Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: You must choose to repeat when you pay the cost of playing the spell, as part of finalizing the card. The repeated spell creates one chain item with its effect twice, not two separate activations. Sequence: - Play the spell with Repeat - Decide right then whether to pay the Repeat cost - If paying Repeat, finalize the effect twice as one chain item - Opponent then gets priority to respond Nuances: - There is only one activation, not two separate ones - If the repeated spell is countered, you do not get the Repeat cost refunded (like any other additional cost) - The Repeat additional cost is not factored into base cost thresholds for effects like Defy

Ruling: You decide play order after determining battlefields. The sequence is: reveal legends, choose champions, determine battlefields, then decide play order. Sequence: - Reveal Legends - Choose Champions - Determine Battlefields - Decide Play Order - Resolve Mulligans - Start the Game

Ruling: You declare targets when you put the spell or ability on the chain, not when it resolves. Nuances: - Any effect that asks you to choose an object on the board (in any wording) requires a target - Cards like "Deal 3 to a unit" and "Choose an enemy unit" both use the same targeting timing despite different wording - If a target becomes invalid before the spell resolves (e.g., a unit is retreated from the battlefield), the spell does not affect that target

Ruling: Targeting and costs occur when an effect goes on the chain. Choices that are part of the effect (not costs) occur upon resolution. Sequence: - When playing a card: Declare targets and pay costs - Upon resolution: Make choices that are part of the effect text Nuances: - Target on resolution may occur when a prior effect in resolution is needed to be able to target - Split damage effects target units on play, but the actual distribution between those units is decided on resolution - Secondary targets (like Dragon's Rage's second unit) are chosen on resolution - Effects like "discard 1" that are part of the effect text (not costs) have the choice made at resolution

Ruling: Drawing a card at 7 points is a replacement for winning a point. It happens simultaneously with the conquer, before conquer triggers. Sequence: - The draw happens simultaneously with the conquer - Conquer triggers occur after - You cannot order the draw with conquer triggers because the draw happens before them Nuances: - This is not a replacement effect in the technical rules sense, but rather a replacement for winning the point itself - It does not use the chain

You decide whether to pay for Draven, Vanquisher's triggered ability on resolution, not when the ability is placed on the chain. According to the official FAQ for Draven, Vanquisher: * **Sequence:** When Draven attacks or defends, his triggered ability is automatically added to the chain. You do not pay the cost at this time. * **Resolution:** When the ability resolves, you are then given the opportunity to decide whether to pay the 1 Fury Power. If you choose to pay it, Draven gains +2 Might for the turn. Because the cost is paid on resolution, you can wait to see if the opponent uses any defensive abilities (such as moving a unit away) before deciding whether to spend the power. The "may" in the ability text is part of the effect's instructions, making it a "cost within instructions" that is decided when the ability resolves.

Ruling: You pay power for Bullet Time on resolution, not on cast, because it is not an additional cost effect. Nuances: - You cannot respond with a buff to your unit after the power cost is paid because the spell is already resolving at that point.

Ruling: You pay the power cost for Bullet Time upon resolution, not when casting it. You can use reaction-speed add abilities (both exhausting runes for energy and recycling runes for power) during Bullet Time's resolution when paying the power cost. Sequence: - Cast Bullet Time, paying only its base energy cost and choosing a target battlefield - Players pass priority and Bullet Time begins to resolve - During resolution, you can exhaust runes for energy and/or recycle runes for power - You then pay any amount of power and deal that much damage to all enemy units at the chosen battlefield Nuances: - If Bullet Time is countered, you do not pay any power (unlike additional costs which are paid when casting) - Your opponent cannot see how much power you will pay before deciding whether to respond to Bullet Time - Rule 416.3 allows using reaction-speed add abilities any time spells or abilities require resources to be paid, which applies during Bullet Time's resolution - This works the same way as blue Teemo - the amount is not declared until resolution

