). Regardless of the choice, the trigger has now been "fulfilled" for this combat. * **Overzealous Fan's Trigger:** The opponent chooses to kill the Fan to move your unit to your base. 3. **Showdown Continues:** Even though your unit was moved away, the showdown does not end immediately (as per FAQ ruling). 4. **Ride the Wind:** You play **Ride the Wind** to move your unit back into the same battlefield. 5. **Re-entry:** Your unit becomes an "Attacker" again. However, because Draven never left the battlefield, he does not "gain" the Defender designation a second time. Even if he had left and returned, Rule 376.4.e.2.a explicitly prevents the "When I defend" ability from triggering more than once per combat. **Summary:** Once a "When I attack" or "When I defend" ability has been placed on the chain during a specific combat, it cannot trigger again in that same combat, even if units leave and re-enter the battlefield.

Ruling: No, you cannot score each battlefield more than once per turn. Moving a different unit into a battlefield you already control does not allow you to conquer it again. Nuances: - Moving to a battlefield you don't control does count as an open showdown - However, it does not count as a conquer because conquer only happens when you gain control of a battlefield you did not yet score this turn - Conquer and Hold abilities can only trigger when a battlefield is scored, which cannot happen more than once per turn for a player

Yes, the unit will be at your base **ready**. According to the general mechanics of moving units (supported by **RiftJudge FAQ #8919** and **RiftJudge FAQ #7979**), units are moved/recalled in their current state. Unless an effect specifically instructs you to exhaust a unit as part of the move or as a penalty, it retains its state (Ready or Exhausted) upon arriving at the destination. Since moving a unit to your base (via a standard move or other effects) does not inherently cause exhaustion, a ready unit remains ready.

Ruling: Yes, you score first at the original battlefield, then a showdown happens at the new battlefield (assuming no extra actions are used). Everything at the new battlefield goes on hold until the showdown at the original battlefield concludes. Sequence: - Move to occupied battlefield A - Opponent uses Ride the Wind to move their unit from battlefield A to battlefield B - Score at battlefield A - Showdown at battlefield A resolves completely - Then the staged showdown at battlefield B can proceed Nuances: - The showdown staged at battlefield B is specifically what goes on hold, not necessarily all actions there

Ruling: You must target a friendly unit if you have one, and if that unit is still on the board when the spell resolves, you must return it to hand. You cannot avoid targeting or recalling to keep a unit on the board. Sequence: - You must target the unit (if it's your only friendly unit) - Upon resolution, if the unit is still on the board, you must return it to hand Nuances: - The silver rule (do as much as you can) applies, meaning you cannot choose to do less than what is possible

Ruling: Yes, The Boss ability works even if you only have one buffed creature. As long as the unit that dies has a buff and The Boss is readied, you can pay the cost and apply the replacement effect. Nuances: - The Boss refers to the buffed and killed unit when determining which buff to remove. The unit you want to save needs to have a buff itself; you don't take the buff from other units.

Ruling: No, you do not get the rune back. Countering a spell does not refund any costs paid for that spell, including the mandatory additional cost from deflect. Sequence: - You pay the deflect cost (mandatory additional cost) when targeting a unit with deflect - If the spell is then countered, it does not resolve - The costs paid (including the deflect cost) are not refunded Nuances: - This is similar to how you don't get energy back if a spell is countered - costs are paid regardless of whether the spell resolves - The deflect cost is a mandatory additional cost for targeting, not a cost that depends on resolution

Ruling: Cull the Weak still resolves. Brynhir Thundersong only prevents new things from being played or added to the chain after it resolves, but does not counter cards already on the chain. Sequence: - Opponent plays Cull the Weak - You react with Here to Help to play Brynhir Thundersong - Brynhir resolves, preventing new cards from being played - Cull the Weak still resolves normally

Ruling: Master Yi gets the +2 might bonus only if he is defending in a combat showdown. In a non-combat showdown (when alone on the battlefield), Yi's triggered ability does not activate because he is not attacking. Sequence: - If it's a combat showdown (opponent has something on the battlefield), Yi gets the +2 might as the defender - If it's a non-combat showdown (Yi is alone), Yi does not get the +2 might because the ability requires him to be attacking or defending Nuances: - Yi's ability is a passive ability, not one that uses the chain - The ability only triggers when Yi is actually in combat as a defender, not just when holding a path

