Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

According to the standard Start of Game procedure, you determine your Battlefields before you draw your opening hand. The sequence is as follows: 1. **Reveal Legends** 2. **Choose Champions** 3. **Determine Battlefields** 4. **Decide Play Order** 5. **Resolve Mulligans** (which involves drawing your opening hand of 4 cards) 6. **Start the Game** As noted in the RiftJudge FAQs (specifically FAQ #7149 and #3373), battlefields are revealed and selected before determining turn order and resolving mulligans. You draw your opening hand of 4 cards as part of the setup process (Rule 116), which occurs after the battlefields have been established.

Yes, you do get **Windsinger's** "When you play me" effect if you play it to your base. **Windsinger's** effect is a triggered ability: *"When you play me, you may return another unit at a battlefield with 3 [S] or less to its owner's hand."* Here is the breakdown of why this works: 1. **Playing the Unit:** When you play **Windsinger** to your base, it enters the board. 2. **Triggered Ability:** Once **Windsinger** has entered play, its triggered ability is placed on the chain. 3. **Resolution:** You resolve the ability. Because the ability allows you to target *"another unit at a battlefield,"* you can select any legal unit currently located at any battlefield, regardless of where the **Windsinger** itself was played. **Important distinction:** This is different from playing a unit from a **Hidden** state, where specific rules (such as FAQ #10647) may restrict targeting to the battlefield where the unit was hidden. When you simply play **Windsinger** normally from your hand to your base, you are not restricted by those hidden-zone rules, and you may target units at any battlefield.

No, you do not gain XP if you "kill" an enemy unit that has **Guardian Angel** equipped with *Alpha Strike*. ### Reasoning 1. **Guardian Angel is a Replacement Effect:** According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8433**, **Guardian Angel** functions as a replacement effect. When a unit would die (in this case, from damage dealt by *Alpha Strike*), the "death" event is replaced by "kill this **Guardian Angel** instead." The unit is then healed and recalled to your base. 2. **Death is Prevented:** Because the unit never actually "dies" and is not sent to the trash, the condition required for the *Alpha Strike* XP trigger is never met. 3. **XP Trigger Requirement:** Since the **Guardian Angel** effect prevents the unit from dying, it is not "killed" by *Alpha Strike*, and the XP gain instruction does not trigger for that unit. ### Sequence of Play 1. **Damage:** *Alpha Strike* resolves, dealing lethal damage to the enemy unit. 2. **Replacement:** The **Guardian Angel** replacement effect triggers immediately, preventing the unit from dying. The **Guardian Angel** gear is sent to the trash, and the unit is healed and recalled to your base. 3. **XP Check:** *Alpha Strike* checks for any units killed by its action. Since no unit was sent to the trash (they were recalled to base instead), no XP is gained. *This is based on the mechanics of Replacement Effects (Rule 373) and the specific behavior of Guardian Angel (FAQ #8433, FAQ #9367).* Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Yes, you regain control of the equipment, but it remains attached to the other unit. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9043** and **FAQ #9395**, here is how this interaction works: 1. **Akshan Leaves the Board:** When the Akshan that stole your equipment leaves the board, the control-change effect ends. Control of the equipment immediately reverts to you (the original owner). 2. **Attachment Remains:** The equipment does not automatically detach or return to your hand. Because it is attached to a unit that is still on the board, it remains attached to that unit. 3. **Taking it Back:** Now that you control the equipment again, you can use your own effects (such as the **Weaponmaster** keyword or other abilities that move equipment) to move it from that unit to one of your own units. **Important Note:** While you regain control of the equipment, you cannot use the equipment's own "Equip" ability while it is attached to a unit, because attached gear has inactive rules text (Rule 718.2). You must use an external effect to move it.

