Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, your opponent has a window to use **Star-Crossed** in response to your activation of **Baited Hook**. ### The Sequence 1. **Activation:** You activate **Baited Hook** during your Main Phase by paying its cost and declaring a friendly unit as your target. **Baited Hook** is placed on the chain. 2. **State Change:** The game state changes from **Open** to **Closed** because there is now an item on the chain. 3. **Reaction:** Your opponent can play **Star-Crossed** as a reaction to your activation. Because it is a **[Reaction]** spell, it is legal to play in this **Closed** state. **Star-Crossed** is placed on top of the chain. 4. **Resolution (LIFO - Last-In, First-Out):** * **Star-Crossed** resolves first, returning your targeted friendly unit and an enemy unit to their owners' hands. * **Baited Hook** attempts to resolve next. However, because the unit you targeted is no longer on the board, it cannot be "killed." ### The Result According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10587** and **Rule 359.3.e.12**, since the unit was not killed (sent to the trash via the ability's instruction), the reference to "the killed unit" returns a **null** value. You will still perform the instruction to look at the top 5 cards of your main deck, but you will be unable to play a unit because you cannot satisfy the "Might up to 1 more than the killed unit" requirement. All 5 cards will be recycled. *** *This interpretation is based on the interaction between targeting rules and the specific mechanics of Baited Hook as clarified in multiple RiftJudge FAQs (e.g., #10587, #10345, #4379).*

Ruling: The opponent's unit is the attacker and recalls after a tied combat. You are the defender because you control the battlefield, and the opponent's unit applied the Contested status by moving into your controlled base. Sequence: - You control the battlefield with your unit - You use Charm to pull opponent's unit into the base - Opponent's unit applies Contested status to the battlefield - Combat occurs with opponent as attacker, you as defender - On a tie, the attacker (opponent's unit) recalls Nuances: - The player who uses Charm does not become the attacker just because they initiated the combat - The unit that applies Contested status determines who is the attacker, not the player who caused the unit to move - If the attacking unit had won, they would gain a conquer point since they're attacking into a controlled battlefield - Older rule versions used different wording that was easier to misinterpret, but the mechanic worked the same way

When you use **Flash** to move a ready unit from a battlefield to your base, it **stays ready**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #8882 and #6925: * When a card effect explicitly says to "move" a unit, the unit maintains its current state (Ready or Exhausted) unless the card text specifically states otherwise. * This is distinct from the "Standard Move" action (Rule 144.2), which requires exhausting the unit as a cost. Since Flash is a spell effect and not a Standard Move, it does not impose an exhaust cost. Therefore, because the unit was ready at the battlefield, it arrives at your base still in the ready state.

No, Forgefire Cape does not have an activated ability that you use every turn. Its effect is a triggered ability that automatically occurs whenever the equipped unit attacks or defends.

When you use LeBlanc's "Deceiver" ability, you must play the Reflection token **at the battlefield you conquered or held**. According to the card text: > "When you conquer or hold, you may discard 1 and exhaust me to **play a ready Reflection unit token there**." The word "there" in the card's text refers to the battlefield where the conquer or hold event occurred (the trigger condition for the ability). You do not have the option to play the token at the location of the unit you intend to copy. ### How the sequence works: 1. **Trigger:** You conquer or hold a battlefield. You choose to activate LeBlanc's ability. 2. **Cost:** You discard 1 card and exhaust LeBlanc. 3. **Play:** You play the 0 [M] Reflection token to the battlefield where you conquered/held. 4. **Reflexive Trigger:** The "Then do this: It becomes a copy of another unit there" part is a reflexive trigger that goes on the chain. 5. **Resolution:** When that part resolves, you choose a target unit "there" (at that same battlefield) for the token to copy. If there are no other units at that battlefield when the copy effect resolves, there will be no valid target for the reflection to copy.

