Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: Yes, you can equip the same equipment to multiple units in the same turn as long as you pay the equip cost each time. Equipment returns to base when a unit dies, and current equipment equip costs do not have exhaust, allowing repeated use. Sequence: - Unit dies with equipment attached - Equipment returns to base - Pay equip cost to attach equipment to another unit - Repeat as long as you have resources Nuances: - You cannot unequip equipment voluntarily - Current equipment does not have exhaust on their equip costs (though future equipment might)

Ruling: You can repeatedly equip the same equipment to different units as long as you pay the equip cost and the equipment is not currently attached. Equipment does not exhaust when the equipped unit dies and does not need to be ready to equip. Sequence: - Attack with a unit that has equipment attached - If that unit dies, the equipment detaches and returns to your base ready - You can then equip it to another unit and attack - Repeat as needed Nuances: - Attached equipment loses its equip ability (all rules text becomes inactive while attached) - You cannot use the equip ability to move equipment from one unit to another unless the first unit dies or the equipment is detached by another effect - Abilities like Weaponmaster or certain spells can attach/move equipment without using the equip ability - If a unit with attached equipment is recalled (e.g., by Rebuke), the equipment returns to base ready

Ruling: You cannot respond to Dazzling Aurora before it triggers if the opponent plays it and ends their turn. Aurora resolves immediately as a permanent, and when the turn ends, the trigger is immediately added to the chain. Sequence: - Aurora trigger goes on the chain at end of turn - Owner of the trigger gets priority first - Opponent gets priority after - Chain resolves Nuances: - This applies to any end of turn triggers - If the opponent does anything else during their turn (like going to showdown), you can respond and kill Aurora before end of turn

Ruling: Fiora's "When I attack/defend" ability creates a trigger that can be responded to with Reaction spells like Gust. However, if Fiora is defending with Yi, Gust would not work on her alone because Yi's +2 Might ability applies first through layers and dependency, making her 5 Might (above Gust's threshold). Sequence: - Yi's +2 Might ability applies first (layers and dependency) - Fiora's "When I attack/defend" trigger goes on the stack - You can respond to Fiora's trigger with Reaction spells Nuances: - Assault and Shield are not triggers that can be responded to - Yi's ability is not triggerable - Gust specifically won't work on Fiora when she's with Yi because the Might buff applies before you can respond, putting her at 5 Might

Ruling: Yes, this scenario is valid. When Jinx's ability triggers at the beginning of the turn, it creates a window where either player can respond with reactions before the ability resolves. If you respond with a reaction that changes the game state so Jinx no longer qualifies for the ability (e.g., by removing a unit or causing them to draw cards), they will not draw the extra card. Scoring happens after the Beginning step, so preventing the draw can prevent scoring. Sequence: - Opponent starts Beginning phase and awakens - Jinx's ability triggers (this always happens regardless of hand size) - Priority passes and you can respond with reactions - Your reaction resolves (e.g., Gust to remove a unit) - Jinx's ability resolves, checking current game state - If conditions are no longer met, no cards are drawn - Scoring step occurs after Beginning step Nuances: - Hidden Blade specifically doesn't work because it's an Action, not a Reaction - use Gust or similar reactions instead - The Jinx player can also respond to their own trigger by playing reactions to empty their hand, then draw cards when the ability resolves - Jinx's ability always triggers at the beginning regardless of hand size; it just sometimes doesn't do anything if conditions aren't met

Ruling: Yes, you can respond to the Arena trigger by killing a unit to prevent its conquer effect from being added to the chain. Sequence: - Arena's trigger goes on the chain - You can respond by killing the unit before the trigger resolves - When Arena's trigger resolves, it checks which units are present at the battlefield with conquer abilities - Only units present when the trigger resolves are added to the chain - If a unit was killed in response, it will not be included

Ruling: Yes, you can respond to Sona's end of turn effect. Yes, moving, killing, or bouncing her will stop the effect from resolving. Sequence: - Sona's end of turn effect triggers - Players can respond with actions - Upon resolution, the effect checks if Sona is at a battlefield - If she is not present at a battlefield, the effect does not resolve Nuances: - This interaction works specifically because Sona's errata'd text includes a conditional check for "if I'm at a battlefield" - Without such a conditional check, moving or removing a unit would not prevent triggered effects from resolving

Ruling: No, only cards and effects with the 'Reaction' tag can be placed on the chain as a response to other cards or effects.