Ruling: Yes, you still draw a card. Cleave targets when it is played (not on resolution), which triggers Dreaming Tree. When Defy counters Cleave, the Dreaming Tree trigger remains on the stack and resolves, allowing you to draw. Sequence: - You play Cleave targeting a unit on Dreaming Tree, triggering Dreaming Tree - Stack: Cleave > Dreaming Tree's trigger - Opponent plays Defy targeting Cleave - Stack: Cleave > Dreaming Tree's trigger > Defy - Defy resolves, countering Cleave - Stack: Dreaming Tree's trigger - Dreaming Tree trigger resolves, you draw a card Nuances: - Most spells target on play, not on resolution - Reflexive triggers are different and target on resolution, but Cleave is not a reflexive trigger

Ruling: The units enter ready, but you cannot attack with them because you can only do a standard move during the action phase when there's no showdown and nothing on the chain. Dazzling Aura triggers in the ending step of the end of turn phase. Nuances: - Units do still enter ready even though you cannot attack with them

Ruling: Darius has 5 might during the Challenge. His "When you play your second card each round" ability is a triggered ability that only resolves after Challenge has finished resolving. Sequence: - Darius is played as the first card (5 might) - Challenge is played targeting Darius - Challenge resolves with Darius at 5 might - After Challenge fully resolves, Darius is considered the second card played - Darius's "When" trigger goes on the chain and resolves, giving him +2 might (now 7 might) Nuances: - "When" triggers are triggered abilities that go on the chain, unlike "While" effects which are passive/lingering effects - A card needs to fully resolve to be considered played for the purposes of counting cards played

Ruling: No, Fading Memories is not a kill spell. The unit doesn't die from the spell effect itself, it dies from the Temporary keyword. Nuances: - The Phoenix's ability to be played from the discard pile does not trigger because it requires being killed by a spell, which Fading Memories is not

Ruling: Yes, Irelia gets +7 Might total. Feral Strength with Repeat gives +2 twice (targeting Irelia both times), her Vanguard effect triggers twice when chosen (+1 each time), her Legend ability readies her (+1), and her Vanguard effect triggers again when readied (+1), for a total of +2+2+1+1+1 = +7. Sequence: - Feral Strength with Repeat is played, creating one chain item with doubled text (two instances of "Give a unit +2 this turn") - Target Irelia with both +2 effects - Irelia's Vanguard effect triggers twice (once for each time she's chosen as a target), granting +1 each time - Irelia's Legend ability triggers (since an ally unit was chosen), allowing you to pay 1 Power to ready her - When Irelia is readied, her Vanguard effect triggers again, granting +1 - Total: +2 +2 +1 +1 +1 = +7 Might Nuances: - Repeat does not create a separate chain item; it doubles the effect text on one chain item - You may choose different targets for each instance of the repeated effect - If Feral Strength is countered, Irelia still gets +3 from being chosen twice and readied (the Vanguard triggers still resolve)

**Yes, you must pay the Deflect cost for both the initial and the Repeat targeting of Fiora** — and it's Power, not a Recycle. Here's why: When you play Frigid Touch with Repeat, both targets are chosen during the "Make Relevant Choices" step of playing the spell (Rule 820.2). At that moment, Fiora still has her buff and is Mighty (5+ Might), so she has Deflect. Deflect reads "for each time they choose me" (Rule 809.1.c) — choosing her twice during the play step means the Deflect cost applies twice, regardless of what happens later on the chain. The fact that the first execution reduces her to 3 Might and she loses Mighty doesn't matter retroactively. Costs are determined and paid when the spell is played, not at resolution (FAQ #6986, #7054, #478, #9293). Both targeting decisions already happened at the same time during the play step, when Deflect was active. **Cost breakdown for the scenario:** - Frigid Touch base: 2 Energy - Repeat[2] optional cost: 2 Energy - Deflect × 2 (chosen twice): 2 Power (any domain) - Total: 4 Energy + 2 Power So you'd pay **2 Power total** for Deflect (1 per instance), not recycle anything. Deflect adds Power costs, not Recycle costs (Rule 809.1.c.1).