Yes, you must pay the **Deflect** cost if you choose to target an enemy unit that has the **Deflect** keyword with *Overzealous Fan's* ability. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8505** and **FAQ #8677**, the interaction works as follows: 1. **Triggering:** When *Overzealous Fan* gains the Defender designation, its ability triggers and is placed on the chain. 2. **Targeting:** You must choose the target (the attacking unit you intend to move) at the time you place the ability on the chain. 3. **Deflect Cost:** Because the ability chooses a unit, if that unit has **Deflect**, you are required to pay the **Deflect** cost at the time you place the ability on the chain. 4. **Resolution:** If you successfully pay the cost and place the ability on the chain, the ability resolves later. Only at the moment of resolution do you make the choice of whether to "kill" the *Overzealous Fan* to complete the effect. **Summary of Key Points:** * **Targeting vs. Cost:** The targeting (which requires paying Deflect) happens when the ability is placed on the chain. The "kill me" portion is a cost-within-instruction that is only paid upon resolution. * **Mandatory Cost:** If you cannot pay the **Deflect** cost, you cannot legally choose that unit as a target for the ability.

Ruling: The entire Icathian Rain spell resolves first, dealing all its damage. Then during cleanup after spell resolution, the game checks for lethal damage and attempts to kill the unit, which Seth's Legend ability can replace/prevent. Sequence: - Icathian Rain resolves completely, dealing all 6 instances of damage - After spell resolution, during cleanup, the game registers lethal damage - Seth's ability can then replace the death

Ruling: You choose all 6 Icathian Rain targets at once before any resolve. When the 3rd trigger deals lethal damage, Sett Legend triggers to recall and heal the unit, but the remaining 3 triggers still resolve and can kill the unit again if the damage is sufficient. Sequence: - Choose all 6 Icathian Rain targets at once - Icathian Rain triggers begin resolving one at a time - When the 3rd trigger deals lethal damage, Sett Legend protection triggers - Unit recalls to base and heals - Remaining 3 Icathian Rain triggers resolve and deal damage to the unit - If total remaining damage is lethal, the unit dies

Ruling: You must pay the cost (recycle a ruin) for every time you target a buffed unit with Icathian Rain while Spirit's Refuge is on the board, not just once. Sequence: - Icathian Rain targets up to 6 times - Each time it targets a buffed unit, Spirit's Refuge triggers - The cost must be paid separately for each buffed unit targeted

Ruling: You must pay the Deflect cost multiple times, once for each individual proc of Icathian Rain.

Ruling: All units die simultaneously. The 3 might attacker kills all three 1 might defenders, and the attacker also dies because Imperial Decree triggers three times (once for each point of battle damage taken). Sequence: - All combat damage is dealt simultaneously - Check for triggers after damage is dealt - Imperial Decree creates separate triggers for each point of damage taken Nuances: - You must assign lethal damage to one defending unit before assigning damage to the next, so a 3 might unit cannot split 1 damage to each of three 3 might defenders - To kill multiple units with Imperial Decree active, token units would need to attack separately (one at a time) rather than all at once

Ruling: The player draws 5 cards total. Scrapheap's trigger goes on the chain as a pending item when discarded, then the player draws 4 cards as Inverted Time resolves, and finally the Scrapheap trigger is finalized in cleanup after resolution, causing the player to draw their 5th card. Sequence: - Player discards hand including Scrapheap due to Inverted Time - Scrapheap trigger goes on the chain as a pending item - Player draws 4 cards and Inverted Time resolves - Scrapheap trigger is finalized in cleanup after resolution - Scrapheap trigger resolves and player draws 5th card Nuances: - Triggers cannot intercede during the resolution of other spells or abilities; they wait in a queue until the spell resolves (pending state) - After processing the pending trigger, players can react to it normally before it resolves

