Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot play *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* **after** the *Lonely Poro* *Deathknell* trigger resolves and you have drawn your card. According to the **Showdown Timing Flowchart** and **Chain Rules** in the Riftbound rules: ### Why this is not possible: 1. **Reaction Timing:** [Reaction] cards (including units with the [Ambush] keyword, like *Rengar, Trophy Hunter*) can only be played while there is an active chain or during a window of opportunity created by a Showdown. 2. **Chain Resolution:** When *Lonely Poro* dies, its *Deathknell* trigger is added to the chain. This puts the game into a "Closed" state. 3. **Drawing the Card:** As the *Deathknell* trigger resolves, you draw your card. Once that trigger is finished resolving and removed from the chain, the chain becomes empty (assuming no other items were added). 4. **No More Window:** Once the *Deathknell* trigger has resolved, the game state returns to "Open." You cannot play a [Reaction] to an effect that has already finished resolving and is no longer on the chain. ### The correct timing: If you want to play *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* using [Ambush] in this scenario, you must play him **in response to** the *Deathknell* trigger while it is still on the chain. **Correct Sequence:** 1. **Death Event:** *Lonely Poro* dies while alone. The *Deathknell* trigger is placed on the chain. 2. **Reaction Window:** While the *Deathknell* trigger is sitting on the chain (pending resolution), you have a window to play [Reaction] cards. 3. **Ambush:** You play *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* using his [Ambush] keyword. *Rengar* is added to the chain **on top of** the *Deathknell* trigger. 4. **Resolution (LIFO):** * *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* enters the battlefield. * The *Lonely Poro* *Deathknell* trigger resolves, and you draw your card. *Note: As per **RiftJudge FAQ #9841** and **FAQ #11170**, the "alone" condition is a historical check performed at the moment of death, so even though *Rengar* enters the battlefield before you draw, you will still successfully draw the card from the *Lonely Poro*.*

According to Rule 811.1.d.2, when a card is played from Hidden, any targets chosen by its play effect must be selected from the battlefield where it was hidden: > "If a hidden spell or a play effect of a hidden permanent chooses any targets, those targets must be chosen from among options at that battlefield, unless the ability explicitly restricts targeting in a way that makes this impossible." This is further supported by the RiftJudge FAQ #5706, which clarifies: "A card played from hidden at one battlefield must target units and place tokens only at that same battlefield, regardless of where the showdown occurs."

To play *Drag Under* with its cost reduction, you must play it from a zone other than your hand, as specified by its card text. Per Rule 356.4 and Rule 356.4.c, discounts are applied during the "Determine Total Cost" step of the play sequence. ### Applying the Cost Reduction The cost reduction triggers whenever a game effect allows you to play *Drag Under* from a zone other than your hand (such as the trash or deck). Because the reduction is tied to the zone from which it is played, it is applied after the card moves to the chain but before you pay its costs. * **When playing from the Trash:** If an effect allows you to play a spell from your trash, *Drag Under* is played from a zone other than your hand, and the cost reduction is applied. * **When playing from the Deck:** If an effect allows you to play *Drag Under* from your deck, it is played from a zone other than your hand, and the cost reduction is applied. * **When playing from Hand:** The discount does not apply, as the condition "anywhere other than your hand" is not met. ### Important Considerations * **Targeting and Deflect (FAQ #9710):** Because *Drag Under* targets a unit, it is subject to the **Deflect** keyword. If you target a unit with **Deflect**, you must pay the additional Power cost required by that unit's **Deflect** value, in addition to the cost of *Drag Under* (after applying any applicable reductions). * **The "Play" Sequence:** When playing the card, it moves from its current zone onto the chain (Rule 419.1). The cost reduction is determined after the card has moved to the chain but before you pay the costs (Rule 356.4.c). Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Yes, you can absolutely do this. Because **LeBlanc, Deceiver**'s "When you conquer or hold" ability is a triggered ability that uses the chain, it creates a **Closed State** when placed on the chain. This allows you to play your **Chakram Dancer** as a [Reaction] using its **Ambush** keyword. ### The Sequence 1. **Triggering:** You conquer or hold a battlefield. LeBlanc's ability triggers. You place it on the chain and pay the required costs (discarding a card and exhausting LeBlanc). 2. **Adding the Ambush Unit:** While LeBlanc’s trigger is on the chain (a **Closed State**), you play **Chakram Dancer** to that battlefield. Because it has **Ambush**, you are permitted to play it at [Reaction] timing. 3. **Resolving the Unit:** The unit enters the chain as a pending item and, per **RiftJudge FAQ #9978**, immediately finalizes and enters the battlefield. 4. **Priority/Reaction Window:** Once the unit has entered play, priority is returned to you. You can choose to pass priority. 5. **Chain Resolution:** The chain resolves in Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) order. * LeBlanc’s ability resolves: You create the 0 [M] Reflection token on the battlefield. * Because the ability includes a reflexive trigger ("Then do this: It becomes a copy of another unit there..."), this trigger is added to the chain as a new, separate pending item. 6. **Reflexive Target Selection:** You choose the target for the copy effect when the reflexive trigger is placed on the chain (the finalization step). Since your Chakram Dancer is already on the battlefield, it is a valid choice. ### Summary * **Targeting Timing:** As clarified in the *Zilean, Time Mage* ruling (2026-04-29), the unit chosen to be copied by Deceiver's reflexive trigger is chosen upon the finalization of that reflexive trigger. * **Legality:** Because the target selection happens after the unit has already resolved and entered the battlefield, **Chakram Dancer is a perfectly legal target** for the reflection token to copy. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

No, **Ravenbloom Student** does not trigger twice, nor does it receive +2 Might when you use the **Repeat** keyword on a spell. According to the official rulings for Riftbound: * **Only one spell is played:** Even when you pay the additional cost for Repeat to execute a spell's effect a second time, it is still considered only one spell being played. * **No extra triggers:** Because Ravenbloom Student's ability triggers "When you play a spell," and the act of playing the spell only happens once, the Student only receives its +1 Might bonus once. * **Repeat modifies the spell, not the count:** Repeat functions by adding the spell's instructions to the resolution process a second time; it does not create multiple instances of the spell for the purpose of counting how many spells have been played. As stated in the patch notes (Rule 746.3.a): *"Regardless of the number of times a spell's instructions are executed with this keyword, the spell is only Played once."*