Ruling: Yes, you can respond to Reflective Triggers. When a spell with a Reflective Trigger resolves, the trigger is placed on the chain after the spell finishes resolving, and players can respond to it before it resolves. Sequence: - Opponent plays Dragon's Rage targeting one of your units (you can react here) - Dragon's Rage resolves and the unit moves; the Reflective Trigger "choose another enemy unit at its destination, they deal damage equal to their Mights to each other" is placed on the chain - You can react to the Reflective Trigger on the chain - When all reactions resolve and players pass, the trigger resolves and damage occurs if targets are still legal Nuances: - The spell completely finishes resolving before the Reflective Trigger is finalized and placed on the chain - You can react between the spell's initial effects (before "Do this:") and the Reflective Trigger effects (after "Do this:") - Conceptually, it's like the spell has two parts or abilities within it

Ruling: All "At the start of Beginning Phase" (ATSOBS) effects, including Temporary and other triggers like Mushroom Pouch, trigger at the Beginning Step (before the Scoring Step). The "before scoring" text on Temporary is reminder text clarifying that temporary units can't hold, not a different timing window. You can respond to Temporary triggers with reactions before they resolve. Sequence: - Beginning Step occurs (before Scoring Step) - All ATSOBS triggers (Temporary, Mushroom Pouch, etc.) go on the chain - Players can respond with reactions (like Hidden Blade from hidden) - Triggers resolve - Scoring Step occurs Nuances: - Common play pattern in Viktor: respond to your own Sprite's Temporary trigger with Hidden Blade (from hidden) to kill it before it kills itself, drawing 2 cards (or 3 at Dreaming Tree) - You can also respond to Temporary triggers by playing units like Shen, who will then be at the battlefield in time to hold it during the Scoring Step

Ruling: Yes, you can respond to a temporary creature dying. Temporary is a triggered ability that creates a chain, allowing players to respond with reaction speed effects. Sequence: - At the start of your beginning phase, the temporary ability triggers - This creates a chain that players can respond to - Players can play reaction speed units or other effects in response Nuances: - You can use this interaction to score hold points by playing reaction speed units in response to the temporary trigger

Ruling: You cannot respond to an opponent playing a unit. Units leave the chain directly without a round of priority, unlike spells which linger on the chain. Nuances: - Units, gear, and abilities that Add resources all leave the chain immediately without allowing responses - In the scenario described, Vayne would enter readied (not exhausted) because there is no opportunity to respond by removing your unit from the battlefield before Vayne enters

Ruling: No, you cannot respond to Zhonya's Hourglass. It does not go on the chain because it replaces the act of killing a unit, and even when played from hidden at reaction speed, it is a permanent that resolves without priority. Nuances: - Permanents in general cannot be reacted to - they pass through the chain but don't allow responses - This also applies to any ability with 'add' (like Malzahar, runes, seals)

Ruling: Yes, you can respond to both cards. Both Brynhilder Thundersong and Thousand Tail have play effects that use the chain and can be reacted to.