Ruling: If Irelia is exhausted when targeted by Ride the Wind, she gains +2 might total: +1 for being chosen and +1 for being readied. Sequence: - Ride the Wind is played and becomes a pending chain item - Irelia is chosen as the target, triggering her ability (+1 might) - Irelia's ability enters the chain above Ride the Wind and resolves first - Ride the Wind resolves, readying Irelia - Irelia's ready trigger adds to the chain as a pending item and resolves (+1 might) Nuances: - An opponent can respond with a reaction speed spell or ability (after paying deflect cost) to the first Irelia trigger, potentially dealing damage to kill her before Ride the Wind resolves, causing both her ability trigger and Ride the Wind to do nothing

Ruling: Blade Dancer Irelia does not target. Irelia Fervent gains +2 Might total: +1 from being chosen by the spell and +1 from being readied by Blade Dancer's ability. Sequence: - Cast a spell that chooses Irelia Fervent (+1 Might from her ability) - Blade Dancer Irelia's ability triggers and readies Irelia Fervent (+1 Might from her ability) - Total: +2 Might Nuances: - Blade Dancer Irelia does not "target" because there is no choice made - the unit to be readied is automatically determined by the triggering event (the unit that was chosen by the spell)

Ruling: The Irelia legend ability does not target or choose a unit when you pay 1 power to ready it, so it does not trigger the +1/+1 bonus from Irelia's ability that triggers when a unit is chosen.

Ruling: Irelia survives to complete both instances of Marching Orders' effect even if she takes lethal damage during the first instance. Units only die during cleanup, which occurs after the entire spell resolves, not in the middle of resolution. Sequence: - Irelia deals 5 damage to the first target and takes damage equal to that target's might - Irelia deals 5 damage to the second target (can be the same or different target) and takes damage equal to that target's might - After the spell fully resolves, cleanup occurs and Irelia dies if she has damage marked equal to or greater than her might Nuances: - Repeat is paid once as a cost and doesn't create a second copy of the spell; it makes the spell "bigger" by adding the effect a second time to the same resolution - You can choose the same targets or different targets for the repeated effect - There is no cleanup in the middle of spell resolution

When you move **Irresistible Faefolk** to an unoccupied (uncontrolled) battlefield and use its ability to move an enemy unit to that same battlefield, **you are the attacker** and the **enemy unit is the defender**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9581**, **#9665**, and **#9714**, the determination of attacker and defender designations is based on which player applied the "Contested" status to the battlefield first (Rule 459.2.b.1). ### Sequence of Events 1. **Move:** You move **Irresistible Faefolk** to an unoccupied battlefield. This applies the "Contested" status to that battlefield. Because you are the player who applied this status, you gain the **Attacker** designation. 2. **Trigger:** **Irresistible Faefolk's** ability ("When I move to a battlefield...") triggers. You place this ability on the chain. 3. **Resolution:** When the ability resolves, you move an enemy unit to that same battlefield. 4. **Combat:** Because units from opposing players are now present, the showdown transitions into a Combat Showdown. Because you were the one who applied the "Contested" status to the battlefield first, you remain the **attacker**, and your opponent's unit is the **defender**, even though your ability was the one that moved their unit into the combat.

When you move **Irresistible Faefolk** to an unoccupied (uncontrolled) battlefield, **you are the attacker**, and the enemy unit you move to that battlefield with its ability becomes the **defender**. According to **Rule 459.2.b.1** and established **RiftJudge FAQs** (such as #10101, #9828, and #9714), the determination of attacker and defender designations is based on which player applied the "Contested" status to the battlefield first: 1. **Move:** When you move **Irresistible Faefolk** to an unoccupied battlefield, you are the player who applies the "Contested" status to that battlefield. This makes you the **attacker**. 2. **Trigger:** Irresistible Faefolk’s ability triggers. When it resolves, you choose an enemy unit and move it to that same battlefield. 3. **Combat Transition:** Because units from opposing players are now present at the contested battlefield, the showdown transitions into a Combat Showdown. Even though your ability moved the enemy unit into the combat, you remain the attacker because you were the one who initiated the combat by applying the "Contested" status to the battlefield first. *Note: If you move Irresistible Faefolk into a battlefield that was **already** contested by your opponent, your opponent is already the attacker, and they remain the attacker regardless of your ability.*