You score a total of **3 points** when conquering with **Red Brambleback** equipped with **Skyfall of Areion** and **Trinity Force**. ### The Interaction Breakdown: 1. **Standard Conquer Point:** Performing a "Conquer" action grants you **1 point** according to game rules (Rule 464.1). 2. **Skyfall of Areion:** This gear modifies your unit’s abilities, causing the "When I hold..." effect of **Trinity Force** to also function as a "When I conquer..." effect. 3. **Trinity Force:** Now that it has been modified to function as a conquer effect, it triggers when you conquer the battlefield. This provides **1 point**. 4. **Red Brambleback:** Its ability states: *"Your conquer effects for conquering here trigger an additional time."* This causes the conquer trigger from **Trinity Force** (modified by Skyfall) to trigger a second time, granting you another **1 point**. ### Point Tally: * **1 point** from the standard game action of conquering the battlefield. * **1 point** from the first resolution of the **Trinity Force** trigger. * **1 point** from the second resolution of the **Trinity Force** trigger (caused by **Red Brambleback**). **Total: 3 points** ***Note:*** *This assumes you have not already scored this battlefield during the current turn, as you can only score a battlefield once per turn (Rule 465).*

Yes, you still have to pay to use **Accelerate**, even when granted by **Rek'Sai, Breacher**. **Accelerate** is never free; it is an optional additional cost that gives you the choice to have a unit enter the battlefield ready instead of exhausted. ### Payment Details According to **Rule 805.1.a** and **Rule 805.1.a.2**, here is how the cost works: 1. **The Cost:** The cost is **[1] Energy and 1 Power**. 2. **Rune/Power Type:** Since most tokens and many units affected by this ability either have no domain or multiple domains, the Power portion can be paid with **[A]** (a Power of any domain). * Even though Rek'Sai, Breacher belongs to the **Fury** domain, you do not have to pay a Fury Power to use the **Accelerate** granted by her ability. You can use any domain's Power. 3. **Payment Timing:** You must pay this cost during the "Pay Costs" step (Rule 357) of playing the card. You cannot choose to pay it later once the unit is already on the board. If you choose not to pay this additional cost, the unit will simply enter the battlefield in its default state, which is **exhausted**.

Yes, the tokens created by your unit will have **Accelerate** due to Rek'Sai, Breacher's ability, and you must pay the Accelerate cost if you wish for them to enter ready. ### Reasoning 1. **Rek'Sai, Breacher's Ability:** Rek'Sai, Breacher states: *"Friendly units played from anywhere other than a player's hand have [Accelerate]."* Since tokens are created on the board by an ability (and are not played from your hand), they qualify for this effect. 2. **Accelerate Mechanics:** According to Rule 731.1.a, Accelerate is functionally short for: *"As you play me, you may pay [1] and 1 Power as an additional cost. If you do, I enter ready."* 3. **Paying the Cost:** Accelerate is an **optional additional cost**. If you want the token to enter ready, you must pay the cost as part of the process of playing the token (Rule 731.2). If you choose not to pay the cost, the token will enter the board exhausted (the default state for units, per Rule 179.1.d). 4. **Tokens are Played:** Tokens are "played" when they are created by abilities that use that terminology (e.g., "Play a... token"). Per Rule 179.1.a, tokens follow all applicable steps for playing a card, including paying additional costs like Accelerate. ### Sequence * You play a unit that has an ability to create tokens (e.g., "Play a 1[M] Recruit token"). * As the token is being played, Rek'Sai, Breacher's ability grants it **Accelerate**. * During the "Pay Costs" step of playing the token (Rule 354), you have the option to pay the [1] and 1 Power cost. * If you pay the cost, the token enters the board **ready**. * If you do not pay the cost, the token enters the board **exhausted**. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

When you play a unit from your deck (or anywhere other than your hand) while you control **Rek'Sai, Breacher**, that unit gains the **Accelerate** keyword. **Accelerate** does not automatically make the unit enter ready. Instead, it grants you the **option** to pay an additional cost to have it enter ready. According to **Rule 805.1.a** and **RiftJudge FAQ #9271**: * **Accelerate** is functionally short for: *"As you play me, you may pay [1] Energy and 1 Power as an additional cost. If you do, I enter ready."* * If you **do not** pay this cost, the unit will enter the battlefield **exhausted** (the default state for units). * If you **do** pay the cost, the unit will enter the battlefield **ready**. **In summary:** You must pay the 1 Energy and 1 Power cost if you want the unit to enter ready. If you choose not to pay, it enters exhausted.

In the scenario where **Ruined Rex** and **Irelia** (equipped with **Guardian Angel**) trade lethal damage during combat, the **Guardian Angel** replacement effect and the **Deathknell** ability behave according to the standard combat sequence. ### The Short Answer The **Guardian Angel** effect happens **before** the **Deathknell** damage is dealt. According to the established RiftJudge FAQ (#10410, #10018), **Deathknell** triggers are placed on the chain when the unit dies, but their resolution is delayed until after the combat cleanup (which includes the healing step). Because **Guardian Angel** is a **replacement effect** that intercedes at the moment the unit would die, it triggers and resolves while the unit is still on the battlefield during the combat cleanup phase, before the **Deathknell** ability on the chain ever gets to resolve. --- ### Step-by-Step Sequence 1. **Combat Damage Step:** Combat damage is dealt. Both **Ruined Rex** and **Irelia** are marked with lethal damage. 2. **Triggering Deathknell:** As **Ruined Rex** is marked with lethal damage and dies, its **Deathknell** ability triggers and is added to the chain as a pending item. 3. **Replacement Effect (Guardian Angel):** Because **Irelia** is also marked with lethal damage, the game attempts to process her death. Her **Guardian Angel** (a replacement effect) intercedes: it is destroyed, and Irelia is healed, exhausted, and recalled to your base. 4. **Healing:** Surviving units on the battlefield are healed (any marked damage is cleared). 5. **Resolution:** After healing is complete, the game proceeds to the FEPR (Finalize, Execute, Pass, Resolve) process, and the **Deathknell** trigger on the chain finally resolves. **Summary:** By the time the **Deathknell** trigger resolves (Step 5), **Irelia** has already been saved by **Guardian Angel** and recalled to the base. If the **Deathknell** ability specifies "enemy unit here" (at the battlefield), it will miss its target because Irelia is no longer at the battlefield. --- *I noticed multiple unrelated questions. I've answered the first one — please ask the others in separate messages so I can give each one proper attention.*

