Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

No, Mask of Foresight will not give your Rengar +1 Might in this scenario. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #4433** and **FAQ #6385**, the condition for Mask of Foresight ("when I attack/defend alone") is checked exclusively at the moment units are initially designated as attackers or defenders at the start of a showdown. ### Why it does not trigger: 1. **Initial Check:** When the opponent attacked Star Spring, your solo unit was designated as the defender. At that specific moment, Mask of Foresight checked for the "defends alone" condition. If it was indeed alone, it would have triggered then. 2. **No Re-designation:** Moving units in or out of the battlefield after that initial designation—such as ambushing Rengar in or using Star Spring to move your original unit back to base—does not cause the remaining units to be re-designated as defenders. 3. **Static Condition:** Because the trigger condition was not met at the moment of designation (or has already been evaluated), changing the number of defenders later does not cause the Mask to trigger or grant a bonus to the remaining unit. **Summary of Timing:** * Mask of Foresight is not a continuous effect; it is a triggered ability that looks for a specific state only at the moment designations are applied during the combat's initial chain. * Once that initial designation moment passes, adding or removing units does not create new opportunities for Mask of Foresight to trigger for that same combat.

To answer your questions regarding the showdown and the interaction between these cards: ### 1. Does the damage heal? No, the damage does not heal because no damage is dealt to Kai'Sa, Survivor. When you play **Flash** in response to your opponent's **Hextech Ray**, Kai'Sa moves from the battlefield to your base. Because Kai'Sa is no longer a legal target when the Hextech Ray resolves, the spell resolves with no effect. Since no damage was dealt, there is no damage to heal. ### 2. Does combat cleanup occur and why? Yes, **combat cleanup occurs.** According to Rule 461.7, combat ends when the designated showdown concludes. Even if no combat damage is dealt or all units are moved away, the showdown was still initiated because you moved Kai'Sa to an occupied battlefield. Per RiftJudge FAQ #8342: "Units heal after a combat as long as a combat was started, even if combat damage is skipped or a unit is moved away before damage is dealt... As long as a combat was started... after the showdown closes and after the combat damage step... all units heal." ### Summary of the Sequence: 1. **Initiation:** You move Kai'Sa, Survivor to your opponent's battlefield. A showdown begins, and your opponent gains Focus. 2. **Chain:** Your opponent plays **Hextech Ray**, targeting Kai'Sa. 3. **Reaction:** You play **Flash** in response, moving Kai'Sa to your base. 4. **Resolution:** * **Flash** resolves first (LIFO), moving Kai'Sa to your base. * **Hextech Ray** then attempts to resolve. It sees that its target (Kai'Sa) is no longer a legal target; it resolves with no effect. 5. **Combat Resolution:** * **Combat Damage Step:** No units remain at the battlefield, so no combat damage is assigned. * **Combat Cleanup (Rule 461.1.a.1):** All units in play (including Kai'Sa at your base) are healed. * **Result:** Since no units remain at the battlefield, the showdown ends in "No Result" (Rule 461.3.d). *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

You are correct—your opponent's claim is incorrect. **They do not Conquer the battlefield.** According to **Rule 464.1**, a "Conquer" occurs specifically when a player gains control of a battlefield **they did not yet score that turn**. Because your opponent already controlled the battlefield at the start of the interaction, maintaining control (even through a chain of events where units leave and enter) does not constitute a "Conquer." ### Why this is the case: 1. **Maintaining Control:** Under **Rule 187.4.c** and the associated clarifications, control of a battlefield cannot be lost while there are items pending on the chain. Even if your *Windsinger* ability bounced their original sprite, their *Sprite Call* was on the chain. Because the game state did not transition to an "Open state" where they had no units *and* no items on the chain, they never lost control of the battlefield. 2. **No New Control:** Since they never lost control, they did not "gain" control. Therefore, the definition of a Conquer (gaining control of a battlefield they did not previously control or score) was not met. 3. **Timing Sequence:** * **Chain Link 1:** You play *Windsinger*. Its "When you play me" triggered ability goes on the chain. * **Chain Link 2:** Your opponent plays *Sprite Call* from hidden as a reaction. *Sprite Call* (the spell) is now on top of the chain. * **Resolution:** The chain resolves LIFO (Last-In, First-Out). * *Sprite Call* resolves first: They play a Sprite token to the battlefield. They have units at the battlefield. * *Windsinger's* ability resolves next: You bounce their original sprite. * **Final State:** They still have a unit (the new Sprite token) at the battlefield. They held control throughout the entire process and never lost it. In short, simply adding or replacing units at a battlefield you already control does not trigger a Conquer.

To resolve this situation, we must follow the specific timing and chain mechanics of Riftbound. ### Part 1: The Elder Dragon and the Second Deathknell **Yes, your opponent can play a unit with the second *Rift Herald* Deathknell.** Here is the step-by-step breakdown: 1. **Triggering:** When both *Rift Heralds* die, both of their *Deathknell* abilities trigger. These go on the chain in the order of your opponent's choosing. 2. **First Resolution:** The first *Deathknell* resolves. Your opponent plays *Elder Dragon* (paying its power cost). *Elder Dragon* enters the battlefield, and its "When you play me" triggered ability is placed on the chain. 3. **Reaction:** You play *Star-Crossed* in response to the *Elder Dragon's* play ability. *Star-Crossed* resolves, returning both the *Elder Dragon* and your friendly unit to hand. 4. **Second Resolution:** The chain then proceeds to the second *Rift Herald* *Deathknell* trigger. Because that ability is independent of the first one, your opponent may now play another unit (or a different *Elder Dragon* if they have one) from their hand as instructed by the second *Deathknell*. ### Part 2: Conquering the Battlefield **If Irelia is killed, she does not conquer the battlefield.** * **Rule 348.2.a:** A player only establishes control (and thus triggers a "Conquer") if they are the player whose units remain at the battlefield after the showdown closes. * **The Combat Sequence:** Combat damage is dealt in the Combat Damage Step, which occurs after the showdown (where the *Deathknell* triggers happened) has fully closed. * **Result:** If *Irelia* is killed by the *Elder Dragon's* ability (or combat damage) before the Combat Damage Step finishes, she is moved to the trash. If no friendly units remain at that battlefield at the end of the combat/showdown, you cannot conquer it. ### Summary * **Deathknell Interaction:** The *Deathknell* triggers are individual events. Star-crossing the unit played by the first trigger does not prevent the second trigger from resolving and allowing your opponent to play another unit. * **Conquering:** To conquer a battlefield, you must have a unit present at the conclusion of combat/showdown. If your units are killed, you lose the opportunity to conquer that battlefield. *This is my interpretation based on Rule 348 and the mechanics of triggered abilities. No official FAQ exists for this specific combination of interactions.*

According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10983** and **FAQ #9480**, you cannot counter both *Deathknell* triggers with a single "Not So Fast" effect. ### Why this happens: 1. **Separate Instances:** When you control **Karthus, Eternal**, his passive ability creates an additional instance of the *Deathknell* trigger on the chain. Because each trigger is an individual item on the chain, they must be interacted with separately. 2. **Targeting:** A card effect that says "Counter target triggered ability" targets only one specific item on the chain. ### The Sequence: 1. **Trigger 1 and Trigger 2** are both placed on the chain as separate, pending items. 2. If you play "Not So Fast" (assuming it targets a triggered ability), you must choose **one** of those two specific *Deathknell* triggers to counter. 3. Once the first trigger is countered, the second trigger remains on the chain and will resolve normally. To stop both *Deathknell* triggers, you would need to use a counter effect twice.

Yes, it is legal. Baron's effect is a replacement effect: it replaces the event of him entering the location you played him to with him entering the Baron Pit instead.

