Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: Yes, Ahri's Alluring ability can score the winning point. Only conquering has restrictions on scoring the final point - any other way of scoring points is unrestricted. Sequence: - You score the point for holding first - Then Ahri's ability triggers and scores its point Nuances: - This is different from conquering, which cannot score the final point - Other abilities like Red Tryndamere can also score the winning point

Ruling: Yes, Akshan can target an equipment that is already attached to another unit, and that equipment will move to Akshan. Sequence: - Target an equipment (even if already attached to another unit) - The equipment detaches from its current unit and attaches to Akshan - When Akshan leaves play, the equipment returns to the player unequipped Nuances: - The equipment becomes unequipped (returns to player) when Akshan leaves, rather than returning to its previous unit

Ruling: Yes, Akshan can steal attached equipment. His trigger makes you gain control of the equipment (you can gain control of attached equipment), then attempts to move it to base (which fails while attached). Sequence: - Akshan's trigger makes you gain control of the equipment - The trigger tries to move it to base (this fails because it's attached) - If it's an equipment, you can choose to attach it to Akshan - If you attach it to Akshan, the equipment moves to his location and becomes attached to him - If you don't attach it to Akshan, the equipment stays attached to its current unit until that unit leaves the board or the equipment becomes unattached, then it will be recalled to your base (assuming Akshan is still on the board so you control it)

Yes, Akshan can take control of an equipment that is already attached to an enemy unit. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ #1513** and **FAQ #657**, Akshan's ability allows you to target an equipment even if it is currently attached to another unit. When the ability resolves: 1. The equipment detaches from its current unit. 2. You gain control of the equipment. 3. The equipment moves to Akshan and becomes attached to him. As noted in the FAQs, while you control the equipment (as long as Akshan remains on the board), you can use it as if you played it, but your opponent cannot use its abilities or pay to equip it back to their units. Once Akshan leaves play, control of the equipment returns to its original owner.

Yes, Akshan can perform both actions—using **Weaponmaster** to attach an Equipment you already control and using his "When you play me" ability to steal an enemy's gear—within a single chain resolution sequence. ### How this interaction functions When you play Akshan, both his **Weaponmaster** keyword and his "When you play me" ability trigger simultaneously. According to Rule 383.3.d, when multiple triggered abilities trigger at the same time, you may place them on the chain in the order of your choice and resolve both. 1. **Weaponmaster (Keyword Effect):** As a Play Effect, this triggers when the unit is played. You may choose an Equipment you currently control and attach it to Akshan. 2. **Akshan's Ability (Triggered Ability):** This is a separate "When you play me" triggered ability. If you pay the `[C][C]` cost, you move an enemy gear to your base (gaining control) and attach it to Akshan upon resolution. ### Resolution Because you control the order of the chain, you can resolve these in whichever sequence you prefer: * **Resolve Weaponmaster first:** You attach your own Equipment to Akshan, then resolve the theft ability to steal and attach the enemy gear. * **Resolve theft ability first:** You steal and attach the enemy gear, then resolve the **Weaponmaster** effect to attach your own Equipment. Both effects will resolve successfully provided all targeting and cost requirements for each individual effect are met. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

Yes, Altar of Memories can be used when a token unit dies. According to Rule 179.1.d, "A token unit is a unit. It... can be chosen or otherwise affected by spells or abilities that choose or affect units." Since Altar of Memories triggers "When a friendly unit dies," and a token unit is a unit, the death of a friendly token unit satisfies the condition for the ability. As noted in the FAQ regarding Altar of Memories, triggered abilities are added to the chain as pending when the inciting event (the unit dying) occurs, and they finalize during the next cleanup after the inciting event completes.

