Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: Yes, you can score 1 point for conquering a battlefield on your opponent's turn if you win the showdown there. Nuances: - You can score 1 point per battlefield per turn, regardless of whose turn it is - This applies when your unit is moved into a battlefield on your opponent's turn (e.g., via Charm) and you win the resulting showdown

Ruling: No, you cannot normally gain priority during a Hold step to use the runes readied by Annie's ability before scoring occurs. Once Annie's trigger resolves, you cannot use actions during that step. Nuances: - You could use Gust earlier during your turn before passing, but this would require not spending all your energy - If you have another end phase trigger (like Targon's Peak, Temporary, or Jinx), you can gain priority between trigger resolutions and use Gust at that point with the readied runes from Annie

Yes, you can move units from your base and units with **Ganking** from another battlefield to the same destination simultaneously. According to **Rule 143.3**: > "Players may perform multiple Units' standard move simultaneously... When a Move like this is declared by a player, the units' Destination must be the same... the Origins do not need to be the same." ### How it works: 1. **Declare the Move:** You choose the destination battlefield. 2. **Select Units:** You select the unit(s) at your base and the unit(s) with Ganking at your other battlefield. 3. **Pay Costs:** You exhaust all units involved in the move simultaneously. 4. **Arrival:** All units arrive at the destination at the same time. If this causes the battlefield to become contested, a single Showdown/Combat is triggered for the entire group rather than separate ones. **Key Nuance:** Ganking is not a separate "special move" action; it is a passive ability that adds a new permission to a unit's **Standard Move** (Rule 736.1.c). Because both the unit at base and the unit with Ganking are performing a Standard Move to the same destination, they can be grouped together into one simultaneous action.

Ruling: You can gank the same battlefield multiple times in one turn if you have the ability to move multiple times outside of the normal move. However, you can only score 1 point per battlefield per turn. Sequence: - Gank an empty battlefield - Move your unit with ganking to a different battlefield - Move back to the previous battlefield - Gank again (but only score 1 point total from that battlefield this turn) Nuances: - The limitation is on points scored per battlefield per turn, not on the number of times you can perform the gank action

Ruling: You can generate power during the resolution of Bullet Time using Reaction: Add abilities, even though you don't have priority during resolution. This is explicitly allowed by the rules for any spell or ability resolution that requires resources to be paid. Sequence: - Play Bullet Time and pass priority - Opponent passes priority - Bullet Time begins resolving - During resolution, you can use Reaction: Add abilities to generate power - Choose how much power to pay and resolve Bullet Time's effect Nuances: - This permission applies to any resolution that requires resources to be paid, not just costs paid when casting - You can generate any type of resource during this window (both power and energy), not just the specific resource type being paid - The rule allowing this is the same one that permits generating resources during the payment of spell costs

Ruling: Yes, you can generate power or energy from runes without spending them immediately. This is called "floating" resources. Your resource pool empties at the end of every turn (specifically at the end of the Draw step). Sequence: - Declare you are floating resources (e.g. "I'm floating 4 energy") as you recycle/exhaust runes - Track the floated resources (e.g. with dice) - Spend the floated resources later in the same turn in any order - Any unspent resources are lost at end of turn Nuances: - You must declare the shortcut of floating resources before recycling runes, otherwise opponents may call a judge if you try to use energy from already-recycled ready runes - Energy and power are not tied to your runes after being generated - they exist independently in your pool - You cannot use floated resources on your opponent's turn - they expire at end of your turn - If you want to use resources during opponent's turn, you need ready runes available at that time - You can float both power and energy

Ruling: You cannot hard cast Sprite Call as an attacker to the battlefield you're attacking because you don't control it. However, you can play it during that showdown to your own base/battlefield that you do control. Nuances: - In FFA format as a 3rd party, you cannot play it to help an ally in a 2v2 scenario because you cannot have more than 2 players' units present at a battlefield at the same time.

Ruling: Yes, you can have 2 Dazzling Aurora on the field at the same time and get both effects.