**Conclusion: The opponent's unit dies.** To determine if the unit survives, we must evaluate the board state and the sequence of actions. ### 1. Analysis of the Unit's Might and Damage * **Initial State:** Your opponent has a 4-Might unit at *Forbidding Waste*. Because the unit is alone, *Forbidding Waste* applies a -2 Might penalty, reducing its current Might to **2**. * **Damage:** You deal 2 damage to this unit. * **Result:** The unit currently has 2 damage marked on it and 2 current Might. Per **Rule 323.5.3b**, this unit is at lethal damage. ### 2. Constraints on the Move Action Per **Rule 144.1.a**, a Move action requires a Neutral Open state. Because the unit is currently at lethal damage, it will be destroyed during the Cleanup step following the damage, which occurs before a new action (such as a move) can be initiated. ### 3. Battlefield Control and Penalty Per **RiftJudge FAQ #10921**, a unit is considered "alone" if there are no other friendly units at that location. Moving an enemy unit into the battlefield does not remove the -2 Might penalty from *Forbidding Waste*, as the opponent's unit remains the only friendly unit present. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

No, Azir, Ascendant does not take 2 damage in this scenario. Here is the breakdown of why: 1. **Forgefire Cape's Trigger:** According to the card text retrieved, Forgefire Cape's effect is: *"When I attack or defend, deal 2 to all enemy units here."* 2. **Trigger Condition:** This ability only triggers when the unit equipped with the Forgefire Cape is designated as an **attacker** or **defender** during combat. 3. **The Interaction:** Moving a unit to a battlefield or swapping units using Azir, Ascendant's ability does not initiate combat, nor does it designate any unit as an attacker or defender. Because no combat is occurring and no unit has been designated as an attacker or defender, the Forgefire Cape's ability does not trigger. Even if combat were occurring, the Forgefire Cape's effect only triggers when the unit it is attached to attacks or defends. Simply moving or swapping units into the same battlefield as the Forgefire Cape does not cause it to deal damage.

Yes, this is legal. Normally, if you lose control of a battlefield, any hidden cards there are immediately discarded to the trash. However, because **Lonely Poro** has a `[Deathknell]` ability, its death creates a specific timing window that allows your opponent to save their hidden card. Here is the exact sequence of how this resolves based on **RiftJudge FAQ #1972**: 1. **Combat Damage:** Both players pass, and combat damage is dealt. **Pit Rookie** and **Lonely Poro** both take lethal damage and die simultaneously. 2. **Deathknell Triggers:** Because Lonely Poro died with no other friendly units at the battlefield, its `[Deathknell]` ability triggers and goes on the chain. 3. **Reaction Window:** The Deathknell trigger opening a chain means the game state is now "Closed." Both players get priority to play `[Reaction]` cards before the trigger resolves. 4. **Flipping Zhonya's:** Your opponent uses this window to play their hidden **Zhonya's Hourglass** as a reaction. 5. **Zhonya's Resolves:** When played from hidden, Zhonya's Hourglass enters play and immediately recalls to their base (as Gear resides in the base). It does *not* save the Lonely Poro (since the Poro is already dead), but it successfully saves itself. 6. **Control Changes:** After the chain resolves and the game returns to an Open state, the game checks for battlefield control during cleanup. Since your opponent no longer has units there, you gain control of the battlefield. If the defending unit had been a unit *without* a Deathknell ability, no chain would have opened after combat damage. The game would have gone straight to an Open state, you would have taken control of the battlefield, and the hidden Zhonya's Hourglass would have been discarded to the trash without your opponent getting a chance to flip it.

Yes, your opponent can use **Ride the Wind** to move their *Stellacorn Herder* from one battlefield to the other. Here is the breakdown of why this is a legal play: 1. **Card Usage:** *Ride the Wind* is an [Action] card that allows the controller to "Move a friendly unit and ready it." As an [Action] card, it can be played during the owner's Main Phase (when the state is open) or during a Showdown. 2. **Movement Mechanics:** Per Rule 444.1, spells and abilities can cause units to move. Unlike standard movement, which is restricted by certain rules (like Rule 144.1.c), movement via spells like *Ride the Wind* is not bound by the same limitations, provided the card itself doesn't impose additional restrictions. *Ride the Wind* does not prohibit moving between battlefields. 3. **Timing:** If your opponent plays *Ride the Wind* while a Showdown is active (a common scenario for this interaction), it follows the standard chain rules. Once played, *Ride the Wind* is placed on the chain. If no other reactions are played, it resolves, and the *Stellacorn Herder* immediately moves to the target battlefield and readies. 4. **Trigger:** Because *Stellacorn Herder* says "When I move, draw 1," this ability will trigger and be placed on the chain immediately after the unit arrives at the new battlefield, following the move's completion (Rule 441.3). **In summary:** Yes, the move is legal. After the move, your opponent will draw a card from the *Stellacorn Herder's* triggered ability.

### Ruling **Yes, Vi’s Might will stay at the doubled total.** When the B.F. Sword is removed by *Acceptable Losses*, the amount added by the doubling effect remains static as it was calculated at the time the doubling effect was applied. ### Reasoning 1. **Doubling Mechanics:** Per Rule 432.1.a, doubling creates an effect that adds a static value (+X) equal to the unit’s Might at the moment the doubling effect is applied. This added value is fixed and does not change even if the unit’s base Might or other equipment bonuses are modified or removed after the effect is already in place. 2. **Removal of Might Bonus:** According to Rule 137.3.a, an Equipment's Might bonus applies only while it is attached. While the B.F. Sword’s +3 bonus is removed when the card is destroyed by *Acceptable Losses*, this only affects the unit’s base Might. It does not retroactively change the static value added by the previously resolved doubling effect. 3. **Layers of Might Calculation:** Under Rules 471.1 and 471.2, while the game re-evaluates characteristics as layers change, the doubling effect has already locked in its bonus amount based on the snapshot of the unit's Might at the time of resolution. 4. **Acceptable Losses:** Per FAQs #4344, #9829, and #9207, *Acceptable Losses* simply destroys the gear. The destruction removes the static +3 bonus, but does not trigger a recalculation of a doubling effect that has already resolved and locked in its numerical value. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Doubling Applied:** Vi’s Might is calculated (Base + B.F. Sword bonus), and the "Double" effect adds a fixed value equal to that total. 2. **Acceptable Losses Played:** *Acceptable Losses* resolves, and the B.F. Sword is destroyed. 3. **Effect Cessation:** The B.F. Sword's static Might bonus is removed. 4. **Result:** Vi loses the +3 bonus from the B.F. Sword, but retains the fixed value added by the doubling effect. *Note: I could not verify the exact base Might values of "Vi, Hotheaded" or the specific +3 Might bonus of "B.F. Sword" because these cards were not returned in my database lookup. Additionally, the specific Rule 422.4.b you referenced is not in the provided rules text; I have based this ruling on the general mechanics of continuous effects and equipment found in the Core Rules (Section 137 and Section 471).*

No, you do not get an opportunity to react simply because your opponent is ending their turn. According to the rules and established FAQs: * **Reactions require a chain:** You can only play a reaction when a chain is already open (a "Closed State"). If your opponent is simply ending their turn and no triggered abilities or other effects are placed on the chain, the state remains "Open," and you have no window to play a reaction. * **No "End of Turn" reaction window:** There is no "end of turn" opportunity to play reactions that prevents your opponent from taking further actions or transitioning phases. * **Opponent control:** The active player controls when chains open during their turn. If they choose to end their turn without starting a chain, you do not gain priority to act. As stated in the RiftJudge FAQ (ID 6113): "You cannot play a reaction when changing phases. You can only play a reaction during an opponent's turn if the chain is not empty and you get priority, or if there is a showdown and you get focus."

No. Diana's triggered ability goes on the same chain as Kha'Zix's attack trigger, but it triggers before any triggered abilities that happen because units gained attacker or defender.