Ruling: You pick the unit when you place the spell on the chain, not when it resolves. Sequence: - Choose the target when placing the spell on the chain - Target legality is checked at that time (must be legal when chosen) - Target legality is checked again when the spell resolves to ensure the target is still legal Nuances: - You cannot choose an illegal target initially with the intention of making it legal later - If your opponent reacts to raise their units' might after you've chosen the target, the target has already been selected

Ruling: You score a conquer point immediately when you take control of a battlefield (after combat/showdown resolves), not at the end of your turn. You then score a hold point if you still control that battlefield at the beginning of your next turn. Sequence: - Move units to battlefield - If contested, resolve showdown/combat - If your units control the battlefield, score a conquer point (once per battlefield per turn) - Continue with rest of turn - At the beginning of your next turn, if you still control the battlefield, score a hold point Nuances: - The conquer point is scored before your turn ends, not at the end of turn - You can only score one conquer point per battlefield per turn

Ruling: You score a point if you control a battlefield at the START of your turn, not at the end of your turn. Nuances: - This timing distinction is critical for determining win conditions and whether a player can recover from a losing position

Ruling: Targon's Peak creates a delayed trigger when you conquer. You select the runes at the end of turn when the delayed trigger goes onto the chain, not when you conquer. Sequence: - When you conquer, the "When you conquer" trigger goes on the chain with no targets and resolves, creating a delayed trigger for end of turn - At end of turn, the delayed trigger activates and goes onto the chain - You choose your targets (0-2 runes) when the delayed trigger is placed on the chain at end of turn - When it resolves, the chosen runes ready immediately Nuances: - This is different from Dark Child/Green Sona which explicitly trigger at end of turn as their primary trigger - Under the new tournament rules for missed triggers, you don't need to announce the conquer trigger since it has no immediate observable impact; you only need to announce at end of turn when readying runes - The delayed trigger behaves like any other triggered ability when it goes on the chain at end of turn

Ruling: You tap Kaisa at the point when you play Hextech Ray, paying 1 energy and declaring the target. Kaisa's "add" ability can be activated during the process of paying costs for cards. Sequence: - Opponent moves into a battlefield and passes priority - You gain priority and focus during the showdown - You tap Kaisa while playing Hextech Ray at action speed, paying 1 energy and declaring the target - Pass priority to opponent who can respond with a reaction or pass - If opponent passes, Hextech Ray resolves Nuances: - "Add" abilities can be activated during paying costs for cards

Ruling: Effects that last "until the end of this turn" expire when you pass to another player. Sequence: - You pass turn to the other player - Any "at the end of turn" triggers resolve (like Dazzling Aurora) - Then the turn ends and the effect expires Nuances: - The effect ends after your portion of the turn, not after both players have acted

Ruling: Ahri's effect triggers when attackers and defenders are established, before "when I attack" effects. It is a defender trigger that resolves before attacker triggers in the initial chain (LIFO order). This trigger can be missed if not declared in time. Sequence: - Attackers and defenders are established - Ahri's effect triggers (defender trigger) - Initial chain forms with attacker triggers, then defender triggers - Chain resolves LIFO (defender triggers resolve before attacker triggers) Nuances: - The Ahri player can miss the timing if they do not declare the -1 effect when appropriate - If the opponent plays too fast or skips combat steps (shortcuts), the defending player is entitled to intercept and rewind to proper order to activate Ahri's effect - The trigger can only be missed if enough time was given and the defender failed to declare it before the opponent begins stating actions/reactions to start a chain

Ruling: Assault is a passive ability that applies as soon as a unit gains the attacker designation. By the time Ahri Nine-Tailed Fox's ability goes on the chain, the unit already has the attacker designation and thus already has the Assault bonus. Sequence: - Unit moves to battlefield and gains attacker designation - Assault bonus applies immediately - Ahri's ability triggers and goes on the chain - Ahri's ability resolves, reducing Might by 1 Nuances: - If Cleave is played after Ahri's trigger resolves (using the first focus of combat), a unit with base 3 Might will be at 4 Might (3 base + 3 Assault - 1 Ahri + 1 Cleave) - If Cleave is played before moving the unit to battlefield to begin combat, the unit will be at 3 Might (4 base from Cleave + 3 Assault - 1 Ahri - 3 from Assault wearing off after Cleave resolves pre-combat)

