Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

No, reacting with a hidden **Evelynn, Entrancing** will not cause **Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror's** ability to fail, provided the condition ("an enemy unit is alone here") was met when Kha'Zix entered the battlefield. ### Reasoning 1. **Trigger Timing:** Kha'Zix's ability is a triggered ability that checks the battlefield state at the moment he enters and gains a combat designation (Attacker or Defender). As supported by **RiftJudge FAQ #9937** and **#9849**, because you are playing into a battlefield where the opponent's unit is "alone" at that exact moment, the condition is met and the ability is placed on the chain. 2. **Chain Resolution (LIFO):** * You play Kha'Zix (placing his trigger on the chain). * Your opponent reacts by playing **Evelynn, Entrancing** from face-down (placing her on the chain *above* Kha'Zix's trigger). * The chain resolves in **Last In, First Out (LIFO)** order. * Evelynn's ability resolves first. Even if she enters the battlefield and changes the number of units, it does not retroactively negate the trigger condition that was already satisfied when Kha'Zix's ability was placed on the chain. According to **Rule 359.3.f.4** and the logic established in **RiftJudge FAQ #9937**, because the trigger condition was met at the time the ability was placed on the chain, it does not matter that the battlefield state changes before the ability actually resolves. *This is my interpretation based on the standard rules for triggered abilities and the chain. No official FAQ exists for this exact card pair, but the interaction follows the established mechanics for Kha'Zix's "alone" trigger.*

Ruling: Both Aurora triggers enter the same chain and resolve before any showdown, as showdowns can only start in an open state. You cannot play both units to the same battlefield to start a simultaneous showdown. Sequence: - Both Aurora triggers go on the same chain - First trigger resolves, you play a card (e.g., Deadbloom to a battlefield) - Second trigger resolves, you play another card - If the second card is not a Deadbloom, it must be played to base or a battlefield you control - Since you don't control the battlefield where the Deadbloom was played (it has pending combat), you cannot reinforce there - The second unit must be played elsewhere Nuances: - Showdowns can only be started in an open state, not while a chain is resolving - You don't control a battlefield that has pending combat on it

To cast **Frigid Touch** with **Repeat** while controlling two **Vex, Cheerless** and one **Ezreal, Prodigy**, follow the cost determination rules (Rule 356) and the discount ordering rules (Rule 356.4). ### 1. Identify Base and Additional Costs * **Frigid Touch Base Cost:** 2 Energy. * **Repeat Cost:** 2 Energy (optional additional cost). * **Total Initial Cost:** 4 Energy. ### 2. Apply Cost Reductions Per Rule 356.4.c and 356.4.d, discounts applied to specific components (Ezreal) are applied before discounts applied to the total cost (Vex). * **Ezreal, Prodigy:** Reduces optional additional costs by 1. * Apply to Repeat cost: 2 Energy - 1 = 1 Energy. * *New Total Cost:* 2 (Base) + 1 (Repeat) = 3 Energy. * **Vex, Cheerless (x2):** Each Vex reduces the total cost of friendly spells by 1, to a minimum of 1 per Vex. * **First Vex:** Reduces the total cost (3 Energy) by 1. New total: 2 Energy. * **Second Vex:** Reduces the total cost (2 Energy) by 1. New total: 1 Energy. ### Final Cost You must pay **1 Energy** to cast Frigid Touch with Repeat. *** **Important Notes:** * **Discount Ordering:** Per Rule 356.4.d, Ezreal's component-specific discount is applied first, followed by the total-cost discounts from your two Vex units. * **Minimums:** Per Rule 356.4.e, the "minimum of 1" restriction on Vex applies only to the discount provided by that specific Vex, not the final total cost of the spell. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules, as the base costs for Frigid Touch and Repeat were not provided in the source text.*

Yes, you can play multiple units to a battlefield using the ability granted by **Arachnoid Horror**. According to the card text, Arachnoid Horror provides the following ability: > "Friendly units can be played to an occupied battlefield if an enemy unit is alone there." This is a continuous effect that modifies the rules for playing your units. As long as the condition is met (an enemy unit is alone at that battlefield), you may play multiple friendly units there directly. ### Important Considerations: * **Condition:** The ability specifically requires that an enemy unit is **alone** at that occupied battlefield (i.e., there are no other enemy units at that location, per Rule 741.1). * **Exhaustion:** Units played directly to a battlefield—whether via this ability or standard play to a battlefield you already control—enter the battlefield exhausted (RiftJudge FAQ #7438). * **Battlefield Capacity:** While there is no hard limit on the number of units that can be at a battlefield, remember that you cannot play a unit to a battlefield that already has units from two other players present (Rule 444.2), and if you are playing in a multiplayer format (3+ players), you must adhere to restrictions regarding battlefields with ongoing combat (Rule 457.2).

Ruling: Azir does not have to pay the equip cost. Attach by itself doesn't involve equip cost. Nuances: - Equip is functionally short for "[Cost]: Attach this gear to a unit you control" - Attach is the result of Equip, but attaching does not equal equipping - When a card says "attach" without mentioning equip, no cost is paid

No, you do not have to pay the repeat costs in a specific order. According to **Rule 820.3**, if a spell has multiple instances of Repeat (like *Curtain Call*, which allows you to pay three different options), each instance can be paid for separately. Because you declare all intentions to pay for Repeat costs as you play the card (during the "Pay Costs" step), you simply declare which of the available Repeat costs you are choosing to pay. You are paying for the additional executions of the spell's effect, and the game does not impose an order on which "Repeat" cost is paid first—you simply pay the total combined cost of all the ones you choose.