No, you do not score 2 points and win. You score 1 point from Draven's ability, bringing you to 7 points, but you do not score a second point for "Conquering" the battlefield. Here is the breakdown of the interaction: ### 1. Draven's Death Trigger According to the card text for **Draven, Audacious**: *"When I die in combat, choose an opponent. They score 1 point."* Because Draven died during the combat resolution, his ability triggers. You are chosen to score 1 point, moving your total from 6 to 7. ### 2. The Final Point Restriction According to **Rule 448.1.b.2**, there is a specific restriction on earning the final point (the 8th point in a standard 1v1 game) through a **Conquer** action: > *"If the player has Scored through a Conquer and has not Scored every Battlefield this turn, that player draws a card [instead of scoring the point]."* ### 3. Why you don't "Conquer" for the win Even though your opponent's Draven died, they still have **Irelia** remaining at the battlefield. * **Control Status:** Since your opponent still has a unit (Irelia) at the location and you have none, your opponent maintains control of that battlefield. * **No Conquest:** You only "Conquer" a battlefield when you gain control of it (Rule 446.1). Since you do not have units there, you have not gained control, and therefore you have not "Scored" that battlefield. * **Showdown Logic:** Even if you had moved a unit in during the showdown to survive, a similar FAQ ruling states that if you are at 7 points and move into a battlefield during a showdown, you only win if you score on **every** battlefield in that same turn. Since you only scored on one (via Draven's ability), you would draw a card instead of gaining the 8th point. **Final Result:** You reach 7 points and likely draw a card if any other "Score" triggers occurred, but you do not reach 8 points to win the game.

They will not. Elder Dragon’s play effect has a number of targeting restrictions equal to the number of locations on the board. Its controller chooses up to one enemy unit at each of those locations to target with the ability and each of those units must follow their respective targeting restriction. It is the equivalent to saying “Deal 1 to up to one enemy unit at battlefield A. Deal 1 to up to one enemy unit at battlefield B. Deal 1 to up to one enemy unit in your base. Deal 1 to up to one enemy unit in Opponent A’s Base. …” Each of those targeting restrictions is fulfilled separately for each unit targeted. If you play Flash in reaction to the play effect of Elder Dragon, any units that are moved to a location other than the one where they were targeted will no longer fulfill the targeting restriction of the Elder Dragon play effect and will be unaffected by the ability as it resolves.

Yes, you can respond to Elder Dragon’s play effect by playing a hidden **Tideturner** as a Reaction. ### Declarations and Priority Your opponent **must** declare their targets for Elder Dragon's ability when they play the card. According to the game rules, Elder Dragon's "When you play me" ability is a triggered ability that uses the chain. When the opponent plays Elder Dragon, they must choose their targets (up to one enemy unit at each location) and place the effect on the chain. Once they have declared targets and added the effect to the chain, you gain priority, at which point you may play your hidden **Tideturner** as a Reaction. ### How the Interaction Resolves Because your Tideturner is a Reaction, it will be added to the chain on top of Elder Dragon’s triggered ability. 1. **Chain State:** The chain currently consists of (bottom) Elder Dragon's ability, (top) Tideturner's playing/triggered ability. 2. **Resolution order (LIFO - Last In, First Out):** * **Tideturner resolves first:** You move Tideturner to the location of your other unit, and that unit moves to Tideturner's original location. * **Elder Dragon's ability resolves next:** It re-checks the status of its targets. As clarified in **RiftJudge FAQ #9919** and **#9968**, because the units targeted by Elder Dragon have moved to different locations (or are no longer at the locations where they were originally targeted), they no longer fulfill the targeting criteria for Elder Dragon’s effect. Consequently, they are unaffected by the 1 damage. ### Summary * **Targets:** Your opponent declares them first. * **Reaction:** You can react once the ability is on the chain. * **Result:** By swapping your units, you move them out of the positions Elder Dragon is targeting, causing those targets to become "invalid" or miss their requirement (as per **Rule 359.3.e.9**), effectively saving them from the damage.

No, you cannot use **Disposal Order** to "recycle the spell instead of casting it" once it has been targeted by **Fizz, Trickster**'s triggered ability. Here is the breakdown of why this interaction works this way: ### 1. The Targeting Timing As clarified in **RiftJudge FAQ #10020** and **FAQ #9214**, when Fizz is played, his "When you play me" (WYPM) ability triggers. You must declare the target spell in your trash **at the moment you add Fizz's ability to the chain**. ### 2. The Chain State Once Fizz's ability is on the chain targeting that spell, the spell is still in your opponent's trash. However, because it is now "targeted" by an ability on the chain, Fizz's ability has "locked in" its intent to play that specific card. ### 3. Why Disposal Order doesn't stop the cast If you play **Disposal Order** in response to Fizz's triggered ability (the chain is closed), you are attempting to remove the target from the trash. * **If the target is still in the trash when Fizz's ability resolves:** The spell will be played as intended. * **If you successfully move the target out of the trash** (e.g., if you had a card that could banish it or move it to a different zone before Fizz's ability resolves), then Fizz's ability will have no valid target upon resolution. According to **Rule 359.3.e.6**, instructions that can't be followed due to illegal targets are ignored, meaning the spell would not be played. However, **Disposal Order** itself instructs the opponent to *Recycle* the chosen cards. Because Recycling is a game action that puts cards on the bottom of the deck, if you use **Disposal Order** to recycle the target spell, that spell is no longer in the trash. When Fizz's ability attempts to resolve, it will find its target is now missing from the trash (the target is now in the Deck), and thus the instruction to play it will be ignored (Rule 359.3.e.7). **Summary:** * You cannot "make them recycle the spell instead of casting it" in a way where they *still* cast it. * If you successfully recycle the targeted spell using **Disposal Order** *before* Fizz's ability resolves, you will cause Fizz's ability to **fail to execute** because its target is no longer available in the trash. The spell will **not** be cast.

Yes, you can do that. You can draw a card from **Discipline** and then use that same card to counter **Hidden Blade** on the same chain. ### Reasoning According to the **Showdown Flow** and **Chain Rules**, the chain resolves in **LIFO (Last-In, First-Out)** order. 1. **Chain State:** When you play **Discipline** in response to **Hidden Blade**, the chain looks like this (from bottom to top): * Bottom: **Hidden Blade** * Top: **Discipline** 2. **Resolution:** The chain resolves from the top down. **Discipline** resolves first, granting your unit +2 Might and allowing you to draw a card. 3. **Timing:** After **Discipline** resolves, there is a window to react with newly drawn cards. Because **Hidden Blade** is still on the chain waiting to resolve, you may play the card you just drew to react to it. ### Important Clarification You can play a card you draw from a resolving effect to react to earlier items on the chain. If you draw a [Reaction] spell like **Defy**, you may play it after **Discipline** resolves to counter **Hidden Blade** before it resolves. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Yes, the **Reflection** token will still be created, but it will not be able to complete the copy effect. This interaction is covered by **RiftJudge FAQ #10346**, which explains that because *Riftbound* effects do not "fizzle," they continue to execute instructions as much as possible even if a target is removed. ### Chain Sequence 1. **Chain Item 1:** The **Deceiver** ability (triggered by conquering). 2. **Chain Item 2:** **Gust** (played as a reaction). Since the chain resolves in **Last-In, First-Out (LIFO)** order, your **Gust** resolves before the Deceiver ability. ### Resolution Order 1. **Gust Resolves:** The target unit you chose is returned to its owner's hand. It is no longer at the battlefield. 2. **Deceiver Ability Resumes:** The ability continues to execute its remaining instructions: * **"Play a ready Reflection unit token there":** This instruction succeeds. A 0 [M] **Reflection** token enters the battlefield. * **"Then do this: It becomes a copy of another unit there":** This instruction attempts to resolve. Because the unit you originally intended to target (or the unit the opponent intended to copy) is no longer at that battlefield, this effect cannot be applied. * **Result:** Per the "do all you can" rule, the ability skips the impossible instruction. The **Reflection** token remains on the battlefield as a base 0 [M] unit without the rules text or stats of another unit. *** *Disclaimer: This ruling is based on the official RiftJudge FAQ #10346 regarding similar interaction with the Deceiver ability and unit removal.*

Yes, your opponent keeps the **Legion** effect active for the rest of the turn, even though their spell was countered. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9463** and **#9461**, the **Legion** condition is satisfied the moment a card is **Finalized** on the chain. ### The Sequence 1. **Playing the Card:** Your opponent plays a spell. It is placed on the chain as a "Pending Chain Item." 2. **Finalization:** Your opponent chooses targets and pays all costs (including additional costs like **Deflect**). The card becomes a "Finalized Chain Item." **At this exact moment, the Legion condition is met for the turn.** 3. **Reaction:** You play **Not So Fast** to counter their spell. 4. **Resolution:** The counter resolves, and your opponent's card is cleared from the chain (per **Rule 425.1.a**). Even though their spell was countered and did not resolve, the requirement for **Legion** was already satisfied during the Finalization step. Therefore, any **Legion** abilities on cards they play afterward that turn will be active, and they do **not** need to play another card to satisfy the requirement.