Ruling: No, you cannot have more than 1 hidden unit/spell/gear on the same battlefield object in general. Nuances: - There is a card (the Bandle Tree) that modifies this limit and allows exceptions

Ruling: You can have multiple Zhonya's Hourglass on the field at once. If only one unit dies, only one Zhonya's Hourglass gets used. Nuances: - Multiple copies can be present simultaneously - Each death triggers only one Hourglass, not all of them

Ruling: There is no legend rule in Riftbound. You can have multiple copies of the same Champion in play at the same time.

Ruling: There are no restrictions on the number of copies of a unit you can have in play at any time. This applies to all units, including your chosen champion. Nuances: - You can have multiple copies of your chosen champion in play simultaneously - You can have multiple copies of any other champion (like Darius) in play at the same time - Having multiple copies of a champion with abilities that trigger (like Kai'Sa's Conquer and draw) means those abilities trigger for each copy

Ruling: You are allowed to have the same champions on the board. Champions are normal units with no restriction on duplicates. Nuances: - Your chosen champion is special only in that they always start next to your legend and can be played from there - This rule may have been confused with Legends of Runeterra, where you cannot play a champion from hand if it is already on your board

Ruling: You can hide Teemo directly from the Champion Zone without needing to move it to hand first. Nuances: - The ruling was not always this way; previously the rules only allowed hiding from hand, requiring players to pay energy to move Teemo to hand first before hiding - A Chinese FAQ was the first indication of the rule change allowing direct hiding from Champion Zone - The current rules explicitly allow hiding directly from the Champion Zone

Ruling: No, you cannot hide a card and play it instantly. You must wait at least until your opponent's turn. Sequence: - Hide the card during your turn - Wait for your opponent's turn - Play the hidden card anytime you have priority during your opponent's turn Nuances: - Hidden cards can only target things on the battlefield where they're hidden - Cards that don't require targets (like Consult the Pass or Pakaa Cub) can be played whenever you have priority, such as when your opponent plays a unit with a trigger ability or uses their legend

No, you cannot hide a card using the ability of the Rek'Sai legend (Void Burrower). According to the RiftJudge FAQ #9225: 1. **Hiding is a Discretionary Action:** Rule 408.2 states that "Hiding is a Discretionary Action." Rule 408.2.a specifies that the Hidden keyword allows a player to pay a cost to hide a card "any time they have a Hidden card in their hand or Champion Zone and meet the prerequisites." 2. **Hiding vs. Playing:** Hiding a card is distinct from playing a card. As noted in FAQ #7169 and FAQ #5902, hiding is not the same as playing a card. 3. **Ability Restrictions:** The ability on Void Burrower instructs you to "play" a card. It does not grant you the ability to perform the "Hide" action. Because the card is being played from the top of your Main Deck (a zone that is not your hand or Champion Zone), you do not meet the prerequisites to use the "Hide" action defined in Rule 737.1.b. In summary, because the ability specifically instructs you to "play" the card, and hiding is a separate discretionary action with its own specific requirements (hand/Champion Zone, paying the hide cost), you cannot use this ability to hide a card.

Ruling: Yes, you can hide a card to a battlefield you control even when not conquering. Hiding is a Discretionary Action that requires you control the battlefield, the card is in your hand, it's your turn, and there's no active chain or showdown. Sequence: - Must be during your turn - No chain or showdown can be active - Card must be in your hand - Must hide to a battlefield you control Nuances: - You can only have 1 hidden card at a battlefield at a time unless a battlefield effect allows additional hidden cards - You cannot activate a hidden card the same turn you hide it - Hiding does not create a chain - Hiding is different from playing a card

Ruling: You can only hide cards from your hand or the Champion Zone, not from your base or battlefield. Sequence: - During your turn in an Open State, you may pay the hide cost for a card in your hand or Champion Zone - Hide it facedown at a battlefield you control that doesn't already have a facedown card - Beginning on the next turn, the hidden card gains Reaction and can be played, ignoring its base cost Nuances: - Cards in your hand or champion zone are neither ready nor exhausted (these states only apply to cards on the battlefield) - If a unit like Teemo Scout is already at your base, you cannot hide it from there

