Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, **Emperor's Divide involves choosing.** According to the official FAQ for *Emperor's Divide*: * **It involves choosing:** When you play *Emperor's Divide*, you choose which specific units to move as part of placing the spell on the chain. * **It counts as choosing/targeting:** Because you select specific units when placing the spell on the chain, this counts as choosing or targeting those units for the purpose of other card triggers (such as *Dreaming Tree* or *Blade Dancer*). This is distinct from spells like *Whirlwind*, where unit selection happens after resolution and is not considered "choosing" in the same way.

No, Heimerdinger, Inventor cannot use all of his copied tap (exhaust) abilities at once. According to the official rulings for Heimerdinger: * **You choose only one:** Even though Heimerdinger gains all exhaust abilities from friendly legends, units, and gear, you must choose exactly one of those abilities to activate when you exhaust him. * **One activation per exhaustion:** Activating any of these abilities requires exhausting Heimerdinger as the cost. Since you can only exhaust him once per turn (unless he is readied by another effect), you can only pay the cost for one ability at a time. * **Not simultaneous:** The abilities do not trigger or resolve simultaneously; they are distinct options, and you select one to use each time you pay the cost. In short, while Heimerdinger has access to all those abilities, he functions as a single source that must be exhausted to trigger one specific effect.

You are correct. In both cases, a card that is countered is **not** considered to have been played. According to **Rule 425.1.b**: "A card that is Countered is not considered to have been played." Because the game does not recognize a countered card as having been "played," it fails to satisfy the requirements for both **Legion** and **Blue Viktor's** triggered abilities: * **Legion:** As defined in **Rule 812.1.b.1**, Legion requires you to have "played" another card this turn. If that card is countered, the condition is not met, and the Legion ability will not become active (as confirmed by **FAQ #8751**). * **Blue Viktor:** His ability triggers "When you play a card." Since a countered card never completes the process of being played, the trigger condition is never met, and his ability will not activate (as confirmed by **FAQ #8484** and **FAQ #5561**). In short: If a card is countered, it effectively "never happened" for the purposes of any game effects that check if a card was played.

No, Master Yi's legend ability is **not a triggered ability**; it is a **passive ability**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #3743 and #6796: * **Passive vs. Triggered:** Abilities that use "while" language are passive abilities that are active as long as the condition is met. Triggered abilities use "when" or "at" to indicate they activate in response to a specific event. * **No Chain Interaction:** Because it is a passive ability, it does not use the chain and cannot be responded to. * **Immediate Application:** As noted in FAQ #5526, the bonus applies immediately when the combat showdown begins (as soon as the defender designation is assigned and the condition of being alone is met), before any action chain begins. If the condition of "defending alone" is no longer met during the showdown (for example, if another unit is moved into the battlefield), the +2 might bonus is removed immediately.

Ruling: Master Yi's ability is not a trigger effect; it is a passive ability that is active whenever the condition (defending alone) is met. Nuances: - "While" indicates a passive ability that applies as long as the condition is true - "When" indicates a triggered ability that activates when an event happens - Passive abilities exist in the game, unlike what the asker initially assumed

No, recall does not inherently exhaust a unit. According to **Rule 453**: "Recalls do not affect the state of the Permanent being recalled." When a unit is recalled, it returns to your base in the exact same state (ready or exhausted) that it was in before it was recalled. A unit only becomes exhausted during a recall if the specific card effect that triggers the recall explicitly states to "recall [the unit] exhausted."

In a standard game of Riftbound (which is played to 8 points), Chem-Baroness Renata's second ability becomes active when you have **5 points**. The ability states: "*While your score is within 3 points of the Victory Score, your Gold [ADD] an additional [1].*" According to the official ruling for this interaction: * The threshold is calculated as: **(Points needed to win) - 3**. * In an 8-point game: $8 - 3 = 5$. * When counting "within 3 points," you do not count the starting number itself. From 5 points, you need 3 more points (6, 7, and 8) to reach the Victory Score. **Important Note:** If a card like **Aspirant's Climb** is in play (which increases the Victory Score to 9), the threshold shifts to **6 points**.