Yes, a showdown still occurs. According to **FAQ #7200**, a showdown occurs when you move a unit to a battlefield, even if there are no enemy units present. Playing a spell like *Fight or Flight* to move that unit back to its base does not prevent the showdown from happening; it simply changes the state of the battlefield during that showdown. Here is the breakdown of how this interaction works: ### Sequence of Events 1. **Opponent moves a unit to an open battlefield:** This action triggers a showdown (Rule 429.1). 2. **Showdown begins:** The game enters a Showdown State (Rule 339.1). 3. **You play *Fight or Flight*:** * *Fight or Flight* has the **[Action]** keyword, which allows it to be played during a showdown (Rule 732.1.b). * Because you are playing it during a showdown, it creates a chain (Rule 338.1). 4. **Resolution:** Once the chain resolves, the unit is moved back to its base. 5. **Showdown continues:** The showdown does not end just because the unit was moved. The showdown continues until all players pass focus in order (Rule 345). ### Clarifications * **Regarding *Fight or Flight*:** *Fight or Flight* possesses the **[Action]** keyword, which permits it to be played during showdowns (Rule 732.1.c.1). Additionally, it possesses the **[Hidden]** keyword, which allows it to be played as a **[Reaction]** when played from a hidden state (Rule 737.6). * **Regarding "Playing" vs. "Moving":** You are correct that Rule 429.1 specifically addresses **moving** a unit. If a player were to "play" a unit (from their hand) to a battlefield, that action would also trigger a showdown if it results in the battlefield becoming contested (Rule 340). The outcome regarding the showdown remains the same regardless of whether the unit arrived via a move action or by being played from hand.

When your Akshan leaves the board, control of the **Skyfall of Areion** will revert to your opponent, not you. Here is the step-by-step breakdown of the interaction based on the rules of control-change effects and the precedents established in RiftJudge FAQs #8851 and #5396: 1. **Initial Theft:** Your opponent plays their Akshan and uses its ability to steal your Skyfall of Areion. Their Akshan creates a control-change effect that grants them control of the gear for as long as their Akshan remains on the board. 2. **Your Counter-Theft:** You play your own Akshan and use its ability to take control of the Skyfall of Areion. Your Akshan creates a new control-change effect. Because your effect is the most recent, it overrides your opponent's effect due to timestamp order. You now control the gear. 3. **Your Akshan Dies:** When your Akshan leaves the board, the control-change effect it created ceases to apply. 4. **Recalculation:** With your control-change effect gone, the game recalculates control. Since your opponent's Akshan is still on the board, its original control-change effect—which was previously overridden—becomes active again. 5. **Result:** Control of the Skyfall of Areion reverts to your opponent, as they are the controller of the only remaining active control-change effect. **Important Nuances:** * **Attachment:** As noted in RiftJudge FAQ #8714, the gear does not automatically detach or return to your base when control changes. It remains attached to whatever unit it was on (or stays at your base if it was unattached). * **Ownership vs. Control:** While your opponent regains control, you remain the **owner** of the Skyfall of Areion (the player who brought it into the game). If the gear were to be returned to a hand (e.g., via *Factory Recall*), it would return to your hand, not your opponent's, per Rule 107.6.f and RiftJudge FAQ #9096.

To determine if *Salvage* still triggers, we must look at how targeting and resolution work in Riftbound. ### Ruling **Yes, *Salvage* will still resolve.** According to **Rule 355.10**, targeting choices are locked when the card is played (added to the chain). When your opponent played *Salvage*, they targeted the gear while it was attached to your unit at the battlefield. Because the target was legal at the time of play, the spell remains on the chain targeting that specific gear. ### What happens to the gear? When you sacrificed your unit, the attached gear became un-attached. Under **Rule 452.1** and **Rule 149.3**, un-attached gear at a battlefield are recalled to their controller's base during the next cleanup. Even though the gear moves to the base, the *Salvage* spell is still tracking that specific object as its target. When *Salvage* resolves: 1. It attempts to execute its instruction: "Kill up to one gear." Since the targeted gear is now at your base, it is still a valid target for the kill effect. 2. Even if the gear could not be killed (though it can be), *Salvage* would still proceed to its next instruction: "Draw 1." ### Sequence of Events 1. **Opponent plays *Salvage*:** They target your attached gear at the battlefield. *Salvage* is now on the chain. 2. **You react:** You sacrifice your unit. The gear detaches. 3. **Chain resolves (LIFO):** - The *Salvage* effect checks for its target. It is still the same gear (now located at your base). - The effect "kills" the gear (it is sent to the trash). - The effect "Draw 1" resolves. **Note:** This is my interpretation based on standard targeting and resolution rules (355.10) and the mechanics of Gear movement (452.1). No official FAQ exists for this exact interaction, but it follows the established behavior that spells "stick" to their targets even if those targets change location, provided the target remains valid.

Yes, you can react with *Gust* to attempt to return *Irelia, Fervent* to their hand before she readies. However, there is a crucial timing mechanic you must understand regarding the chain and how your opponent's play sequence resolves. ### The Sequence 1. **Playing *En Garde*:** When your opponent plays *En Garde* and chooses *Irelia* as the target, two triggers are added to the chain simultaneously: * **Irelia's Trigger:** "When you choose... me, give me +1 Might." * **Blade Dancer's Trigger:** "When you choose a friendly unit, you may exhaust me and pay [A] to ready it." 2. **State is Closed:** The moment these items hit the chain, the state is **Closed**. You now have priority to play a [Reaction], such as *Gust*. 3. **Your Response:** If you play *Gust* now, it is added to the **top** of the chain. ### Resolution (LIFO - Last-In, First-Out) The chain resolves in reverse order of how items were added: 1. **Your *Gust* resolves:** *Gust* checks its targeting requirement (unit must have 3 Might or less). * *Irelia* currently has 3 Might. * *Gust* resolves and successfully returns *Irelia* to your opponent's hand. 2. **Other Chain Items:** Once *Irelia* is in your opponent's hand, she is no longer on the board. The remaining items on the chain (*Blade Dancer*'s ready trigger and *Irelia*'s "when chosen" trigger) will attempt to resolve, but since the unit they reference is no longer on the board, they will "mistarget" or be unable to execute their instructions (Rule 359.3.e.12, 359.3.e.5). ### Summary If *Irelia* is at 3 Might when you play *Gust*, your play is legal and successful. Because *Gust* is a [Reaction], it sits on top of the chain and resolves before the ready effect or the Might-granting triggers can execute. *Irelia* will return to your opponent's hand, and *En Garde* will resolve with no target (it will whiff).

No, your attacking unit does not get to use its attack trigger again. According to **Rule 383.4.e.2.a** and the **Patch Notes (2025-10-24)**, attack triggers only trigger once per combat, specifically the first time a unit gains the attacker designation during that combat. Even if a unit leaves and re-enters the battlefield or if the combat state changes (such as an opponent moving a new unit in via *Ride the Wind*), the unit cannot trigger its attack ability a second time within the same combat. As noted in the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 4303)**: "Each unit can only trigger their on attack or on defense trigger once per combat... If the combat ends and a new combat starts, triggers can activate again." Since the combat is still ongoing, the trigger condition has already been satisfied for that unit for this combat.

Yes, if you use **Mystic Reversal** to steal a spell that has had its **Repeat** cost paid, you gain control of the entire spell, including all instances of the repeat effect. According to the FAQ regarding repeat spells and Mystic Reversal: * When you gain control of a repeat spell, the repeated spell effects are part of the original spell which has been finalized and paid for. * Gaining control does not change the fact that the repeat cost has been paid. * You receive one spell that performs its effects multiple times (e.g., twice if one repeat cost was paid, three times if two were paid). **Key points to remember:** * **No new costs:** You do not need to pay the repeat cost again; you inherit the spell as it was finalized by your opponent. * **New choices:** As per the card text of Mystic Reversal, you may make new choices for the spell (such as new targets) when you take control of it. * **Playing the spell:** While you gain control of the spell and its effects, the spell is still considered to have been "played" only once. This is based on the official FAQ for Riftbound regarding Mystic Reversal and repeat effects.