According to Rule 807.1, **Assault** is a passive ability that functions as: *"While I am an attacker, I have +X [M]."* Key details regarding when it applies: * **Attacker Designation:** Assault applies as soon as a unit gains the "Attacker" designation during combat. * **Passive Ability:** Because it is a passive/continuous ability, it applies automatically and does not use the chain. You cannot respond to a unit gaining or losing its Assault bonus. * **Open Battlefields:** Assault does not apply when moving to an open (unoccupied) battlefield, because a showdown on an open battlefield does not involve combat, and therefore the unit does not gain the "Attacker" designation. * **Combat Transitions:** If you move a unit to an open battlefield (no combat) and the opponent later plays a unit there (e.g., via Ambush), the showdown transitions to combat. At that moment, your unit gains the "Attacker" designation, and the Assault bonus becomes active. * **Duration:** Assault remains in effect as long as the unit maintains the Attacker designation for that combat.

Ruling: Teemo chooses a single target when his ability enters the chain (when Deflect costs must be paid), then reveals Hidden cards to determine how much damage that target takes. Sequence: - Teemo's ability enters the chain - Teemo chooses one target and pays any Deflect costs - Hidden cards are revealed - Damage equal to the number of Hidden cards revealed is dealt to that target Nuances: - Teemo does not ping multiple times like Icathian Rain; he deals all damage to one target - The interaction with Void-Gate effects was initially answered incorrectly in this thread and was later corrected in a separate discussion

Ruling: Units are only healed after a combat (from a combat showdown) and at the end of the turn. Effects that deal damage outside of combat do not trigger healing. Sequence: - Carnivorous deals damage to a unit with its effect - Carnivorous retains that damage - If Carnivorous moves to a battlefield in the same turn, it enters combat with the damage already on it - Carnivorous only heals after the combat showdown or at end of turn Nuances: - The same principle applies to damage spells used before attacking a battlefield - the damage persists until healing occurs

Ruling: It is currently unclear how Deathknell works due to recent changes to the CRD. Nuances: - Deathknell is not a delayed trigger - One interpretation suggests it should trigger outside of combat in neutral state (similar to a Kog'Maw FAQ interaction) - There is disagreement about whether this interpretation is correct - During combat cleanup, no one gets priority (though this is uncertain)

Ruling: Deathknell triggers and goes pending before the unit is moved to the trash. During combat cleanup, the trigger pends, then the unit dies, then remaining units heal, and at the end of cleanup the trigger finalizes on the chain. You can respond to Deathknell triggers with hidden cards during any showdown (combat or non-combat) because contested status preserves control of the battlefield. Outside of showdowns, control is lost immediately when the last unit dies, so hidden cards are trashed before you can play them. Sequence: - Combat damage is dealt and units receive damage - Special cleanup begins - Deathknell triggers go pending (before unit moves to trash) - Unit with lethal damage dies and moves to trash - Remaining units heal - Deathknell trigger finalizes on the chain at end of cleanup - Players can respond to Deathknell trigger with hidden cards (if in a showdown) - If units from both players remain at battlefield after responses, a new combat stages - Combat resolution continues to step 2 where control changes hands Nuances: - If a unit with pending Deathknell doesn't actually die during cleanup (e.g., gets healed above lethal), the trigger is removed from the chain before finalizing - Deathknell triggers before the unit goes to trash specifically to allow equipment-granted Deathknell abilities to function (since abilities don't work from the trash) - In showdowns, you maintain control of hidden cards even after your last unit dies, allowing you to respond to Deathknell - Outside of showdowns, losing your last unit immediately cedes control and hidden cards are lost - Playing Zhonyas in response to Deathknell during combat will save the Zhonyas for another unit but won't prevent the Deathknell unit from dying