Ruling: No, Rengar is not considered Mighty when played. He enters play at 3 power without the attacker designation, and only gains the attacker designation (and becomes 5 power) during the cleanup triggered by his entering the board. Sequence: - Rengar enters play at 3 power without attacker designation - His play effect triggers (relevant for effects like Volibear) - Cleanup is triggered by his entering the board - During cleanup, he gains the attacker designation and becomes 5 power Nuances: - Because he enters at 3 power, he would trigger effects that care about non-Mighty units entering play (like Fiora in sealed) - This differs from a unit with a passive ability like base 4:Might - such a unit would have the passive take effect as soon as it enters (when it's resolving) and would be Mighty for effects like Volibear

The ability on the **Swift Scout** legend card is an **activated ability**. According to the game's rules for activated abilities, they can primarily be activated only on the controlling player's turn and during an **Open State**. Because an Open State requires that no chain exists, this ability cannot be activated at "reaction speed" (i.e., during a Closed State or in response to other effects). To summarize: 1. **Timing:** As an activated ability, it must be activated during an Open State on your turn. 2. **Chain:** When activated, it is placed on the chain and can be responded to by other players, but it cannot be used to respond to other game actions itself. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Ruling: Yes, Teemo Strategist is considered defending when revealed from hidden after attackers have been declared. Units gain the Defender designation when they become present at the battlefield after combat has begun. Sequence: - You can reveal Teemo from hidden whenever you have priority during combat - This could be before defender/attacker triggers resolve, when the attacker passes priority to you, when the attacker plays an action/reaction and passes, or when the attacker passes on an empty chain - The unit gains the Defender designation during the Cleanup phase following the action that caused it to become present - Defender status triggers will activate the first time the unit is flagged as a defender Nuances: - Attacker and defender statuses are only given once per unit per combat, but this doesn't mean they only happen at one specific time - If a unit is added to combat after the initial designation, it still receives the appropriate status

Ruling: Yes, The Arena's Greatest's effect is a triggered ability. If you miss the trigger (by not demonstrating awareness before it would affect the game visibly), the next opponent in turn order decides whether to resolve the trigger immediately or miss it altogether. Sequence: - When the battlefield flips, demonstrate awareness of the trigger (e.g., say "point for me" and tick up the score) - If you miss the trigger in the same turn cycle, your opponent chooses whether you get the point or not - If the trigger was missed in a previous turn, continue playing without resolving it Nuances: - The rule about forgetting to score points only applies to holding and conquering, not card-triggered abilities like The Arena's Greatest - Best practice is to increment both players' scores immediately when the battlefield flips to avoid disputes - Demonstrating awareness verbally ("point for me") before taking other actions is sufficient to avoid missing the trigger

Ruling: Vi's effect is an activated ability that can only be used at base speed (during your turn, outside of showdowns). It does not specify "once per turn," so it can be activated multiple times as long as you can recycle cards from your trash. Sequence: - Activate Vi's ability during your turn at base speed - Choose a card from your trash to put at the bottom of your deck - Vi gains 1 Might - Repeat as many times as desired (if you have cards in trash) Nuances: - The ability does not exhaust Vi, so there's no limit beyond having cards in your trash to recycle - Gaining Might is not the same as getting a "Buff" - Vi can gain Might multiple times without restriction - This ability cannot be used on your opponent's turn or during showdowns - If you have 2 Vi units out, only the one that activated the ability gets the Might boost

Ruling: Volibear's ability deals 5 additional damage, separate from his might. This damage is dealt by an effect and has nothing to do with combat damage. Nuances: - Units damaged but not killed by Volibear's effect still contribute their full might during combat - These units will take less damage before being killed by combat since they were already damaged by the effect

Ruling: Yi's Legend Ability is a passive ability, not a trigger. Abilities using "while" language are passive and the bonus is active whenever the condition is true. Nuances: - If there are 2 units on Yi's side in a showdown and one gets killed/moved before the combat damage step, the +2 bonus will no longer apply since the condition is no longer met.

Ruling: Zhonya's Hourglass is not a trigger but a mandatory replacement effect. You cannot choose to let the unit die to save the Hourglass for later. Nuances: - The only time you have a choice with Hourglass is if multiple units die simultaneously, in which case you choose which one to save.