Ruling: You can only hide cards on your turn during a neutral open state (no showdown, no chain) at a battlefield you control. Sequence: - You must be on your turn during your Action Phase - The game must be in a neutral open state (not in showdown or chain) - You must control the battlefield where you're hiding the card Nuances: - While hiding is a discretionary action and you receive priority at multiple times (including showdown and chain), the timing restriction for hiding specifically requires a neutral open state - Having priority does not automatically mean you can hide - you can only take "appropriately timed" discretionary actions, and hiding's appropriate timing is restricted to neutral open state on your turn - Play A Card is also discretionary, but Action and Reaction tags override the base timing restriction

Ruling: Yes, you can hide directly to battlefield. Sequence: N/A Nuances: N/A

Ruling: You can hide as many times as you can pay the requirements in a turn. Each battlefield can only have one hidden card unless otherwise stated. You cannot play a card the same turn you hide it, but you can play it on your opponent's turn once you are given focus or priority. Sequence: - Hide a card during your turn (can hide multiple times if requirements are met) - Cannot play that hidden card during the same turn it was hidden - Can play the hidden card on opponent's turn when given focus or priority Nuances: - Each battlefield is limited to one hidden card unless a card effect states otherwise

Ruling: Yes, you can hide your chosen champion from the champion zone.

Ruling: No, you cannot conquer a battlefield you held that turn. Both holding and conquering are types of scoring, and you can only score each battlefield once per turn. Nuances: - Holding and conquering are different types of scoring, but both count as scoring the battlefield - Conquering only happens when you haven't scored the battlefield that turn

Yes, you can win by holding one battlefield and conquering another in the same turn. To win the game, you must reach the **Victory Score** (usually 8 points in a standard 1v1 game). The final point has specific restrictions depending on how it is earned: 1. **Scoring by Holding:** If you score your final point by holding a battlefield during your Beginning Phase, you win immediately (Rule 448.1.b.1). 2. **Scoring by Conquering:** If you are at 7 points and attempt to score your 8th point by conquering, you only win if you have **scored every battlefield** (usually both battlefields in 1v1) during that same turn (Rule 448.1.b.2). ### How the Scenario Works: * **Beginning Phase:** You control Battlefield A. You score 1 point for **Holding** it. Your score moves from 7 to 8. Since this was a "Hold," you win the game immediately. * **Action Phase:** If you were at 6 points, held Battlefield A (moving to 7), and then moved units to Battlefield B to **Conquer** it, you would score your 8th point. Because you scored both Battlefield A (via Hold) and Battlefield B (via Conquer) in the same turn, you satisfy the requirement for the final point and win. ### Important Restrictions: * **One Score Per Battlefield:** You cannot score the *same* battlefield twice in one turn. If you hold Battlefield A at the start of the turn, you cannot leave it and "re-conquer" it later that turn to get a second point or trigger "When you conquer" effects (Rule 447). * **The "Draw" Clause:** If you attempt to conquer a battlefield for your final point but have *not* scored the other battlefield(s) that turn, you do not win. Instead, you draw a card (Rule 448.1.b.2). **Summary:** Holding one and conquering the other is the standard way to secure a victory on your own turn. *Citations:* * **Rule 448.1.b.1:** "If the player has Scored through Hold, that player scores the Final Point." * **Rule 448.1.b.2:** "If the player has Scored through a Conquer and has Scored every Battlefield... this turn, that player scores the Final Point."

Ruling: Yes, you can hold priority after attacking with Warwick to cast a reaction card before the ability resolves.