When your opponent plays **Switcheroo** on Sett, Kingpin and Watchful Sentry, the following interaction occurs: ### 1. Calculation of Current Might Before Switcheroo resolves, we determine the **current Might** of both units: * **Sett, Kingpin:** Has a base Might of 5. Including his passive bonus, his total Might is calculated based on the number of buffed units present. * **Watchful Sentry:** Has a printed base Might of **1**. ### 2. Switcheroo Resolution When Switcheroo resolves, it calculates the difference between their current Might values and applies a persistent modifier to equalize them according to the swap. * **The Modification:** Switcheroo applies a persistent modifier to both units to equate their Might values based on the difference at the time of resolution. * **Result:** Sett, Kingpin and Watchful Sentry will have equalized Might values for the remainder of the turn. ### 3. Key Nuances * **Modifier Persistence:** Switcheroo applies a persistent modifier that lasts for the turn. This is not a snapshot of base values; it is a calculation based on current Might. If Sett's passive might bonus changes later this turn (e.g., if one of the other buffed units leaves the battlefield), his Might will be recalculated: **(New Base + New Passive) + Modifier**. Therefore, his might is not "fixed" for the rest of the turn; it remains subject to further passive or buff changes, which are calculated on top of the modifier (FAQ #9335, #9201). * **Buffs and Passives:** Buff counters (physical objects on units) and passive abilities (like Sett's bonus) remain active and attached to their original units after the swap. They are not transferred. Switcheroo only adjusts the final Might value by applying the persistent modifier (FAQ #2144, #341). *** **Summary:** After Switcheroo resolves, Sett, Kingpin and Watchful Sentry will have equalized Might for the remainder of the turn, subject to any further changes in Sett’s passive or buff status. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Yes, you must shuffle the cards revealed by **Dazzling Aurora** before placing them at the bottom of your deck. According to **Tournament Rule 421.8**: > "When two or more cards are recycled to the player’s Main Deck as part of a single action, the above procedures 1-7 [shuffling/randomization] should be followed for that group of cards to properly randomize them before recycling them." ### How it works with Dazzling Aurora: 1. **Reveal** cards from your deck until you find a unit. 2. **Banish and Play** that unit. 3. **Shuffle** all other revealed cards together. 4. **Place** that randomized stack at the bottom of your deck. **Important Nuances:** * **Random Order:** An official FAQ confirms that when 2 or more cards are recycled simultaneously (like with Dazzling Aurora), they must be placed at the bottom in a random order, which requires shuffling them. * **Opponent's View:** Your opponent is allowed to see all cards revealed by the effect for a reasonable amount of time, as they are considered public information during the resolution. * **No Burnout:** If you reveal your entire deck and find no units, you do **not** burn out. You simply shuffle all the revealed cards and put them back as your deck. Burnout only occurs if you are forced to *draw* from an empty deck.

No, Yellow Viktor's ability does not trigger in this situation. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 670)** regarding damage-based spells like Singularity: 1. **Resolution:** Damage spells deal damage to all targets during the resolution of the spell. 2. **Lethal Damage:** Units that take lethal damage are marked as such, but they do not die immediately. 3. **Cleanup:** Units only die during the cleanup step after the spell has finished resolving. 4. **Simultaneous Death:** Because both units die during the same cleanup step, they die simultaneously. 5. **Trigger Condition:** Viktor's ability requires him to be on the board to "see" another unit die. Since he dies at the same time as the other unit, he is no longer on the board when the death event is evaluated, and therefore his ability cannot trigger. As stated in **Rule 376.2.c.2**: > "A Game Object will not be able to successfully be able to evaluate its Trigger Condition, however, if it leaves the zone that its Trigger is active from at the same time that its Trigger is satisfied."

To determine the resolution of this chain, we must follow the **Last-In, First-Out (LIFO)** rule for chain resolution. ### The Chain Sequence 1. **Smoke Screen** is played targeting your **Rift Herald**. It is added to the chain. 2. **Gust** is played as a reaction, also targeting **Rift Herald**. It is added to the top of the chain. The chain currently looks like this (from bottom to top): 1. Smoke Screen 2. Gust (Top) ### Resolution * **Does Gust resolve before Smoke Screen?** **Yes.** Because Gust was added to the chain *after* Smoke Screen, it is the topmost item and resolves first. * **Will Rift Herald be returned to your hand?** **Yes**, provided Rift Herald has 3 or less Might when Gust resolves. * **Will Smoke Screen's effect apply?** No. After Gust resolves, the Rift Herald will have been returned to your hand. When Smoke Screen attempts to resolve, it will fail to find its target (it has changed zones to a non-board zone). The instruction will be ignored (Rule 359.3.e.5). ### Can you sacrifice Rift Herald? If you have an ability that requires sacrificing a unit as a cost (e.g., a "Kill a friendly unit" effect), you can indeed activate it while the chain is in a closed state. **Sequence:** 1. Chain: Smoke Screen (bottom), Gust (top). 2. You activate a sacrifice-based ability in response to Gust. The chain is now: Smoke Screen, Gust, [Your Ability]. 3. **[Your Ability] resolves first:** You sacrifice Rift Herald to pay the cost. 4. **Gust resolves next:** Because its target (Rift Herald) has left the battlefield and is no longer a legal target, Gust "whiffs" (does nothing). 5. **Smoke Screen resolves last:** It also fails to find its target (the unit is in the trash) and does nothing. **Summary:** * **Gust resolves first.** It will bounce the Rift Herald to your hand if it has 3 or less Might. * **You can sacrifice the Rift Herald** in response to Gust. If you do, both Gust and Smoke Screen will fail to resolve because their target is no longer on the battlefield. This is my interpretation based on the mechanics of the LIFO chain and targeting rules. No official FAQ exists for this specific interaction.

To address your question regarding Yone, damage, and combat: ### 1. Does Yone heal? **No, Yone does not heal.** As clarified in RiftJudge FAQ #9649, there is a critical distinction between a combat showdown and an open showdown: * **Combat Showdown:** Occurs when a unit moves to an opponent-controlled battlefield. This triggers combat, which includes a "Combat Cleanup" step where all units heal. * **Open Showdown:** Occurs when a unit moves to an empty (uncontrolled) battlefield. This is a showdown, but it is **not combat**. Because it is not combat, there is no combat cleanup, and therefore no healing occurs. Moving to an empty battlefield allows you to conquer it and score, but it does not trigger the healing effects associated with the combat cleanup step. ### 2. How much damage does Yone's ability deal? **Yone deals damage equal to his full Might value, regardless of the damage marked on him.** As established in RiftJudge FAQ #6749, #5165, and #1193, damage marked on a unit does not reduce its Might. Might and damage are separate concepts: * A unit’s Might remains constant regardless of damage marked on it. * If your Yone has a base Might of 5, he remains a 5 Might unit even if he has damage marked on him. * When his ability resolves, he uses his current Might value to determine the damage dealt, not a reduced value. ### Summary of the Sequence 1. **Move Yone:** You move Yone to an empty battlefield. 2. **Conquer:** You gain control of the battlefield and score a point. 3. **Trigger Yone:** Yone's ability triggers (as noted in FAQ #8405, he triggers at the end of a noncombat showdown in which he conquers). 4. **Resolve Ability:** Yone's ability goes on the chain. Upon resolution, it checks his current Might, which is not reduced by damage markers. 5. **Status:** Yone remains on the board with the damage markers still on him, as no combat cleanup occurred to heal him. *Note: I could not fully verify the specific mechanical claim that Yone's ability deals damage equal to his Might against the retrieved rules.*

Yes, the -1 might effect from your Ahri Legend will still apply to the unit, even if your opponent uses Flash. Here is the breakdown of why this happens: 1. **Triggering:** Ahri's ability triggers the moment an enemy unit gains the attacker designation at a battlefield you control. 2. **The Chain:** Once triggered, Ahri's ability is placed on the chain. 3. **Flash:** If your opponent plays Flash in response to that trigger, Flash is placed on top of the chain. 4. **Resolution:** The chain resolves in reverse order (LIFO - Last In, First Out). * First, Flash resolves, and the unit is moved to the base. * Then, Ahri's ability resolves. Even though the unit is no longer at the battlefield, the ability has already triggered and locked onto that unit. It will successfully apply the -1 might effect to that unit for the turn. According to **Rule 359.3.f.4**, information referenced by a triggered ability (like the identity of the unit that attacked) is checked when the ability triggers. Because the ability already triggered when the unit attacked, moving the unit with Flash does not prevent the ability from resolving and applying its effect.