Ruling: Yes, reactions can be played in response to combat triggers like Yasuo's ability. Reactions can be played anytime an action could be played plus in response to any trigger on the chain. Sequence: - Yasuo's ability triggers and requires a target to be declared immediately upon triggering - After the target is declared, a round of priority is passed starting with the active player - When priority passes to the opponent, they can play a reaction - If a reaction is played, a new round of priority is passed - When priority is passed with no responses, the Yasuo trigger resolves as much as it can Nuances: - Actions cannot be played in response to the ability during combat, only reactions - The target must be declared before any player can respond with priority

Ruling: You can only respond to activated abilities with reaction-speed cards. Most removal spells are actions and cannot be used in response to abilities. Nuances: - Shakedown and Gust are examples of reaction-speed removal that can be used to kill units in response to their abilities - Action-speed cards cannot be used in response to effects on the pile/chain

Ruling: You can target any spell on the chain at any point, even when other spells/abilities are on top of it. The chain resolves one by one, and between each resolution you have the ability to react again. Sequence: - Spells/abilities are added to the chain - The chain resolves one item at a time (top to bottom) - Between each resolution, players can react and add new spells/abilities to the chain - This continues until the chain is empty Nuances: - While you can respond to any spell on the chain at any time, it's strategically better to wait as long as possible to avoid giving your opponent unnecessary information - You can let one spell resolve, then respond to remaining spells on the chain before they resolve

Ruling: Yes, you can respond with Reactions to ETB triggers. While you cannot respond to units being played, you can respond to their ETB triggers when they go on the stack.

Ruling: No, you cannot retreat a unit after damage has been assigned. Once damage assignment begins, damage is dealt and lethally damaged units are removed before any player receives priority to take actions like retreating. Sequence: - Damage is assigned in the showdown - Damage is dealt simultaneously - Lethally damaged units are removed in cleanup - Players receive priority to take actions Nuances: - A unit that would be dealt lethal damage is not a valid target for retreat after damage assignment begins, as it will be removed before you can act

Ruling: You cannot use Reaver's Row's "when you defend" trigger to retreat from non-combat spells, as "when you defend" only triggers when a unit is declared a defender during combat. However, you can play other cards like Retreat at reaction speed to move the unit, which will cause spells that target "at a battlefield" (like Void Seeker or Hidden Blade) to mistarget. Sequence: (for combat scenarios) - Attacker moves into a battlefield, initiating combat - Initial Chain begins with "When I Attack" and "When I Defend" triggers, including Reaver's Row - You choose a target unit for Reaver's Row and the ability goes on the chain - Reactions can be played to the Initial Chain - When Reaver's Row resolves, you decide whether to actually retreat the unit (it's a "may" ability) - After the Initial Chain fully resolves, the attacker (who has Focus) can play Actions like Hextech Ray Nuances: - The defender chooses the target when Reaver's Row triggers, but doesn't decide whether to actually retreat until the ability resolves - This allows units like Irelia Fervent to be targeted by Reaver's Row for the buff but remain at the battlefield by declining the "may" retreat

Ruling: You cannot avoid conquering if you end a showdown with only your units present at a battlefield you do not control (and haven't scored this turn). Units exhaust when they move to the battlefield to initiate the showdown, not when they conquer it. Sequence: - Units exhaust as a cost to perform a standard move to the battlefield - Showdown occurs - If only attackers remain at a battlefield you don't control, you must conquer and score 1 point - Conquering does not give any special window or permission to move exhausted units Nuances: - You can move units from a battlefield if you have the ability to do so (e.g., through spells or other card effects) - Standard exhausted units cannot move back without special effects

Ruling: Yes, you can return a monster with Reaver's Row before damage is dealt when defending. Sequence: - Reaver's Row activates during the "when I attack/when I defend" step - This step occurs before damage is dealt - You can return the monster to safety at this point

Ruling: No, you cannot reveal Tideturner after Charm resolves. When Charm moves Mundo off the battlefield and he was your only unit there, you immediately lose control of the battlefield (since it's not contested and you have no units there). The hidden Tideturner is then removed during the cleanup that occurs from the movement. Sequence: - Charm resolves and moves Mundo to a different battlefield - The movement triggers a cleanup - During cleanup, hidden cards are removed from battlefields not controlled by the same player - Since you no longer control the battlefield (no units, not contested), the hidden Tideturner is trashed - You cannot reveal it before this happens Nuances: - You could have played Tideturner from hidden BEFORE Charm resolved (during the showdown when Charm was played), even if it would have no legal target - Hidden cards are removed during cleanup, not immediately when you lose control of a battlefield - You can maintain hidden cards at a battlefield you don't control if no cleanup occurs, though this is practically impossible in most game situations