Ruling: You can hold priority and play multiple cards in a row, but only Reactions. If you want to play multiple Actions, each must resolve and your opponent will get Focus in between. Sequence: - When you have priority, you can cast a Reaction - Hold priority to respond to your own spell on the chain (it hasn't resolved yet) - Cast another Reaction - Repeat as desired before passing priority - Note: You can opt to play Reactions as Actions if you want Nuances: - Focus is the permission to play Actions in a showdown and to start a chain - Priority is the permission to play Reactions onto an existing chain - Focus passes when a chain fully resolves or a player with focus passes on an empty chain - Exception: In combat, after the initial chain (where "When I attack/defend" triggers are handled) resolves, the attacker retains focus rather than it passing

Ruling: When you gain priority, you can hold it and play as many Reaction spells as you want before choosing to pass priority to your opponent. After each chain link resolves, the player controlling the next item on the chain gains priority, and all relevant players must pass priority sequentially before that next item can resolve. Sequence: - When you gain priority, you may play multiple Reactions before passing - Once you pass priority, your opponent gains priority - If all relevant players pass priority sequentially without adding anything, the most recent chain link resolves - After a chain link resolves, the player controlling the next item on the chain gains priority - All players must pass priority again before the next chain link can resolve - This process repeats for each item on the chain Nuances: - Once you pass priority after playing a Reaction, if your opponent also passes, that Reaction resolves before you can add another one - Permanents are an exception - no player gains priority when they are played - During a Showdown, focus passes after the last item on the chain resolves, not after each chain link

Ruling: No, holding priority does not protect your action from being countered. Counter spells like Defy can target any spell on the chain, not just the most recent one. Sequence: - You can add multiple spells to the chain before passing priority - Opponent can target any spell on the chain with a counter, not just the most recent - Alternatively, you can let the chain partially resolve, allowing the reaction to resolve first, then counter the action afterward Nuances: - There is no way to truly "block" an opponent from countering your spell by chaining reactions after it - Even if you let your reaction resolve first, the opponent can still counter the action once it's the only spell remaining on the chain

No, you cannot. According to **Rule 313.4**, "A player may not make discretionary actions with Focus unless they also possess Priority." Furthermore, as established in the **RiftJudge FAQ (id 9012)**, the attacker always gains focus first at the start of a showdown. Because the attacker holds focus and priority, they are the only player allowed to start a chain. As the defender, you cannot act until the attacker either plays a card (starting a chain) or passes their focus to you. ### Why you cannot act immediately: 1. **Priority is Exclusive:** Only one player holds priority at a time, allowing them to act. You cannot "pre-cast" a reaction or interrupt the attacker before they have made a decision. 2. **Order of Operations:** * **Showdown Starts:** The attacker gains both focus and priority. * **Attacker's Choice:** The attacker must either play an [ACTION] or [REACTION] card to start a chain, or pass their focus. * **Your Turn:** Only once the attacker plays a card (opening a **Closed State**) or passes focus to you, can you then use your own [REACTION] cards to respond or act. In short, you must wait for the attacker to yield priority before you have the legal right to play any card, including those with the [REACTION] keyword.

Ruling: You can play both versions of a champion unit in your deck, but you can only put one of them in the champion slot. Nuances: - This applies to champions with multiple variations (like Jinx with Fury and Chaos versions, and Miss Fortune)

Ruling: Yes, you can include champion units in your main deck even if they are different from your chosen legend. You can also include copies of your legend champion in the main deck. Sequence: - Choose your legend (e.g., Teemo Scout) - Add up to 3 copies of different champions to your main deck (e.g., 3 Ekkos) - You may also add copies of your legend champion to the main deck (e.g., 2 Teemos)

Ruling: After each item on a chain resolves, there is a window for players to react. Zhonya's must be revealed before damage is assigned, as there is no reaction opportunity during or after damage assignment. Sequence: - Players can add to the chain after each item resolves - Combat damage is assigned at the very end of combat after both players have passed - Zhonya's must be revealed (if hidden) before this damage assignment step - Once Zhonya's is face-up in play, it automatically saves the next unit that dies (not a choice) Nuances: - If Zhonya's is already face-up, you cannot choose whether to activate it - it automatically saves the next dying unit - If multiple units die simultaneously, you can choose which one to save - You always need to reveal Zhonya's before knowing how your opponent will assign damage