When you move **Irresistible Faefolk** to an empty (uncontrolled) battlefield, you are the **attacker**, and the enemy unit you move to that battlefield becomes the **defender**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9581** and **#9423**, the determination of attacker and defender is based on who applied the "Contested" status to the battlefield first: 1. **You are the attacker:** When you move **Irresistible Faefolk** to an uncontrolled battlefield, you are the player who applies the "Contested" status. This makes you the attacker (**Rule 459.2.b.1**). 2. **The enemy is the defender:** When you subsequently use the ability to move an enemy unit to that same battlefield, that unit joins the combat as the defender. Even though your ability moved the enemy unit, you remain the attacker because you were the one who initiated the combat by applying the "Contested" status to the battlefield first.

Yes, when **Ivern, Friend to All** moves to the trash (discard), he loses the additional tag he gained. According to **Rule 110**: "Whenever a Game Object changes zones to or from a Non-Board Zone, all Temporary Modifications of all kinds cease to be tracked on it in all capacities." Because the tag gained by Ivern's ability is a modification to the card's state while it is in play, that tag is removed once the card leaves the board and enters the trash.

Ruling: Sun Disc is a passive effect, not a triggered ability, so Jinx enters the battlefield already ready. Flame Chompers' triggered ability goes on the chain after Jinx's "When You Play Me" trigger fully resolves, meaning Flame Chompers is played after Jinx is already on the battlefield and readied. Sequence: - Jinx is paid for and placed on the chain finalizing - Jinx enters the battlefield ready (due to Sun Disc's passive effect) - Jinx's "When You Play Me" trigger goes on the chain - Jinx's trigger resolves, discarding 2 cards including Flame Chompers - After Jinx's trigger finishes resolving, Flame Chompers' triggered ability goes on the chain - Flame Chompers can be played by paying Red Nuances: - Passive effects like Sun Disc don't interact with the chain - they are instantly on/off - Even if Sun Disc were a triggered ability, it would target Jinx (the unit being played), not Flame Chompers - Triggers from paying costs go on the chain after the item being paid for finishes resolving

Ruling: Kai'Sa survives because damage is cleared during combat cleanup at the end of the showdown, before her attacker status is removed and she returns to 4 might. Sequence: - Kai'Sa (accelerated with Cleave) attacks the battlefield with Sentry - Opponent plays Void Seeker - Sentry dies, battlefield is conquered, draw 1 - Combat cleanup occurs, clearing damage from Kai'Sa - Attacker status is removed (Kai'Sa returns to 4 might) - Kai'Sa survives because damage was already cleared

Ruling: Yes, both "when you conquer" triggers are simultaneous, so you can order them however you like. Sequence: - Both triggers go on the chain simultaneously - You choose the order (CL1 and CL2) - You can put Kai'Sa at CL2 to draw before Zaun Warrens resolves at CL1

Ruling: Kai'Sa checks the printed energy cost on the card, not any conditional reduced cost, to determine if a spell can be played from the trash pile. Sequence: - Kai'Sa looks for cards with printed energy cost less than your current points - Only cards meeting this printed cost requirement are valid selections - If a card is validly selected (printed cost is less than points), then cost reductions would apply when actually casting it Nuances: - If the spell's printed cost is already less than your points, you can select it with Kai'Sa and then the cost reduction would apply when casting - The cost reduction condition is evaluated after the card is selected, not during the selection process

Ruling: Kai'Sa heals from the damage taken in the first showdown before the second showdown begins. The current combat finishes processing (including healing at step 627.5) before the new combat showdown starts. Sequence: - Kai'Sa wins showdown and conquers (step 627.3) - Kai'Sa's conquer effect triggers, playing Charm to move another unit into her battlefield - This creates a pending combat showdown, but it waits - The current combat finishes resolving, healing Kai'Sa (step 627.5) - Cleanup occurs (step 628) - The new combat showdown begins with Kai'Sa at full health Nuances: - A combat showdown cannot start unless the game is in a neutral open state, which only occurs after the current combat finishes resolving - Combat is not finished until the cleanup step completes - The rules team acknowledged this interaction has some weirdness that may be addressed in future updates