Yes, the tokens stay where they are. Here is the step-by-step breakdown of how this interaction resolves based on the rules for [Reaction] timing and the targeting logic of Azir, Sovereign: ### The Sequence 1. **Attack Declaration:** You attack a battlefield with **Azir, Sovereign**. His "When I attack" ability triggers and is placed on the chain. You choose which token units to move as part of placing this trigger. 2. **Reaction:** Your opponent plays **Star-Crossed** in response, targeting Azir, Sovereign. Star-Crossed is placed on the chain *above* Azir’s trigger. 3. **Resolution (LIFO):** The chain resolves in Last-In, First-Out order: * **Star-Crossed resolves first:** It returns your Azir, Sovereign to your hand. * **Azir's trigger attempts to resolve:** When Azir’s trigger finally tries to resolve, it checks for "this battlefield" to move the tokens to. Because Azir has been returned to your hand, he is no longer present on any battlefield. As established in **RiftJudge FAQ #2127**, if Azir is removed (e.g., returned to hand, sent to base, or killed) in response to his trigger, the ability **whiffs** because "this battlefield" cannot be identified. ### Conclusion Because the ability whiffs, the instruction to move your tokens is never executed. The token units remain at their original location. *** *This is my interpretation based on Rule 359.3.f (Reference to "here") and the established Azir, Sovereign FAQ (ID 2127). No official FAQ exists for the specific interaction of Star-Crossed returning Azir to hand, but it follows the same logic as removing him via other effects.*

No, you do not get to give your units +1 Might if your spell is defied (countered). According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8877** and **Rule 412.1.b**, a card that is countered is not considered to have been played. Because the spell never finishes the process of being played, any triggered abilities that rely on a spell being played (such as the one on **Abandoned Hall**) will not trigger. This is further confirmed by **RiftJudge FAQ #4905**, which clarifies that for abilities triggered by playing a spell, the spell must resolve for the trigger to be valid.

Yes, a unit with **Hunt** will trigger its Hunt ability twice when you perform a "Hold" action at **Reckoner's Arena**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #9544, this occurs because the Hunt keyword functions as both a "Hold" and "Conquer" effect. Here is the sequence of events: 1. **Action:** You perform a "Hold" action at Reckoner's Arena. 2. **Trigger 1 (Hold):** The "Hold" condition of the Hunt keyword is met naturally by your action. This places the Hunt ability on the chain. 3. **Trigger 2 (Conquer):** Reckoner's Arena has an ability that reads, *"When you hold here, activate the conquer effects of units here."* This forces the "Conquer" condition of your unit's Hunt keyword to trigger as a separate event, placing a second instance of the Hunt ability on the chain. 4. **Resolution:** Both instances of the Hunt ability resolve from the chain (Last-In, First-Out), resulting in your controller gaining the Hunt value in XP twice.

In Riftbound (including High OPL/Competitive play), the setup sequence is strictly defined to ensure players have full information about the Battlefields before deciding who goes first. The correct order of operations is: 1. **Sideboarding:** Players swap cards from their sideboards (if applicable). This is done before any information is revealed. 2. **Reveal Legends:** Both players reveal their Legend cards simultaneously. 3. **Choose and Reveal Champions:** Both players select their Chosen Champions and reveal them. 4. **Select and Reveal Battlefields:** Both players select their Battlefields. These are revealed **simultaneously** and placed in the Battlefield Zone. They are public knowledge before the next step. 5. **Determine Turn Order:** * In **Game 1**, turn order is determined by a fair random method (e.g., a die roll or coin flip). * In **Games 2 and 3**, the player who **lost** the previous game chooses whether to go first (Play) or second (Channel). This choice is made **after** seeing the revealed Battlefields. 6. **Draw and Mulligan:** Players draw their starting hand of 4 cards. The player going first performs their mulligan first, followed by the second player. ### Key Nuances * **Battlefields Before Turn Order:** You must know which Battlefields are in play before deciding to go first or second. According to official rulings, "Battlefields are revealed before determining turn order." * **Simultaneous Revelation:** While players often place Battlefields face-down temporarily to prevent "counter-picking" during the selection process, they must be revealed at the same time before the turn order is decided. * **BO3 Battlefield Rule:** In a Best of 3 match, you cannot reuse a Battlefield you have already used in a previous game of that match. **Citations:** * **Rule 166.2.b:** "Battlefields are established at the start of a game and remain in place for the duration of regular play." * **Official FAQ:** "The order is the same for every game: Legend > Chosen Champion > Battlefields chosen and revealed > Turn order > Draw & Mulligan."

To answer your questions regarding **Draven, Audacious** and the scoring of the 8th point, we must distinguish between scoring via **Conquer** (a game action) and scoring via **Triggered Abilities**. ### 1. Opponent moves Draven to an empty Battlefield B (at 7 points) **Does he score the 8th point?** **No.** * **The Action:** When Draven moves to an empty battlefield, he **Conquers** it (Rule 446.1). * **The Restriction:** According to **Rule 448.1.b.2**, if a player is at 7 points and earns their final point through a **Conquer** action, they only score the 8th point if they have already scored every other battlefield that turn. * **The Result:** Since your opponent has not scored Battlefield A (which you currently control), they have not scored every battlefield. Therefore, instead of scoring the 8th point, they **draw a card** (Rule 448.1.b.2). * **Combat:** Because there are no units at Battlefield B for Draven to fight, he does not "win a combat," so his triggered ability does not activate. --- ### 2. You have a unit at Battlefield B, and Draven wins the combat (at 7 points) **Does he score the 8th point?** **Yes.** * **The Ability:** Draven, Audacious has an ability that awards 1 point when he wins a combat. * **The Exemption:** According to **Rule 448.1.a.1**, points earned from sources that are **not** Conquer or Hold actions (such as Draven's triggered ability) are **not** beholden to the Final Point restrictions. * **The Sequence:** 1. Draven moves to Battlefield B, contesting it. 2. A Showdown occurs. If Draven wins the combat, his ability triggers. 3. The ability resolves, awarding your opponent 1 point. 4. Because this point comes from a triggered ability and not a Conquer action, your opponent reaches 8 points and **wins the game immediately** (Rule 322.1). ### Summary Table | Scenario | Scoring Method | Final Point Restriction Applies? | Result | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Move to empty battlefield** | Conquer | Yes | Draw a card (if not all battlefields scored) | | **Win combat with Draven** | Triggered Ability | **No** | **Win the game** | *Note: This interpretation is based on Rule 448.1.a.1, which explicitly exempts non-Conquer/Hold point sources from the Final Point restrictions, and FAQ #8530, which confirms Draven, Audacious can win the game by reaching 8 points. I could not fully verify the exact card text against the retrieved rules.*

Wily Newtfish's bonus—both the +1 Might and the Ganking keyword—will not stay between turns. The ability reads: "If you've gained XP this turn, I have +1 Might and Ganking." Because this is a conditional static ability, it continuously checks whether you have gained XP within the current turn. As stated in RiftJudge FAQ #10777, these bonuses are granted only while the condition (gaining XP this turn) is met. Once your turn ends and the opponent's turn begins, the game state resets, and the condition is no longer met for the current turn. Consequently: 1. Might: Wily Newtfish loses the +1 Might bonus as soon as the turn ends. 2. Ganking: Because Ganking is granted by the same conditional ability, the unit loses the Ganking keyword at the end of the turn when the condition is no longer satisfied. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Yes, you can give Vi, Destructive +10 Might in a single turn, provided you have at least 10 cards in your trash to recycle. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #642** and **FAQ #7244**, Vi's ability can be activated multiple times per turn as long as you can pay the cost (recycling one card from your trash) and you are at base speed (on your turn, with no chain open). ### How to perform this sequence: 1. **Ensure Neutral Open State:** You must be on your turn, and there must be no active chain or showdown. 2. **Activate Ability:** You activate Vi's ability by choosing to recycle 1 card from your trash. This places the ability on the chain. 3. **Opponent Opportunity:** Your opponent has the opportunity to play reactions to this activation. 4. **Resolution:** Once the chain resolves, Vi gains +1 Might. 5. **Repeat:** Because this is an activated ability and not a triggered one, you may repeat this process one activation at a time until you have recycled 10 cards, granting Vi a total of +10 Might. **Important Nuances:** * **One at a time:** You must pay the cost and resolve each activation individually. You cannot recycle 10 cards simultaneously. * **Opponent Interaction:** Your opponent can play reactions between each of your activations. * **Cost Requirement:** Per **Rule 403.3**, you must be able to pay the cost for each activation. If you run out of cards in your trash, you cannot activate the ability further. * **Duration:** Per **FAQ #7428**, this Might boost only lasts until the end of the turn.