Ruling: No, you cannot do this. Killing the tokens is a cost, and when Ledros comes into play you do not control the battlefield anymore. Sequence: - You pay costs (including killing tokens) - Ledros enters play - At the point Ledros enters, you no longer control the battlefield due to the tokens being killed as part of the cost Nuances: - The timing of when you lose battlefield control (during cost payment) prevents Ledros from being played on that battlefield

Ruling: You can kill Forge of the Future at base speed by placing it in your trash. The "Kill this:" text before the colon indicates an activated ability with an activation cost. Sequence: - Activate the ability during the neutral open state on your turn (outside of showdown while the chain is empty) - Place Forge of the Future in your trash as the activation cost - Resolve the ability effect

Ruling: No, you cannot prevent their abilities from resolving by killing them after activation. Once Sona's triggered ability or Renata's activated abilities are on the chain/stack, removing the unit from the battlefield does not stop them from resolving. Sequence: - For Sona: Her "if I'm at a battlefield" condition is checked when the trigger occurs at end of turn - Once the trigger is on the stack, killing Sona does not prevent the runes from readying - For Renata: She must be at a battlefield to activate her abilities (pay costs and put effects on the chain) - Once her activated ability is on the chain, killing or moving her does not prevent it from resolving Nuances: - "Using" an ability means playing/activating it (paying costs and putting effects on the chain), not the resolution - Renata's "Use my abilities only while I'm at a battlefield" is a restriction on activation, not a continuous requirement during resolution - The only way to stop these abilities would be with a counter effect, though ability counters are rare - Some effects can make abilities resolve but do nothing, which is different from countering them

No, you cannot kill a unit using only Frigid Touch. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #80**: "No, Frigid Touch alone cannot kill a unit. Units die only when they have nonzero damage marked on them that is at least equal to their Might, so it always takes at least 1 point of actual damage to kill something." Additionally, **Rule 410.1.c** states: "A Stunned Unit must still have damage applied to it equal to, or greater than, its full might value to be killed." While Frigid Touch reduces a unit's Might, reducing Might to 0 or below does not kill a unit by itself; the unit must still have damage marked on it that meets or exceeds its current Might value.

Ruling: No, you cannot kill all units you control at a battlefield to play Ledros there. If you kill all the units you control at a battlefield, you no longer control that battlefield and therefore cannot play Ledros to it. Nuances: - You must leave at least one unit alive at the battlefield to maintain control and be able to play Ledros there.

Ruling: 'Kill this' is a cost you can pay, not a discretionary action. You can activate these gear abilities on your turn prior to a chain and prior to a showdown by paying the cost of killing the gear. Sequence: - Must be activated on your turn - Must be prior to a chain - Must be prior to a showdown - Pay the cost (kill the gear) to receive the reward Nuances: - 'Kill this' (an instruction/cost) is different from 'When I'm killed' (a condition that triggers when the gear is killed by other means) - Paying costs is separate from discretionary actions

Ruling: Yes, you can save the unit with Soraka and it is still considered that you've paid the cost to equip Blade of the Ruined King. Nuances: - The interaction between killing a unit for the equip cost and saving it with Soraka was intentionally designed, as suggested by the thematic connection between these cards.

Ruling: You cannot loop Super Mega Death Rocket because you only conquered once, so the trigger only happens once. If you do not put all your SMDRs on the chain when the trigger initially happens, you cannot trigger them again until another conquer occurs. Sequence: - When you conquer, all "on conquer" triggered abilities trigger at that moment - All triggered SMDR abilities go onto the chain at once - After resolving that chain, you are past the trigger window - Any future "on conquer" abilities would need to see another conquer first Nuances: - You can still chain multiple SMDRs together if you put them all on the chain when the initial conquer trigger happens (e.g., with Jinx Rebel: conquer with 1 card in hand and 3 SMDR in discard, put all 3 on chain, then resolve them sequentially)

Yes, you can create a Reflection unit token that is a copy of an existing Reflection unit token. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9732**: * Token units are units and follow all rules for their type. * When a Reflection token enters play, it becomes a copy of a target unit already in play. * If you target an existing Reflection token, the new Reflection token will copy the current characteristics of that token (including the card it is currently copying, as those are its current traits). Since a Reflection token is a unit, it is a valid target for the ability provided by LeBlanc that creates these tokens.