Ruling: No, a draw cannot happen in Riftbound. When you run out of cards (burnout), you shuffle your trash into your Main Deck, choose an opponent to gain 1 point, and then perform the action that caused the burnout. Sequence: - When attempting to draw with an empty Main Deck, burnout occurs - Shuffle your trash into your Main Deck - Choose an opponent to gain 1 point - Then perform the action (e.g., draw the card) Nuances: - You can win the game by receiving the final point from your opponent burning out (e.g., if the score is 8-8 with a 9-point victory condition, the opponent burning out gives you the winning point)

Ruling: Master Yi is a passive ability, not a trigger. You are not required to proactively announce it, but you cannot lie about it if asked. It is the opponent's responsibility to account for Yi's ability. Nuances: - Yi and similar abilities like Shield/Assault apply automatically when their conditions are met (being the Attacker or Defender) - If an opponent mistakenly moves a weaker unit without accounting for Yi's ability, that is on them - Better etiquette to announce it, but not required until it matters (damage, ordering triggers, being asked, or anything signifying acknowledgement)

Ruling: Recalls are not moves. This is explicitly stated on recall cards. Nuances: - A "corrective recall" is a special case where something would be in an illegal location, so it gets recalled to base instead. This rarely happens and requires an effect that forces a unit to be somewhere illegal. - Standard recalls and corrective recalls are both not considered moves.

No, a unit is not considered to be attacking if there are no enemy units present at the battlefield to defend. According to **Rule 437** and **Rule 440**, the "Attacker" and "Defender" designations only exist during **Combat**. Combat can only occur between units controlled by opposing players at the same battlefield. When you move a unit to an empty, uncontrolled battlefield, you initiate a **Showdown** rather than Combat (Rule 429.1). Because there is no opposing unit present to create a Combat, your unit does not receive the "Attacker" designation. As confirmed in **RiftJudge FAQ #5513**, **FAQ #2505**, and **FAQ #9883**, abilities that trigger "When I attack" will not activate, and passive abilities like **Assault** will not provide their might bonus because the unit is not an attacker.

Ruling: A unit is only considered defending when there is a showdown involving units from 2 players (a combat). If there is no showdown, or if the showdown is not a combat between two players (like an open showdown), units are not considered attackers or defenders. Nuances: - Open showdowns do not define attackers or defenders - A showdown must be a combat between two players for defender status to apply

Ruling: Yes, a unit that attacked Targon's Peak with Assault is still considered an attacker while the Targon's Peak trigger is on the chain. Combat lasts through conquer. Sequence: - The unit attacks and conquers Targon's Peak - Targon's Peak triggers when conquered and goes on the chain - The unit is still considered an attacker during this time - The trigger adds a game effect at the end of the turn that doesn't enter the chain Nuances: - You can Gust a Phoenix attacking and conquering Targon's Peak on the enemy turn if the battlefield was previously open - If it was a combat, the Phoenix won't be gustable while the opponent has a chance to react - Targon's Peak is different than Annie Legend ability - it triggers during conquer/combat, not at end of turn

A "unit you control" refers to any unit you control regardless of its location; it can be at your base or at any battlefield you control.

Activating a gear's ability is **not** the same as playing a card, but it follows the same process. According to **Rule 148.2.a** and **Rule 387**, activating an ability follows the same steps as playing a card, but the ability itself behaves like a "spell without an associated card." Here is the breakdown of how they relate: * **Process:** Both playing a card and activating an ability involve declaring the action, adding a pending item to the chain, and creating a closed state (Rules 386–389). * **Chain Interaction:** Once activated, the ability functions as a chain item, allowing opponents to respond to it just as they would a spell (Rule 370.2.b.2). * **Distinction:** Because there is no physical card being moved from your hand to the battlefield or chain, it is technically an "activated ability" rather than "playing a card." In summary, while the mechanical steps are identical, they are distinct game actions.

