Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: Yes, signature spells that target "a friendly unit" count as choosing for Dreaming Tree's effect. Nuances: - The key is that the spell targets "a friendly unit", which qualifies as choosing even if the spell text doesn't explicitly use the word "choose"

Ruling: Spells do not fizzle in Riftbound. If a spell is already on the chain when its target gains Deflect, you do not need to pay the Deflect cost because costs are paid when putting cards/abilities on the chain, not on resolution. The spell resolves normally. Sequence: - Player declares target and pays all costs (including any Deflect costs that exist at that moment) to put the spell on the chain - If the target gains Deflect after the spell is on the chain, this does not change what was already paid - The spell resolves normally without requiring additional payment - Spells that fail to complete their effects are still considered "played" (they "whiff" but don't "fizzle") Nuances: - Triggered abilities are different: you CAN decline to pay Deflect costs for triggered abilities, which removes the trigger from the chain - Deflect is a cost modifier, not a targeting requirement - target legality checks do not re-evaluate whether costs were paid - If a spell is copied (like with Mystic Reversal) and targets a unit with Deflect, you don't pay the Deflect cost because costs were already paid for the original spell - Nothing in Riftbound works retroactively - once a timing window passes, it's done

Ruling: 'When defending' or 'when I defend' effects are only active during showdowns where that card is the defender. Spells and actions do not trigger these effects. Nuances: - These effects specifically require the card to be the defender in a showdown - Simply being targeted by spells or actions does not activate 'when defending' triggers

Ruling: The Beginning Step and Scoring Step happen in order, not at the same time. Effects from these steps go on different chains since they happen separately. Sequence: - Beginning Step occurs first and its chain resolves - Scoring Step occurs second (any hold effects happen after the Begin Step chain has resolved) Nuances: - This timing is why temporary units can't hold (they expire before the Scoring Step)

Ruling: Spell effects snapshot at resolution and only apply to things that are present when the spell resolves, not to things that enter play later during the effect's duration. Nuances: - This applies similarly to cards like Stand United, which would only increase the might of buffs that were in play when Stand United's text was executed - While this ruling is confirmed by official Red Text, it is not explicitly detailed in the Comprehensive Rules Document

Ruling: Yes, tokens get VISION from Gemcraft Seer because token maker effects use the word 'play' and tokens count as units. Nuances: - If you spawn multiple tokens at the same time, you get vision 1 multiple times - If you choose not to recycle the card the first time, you'll be looking at the same card each subsequent time

Ruling: Tokens do not trigger Legion. Legion requires playing a main deck card, and tokens are not considered cards. Nuances: - The term "card" when written on a card means "main deck card" - Tokens, runes, legends, and battlefields are not cards - This is why some card text uses "something" instead of "card" when it needs to refer to non-card game elements

Ruling: Cards are "played" when they resolve, not when they are cast. Triggered abilities from "on play" effects trigger after the spell fully resolves. If a spell is countered (e.g., by Defy), it does not resolve and is not considered played, so it will not trigger any "on play" abilities. Sequence: - Cast a spell (put it on the chain) - Spell resolves - The spell is now considered "played" - Any "on play" triggered abilities go on the stack - If the chain was empty, this creates a new chain for the triggered ability - Players get priority to respond to the triggered ability Nuances: - Whether the trigger is on the same chain or a new chain doesn't affect reaction windows - you get a reaction window either way - The term "playing a card" refers to both the act of putting it on the chain and its resolution, but "played" status only occurs upon resolution - Unless something says to do it "as you play", effects happen after resolution

Ruling: Yes, all triggered abilities create a chain, allowing all relevant players to react. Sequence: - Triggered ability goes on the chain - Players can respond with reactions before the triggered ability resolves