Ruling: When Kai'sa Evolutionary conquers and triggers her ability, the spell she selects is played immediately before any new showdown would start, regardless of the spell's normal timing restrictions. Sequence: - Kai'sa Evolutionary conquers a battlefield - Her conquering trigger goes onto the chain - The trigger resolves and she plays the selected spell - The game must return to a neutral open state before a new showdown can begin - Any new showdown then starts Nuances: - The spell played by Kai'sa's ability does not need to adhere to the normal timing restrictions (Action/Reaction speed) of the targeted spell - There is no official term for a "pending showdown" - it's simply that a new showdown cannot begin until the game is in a neutral open state

Ruling: No combat occurs when a unit moves to an empty battlefield, so Kaisa never gains the attacker designation and does not get +3 might from Cleave. This is called a "showdown" or "non-combat showdown" or "open showdown." Sequence: - Kaisa moves to empty battlefield - No combat occurs (no attacker/defender designation assigned) - Cleave does not increase might during non-combat showdown - Void Seeker deals 4 damage to Kaisa at her base might - Kaisa conquers the battlefield - Damage remains (no cleanup step in non-combat showdown) - Kaisa dies if damage equals or exceeds her might Nuances: - Units only gain attacker/defender designation during combat - Combat only occurs when units become located at a battlefield where there are units controlled by another player - You cannot "attack" an empty battlefield, you "contest" it

Ruling: Yes, when Karthus and Kog'maw die at the same time, Kog'maw's Deathknell triggers twice. Karthus's ability is a passive (not a triggered ability), so it applies even when Karthus dies simultaneously with other units. Nuances: - This differs from Viktor Leader's triggered ability, which cannot trigger when Viktor dies at the same time as another unit (due to the rule that a game object cannot evaluate its trigger condition if it leaves the zone at the same time the trigger is satisfied) - Karthus works because it's a passive ability that "occurs" rather than a triggered ability with a trigger condition

Ruling: Kayn will have the defender designation when moved back and will survive combat due to moving twice. The battlefield remains contested throughout the showdown, so when Kayn returns he is assigned defender designation again. Sequence: - Kayn attacks Reaver's Row - RR triggers and moves Kayn to base - Kayn loses defender designation during cleanup while in base - Player B plays Ride the Wind and moves Kayn back to battlefield - Kayn is assigned defender designation again (Player B still controls the contested battlefield) - Combat occurs and Kayn survives due to moving twice Nuances: - The defender designation is technically lost when the unit leaves the battlefield during cleanup, but is reassigned when the unit returns because the battlefield remains contested during the showdown - Control of a contested battlefield is not lost during a showdown even when no units are present - This interaction matters for abilities like Shield or Block that depend on defender status - a unit could be targeted while in base before returning and would not have those abilities until reassigned defender

Ruling: When attackers fail to conquer a battlefield (defenders are still present after damage), the attacking units are recalled to base, not to where they came from. Sequence: - Kayn attacks first battlefield - Yasuo's ability moves Kayn to second battlefield - Kayn deals damage but fails to conquer (defenders still present) - Kayn is recalled to base Nuances: - Yasuo can only move units to and from base, not directly between battlefields - Ganking does not expand the capabilities of movement effects; it only modifies the Standard Move - If Kayn moves to a battlefield with defenders, he will deal his damage but be sent back to base if he fails to conquer

Ruling: No, Tank does not apply to Kayn when he has moved twice in a turn. Kayn is exempt from mandatory assignment considerations, which includes Tank. Nuances: - While Kayn is exempt from mandatory assignment (including Tank and lethal damage requirements), you can still choose to assign damage to him if desired, though it won't be dealt to him due to his immunity. - No amount of damage assigned to Kayn can be considered "lethal" when he has moved twice. - The exemption means you are not required to assign damage to him, but you are not prohibited from doing so either.