No, that is not correct. Diana, Lunari's ability does not have you "Predict twice." According to her card text, her ability reads: **"When a showdown begins here, you may pay [1]. If you do, [Predict], then reveal the top card of your Main Deck. If it's a spell, draw it."** Here is the breakdown of why this is not predicting twice: 1. **[Predict]:** This is the game action of looking at the top card of your deck and choosing to recycle it or leave it on top (and you may rearrange them if you predicted more than one card). 2. **Then reveal the top card:** This is a separate instruction that happens *after* the Predict action has been performed. 3. **Drawing:** You only draw a card if the card revealed by that specific "reveal" instruction is a spell. In short, Diana's ability instructs you to **Predict once**, then perform a separate "reveal and potentially draw" action.

Yes, that is correct. When a unit equipped with **Eye of the Herald** moves, its triggered ability plays a 1 [S] Recruit token at the unit's new location ("here"). According to **RiftJudge FAQ #3725**, the token is placed at the location of the unit at the time the trigger resolves, because the equipment grants the ability text to the unit itself.

Ruling: No, you must trigger Jinx's beginning step ability before holding. Jinx triggers in the beginning step, while holding happens in the scoring step. Sequence: - Jinx's beginning step trigger resolves first - Then holding occurs in the scoring step Nuances: - This is relevant when Jinx is close to burning out and you want to avoid drawing an extra card - you cannot avoid the trigger by holding first - Temporary units die before they hold for the same reason (beginning step happens before scoring step)

No, that is incorrect. You cannot target **Forge of the Future** with its own recycle ability. According to the rules of *Riftbound* and confirmed by **RiftJudge FAQ #10944**, you must select all targets for an activated ability at the moment you finalize the ability on the chain. Here is the breakdown of why this doesn't work: 1. **Cost vs. Effect:** The text "Kill this:" is an activated ability where killing the gear is the **activation cost** (Rule 150.1, FAQ #10759). 2. **Targeting Finalization:** You must choose your targets (the cards in trashes to be recycled) at the moment you activate the ability and place it on the chain (Rule 355.8, FAQ #10944). 3. **The Timing Mismatch:** At the exact moment you are choosing those targets, **Forge of the Future** is still on the board. You have not yet paid the cost to move it to the trash. Because it is not in the trash when targets are locked in, it is not a valid target for its own recycle effect. 4. **Payment:** Once the ability is on the chain with its targets selected, you then pay the cost by moving *Forge of the Future* to the trash. By the time the card reaches the trash, the targets for the ability are already locked in and cannot be changed. In short, the card must already be in the trash to be a valid target for the recycle effect, but it cannot move itself to the trash until *after* you have already locked in the targets for that effect.

You do not need to declare the +2 might bonus from Master Yi (Wuju Bladesman). It is a **passive ability**, not a triggered ability, and it applies automatically by default whenever its condition is met. According to RiftJudge FAQ #8089 and #9025: * **Passive, Not Triggered:** Master Yi's ability is a passive ability that is constantly checking the game state. It does not use the chain and does not require you to announce it to "activate" it. * **Automatic Application:** As soon as a friendly unit gains the "Defender" designation and is the only unit defending at that battlefield, the +2 might bonus applies immediately. * **Etiquette:** While you are not required to proactively announce it, you cannot lie about it if your opponent asks. It is the opponent's responsibility to account for the bonus when making their decisions. In short, the bonus is always "on" as long as the condition of defending alone is met.

According to the rules regarding Signature cards, you cannot have 3 copies of "Alpha Strike" and 3 copies of "Highlander" in the same deck. The ruling for Signature cards is as follows: * **Total Limit:** You can include a maximum of **3 total Signature cards** in your deck. * **Shared Limit:** This limit applies to the sum total of all Signature cards in your deck, regardless of their name. If you choose to include multiple different Signature spells associated with your Champion Legend, they all count toward that same 3-card limit. Therefore, you could have a combination such as 2 copies of "Alpha Strike" and 1 copy of "Highlander," or any other combination that adds up to no more than 3 cards total.

Yes, you score 3 points total when conquering with a unit equipped with **Trinity Force** and **Skyfall of Areion** at a battlefield with **Red Brambleback**. ### The Components * **Red Brambleback:** Your conquer effects for conquering here trigger an additional time. * **Skyfall of Areion:** Makes the equipped unit's "When I hold..." effects also count as "When I conquer..." effects. * **Trinity Force:** When I hold, score 1 point. ### The Interaction 1. **Skyfall of Areion** modifies the **Trinity Force** ability on your unit. Because of Skyfall, Trinity Force's "When I hold, score 1 point" effect is now also a "When I conquer, score 1 point" effect. 2. When you conquer the battlefield where **Red Brambleback** is present, you trigger your unit's conquer effects. 3. **Red Brambleback** causes your conquer effects to trigger an additional time. ### The Result You score 3 points total from this interaction: 1. **1 point** from the standard game action of conquering the battlefield. 2. **1 point** from the first resolution of the **Trinity Force** conquer effect. 3. **1 point** from the second resolution of the **Trinity Force** conquer effect (triggered by **Red Brambleback**). **Sequence:** * You conquer the battlefield. * You gain 1 point from the conquer game action. * The **Trinity Force** conquer effect (modified by Skyfall) triggers. * **Red Brambleback** causes that conquer effect to trigger a second time. * Both instances of the **Trinity Force** trigger are placed on the chain. * The chain resolves, granting you 2 additional points. *Note: This assumes you have not already scored this battlefield this turn, as you can only score a battlefield once per turn (Rule 465). I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

Yes, you must pay the full cost of the unit when using the **Rek'Sai (Void Burrower)** legend ability. According to RiftJudge FAQs #9823, #9215, and #284, you are required to pay the card's energy and power costs as normal when you play it using this ability. Only effects that explicitly state "ignoring its cost" allow you to play cards for free. Because Rek'Sai (Void Burrower)'s ability does not include this phrase, you must pay the full cost to play the revealed card.