No, you do not get the hold effect from **Grove of the God-Willow** immediately upon swapping the **Brush** battlefield back to it. According to the rules for "Hold" (Rule 383.4.d), a Hold Effect is triggered by a unit maintaining control of a battlefield during the **Beginning Phase** when you score Victory Points from holding. Here is the breakdown of why this does not trigger when you swap: 1. **Timing of the Swap:** Per the **Brush** battlefield token text, you swap it back when you "score here" (which is when you conquer or hold). The act of swapping the battlefield occurs as a result of that scoring action. 2. **Timing of the Hold Effect:** The **Grove of the God-Willow** hold effect ("When you hold here...") triggers because you met the condition of holding at the beginning of your turn. 3. **Interaction:** Since the swap happens *after* the scoring action (as a way to finalize the score/replace the battlefield), the Grove of the God-Willow is not the battlefield you were holding at the start of your turn. You were holding the Brush token, which then triggered the swap to the Grove. Because the Grove was not present at the beginning of the phase when the Hold action occurred, its "When you hold here" ability does not trigger for that turn. In short, you must start your turn holding the Grove of the God-Willow to trigger its hold effect. Replacing a battlefield with the Grove *after* you have already scored at that location does not retroactively trigger the Grove's hold ability for that turn.

No, you do not draw a card if you are unable to channel runes. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #5452**: "No, you do not draw a card if you cannot channel. You simply do not channel at all." If your rune deck is empty and you are instructed to channel, you simply do not channel any runes, and the game continues without penalty or additional card draws.

To determine when you must declare targets for **Tricksy Tentacles**, you must declare the targets (the enemy units you intend to move) and the destination location when you finalize the spell onto the chain, not upon resolution. ### Ruling You must declare the targets and the destination location when you finalize the spell onto the chain. ### Reasoning 1. **Targeting Requirement:** According to Rule 355.7, when a card chooses specific game objects to affect, it is considered to be targeting those objects. Because **Tricksy Tentacles** requires you to choose specific enemy units to move, those units are targets. 2. **Move Destinations:** Per the Patch Notes (2025-10-24), move destinations are a required choice that must be made at the time of putting a spell or ability on the chain. 3. **Timing of Choices:** Rule 355.8 states that in order to put a spell on the chain, valid choices must be made for all targets. Therefore, you must select the specific units and the destination location before the spell is finalized and before any player has the opportunity to play reactions. ### Summary of Sequence 1. **Initialization:** You announce you are playing **Tricksy Tentacles**. 2. **Finalization (Targeting):** You declare which enemy units are being targeted and choose the destination location. You must ensure the chosen units share a controller and have a total Might of 8 or less at this moment. 3. **Chain:** The spell is placed on the chain as a pending item. 4. **Priority:** Priority passes, allowing players to play reactions (e.g., moving a unit out of the battlefield or changing its Might). 5. **Resolution:** The spell resolves. If the targets are still legal (Rule 359.3.e), the move occurs. If the targets no longer meet the criteria (e.g., their total Might is now greater than 8 due to a reaction), the spell will resolve, but you may need to choose a subset of the original targets that still fulfills the requirements (Rule 355.11.b). Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Yes, you must pay the Deflect cost for targeted abilities just as you would for a spell. According to **Rule 735.1.c**, the Deflect keyword applies to both spells and abilities: > "It is functionally short for 'Spells and abilities an opponent controls that choose me cost an amount of Power equal to [Deflect Value] more to play as an additional cost for each time they choose me.'" This means that any time an opponent's ability (activated or triggered) targets a unit with Deflect, the Deflect cost is a mandatory additional cost that must be paid to place that ability on the chain.

Ruling: No, you do not have to pay the Deflect cost. Cards in hand are not permanents, and Deflect is only active on permanents that are already on the battlefield. Additionally, the delayed stun trigger from Bone Skewer does not require paying Deflect because it does not target (the unit is programmatically selected). Sequence: - Bone Skewer resolves - Opponent chooses a unit from their hand (no Deflect cost applies here since the card is not yet a permanent) - The unit enters play - The delayed stun trigger applies to the unit (no Deflect cost applies here since the effect does not target) Nuances: - Deflect only applies to permanents on the battlefield, not cards in hand - Effects that programmatically select units (rather than targeting/choosing them) do not trigger Deflect - If you were playing a spell that targeted a unit with Deflect already on the battlefield, you would need to pay the Deflect cost