Ruling: If a triggered ability contains "here" and the unit is removed from the battlefield before resolution, the ability cannot resolve because "here" refers to the unit's location, which no longer exists. However, "here" does not inherently target—whether an ability targets depends on its specific wording. Sequence: - Triggered abilities enter the chain when they trigger - Targets are chosen at activation (if the ability targets) - At resolution, the game checks if "here" (the unit's location) still exists - If the unit has been removed or moved to a different location, abilities requiring "here" cannot resolve properly Nuances: - "Here" means "this unit's location" and does not inherently make an ability target - If a unit is moved to a different battlefield location, targets become illegal because they are not at the same location as the unit - Abilities like "When I attack, kill a unit" do not require the source to remain on the field to resolve - For damage splitting abilities, targets are chosen at activation but how damage is split is chosen at resolution - If a unit with "here" in its ability (like Vanguard Captain) is moved while the trigger is on the chain, the effect resolves at the new location; if removed entirely, it resolves to no effect

Ruling: Triggered abilities go on the chain regardless of whether you choose to do the effect. When the trigger resolves, you then choose whether or not to do the effect. Nuances: - All triggers go on the chain no matter what in Riftbound - This applies to cards with optional effects ("may") like Flame Chompers, Immortal Phoenix, and Weaponmaster abilities

Ruling: No, the 5 damage trigger does not resolve if Volibear is removed from the battlefield. Because Volibear's ability references "here" (the battlefield), when Volibear dies the targets become invalid since he is no longer at the battlefield the original targets were at. Sequence: - Volibear attacks, placing the "deal 5 damage" trigger on the chain - Hidden Blade is played in response, removing Volibear - Hidden Blade resolves, killing Volibear - When the 5 damage trigger attempts to resolve, the targets are now invalid because Volibear is no longer "here" (at the battlefield) - The trigger fails to resolve Nuances: - This ruling depends on the ability referencing "here" or the stats of the permanent itself - such effects won't resolve properly if the permanent is removed - Effects that target a battlefield or a different unit (without referencing "here") would still resolve fully even if the source permanent is removed - Targets and split amounts are declared when the trigger is added to the chain, but validity is checked again at resolution

Ruling: Yes, two Leona Zealot -8 effects stack.

Ruling: Yes, units revealed from hidden or added to a battlefield during showdown fully participate in that showdown and contribute to combat damage. Sequence: - The unit is revealed/added during showdown - The unit is fully resolved as part of that showdown - Combat damage is calculated after the showdown is complete - The newly revealed/added unit's damage is included in the total

Ruling: Units and gear enter the chain but skip Execute and Pass after Finalizing, immediately Resolving, so opponents cannot react to them. Sequence: - Unit/gear is played and enters the chain - It Finalizes - It skips Execute and Pass steps - It immediately Resolves Nuances: - This applies anytime a unit or gear is played from anywhere at any time - This includes units with hidden being played from hidden as a reaction - Main Deck cards must be recycled randomly (not in an order of your choice)

Ruling: Yes, all units everywhere heal after combat, regardless of which battlefield the combat occurred at. Nuances: - Units do not heal after a non-combat showdown

Ruling: Yes, units defending Trifarian Warcamp receive the might bonus at all times, not just during showdown and combat. This means the bonus applies for effects like Gust (which checks might to determine if a unit can be moved) and for triggering mighty-dependent abilities like Fiora's. Nuances: - A 3 might unit on Trifarian Warcamp becomes 4 might and cannot be moved by Gust - Fiora on Trifarian Warcamp reaches 5 might, becomes mighty, and gains her additional deflect, flanking, and shield abilities

Ruling: Units do not gain Assault/Shield bonuses or attacker/defender designations during a staged combat. These designations and their associated passive abilities only apply once combat actually begins, which can only happen when the game is in a neutral open state (no other showdown in progress). Sequence: - When a unit moves to an occupied enemy battlefield during an existing showdown, combat is staged but does not begin immediately - The current showdown must complete first and the game must return to a neutral open state - Only then does combat begin, starting with assigning attacker/defender designations - Once designations are assigned, Assault/Shield passive abilities become active - Players then get priority during the combat showdown phase Nuances: - This creates a window where units at a staged combat can be targeted by removal spells before they gain their combat bonuses - If a unit moves to an occupied battlefield when no other showdown is in progress, combat begins immediately in cleanup, so Assault/Shield are active before players get priority - Assault and Shield are passive abilities, not triggers, so they don't use the chain - Units with move triggers (like Wandering Merchant) create a window for responses before combat begins, even when moving into an empty battlefield