Ruling: Deathknell triggers after combat and after units have healed, which means it occurs after cleanup. Sequence: - Combat occurs - Units heal during cleanup - Deathknell triggers Nuances: - When Ekko dies during a showdown from a spell, the Deathknell goes on the same chain as the spell or ability that killed Ekko - When the Deathknell resolves, the chain closes and the next player in turn order gets focus - If you played the kill effect at reaction speed in a chain your opponent started, you'll get focus after the chain resolves; if you started the chain, your opponent gets focus first - The exact timing of Deathknells in combat is currently somewhat unclear, but Riot has stated they are intended to happen after heals - Regarding Zaun Warrens conquer effect vs Deathknell: Deathknell should resolve before Zaun even triggers

According to the Riftbound Core Rules (Rule 166) and the provided RiftJudge FAQ #4873 and #7050, each player's **Rune Pool** empties at the end of each of the following times: 1. **After the draw phase** (for each player). 2. **At the end of each turn** (during the Expiration Step of the Ending Phase). When the Rune Pool empties, any unspent Energy or Power is lost (Rule 166.1).

Ruling: Irelia, Fervent's triggered ability goes on top of the chain whenever she is targeted by a spell or ability, resolving before that spell or ability. The triggered ability triggers when the condition is met and remains on the chain even if the original spell is countered. Sequence: - When you finalize a spell or ability that targets Irelia, her triggered ability condition is fulfilled - The triggered ability goes on top of the chain above the spell/ability that targeted her - The triggered ability resolves first (Irelia gains +1 Might) - Then the original spell/ability resolves - For Switcheroo specifically: Irelia gets +1 Might, then the Might values are swapped (so the opponent ends up with the +1) Nuances: - If a spell targeting Irelia is countered, the triggered ability still remains on the chain and resolves (she still gets +1 Might) - During the awaken phase, if Irelia was exhausted before readying, her triggered ability condition is fulfilled and she gains +1 Might - The triggered ability's condition only matters when evaluating whether it triggers, not once it's already on the chain

Ruling: Leona's stun effect targets, and targets must be declared when you put the ability onto the chain (at initialization), not at resolution. Sequence: - Leona's effect goes on the chain when showdown starts - You must immediately declare which enemy unit at the battlefield is the target of the stun - The stun resolves later when the ability resolves from the chain Nuances: - An ability targets if it must choose a specific game object to affect (not if it affects all objects of a set) - Even if there is only one valid target, you still must declare it as the target

Ruling: Mask of Foresight does not trigger until the combat showdown starts, which happens after the open showdown fully ends (when both players pass focus without creating a chain). Sequence: - Player A moves Unit 1 to an open battlefield (open showdown begins) - Player B plays Ride the Wind during the open showdown, moving Unit 2 to the same battlefield (making it contested) - Both players pass focus without creating a chain (open showdown ends) - Combat showdown starts - Mask of Foresight triggers at this point, giving +1 might Nuances: - The attacker is determined by who made the battlefield contested (Player A in this scenario), not who moved second - Showdowns never end until both players pass to end them - If both players have Mask of Foresight, both units get +1 might (not a net zero effect)

Ruling: Mask of Foresight triggers when a unit is first marked as attacker/defender and is alone at that time. It does not trigger again if a unit becomes alone later during combat. Sequence: - The ability triggers at the moment a unit is marked as attacker or defender - This happens before passive stat increases - The buff persists until end of turn once granted Nuances: - If your lone attacker/defender is removed from combat and then you move something else in, the mask triggers for the new unit since it is marked as attacker/defender and is alone - If two units are defending together (like on Reavers Row) and one is moved back, mask does NOT trigger for the remaining unit because it was not alone when first marked as defender - If a unit is defending with a hidden unit and the hidden unit is revealed, mask does NOT trigger again even if one dies, because the trigger only happens when first determined as defender