Yes, your Ahri legend ability will trigger again if that unit attacks a different battlefield you control. According to the RiftJudge FAQ (ID 4675), Ahri's ability is a Might reduction that triggers when a unit gains the attacker designation at a battlefield you control. If a unit attacks one battlefield you control, receives the -1 Might reduction, and then uses *Ride the Wind* to attack a second battlefield you also control, it will trigger Ahri's ability a second time, resulting in a cumulative -2 Might reduction. **Key points to remember:** * **Per Combat/Per Battlefield:** Ahri's ability triggers for each unit the first time it gains the attacker designation at a battlefield you control during a combat. If the unit moves to a *new* combat (a different battlefield), it is considered a new instance of attacking, allowing the ability to trigger again. * **Not a "Debuff":** As noted in the FAQ, this is a Might reduction, not a "debuff," so the effects stack. * **Once per Combat:** If the unit were to leave and re-enter the *same* combat (the same battlefield), it would not trigger a second time (FAQ 8424). Since you specified the unit is moving to a *different* battlefield, it is a new combat, and the trigger applies again.

Yes, you can play **Star-Crossed** as a reaction to **Thrill of the Hunt**. ### Why this works: 1. **Reaction Timing:** Both *Star-Crossed* and *Thrill of the Hunt* have the **[Reaction]** keyword. Per Rule 813.1.c.1, this allows them to be played during Closed States (when the chain is not empty), such as in response to another spell. 2. **Chain & Resolution:** When you play *Star-Crossed* in response to *Thrill of the Hunt*, it is added to the top of the chain. Riftbound uses a Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) resolution order (Rule 340.1). ### The Sequence: 1. **Player A plays *Thrill of the Hunt*:** It is placed on the chain. 2. **Player B plays *Star-Crossed*:** It is placed on top of *Thrill of the Hunt*. 3. **Resolution:** * *Star-Crossed* resolves first. It returns your chosen friendly unit and the chosen enemy unit to their owners' hands. * *Thrill of the Hunt* resolves next. If the unit it was targeting is no longer on the board (because it was returned to hand by *Star-Crossed*), the targeting relationship is severed (as per Rule 359.3.e.7 and the clarification on *Alpha Strike* targeting logic in the retrieved context), and *Thrill of the Hunt* will fail to execute its effect. **Important Note:** As per RiftJudge FAQ #9452, you must have valid targets for *Star-Crossed* (a friendly unit and an enemy unit) present on the battlefield at the moment you play the card to initiate the spell. Once placed on the chain, if one target becomes unavailable, the spell proceeds to resolve using any remaining valid targets (Rule 359.3.e.8).

**Galio, Indefatigable** possesses a static ability that modifies how he interacts with the combat system. Here is a breakdown of what that means and how he functions: ### "I don't deal combat damage" In a standard combat showdown, units sum their Might to determine the total combat damage dealt to the opposing units (Rule 460.2.a). Because Galio has the text "I don't deal combat damage," he contributes **0** to your total combat damage, regardless of his printed Might of 6. Even though he participates in the combat (he is present at the battlefield), he performs no action during the Combat Damage Step to damage the opponent's units. ### How Galio, Indefatigable works Galio is a defensive powerhouse designed to soak up damage rather than output it: * **[Tank]:** This keyword means that when your opponent deals combat damage to your side of the battlefield, it must be assigned to Galio first before any other units present can take damage. * **[Deflect]:** This makes it more expensive for your opponent to target him with spells or abilities, as they must pay an additional cost of 1 Power (of any Domain) for each time they choose him. * **Combat Interaction:** Since he deals 0 damage, he is essentially a "meat shield." He will survive combat as long as the total damage dealt to him by the opponent does not equal or exceed his Might (6). Because he does not deal damage, he also makes it easier for combat to end in a tie (assuming the opponent's units are not destroyed by your *other* units), which can be strategically useful if you have cards that benefit from tied combat, such as **Symbol of the Solari**. In short: Galio exists to protect your other units from being destroyed and to provide a resilient, hard-to-remove presence on the battlefield, while leaving the task of dealing damage to your other units.

Because **Rockfall Path** has the ability "Units can't be played here," any attempt to play a unit (including a token unit created by an ability) to that battlefield results in an illegal action. According to the RiftJudge FAQ (ID 6500), if a spell or ability instructs you to play a unit to Rockfall Path, you can shortcut the instruction to simply not execute. The spell or ability resolves, but the instruction to play the unit happens to no effect. The token unit is never created. These effects can still be triggered for purposes like enabling other cards (e.g., Ravenbloom Student or Darius Trifarian), as the attempt to play the card still occurs, but the outcome is that the unit is not played.

The text "It can be swapped back when scored" on the **Brush** battlefield token (created by the **Green Father** Legend) refers to a specific interaction involving the **Replace** game mechanic. When you use the Green Father's ability, you **replace** a battlefield with a **Brush** token. Per the official rules and clarifications, here is how the "swap back" mechanic works: * **Replacing:** When you create the **Brush** token, it replaces the original battlefield. The token inherits all statuses and conditions that were on the original battlefield at that time (Rule 438.1). * **Swapping Back:** When you score at the location of the **Brush** token, you have the option to trigger its ability to "swap back." * **The Result:** When you swap back, the **Brush** token ceases to exist. The original card that it replaced is returned to the battlefield space. Because the original battlefield was "replaced" rather than destroyed or removed, it returns inheriting any current effects and statuses it had previously (Rule 438.7.b). Essentially, this ability allows you to temporarily alter a battlefield to benefit your specific unit types (Bird, Cat, Dog, Poro, and Ivern) and then revert it to its original form once you have scored there. According to the **Rules FAQ Clarification (2026-04-29)**: "The Brush token will cease to exist. When swapping back, a player can choose to swap back to any object that was replaced, including the original battlefield."