Whether an equipment with the **Temporary** keyword dies while attached depends on whether that keyword is *printed* on the card or *granted* to it by another effect. ### 1. If Temporary is PRINTED on the equipment: No, it will not die while attached. * **According to Rule 135.4 and 718.2:** An attached card's **printed** Rules Text is Inactive. * Because the *Temporary* ability is printed on the card, it becomes Inactive upon attachment. Since it is inactive, it cannot trigger at the start of your Beginning Phase. It will only become active again if the equipment is detached. ### 2. If Temporary is GRANTED to the equipment (e.g., by a spell like *Turn to Dust*): Yes, it will die at the start of your next Beginning Phase. * **According to the Rules FAQ Clarification (2026-04-29):** Only the *printed* rules text of an equipment becomes inactive when attached. Any rules text **granted** to the equipment by an outside effect remains active. * Since the granted *Temporary* is active, it will trigger normally at the start of your Beginning Phase and kill the equipment. *** **Summary Table:** | Source of Temporary | Status when Attached | Will it die? | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Printed on card** | Inactive | **No** | | **Granted by effect** | Active | **Yes** | *Note: If an equipment has both (e.g., one instance printed, one granted), the active granted instance will trigger, causing the equipment to die.*

Yes, any unit with a current Might of 5 or greater is considered "Mighty." According to **Rule 708**: "A Unit 'is Mighty' as long as its Might is 5 or greater." Additionally, per **Rule 710**, units on the board are evaluated based on their **current Might**, which includes their base Might plus any active modifiers (buffs, debuffs, or attachments) at that moment.

Ruling: No, damage dealt to a unit is not healed when conquering an empty/neutral showdown. Damage only heals at the end of combat and end of turn. Nuances: - Only combat showdowns count as combat - Open/neutral showdowns do not assign attackers/defenders, which is why they don't count as combat

Ruling: Yes, damage is always removed at the end of combat, even if no units die. Sequence: - Combat damage is dealt - Any units with lethal damage are killed - Units are healed of all damage (this happens once per combat, immediately after units have died from lethal damage) - After healing, any triggers resolve Nuances: - Abilities that trigger at end of combat (like Deathknell) resolve after the heal step, so damage dealt by those abilities remains on units after combat ends - If you stun an enemy unit, deal damage but it doesn't die, then recall your unit and engage again, the enemy will have healed from the first combat

Ruling: Double sleeving and triple sleeving are allowed in Riftbound, as long as all cards within a deck are sleeved identically with the same number of layers and orientation, and the deck can be shuffled in good time. Nuances: - All sleeves must be identical within a deck - All cards must be placed in sleeves in the same manner - Cards must have the same number of layers and orientation at all times - The deck must be shuffleable in good time

XP (Experience) is a resource accrued by **players**, not by individual units. According to **Rule 729**, XP is a resource that is accrued, spent, or otherwise modified by **players** through the course of play, and the amount of XP a **player** has is public information. While certain cards may have abilities that trigger based on how much XP you have (which is often referred to as "Level"), and some cards (like Kha'Zix, Voidreaver) may instruct you to gain XP, it is a global resource tracked on the player, not on specific units.

No, Focus and Priority are not the same thing. While they are related, they serve different functions during a showdown. According to the **Riftbound** core rules and clarification FAQs: ### **Focus** * **What it is:** Focus is a showdown-specific permission that acts as a "home base." It tracks which player is allowed to **start a new chain** during a Showdown Open State. * **How it works:** Only one player can have Focus at a time. If you have Focus, you have the authority to play an Action or Reaction card to begin a new chain when the battlefield is in an Open State. ### **Priority** * **What it is:** Priority is the singular, exclusive right to take **discretionary actions** (playing Reactions) during a Closed State (when a chain already exists). * **How it works:** Priority is used to restrict the game to a single bottleneck—only the player with Priority may act at any given moment. ### **How they interact** * **The "Bundle":** When a player gains Focus, they automatically gain Priority as well. You cannot have Focus without also having Priority. * **Retaining Focus:** If you have Focus and pass your Priority (e.g., to let an opponent react to your spell), you retain Focus. You have simply passed the right to act at that specific moment. * **Passing Focus:** If the chain is empty and you pass, you are passing both Focus and Priority to your opponent. * **Rules Reference:** According to Rule 313.4, "A player may not make discretionary actions with Focus unless they also possess Priority." In short: **Focus determines who can start a chain, while Priority determines who can act on an existing chain.**