Yes, if you play *Gust* in reaction to the *Quick-Draw* triggered ability, *Gust* will resolve before the equipment attaches. This happens because the *Quick-Draw* keyword creates a triggered ability that goes on the chain. Because it is on the chain, players have the opportunity to add *Reactions* to it. When the chain resolves, it does so in **Last-In, First-Out (LIFO)** order. ### The Sequence of Events 1. **Playing the Gear:** Your opponent plays a Gear card with *Quick-Draw*. It enters the battlefield at their base immediately. This action does not use the chain, and you cannot react to the Gear card itself being played. 2. **Triggered Ability:** The *Quick-Draw* keyword automatically places its "When you play this, attach it to a Unit you control" triggered ability on the chain. This ability targets a unit. 3. **Reaction Window:** Because the *Quick-Draw* ability is now on the chain, you gain priority and may play *Gust* as a reaction. 4. **Resolution (LIFO):** * **Gust Resolves First:** Since *Gust* was the last item added to the chain, it resolves first. If *Gust* successfully returns the targeted unit to its owner's hand, that unit is no longer on the battlefield. * **Attachment Attempts to Resolve:** The *Quick-Draw* triggered ability then attempts to resolve. Because its target is no longer on the battlefield, the instruction to attach cannot be followed. The ability "whiffs" (resolves with no effect). ### Important Clarifications * **The Gear Remains:** As established in **RiftJudge FAQ #3886**, if the attachment fails, the equipment is not destroyed or sent to the trash; it simply remains unattached at the opponent's base. * **Targeting:** *Gust* is a legal response to the *Quick-Draw* trigger, provided the unit meets *Gust's* targeting requirements (e.g., 3 Might or less). * **No Fizzling:** In Riftbound, we use the term "whiff" rather than "fizzle." The ability still resolves, but because the target is invalid, it results in no effect. This interpretation is based on **Rule 819** and the established mechanics of the chain and *Quick-Draw* as outlined in **RiftJudge FAQs #9577, #8442, and #3886**.

Ruling: The Ravenbloom Student will be sent to hand before its trigger can resolve. The student's trigger responds to the resolution of the spell, not to the spell being put on the chain. Sequence: - Gust resolves and sends the 3 might student to hand - The student's trigger (which would give +1 might) does not resolve because the spell must finish its entire process before triggers respond - A spell is only considered "played" when it has finished resolving in its entirety Nuances: - "Play" in this game means resolve, except when used in contexts like "you may play a unit"

No, you cannot use **Heedless Resurrection** to kill a unit and then resurrect that same unit from your trash. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9523**, this interaction is prohibited because of how targeting and costs are handled during the process of playing a card: 1. **Locking Targets (Step 2 of the Showdown Flow/Playing a Card):** When you play Heedless Resurrection, you must choose a valid target unit from your trash *before* you pay any costs. At this point, your Ferrous Forerunner is still on the board and has not yet entered the trash. Therefore, it is not a valid target. 2. **Paying Costs (Step 4):** You pay the additional cost by killing a friendly unit, moving it to the trash. Because the target was already locked in during the previous step, you cannot retroactively select the unit you just killed. **Rule References:** 355.5, 355.9.a, 355.15, 357.2.

Ruling: No, the Hidden Blade controller does not draw 2 cards. When Hidden Blade resolves without a valid target, it cannot determine "its controller" to give them the draw. Sequence: - Hidden Blade is played targeting a unit - Retreat is played in response, returning the unit to hand - Retreat resolves first, removing the unit from the battlefield - Hidden Blade attempts to resolve but has no valid target - Since there is no valid target, "its controller" cannot be determined - No cards are drawn Nuances: - If the unit is moved to base (instead of hand) before Hidden Blade resolves, it also becomes an invalid target and no draw occurs - If the unit's death is replaced (like with Zhonya's) but it stays at the battlefield, it remains a valid target and the controller still draws 2 - The key distinction is whether Hidden Blade has a valid target at resolution - it needs to be able to reference "its controller" which requires a valid target - Moving a unit with Flash has the same effect as Retreat - no valid target means no draw - Targeting in Riftbound is implicit and doesn't require the word "target" to appear on the card

Ruling: Yes, if Retreat and Darius are the only two cards you've played that turn in that order, Darius enters ready with +2 might. Sequence: - Play Retreat on Darius at the battlefield (returns him to hand) - Play Darius from hand by paying 5 energy and 1 red power - Darius enters ready with +2 might (assuming these are the only two cards played this turn) Nuances: - This only works if Retreat and Darius are the only two cards played on your turn in that specific order

Ruling: You can play Nocturne to the battlefield you're defending, as long as you control it, which you almost always do when defending. Nuances: - There are rare cases where you defend but don't control the battlefield, such as when your opponent moves to an open battlefield and you use Ride the Wind to move into the same battlefield (sometimes called "Surprise Defense"). In those cases, you would not be able to play Nocturne to that battlefield.

