Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: All Equipment cards in Riftbound currently have an Equip cost, so this situation does not occur in practice. If a card without an Equip cost were ever printed, Weaponmaster would be unable to attach it because the cost cannot be paid. Nuances: - Cards like Last Rites and Blade of the Ruined King do have Equip costs, despite different templating - The templating difference ("Equip [symbol]" vs "Equip - [cost]") is purely a formatting choice: simple power-only costs are included in the symbol, while complex costs (power + additional costs) are spelled out separately - Reminder text formatting can be confusing but doesn't affect the actual rules

Ruling: Yes, you can equip an equipment when playing a creature with Weaponmaster during a reaction/action window. Nuances: - Weaponmaster functions as a trigger on play ability, which can be activated even when the unit is played during a reaction/action window.

Ruling: No. Weaponmaster allows you to choose one equipment and use its equip ability with a cost reduction of 1 power. A single instance of Weaponmaster does not allow you to choose multiple equipment. Nuances: - If a unit had multiple instances of the Weaponmaster keyword, each instance would trigger separately and you could choose one equipment for each trigger.

Ruling: Yes, a unit without Ganking in Vilemaw's Lair can be charmed to another battlefield. Ganking only affects standard moves between battlefields, not other types of movement like Charm. Nuances: - Vilemaw's Lair only prohibits moving to base, not to other battlefields - You can target a unit in Vilemaw's Lair to move it to base (though the spell will resolve with no effect since the movement is prohibited)

Ruling: A unit's might can be reduced to 0 or negative values. Units with negative might are treated as 0 might for interactive purposes (like dealing damage), but remain negative for calculation purposes. A unit with 0 or negative might only dies when it takes damage (non-zero lethal damage), not from having 0 might alone. Sequence: - Might can be reduced below 1 (to 0 or negative) - Negative might is treated as 0 when referenced for effects (like dealing damage in combat) - Negative might remains negative for calculations (like further reductions or increases) - Unit dies only when it has both 0 or negative might AND has taken damage Nuances: - Challenge causes a -2 might unit to deal 0 damage (treated as 0 for interaction) - Discipline leaves a -2 might unit at 0 might, not +2 might (the negative value matters for calculations) - Origins cards often said "to a minimum of 1" as a preemptive measure to prevent confusion, but this wording was removed in Set 2 - 0 might alone is never a lethal condition; the unit must also have nonzero damage to die

Ruling: Action spells can be played during showdowns (including on your opponent's turn), but only when the chain is empty and you have focus. You cannot chain action spells to other abilities. Sequence: - When you gain focus during a showdown, you can play an action spell as the first link in a new chain - If your opponent has focus, they must pass it to you without activating anything before you can play an action - After an action spell resolves, the chain ends and focus passes around - Reactions can be played in response to triggers, but actions require an empty chain Nuances: - The card text "play on your turn or in showdowns" allows actions during any showdown, even on opponent's turns - The opponent with priority has the first chance to play an action spell - After their action resolves and the chain is empty, you can then play an action spell in a new chain

Ruling: Yes, you can play action spells during an open showdown when an enemy moves a unit into an open battlefield. Nuances: - The thread references additional information in another Discord thread for more details about playing actions during open showdowns.

Ruling: Phase changes do not grant priority windows in Riftbound. You cannot play actions or reactions at the end of an opponent's turn unless there is a trigger (such as an end-of-turn effect) that goes on the chain. Sequence: - Phase changes happen without priority windows - If an end-of-turn trigger occurs, it goes on the chain - Players can then react to that trigger Nuances: - Everything in Riftbound is base speed (similar to sorcery speed in MTG) unless explicitly tagged otherwise - Only cards specifically tagged as "Reaction" can be used during reaction windows - Activated abilities on permanents (like Lee Sin's buff ability) are base speed unless tagged as reactions - The term "action" only applies to things that specifically say "action" - most things are simply base speed

Ruling: Only reactions can be played in response to "when I attack/defend" triggers. After those effects resolve, both actions and reactions can be played (when no chain is present). Sequence: - "When I attack/defend" effects trigger - Only reactions can be played in response to these triggers - After the "when I attack/defend" effects resolve, actions and reactions can be played (if no chain is present)