Ruling: No, Amateur Recital cannot move Baron Nashor to its base because Baron Nashor has protection from being chosen by enemy spells and abilities. Sequence: - Amateur Recital's ability states "you may move a unit at a battlefield to its base" - This requires the player to select which specific unit to move - When an ability requires selecting a specific game object, the word "choose" is implicit even if not explicitly written - Baron Nashor's ability "I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities" prevents it from being selected - Therefore Baron Nashor is an illegal target for Amateur Recital's ability Nuances: - The key distinction is that abilities requiring player selection of specific objects count as "choosing" even when the word "choose" doesn't appear in the card text - This differs from abilities that automatically or programmatically identify targets without player selection

Ruling: Ancient Henge can be used during Bullet Time's resolution to pay for the variable cost. You do not need to tap it in advance or declare how much energy you want to convert before resolution. Sequence: - Play Bullet Time - During Bullet Time's resolution, when you need to pay the variable cost - Use Ancient Henge's reaction ability to convert energy to power as needed Nuances: - This works because Ancient Henge is a reaction with an add ability, and it can be used during resolution when Bullet Time requires you to pay a cost - This simplifies energy generation to work 'whenever needed' without keeping reaction windows in mind

No, you cannot use **Angle Shot** to detach an equipment from an opponent's **Ruin Runner**. **Ruin Runner** has the ability: *"I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities."* Because **Angle Shot** is a spell that requires you to choose a unit as a target, it is blocked by **Ruin Runner's** protection ability. According to Rule 352.14.a (referenced in similar rulings for cards like *Falling Star* and *Bellows Breath*), if a card specifies that you must choose a unit, that unit is considered "targeted." Since **Ruin Runner** cannot be chosen by enemy spells, you cannot select it as the target for **Angle Shot**.

Ruling: You can attack with both Anivia and Warwick together. Since their 'When I attack' effects trigger at the same time, the attacker decides the order they resolve in, allowing you to have Anivia damage the enemy board first and then have Warwick kill the damaged units. Sequence: - Declare both Anivia and Warwick as attackers - Both 'When I attack' effects trigger simultaneously - Attacker chooses the order to resolve the triggers - Resolve Anivia's effect first to damage enemy units - Resolve Warwick's effect to kill the damaged units Nuances: - Attacking with Anivia first in a separate combat would not work because damage is healed after combat resolves

Yes, Aphelios, Exalted can buff himself. His ability states: "When you attach an Equipment to me, choose one that hasn't been chosen this turn — ... **Buff a friendly unit.**" According to Rule 702.2.a, "To Buff a Unit, a player chooses a Unit and then places a buff on it." Since Aphelios is a unit you control, he is a valid target for his own "Buff a friendly unit" ability.

Yes, you can kill a Reflection token as the additional cost for playing Atakhan, and you will receive a cost reduction, but that reduction will be zero. ### The Ruling Atakhan’s ability to kill a friendly unit as an additional cost is a mechanism that provides a cost reduction based on the sacrificed unit's attributes. When you play Atakhan, you have the option to kill a friendly unit. If you choose to kill a Reflection token: 1. **Cost Reduction Calculation:** The reduction is based on the Energy and Power costs of the sacrificed unit. As a token, a Reflection has no base Energy or Power cost (they are 0). Therefore, the cost reduction applied to Atakhan is 0. 2. **Valid Cost Payment:** Even though the reduction is 0, killing the token is still a valid payment of the "additional cost" required to trigger the "If you do" clause of the ability. ### Sequence of Events 1. **Initiation:** You begin playing Atakhan. It is placed on the chain. 2. **Cost Selection:** You choose to pay the optional additional cost by selecting a friendly Reflection token to kill. 3. **Cost Calculation:** The game checks the Energy and Power costs of the Reflection token. Being a token, these are 0. Atakhan’s cost is reduced by 0. 4. **Payment:** You finalize the play of Atakhan, paying its modified Energy/Power cost and sacrificing the Reflection token as the additional cost. 5. **Resolution:** Atakhan enters the battlefield. In summary, while you are permitted to sacrifice a Reflection token to satisfy Atakhan's additional cost requirement, you gain no energy or power cost reduction because tokens do not possess those costs. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Ruling: Yes, Ava can play a hidden card to a battlefield you don't control. You play the hidden card on the battlefield where Ava attacks, not where she hides. Nuances: - You could pay 1 mind, play Hidden Blade from hand, and target a unit at a different battlefield than where Ava is hiding

Yes, Azir, Sovereign can move his token units to an empty battlefield when he attacks. According to the RiftJudge FAQ (ID 2127), when Azir attacks, his ability triggers and allows you to move any number of your token units to "this battlefield" (the battlefield where Azir is currently attacking). There are no restrictions preventing you from moving tokens to an empty battlefield. The only requirement is that Azir must be at a valid battlefield for the ability to resolve. If he is at an empty battlefield, that is a valid location, and the tokens will move there successfully. As noted in the FAQ: * "This battlefield" is defined relative to Azir's current location. * If Azir is at an empty battlefield, the tokens move to that battlefield. * If Azir were removed or moved to base before the trigger resolved, the ability would whiff because "this battlefield" would no longer be a valid location.