Ruling: Yes, Kayn remains readied and can move back to a battlefield. Sequence: - Kayn moves to empty battlefield and conquers - Ride the Wind moves Kayn to contested battlefield (he arrives readied) - Kayn fights but cannot conquer and is pushed back to base - Kayn is still readied and can move again Nuances: - Move effects (like Ride the Wind) don't exhaust units - Recall (being pushed back to base) doesn't exhaust units - Only the standard move action exhausts units

Ruling: When a unit is recalled to base after failing to conquer, it returns in whatever ready/exhausted state it was in at the time of recall. Being recalled does not inherently exhaust a unit. Sequence: - If Kayn moves to a battlefield using a standard move (which exhausts him), he returns exhausted after failing to conquer - If Kayn moves to a battlefield using Ride the Wind (which readies him), he returns ready after failing to conquer - Recall simply changes the unit's location to base without changing its ready/exhausted state Nuances: - Units often become exhausted when recalled because the standard move action exhausts them as a cost, not because recall itself exhausts them - This allows Kayn to attack multiple times in one turn if repeatedly moved with effects like Ride the Wind that ready him

Ruling: Kayn recalls back to base. Recalling always means return to base. Sequence: - Kayn moves for the second time from battlefield to battlefield - Kayn fights but doesn't kill the defending units - Combat ends in a tie - Kayn (the attacker) gets recalled to base Nuances: - If the defender passes the turn after this recall, they get the point for holding the battlefield

Ruling: If Kayn has moved to two different locations in a turn, he won't take damage from any source (combat, spells, etc.) until the end of that turn. Nuances: - The "this turn" phrase refers to both the condition (moving twice) and the duration of the effect (immunity lasts until end of turn) - The immunity applies to all damage sources once the condition is met

Ruling: The 4 damage from Kog'Maw's Deathknell persists on Watcher during the showdown but is healed during Combat Resolution. Players have a window of focus after Deathknell resolves but before healing occurs to respond to the damage. Sequence: - Combat Showdown begins and Kog'Maw moves to opponent's battlefield - Blue Teemo's Defender ability triggers and resolves, killing Kog'Maw - During cleanup after Teemo's ability, Kog'Maw's Deathknell is added to the chain as a Pending Item - Deathknell resolves, dealing 4 damage to Watcher - Players receive focus and can respond - Combat Damage Step (Step 2) is skipped since no valid attacking and defending units remain - Combat Resolution occurs, healing all units (removing the 4 damage from Watcher) Nuances: - If Kog'Maw had died to combat damage instead of before it, the Deathknell would trigger after healing, causing the damage to persist until end of turn - Chain items (like Deathknell) cannot resolve during cleanup, so they resolve after cleanup completes

Ruling: Kog'Maw's Deathknell triggers and resolves before the healing step, dealing 5 total damage (1 from combat + 4 from Deathknell) and killing the other unit. Sequence: - Combat damage is marked (Kog'Maw takes 1 and deals 1) - Units with lethal damage are removed (Kog'Maw dies, triggering Deathknell) - Deathknell trigger is added to the chain and must fully resolve before proceeding - Deathknell deals 4 damage to the other unit (total 5 damage marked) - Only after the chain is empty does the game proceed to clear damage/healing Nuances: - Triggered abilities can interrupt any step and must resolve before the game proceeds to the next step - Nothing progresses until the chain is empty - The rules as written are unclear on this interaction and will be clarified in future comprehensive rules updates - This is intended behavior to allow Deathknell to combine with combat damage