Yes, the opponent can score a point in this scenario, provided they have not already scored that specific battlefield during the current turn. The outcome depends on the final state of the battlefield after all effects have resolved. ### 1. Sequence of Events 1. **Your Play:** You initiate a move toward a battlefield to conquer it. This initiates a non-combat showdown. 2. **Opponent's Response:** Your opponent plays *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* as a **[Reaction]**. He enters the battlefield. This places *Rengar* on the chain. 3. **Your Response:** You play *Flash* as a **[Reaction]** in response to *Rengar* being played. You target your unit(s) at that battlefield and move them back to your base. *Flash* is placed on top of the chain (LIFO resolution). ### 2. Chain Resolution (LIFO) The chain resolves in reverse order: 1. **Flash resolves:** Your units are moved from the battlefield back to your base. 2. **Rengar, Trophy Hunter resolves:** He enters the battlefield. ### 3. Will the opponent score? Whether the opponent gains a point depends on the state of the battlefield after the chain resolves: * **If you have no units remaining at the battlefield:** Your opponent is the only player with units present. Per **Rule 461.5**, when no combat is staged, the player with units remaining at the location **Establishes Control**. * **Conquering:** Per **Rule 461.5.d**, establishing control results in a **Conquer** action if the opponent has not yet scored that specific battlefield earlier in the same turn. If they meet this condition, they will gain 1 point. * **Combat:** Because your units were moved to your base by *Flash*, there is no longer a combat showdown between your units and *Rengar*. Therefore, the combat is cancelled, and the process moves directly to establishing control and potentially conquering, as described in the interaction regarding *Rengar* and movement spells (similar to **RiftJudge FAQ #10522**). In summary: If you vacate the battlefield entirely with *Flash*, your opponent will be the only player left at that location. Consequently, they will establish control and successfully conquer the battlefield to gain a point, provided they haven't already scored it this turn. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

No, you cannot do that. According to **Rule 353.2.a.2**, the cost imposed by the **Deflect** keyword is a **Mandatory Additional Cost**. You must pay this cost in full to successfully play the spell. If you choose to target an opponent's unit that has **Deflect**, you are required to pay the additional cost to play the spell. You cannot "refuse" to pay a mandatory cost while still playing the spell; if you do not pay the cost, the spell cannot be played at all. Furthermore, you cannot choose to play a spell and then opt out of one of its effects (like the -2 [M] reduction) while keeping the others. The spell resolves as written, applying both effects to the chosen targets.

Ruling: If you Ride the Wind off and back onto a battlefield during a showdown, you will trigger a new showdown after the current one resolves. If you still control the battlefield at the end of that second showdown and haven't scored it yet this turn, you will score a point. Sequence: - Current showdown begins when opponent moves to battlefield - You Ride the Wind off the battlefield during the showdown - You Ride the Wind back onto the battlefield during the same showdown - Current showdown resolves first - New showdown opens after current one completes - If you control the battlefield at the end of the new showdown, you score (if not already scored this turn) Nuances: - You can only score on the same battlefield once per turn - If you are kicked off during a showdown and Ride the Wind back during that same showdown, you do not get a point - If you are kicked off before a showdown or Ride the Wind back during a later showdown, you can score a point if you gain control - Timing of when you leave and return to the battlefield is critical for determining if you score

To determine the outcome of this interaction, we must evaluate the state of the units based on their Might and the damage dealt by the spells. ### Card Statistics * **Nocturne, Horrifying:** 4 Might. * **Ravenbloom Student:** 2 Might (base). * **Wages of Pain:** Deals 3 damage to a unit at a battlefield. * **Called Shot:** Allows you to look at the top 2 cards of your Main Deck, draw one, and recycle the other. It does not deal damage. ### Interaction Analysis 1. **Wages of Pain:** When this spell resolves, it deals 3 damage to Nocturne. Damage does not reduce Might; Nocturne remains at 4 Might with 3 damage marked. 2. **Called Shot:** This spell provides card selection and does not affect the Might or health of either unit. 3. **Ravenbloom Student:** The Student has a triggered ability: "When you play a spell, give me +1 might this turn." * If the player controlling the Student plays *Wages of Pain* and *Called Shot*, the Student will trigger twice. * Triggered abilities from spells resolve after the spell has finished resolving. * If the Student starts at 2 Might, playing two spells will grant it +2 Might, bringing it to 4 Might for the turn. ### Outcome * **Nocturne:** 4 Might, 3 damage marked. * **Ravenbloom Student:** 4 Might, 0 damage marked. If these two units are the only ones present at the battlefield, they will proceed to the Combat Damage Step. Both units have 4 Might and will deal 4 damage to each other simultaneously. Nocturne takes 4 damage (lethal) and Ravenbloom Student takes 4 damage (lethal). Both units will be killed simultaneously, resulting in a draw at that battlefield. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Yes, you will gain a conquest point for winning that showdown, and you do successfully "Conquer" the battlefield, even though you were not the active player who started the showdown. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #3657** and **FAQ #10376**: * **Scoring on your opponent's turn:** You are eligible to score 1 point for conquering a battlefield on your opponent's turn if you win the showdown there, provided you have not already scored that specific battlefield earlier in the same turn. * **How it works:** When your opponent moves a unit to an unoccupied battlefield, they initiate a non-combat showdown and are designated the **Attacker**. By playing *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* in response, you enter that battlefield and become the **Defender**. Once the showdown resolves and you are the only player with units remaining, you establish control of the battlefield. * **Conquering:** Establishing control of a battlefield you did not yet score this turn constitutes a **Conquer** action (Rule 464.1). Because you established control and the battlefield was not already scored this turn, you gain 1 point. ### Summary of the Process: 1. **Opponent's Move:** Your opponent moves to an uncontrolled battlefield. The battlefield becomes **Contested** (Rule 445). 2. **Surprise Defense:** You play *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* as a **[Reaction]** to the contested battlefield. You are now the **Defender** (Rule 442.1.a.2). 3. **Combat:** Because units from both players are present, a combat showdown begins once the chain empties and both players pass focus. 4. **Victory:** If you win the combat (you are the only player with units remaining at the battlefield during the **Combat Cleanup** step), you establish control. 5. **Score:** Since you established control and haven't scored that battlefield yet this turn, you successfully **Conquer** it and gain 1 point. *Note: This interpretation is based on the rules for establishing control and combat resolution (Rule 461.5) and the specific FAQs regarding conquering on an opponent's turn (FAQ #3657, #10376).*

Because the target of your opponent's *Death from Below* is removed from the battlefield before the spell resolves, the spell will fail to resolve its primary instruction and will not trigger its recast effect. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10423** and **#9402**, here is the sequence of events: ### Sequence of Events 1. **Play:** Your opponent plays *Death from Below* and targets the Spirit (a unit on the battlefield). 2. **Response:** You play *Gust* in reaction, targeting the Spirit. *Gust* is placed on top of the chain. 3. **Resolution (LIFO):** * **Resolution of *Gust*:** The Spirit is returned to your opponent's hand. * **Resolution of *Death from Below*:** The spell attempts to resolve, but checks its target. Because the unit is no longer on the battlefield, the target is now **illegal** (**Rule 359.3.e.2**). * **Partial Resolution/Failure:** The primary instruction ("Kill a unit") cannot be executed because the target is illegal. The spell then attempts to evaluate the condition "if it had 3 [S] or less." Since the target is no longer on the board, its Might is treated as "null" (**Rule 359.3.e.12**). * **Result:** Because the condition cannot be evaluated, the "you may play this from your trash" effect **does not trigger**. The spell resolves, but because the target is illegal, it fails to perform its primary instruction and cannot fulfill the requirement needed to trigger the recast effect. Your 7 might unit remains safely on its battlefield.