Ruling: Actions can only BEGIN a chain, not be played in the middle of one. Once a chain exists, only reactions can be added to it. Both actions and reactions can be played when you have focus during a showdown (attacker first, defender second). Sequence: - An action or reaction is played, beginning a chain - Players alternate adding reactions to the chain when they have priority - When both players pass consecutively, the top effect on the chain resolves - After an effect resolves, players again have the opportunity to add reactions before the next effect resolves - This continues until all effects on the chain have resolved Nuances: - The chain does not resolve all at once when both players pass - only the top effect resolves, then priority passes again before the next effect resolves - This is similar to Magic: The Gathering's stack system, not like Yu-Gi-Oh where the entire chain resolves at once

Ruling: No, activated abilities cannot be activated during a showdown even on your turn unless the activated ability has the action keyword. The base speed of activated abilities is during your action phase in a neutral open state. Nuances: - The rule text saying "open showdown state" should be "neutral open state" - this was identified as unintentional wording that needs correction - Rule 142.2 specifies units as not during a showdown, but this principle applies to all activated abilities

Ruling: During a showdown, only Action and Reaction abilities can be activated. Regular activated abilities (without Action or Reaction keywords) cannot be used during combat/showdown, regardless of whether the state is open or it's your turn. Nuances: - "Open state" and "showdown open" are different things - activated abilities require a neutral open state, not just any open state - Reaction abilities can be activated during closed states as an exception via the Golden Rule - The rules for activated abilities don't change based on what card type (unit, gear, or legend) has the ability - all follow the same restrictions

Ruling: Activated abilities are base speed (your turn, no showdown) unless otherwise specified. Vi's ability can be used as many times as you can pay the cost of recycling during one turn. Sequence: - Activated abilities can only be used during your turn when no showdown is occurring - Vi's ability can be activated multiple times in the same turn - Each activation requires paying the recycling cost

Ruling: Activated abilities follow the same timing logic as spells. Abilities with "Reaction" or "Action" speed tags can be used during any appropriate timing window on any player's turn. Abilities with no speed tag can only be used on your own turn outside of combat. Sequence: - Check if the activated ability has a speed tag (Reaction or Action) - If it has Reaction, it can be used during any reaction timing window on any turn - If it has Action, it can be used during any action timing window (like during a showdown) on any turn - If it has no speed tag, it can only be used on your own turn outside of combat Nuances: - Different abilities may have different speed tags, so not all abilities on different cards can be used at the same timing - Action speed abilities like Malzahar can be used during showdowns on the opponent's turn when you have priority

Ruling: Yes, after an attacker's spell has resolved during a showdown, you can play an Action Spell. You can only respond to an action with a Reaction before it resolves, but once their action resolves, you return to Showdown Open state and can play your own Action. Sequence: - Attacker plays an Action Spell (creates a chain, entering Showdown Closed state) - Defender can only respond with Reactions while the chain exists - Once the attacker's spell resolves and the chain completes, the showdown returns to Open state - Defender can now play their own Action Spell, starting a new chain Nuances: - Action Spells can be played during showdowns in both offense and defense positions - The key distinction is between Showdown Open state (no chain exists, Actions allowed) and Showdown Closed state (chain exists, only Reactions allowed) - When focus is passed to you during a showdown, you can play an Action

Ruling: No. Imperial Decree does not change the meaning of "lethal damage" - you must still assign enough damage to a unit so that its total damage equals its might value before moving to the next unit during combat damage. Sequence: - Assign damage to the first defending unit until total damage on it equals its might - Only then can you move to the next unit - Continue until all damage is assigned or all units have lethal damage Nuances: - If a unit already has damage marked on it, you only need to assign enough additional damage to bring the total up to its might value - With Imperial Decree, it's better to move units in one at a time so you can individually target the units you want to destroy

Ruling: Only reaction cards can be played in response to action cards. Action cards cannot be played in response to other action cards. Sequence: - When an action card is played, opponents can only respond with reaction cards - Action cards can only be played when a player has priority during normal timing - During a showdown, only cards with the keyword "action" or "reaction" can be played Nuances: - Hidden cards gain the keyword "reaction" while hidden, so a hidden card like Hidden Blade could be played in response if it was already hidden - Hidden Blade cannot be cast as an action from hand while another card (like Disintegrate) is trying to resolve