Yes, Azir, Sovereign can move Reflection tokens that have copied a unit. According to **Rule 182.1.d** and **RiftJudge FAQ #9732**, Reflection tokens are units. Since Azir, Sovereign's ability allows you to "move any number of your token units to this battlefield," and Reflection tokens are valid token units, they can be moved by his effect regardless of what unit they are currently copying.

Ruling: No, Azir must already be on the board to use his Ascendant Action ability. Unlike Shen/Rengar who have Reaction timing (which allows use when played from hand), only Azir's ability has Action timing, not Azir himself. Nuances: - Shen/Rengar work differently because they have Reaction timing on the card itself, allowing their abilities to be used when played from hand during appropriate windows - Azir needs to be on the board (not specifically on the battlefield) before his Action ability can be activated

No. When Azir targets a unit at Vilemaw's Lair, Azir moves to the Lair successfully, but the unit cannot move to base due to Vilemaw's Lair's restriction ('Units can't move from here to base'). The unit's move fails and it stays at Vilemaw's Lair. Azir ends up at the Lair with the unit instead of swapping positions.

Ruling: Baited Hook cannot be used during a showdown because it is base speed, not action speed. Additionally, units can only be played into a battlefield you control, not a contested one. Sequence: - Baited Hook must be used at base speed (outside of showdowns) - Units can only be played to battlefields you control - During a showdown, neither base speed abilities nor playing units into contested battlefields is allowed Nuances: - The illegal play attempted to combine multiple rule violations: using a base speed ability during a showdown and playing a unit into a contested battlefield

Ruling: Yes, you can kill a token with Baited Hook and still resolve playing a unit. Baited Hook looks back at the unit's characteristics before it changed zones and does not care that the token isn't in the trash. Nuances: - Tokens do actually go to trash when killed, they just immediately cease to exist once they arrive there - Cards that move something to a different zone as a cost or effect can "look back" at its characteristics before it changes zones

Ruling: Yes, Bard can move himself when played. The ability says "any number" of units, not "any number of other units," so Bard can include himself in the units he moves.

Yes, Baron Nashor can be killed by **Cull the Weak**. According to the card text for **Baron Nashor**, it has the ability: "I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities." However, **Cull the Weak** does not target or choose any units. As established in multiple RiftJudge FAQs (e.g., FAQ #8519, #8580), **Cull the Weak** instructs each player to kill one of their own units during the resolution of the spell. Because the spell does not "choose" a unit, it bypasses abilities that prevent a unit from being chosen.

Yes, Baron Nashor can leave the Baron Pit. While Baron Nashor's ability requires him to enter the Baron Pit when he is played, there is no rule or card text that restricts him to that location once he is already on the board. He functions like any other unit and can move to other battlefields or his base if an effect or action allows it. Additionally, note that the Baron Pit itself has the ability: *"Units can move here from anywhere."* This ability facilitates movement **to** the Baron Pit, but it does not restrict units currently at the Baron Pit from leaving it.

Yes, Baron Nashor can be chosen and discarded from your hand by Mindsplitter's ability. According to the card text for **Baron Nashor**, he has the ability: *"I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities."* However, this protection only applies while Baron Nashor is on the battlefield (a unit). When Baron Nashor is in your hand, he is considered a card, not a unit, and his abilities are not active. Therefore, he does not have protection from being chosen by Mindsplitter's "When you play me" ability while in your hand.