Yes, you have the option to not target the Ornn, Forge God. *Piercing Light* says: "Deal 2 to a unit at a battlefield, then deal 2 to up to one other unit." Because the second part of the spell specifies "up to one other unit," you are not required to select a second target. When you play *Piercing Light*, you can choose to target only the recruit in the base if you wish. However, there is a technical constraint regarding your specific goal: *Piercing Light* requires the **first** target to be a unit at a battlefield. If you choose to play the spell, you **must** target a unit at a battlefield as the first requirement. If the only unit at a battlefield is the Ornn, and you do not wish to pay the *Deflect 2* cost, you cannot play the spell targeting that Ornn. To summarize: 1. If you have another unit at a battlefield available to target, you can target that unit first, and then choose not to target the Ornn at all for the second part of the spell (or target the recruit). 2. If the Ornn is the **only** unit at a battlefield, you cannot legally play *Piercing Light* without choosing it as the first target, which would trigger its *Deflect 2* cost.

To answer your question: **Yes, the opponent's unit dies.** ### 1. Targeting and Playing *Arcane Shift* * **Targeting:** *Arcane Shift* requires targeting both a friendly unit and an enemy unit at a battlefield to be played (see RiftJudge FAQ #378, #10139). * **Legality:** Your unit and your opponent's unit are both at the battlefield. Because *Arcane Shift* is an **[Action]** spell, it can be played during a showdown per its card text ("Play on your turn or in showdowns"). ### 2. Resolution and Might Reduction * **State:** The opponent's 5-Might unit is currently defending at *Forbidding Waste*. According to the battlefield's ability, it has -2 Might, resulting in a **current Might of 3**. * **Resolution:** When *Arcane Shift* resolves: 1. Your friendly unit is banished and replayed. 2. The spell deals 3 damage to the opponent's unit. 3. Because the opponent's unit remains a valid target, the damage is successfully applied. ### 3. Lethal Damage Check * According to **Rule 710**, units are evaluated based on their current Might. * The unit has 3 current Might and has been dealt 3 damage. * **Rule 323.5.3b** states: "All Units that have non-zero Damage marked on them equalling or exceeding their Might are killed." * Since the damage (3) equals the current Might (3), the unit is considered to have received lethal damage and is killed. ### Additional Clarifications * **Targeting Requirements:** Per FAQ #378 and #10139, you must have both a friendly unit and an enemy unit to target to play *Arcane Shift*. You satisfied this requirement by targeting your unit and the opponent's unit at the battlefield. * **Illegal Targets during Resolution:** If your unit were to leave the board before the spell resolved, the damage instruction would still attempt to resolve because *Arcane Shift* is a multi-instruction spell and a single illegal target (the friendly unit) does not invalidate the entire spell (see **Rule 359.3.e.8**). *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules, specifically regarding battlefield control during a showdown.*

Yes, you do have a window to cast another **Hextech Ray** after **Rebuke** resolves. Here is the breakdown of why this works, based on the rules for Showdowns and the Chain: ### The Sequence 1. **Showdown State:** When you move your unit to the battlefield occupied by your opponent's unit, a Showdown begins. The state is **Open** (no chain exists). 2. **Opponent's Action:** Your opponent plays **Rebuke** (an [Action] spell). This starts a chain, and the state becomes **Closed**. 3. **Resolution:** Since **Rebuke** is an [Action] spell, no [Action] spells can be played in response to it. Once both players pass priority, **Rebuke** resolves, and your unit is returned to your hand. 4. **State Change:** After **Rebuke** finishes resolving and is cleared from the chain, the chain is empty, and the state returns to **Open**. 5. **Your Window:** Because the state is now **Open**, you have regained the ability to play [Action] spells. You can now play your **Hextech Ray** to target their unit. ### Important Rules Context * **Action vs. Reaction:** As you noted, **Hextech Ray** and **Rebuke** are both [Action] spells. [Action] spells can only be played when the state is **Open** (no chain exists). They cannot be played in response to other [Action] spells. * **Showdown Timing:** According to the <showdown_flow>, a Showdown does not end until both players pass focus while the state is **Open**. Because the state returns to **Open** after **Rebuke** resolves, the Showdown is still ongoing, and you are free to play your own [Action] spells before the Showdown concludes. * **Focus:** After a chain resolves, focus automatically passes to the other player. If you were the one who did not play the last action, you will have the opportunity to play an action once the state opens up again. This interpretation is consistent with the provided FAQ #1046, which confirms that you can continue to play [Action] spells during a Showdown as long as the state is **Open**, even if your units have been removed or killed.

### **The Ruling** * **Attacker:** Your opponent (the player who moved their unit to the open battlefield first). * **Defender:** You (the player who plays *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* to that same battlefield). ### **Reasoning** 1. **Attacker Designation:** According to **Rule 442.1.a.1** (and confirmed by FAQ #8839, #1485, and #9032), the player who first causes a battlefield to become **Contested** is designated as the **Attacker**. When your opponent moved their unit to the empty battlefield, they applied the Contested status, making them the Attacker. 2. **Defender Designation:** By playing *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* to that battlefield while it is already contested by your opponent, you become the **Defender** (Rule 442.1.a.2). 3. **Playing *Rengar, Trophy Hunter*:** Regarding the legality of playing *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* in this situation: Because your opponent has already moved their unit to the battlefield, there is an **enemy unit** present. This satisfies the condition for playing the card at that location as a **[Reaction]** during the ongoing showdown, even though you do not currently have other units there. ### **Summary of Sequence** 1. **Opponent's Move:** Your opponent moves a unit to an open battlefield. It becomes **Contested** and a showdown begins. Your opponent is the Attacker. 2. **Your Response:** During the showdown, you play *Rengar, Trophy Hunter*. Because an enemy unit is present, you may play him to that battlefield as a [Reaction]. 3. **Showdown Continues:** The showdown proceeds. Because units from both players are now present at the contested battlefield, a combat will begin once the current showdown chain empties and the game returns to a neutral open state. 4. **Combat Designation:** When the combat begins, your opponent is officially designated as the **Attacker** and you are designated as the **Defender**. *** *This interpretation is based on the rules for Contested status (Rule 445/446), the definitions of Attacker/Defender designations (Rule 442.1.a), and the specific card text of Rengar, Trophy Hunter.* Note: I could not fully verify the specific card text for Rengar, Trophy Hunter against the retrieved rules.

### Ruling **Yes, the targeted unit takes damage.** According to **FAQ 7422**, the "same location" requirement for **Bellows Breath** is a targeting restriction, not a resolution requirement. If a target moves after the spell is placed on the chain, the spell still resolves and tracks the target to its new location to deal damage. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Opponent plays Bellows Breath:** They target a unit at your base. The target is locked when the spell is placed on the chain. 2. **You react with Tideturner:** You reveal your hidden Tideturner at a battlefield. This places the Tideturner's "When you play me" (WYPM) trigger on the chain. 3. **Tideturner's trigger resolves:** The Tideturner swaps locations with the unit at your base. 4. **Bellows Breath resolves:** When Bellows Breath resolves, it tracks the original target to its new location at the battlefield and deals damage. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

To determine the Stalwart Poro's Might, we must follow the sequence of events and the timing of the abilities involved. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Player 2 plays Thousand-Tailed Watcher:** This is a "When you play me" triggered ability, which uses the chain. 2. **Watcher's Trigger Resolves:** The ability gives enemy units (the Poro) -3 Might (to a minimum of 1). Since the Poro has 2 base Might, it is reduced to **1 Might**. 3. **Movement to Battlefield:** Player 2 moves the Watcher to the battlefield occupied by the Stalwart Poro. 4. **Showdown Begins:** Moving a unit to an occupied battlefield initiates a combat showdown. The Poro is designated as the defender. ### Might Calculation * **Base Might:** 2 * **Thousand-Tailed Watcher Effect:** -1 (The reduction is capped at 1 Might, so the 2 Might Poro is reduced by 1, not 3). * **Master Yi (Wuju Bladesman) Passive:** +2 (The Poro is defending alone). * **Stalwart Poro Shield:** +1 (The Poro has the Shield keyword, which grants +1 Might while defending). **Final Calculation:** 2 (Base) - 1 (Watcher) + 2 (Master Yi) + 1 (Shield) = **4 Might**. ### Ruling Notes * **Master Yi's Passive:** According to **FAQ #3611**, Master Yi's ability is a passive that applies as long as the condition (defending alone) is met. Unlike triggered abilities that snapshot, this buff is active as long as the Poro is the only defender. * **Shield Stacking:** According to **Rule 814.1.c** and **FAQ #9493**, the Shield keyword grants +1 Might while defending. * **Watcher's Debuff:** According to **FAQ #1580**, the Watcher's effect snapshots the reduction at the time of resolution. The Poro's Might was reduced to 1 at that moment, and that -1 reduction persists for the turn. The Stalwart Poro will have **4 Might** while defending.