Based on the official FAQ for **Teemo, Strategist**, you pay the **Deflect** cost only **one time**, regardless of how many Hidden cards are revealed or how much total damage is dealt. ### Ruling Teemo, Strategist's ability creates a single instance of targeting and deals damage from a single source. Because Deflect is paid per targeting instance, you only pay it once. ### Sequence 1. **Declare:** You declare you are using Teemo, Strategist's ability (triggered by defending). 2. **Target & Pay:** You choose an enemy unit as the target. If that unit has **Deflect**, you must pay the Deflect cost at this time. * *Note: The Deflect cost must be paid before flipping any cards; you cannot see the results first and then decide whether to pay.* 3. **Finalize:** If the cost is paid, the ability is added to the chain. If you choose not to pay the Deflect cost, the ability does not go on the chain and you do not flip any cards. 4. **Resolve:** Once the ability resolves, you flip the 5 cards and deal damage based on the number of Hidden cards revealed. According to **Rule 735.1.c**, Deflect is a mandatory additional cost applied "for each time they choose me." Since Teemo's ability chooses the target only once, the cost is only applied once.

Yes, your opponent still receives the trigger from **Grove of the God-Willow**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 8447 and 8403)** and **Core Rule 383.4.d**, Tianna Crownguard’s ability only prevents opponents from **gaining points**. It does not prevent the act of "Holding" a battlefield or the triggering of "Hold Effects" associated with that process. ### Explanation: * **Tianna Crownguard:** Her ability states, "While I'm at a battlefield, opponents can't gain points." This is specifically restricted to the act of gaining points (adding to their score total). * **Grove of the God-Willow:** Its ability ("When you hold here, draw 1.") is a **Hold Effect** (Rule 383.4.d). * **Interaction:** Per the FAQs, Tianna does not interfere with the process of Holding itself, nor does she stop triggered abilities that result from Holding. Your opponent will still perform the Hold action, the "When you hold here" condition will be met, and the draw trigger will be placed on the chain as normal. The only change is that if that Hold action would have resulted in them gaining a victory point, Tianna prevents that point from being added to their total.

No, playing Undertitan does not trigger its "reveal" ability. According to the official FAQ regarding Undertitan: * **Drawing is not revealing:** Drawing a card is a distinct game action from revealing one. * **Reveal is a specific limited action:** The ability "As I'm revealed from your deck" only triggers when a game effect explicitly instructs you to "Reveal" cards from your deck. Simply playing the card from your hand or another zone does not count as revealing it. As stated in **Rule 411.2.a**, players may only reveal cards from private or secret zones when instructed to do so by game effects. Because playing a card is a different process (Rule 406), it does not satisfy the condition for the reveal-based ability.

Yes, if you activate the ability of **Azir, Ascendant** while he is at **Vilemaw's Lair** targeting another unit you control, Azir will remain at Vilemaw's Lair, and the target unit will also end up at Vilemaw's Lair. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8** and **FAQ #9347**, this interaction works as follows: 1. **Valid Activation:** You can legally activate Azir's ability targeting a unit at another location. 2. **Movement Failure:** Because **Vilemaw's Lair** has the restriction "Units can't move from here to base," any attempt to move a unit from the Lair to your base will fail. 3. **Result:** Azir will successfully move to the target unit's location (or stay at the Lair if the target is already there), but the target unit will be unable to move to Azir's original location (your base). The target unit's move fails, and it remains at Vilemaw's Lair. Both units end up at the Lair together. This is consistent with **Rule 356.3.e.11**, which states that instructions that can be partially followed are followed as much as possible and ignored otherwise. Since the movement of the unit is prevented by the Lair's restriction, that part of the effect does not occur.

Ruling: No, hidden cards that have a targeting choice must choose from that battlefield when played from hidden. Nuances: - This ruling is confirmed in the FAQ

Yes, **Monastery of Hirana** and **Warmog's Armor** still function the same way following the *Unleashed* rule updates. The interaction remains consistent because the core mechanics governing buffs and equipment have not changed. Here is the breakdown of how they interact: 1. **Triggering the Buff:** When a unit equipped with Warmog's Armor conquers, the equipment's triggered ability ("When I conquer, buff me") resolves. The unit receives a +1 Might buff. 2. **Spending the Buff:** Monastery of Hirana has a triggered ability that activates "When you conquer here." Because the unit has just received a buff from Warmog's Armor, it now has a buff available to be spent to satisfy the Monastery's cost ("you may spend a buff to draw 1"). 3. **Timing:** Both abilities trigger off the same event (the unit conquering). As the controller of these effects, you choose the order in which they resolve. You can resolve the Warmog's Armor trigger first to ensure the unit has a buff, and then resolve the Monastery of Hirana trigger to spend that buff and draw a card. **Important Nuances:** * **Buff Persistence:** As noted in RiftJudge FAQ #8468, buffs are objects placed on a unit (Rule 702). They remain on the unit until spent or removed. If the Warmog's Armor were to be destroyed or detached after the buff is granted, the unit would retain the buff it already received, though it would no longer gain new ones from future conquers. * **Spending Buffs:** You can only spend a buff that you control (Rule 702.2.b.2). Since the unit is under your control, you are able to spend the buff it carries to trigger the Monastery's draw effect. * **No Changes to Interaction:** The *Unleashed* update introduced new rules regarding copy effects, ambush, and battlefield control, but these do not alter the fundamental interaction between equipment-granted buffs and the Monastery of Hirana's ability to spend them.

Ruling: Yes, with the new errata text 'up to one gear', you can play Salvage when there are no gears on the board and still draw 1 card.