Ruling: Attacker/defender roles only exist during a combat showdown. Outside of showdowns, these terms are not relevant and any related triggers or passive abilities are not in effect. Nuances: - Units do not receive attack/defense bonuses when alone in base or at any time outside of combat showdowns - The attacker/defender designations only apply during active combat

Ruling: Units do not get attacker/defender designation during a non-combat showdown. Attacker and defender status is only applied when a combat showdown begins (when two players have units at the same battlefield at the start of the showdown). Sequence: - When entering an empty battlefield, it becomes contested but no attacker/defender designations are assigned - A non-combat showdown occurs with normal focus passing - If an opponent moves a unit there during the non-combat showdown (via reaction to a move trigger), the non-combat showdown continues to completion first - Only after the non-combat showdown ends, if both units are still present, does a new combat showdown begin with attacker/defender designations Nuances: - If a unit is moved to a battlefield in reaction to another unit's move trigger, the initial non-combat showdown continues rather than immediately becoming a combat showdown - Once a combat showdown has begun, it doesn't stop until combat resolution is complete, even if one player removes their units - Cards like Ride the Winds cannot interrupt an ongoing combat showdown since they are action speed

Ruling: Yes, units get the +1 bonus from Pirate Haven when they ready during the refresh stage. Nuances: - Only units that actually ready (transition from exhausted to ready) get the benefit - Units that are already ready do not get the benefit

Ruling: Yes, units heal after combat as long as a combat was started, even if combat damage is skipped or a unit is moved away before damage is dealt. Sequence: - Combat must be initiated (unit moves to occupied battlefield) - Even if a unit is moved to base during the showdown (e.g., via Flash) - After the showdown closes and after the combat damage step - In the combat resolution step, all units heal Nuances: - If combat wasn't started (unit moves to unoccupied battlefield for non-combat showdown), units will not heal - Only combat heals units - All units in play heal all damage after combat ends, regardless of which battlefield the combat occurred on or how the damage was dealt

Ruling: Units do NOT heal on an uncontested battlefield because no combat showdown occurs. If a defender recalls after combat has been staged, units still heal because the Steps of Combat have already been initiated. Sequence: - If a unit moves to an uncontested battlefield, no combat showdown occurs and no healing happens - If a unit moves to a contested battlefield, a combat showdown is staged - Once the Steps of Combat are initiated (showdown opens), the full combat occurs including Special Cleanup - During Special Cleanup, units heal (step 2a) - Recalling after combat is staged does not prevent healing Nuances: - If a unit can be recalled via a move trigger (using flash) before the showdown opens, the staged combat doesn't occur and no healing happens - The move trigger chain happens outside combat while combat is staged, allowing the staged combat to be cleared - Once a combat showdown opens and Steps of Combat begin, you complete the whole combat including healing (possibly skipping combat damage step, but not healing)

Ruling: At the end of combat and at the end of turn, all units everywhere in play heal all damage on them at the same time, regardless of how that damage was assigned or where the units are located. Nuances: - Damage does not reduce a unit's might value; damage is tracked separately and a unit is destroyed when damage marked on it equals or exceeds its might - The healing applies to all units across all battlefields and bases simultaneously, not just units that participated in the showdown

Ruling: At the end of a combat showdown, all units on the board heal all damage, regardless of when or how the damage was inflicted and regardless of where they are on the board (base or any battlefield). Sequence: - Combat showdown begins when a unit attacks - Players can play reactions and pass priority - Showdown only ends once both players pass with focus on an empty chain - Once the showdown ends, all units heal all damage Nuances: - Damage marked before the showdown began (such as from a spell played before the attack) will also heal when the showdown ends - Simply resolving a reaction spell does not end the showdown - both players must pass with focus on an empty chain - Units heal regardless of their location (base or battlefield)

Ruling: Units do not heal during non-combat showdowns. Healing only occurs after combat showdowns and at the end of turn. Nuances: - All units everywhere heal after any combat showdown, not just units involved in the combat - If a unit moves to create a new showdown during an existing combat showdown, the new showdown cannot start until the current combat showdown finishes, so it cannot interrupt the combat to trigger healing early

Ruling: Yes, after any combat occurs, every unit heals to full, regardless of whether they participated in that combat. Nuances: - This means damage dealt to units at one battlefield will be healed before a second combat at a different battlefield occurs in the same turn - Units damaged by effects like Blade Fury will heal after any subsequent combat, even if they weren't at that battlefield