Ruling: Yes, the attacker can play action spells after Reaver's Row resolves. The attacker retains focus after the initial chain (When I Attack/When I Defend triggers) resolves, and can then play actions before combat damage occurs. Sequence: - Attacker declares attack, initiating combat - When I Attack triggers go on chain (bottom) - When I Defend triggers (including Reaver's Row) go on chain - Players may add reactions to the chain - Chain resolves in reverse order: When I Defend (defender chooses whether to move unit when RR resolves), then When I Attack - After initial chain fully resolves, attacker still has focus - Attacker can now play action spells (like Cleave) - Players alternate playing actions/reactions until both pass consecutively - Only then does combat damage occur Nuances: - You choose which unit to target with Reaver's Row when the trigger is put on the chain, but decide whether to actually move it when the trigger resolves - Actions can only be played when the chain is empty, but reactions can be played in response to things on the chain - Multiple actions can be played during a single showdown as long as players keep taking turns with focus - Showdowns don't automatically end when units leave - both players must pass focus consecutively

Ruling: No, this situation cannot occur. Teammates can never have their units occupy the same battlefield. Sequence: - If such a move is attempted, it creates an illegal state - The action is rewound Nuances: - This is an absolute rule with no exceptions for how the movement is initiated (including enemy spells)

Ruling: Yes, an exhausted unit can retreat from Reaver's Row. Effects and abilities that move a unit do not require the unit to be ready and will not change its orientation (exhausted/ready status).

Ruling: Yes, if Zhonya is face-up in play, the opponent can wait until they have Focus and use Salvage to destroy it before combat begins. If Zhonya is Hidden, you can play it at Reaction speed during a chain or after your opponent has played their last card or is out of resources, but if you play it just to get it in play, the opponent can Salvage it the next time they have Focus. Sequence: - If Zhonya is face-up, opponent can destroy it with Salvage when they have Focus before combat - If Zhonya is Hidden, you can play it at Reaction speed during a chain to immediately save something - If you play Hidden Zhonya just to get it in play (not reactively), opponent can Salvage it next time they have Focus Nuances: - You cannot react to combat itself, only to spells on the chain - Playing Hidden Zhonya at Reaction speed during a chain can immediately save a unit before opponent can respond - If opponent is holding up 2 energy and knows you have Zhonya, they can wait to Salvage it

Ruling: Yes, an opponent can assign non-lethal damage to one unit as long as they only apply it to that one unit. Nuances: - This can be used strategically to prevent triggered abilities like Sentry Deathknell from activating by assigning all damage to a single blocker instead of distributing it.

Ruling: If multiple units are dying simultaneously from combat damage, the Zhonya's controller chooses which unit gets saved. However, if the opponent uses a spell to kill a specific unit before combat, they can force Zhonya's to save that unit instead. Sequence: - If all units die simultaneously from combat: Zhonya's controller chooses which unit to save - If opponent plays a kill spell on a specific unit (e.g., Poro) before combat: That unit dies first, and Zhonya's must replace that death if activated - To force a save on a specific unit during spell resolution: Opponent casts kill spell on primary target (Blitzcrank), controller flips Zhonya's, then opponent responds with another spell targeting the unit they want saved (Poro). The most recent spell resolves first, killing the Poro which gets saved, then the original spell kills Blitzcrank Nuances: - Since Zhonya's is hidden, the controller can choose not to activate it in response to the first spell - Units dying at the same time (like from combat damage) give the Zhonya's controller choice - Zhonya's does not target

Ruling: After Primal Strength resolves, there is a new opportunity for both players to play spells before moving to combat. Fight or Flight can be played at this point if the opponent has focus. However, if both players pass priority again after Primal Strength resolves, you move to combat and no further spells can be played. Sequence: - Player A plays Primal Strength - Both players pass priority (no reactions played) - Primal Strength resolves - Player B gets focus and can play Fight or Flight (from hidden or hand) - If both players then pass priority again, you move to combat with no further spell opportunities Nuances: - If Fight or Flight is not hidden (only an action, not a reaction), it cannot be played until Primal Strength resolves first - Waiting to play Fight or Flight after resolution can be used to fish for additional actions or reactions from the opponent