When you play **Falling Star**, the two instances of damage are **sequential**, not simultaneous. According to the game rules and established FAQs: 1. **Targeting:** You must declare both targets simultaneously when you play the card and put it on the chain. You cannot wait for responses between choosing the first and second target. 2. **Resolution:** When *Falling Star* resolves, it deals the first 3 damage, and then it deals the second 3 damage. 3. **Windows for Reaction:** Because these are two separate instances of damage, there is a window to react (e.g., playing a *Reaction* card) after the first 3 damage is dealt but before the second 3 damage is dealt. ### Key Nuances: * **Replacement Effects:** If you have multiple replacement effects (like *Counter Strike*) that could apply to the damage, you do not have to apply them all at once. As the owner of the unit being damaged, you choose which effect to apply to the first instance of damage, and any remaining effects stay active to potentially apply to the second instance of damage. * **Targeting:** Once you have declared your targets upon playing the card, those targets are locked in. You cannot change them after the first instance of damage resolves, even though there is a window to react between the two damage events. In summary, while you must declare all targets at once, the damage itself is dealt in two distinct steps, allowing for reactions in between.

Ruling: Not all might reduction spells have been changed. Only some might reduction spells in set 2 do not have the "to minimum 1" clause and can reduce might below 0. There is no mass errata to all might reduction spells. Nuances: - If might is ever below 0, it is treated as 0 for interactive purposes (like dealing damage) - However, the unit actually retains the negative might value for calculation purposes - When might is modified later by other effects, all might alterations are applied together from the base value, effectively treating it as if starting from the negative value - Example: A unit at -4 might (2 base - 6 reduction) that receives +7 might becomes 3 might (2 + 7 - 6 = 3)

Ruling: Zhonya has no constraints and saves the next unit which dies, regardless of where it is on the board. When played from hidden, it works at reaction speed for any unit. Nuances: - You cannot react to a unit dying. You must play Zhonya before the unit is dead, or Zhonya will be trashed along with your hidden cards. - Zhonya resolves instantly as a permanent and cannot be reacted to, though opponents can still react to the effect that would kill the unit.

No, Defiant Dance would not kill units with 2 Might. Defiant Dance gives one unit +2 [M] and another unit -2 [M] this turn. The -2 [M] is a Might reduction, not damage. According to Rules 708-710, a unit's Might is simply reduced by 2. A 2 Might unit would be reduced to 0 Might, but reducing a unit's Might to 0 does not kill it. According to a rule, "If a Unit ever has nonzero damage marked on it equalling or exceeding its Might, it is Killed." The key word is nonzero damage. A unit with 0 Might would need at least 1 damage marked on it to be killed. Simply reducing a unit's Might to 0 through Defiant Dance's -2 [M] effect does not kill it—the unit remains alive on the board with 0 Might and 0 marked damage. The unit would be extremely vulnerable (any damage would be lethal), but it survives the Might reduction alone.

Yes, Frozen Fortress will kill a 1-Might unit at that battlefield. According to the ability text, "At the start of each player's Beginning Phase, deal 1 to each unit here." When that 1 damage is dealt to a unit with 1 Might, the unit has damage marked on it equal to its Might, which results in it being killed during the subsequent cleanup check (RiftJudge FAQ #10214). The fact that the unit controls the battlefield does not provide immunity to the damage dealt by that battlefield's ability. As stated in Rule 187.6, the battlefield's controller (or the turn player if it is uncontrolled) is responsible for the ability, and the damage is dealt to all units at that location regardless of who they belong to or whether they control the battlefield. **Sequence:** 1. **Beginning Phase Begins:** The "at the start of each player's Beginning Phase" trigger activates. 2. **Chain:** The ability is placed on the chain. 3. **Resolution:** The ability resolves, dealing 1 damage to the 1-Might unit. 4. **Cleanup:** The game checks for lethal damage. Since the unit has 1 damage marked and 1 Might, it is killed.

Yes, **Master Yi, Unstoppable** (even at Level 16 with the "can't be chosen" protection) will still be stunned and prevented from moving by **Vex, Apathetic**. ### Reasoning This interaction is covered by **RiftJudge FAQ #9545**: * **Programmatic Selection vs. Targeting:** Master Yi, Unstoppable's Level 16 ability states: *"I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities."* However, Vex, Apathetic’s ability does not require the opponent to manually "choose" or "target" a unit. It uses **programmatic selection**, meaning the ability automatically identifies the unit that triggered the condition ("When an opponent plays a unit"). * **Protection Bypass:** Protection from being "chosen" only applies to effects that require a player to manually select a target. Because Vex’s ability automatically identifies the unit based on the game event (you playing a unit), it bypasses Master Yi's protection. ### Sequence of Events 1. You play **Master Yi, Unstoppable**. 2. **Vex, Apathetic's** triggered ability activates because you played a unit while Vex is at a battlefield. 3. The ability programmatically selects Master Yi. 4. Because the unit is programmatically selected rather than chosen, Master Yi's protection does not apply. 5. **Master Yi** becomes **Stunned** and gains the restriction that he cannot move for the remainder of the turn.

No, a **Minotaur Reckoner** would not prevent units from activating the ability of **Reaver's Row**. Here is the breakdown of why: 1. **The Ability:** Reaver's Row has a triggered ability: *"When you defend here, you may move a friendly unit here to base."* 2. **The Restriction:** Minotaur Reckoner has a passive ability: *"Units can't move to base."* 3. **The Interaction:** While Minotaur Reckoner prevents units from moving to the base, it does not prevent the *activation* or *triggering* of abilities that attempt to do so. * When you defend at Reaver's Row, the trigger goes on the chain. * When that trigger resolves, you may choose to move a unit to the base. * If a Minotaur Reckoner is on the board, the instruction to "move a unit to base" simply cannot be followed because of the restriction. According to **Rule 356.3.e.6**, "Instructions that can't be followed, either because of illegal targets or other circumstances, are ignored." Therefore, the ability still triggers and resolves, but the move itself will fail to occur. You can still trigger the ability (for example, to satisfy other card effects that care about the ability being used), but the unit will remain at the battlefield.