Ruling: You can reveal a hidden Zhonya's Hourglass after your unit dies during showdown because you retain control of the battlefield until after combat cleanup concludes. However, to actually save a unit with Zhonya's, you must reveal it before the unit dies. Sequence: - During showdown, you keep control of the battlefield you controlled at the start - Combat cleanup occurs (where units die and deathknell triggers) - Control of the battlefield changes after cleanup concludes - You can reveal hidden Zhonya's any time during this period while you have focus Nuances: - You cannot react to a unit death itself - If a unit has Deathknell, you can react to the Deathknell and flip Zhonya's, but the unit has already died at that point and cannot be saved - To save a unit, you must flip Zhonya's before it dies (e.g., in response to a spell that would kill it) - If you hide Zhonya's at a battlefield where a unit has Deathknell, you can keep the Zhonya's for a future unit as the Deathknell unit dies - If multiple units die simultaneously, the owner of Zhonya's chooses which unit to save

Ruling: Yes, you can reveal hidden cards from any battlefield whenever you have priority, regardless of where the showdown is happening. The restrictions are on how you can use the card, not on when you can play it. Nuances: - Some cards like Block may only target units at their own battlefield, but you can still react with hidden cards from any location when you have priority.

Ruling: You can reveal the hidden card in reaction to the temporary trigger. The temporary keyword is a trigger, not a passive effect, so you have the opportunity to respond to it before the unit dies. Sequence: - The temporary trigger occurs at the start of your turn - You can reveal your hidden card in reaction to this trigger - If you don't react to the temporary trigger, the unit will disappear and you lose the hidden card Nuances: - This only works if your unit dies in a showdown (combat or otherwise), because control can't be lost for the duration of any showdown, giving you a window after the unit dies and before the showdown ends to play your hourglass - Outside of a showdown, control will be lost in the cleanup following the unit leaving the battlefield and you'll lose your hidden card, so you'd need to respond to the effect that removes the unit

Ruling: Yes, you can reveal a hidden unit (like Teemo) in response to Carnivorous Snapvine targeting another unit (like Kai'Sa). Nuances: - You cannot do this if you hid the unit to the battlefield during the same turn.

Ruling: No, you cannot save a unit with Zhonya's and still get its Deathknell effect. Deathknells only happen if the unit dies. Sequence: - The Deathknell trigger is added as pending when the unit would die - The unit being in the trash is a requirement for the trigger to finalize - If the unit is saved before the trigger finalizes, it prevents the trigger from finalizing to the chain Nuances: - The trigger goes on the chain initially, but the unit must actually die for it to resolve

Ruling: No, you may only score one point from a battlefield per turn. Nuances: - This restriction prevents scoring multiple Conquer points by repeatedly moving units into and out of the same battlefield (for example, at 7 points to draw extra cards)

Ruling: No, you cannot score a battlefield twice in one turn. You can only score one point per battlefield per turn, regardless of method (holding or conquering). Sequence: - During your Battlefield phase, you score a point for holding - You cannot score that same battlefield again during your Action phase by conquering it Nuances: - You can move your unit back during your turn and then use Ride the Wind on your opponent's turn to score, since that would be a different turn - The Battlefield phase (where holding occurs) is part of your turn, so holding does count as scoring

Ruling: Yes, you can score conquest points on your opponent's turn by winning showdowns at battlefields. The only restriction is that you cannot score the same battlefield twice in the same turn. Sequence: - Scenario 1: Opponent plays a unit to a battlefield, you Ride the Wind to that battlefield and win the showdown - you score the point - Scenario 2: You conquered both battlefields on your turn, opponent conquers one of them on their turn, you move a unit there and win the showdown - you score the point Nuances: - You can only score each battlefield once per turn - Scoring on your opponent's turn does not count against your limit for that battlefield since it's a different turn