Ruling: Get Excited cannot be played in response to Last Breath because Get Excited is an Action spell, not a Reaction spell. Only Reaction spells can be played in response to other spells. Nuances: - Only Reactions can respond to Actions or other Reactions - If Last Breath's target dies before it resolves, Last Breath will not do anything

Ruling: Wielder of Water's "while I'm attacking" ability is a passive ability that applies immediately when attacking, so the opponent cannot react with Gust before it takes effect. Nuances: - "While I'm attacking" abilities are passive and always active during the attack, similar to assault tags - This is different from "When I attack" abilities, which are triggered abilities that start a chain and allow responses

Ruling: Once players pass priority in succession during showdown and reach the damage calculation step, no more spells or effects can be played. The opponent must activate Siphon Power before the damage calculation step is reached. Sequence: - During showdown, players have priority to play spells/effects - Once all players pass priority in succession, damage is divided - After damage division begins, no more spells or effects can be played - Any spell like Siphon Power must be activated after the attacker passes priority but before reaching the damage calculation step

Ruling: Yes, triggered abilities use the chain and each player gets an opportunity to react before the ability resolves, starting with the controller of the next ability. Sequence: - Unit with 'when you play me' ability is played - Triggered ability goes on the chain - Players get opportunity to respond (starting with the controller of the next ability) - If no responses, the triggered ability resolves Nuances: - Opponents cannot react after the triggered ability resolves, so they cannot target units or effects created by that ability

Ruling: The opponent can react to Lee Sin's activated ability, but cannot react to playing Wizened Elder since it has no triggers. Sequence: - Wizened Elder is played (no reaction window since no triggers) - Lee Sin's legend ability is activated (opponent can react to this) - Turn is passed Nuances: - Activated abilities create reaction windows for opponents - Simply playing a unit without triggers does not create a reaction window

Ruling: Yes, the opponent can play all three Cleaves (assuming the unit survives) on a unit that was Charmed into battle. Sequence: - Player A plays Charm - Player A passes - Player B passes - Charm resolves, showdown begins - Player B has focus first (as the attacking player) - Player B plays Cleave and passes - Player A passes - Cleave resolves - Player A passes focus - Player B can play another Cleave - This repeats until Player B is out of Cleaves or chooses not to play more Nuances: - Player A has focus between each Cleave and can start chains by playing appropriately timed cards or activating abilities - Ravenbloom does not trigger from Defied spells - Countered spells do not count as being played; cards are considered played after they resolve

Ruling: Players cannot react to a permanent (like a creature) being played unless that permanent triggers an ability. Players can always react to a spell being played, which goes on the chain and only resolves when all relevant players consecutively pass. Nuances: - Accelerate is an additional cost, not a triggered ability, so paying accelerate does not pass priority or open a window for opponent responses - Priority is never passed when playing a permanent without triggered abilities

Ruling: Yes, opponents can react to Forge of the Future's activation before it resolves. If they kill a unit with a reaction spell, Phoenix's trigger is added to the chain immediately and will resolve before Forge can, allowing Phoenix to be played from trash. However, the cards targeted for recycling are chosen on activation and cannot be changed - if Phoenix was declared as a recycle target and gets played, you lose that recycle. Sequence: - Forge of the Future activates and targets cards in trash for recycling - Opponent can react to the activation before it resolves - If opponent kills a unit with a reaction spell, Phoenix's trigger is added to the chain immediately - Phoenix's trigger resolves before Forge resolves - Phoenix is played from trash - Forge resolves, but if Phoenix was targeted for recycle, that recycle is lost Nuances: - Phoenix doesn't specify enemy unit, so you can kill your own units to trigger it - You could hypothetically react to Forge with a spell on your own unit to trigger Phoenix

Ruling: No, Sett's Legendary Ability is a replacement effect and cannot be reacted to. Nuances: - If the ability were reactable, it would create situations where a unit could be killed twice before a replacement effect like Zhonyas could save it