Whether you can react to a "recall" depends entirely on **how** that recall is being generated. In Riftbound, "Recall" is a game action, not a keyword or a spell type. Because of this, the ability to react depends on the source of the recall: 1. **If the recall is part of a Spell or an Activated Ability:** Yes, you can react. Spells and activated abilities use the chain. If an opponent plays a spell or activates an ability that includes the instruction to "recall" a unit, that spell/ability goes on the chain, and you may play [Reaction] cards in response to it. 2. **If the recall is part of a Triggered Ability:** Yes, you can react. Triggered abilities (e.g., "When I attack, recall a unit") use the chain. You can play [Reaction] cards in response to the triggered ability being placed on the chain. 3. **If the recall is a Replacement Effect:** No, you cannot react. Replacement effects (often identified by the words "would" or "instead," such as *Zhonya's Hourglass*) do not use the chain. They intercede during the execution of another game effect and happen immediately. Because they do not use the chain, there is no opportunity to respond to them. ### Important Clarifications * **Recalls are not moves:** Per Rule 451, a recall is a change of location, not a move action. Effects that trigger specifically off "moves" will not trigger when a unit is recalled. * **Recalls do not target:** Per RiftJudge FAQ #347, recall effects do not inherently target. An effect only targets if it requires a choice of "who, what, or where" during the casting/activation process. If the choice is made during resolution, it is not targeting. * **State of the unit:** Per Rule 453, a recall does not change the state of the unit (damage, exhausted status, etc., remain as they were). **Summary:** You cannot react to the "recall" action itself, but you **can** react to the spell, activated ability, or triggered ability that is *instructing* the game to perform the recall. If the recall is happening as a replacement effect, you cannot react.

### Ruling **No, the "lose control" and "recall" effects of Hostile Takeover cannot be reacted to.** These effects are duration-based effects inherent to the resolution of the Hostile Takeover spell itself. Because they are not triggered abilities, they do not use the chain and therefore do not provide an opportunity for players to play reactions. ### Reasoning 1. **Nature of the Effect:** Hostile Takeover is a spell that, upon resolution, creates a state-based duration: "Lose control of that unit and recall it at end of turn." This is a single, continuous instruction defined by the spell's resolution. 2. **Triggered Abilities vs. Duration-based Effects:** * **Triggered Abilities** (Rule 383) are defined by specific conditions ("When," "At," "The first time") and are placed on the chain as pending items when those conditions are met. * The text "at end of turn" in Hostile Takeover is the defined expiration point for the control-changing effect created by the spell. * Because this is not a triggered ability, it does not follow the process of being placed on the chain (Rule 383.3). It is an automatic game action that occurs when the turn reaches the Ending Phase. 3. **Chain Timing:** Reactions can only be played when an item is on the chain (Rule 327). Since the "lose control" and "recall" actions do not use the chain, there is no point at which a player can add a reaction to them. ### Summary of the Process * Hostile Takeover is played and resolves. * The controller gains control of the unit for the duration of the turn. * When the game reaches the Ending Phase, the duration expires. The game automatically processes the "lose control" and "recall" instructions as part of the turn's cleanup procedures. * Because this process does not involve the chain, no reactions can be played in response to the unit returning to its owner's base. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

Vi's recycle ability is **not** limited to once per turn. You can activate it multiple times in the same turn as long as you can pay the cost (recycling a card from your discard pile). According to the RiftJudge FAQs and Rule 403.3: * **Multiple Activations:** You can activate the ability as many times as you wish during your turn, provided you have cards in your discard pile to recycle. Each activation grants Vi +1 Might for the turn. * **Timing Restrictions:** This is a base-speed activated ability. It can only be used on your own turn when there is no active chain or showdown (a "neutral open state"). You cannot use it on your opponent's turn or during combat. * **Resolution:** Each activation must be performed one at a time. You cannot recycle multiple cards simultaneously to gain multiple Might at once. Because each activation uses the chain, your opponent has the opportunity to respond with reactions between each of your activations. * **Cost:** As per Rule 403.3, you must be able to complete the recycle action to pay the cost. If you have no cards in your discard pile, you cannot activate the ability. This is based on the official rules regarding recycling (Rule 403) and the consistent guidance provided in multiple RiftJudge FAQs (e.g., FAQ 642, 7244, 5055).