Ruling: No, you cannot put Beast Below's trigger on the chain if you do not control another friendly unit. To put an object on the chain, valid targets must exist for all required targets. Nuances: - You can still play Beast Below as a unit even if you cannot put its trigger on the chain - This targeting requirement is why Salvage received an errata to allow it to be played even when no gear was on the field

No, **Bellows Breath** cannot target the same unit multiple times with a single instance of the spell. According to the RiftJudge FAQ #168 and #1871: * **Bellows Breath** deals 1 damage to up to three *different* units at the same location. Each target must be a distinct unit. * You cannot choose the same unit multiple times to deal 3 damage to it with one cast. ### Important Nuance: Using "Repeat" While a single instance of the spell cannot target the same unit more than once, if you pay the **Repeat** cost, you are executing the effect a second time. As clarified in RiftJudge FAQ #8454 and #1306: 1. **Targeting:** The first instance of the spell targets up to three different units. The second (repeated) instance is a separate execution of the effect, which allows you to target the same unit again. 2. **Resolution:** If you target the same unit with both the first instance and the repeated instance, it will take 1 damage from the first and 1 damage from the second, for a total of 2 damage. 3. **Survival:** Damage is marked on a unit but does not reduce its Might. Lethal damage is only checked during **Cleanup**, which occurs after the entire spell (including the repeated instance) has finished resolving. Therefore, the unit will not be defeated until the spell is fully resolved.

No, **Bellows Breath** cannot target the same unit multiple times with a single cast to deal multiple damage to it. According to the official ruling for Bellows Breath: * The spell deals 1 damage to up to three different units at the same location. * Each target must be a distinct unit. * You cannot select the same unit more than once within a single instance of the spell. **Nuance regarding Repeat:** While a single instance of the spell cannot target the same unit multiple times, if you pay the **Repeat** cost, you execute the effect a second time. You *can* target the same unit with the second instance of the effect, but the damage is dealt in two separate 1-damage instances, not as a single 3-damage hit. Furthermore, because damage is only checked for lethality during the cleanup phase after the entire spell has finished resolving, the unit will not be defeated until both instances have resolved.

Ruling: No, Bellows Breath cannot target the same unit multiple times. The spell deals 1 damage to up to three different units at the same location, where each target must be a distinct unit (though you can choose fewer than three targets). Nuances: - The wording "Deal 1 to up to three units" means you select up to three different units (X, Y, Z) where some can be null/not selected, but each selected target must be different - This differs from "deal X damage divided among up to Y units" wording (like on Volibear), which would allow targeting a single unit with all the damage - Bellows Breath deals discrete 1-damage instances to separate targets rather than distributing total damage

No, you cannot target **Ruin Runner** with **Bellows Breath**, regardless of whether it is in the base or on a battlefield. **Ruin Runner** has the ability: *"I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities."* Because **Bellows Breath** is a spell that requires you to choose targets (as confirmed by Rule 352.14.a: *"If a card specifies that an amount of damage may be split among some number of Units, then each Unit chosen is Targeted"*), it is blocked by Ruin Runner's protection ability.

Ruling: No. Blade Dancer Irelia's legend ability does not "choose" a unit - it only readies a unit. If Irelia, Fervent is already ready, the legend ability cannot target her and will not trigger her +1 might bonus from being chosen. Sequence: (when Irelia is exhausted and you play Discipline targeting her) - Discipline targets Irelia, triggering her +1 might from being chosen - Blade Dancer legend ability triggers, you pay 1 Power to ready Irelia - Irelia gets +1 might from being readied - Discipline resolves and Irelia gets +2 might from the spell Nuances: - The legend ability's "ready a unit" effect does not count as "choosing" that unit - If Irelia is already ready, Blade Dancer cannot ready her again and does not trigger any choose-related effects - Other effects that explicitly "choose" (like Discipline or equipping) do trigger Irelia, Fervent's +1 might bonus

Ruling: Blind Fury can be played during a showdown if you have focus, but it reveals and plays a card from the top of the main deck, not from hidden cards at the showdown battlefield. In a 1v1 game, your opponent reveals the top card of their deck and you play it to your side of the battlefield. Sequence: - Play Blind Fury (requires focus) - Opponent reveals the top card of their deck - You play that revealed card to your side of the battlefield Nuances: - In multiplayer games, you choose which opponent's deck to reveal from and play the card - The card comes from the main deck, not from hidden showdown cards - You play the opponent's card to your own board, not force them to play it on theirs