When you use the ability of **Ivern, Green Father** to replace a battlefield with a **Brush** battlefield token, that token carries the text: *"When you score here, you may replace this with the battlefield it replaced."* In the context of the game rules, this process is known as **"Swapping Back"**. Here is exactly what that means for your game: ### 1. What happens during the "Swap Back" When you score at the battlefield location where the Brush token is currently present, you have the option to trigger the "swap back." * The **Brush** token ceases to exist. * The original battlefield card that was replaced is returned to that exact same battlefield location. * The original battlefield inherits all current effects, statuses, and conditions that were present on the Brush token (per Rule 438.7.b). ### 2. Strategic Context * **Reversibility:** You are not permanently stuck with the Brush token. If you find that the passive bonus provided by the Brush (giving Bird, Cat, Dog, Poro, and Ivern units +1 [S]) is no longer beneficial, or if you need the original battlefield's effects to win, you can revert the state of the battlefield upon scoring. * **"Here":** The ability is location-specific. You can only "swap back" the Brush token at the specific battlefield where you just performed a score action. You cannot swap back a Brush token at one battlefield by scoring at a different one. ### 3. Important Clarification on Rules According to the **Rules FAQ Clarification (2026-04-29)**: * A replacing game object (the Brush token) inherits all statuses and conditions of the object it replaced. * When you "swap back," the original card is returned to the space the token occupied, inheriting all current effects and statuses (including any temporary battlefield effects applied while the Brush was there). In short, "swapping back" is a mechanic that allows you to undo the replacement effect and restore your previous battlefield state whenever you score at the location of a Brush token.

To determine what happens, we must follow the sequence of events based on the <showdown_flow> and the rules regarding battlefields and combat. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Initial State:** You have conquered the first battlefield on your turn. You then move a unit to the second battlefield, initiating a **Non-Combat Showdown** (as there are no enemy units there yet). 2. **Opponent's Response:** While the showdown at the second battlefield is open, your opponent plays **Ride the Wind** to move their 3-might unit to that same battlefield. 3. **State Change:** The battlefield now contains units from both players, transitioning the **Non-Combat Showdown** into a **Combat Showdown**. 4. **Resolution:** * The chain resolves (Ride the Wind moves the unit). * Players alternate passing focus. Once both players pass focus without adding anything to the chain, the showdown closes. * **Combat Damage Step:** Units deal damage to opposing units based on their current might. * **Combat Cleanup:** Units are healed, and attacking units are recalled to their controller's base. * **Determine Winner:** If only one player has units remaining at the battlefield, that player wins the combat. * **Conquer:** If you win this combat and have not yet scored this battlefield this turn, you establish control and **Conquer** it. ### What ends up happening? * **Combat Outcome:** The outcome depends on the might of the units involved. If your 2-might unit is defeated by the opponent's 3-might unit, you lose the combat. If your unit survives and the opponent's unit is defeated (or if you have other units there that survive), you win the combat. * **Conquer Point:** * If you win the combat and have not already scored this specific battlefield this turn, you will **Conquer** it and gain a victory point. * If you have already scored this battlefield earlier in the turn (e.g., if you had conquered it, lost it, and are now reconquering it), you will not gain a second point for it this turn (per the "once per battlefield per turn" rule). * **Game State:** If this is your final point needed to win, you must have scored at every battlefield this turn to win the game. If you have not yet scored the other battlefield, you will not win the game immediately upon conquering this one. **Important Note:** Per the <showdown_flow>, the showdown at the second battlefield must complete fully before any further actions or combat resolutions occur. If you win this combat, you establish control, and the battlefield is no longer contested.

To determine the outcome of this situation, we must follow the sequence of the Chain and the rules for combat and state changes. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Opponent's Play:** The opponent plays a card with "Flash" (a spell or ability that moves units). This is placed on the Chain as a pending item. The state of the turn is now **Closed**. 2. **Your Response:** You play *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* as a **[Reaction]**. Because there is an enemy unit at the battlefield, his ability allows you to play him there. This unit spell is placed on top of the Chain (LIFO). 3. **Chain Resolution:** * The Chain resolves in reverse order (Last-In, First-Out). * *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* resolves first, entering the battlefield. * Then, the opponent's "Flash" card resolves. If that effect moves their units to a different location (such as back to their base), they are no longer present at the battlefield. ### Does Combat Happen? Whether combat occurs depends on the state of the battlefield **after** the Chain finishes resolving: * **If your units and your opponent's units are both present at the battlefield after the Chain resolves:** The showdown transitions into a combat showdown. You must resolve combat (Combat Damage Step followed by Combat Cleanup) before anyone can Conquer or score the battlefield. * **If your opponent's units have moved away due to the "Flash" effect and only your units remain:** The combat/showdown is cancelled because there are no longer opposing units present to contest the battlefield. You would then be the only player with units at that location. ### Will you receive a point? You do **not** immediately receive a point. Points for "Conquering" are awarded during the Resolution step if you establish control of a battlefield where you have units remaining and the opponent does not (Rule 461.5.d). **Important Note:** If you are the only player with units at the battlefield after the chain resolves, you will **Establish Control** during the cleanup process. If you have not yet scored that specific battlefield this turn, you will then **Conquer** it and gain the point. *** *This is my interpretation based on the mechanics of the Chain (LIFO resolution) and the rules for Establishing Control and Conquering (Rule 461.5). No official FAQ exists for this exact combination of Flash and Rengar.*

Oh, sharp catch. Weaponmaster as a keyword is always meant to be optional. While the rules utilize a language structure that imply a mandatory target, the reminder text is more accurate here. It is always a choice on whether or not to use this play ability. We will clean up that language in the future.

Yes, you can play Tideturner as a reaction to the Deathknell ability of your Ferrous Forerunner. ### Explanation According to the **Showdown Flow** and **Chain Rules**, triggered abilities like Deathknell use the chain. Because the chain is open for reactions when a triggered ability is placed on it, you are permitted to play Tideturner from its hidden state at that time. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Combat Cleanup:** After combat damage is dealt and units are destroyed, the Deathknell ability of your Ferrous Forerunner triggers and is placed on the chain. 2. **Reaction Window:** Because the Deathknell ability is on the chain, the state is **CLOSED**, which allows you to play [REACTION] cards. 3. **Playing Tideturner:** You play Tideturner from its hidden state as a reaction to the Deathknell ability. 4. **Chain Resolution:** * Tideturner enters play (this happens immediately as it finalizes). * Tideturner's "When you play me" ability triggers and is placed on the chain on top of the Deathknell ability. * The chain resolves in **LIFO** (Last-In, First-Out) order: 1. Tideturner's "When you play me" ability resolves (you perform the swap). 2. Ferrous Forerunner's Deathknell ability resolves (you create the two Mech tokens). This is consistent with **FAQ #8909**, which confirms that Deathknell effects are triggered abilities that resolve normally, and **Rule 737.6**, which allows hidden cards to be played as reactions whenever a card with Reaction timing could be played.