Ruling: Kog'Maw's Deathknell trigger finalizes after the special combat cleanup (after units are healed from combat damage). You can still respond to the trigger with reaction speed cards like Cannon Barrage from hand. Sequence: - Combat damage is dealt - Units that would die from combat damage trigger Deathknell abilities during cleanup - Units heal from combat damage during cleanup - Kog'Maw's Deathknell trigger finalizes to the chain after cleanup - Players can respond to the trigger with cards from hand - Kog'Maw's damage resolves, placing damage markers on the now-healed units Nuances: - This ruling only applies to Deathknell abilities from units that die to combat damage specifically - Outside of combat, Deathknell happens immediately when the unit hits the trash - The original design intent was for the damage to happen before healing, but this proved incompatible with other card designs like Taric and orange Lee Sin - Under the new rules, this is actually a buff because Kog'Maw's ability can now properly locate "my battlefield" (previously he would already be in trash)

Yes, units heal from combat damage before Kog'Maw's *Deathknell* trigger resolves. According to the official rulings for Kog'Maw: 1. **Combat Damage is dealt:** Units take damage based on Might. 2. **Special Cleanup:** Units that have lethal damage (including Kog'Maw) are identified. Kog'Maw's *Deathknell* trigger is added to the chain as a pending item. 3. **Healing:** All units heal from combat damage during this cleanup step. 4. **Resolution:** After healing is complete, players have an opportunity to react to the *Deathknell* trigger on the chain. Once the chain resolves, Kog'Maw's *Deathknell* deals 4 damage to all units at that battlefield. Because the healing occurs before the *Deathknell* damage resolves, Kog'Maw cannot kill a unit with 5 Might using only the 1 damage he dealt in combat plus his 4 *Deathknell* damage; the unit will have healed the combat damage before the *Deathknell* damage is applied. *Reference: FAQ entries regarding Kog'Maw's Deathknell interaction with combat cleanup and healing.*

Ruling: Deathknell effects resolve after combat has resolved, so Wielder of Water is no longer attacking or defending when the Deathknell damage occurs. Therefore, its Defender ability does not apply and it can be killed by the Deathknell effect. Sequence: - Combat resolves and damage is dealt - Combat ends - Deathknell effects trigger and resolve - At this point, Wielder of Water is not in combat, so its "while attacking or defending" ability is inactive Nuances: - The cleanup phase that removes combat-long effects happens after combat ends, before Deathknell resolves - Abilities that only work "while attacking or defending" only apply during a Showdown (combat)

Ruling: Last Stand doubles the unit's Might, but existing damage on the unit stays the same. Do not think of it as HP being doubled. Sequence: - The unit's Might value is doubled - Any damage already on the unit remains unchanged - The unit dies when damage equals or exceeds its (now doubled) Might Nuances: - Units have Might and damage tracked separately; HP is not a separate factor to consider

Ruling: Yes, Lee Sin keeps both the Temporary keyword and his buffs when Zhonya's saves him and returns him to base. Zhonya's only prevents damage/death, it does not remove keywords or buffs. Sequence: - Last Stand gives Lee Sin Temporary keyword and doubles his might - At end of turn, Temporary triggers and attempts to kill Lee Sin - Zhonya's Hourglass saves Lee Sin from death and sends him to base - Lee Sin returns to base with all buffs and the Temporary keyword still active - On the next opponent's turn, Temporary will trigger again and kill Lee Sin (unless saved again) Nuances: - Zhonya's does not remove the "Give it Temporary" effect from Last Stand, only prevents the death - This extends Lee Sin's survival by one turn, but he will die to Temporary on the following turn

Ruling: Lee Sin does not lose his buffs when Zhonya's is triggered because it is a replacement effect - the unit never died but was saved and moved to base. Regarding damage counters, cards like Zhonya's remove damage and will receive updated wordings to reflect this. Nuances: - Damage is normally only cleared after combat and at the end of turn, not from spell damage alone - The 'When I Attack' chain is part of combat - Zhonya's prevents death (not damage), but the card effect removes accumulated damage as part of its function

Ruling: Might increasing effects are applied before might decreasing effects to determine what the reduction snapshots to. The reduction is calculated once at resolve and then applied continuously in the arithmetic layer. Sequence: - Apply might increasing effects (like Lee Sin's Centered aura) first - Apply might decreasing effects second, snapshotting the current value - The snapshotted reduction continues to apply - In the example: Stalwart Poro starts at 3, gets +2 from Lee Sin = 5, then -3 from Watcher = 2 final Might Nuances: - This is not a dependency interaction, it's arithmetic - "To a minimum of 1" effects are special and snapshot at resolve, then apply continuously - The aura does not reapply after the reduction