The short answer is **no**. You cannot play **Sun Disc** as the first card of your turn and immediately use its ability to ready a subsequent unit. According to the official rules and FAQs regarding the *Legion* keyword, **Sun Disc** does not count itself toward its own *Legion* requirement. ### Why this happens: 1. **Legion Dependency:** Per **Rule 812.1.c**, for a *Legion* ability to be active, a card *different* than the one with the *Legion* ability must have been finalized on the same turn. 2. **Self-Exclusion:** **RiftJudge FAQ #9616** and **#9805** explicitly clarify that *Sun Disc* does not count as "another card" for its own *Legion* requirement. 3. **Dependent Ability Inactivity:** Because *Sun Disc* does not satisfy its own requirement, if you play it as the first card of your turn, the *Legion* ability remains inactive. According to the rules on dependent keywords, an inactive ability cannot be activated. ### The Correct Sequence To successfully use the *Legion* effect on *Sun Disc*, you must play a different card first: 1. **Play a different card:** Play any other card from your hand (this satisfies the *Legion* condition for the turn). 2. **Play Sun Disc:** If it is not already in play, you may now play *Sun Disc*. 3. **Activate Sun Disc:** You may now exhaust *Sun Disc* during your Main Phase while the game state is "Open." Because you already played another card this turn, the *Legion* ability is active. 4. **Play your unit:** The next unit you play that turn will enter the battlefield ready.

Ruling: No, you do not get the trigger. The battlefield needs a player to control it to have a valid understanding of "you" in its text, so Surprise Defense does not trigger battlefield abilities that reference "you." Nuances: - This represents a change from previous rules where Reaver's Row did work with Surprise Defense - Battlefields with "you hold" and "you conquer" text are not drastically changed by the new rules clarification

When you play **Thousand-Tailed Watcher** while an enemy unit is at **Trifarian War Camp**, the unit's final Might is determined by the snapshotted interaction of these modifiers. ### Ruling The unit's Might is snapshotted upon the resolution of the Watcher's ability. Per Core Rule 472.3.d.2.b and FAQ #5581, if a unit has a modifier (such as Trifarian War Camp) that affects its Might, and a reduction effect (such as Thousand-Tailed Watcher) applies a minimum value constraint, that limitation is snapshotted for the duration of the effect. For a 1 Might unit (e.g., Scuttle) at Trifarian War Camp: 1. **Start:** 1 (base) + 1 (War Camp) = 2 Might. 2. **Watcher Resolution:** The -3 Might reduction is applied to the 2 Might total, but is limited by the minimum-1-Might rule. This results in a snapshotted reduction of -1. The unit is set to **1 Might** for the duration of the Watcher's effect. ### Interaction if the unit moves Because the effect is snapshotted at the moment of resolution, the unit's Might remains fixed based on the state of the board at that time: 1. The reduction value of -1 is locked in when the Watcher's ability resolves. 2. If the unit moves away from the Trifarian War Camp, it loses the +1 Might bonus. 3. **Result:** The unit's Might is recalculated based on its new base Might minus the snapshotted reduction. A 1-base Might unit moving off the War Camp results in **0 Might** (1 base - 1 snapshotted reduction). ### Clarification on Conflicting FAQs There is documented community confusion regarding this interaction. Per FAQs #9195 and #1431, Thousand-Tailed Watcher's effect is snapshotted and sets a fixed Might value, rather than applying as a continuous modifier. *Note: There is significant documented conflict between community interpretations and official FAQs #9195, #1431, and #5581 regarding whether these effects are continuous or snapshotted. This ruling follows the guidance that these effects are snapshotted.*

Ruling: No, Travelling Merchant does not trigger if Tideturner targets it at the same location, because no movement occurs. Nuances: - Movement requires going from base to battleground, battleground to base, or battleground to battleground - If both cards are at the same location, no movement happens and the trigger condition is not met