Ruling: Yes, Brynhir is a triggered ability that gives the opponent an opportunity to react before it goes into effect as it resolves. However, once Brynhir fully resolves, the opponent cannot use any actions/reactions from their hand. Sequence: - Brynhir's triggered ability goes on the chain - Opponent has opportunity to react with hidden cards before it resolves - Once Brynhir resolves, opponent cannot play cards from hand - Any abilities already on the chain will continue to resolve Nuances: - "Playing a card" refers to the discretionary action of playing from hand, and a card is considered played when it has finished resolving - If attempting a showdown after Brynhir resolves, opponent cannot use actions/reactions from hand

Ruling: No, played-from-hidden cards have additional targeting restrictions. Fight or Flight hidden at battlefield B can only target a unit at battlefield B. Nuances: - If the opponent's unit at battlefield B was Travelling Merchant, they could respond to Charm by using Fight or Flight to move Travelling Merchant to base before it gets moved to battlefield A, effectively getting two triggers instead of one.

Ruling: Yes, opponents can respond to buffs from cards like Rookie or Cynthia because "When..." triggers create a chain that allows responses. Sequence: - Card is played - "When..." trigger creates a chain - Opponent can respond during the chain

Ruling: Yes, opponents can respond to Thundersong with reactions. While units themselves cannot be responded to, the 'when you play me' trigger can be responded to. Nuances: - Brynhir doesn't prevent any already-finalized items on the chain from resolving, even if her effect is ahead of them on the chain.

Ruling: Yes, opponents can cast reaction spells targeting Teemo, Scout after he is revealed from hidden. When Teemo unhides as a reaction, it starts a chain, and opponents can respond with their own reactions (but not actions). Sequence: - Teemo, Scout is played from hidden as a reaction, starting a chain - Opponent can respond with reaction spells/abilities (cards that say "Reaction") - The chain resolves in reverse order - If opponent's reaction resolves first (like Gust), it can affect Teemo before his trigger completes Nuances: - Actions (like Void Seeker) cannot be played during a chain - only reactions can respond to reactions - The opponent must wait for their turn or a showdown to play action spells

Ruling: Charm cannot be played immediately after Master Yi moves to a battlefield because a showdown begins instantly, and Charm has base speed (not action/reaction speed). The opponent must first win the initial showdown, gain control of the battlefield, then can use Charm to move a unit there and begin a new combat showdown. Sequence: - Player B plays Master Yi Hones and moves Yi to a battlefield - Showdown begins immediately - Charm cannot be played during showdown (base speed, not action/reaction speed) - If both players pass, Player B wins the showdown and gains battlefield control - Player B can now use Charm to move opponent's unit to that battlefield - A new combat showdown begins

Ruling: No, Charm cannot be used in this scenario because it is a base speed spell that can only be played on your own turn and outside of showdowns. Nuances: - You can only conquer the battlefield after showdown has completed - If the opponent plays action/reaction speed spells (like Fight or Flight or Gust) during the showdown, then you don't conquer - The opponent cannot react to you moving the unit to the battlefield unless the move triggered an ability; they must wait for their priority during the showdown following the move

Ruling: Cruel Patron cannot be responded to with Gust. Killing a unit is an additional cost paid when playing Cruel Patron, so the unit is already dead before any player can react. Additionally, as a permanent without triggered abilities, Cruel Patron enters and leaves the chain immediately without giving priority to either player. Sequence: - You begin playing Cruel Patron - You choose the location for Cruel Patron - You pay costs (including killing a unit as an additional cost) - Legality is checked after costs are paid - Cruel Patron enters play immediately without priority being given - No opportunity exists to react with Gust Nuances: - If there is no legal unit to kill when finalizing the play (after costs are paid), Cruel Patron fails to be played and returns to where it was before without entering the chain - If playing Cruel Patron to a battlefield with only one unit and you kill that unit as the cost, the play becomes illegal and is undone since the battlefield must have an empty location