Ruling: Units do not heal when moving to an uncontrolled battlefield. Units are only healed when an effect instructs you to heal them, during a combat cleanup, and at the end of turn. Sequence: - Moving a unit to an uncontrolled battlefield results in a non-combat showdown - Non-combat showdowns do not have combat cleanup - Without combat cleanup, units do not heal - Combat cleanup (which includes healing) only occurs during the final step of the combat phase when actual combat happens Nuances: - Moving to an unoccupied battlefield is not "attacking" - attacker/defender status is reserved for combat only - This distinction matters for triggers like assault and attack triggers - If combat occurs (with attacker and defender), then combat cleanup happens and units heal

Ruling: All units heal after combat showdowns (when a unit moves to an opponent-controlled battlefield), but units do not heal after open showdowns (when a unit moves to an empty battlefield). Nuances: - There are two types of showdowns: open showdowns (unit moves to empty battlefield) and combat showdowns (unit moves to opponent-controlled battlefield) - Only combat showdowns trigger healing for all units

Ruling: Units played from hand during showdown will gain assault/shield bonuses because a cleanup occurs when the permanent is played, assigning attacker/defender status and applying the bonuses at that time. Sequence: - When a permanent is played during showdown, a cleanup occurs - During cleanup, units at the battlefield without attacker/defender designation gain the same designation as their controller - Assault/shield bonuses are then applied based on that designation Nuances: - Playing Rengar (3 might, assault 2) as an attacker does NOT trigger Volibear's legend ability because Rengar enters as 3 might and only becomes 5 might after cleanup - In contrast, playing a 4 might unit at Trifarian Warcamp DOES trigger Volibear because Trifarian Warcamp applies instantly as the unit enters, not requiring cleanup

Ruling: Yes, if a card offers you an alternative way to play a card, you are still playing it and will trigger 'when you play a unit' effects. Nuances: - This applies to Flame Chompers being discarded and played via Chemtech Enforcers - This applies to Immortal Phoenix being played from the graveyard after killing a unit with a spell

Ruling: Units with 0 might do not automatically die. They only die when they take damage, and the minimum lethal damage is always at least 1 point, even for a 0 might unit. Sequence: - A unit with 0 might can have damage assigned to it (minimum 1 point) - When damage is assigned, the unit dies - Units with 0 might do not die simply from having 0 might Nuances: - You can assign 1 point of damage to a 0 might unit as lethal damage - Units with 0 might at a battlefield don't necessarily die last - they can still be assigned damage normally - A cleanup occurs after each card resolves, so units check for death at those points

Ruling: Units never see themselves die. A unit with a death-triggered effect cannot trigger that effect from its own death. Nuances: - This means units cannot protect themselves from mass removal effects using their own death triggers - Protection from board wipes would need to come from other sources like Actions, Aspects, or potentially Hidden units with global effects

Ruling: Triggered abilities from permanents must trigger while on the board. Units cannot see themselves die because by the time they die, they have left the board and can no longer trigger. Sequence: - A unit with a triggered ability dies - The unit moves from the board to the trash - The triggered ability does not trigger because the permanent is no longer on the board Nuances: - Units can see themselves be played (entering the board) but cannot see themselves die (leaving the board) - Deathknell is an exception because it explicitly triggers from the trash pile - If multiple units die together (like Viktor dying with other units at a battlefield), Viktor will not trigger to create Recruits from the other units' deaths because Viktor has already left the board

Ruling: Battlefields are revealed before determining turn order. Sequence: - Reveal Legends - Select and Reveal Chosen Champs - Select and Reveal Battlefields - Determine 1st/2nd - Resolve Mulligans

Ruling: You do not attack an empty battlefield. Sequence: N/A Nuances: None discussed.