Yes, your **Yone, Blademaster**'s conquer ability will trigger when you hold at **Reckoner's Arena**, provided the specific conditions of Yone's ability are met. Here is the breakdown of the interaction: 1. **The Trigger:** **Reckoner's Arena** has the ability: *"When you hold here, activate the conquer effects of units here."* This forces the "When I conquer" abilities of units present to trigger, even though you are technically performing a "Hold" action. 2. **Yone's Condition:** Yone's ability specifically triggers: *"When I conquer a battlefield **that was uncontrolled**..."* 3. **The Interaction:** Because Reckoner's Arena activates the conquer effect, Yone's ability will check its condition. If the Reckoner's Arena was **uncontrolled** immediately before you gained control of it (the action that led to this hold), the condition is satisfied and the effect will resolve, dealing damage equal to Yone's Might to an enemy unit in a base. **Important Note on "Scoring":** According to **Rule 447**, a player may only Score from a battlefield once per turn. If you have already Scored (Conquered or Held) that specific Reckoner's Arena earlier in the same turn, you cannot Score it again, and therefore the "When you hold" trigger on the battlefield will not fire (Rule 448.2.c).

No, Amateur Recital cannot move Baron Nashor to its base. According to the rules and the retrieved **RiftJudge FAQ #8771**, Amateur Recital's ability requires you to select a specific unit to move, which counts as "choosing" that unit. Because **Baron Nashor** has the ability "I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities," he is an illegal target for Amateur Recital's ability.

According to the RiftJudge FAQs regarding hidden Zhonya's Hourglass, if you do not react to save your unit when it dies, the hidden card is discarded. Here is the breakdown of why this happens: 1. **Cleanup and Battlefield Control:** When your only unit at a battlefield dies, you lose control of that battlefield. 2. **Hidden Card Fate:** According to Rule 107.3.d, if a player loses control of a battlefield, any cards in the associated Facedown Zone are removed during the next cleanup. 3. **Timing:** Because you chose not to use your reaction window to flip and activate the hidden Zhonya's Hourglass, the unit's death finishes resolving, combat (or the game state) progresses, and the cleanup step initiates. Since you no longer have any units remaining at that battlefield, you lose control, and the hidden card is discarded. As noted in the **RiftJudge FAQ #9663**, once the death event has occurred and you have passed your opportunity to react, the opportunity to use the Zhonya's is gone. If you fail to play it from its hidden state before control of the battlefield is lost and cleanup occurs, the card is trashed.

Control of battlefields cannot be lost while there are items on the chain, per rule 187.4.c. in the Unleashed rules update. This means that spells and abilities that banish and play units, or that kill units as a cost or effect in order to play another unit, will be able to kill or banish units at battlefields and then play the resulting unit to that same battlefield. Rule 187.4.c.: If a player has no Units at a Battlefield and the turn is in an Open state, they lose Control of that Battlefield in the following cleanup, unless there is a Combat or Showdown ongoing there. Examples: I play Cruel Patron, and I have a 1 [M] Recruit alone at a battlefield I control. I choose to kill my Recruit to pay the additional cost of Cruel Patron. Although this causes a cleanup, because there is an item on the chain (Cruel Patron) I don’t lose control of the battlefield. I can choose to play Cruel Patron to that same battlefield with no issue. I activate Baited Hook targeting a 4 [M] unit that is alone at a battlefield I control. When Baited Hook resolves, I kill that unit and look at the top 5 cards of my Main Deck. I choose to play a unit from among them, which goes pending on the chain. When Baited Hook’s activated ability resolves, the outstanding cleanup initiates, but I can’t lose control of the battlefield because the played unit is on the chain pending. Once the cleanup finishes, I will finalize the unit and I can choose the battlefield where I killed my 4 [M] unit to play it to. I play Arcane Shift targeting my Thousand-Tailed Watcher who is alone at a battlefield I control. As it resolves, Watcher is banished and played to the chain. When Arcane Shift has finished resolving, a cleanup is outstanding and because Watcher is still pending on the chain, control of the battlefield can’t be lost. When finalizing Watcher, the battlefield I banished it from is a valid location to play it to because I still control it. There is one final example worth discussing, though the interaction worked similarly prior to this rules update: in the previous rules update, if my Glasc Mixologist died alone in Combat at a battlefield I control, the active Combat at the battlefield prevented me from losing control of the battlefield. Thus I could play the unit from Mixologist’s Deathknell to the same Battlefield it died at. Previously this was only possible in Combat, but as of this rules update the same process will occur whenever Glasc Mixologist dies alone at a battlefield with the same controller, regardless of if there is a Combat there or not.

Yes, you can respond to **Thousand-Tailed Watcher**'s "When you play me" ability. According to the RiftJudge FAQ (#93, #4730, and #6628), Thousand-Tailed Watcher has a triggered ability that uses the chain, which means it can be responded to with [Reaction] speed cards just like any other triggered or activated ability. ### How it works: 1. **Playing the Unit:** When you play Thousand-Tailed Watcher, it enters the battlefield. This action does not use the chain and cannot be responded to. 2. **Triggered Ability:** Its "When you play me" ability immediately goes on the chain. This puts the game into a **Closed State**. 3. **Responding:** Because the ability is on the chain, you (and your opponent) may play [Reaction] cards to interact with the game state before the ability resolves. ### Important Considerations: * **No "Fizzling":** The ability will resolve even if the Thousand-Tailed Watcher is removed from the battlefield in response (see FAQ #3100). * **Blanket Effect:** Because the effect applies to all enemy units simultaneously rather than choosing specific targets, you cannot use cards like **Not So Fast** to counter it, as those cards require the ability to "choose" or target a specific unit (see FAQ #9386, #9052, #8449). * **Resolution:** The ability will affect all enemy units present at the moment the ability resolves, not just those that were on the field when the Watcher was played (see FAQ #2236).