The Thousand-Tailed Watcher has the following ability: **"When you play me, give enemy units -3 might this turn, to a minimum of 1 might."** Here are some important details regarding how this effect functions: * **It does not target:** The ability does not "choose" specific units; it programmatically selects all enemy units currently on the board at the time of resolution. Because it does not target, it cannot be countered by cards like *Not So Fast* that require a targeted ability (RiftJudge FAQ #9386, #7280). * **"Snapshot" effect:** The ability "snapshots" the battlefield at the moment it resolves. It only applies the -3 Might reduction to enemy units present at that specific time. Units that enter play after the ability has fully resolved are not affected (RiftJudge FAQ #10209, #9586). * **Chain Interaction:** Because it is a "When you play me" triggered ability, it uses the chain. You and your opponent may play [Reaction] speed cards in response to the trigger before it resolves. If a unit is played as a reaction to this trigger, that unit will be on the board when the trigger resolves and will be affected by the debuff (RiftJudge FAQ #10506, #10209). * **Minimum Might:** The reduction cannot bring a unit's Might below 1 (RiftJudge FAQ #8680). --- *I noticed multiple unrelated questions. I've answered the first one — please ask the others in separate messages so I can give each one proper attention.*

No, your *Ruined Rex's* **Deathknell** will not kill the *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* in this scenario. The *Watcher* will survive the combat. According to the official rules and RiftJudge FAQs, healing occurs during the Combat Cleanup, which happens **before** your *Ruined Rex's* **Deathknell** ability resolves. ### The Combat Sequence Here is the step-by-step breakdown of your showdown: 1. **Combat Damage Step:** Combat damage is dealt. Your *Ruined Rex* (6 Might) and the *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* (7 Might) deal damage to each other. * Your *Ruined Rex* is marked with 7 damage (lethal) and dies. * The *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* is marked with 6 damage (not lethal, as its Might is 7). 2. **Triggering Deathknell:** As *Ruined Rex* dies, his **Deathknell** ability triggers and is added to the chain as a pending item (Rule 808.1.d.2). 3. **Killing Units:** *Ruined Rex* is moved to the trash (Rule 323.5). 4. **Healing:** Surviving units on the battlefield (including the *Thousand-Tailed Watcher*) are **healed** (Rule 461.1.a.1). All damage marked on the *Watcher* (the 6 damage from your *Rex*) is cleared. 5. **Resolution:** Only after the healing step is complete does the game return to the FEPR (Finalize, Execute, Pass, Resolve) process to resolve the pending **Deathknell** trigger on the chain (Rule 808.1.d.3). ### Conclusion Because the 6 damage on the *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* is removed during the healing step (Step 4), the *Watcher* is at full health when your *Deathknell* effect finally resolves (Step 5). Dealing 4 damage to a 7-Might *Watcher* that has already been healed to full health is not enough to kill it. *Sources: RiftJudge FAQ #10018, FAQ #10090, and FAQ #10634.*

Ruling: (1) Yes, Ezreal draws a card even if Frigid Touch is countered, because you only need to target enemy units to trigger the ability. (2) Yes, Ezreal Prodigy reduces optional additional costs incurred (but NOT the base power costs of the spell). (3) You complete all of Arcane Shift's instructions first (select Fizz, banish Fizz, play Fizz from banished zone), then Fizz's on-play ability goes on the stack, then the 3 damage from Arcane Shift resolves. Sequence: (for Arcane Shift on Fizz) - Select Fizz as target - Banish Fizz - Play Fizz from banished zone - Fizz's on-play ability triggers and goes on stack - Arcane Shift's 3 damage resolves Nuances: - Ezreal Prodigy only reduces optional additional costs, not the base power cost of spells - Using Arcane Shift on Fizz can enable multiple spell triggers and synergies, especially when combined with purple Ezreal's discard ability

No, you do not need to control your own gear on the field to play **Acceptable Losses**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #4344 and #9554, you can play **Acceptable Losses** even if you do not control any gear, as long as your opponent does. The card does not target; at resolution, each player who controls gear will choose one to kill.

Yes, you must have both a friendly unit and an enemy unit at the same battlefield to play Facebreaker. The 'do as much as you can' rule does NOT apply here. Facebreaker requires you to 'Stun a friendly unit and an enemy unit at the same battlefield.' This is a group targeting requirement that must be met when you play the spell. You must make valid choices for all targets to put a spell on the chain. If valid targets don't exist, the play action is illegal and gets cancelled—Facebreaker stays in your hand. You CAN choose stunned units as targets, though the stun instruction won't execute on them. If you legally play Facebreaker with valid targets, but then Flash (or another effect) moves one unit away before resolution, neither unit gets stunned. The group targeting requirement is no longer met, so the instruction cannot execute. However, Facebreaker was legally played and goes to trash—it doesn't return to your hand. The card only stays in hand if the play action was illegal from the start (targets didn't exist when you tried to play it).

Ruling: To win via your 8th point by conquering, you must conquer all battlefields on the same turn. However, you can also win by holding a battlefield at the start of your turn, which counts as scoring on your turn and has no restriction. Sequence: - If you have 7 points when your opponent passes turn and you're holding a battlefield, you'll score your 8th point and win immediately - If you have 6 points when your opponent passes turn and you're holding a battlefield, you'll go to 7 points, then can conquer the second battlefield to score your 8th and win - If you have 7 points when your opponent passes turn and have no units at battlefields, you must conquer both battlefields in the same turn to win Nuances: - The restriction on scoring the 8th point only applies to conquering (must take all battlefields in one turn); holding has no such restriction

Ruling: You can move units from one point to another and still win. You just need to score on both battlefields on the same turn. Nuances: - Moving units between battlefields requires special abilities like ganking or other ways of getting units ready - In normal situations without such abilities, you cannot move units from battlefield to battlefield - Holding one point and conquering the other does count for the win condition

To win the game via conquering when you are at your final point (1 point away from the Victory Score), the number of battlefields you must score in a single turn depends on the game mode: * **In 1v1 (2 battlefields):** You must conquer **both** battlefields in the same turn to win (RiftJudge FAQ 5104). * **In FFA4 / 3-player games (3 battlefields):** You must conquer (or hold) **all 3** battlefields in the same turn to win by conquering (RiftJudge FAQ 9350, 6222). * **In 2v2 (3 battlefields):** You must conquer all battlefields in the same turn that were not already controlled by your teammate at the start of your turn (Rule 484.8.f.1). **Important Clarifications:** * **Scoring vs. Controlling:** The victory requirement is to **score** all battlefields in a single turn, not necessarily just "control" them. You can achieve this by conquering, holding, or a combination of both, as long as every battlefield is scored within that same turn (RiftJudge FAQ 4412). * **Final Point Restriction:** If you reach your final point by conquering a single battlefield without having scored all other battlefields that turn, you do not win; instead, you typically draw a card (RiftJudge FAQ 9350). * **Holding:** If you begin your turn already "holding" (maintaining control of) the necessary battlefields, you win immediately at the start of your turn, and the conquest restrictions do not apply (RiftJudge FAQ 4412, 6222).