Ruling: No, you can score each battlefield only once per turn, regardless of whether you leave and re-enter it. Nuances: - If you lose control of a battlefield during your turn and regain control in the same turn, you do not score another point - Regaining control of a battlefield during your turn (after losing it) does not count as "conquering" it, as conquering is specifically part of the scoring process - You can be in control of a battlefield without having conquered it

Ruling: Yes, you can score on your opponent's turn. If you use Ride the Wind during a showdown to move a unit to a different open battlefield, and your opponent cannot kill or move that unit, you will score that battlefield during their turn. Sequence: - Use Ride the Wind during a showdown on your opponent's turn - Move your unit to a different open battlefield - After the first showdown ends, the new battlefield's showdown immediately begins - If opponent cannot contest, you score the battlefield on their turn Nuances: - You can only score each battlefield once per turn - If you leave a battlefield and return to the same one in the same turn, you can score it again - This requires two separate showdowns due to how control works - The unit moved in this way does not trigger assault mechanics when moving to an open battlefield (no attackers present) - If moving to a controlled battlefield, your unit becomes the attacker - If both players move units to an open battlefield, the first player to arrive is still the attacker in the following combat

Ruling: Scoring is not limited to your own turn. Each player can score one point per battlefield per turn, regardless of whose turn it is. When you move into a battlefield your opponent is trying to conquer, you can still conquer and score if you win the combat. Sequence: - When a player moves to conquer and you react by moving there too, the open showdown must finish first (both players pass without playing more actions) - The showdown ends without anybody conquering - A combat showdown starts, where the original player becomes the attacker and you become the defender - After combat resolves, if you are the only player with a unit there and didn't control the battlefield before, you conquer and score a point Nuances: - Conquering is determined by whether you had control of the battlefield when combat resolution occurs, not by attacker/defender status - If you didn't control the battlefield and are the only player with a unit remaining after combat, you conquer regardless of being attacker or defender

Ruling: You can only score 1 point per battlefield per turn. If you already scored a point from holding a battlefield at the start of your turn, you cannot score again from conquering that same battlefield later in the turn. Nuances: - Moving an enemy unit to an empty battlefield on your turn allows them to score a point - Any movement to a battlefield triggers a showdown - Tryndamere's effect does not trigger in this scenario because conquering only occurs when you gain control of a battlefield you did not yet score from this turn

Ruling: Yes, you can score on a battlefield once per turn, meaning you can score on your turn and again on your opponent's turn (every turn, not only every 2 turns). Nuances: - This applies to situations like Ride of the Wind where you might lose and regain control of a battlefield between turns

Ruling: You can score on an opponent's turn. The only restriction is you cannot score the same battlefield twice in one turn (your turn or opponent's turn are separate turns). Sequence: - If you scored Battlefield A on your turn, then move to base, then Ride the Wind to Battlefield B on opponent's turn, you score at Battlefield B - If you scored Battlefield A on your turn, then Ride the Wind back to Battlefield A on opponent's turn, you score there again because it's a different turn Nuances: - The restriction only applies within a single turn - your turn and opponent's turn are counted as separate turns for scoring purposes

Ruling: Yes, you can score on your opponent's turn if they force you into combat (such as through Charm) and you win the showdown. Nuances: - A given player can only score a battlefield once per turn, but there is no limit on how many players can score from the same battlefield in a given turn - This means even if your opponent just scored from that battlefield on their turn, you can still score from it on their turn if you win combat there

Ruling: You can only score a battlefield once per turn, even if you take control of it multiple times during that turn. However, you can score once per battlefield per turn, meaning you can hold your own battlefield for 1 point and conquer your opponent's battlefield for another point in the same turn. Sequence: - When you first successfully attack a battlefield in a turn, you conquer it and score it - Any subsequent times you take control of that same battlefield in the same turn do not grant additional points - You can still score other battlefields that same turn Nuances: - Taking control of a battlefield multiple times only counts as "conquering" once (the first time you get a point from it) - If you are at 7 points and successfully attack a battlefield, you have still "conquered" and "scored" it even though you don't receive a point due to the win condition