Yes, **Falling Star** can target separate units. The card text specifically states: "*Deal 3 to a unit. Deal 3 to a unit. (You can choose different units.)*" According to the official FAQ and game rules: * **Simultaneous Declaration:** You must declare both targets at the same time when you play the card and put it on the chain. * **Targeting the Same Unit:** You are also allowed to target the same unit with both instances of 3 damage (for a total of 6) to ensure it is killed. * **Deflect:** If you target a unit with **Deflect**, you must pay the Deflect cost for each instance of damage targeting it. If you target the same unit twice, you pay the Deflect cost twice. * **Bonus Damage:** If you have an effect that grants Bonus Damage (like *Annie, Fiery*), the bonus applies to each instance of damage individually. For example, with +1 Bonus Damage, Falling Star would deal 4 damage to the first target and 4 damage to the second target.

No, you cannot. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 2676, 7023, 2805, 1500)** and **Rule 465**, you can only score each battlefield once per turn, regardless of whether you score it by holding it (at the beginning of your turn) or by conquering it (during the main phase). Because conquering is defined as gaining control of a battlefield you have not yet scored this turn, the following restrictions apply: 1. **Once per turn:** You cannot conquer a battlefield if you have already scored it this turn (either by holding it or a previous conquest). 2. **Triggers:** "When you conquer" triggered abilities only trigger if you successfully score a point by conquering. If you have already scored that battlefield earlier in the turn, a subsequent change in control does not count as "conquering," and therefore those triggered abilities will not trigger. In short, even if you move units in and out of a battlefield multiple times, you can only trigger "when you conquer" effects for that battlefield a maximum of once per turn.

Yes, your opponent can play **Cull the Weak** even if they control no units. According to several RiftJudge FAQs, this is a legal play because: * **No Units Required:** Cull the Weak does not target, so the choice of which unit to kill happens during the resolution of the spell, not when it is played. Therefore, you do not need to control a unit to finalize the spell onto the chain. * **"Do As Much As You Can":** Under Rule 356.3.e.11, if an instruction cannot be fully followed, you perform as much of the effect as possible. If your opponent has no units, they simply do not kill one of their own, but you must still kill one of your units if you have any. * **Not a Cost:** Killing a unit is an effect of the spell, not an additional cost to play it. If it were a cost, your opponent would be required to have a unit available to sacrifice to make the card legal to play.

Yes, you can react to a card or ability that moves your unit from a battlefield to your base, provided that the move is caused by an effect (spell or ability) and not by a "Standard Move." According to **RiftJudge FAQ #3126**: * If an opponent plays a spell or uses an ability that moves your unit, that card or ability goes onto the chain. * Once it is on the chain, the state becomes **CLOSED**, and you have an opportunity to play a **[Reaction]** card. * You may reveal your hidden card at that battlefield to react to that spell or ability, provided the hidden card was not hidden on the same turn (see **FAQ #9904**). ### Important Requirements & Constraints: 1. **Timing:** The card must have been hidden on a previous turn. You cannot play a card from "Hidden" on the same turn you hid it (**RiftJudge FAQ #9904**). 2. **Targeting:** If your hidden card requires targeting, it must target a unit (or other valid object) at the **same battlefield** where it is hidden, unless the card explicitly states otherwise (**Rule 811.1.d.2** and **RiftJudge FAQ #7786**). 3. **Standard Moves:** You **cannot** react to a "Standard Move" (a manual move of a unit by a player). Standard Moves do not use the chain, so they never create a window for reactions. 4. **Control of the Battlefield:** If you react to an effect that moves your last unit away, you must ensure you do not lose control of the battlefield before the hidden card resolves. Generally, because the item that triggered the move is on the chain, you retain control of the battlefield until the chain resolves and the cleanup occurs, allowing you to use the hidden card (**Rule 187.4.c**). **Summary of the sequence:** 1. **Opponent plays a card or ability** that targets and moves your unit: The item goes on the chain. 2. **State becomes CLOSED:** You are now in the window to play a **[Reaction]**. 3. **You reveal your hidden card:** You place it on top of the chain (it now resolves before the opponent's move effect). 4. **Resolution:** The chain resolves in Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) order. Your hidden card resolves first, followed by the opponent's move effect.

No, you cannot react with *Flurry of Feathers* to help satisfy the win condition for *The Grand Plaza*. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10151**, *The Grand Plaza*'s ability follows a strict "condition, condition, effect" structure. You must already have 7 or more units at that battlefield the moment you hold it during your Beginning Phase for the ability to trigger. If you have 6 or fewer units at the moment you hold the battlefield, the condition is not met, the ability does not trigger, and you receive no priority window to play *Flurry of Feathers* to reach the threshold. Furthermore, as noted in **RiftJudge FAQ #10013** and **#10068**, even if the ability *did* trigger (for example, if you already had 7 units), you cannot play the Bird tokens from *Flurry of Feathers* onto *The Grand Plaza* if you are currently involved in a showdown or attacking that battlefield, as tokens must be played to your base or to a battlefield you already control.