Ruling: Mask of Foresight triggers when a unit is designated as attacker/defender and is alone on a battlefield. Once triggered, the effect does not fizzle if another unit is played afterward - the original unit still gets the +1 buff. Sequence: - Unit is designated as attacker/defender while alone - Mask of Foresight triggers and enters the chain - Even if another unit (like Teemo) is played from hidden before the trigger resolves, the buff still applies - The trigger does not check the "alone" condition again upon resolution Nuances: - This is different from passive effects (like Yi's) because it's a trigger that creates a pump buff lasting the entire turn - The effect can trigger multiple times per turn if you engage in multiple combats - The trigger does not undo itself once it has occurred

Ruling: Units are only considered "defending" during combat at the battlefield they're at, not throughout the entire turn. Nuances: - The defending status only applies during combat showdowns, not when targeted by damage spells or abilities outside of combat - Effects like Challenge do not count as combat for the purposes of defending status

Overzealous Fan's ability is a **Defend Trigger**. According to Rule 383.4.f.3 and the *Unleashed* update, it triggers the first time the unit gains the "Defender" designation during a combat showdown. ### When does it trigger? It triggers when the unit gains the Defender designation. If the unit enters combat "late" (e.g., via a swap effect like *Tideturner*), it will trigger during the cleanup phase immediately after it gains the Defender designation (FAQ 9174). ### The "Kill Me" Cost and "May" Choice Based on the current rules (specifically Rule 383.3.a, 383.3.b, and FAQ 8702), the "may" and the "kill me" cost function as follows: 1. **Trigger Condition Met:** When the Fan gains the Defender designation, the ability triggers. 2. **The "May" Choice:** Because the ability says "you may," the choice to place it on the chain is optional (Rule 383.3.a). 3. **Paying the Cost:** If you choose to use the ability, you must pay the cost—killing the Overzealous Fan—**upfront** to place the ability on the chain (Rule 383.3.b.1, FAQ 8702). 4. **Result:** * **If you choose not to use it:** You do not kill the Fan, and the ability never goes on the chain. * **If you choose to use it:** You kill the Fan immediately as a cost. The ability is then placed on the chain as a pending item. ### Can it trigger after chains have started or "if things go south"? * **After chains have started:** Yes. If the Fan gains the Defender designation mid-showdown (e.g., after an initial chain has already resolved), the ability will trigger at that time. * **"If things go south" (Countering):** If you pay the cost (killing the Fan) to put the ability on the chain, and an opponent plays a card like *Not So Fast* to counter the ability, **the Fan remains dead.** Because the kill was a cost paid to place the ability on the chain, countering the ability does not "undo" the cost (Rule 425.1.c). ### Summary of Interaction * **Targeting:** You must choose the target attacking unit when you place the ability on the chain (FAQ 270). * **Priority:** Once the ability is on the chain, players can respond with reactions (FAQ 270). * **Showdown Continuity:** The showdown does not end if the Fan is killed or if the unit is moved; players can continue to play actions and reactions until both players pass consecutively (FAQ 8798). *Note: FAQ 8702 serves as the authoritative source for the "cost-upfront" mechanic and resolves previous contradictions regarding this interaction.*

Ruling: Ravenbloom Student's triggered ability enters the chain after a spell you play resolves, not when you initially play it. Sequence: - You play and resolve a spell - Ravenbloom Student's trigger enters the chain - Either player can respond to the trigger Nuances: - "Playing a spell" refers to the complete action of playing and resolving a spell, which is why effects that care about spells being "played" can see the spell after it resolves - You can respond to Ravenbloom Student's trigger with spells like Gust to bounce it before the trigger resolves