Ruling: You cannot move units simultaneously with a standard move and Ride the Wind. You must make the standard move first to start the showdown, then wait until you have focus to play Ride the Wind. Sequence: - Make a standard move with a unit to start a showdown - Hold priority when you have focus - Play Ride the Wind to move another unit - The unit moved by Ride the Wind can join the ongoing showdown at the same battlefield and gain the attacker designation Nuances: - If units are vanilla (no abilities), moving them together might work as a shortcut, but you should be clear about the exact sequence - Undeclared shortcuts can cause confusion and should be avoided - If you move a unit to a different battlefield where you don't control it, that new showdown/combat will be staged and begin only after the first combat finishes

Ruling: Yes, as long as all of the units are moving to the same location, they can be moved from anywhere. Nuances: - Units can originate from different locations (e.g., one battlefield, base) as long as they are all moving to the same destination

Ruling: You cannot move a readied unit between battlefields without a source of ganking. The ability to move units between battlefields requires ganking. Nuances: - In the observed game situation, the unit was moved via Windswept Heath, which grants units ganking - Without ganking, units cannot move between battlefields even if you control both

Ruling: You can move any number of eligible units simultaneously from different locations (including base and other battlefields) to the same destination as long as they can legally move there and you exhaust each of them. A showdown does not trigger until after all simultaneous movement is complete. Sequence: - Declare all units moving to the same destination - Move them simultaneously from their different origins - Exhaust each moving unit - Showdown triggers after movement is complete Nuances: - Ganking only allows movement from one battlefield to another battlefield; the ability to move multiple units simultaneously is part of the standard move action, not specific to ganking - Units can originate from any combination of locations (base, different battlefields) as long as the destination is the same and legal for each unit

Ruling: Yes, you can move an exhausted unit with effects like Charm. Being exhausted only prevents regular moves, not moves caused by spells or abilities. Sequence: - Charm can move a unit regardless of whether it's exhausted or ready - The unit can be moved between battlefields (e.g., from a base to a battlefield) - Moving a unit to an occupied battlefield triggers a showdown where the moved unit becomes the attacker - If moved on your turn and they win the showdown, they score on your turn and get the hold point at the start of their turn Nuances: - Units moved while ready remain ready after the move (unless the effect exhausts them) - Units moved while exhausted remain exhausted (unless the effect specifically readies them, like Ride the Wind) - Ganking restrictions only apply to regular moves, not effect-based moves - The moved unit becomes the attacker in any resulting showdown

Ruling: Yes, you can move a unit from one battlefield directly to another battlefield with Ride the Wind. Nuances: - The restriction against moving battlefield to battlefield only applies to the standard move action - Spells and abilities specify their own limitations (some may have restrictions like certain cards do)

Ruling: Yes, you can move units from battlefield to battlefield using Ride the Wind. The battlefield-to-battlefield restriction only applies to standard movement, not to movement from spells or abilities. Nuances: - When moving units with spells or abilities, you don't exhaust the units unless the effect specifically says to do so.

Ruling: No, you cannot move a unit to the same location it is already in. Moving requires the unit to go between two different locations. Nuances: - The Core Rules define moving as "the act of a Game Object moving between two Locations on The Board," which requires two distinct locations - A location and the same location does not qualify as "two locations" - This applies to all movement effects, including cards like Ride the Wind

Ruling: No, you cannot move units together using Yasuo's legend ability and normal movement simultaneously. Moving units together is only possible with the standard move action. Nuances: - Yasuo's legend ability does not allow combining its movement with other movement types - Only the standard move action permits moving multiple units together