Ruling: To score the 8th point via conquest, you must score on both battlefields during your turn. Alternatively, you can reach 8 points by holding a battlefield at the start of your turn (going from 7 to 8). Sequence: - If at 7 points with control of one battlefield, you can score the 8th point by holding that battlefield at turn start - Then move to and conquer the other battlefield for additional scoring - If you have only one unit and are at 7 points, you cannot score the 8th point through conquest unless you can move that unit to score on both battlefields Nuances: - You cannot score the 8th point by conquering only one battlefield when starting with both empty - Cards that grant points (like Time Warp) combined with battlefield control can enable scoring the 8th point if you score on the held battlefield first, then move to score on the second battlefield

Ruling: You can score the 8th point by holding a battlefield. The restriction on gaining the 8th point only applies when conquering; all other methods including holding will always give the 8th point. Nuances: - You can only score each battlefield once per turn - If you already hold a battlefield and are at 7 points, you win immediately by holding it

Ruling: You cannot score the final point with Ride the Wind's conquer if you haven't scored both battlefields this turn. You would draw instead. Sequence: - If you conquer with Ride the Wind without having scored both battlefields this turn, you draw - If you could conquer a battlefield afterwards, you would score the final point then Nuances: - Ember Monk would have died to Hidden Blade before scoring in this scenario

Ruling: Yes, you can score the final 8th point via Yasuo Windrunner's effect. The only restriction to winning the game is on a conquer, which requires you to score all battlefields on the same turn. Nuances: - If you score one battlefield on a hold (during your turn), you can win by scoring another battlefield through Yasuo's effect on that same turn - You can also win the game on your opponent's turn if you're able to move Yasuo three times

Ruling: Yes, you can score your 8th point (the game-winning point) using abilities such as Ahri's hold ability or Tryndamere's conquer ability.

Ruling: You can score the last point with card abilities like Ahri. The only restriction for scoring the last point is that it cannot come from conquering. Nuances: - Card abilities that gain points are allowed to win the game - Conquering is specifically restricted from scoring the final point

Ruling: You can only score each battlefield once per turn. This applies to both conquering and holding - if you score a battlefield through holding in your Beginning phase, you cannot score it again that turn by conquering. Sequence: - Holding is scored during your Beginning phase - If you score a battlefield through holding, that counts as scoring it for your turn - You cannot then conquer that same battlefield for another point on the same turn - In a 2 battlefield game, the maximum you can score on your turn is 2 points (one per battlefield) Nuances: - Scoring on your opponent's turn is legal and doesn't count against your own turn's scoring limit - If you score on your opponent's turn (e.g., through a Charm effect), you still get your hold point during your Beginning phase, but cannot rescore that battlefield again on your turn

Ruling: You can only score each battlefield once per turn. If you've already scored it from a conquer or hold that turn, you can't score it again. Nuances: - This applies even if you conquer a battlefield, then lose control of it (such as by using Charm to move an enemy unit there), and then reconquer it in the same turn.

Ruling: No, you cannot score the 8th point this way. You must score both battlefields within the same turn to reach the 8th point. Nuances: - You could theoretically win on an opponent's turn by conquering both battlefields during their turn if you started with 0 controlled battlefields - You can use Ride the Wind to leave and reconquer the same battlefield to draw a card and score a point (just not to reach the 8th point from controlling two different battlefields across different turns)

Ruling: You can spend a buff from any unit you control, regardless of location (field or base). Nuances: - The ability does not specify location, so it applies to all units you control - You can only spend buffs from units you control, not opponent's units

Ruling: No, you cannot spend buffs on units controlled by your teammate. A player can only spend buffs on units they control, unless a card specifically allows otherwise. Nuances: - Cards may override this restriction if they explicitly specify spending buffs on friendly units or teammate units