Ruling: Ravenbloom gets +1 might when your spells resolve, not when you initially use them. Sequence: - You play a spell - The spell fully resolves - Ravenbloom's trigger goes on the Chain - Both players get priority before the trigger resolves - The trigger resolves and Ravenbloom gets +1 might - This repeats for each spell that resolves Nuances: - A card is only considered "played" when it resolves, not when initially used

Ruling: Reaver's Row triggers at the start of showdown as a "when I defend" trigger. The choice of whether to move a unit (the "may" part) is made when the ability resolves, not when it triggers. Sequence: - Reaver's Row triggers at the start of showdown - The ability goes on the stack - When the ability resolves, you choose whether to move a unit Nuances: - All choices that aren't costs or targets are made on resolution - You cannot react before a "when I defend" trigger - If you have a hidden card in Reaver's Row, you can play it at any time during the showdown and retain control until the end of combat

Ruling: Reaver's Row is a "when defending" trigger that goes on the initial chain at the start of combat. You must choose the target for Reaver's Row when it goes on the chain, but you only decide whether to move the unit back when the trigger actually resolves. Sequence: - Combat begins and the initial chain is populated - Initial chain order (top to bottom): "When I attack" triggers, non-defender triggers (using turn order), "When I defend" triggers - Chain resolves bottom to top: defender triggers resolve first, then non-defenders, then attackers - You can play reactions onto the chain before Reaver's Row resolves - When Reaver's Row resolves, you make the final decision to move the targeted unit back to base or not Nuances: - You can react to anything on the chain, including "when attacking" triggers - Target selection for Reaver's Row happens when it enters the chain, but the movement decision happens at resolution

Ruling: When you play Carnivorous Snapvine, it enters the battlefield and both Snapvine's trigger and Relentless Storm's trigger are added to the chain simultaneously. The opponent cannot prevent Relentless Storm from triggering because the condition is checked when the unit enters, not when the trigger resolves. Sequence: - Snapvine is played and enters the battlefield (units always enter, nothing can prevent this) - Both Snapvine's trigger and Relentless Storm's trigger are added to the chain - This is the first point where opponents can react - When Relentless Storm's trigger resolves, you may choose to exhaust the unit to channel a rune exhausted Nuances: - Killing Snapvine or reducing its might after it enters will not prevent Relentless Storm from triggering, since the trigger condition is not re-checked on resolution - The "may exhaust" choice happens when the trigger resolves, not when it's added to the chain - Opponents can react to the triggers on the chain, but cannot react to the unit being played itself

Ruling: Sett's recall ability activates during the damage assignment step after lethal damage is assigned to a unit with a buff, before damage is actually dealt. The recalled unit does not deal damage because it is removed before damage resolution. Sequence: - Go to damage assignment step - Assign damage - If lethal damage would be dealt to a unit with a buff, activate Sett's ability - Recall the unit (before damage is dealt) - The recalled unit deals no damage Nuances: - The ability cannot activate after a unit dies because you cannot activate abilities during cleanup - The unit must have a buff for Sett's ability to trigger

Ruling: Showdown ends as soon as both players pass focus in succession without doing anything, then the game proceeds to combat damage. Sequence: - Both players pass focus in succession - Showdown ends - Proceed to combat damage

Ruling: Movement happens instantaneously, and the unit is at their destination as soon as movement is performed. Any movement triggers go on the chain immediately after the movement and must resolve before anything else can happen. Sequence: - If moving with a standard move before combat: The move completes, the trigger goes on the chain, and combat cannot begin until the trigger resolves and the chain closes - If moving with a spell or ability (like Reaver's Row, Ride the Wind, or Fight or Flight): After the spell performs the move and before the chain closes, the trigger goes on the chain and must be finalized - Any subsequent movement (including from Fight or Flight used as a reaction) will cause another trigger Nuances: - You cannot react to the movement itself, only to subsequent triggers - For Traveling Merchant's "discard one, draw one" ability: You do as much as you can. If you can't discard, you still draw. The comma indicates sequential actions, not a cost (which would be worded "discard one to draw one")