No, the new unit will not receive the +2 Might bonus. According to the official RiftJudge FAQ #4537, Undertitan's ability "When you play me, give your other units +2 [S] this turn" only affects units that are already on the battlefield at the moment that triggered ability resolves. Here is the breakdown of how this interaction works: 1. **Playing Undertitan:** When you play Undertitan, its "When you play me" triggered ability is placed on the chain. 2. **Resolution:** When that ability resolves, it identifies all "other units" you currently control on the battlefield and grants them the +2 Might bonus for the remainder of the turn. 3. **Subsequent Play:** Any unit played *after* Undertitan's ability has already resolved was not present when the effect checked for targets, so it does not receive the bonus. Because Undertitan's ability is a one-time triggered effect that resolves once, it does not create a continuous effect that would apply to new units entering play later in the turn.

Ruling: If you play Undertitan normally and then play Rengar as a reaction, Rengar does not get the +2 bonus because Undertitan's ability only affects units already on the board when it resolves. However, if you reveal and play Undertitan off Reksai/Swarm Queen's attack ability, you can sequence it so Rengar gets the bonus. Sequence: (when using Reksai/Swarm Queen to reveal Undertitan) - Attack with Reksai/Swarm Queen, triggering its reveal ability - Reveal and play Undertitan from the reveal - Undertitan's "when you play me, give +2" ability goes on the chain - Play Rengar as a reaction to Undertitan's ability (before it resolves) - Rengar resolves and enters the battlefield - Undertitan's ability resolves, giving +2 to all units you control (including Rengar) Nuances: - The key difference is whether Undertitan's ability has already resolved or not when Rengar enters play - You can chain Rengar to either the Swarm Queen attack or to Undertitan's on-play ability - With multiple Reksai/Swarm Queens, you can stack multiple Undertitan triggers, but each resolves sequentially

Ruling: Yes, Zhonya's affects all locations on the board even when played from hidden because its effect doesn't target, so it's not bound by hidden targeting restrictions. Nuances: - Even though gear played from hidden is typically recalled to base, Zhonya's would affect all battlefields regardless because it doesn't target - Non-targeting effects are not restricted by hidden zone limitations

Ruling: No, the unit does not become mighty. When the unit resolves to the battlefield, Trifarian War Camp's passive is immediately applied, so there is no window where it exists as a 4 might unit before becoming 5 might. Nuances: - Because Trifarian War Camp has a "while" effect, the unit is immediately 5 might upon entering play - The unit never exists as a game object on the battlefield without the War Camp passive applying - "Becoming mighty" requires the unit to exist in play and then have its might increased, which doesn't happen here

Yes, playing a card from **Hidden** counts toward **Legion**. According to **Rule 811.1.c.3**, playing a card from Hidden opens a chain. Once that card is "Finalized" on the chain (targets chosen and costs paid), it satisfies the requirement for any **Legion** abilities you may have active for the remainder of the turn (as described in **Rule 812.1.c** and confirmed by **RiftJudge FAQ #9013**). To clarify the distinction: * **Hiding a card** (placing it face-down) is a Discretionary Action, not the act of playing a card, and does **not** count toward Legion. * **Playing a card from Hidden** (flipping it over to put it on the chain) **is** considered playing a card and **does** satisfy the Legion requirement.

No, you cannot react to save a hidden card if you hide it and your last unit at that battlefield dies on the same turn. According to Rule 811.1.b, a card hidden using the Hidden keyword gains **[Reaction]** only "Beginning on the next turn." Because the card does not have the **[Reaction]** keyword on the same turn it is hidden, it cannot be played as a reaction to your unit dying during that same turn. Furthermore, as established in RiftJudge FAQ #1854, hidden cards can never be played the same turn they are hidden. If you hide a card and subsequently lose your last unit at that battlefield on the same turn (causing you to lose control of the battlefield), the hidden card is trashed without an opportunity to be played. To summarize the mechanics: 1. **Timing Restriction:** Hidden cards only gain the **[Reaction]** property on the turn *after* they are hidden (Rule 811.1.b). 2. **Same-Turn Limitation:** Because the card lacks **[Reaction]** on the turn it is hidden, it cannot be used to respond to game events (such as a unit dying) that occur before your next turn. 3. **Loss of Control:** Once your last unit at a battlefield dies, you immediately lose control of that battlefield (outside of a contested showdown), and any card hidden there is moved to the trash (RiftJudge FAQ #4628).