Ruling: Blitz does not hold in base. You can play Blitz to your base and move him to the battlefield next turn. Sequence: - Play Blitz to base - Next turn, move him to battlefield - He can then attack

Ruling: Yes, Blitzcrank can move enemies from Battlefield to Battlefield. There are no restrictions on the source of his target. Nuances: - Only standard moves have restrictions on moving units between Battlefields - All other moves (like Blitzcrank's ability) just do what they say without additional restrictions - Charm can also move units from Battlefield to Battlefield despite not providing explicit detail

Ruling: Blitzcrank can move any enemy unit to his battlefield regardless of ganking restrictions. Movement restrictions (like ganking requirements) only apply to Standard Moves, not to moves caused by card effects. Nuances: - Standard Moves have specific restrictions: they exhaust units, can only move between base and battlefield unless ganking, and can move multiple units to the same location at once - Effect-based moves (like Blitzcrank's ability or Charm) do not follow Standard Move restrictions - Effect moves don't require a specific name in the rules, though "effect move" is suggested as useful terminology

Ruling: Blitzcrank can be played to a battlefield you already control, which allows his ability to trigger. He can also be played to a battlefield using external effects like Miss Fortune, Buccaneer. Nuances: - You can play units to battlefields you already control - This is the usual way to use Blitzcrank's ability - External effects that play units to battlefields also work

Ruling: Yes, Bone Skewer can choose Ruin Runner from an opponent's hand. Ruin Runner's protection ability ("I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities") is only active while it is on the board, not while it is in hand. Sequence: - Bone Skewer is played and resolves - A unit is chosen from the opponent's hand (Ruin Runner is a legal choice) - When that unit is played, it enters stunned Nuances: - Passive abilities of permanents are typically only active while on the board - Passive abilities that function outside the board are limited to cost alterations and rules that alter timing or how cards can be played - Cards in hand are not permanents and their board-relevant passive abilities are inactive

The short answer is: **You cannot react to Brynhir Thundersong herself being played, but you can react to her "When you play me" triggered ability.** According to the official FAQ (ID 2757) and the game's chain rules: 1. **Brynhir herself:** When you play Brynhir, she resolves immediately to the battlefield. Because units resolve as soon as they are finalized to the chain, there is no window to play a reaction to the unit entering play. 2. **Her "When you play me" effect:** Once she is on the battlefield, her triggered ability goes on the chain. This is a separate event that you **can** respond to with reactions. ### Sequence of Events * **Step 1:** Brynhir is played and resolves immediately to the battlefield. * **Step 2:** Her "When you play me" trigger is placed on the chain. * **Step 3:** Players have an opportunity to play reactions in response to this trigger while it is on the chain. * **Step 4:** Once the trigger resolves, its effect (preventing opponents from playing cards for the remainder of the turn) takes hold. After this point, opponents can no longer play cards. **Important Nuance:** As noted in FAQ 8446, you cannot use a card like *Not So Fast* to counter this ability because it is a global effect that does not target a specific unit or gear. However, you can use other reactions (such as activating a hidden ability) while her trigger is still on the chain. Once the trigger resolves, the restriction is absolute for the rest of the turn.

Ruling: Caitlyn's ability can only be used on your turn when she is ready at a battlefield, the opponent has a unit on the other battlefield, and no showdown or chain is happening. Nuances: - All conditions must be met simultaneously: it must be your turn, Caitlyn must be ready at a battlefield, an opponent unit must be at the other battlefield, and no showdown or chain can be in progress.