Ruling: No, you cannot prevent Volibear's trigger by reducing a unit's might after it is played. When a mighty unit (5+) is played and enters the board, Volibear's triggered ability is added to the chain and will resolve even if the unit's might is later reduced below 5. Sequence: - A mighty unit is played and enters the board - Any "Play" triggers (including Volibear's) enter the chain - Players receive priority and can respond - When Volibear's trigger resolves, you tap him and channel a rune regardless of the unit's current might Nuances: - Triggered abilities are checked only once (when they trigger), unlike targets which are checked twice (when added to chain and when resolving) - This differs from Fox Fire, where changing a unit's might can invalidate the target because target legality is rechecked on resolution

Ruling: No, the opponent cannot use reactions during your turn if you only played units and passed turn without any triggers occurring. Reactions can only be played when a player has priority, which requires either a chain/stack of abilities or a showdown. Sequence: - You play units during your turn - If those units have no "when I'm played" triggers, no stack is created - You pass turn with no end-of-turn triggers - No priority window exists for the opponent to react - Turn passes to opponent Nuances: - Reactions can be played "at any time" on a player's own turn, but "any time" is defined as "when you have priority" - Priority requires either triggered abilities going on the stack or a showdown - Phase changes, placing units, moving, and adds cannot be reacted to unless accompanied by a triggered ability or showdown - If units like Annie or Sona with end-of-turn triggers were played, that would create a priority window

Ruling: A unit being ready or unready does not matter for conquering. Most units are exhausted when they conquer because that's the cost for moving them, but readiness status itself doesn't prevent conquest. Nuances: - Units typically become exhausted during conquest due to movement costs, not as a requirement for conquering itself

Ruling: No, Sett must spend his own buff to activate his ability. Another card spending a buff (like Call to Glory) will not trigger Sett's ability. Nuances: - Using cards like Call to Glory to spend buffs will not trigger Sett's ability because Sett himself is not spending the buff

Ruling: Each unit can only trigger their on attack or on defense trigger once per combat. If a unit arrives late to attack or defend during a combat, it does get the trigger the first time the attacker/defender status is applied to it in that combat. Sequence: - When a combat begins, units with attack/defend triggers can activate them - If a unit arrives late to the combat, it triggers when attacker/defender status is first applied - The same unit cannot trigger again in that same combat - If the combat ends and a new combat starts, triggers can activate again Nuances: - This rule only applies to attack/defend triggers, not to other triggers like conquer triggers (such as Sett's) - Conquer triggers can activate multiple times per turn if the condition is met multiple times

Ruling: Yes, both aspects of Treasure Trove can be reacted to. Sequence: - The activated ability (Kill this) creates a chain to which Reactions can be played - Once that ability resolves, the trigger from it leaving the board creates a new chain - Reactions can be played to this second chain as well

Ruling: Yes, both players can reveal and use the same battlefield in a given game in 1v1 play. There is no rule preventing this. Nuances: - In 2v2 multiplayer, teammates cannot use the same battlefield - The restriction on selecting different battlefields each match refers to a single player not selecting the same battlefield twice across games, not a restriction against opponents using the same battlefield

Ruling: There is no restriction on chosen champion, legend, or battlefields between opponents. Players can use the same champion unit, legend, and even identical decklists. Nuances: - This applies to all deck construction choices, not just champions

Ruling: Yes, most card abilities go on the stack and can be reacted to by opponents. Only Passive abilities and Replacement Effects (like Legion tags, Zhonya's Hourglass, etc.) cannot be reacted to. Permanents and Add abilities also cannot be reacted to. Sequence: - When an activated or triggered ability is used, it goes on the stack - Target must be announced when the ability is activated - Opponents can respond with reactions before the ability resolves - If the target is moved off the battlefield before resolution, the ability resolves but does nothing - If the source of an activated ability is moved, the ability still resolves (only needs to be valid at activation) Nuances: - Playing a card itself (the permanent entering play) cannot be reacted to, but triggered abilities from that card (like "Here" effects) can be reacted to - Ability types: Passive, Replacement, Activated, Triggered, and Delayed - only Passives and Replacements cannot be reacted to - Moving the source of an activated ability back to base does not stop it from resolving - Moving the target of an ability causes it to resolve without effect