Ruling: Yes, you can use dice to track your opponent's hand size. Cards in hand are public information, so you can check or ask at any point, and using dice or keeping notes to track this information is allowed. Nuances: - This is useful for saving time rather than asking repeatedly during the game - You can also keep written notes if preferred

Ruling: Yes, it is legal to write down cards that get recycled into your deck. Sequence: - Cards recycled one-by-one do not require shuffling, allowing you to track their exact order - Cards recycled multiple at once require shuffling and allowing your opponent to cut/shuffle, making tracking less useful - You must write down information in a timely manner without slowing down the game Nuances: - You cannot take excessive time (e.g., 3 minutes) writing down every card revealed by effects like Aurora - It's recommended to write down only important cards and perhaps the count of cards flipped rather than everything - Aurora counts as recycling multiple cards at once, so it triggers the shuffle requirement

Ruling: Yes, it is possible for a unit to reach 0 might or even negative might (which is treated as 0 for all purposes). A unit at 0 might still needs to take at least 1 damage to be destroyed. Sequence: (Example with Master Yi and Smokescreen) - Unit starts at 4 might - Master Yi's ability gives +2 might (now 6 might) - Smokescreen applies -4 might to minimum of 1 (now 2 might) - Pakaa Cub enters, removing Yi's +2 bonus - Unit is now at 0 might (4 base - 4 from Smokescreen) Nuances: - Effects like Smokescreen that say "to a minimum of 1M" are one-time adjustments, not persistent auras - If a unit later loses a passive might bonus that was keeping it above 0, it can drop to 0 or below - Units with 0 might still require non-zero damage to be destroyed by damage - A unit at 0 might with 0 damage remains alive

Yes, you can use **Gust** to react to **Bellows Breath** in a way that saves your unit, but there is an important distinction regarding the "repeated" nature of the spell. ### The Ruling You **can** play **Gust** as a reaction to **Bellows Breath** on the chain. Because **Bellows Breath** is a single spell (even if the [Repeat] cost is paid), you are reacting to the spell itself, not the individual instances of damage. However, once **Bellows Breath** is played and the Repeat cost is paid, the spell is committed to its targets. If you use **Gust** to return your unit to your hand before **Bellows Breath** resolves, your unit is no longer on the board to be a target. According to Rule 359.3.e.5, when **Bellows Breath** resolves, it will simply ignore the now-invalid target (your unit), and the damage will not be dealt to it. ### Why you cannot react "between" the repeats It is important to understand that **Bellows Breath** does not create multiple distinct instances of a spell on the chain. * Paying the **Repeat** cost means the instructions of the spell will be executed twice **upon resolution**. * The spell exists as a single entity on the chain. * You cannot play a reaction spell "between" the first execution and the second execution of a single spell's effects. You must react to the spell while it is on the chain, which forces the spell to resolve as a whole (or fail to resolve its instructions) afterward. ### Summary of the Interaction 1. **Opponent plays Bellows Breath** (paying the Repeat cost). It goes on the chain. 2. **State is now CLOSED.** 3. **You play Gust** (as a [Reaction]) targeting your unit. It goes on the chain on top of Bellows Breath. 4. **Chain resolves LIFO (Last-In, First-Out):** * **Gust resolves:** Your unit is returned to your hand. * **Bellows Breath resolves:** It attempts to deal damage to your unit. Since your unit is no longer on the board (it is in your hand), it is an invalid target. The instruction to deal damage to that unit is ignored (Rule 359.3.e.5). **Result:** Your unit is saved, and it takes no damage.

Ruling: Yes, if you only play permanents without "when played" triggers and only move units to bases or battlefields you already control without initiating showdowns, there is no window for your opponent to play reactions. Sequence: - Play only permanents that lack "when played" triggers - Move units only to bases or battlefields you already control - Avoid initiating any showdowns - This prevents your opponent from gaining priority during your turn Nuances: - Permanents with "when played" triggers will open a chain, offering a chance for reactions - "When" is generally the keyword that indicates a triggered ability that opens a chain - "As you play" effects (like Clockwork Keeper's draw) are conditional passive abilities, not triggered abilities, and do not open a reaction window