Ruling: You cannot respond to becoming an attacker or defender because it is not a trigger. However, you can respond to Miss Fortune's on-move trigger (which happens before combat begins) to play Gust on the Poro, but this requires having an already-ready rune available. Sequence: - Miss Fortune moves to battlefield - Miss Fortune's on-move trigger goes on chain (readies a rune) - Players can respond to this trigger (this is when you could play Gust if you had a ready rune) - Trigger resolves - Combat begins and units become attackers/defenders - "When I attack" and "when I defend" triggers go on chain (units are already designated at this point) Nuances: - The rune readied by Miss Fortune's on-move trigger cannot be used to pay for Gust during the response window to that same trigger, since it hasn't resolved yet - You would need a different already-ready rune to make this play work

Ruling: Cemetery Attendant can return champion units because champion units are units. Nuances: - Champion units fall under the broader category of "units" for card effects

Ruling: Chain Items cannot be resolved during combat cleanup. Items like Deathknell can trigger during the cleanup but only finalize and resolve after the entire cleanup is complete. Sequence: - Combat cleanup occurs (including special cleanup) - Step 440.1.b (clear contested) executes - Priority is not passed until the Execute step, which happens after cleanup - Only after all cleanup steps are finished can reactions resolve Nuances: - There is no priority window between cleanup steps, even though 440.1.b appears after the "invoke special cleanup" step in the rules - The entire combat cleanup (including clearing contested) must complete before any actions can be performed - The rules could be clearer by explicitly including the "clear contested" step as part of the special cleanup formatting

Ruling: Charm cannot be played on the chain in response to Hidden Blade because Charm is neither an action nor a reaction card. Only reactions can be played on the same chain. Nuances: - If Charm were legal to play on the chain, it would start a new chain and the first chain (with Hidden Blade) would resolve first before Charm's chain begins - Once a hidden card is revealed and played on the chain, it is no longer nullified by losing control of the battlefield where it was hidden - Hidden spells implicitly have "here" added to all their targets, meaning they can only target the battlefield where they are hidden, not other battlefields - Hidden Blade played from hand can target any battlefield, but when hidden it can only target units at the battlefield where it is hidden

Ruling: Yes, Charm can move an enemy unit from anywhere on the board (including from another battlefield) to a battlefield you occupy to force a showdown, and this makes the opponent the attacker. Sequence: - Use Charm to move the enemy unit to your battlefield - A showdown is forced - The opponent becomes the attacker in this showdown Nuances: - Ganking restrictions only apply to Standard Moves, not to moves caused by card effects like Charm - You cannot move an enemy unit to your base (only between battlefields or from base to battlefield) - Charm is considered one of the best cards in the game, especially in Master Yi, largely because of this interaction

Ruling: Charm can move an enemy unit to any legal location, including the owner's base or between battlefields, as long as the unit is not moved to your own base. Nuances: - If the unit has a different controller than its owner, the owner's base is off limits (units can only be in their controller's base) - If you use Charm to move a unit to base from a battlefield that says "can't move to base," the effect whiffs because "can't" beats "can," but the unit is still a valid target

Ruling: Yes, moving a unit with Charm ignores the normal rules for moving a unit, so it does not require Flanking. Nuances: - The same principle applies to Dragon's Rage

Ruling: Yes, Charm can move a unit from one battlefield to another battlefield even without ganking present. Nuances: - Charm specifically calls out "standard move" as what it restricts, which means it does not restrict other forms of movement including moving between battlefields.

Ruling: Charm can move a unit from one battlefield to another. It does not have restrictions limiting it to only moving units to and from battlefields.

Ruling: Charm can move a unit to an opponent's battlefield regardless of whether it has Ganking. This will start a combat with the moved unit as the attacker. Nuances: - Ganking only matters for Standard Move actions - Other movement effects follow their printed movement restrictions; otherwise they have none (except illegal locations) - The moved unit is the attacker because it contested the opponent's battlefield

Ruling: Yes, Charm can move a unit without ganking from battlefield to battlefield. Nuances: - Spells and abilities that move a unit don't care about Ganking - Moving a unit via spell or ability will not change the exhausted or ready state of the unit

Ruling: Yes, Charm can move an enemy unit directly from one battlefield to another, even if that unit doesn't have the Ganking keyword. Nuances: - When you use Charm to move an enemy unit to your battlefield, that enemy unit is considered attacking for assault purposes.

Ruling: Yes, Charm can move an enemy unit from battlefield to battlefield without ganking. Nuances: - Ganking only matters for Standard Move (the usual way to move a unit) - Charm is not a Standard Move, so ganking restrictions do not apply