Ruling: You choose turn order after battlefields are selected. Battlefields are always face-up when selected according to the rules. Sequence: - Players select battlefields (face-up) - Turn order is chosen Nuances: - Players commonly place battlefields face-down temporarily to prevent information leakage before both are selected, but this is not a rules requirement - Battlefields could equally be held in hand and revealed simultaneously - In games 2 and 3 of a best-of-three match, players know who will choose turn order and can make assumptions accordingly

Ruling: Yes, you draw a card. The Dreaming Tree triggers when you cast a spell that chooses a friendly unit at that battlefield, which Facebreaker does (even though it also chooses an enemy unit). Sequence: - You cast Facebreaker from hidden at The Dreaming Tree - The Dreaming Tree's trigger goes on the chain immediately when the spell is cast - The trigger resolves and you draw a card - Facebreaker then resolves with its effect Nuances: - The Dreaming Tree triggers as soon as you cast the spell, not when it resolves, so it works even if Facebreaker loses its targets or fizzles - The trigger would not occur if Facebreaker is countered or defied (spell wasn't cast) - Facebreaker no longer requires both targets to be at the same battlefield to resolve

Ruling: No, you do not get on-conquer triggers when scoring a point from holding a battlefield. Holding and conquering are different game mechanics. Nuances: - Holding a battlefield and conquering a battlefield are separate triggers that function independently

Ruling: No, you do not get the defender bonus if you are not in a showdown. Attacker and defender are only relevant in combat.

Ruling: You must choose both targets when casting Convergent Mutation. You cannot add a spell or ability into the chain without providing all choices, and both units comply with the target requirements. Nuances: - This same principle applies to other cards like Ride the Wind, where you must declare both the unit and its destination when finalizing the spell.

Ruling: Yes, you must still pay the accelerate cost when playing a unit from Z drive. "Ignore costs" only ignores the base costs, not additional costs like accelerate.

Ruling: Yes, you must pay the deflect cost. Deflect applies to targets of spells and abilities, and Orb of Regret is an activated ability that targets.

Ruling: Yes, you must pay the deflect cost when challenging a unit because you still target the unit when choosing it to fight.

Ruling: You pay the cost of a gear card once when you play it, just like any other card. After that, its effects are active without additional payment each turn. Units have might and damage (not health) - damage is cleared at the end of combat and at the end of turn, but damage does not reduce might. Sequence: - When a gear card is played, pay its cost once - The gear's effects are then active for subsequent turns without additional payment - During combat, units take damage but their might value stays the same - Damage is cleared from units at the end of combat - Damage is also cleared at the end of turn Nuances: - Damage does not reduce a unit's might value - a 9 might unit with 4 damage still has 9 might and deals 9 damage - A unit is destroyed when damage dealt to it equals or exceeds its might value - Cards like Dazzling Aurora that generate units each turn can be very strong once in play, but require getting them out initially (e.g., paying 9 cost)

Ruling: Yes, you must pay one energy and recycle an orange rune to play this unit accelerated. Sequence: - Exhaust 7 runes (including at least one orange rune) - Recycle one of the orange runes you exhausted Nuances: - The orange rune you recycle can be the same rune you exhausted to generate the energy to pay for the unit

Ruling: Yes, you must pay one power to choose a unit with Deflect when using Blitzcrank because Blitzcrank targets.

Ruling: You can only hide cards to a battlefield you control, and only one per battlefield unless the card specifies otherwise. Nuances: - Hiding a card with the hidden keyword is not the same as playing it - When you play a card from hidden, it counts as playing it from your hand (with the restriction that it must target things at that battlefield) - This distinction matters for cards that trigger when you play something (like Legion or Ravenbloom Student) - If you hide a card to a battlefield, it does not trigger "when you play" effects that were already on the battlefield

Ruling: Yes, you must show your opponent what card you target from your trash with both Annie Stubborn and Morbid Return. Your opponent can respond to the targeting. Nuances: - This applies because the trash is public information

Ruling: You must control 2 units to activate Back to Back. The card requires exactly two targets ("give two friendly units"), and you cannot activate it with only 1 unit. Nuances: - Cards that instruct players to do something (like Cull the Weak or Acceptable Losses) don't target and follow "do as much as you can" on resolution - Back to Back requires choosing/affecting specific units, which makes them targets - If a card says "up to" you could choose zero, one, or two targets, but without "up to" you must meet the exact requirement - Activating Back to Back with only 1 unit would be a general error requiring a rewind - A unit cannot back itself up (must be two different units)