Yes, if you use **Repeat** to target a unit with **Deflect** twice, you must pay the Deflect cost twice. According to **Rule 735.1.c**, Deflect is an additional cost applied **"for each time they choose me."** When you pay a Repeat cost, you execute the spell's instructions an additional time. **Rule 746.2** states that choices for the additional execution (such as targets) must be made during the "Make Relevant Choices" step of playing the card. If you choose the same unit with Deflect for both the initial execution and the repeated execution, you have "chosen" that unit twice. **Key Points:** * **Mandatory Cost:** Deflect is a mandatory additional cost that must be paid when the spell is played (Rule 353.2.a.2). * **Multiple Choices:** Because the spell "chooses" the target for each instance of its effect, the Deflect cost triggers for every individual instance of targeting. * **Official Ruling:** This is confirmed by official FAQs regarding multi-target spells (like *Starfall* or *Icathian Rain*), which clarify that you must pay the Deflect cost for each time the unit is chosen/targeted by the spell, not just once per card played.

No, Ravenbloom Student's ability does not trigger if the spell you play is countered. According to **Rule 425.1.b**, a card that is countered is not considered to have been played. Because Ravenbloom Student's ability triggers "When you play a spell," and a spell is only considered "played" once it successfully resolves, a countered spell fails to meet the condition required to trigger the ability. This is supported by multiple Riftbound FAQs (such as FAQ #2497, #8694, and #2377), which clarify that countering a spell prevents it from being considered "played" for the purposes of triggered abilities. **Sequence of events:** 1. You cast a spell (it enters the chain). 2. Your opponent plays a card to Counter your spell (e.g., Defy). 3. The Counter effect resolves, negating your spell. 4. Because your spell was countered, it does not resolve. 5. Since the spell did not resolve, it is not considered "played," and Ravenbloom Student's ability does not trigger.

Yes, **Legion** triggers if the card that satisfied the condition was countered. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9461** and **#9463**: * **Legion** checks whether a card has been **Finalized** on the chain, not whether it successfully resolved. * When you play a card, it is placed on the chain as a "Pending Chain Item." * Once you choose targets and pay all costs, the card becomes a "Finalized Chain Item." * Players then have the opportunity to play **Reaction** cards, such as **Defy** (to counter). * Because the counter is played *after* the card has already been finalized, the **Legion** condition is already met for the turn. Even though the card is subsequently countered and removed from the chain (per **Rule 425.1.a**), the requirement for **Legion** has been satisfied.

Yes, "When I move" triggers resolve completely before a showdown (combat) begins, and therefore before any "When I attack" or "When I defend" triggers are placed on the chain. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #6540**: * **Sequence:** 1. Declare move to battlefield. 2. "When I move" triggers go on the chain. 3. Players may respond to these triggers. 4. "When I move" triggers resolve completely. 5. Showdown/combat begins. 6. "When I attack" and "When I defend" triggers are then placed on the chain. **Key Timing Nuances:** * **No Showdown during Move Triggers:** A showdown can only begin during the cleanup step if there is no existing chain (Rule 340). Because "When I move" triggers create a chain, the combat cannot start until that chain is empty and resolved. * **Designations:** Units do not gain their "Attacker" or "Defender" designations until the showdown officially begins, which happens *after* the "When I move" chain has finished resolving. * **Interaction:** If a unit is removed or destroyed by a reaction during the "When I move" chain, it will not be present to participate in the upcoming combat.

**Sacred Shears** is a Gear card that functions by granting a triggered ability to the unit it is equipped to. Here is how it works: ### Core Mechanics * **Equipping:** You pay the cost and exhaust, attaching Sacred Shears to a unit you control. * **Effect Transfer:** Sacred Shears features an "Effect Text" section (the bottom box). When equipped, this Effect Text is appended to the rules text of the unit holding it. * **Deathknell:** Because the Deathknell ability is in the Effect Text, the **unit** gains the Deathknell ability, not the gear itself. ### Key Interactions * **When the unit dies:** When the equipped unit dies, its Deathknell triggers, and you draw 1 card. * **When the gear dies:** If the Sacred Shears itself is destroyed in isolation (e.g., by a card effect like *Salvage*), it is no longer attached to a unit. Because the Effect Text is only active while attached, the Deathknell does not trigger. You only draw a card when the unit equipped with the shears dies. * **Multiple triggers:** According to **RiftJudge FAQ #765**, if a unit like *Karthus* is equipped with Sacred Shears and dies, it will see itself die, causing the Deathknell to trigger twice, resulting in 2 cards drawn total. *Source: RiftJudge FAQ #8441, #8952, and #765.*

Yes, you can choose an enemy **Baron Nashor** with **Whirlwind**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #9057 and FAQ #3563, **Whirlwind** does not target or "choose" units; instead, it instructs players to make a choice during the spell's resolution. Because **Baron Nashor's** ability states: *"I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities,"* it specifically protects against spells that require the controller to target or choose the unit as part of the action. Since Whirlwind’s effect relies on the players making choices during resolution—rather than the spell itself targeting—the protection on Baron Nashor does not apply to this interaction.

No, you cannot. According to the rules regarding conquering and scoring, you may only score each battlefield **once per turn** (Rule 465). Because "conquering" is a method of scoring a battlefield (Rule 464.1), you have already used your ability to score that location for the turn by conquering the Brush battlefield. Even though you are replacing the Brush battlefield with Sunken Temple, this swap does not reset the fact that the location has already been scored this turn. As detailed in **RiftJudge FAQ #10106**: * The restored battlefield inherits all current statuses and effects from the battlefield it replaced, including the fact that it has already been scored this turn. * Since you cannot score the battlefield again, you cannot trigger its "When you conquer" abilities, even if you swap back to it. Therefore, you cannot draw a card using Sunken Temple's ability in this scenario.