Ruling: "When you play" triggers occur after the spell resolves, and the trigger goes onto the chain as a triggered ability that allows responses before it resolves. Sequence: - Cast the spell (e.g., Stupefy) - The spell resolves - Viktor's "when you play" trigger goes onto the chain - Players can respond to the trigger - When the trigger resolves, play the 1-might recruit token to your base Nuances: - The trigger can occur mid-chain if the spell that triggered it resolves while other items are still on the chain - If the spell is countered, the "when you play" trigger never occurs because countered spells are not played

Ruling: Vision triggers immediately when the unit is played (resolves). The unit is on the battlefield when it resolves and can "see" any play effects it has, including those granted by passive effects like Gemcraft Seer. Sequence: - The hidden unit is revealed and played - The unit resolves as a permanent and enters the battlefield - Vision trigger is immediately added to the chain - Players receive priority to respond to the Vision trigger - The Vision trigger does not wait for the entire chain to resolve before triggering Nuances: - A unit can trigger play effects granted to it by other cards (like Gemcraft Seer) even though it doesn't inherently have those abilities - "Resolve" and "played" are functionally equivalent in this game for all intents and purposes

Ruling: Targets are chosen when the ability is finalized (when it goes onto the chain), but the actual damage distribution among those targets is decided at resolution. Units played or revealed after finalization cannot be targeted. Sequence: - Volibear's attack ability triggers and goes onto the chain - At finalization (when added to chain), targets are chosen from available units - Opponent can respond (e.g., playing Hidden Teemos, buffing units) - At resolution, attacker distributes the damage among the previously chosen targets (minimum 1 damage to each) Nuances: - Units that enter play after finalization cannot be added to the target pool - If a targeted unit receives buffs after being targeted but before resolution, those buffs apply before the damage is dealt - The attacker does not need to declare how damage is split until resolution, only which units are targeted

Ruling: Warwick's effect activates after he lands on the battlefield during the chain phase, following reactions and "when defending" abilities. Units killed by Warwick's effect are removed before combat damage is calculated at the end of the showdown. Sequence: - Warwick lands on the battlefield (enters the chain) - "When defending" abilities trigger - Reactions trigger - Reactions resolve first - "When defending" abilities resolve - Warwick's effect resolves - Combat damage is calculated at the end of showdown (only with units still on battlefield) Nuances: - Units killed by Warwick will be in the trash before combat damage is resolved, so their might does not contribute to damage - This principle applies to any spell or ability that removes units during the showdown - only units currently on the battlefield at the end contribute their might to combat damage

When "When I hold" abilities create a chain, it occurs during the **Beginning Phase**, specifically during the **Scoring Step**. According to **Rule 376.4.c.2.a**, "When I hold" abilities are triggered and placed on the chain as pending items **after** the unit is present at a battlefield when a player maintains control of it and gains 1 Victory Point from Holding during their Beginning Phase. To clarify the timing: 1. **Beginning Phase:** The phase begins. 2. **Scoring Step:** The game checks for "Holding" (maintaining control of a battlefield). 3. **Trigger:** Once the player maintains control and gains the Victory Point, the "When I hold" ability triggers. 4. **Chain:** The ability is then placed on the chain as a pending item, creating a chain (if one didn't already exist). In short: It happens during the Scoring Step of the Beginning Phase, immediately after the Victory Point from holding is gained.

Ruling: In Riftbound, "played" means on resolve. When a card checks "when you play a card," it triggers immediately after the relevant card resolves. Sequence: - Cards are added to the chain - The chain resolves one step at a time - "When you play a card" triggers happen immediately after the relevant card resolves Nuances: - The only "on cast" style trigger currently in the game is on-target effects, which happen when the card finalizes on the chain (not on resolve)

A showdown begins when control of a battlefield becomes contested or when one or more units move to an empty battlefield. According to **Rule 340**: * **340.1:** If control of a battlefield is contested between two players, a showdown is opened as the first step of combat. * **340.2:** If a battlefield is uncontrolled (empty) and becomes contested by a unit moving into it, a showdown is opened during the cleanup at the end of the action that caused the battlefield to become contested. **Important nuances regarding when a showdown does NOT begin:** * Moving a unit to a battlefield you already control does not trigger a showdown (it is simply a reinforcement). * A showdown cannot start while a chain is currently resolving; it will stage and start at the first open state after the chain resolves. * Only one showdown can exist at a time. If multiple showdowns are staged, they must resolve one after another.