Ruling: No, you cannot put runes in the rune deck with a color that does not match your legend. Nuances: - TF (Twisted Fate) could work in sealed/limited formats that permit 3 color decks - In constructed, TF will have more play options in future sets with new legends - Since TF is purple himself, he can currently only use 1 of his 3 abilities unless 3-colored legends are printed in the future - Future legend options may allow building around which 2 of 3 of TF's abilities you can use

Ruling: Yes, there are two possible points to react to Targon's Peak. You can respond to the initial "When you conquer" trigger right after someone conquers it, and you can respond to the delayed ability when it gets added to the chain at the appropriate end of turn time. However, neither reaction point will prevent the conquering player from readying 2 runes. Sequence: - First reaction window: When the "When you conquer" trigger occurs (this only adds the delayed ability) - Second reaction window: At end of turn when the delayed ability is added to the chain Nuances: - End of turn is normally not a phase where players can play spells or activate abilities, but the delayed trigger creates a window for reaction-keyworded spells - The trigger happens even if there are no runes to ready or if runes are already ready - Ready runes are valid targets, and "up to" means 0 runes is also valid

The requirement for deck size depends on whether you are playing in a **Constructed** tournament or a **Limited** (Draft/Sealed) format. According to the **Tournament Rules (2026-01-30)**: ### **Constructed Play** The constraint has **not** been lifted for constructed events. You must still have exactly 40 cards. * **Rule 402.1:** "In a constructed event, players must register a Main Deck of **exactly 40 cards** (including a chosen champion)..." * **Rule 601.1.b:** "In competitions, a player’s Main Deck must be exactly 40 cards." ### **Limited Formats (Draft & Sealed)** The rules for Limited formats are different and allow for smaller decks: * **Sealed (Rule 602.4.a.2):** Main Decks must be **at least 25 cards**, but can be more. * **Draft (Rule 602.4.b.3):** Main Decks must be **at least 20 cards**, but can be more. ### **Summary of Changes** While the "exactly 40" rule remains the standard for competitive Constructed play, the January 2026 update clarified that in Limited formats, you only need to meet a minimum requirement (20 or 25 cards) rather than an exact count. Additionally, in Limited formats, a deck is still legal even if it has **no** Chosen Champion (Rule 602.4.a.5), whereas Constructed requires one.

When you use **Not So Fast** to counter the triggered ability of **Beast Below**, it counters the entire ability. ### Ruling According to **RiftJudge FAQ #4968**, when countering an ability with multiple effects or targets, the entire ability is countered as a single item on the chain. You cannot selectively counter only one portion of the ability. ### Sequence 1. **Beast Below** is played as a unit. 2. Its "When you play me" triggered ability goes on the chain. 3. You play **Not So Fast** in response, targeting the ability of **Beast Below**. 4. **Not So Fast** resolves, countering the entire triggered ability of **Beast Below**. 5. Because the ability is countered, it does nothing (Rule 412.1.a). **Note:** While the ability is countered, the unit **Beast Below** itself remains on the battlefield, as it has already entered play. Countering a "When you play me" effect only negates the ability, not the unit card itself. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

No, playing a card as hidden is not considered playing a card. According to **Rule 737.1.c.1**, "Hide is not a subset of Play." Hiding a card is a "Discretionary Action" distinct from the action of playing a card. As clarified in the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 8500)**: * **Hiding a card does NOT count as playing it.** When you pay the cost to place a card facedown at a battlefield, you are performing the action of "Hide," not "Play." Consequently, this does not trigger "When you play" abilities or count toward Legion requirements. * **Playing a card from hidden DOES count as playing it.** When you flip the card over and resolve its effects on a subsequent turn, you are officially playing that card, which opens a chain (**Rule 737.1.c.3**).