Vex, Apathetic's ability applies to both **Standard Moves** and **moves caused by card effects** like *Ride the Wind*. Here is the breakdown of your questions based on the game rules and provided FAQs: ### 1. Does Vex's ability apply to moves like *Ride the Wind*? **Yes.** When an opponent plays a unit while **Vex, Apathetic** is at a battlefield, its ability triggers, [Stuns] the unit, and applies a restriction: *"They [the opponent] can't move it this turn."* This movement restriction is absolute for that turn. It does not distinguish between a Standard Move and a move granted by a spell or ability. As per the FAQ for **Vex, Apathetic**, the effect programmatically selects the unit played, and that unit is restricted from moving by any means for the remainder of the turn. ### 2. Can I choose to *Charm* the enemy unit? **Yes, you can target the unit with *Charm*.** * **Targeting:** *Charm* is an [Action] spell that moves an enemy unit. It does not have a targeting restriction that prevents you from choosing a stunned unit. * **Vex's Interaction:** While Vex's ability prevents the *opponent* (the controller of the stunned unit) from moving it, it does **not** prevent *you* (the opponent of the unit's controller) from moving that unit using your own card effects like *Charm*. The restriction explicitly states "They [the opponent] can't move it," which refers to the player who owns/controls the unit, not the player using an effect to move their opponent's unit. **Summary:** Vex will effectively lock that specific unit in place for the opponent, but you remain free to use cards like *Charm* to move their unit to a location of your choice.

Yes, the controller of the targeted unit will still draw 2 cards. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8724**, when **Hidden Blade** resolves, it checks if its target is still a legal target on the battlefield. Because **Guardian Angel** acts as a replacement effect that intercedes during the resolution of **Hidden Blade** (replacing the "kill" event with "Heal me, exhaust me, and recall me"), the unit remains a valid referent on the battlefield at the moment the spell begins to resolve. Since the spell successfully resolves and identifies the controller of that unit, the draw effect still occurs. ### Sequence 1. **Hidden Blade** is played, targeting a unit on the battlefield. 2. **Hidden Blade** begins to resolve. 3. **Guardian Angel**'s replacement effect triggers, replacing the "kill" event with "Heal me, exhaust me, and recall me." 4. Because the unit was a legal target on the battlefield when **Hidden Blade** began resolving, the spell successfully completes its resolution. 5. The controller of the unit draws 2 cards.

According to the RiftJudge FAQ #10347, **Scuttle Crab's Deathknell resolves completely before Nidalee, Cat Form's draw ability triggers.** The game processes combat outcomes and triggered abilities sequentially during the Combat Cleanup phase using the FEPR (Finalize, Execute, Pass, Resolve) process. They do not trigger simultaneously. ### The Sequence of Events: 1. **Combat Cleanup (Rule 461.1):** Scuttle Crab takes lethal damage. Its **Deathknell** triggers as a "Pending Item." 2. **First FEPR Window:** Scuttle Crab's Deathknell is placed on the chain and resolves (your opponent reveals their hand). 3. **Determine Combat Result (Rule 461.2-461.3):** The game determines the winner of the combat. Since Nidalee survived and Scuttle Crab was defeated, you are declared the winner. This triggers Nidalee’s ability ("When I win a combat, draw 1") as a "Pending Item." 4. **Second FEPR Window:** Nidalee’s draw ability is placed on the chain and resolves, and you draw your card. ### Does Scuttle see the draw? No. Because the effects are processed in separate FEPR windows, **Scuttle Crab's ability resolves before the game state even acknowledges that Nidalee has won the combat** (which is what triggers the draw). Therefore, the card you draw from Nidalee is not in your hand when your opponent reveals their hand for the Scuttle Crab Deathknell.

To answer your question: **Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror stays in the same state he was in before being recalled.** ### Regarding Exhaustion Upon Recall According to **Rule 453.1** and confirmed by **RiftJudge FAQs #5810, #6702, and #7084**: * A "Recall" is a specific game action where a permanent is relocated to its base (Rule 450). * Recalls **do not** change the state of the permanent being recalled. Unless a card effect specifically states that a unit becomes exhausted, it retains its current ready or exhausted status. * Because the Combat Cleanup process (Step 3: Resolution Step, Rule 461) dictates that attacking units are recalled to their base if defenders remain, Kha'Zix will be moved back to your base without his ready/exhausted status being modified by the recall itself. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Showdown Initiation:** Your opponent initiates the showdown with 2 units (4 Might total). 2. **Action Phase (Ride the Wind):** Your opponent casts *Ride the Wind* to move *Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror* to the battlefield as a 3rd attacker. 3. **Combat Damage Step:** Combat damage is dealt. Based on your scenario, you win the showdown and succeed as a defender (meaning you have units remaining while your opponent's units are defeated/recalled). 4. **Combat Cleanup (Step 3, Rule 461.1.a.2):** Because you are the defender and still have units present at the battlefield, any remaining attacking units (including *Kha'Zix*) are Recalled to their controller's base. 5. **State Retention:** Upon arrival at the base, *Kha'Zix* remains in the exact same state (ready or exhausted) he held immediately prior to the recall. This is my interpretation based on the mechanics of "Recall" defined in Rule 453.1 and the clarification provided in related RiftJudge FAQs (e.g., #6702). No official FAQ specifically citing "Kha'Zix exhaustion during recall" exists, but the game-wide rule for Recalls is consistent across all unit types.

No, you cannot use **Defy** on **Sky Splitter** in this situation. According to RiftJudge FAQ #4278, #3402, and #6358, **Defy** checks the **printed energy cost** of the target spell, not the actual cost paid after reductions. * **Sky Splitter's** printed energy cost is **8**. * **Defy** can only counter spells that have a printed energy cost of **4 or less**. Even though your opponent paid 0 energy to play the spell due to the reduction from their unit, the game still treats Sky Splitter as an 8-cost spell for the purpose of effects that check its cost, such as Defy. Therefore, it remains an invalid target for Defy.