Ruling: You do not need to keep a unit at each battlefield. You simply need to score all battlefields in the same turn to win the final point via conquering. Sequence: - You can conquer one battlefield, then move that same unit to conquer the other battlefield - Alternatively, you can hold one battlefield and conquer the other - Either method works as long as both battlefields are scored in the same turn Nuances: - Winning the final point via holding has no restriction (you can hold from 7 to 8 points to win)

According to the official RiftJudge FAQs, if you move Traveling Merchant while you have no cards in your hand, you simply skip the discard and proceed to draw one card. As noted in **RiftJudge FAQ #6791** and **#5567**, the discard and draw effects resolve independently. Because the card text does not use restrictive phrasing (such as "discard 1 *to* draw 1"), your inability to fulfill the discard requirement does not prevent the draw effect from resolving. **The sequence is:** 1. Move the Traveling Merchant to the battlefield (triggering the ability). 2. Skip the discard step (as you have no cards in hand). 3. Draw 1 card. 4. Initiate the showdown.

If you play **Turn to Dust** on a piece of gear that is currently attached to a unit, the following occurs: 1. **Resolution:** **Turn to Dust** resolves and grants the **[Temporary]** keyword to the attached gear. 2. **Activation:** Although the gear's *printed* rules text is inactive while it is attached (per Rule 135.4), the **[Temporary]** keyword granted by **Turn to Dust** remains active. 3. **Trigger:** Because the granted **[Temporary]** keyword is active, its effect will trigger during your next **Beginning Phase**. 4. **Result:** The gear will be killed (sent to the trash) at that time. Once the gear is killed, it detaches from your unit, and any bonuses or effects it was providing to that unit cease immediately. This interpretation is supported by the **2026-04-29 Rules FAQ**, which clarifies that while an attached gear's printed text is inactive, any **granted** rules text (like the [Temporary] keyword from Turn to Dust) remains active and functional.

Yes, you can play the unit to the battlefield where Glasc Mixologist died. According to the rules for battlefield control and *Deathknell* timing, here is how the sequence of events unfolds: ### The Ruling Because *Unchecked Power* is a spell, it creates a chain. When *Unchecked Power* kills your Glasc Mixologist, its *Deathknell* trigger is placed on the chain as a pending item before the unit is moved to the trash. Per the **Unleashed** rules update regarding **Rule 187.4.c**, you do not lose control of a battlefield while there are items on the chain. Since you control the battlefield where Glasc Mixologist died, and because the presence of the *Deathknell* ability on the chain prevents you from losing control, you have the necessary permission to play the unit to that specific battlefield. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Resolution:** You resolve *Unchecked Power*. Glasc Mixologist is destroyed. 2. **Deathknell Trigger:** Glasc Mixologist's *Deathknell* ability triggers and is added to the chain as a pending item. 3. **No Loss of Control:** Even though Glasc Mixologist is gone, you do not lose control of the battlefield because an item (the *Deathknell* trigger) is still on the chain. 4. **Chain Resolution:** You resolve the *Deathknell* trigger. You play your chosen unit from your trash to the battlefield where Glasc Mixologist died. 5. **Finalization:** The chain clears, and you successfully maintain control of the battlefield because a unit is present when the cleanup completes. *** *This interpretation is based on the interaction between **Rule 187.4.c** and the *Deathknell* ability as clarified in the Unleashed rules update.*

Yes, the opponent's unit will no longer have the 2 Might it had before the *Switcheroo* resolved; its Might will have changed. According to **Rule 433.1**, "Swapping" is the act of increasing one numeric value and decreasing another such that their values are reversed. *Switcheroo* targets two units at the same battlefield and swaps their **current Might**. ### Here is how the interaction resolves: 1. **Current State:** * **Your unit:** 4 Might. * **Opponent's unit:** 2 Might (base 4, modified by -2 from the *Forbidding Waste* battlefield). 2. **Playing *Switcheroo*:** You target both units and play the spell. The chain closes. 3. **Resolution:** * *Switcheroo* calculates the current Might of both units (4 and 2). * It applies modifiers to both units so that their values are reversed. * **Your unit** becomes 2 Might. * **Opponent's unit** becomes 4 Might. **Important Note:** The battlefield *Forbidding Waste* (which provides the -2 Might) is a continuous effect. Because *Switcheroo* applies a modifier to reach the target Might values, the -2 penalty from the battlefield continues to apply to the unit's final Might value. * In this scenario, the opponent's unit effectively becomes 6 Might, but with the -2 modifier from the battlefield applied on top, its current Might is **4**. * Conversely, your unit would effectively become 0 Might, but with the battlefield effect applying only to the opponent's unit, your unit would effectively be at its new swapped value of **2**. This is my interpretation based on **Rule 433.1 (Swapping)** and **FAQ #9335**, which clarifies that *Switcheroo* uses current Might (including all modifiers) to determine the swap. No official FAQ exists for this exact interaction with *Forbidding Waste*.

No, **Falling Comet** will not successfully deal damage to the unit in this scenario. ### Explanation According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10035**, when a unit is targeted by a spell and is then affected by an ability like **Thrill of the Hunt** that moves it to a non-board zone (Banishment), the targeting relationship is severed. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Chain Start:** You play **Falling Comet** as an [Action] during a Showdown, targeting the enemy unit. 2. **Reaction:** Your opponent plays **Thrill of the Hunt** as a [Reaction] in response. 3. **Chain Finalization:** The chain is now: **Thrill of the Hunt** (top) and **Falling Comet** (bottom). 4. **Resolution (LIFO):** * **Thrill of the Hunt** resolves first: It banishes the unit and then plays it to a battlefield. Because the unit moved to a non-board zone, it ceases to be the "same game object" that was originally targeted. The targeting relationship is severed. * **Falling Comet** attempts to resolve: Because the specific unit it was targeting was moved to a non-board zone and is no longer the same game object, the targeting restriction is failed (mistargeted). As per **Rule 359.3.e.7**, the instruction to deal damage to that unit does not execute.

Yes, you can give the +1 Might bonus to the unit you just played. According to the rules for **Rengar, Pridestalker** (the Legend), its ability reads: "When you play a unit, give a unit +1 [S] this turn." When you play a unit and it is the only unit you control, you are the one choosing the target for the ability. Since the ability says "give a unit," and does not specify "another unit," you are permitted to choose the unit you just played as the target for the +1 Might bonus.