Ruling: Recall is a specific action that only occurs when a card effect explicitly states "recall." It is not a standard action available at any time. Recall does not count as moving. Nuances: - Using a standard move action to bring a unit from the battlefield to base is not a recall - Recalls are limited actions that happen during specific moments - Units can only move via card effects or by using the standard move action (exhausting to move)

No, recalling a unit from a battlefield is **not** considered a move, regardless of whether it is caused by a spell effect or by the game rules (such as returning to base after failing to conquer). According to **Rule 451** and **FAQ #7722**, "Recalls are not Moves." This distinction is fundamental in *Riftbound*: * **Stellacorn Herder:** Because its ability triggers "When I move," it will **not** trigger when the unit is recalled. Recalls do not satisfy move-based trigger conditions (see **FAQ #9481**). * **Traveling Merchant:** Similarly, its ability triggers when it moves. If the unit is recalled, the ability will not trigger. **Key takeaways:** * **Recall vs. Move:** A "Move" is a specific game action (Rule 440). A "Recall" is a distinct game action that relocates a permanent to its base (Rule 450). * **Triggered Abilities:** Abilities that trigger on a "move" will not trigger on a "recall." * **State:** Per **Rule 453**, a recall does not change the state of the unit (e.g., it remains exhausted if it was exhausted, and it retains any buffs or debuffs). Whether the recall is forced by a spell (like *Zhonya's Hourglass*) or by the game state (failing to conquer a battlefield), it remains a recall and is never classified as a move.

Ruling: Scoring at a battlefield is automatic during the beginning phase. You maintain control of the battlefield but cannot choose to delay scoring. Nuances: - Even though you maintain control, the scoring happens automatically and is not optional - This means you cannot intentionally avoid scoring to repeatedly trigger conquering effects

Ruling: No, the champion zone is not the same as your hand. They are different zones. Nuances: - Cards that reference "hand" do not apply to your Chosen Champion in the champion zone

Yes, **Hunt** is a keyword that functions as a triggered ability. According to **Rule 823.1**, Hunt is explicitly defined as a "Triggered Ability keyword." When a unit with Hunt conquers or holds a battlefield, the Hunt ability triggers, meaning it is placed on the chain and behaves like an activated ability (Rule 383.3). Because Hunt is functionally short for "When I Conquer or Hold, my controller gains X XP" (Rule 823.1.c.1), it follows all standard rules for triggered abilities.

Ruling: 1. The Zaun Warrens conquer effect is mandatory. 2. Yes, you can decide the order of your "when I defend" triggers relative to Reaver's Row. Sequence: - Attacker's triggers go on the chain first, ordered by the attacker - Defender's triggers go on the chain second, ordered by the defender - This allows the defender to choose whether other "when I defend" triggers happen before or after Reaver's Row Nuances: - When assigning combat damage, the attacker assigns damage first - When assigning damage to units, you must assign lethal damage to a unit before assigning damage to another unit (unless special abilities like Tank or its opposite apply) - Units with damage immunity (like Kayn) have special rules allowing you to skip assigning damage to them even if they have Tank

No, "in combat" and "during a showdown" are not synonymous. They represent different game states with different requirements. According to the **Riftbound Rules (2026-03-30)** and **RiftJudge FAQ #7557**, here is the distinction: ### 1. Showdown vs. Combat * **Showdown:** A Showdown is a "Window of Opportunity" that occurs when a battlefield is **Contested** (Rule 342). A Showdown can occur on its own (a "Non-Combat Showdown") if units from only one player are present, or it can be a part of a "Combat Showdown." * **Combat:** A Combat is a more specific state that only exists when units controlled by **opposing players** are present at the same battlefield (Rule 454). ### 2. The Relationship Think of "Showdown" as the broad window of interaction and "Combat" as the specific condition of conflict within that window. * **All Combat Showdowns are Showdowns**, but not all Showdowns are Combats. * If you move a unit to an empty battlefield, a **Showdown** begins (non-combat). * If you move a unit to a battlefield already occupied by an opponent's unit, a **Combat Showdown** begins. ### 3. "In Combat" vs. "During a Showdown" * **"In Combat" (Rule 741.3):** This specifically refers to the status of a **unit**. A unit is "in combat" if it is occupying a battlefield where combat is ongoing *and* it has a combat designation (Attacker or Defender). * **"During a Showdown" (Rule 343.1):** This refers to the **state of the turn**. If a game effect says "during a showdown," it applies to any time the game is in a Showdown or Combat Showdown state, regardless of whether your specific unit is currently fighting. **In summary:** "In combat" is a status assigned to specific units during a conflict, while "during a showdown" describes the active window of time when players are allowed to play spells and abilities because a battlefield is contested. You can be in a showdown without being "in combat," but you cannot be "in combat" without being in a showdown (specifically a Combat Showdown).