Ruling: Deathknell abilities trigger and resolve during 627.1 when the unit is placed in the trash. There are no atomic indivisible steps in the resolution process - triggered abilities can create and resolve chains during substeps of 627. Sequence: - During 627.1, units with lethal damage are removed and placed in the trash - Deathknell triggers immediately when the unit hits the trash - The deathknell ability goes on the chain (creating a new chain if needed) - Players can respond with reactions since a triggered ability has created a chain - The chain resolves completely, including any cleanups - After the chain is empty, continue to 627.2 and subsequent steps - Damage is cleared in 627.5, which happens after deathknell resolution Nuances: - Players do not normally have priority during 627 (it's a Neutral Open State but not during Action Phase), but triggered abilities can be placed on the chain during any state - This means Kog'Maw's deathknell can kill a 5 might unit because the damage hasn't been cleared yet when his ability resolves - The combination of Kog'Maw dying and triggering other deathknells (like Machine Evangel) works through the chain and cleanup system - Official clarification confirmed the rules as written were not entirely clear on this point and will be tightened up in future versions

Ruling: A player cannot gain control of a contested battlefield immediately upon moving a unit there. Moving a unit to a battlefield you don't control makes it contested, and you must go through the showdown process until the end and still be the only player who controls a unit there in order to gain control of it. Sequence: - Unit moves to uncontrolled battlefield - Battlefield becomes contested - Showdown occurs at end of move's cleanup - All players pass focus in a row - Final showdown procedures occur - If you are the only player with units there at the end, you gain control Nuances: - For unoccupied battlefields specifically, the showdown final procedures are detailed in rule 345.2 - Rule 181.4.a describes the general state of control but not the precise mechanism by which control is gained

Ruling: If a unit dies to combat damage during a showdown, control is lost immediately when the showdown ends, and no reactions are allowed from the hidden card. If a unit dies outside of combat (such as from a damage spell), control is lost immediately when no units are present, and the hidden card cannot be used. Sequence: - During combat: Lethal damage is assigned, the showdown ends, control is gained/lost, points are gained, then the hidden card is trashed with no reaction window - Outside combat: When an effect kills the last unit, control is lost immediately and both the unit death and hidden card trashing happen in the same cleanup with no window for reactions Nuances: - If a unit dies during the showdown to an effect (not combat damage), control stays until the combat resolves when damage would be dealt - Deathknell triggers create a special case where chain items can intercede after combat damage but before contested/control is cleared, allowing reactions in that specific window - Effects like Unchecked Power that kill units outside combat are "checkmate" for hidden cards with no opportunity to use them

Ruling: A player does not receive priority to play a reaction when their opponent plays a unit to their base (without abilities), moves a unit to a battlefield they already control, or passes turn. Nuances: - Priority windows only occur if the unit has a "when you play me" ability or a "when I move" ability - Without such triggered abilities, none of these actions create a priority window for reactions

Ruling: When a target is no longer legal or information is unavailable, the check returns null (not zero). The updated Comprehensive Rules Document will be changed so it is always null when the target is no longer legal. Nuances: - Previous examples in the rules incorrectly showed numerical values like Might returning 0, but these will be corrected to null - For effects like Baited Hook that reference "the killed unit," if no unit was actually killed, there is no unit to check values from, resulting in null - The distinction matters because null means the value cannot be evaluated at all (preventing further resolution), while 0 would be a valid numerical value that could be used