To determine whether Player 1 wins, we must look at the combat showdown timing and how *Deathknell* interacts with combat resolution. ### The Short Answer **Player 1 does not win immediately.** The *Harnessed Dragon* played via *Deathknell* resolves while the combat is still active, which prevents Player 1 from conquering the battlefield at this moment. ### Step-by-Step Breakdown 1. **Combat Damage Step:** *Darius, Trifarian* deals damage to *Rift Herald*, killing it. 2. **Deathknell Trigger:** The *Rift Herald*'s *Deathknell* triggers and is placed on the chain. Because this occurs during the combat showdown, the game is in a "Closed State" (Rule 808.1.d.2). 3. **Harnessed Dragon enters play:** The *Deathknell* resolves, and Player 2 plays *Harnessed Dragon*. The *Dragon*'s "When you play me" ability is placed on the chain, targeting *Darius*. 4. **Harnessed Dragon resolution:** The *Dragon*'s ability resolves, killing *Darius*. 5. **Combat Continues:** Even though *Darius* is dead, the combat showdown has not yet finalized. Per **RiftJudge FAQ #11200**, because the *Harnessed Dragon* entered during the active combat, it is now a participant in that combat. 6. **Establishing Control:** According to **Rule 348.2.a** and **Rule 461.3.d.1**, control of the battlefield—and thus the ability to "Conquer"—is not established until the showdown fully closes (when both players pass priority in an Open State and combat resolution is finalized). Since the *Harnessed Dragon* is now present at the battlefield, the showdown does not end with only Player 1's units remaining. ### Conclusion Because the *Harnessed Dragon* enters the battlefield while the combat is still ongoing, it prevents Player 1 from being the only player with units remaining at the end of the showdown. Therefore, Player 1 does not fulfill the conditions to *Conquer* the battlefield at this time, and the game will proceed to the next steps of combat with the *Dragon* present. *This interpretation is based on the interaction between Deathknell triggers, combat showdown states, and the rules for Establishing Control (Rule 348) and Conquering (Rule 464). No official FAQ exists for this specific combination of interactions.*

No, *Piercing Light* will not stop working. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9063**, **#6490**, and **#8976**, *Piercing Light* with *Repeat* is treated as a single, all-in-one spell resolution. The spell performs its instructions twice during that single resolution, and no cleanup (which would remove units from the board) occurs between these two executions. Here is the sequence of events: 1. **Playing the Spell:** Player B plays *Piercing Light*, pays the *Repeat* cost, and declares all targets for both executions of the spell. In your scenario, they have chosen the Sand Soldier at the battlefield as the target for both the first and second execution. 2. **Resolution:** The spell begins to resolve. * **First Execution:** The first instance of 2 damage is dealt to the Sand Soldier at the battlefield. * **Second Execution:** The second instance of 2 damage is dealt to the same Sand Soldier at the battlefield. 3. **Cleanup:** Only after the entire spell has finished resolving (both executions) does the game perform combat cleanup. Any units that have taken lethal damage are then sent to the trash. Because the unit at the battlefield is not removed from the board until after the entire spell has finished resolving, the second execution of the spell proceeds normally and successfully deals its damage to the target, even if the first execution dealt lethal damage.

According to the rules and FAQs for Riftbound, here is the ruling for your scenario: **Ruling:** Player A is the Attacker, and Player B is the Defender. **Reasoning:** The Attacker and Defender designations are determined by who first applied the "Contested" status to the battlefield. Because Player A moved their unit to an empty battlefield first, they applied the Contested status and are designated as the Attacker. Player B, by moving their unit to that same battlefield during the showdown, becomes the Defender. **Sequence of Events:** 1. **Player A moves a unit to an empty battlefield:** This applies the Contested status to the battlefield and initiates a non-combat showdown. Player A is now the player who applied the Contested status. 2. **Player B plays *Ride the Wind*:** Player B moves their unit to the same battlefield during the ongoing showdown. 3. **Showdown concludes:** The non-combat showdown continues until both players pass in sequence. 4. **Combat begins:** Once the non-combat showdown resolves and both players have units present, a combat showdown begins. 5. **Designations assigned:** According to Rule 442.1.a.1 and 442.1.a.2, the player who applied the Contested status (Player A) is designated as the Attacker, and the other player (Player B) is designated as the Defender. As noted in the FAQ: "The player who applied contested status to the battlefield first (by moving a unit there) is the attacker, regardless of when the other player's units arrive at the battlefield."

No, **Riposte** will not give additional might to the unit. According to the rules of the chain and spell resolution (Rule 356.3.e.7 and 356.3.e.10), if a spell's target becomes invalid or unavailable by the time it attempts to execute, that instruction will not execute. ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Player A** plays **Stupefy** (Target: Unit). 2. **Player B** reacts with **Riposte** (Targets: **Stupefy** and Unit). 3. **Player A** reacts with **Defy** (Target: **Stupefy**). ### Resolution (LIFO - Last In, First Out): 1. **Defy resolves:** It counters **Stupefy**. **Stupefy** is removed from the chain and sent to the trash. 2. **Riposte resolves:** It attempts to execute its instructions. However, one of its targets (**Stupefy**) is no longer on the chain. * Because the instruction "Counter that spell" cannot be performed (the target is gone), the subsequent part of that instruction—"and give that unit +equal to that spell's Energy cost"—cannot calculate a value. * According to **Rule 356.3.e.12**: "If the spell checks information about a target that is no longer legal... that check returns 'null' and all calculations based on it are ignored." 3. Since the energy cost of a "null" target cannot be determined, the unit receives no might bonus. **Final Result:** **Stupefy** is countered by **Defy**. **Riposte** resolves but fails to provide a might buff because its primary target (the spell to be countered) was already removed from the chain.

Yes, **Fiora, Peerless** will still double her Might. According to the established game rules and **RiftJudge FAQs (e.g., #11178, #11168, #1231)**, the "one-on-one" condition for *Fiora, Peerless* is checked only at the exact moment she is designated as the attacker or defender. ### The Timing Sequence 1. **Designation:** You move *Fiora, Peerless* to the battlefield, initiating combat. Because she is the only unit you control there and Player B has one unit, the battlefield is "one-on-one" at that exact moment. 2. **Trigger:** Her triggered ability ("When I attack... double my Might") is placed on the **Initial Chain**. 3. **Reaction:** The game state is now **Closed**. Player B plays *Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror* using his **[Ambush]** keyword as a **[Reaction]**. This adds *Kha'Zix* to the chain *above* *Fiora*'s trigger. 4. **Resolution (LIFO - Last-In, First-Out):** * *Kha'Zix* finalizes and enters the battlefield. * *Fiora*'s triggered ability resolves. Because *Fiora*'s ability is a triggered ability ("When..."), it does not re-check the condition upon resolution. Since the "one-on-one" condition was satisfied at the moment of designation, the Might bonus is locked in once the trigger is on the chain. Adding *Kha'Zix* to the battlefield afterwards does not retroactively negate the trigger.