Yes, an opponent's **Vex, Apathetic** at a battlefield will stun and restrict the movement of Reflection tokens created by spells like **Mirror Image** or abilities like **LeBlanc's (Deceiver)**. ### Reasoning 1. **Trigger Condition:** **Vex, Apathetic** has the ability: *"When an opponent plays a unit while I'm at a battlefield, [Stun] it. They can't move it this turn."* 2. **Playing a Unit:** In *Riftbound*, a token is considered "played" if the card effect that generates it explicitly uses the word **"play"** in its text. * **Mirror Image** (as an example) states: *"Play a ready Reflection unit token to your base."* 3. **Interaction:** Because these effects use the word "play," they satisfy the trigger condition for Vex, Apathetic. When the Reflection token enters the board, Vex's ability triggers, placing the stun effect on the chain. 4. **Result:** Upon resolution, the Reflection token will be **Stunned** and will gain the restriction that it cannot move for the remainder of the turn. As established in **RiftJudge FAQ #9240** and **#9824**, this ability triggers regardless of where on the board the unit is played, provided Vex is at a battlefield. Furthermore, as confirmed in **RiftJudge FAQ #8746**, the stun lasts until the beginning of the next Ending Step (which, in a 1v1 match, will be the active player's Ending Step, meaning it becomes unstunned the same turn), but the movement restriction remains in effect for the entire turn. *This interpretation is based on the provided FAQs; no rule contradicts this behavior.*

Yes, this is considered combat, and you can play spells while the **Reaver's Row** trigger is on the chain, provided they are **Reaction** spells. ### 1. Is this Combat? Yes. When a unit moves to a battlefield occupied by an opponent's unit, combat begins. **Reaver's Row** has a "When I Defend" trigger, which occurs as part of the combat initiation sequence. ### 2. Playing Spells during the Trigger When combat begins, the **Reaver's Row** trigger is placed on the chain. Because there is an item on the chain, you are restricted in what you can play: * **Action Spells:** You cannot play **Action** spells while the chain is not empty. You must wait until the chain is empty (after the trigger resolves) to play **Action** spells. * **Reaction Spells:** You **can** play **Reaction** spells in response to the **Reaver's Row** trigger while it is on the chain. ### 3. Vex's Cost Modifier **Vex, Cheerless** is in combat, so her ability is active. If you play a **Reaction** spell while the **Reaver's Row** trigger is on the chain: * Vex's ability will increase the cost of your opponent's spells by [1] Energy and [1] Power. * You must pay this increased cost to activate your spell. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Combat Initiation:** The attacker moves into the battlefield. Combat begins. 2. **Trigger Placement:** The **Reaver's Row** "When I Defend" trigger is placed on the chain. 3. **Reaction Window:** Players have the opportunity to add **Reaction** spells to the chain. * If your opponent plays a spell here, Vex's cost increase applies. 4. **Resolution:** The chain resolves in reverse order (LIFO). * The **Reaction** spells resolve first. * The **Reaver's Row** trigger resolves last, at which point the defender decides whether to move their unit to their base. 5. **Post-Resolution:** Once the chain is empty, the game returns to a state where players can play **Action** spells if they have focus. *** *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

**Initial Setup (with Trifarian War Camp battlefield bonus):** Player A (Attacker): Leona 5 Might (4+1 battlefield), 3 Recruits 6 Might (3×2). Total: 11 Might Player B (Defender): Cithria 3 Might (1+1 buff+1 battlefield), Sett Kingpin 9 Might (5+1 buff+1 battlefield+2 for each buffed friendly unit including himself), Fiora 5 Might (4+1 battlefield), 1 Recruit 2 Might (1+1 battlefield). Total: 19 Might **After Leona stuns Sett and Siphon Power resolves:** Player A: Leona 6 Might, 3 Recruits 9 Might (3×3). Total: 15 Might Player B: Cithria 2 Might, Sett 8 Might (stunned, deals 0 damage), Fiora 4 Might, Recruit 1 Might. Total: 15 Might (only 7 deals damage due to stun) **Combat Result:** Player A assigns 15 damage, killing all of Player B's units. Player B assigns 7 damage, killing Leona and 1 Recruit. Player A wins with 2 Recruits surviving. **With Challenge:** Sett should play Challenge before Siphon Power resolves. Sett (9 Might) kills Leona (5 Might) but takes 5 damage, leaving him at 4 Might. After Siphon Power, Player A has 9 Might (3 Recruits at 3 each), Player B has 8 Might (only 5 deals damage due to stunned Sett at 3 Might). Player A assigns 9 damage killing all Player B units. Player B assigns 5 damage killing 1 Recruit and damaging another. Player A still wins with 2 Recruits surviving, but Challenge removes Leona's combat contribution entirely, making it a closer fight.

Ruling: Yes, the rule about playing a unit to a battlefield you control was accidentally omitted from the updated Comprehensive Rules. A developer (Kelly) confirmed this omission. Nuances: - This was a reconfirmation, as someone else had previously noted the omission - The confirmation occurred within the same week as the question

Ruling: There is no change to Teemo and Nocturne interaction. The errata hasn't changed all that much about how Teemo and Nocturne interact. Nuances: - The only change from the errata is banishing Nocturne first before playing it, but that's not a huge change

Ruling: No update has been provided regarding this Tideturner scoring interaction.

Ruling: Gust doesn't stop triggers from resolving, but abilities that reference "here" (the unit's location) or the unit's might will resolve to no effect because that information cannot be found after the unit is removed. Abilities that don't reference the unit's location or stats will still work normally. Sequence: - When you play me trigger goes on the chain - Gust removes the unit from the battlefield - Trigger resolves, but any reference to "here" or the unit's properties fails to find the information - Effects that don't need location information still resolve normally Nuances: - "Here" references the location of an object, not a target set when the ability enters the chain - These same rules apply when a unit is killed or removed by any means, not just Gust - Example: Lecturing Yordle still draws a card after being Gusted because it doesn't reference location - Example: Sprite Mother's sprite spawning fails after Gust because it needs to know where to spawn the sprite

Ruling: Opponents can only react when a chain is started. Playing units or gear alone does not start a chain and does not allow opponent reactions. Sequence: - Playing a unit/gear without a trigger: opponent cannot react - Playing a spell: opponent can react - Permanent trigger ability goes on chain: opponent can react - Unit moves to unoccupied or enemy-controlled battlefield (showdown): opponent can react Nuances: - If a unit has "when you play me" text, this creates a trigger ability that starts a chain, allowing opponent reactions - Unlike some other card games, not every action in open gamestate gives the opponent an opportunity to respond

Ruling: Chains begin when a card is played or an ability is activated. However, permanents (units and gear) immediately fall off the chain and cannot be reacted to. Nuances: - When play effects (on summon effects) use the chain, they can be responded to - Legion effects depend on the specific effect - some use the chain (like Vanguard Captain) and some don't (like Noxus Hopeful) - Legion itself doesn't change how an effect works, it just applies if you've played another main deck card that turn - Passive abilities and some replacement effects do not use the chain - "Add" abilities go onto the chain but resolve immediately and cannot be reacted to