Ruling: The buffed unit survives. During combat cleanup, all units with lethal damage (including Lee Sin) are removed simultaneously in step 2a/2b, then combat damage is healed in step 2c. Although there is a moment between 2b and 2c where the buffed unit has reduced might equal to its damage, no death check occurs at that point, so it survives. Sequence: - Step 2a/2b: All units with damage equal to or exceeding their might are removed (Lee Sin dies here) - Between 2b and 2c: The buffed unit temporarily has 3 might and 3 damage, but no death check occurs - Step 2c: Combat damage is healed, buffed unit heals to 0 damage and survives Nuances: - This ruling only applies to combat damage. If Lee Sin is removed by a non-combat effect (like Fight or Flight), the buffed unit would die during that effect's cleanup if it has damage equal to or exceeding its might after losing the buff. - All combat damage is dealt simultaneously, so order of damage assignment doesn't matter.

Ruling: The attacker's trigger (Leona's stun) is added to the chain first with a target declared, then the defender's trigger (fortified position's +2 might) is added to the chain. Effects resolve in reverse order, so the defender's trigger resolves first, then the attacker's trigger resolves. Sequence: - Leona Determined attacks, triggering her ability - Attacker declares stun target and adds trigger to chain - Defender's fortified position trigger is added to chain - Defender's fortified position resolves first (grants +2 might) - Leona's stun resolves second Nuances: - Targets are declared when triggers are added to the chain, not when they resolve

Ruling: Leona Determined's stun trigger requires its target to be chosen when the ability is finalized, not when it resolves. You cannot retarget the ability to units that enter play after finalization. Sequence: - Triggers are finalized on the initial chain in this order: attacking player's triggers, then non-defending players' triggers (in turn order), then defending player's triggers - Leona's trigger is finalized first and the attacking player chooses the stun target - Then the defending player finalizes Reaver's Row trigger and chooses their target - After all items are finalized, the defending player gets priority to play cards - If the defender plays Blastcone Fae at this point, Leona's target has already been declared and cannot be changed Nuances: - This differs from effects that choose targets on resolution rather than finalization

Ruling: Leona Legend's triggered ability creates a new chain that can be responded to with reactions. Showdowns do not end when a chain resolves - both players must pass focus in sequence before a showdown ends. Sequence: - Rune Prison resolves on the initial showdown chain, stunning the attacker - The chain ends - Leona Legend triggers and creates a new chain - Players can respond to this new chain with reactions - Both players must pass focus in sequence for the showdown to end Nuances: - Players are limited to reactions when responding to the new chain during the showdown, not action cards like Hextech Ray

Ruling: Leona Zealot's might reduction is a passive ability that continuously applies, not a snapshot effect. Stunned units always have -8 might while Leona's conditions are met, and this reduction is recalculated whenever the unit's might changes. Sequence: - Start with the unit's base might - Add all might increases (buffs, auras, etc.) - Subtract Leona's -8 (if the unit is stunned and conditions are met) - Apply minimum of 1 might Nuances: - The key difference is that Leona says stunned units "have" -8 might (passive, continuous) rather than "give" -8 might (snapshot, one-time) - "If" signifies a passive ability that continuously applies - "When/At" signifies a triggered ability that would snapshot - Passive abilities do not create chains and happen automatically/persistently if conditions continue to be met - Even if a unit gains additional might buffs after being stunned, Leona's -8 continues to apply to the total calculation

Ruling: Leona chooses her stun target first, then the defending player chooses the Reavers Row effect, then both "when defending" and "when attacking" effects resolve. Sequence: - Leona (attacker) makes her choice - Defending player makes their choice - Resolve "when defending" and "when attacking" effects