No, you do not have to pay the cost of the card you play using **Rek'Sai, Swarm Queen's** ability. When you resolve Rek'Sai's "When I attack" ability, you are instructed to "play" the card you chose from the revealed cards. Because the ability does not include the phrase "ignoring its cost," you would normally be required to pay the card's cost. However, in the context of Riftbound, when an ability instructs you to play a card from a zone other than your hand (in this case, from the top of your deck), and does not explicitly state that you must pay its cost, the standard procedure is that the card is played without paying its Energy or Power costs. If the ability intended for you to pay the cost, it would typically be phrased as "you may pay its cost to play it." Since it simply says "play it," you play the card for free. Note that you must still satisfy any other requirements for playing that card (such as it being a unit to play it at the battlefield), and any mandatory additional costs (like those from keywords or passive abilities) would still apply.

No, you do not need to recycle a rune to pay the Equip cost when using **Quick-Draw**. When you play an Equipment card with **Quick-Draw**, you bypass the Equip cost entirely. Here is the breakdown of how this works: 1. **Play Cost:** You must still pay the Energy and Power costs printed in the top-left corner of the Equipment card to play it from your hand. 2. **No Equip Cost:** Because the Equipment has **Quick-Draw**, it gains the triggered ability: "When you play it, attach it to a unit you control." This ability attaches the Equipment for free, meaning you do not pay the Equip cost listed in the card's text box. 3. **Regarding "Recycle":** You only need to recycle a rune if the specific Equipment card you are playing has a cost that explicitly requires recycling (such as *Last Rites*). If the Equipment's Equip cost does not involve recycling, you do not need to recycle anything. In summary, **Quick-Draw** allows you to attach the gear for free as part of playing it, bypassing the standard Equip cost.

Ruling: Yes, you have to show the facedown card to your opponent. Nuances: - Since only cards with the Hidden keyword can be played facedown, opponents must be able to verify that any facedown card is indeed a card with Hidden - This verification prevents illegal plays where players could bluff with non-Hidden cards played facedown - Opponents must be given the opportunity to verify facedown cards when they move anywhere or at the end of the game - If an opponent gathers their hidden cards quickly without allowing verification, they might be cheating

You do **not** have to use LeBlanc's "Deceiver" ability. According to the card text, the ability is optional: "...**you may** discard 1 and exhaust me..." Because the ability includes the phrase "you may," it is an optional triggered ability. When you conquer or hold a battlefield, you decide whether or not to place the ability on the chain. If you choose not to place it on the chain at that time, it simply does not trigger for that instance of conquering or holding. As clarified in **RiftJudge FAQ #10377**: "Because the ability text uses 'you may,' the trigger is optional. When you conquer or hold, you decide whether or not to place the ability on the chain."

No, you do not heal after a non-combat showdown. According to the official rulings and game logic: 1. **Healing Windows:** Units only heal at two specific times: in the **Combat Cleanup step** (immediately following a combat showdown) and at the **End of Turn**. 2. **Combat vs. Non-Combat:** A showdown only becomes a "combat" if a battlefield is **Contested** and occupied by units controlled by **different players**. If a showdown occurs at an uncontested battlefield (for example, when you are conquering an empty battlefield), it is a non-combat showdown. 3. **Scope of Healing:** When a combat showdown ends, **all units everywhere** on the board (at all battlefields and both bases) heal all damage. However, if the showdown was non-combat, this healing step is skipped entirely. **Summary of Timing:** * **Combat Showdown:** All units heal during the Resolution Step (Rule 444.1.a.1). * **Non-Combat Showdown:** No units heal. * **End of Turn:** All units heal.

No, you do not need to have a unit in play to play **Cull the Weak**. According to the official rulings and FAQs for this card: * **No Units Required:** Cull the Weak does not target specific units when it is played. Instead, the choice of which unit to kill happens during the resolution of the spell. Because it doesn't require a target to be finalized on the chain, you can play it regardless of your board state. * **"Do As Much As You Can":** In Riftbound, if an instruction cannot be fully followed, you perform as much of the effect as possible (Rule 356.3.e.11). If you have no units, you simply do not kill one, but your opponent must still kill one of theirs if they have any. * **Not a Cost:** Killing a unit is part of the spell's effect, not an additional cost to play the card. If it were a cost, you would be required to have a unit to sacrifice in order to play it.

No, you do not need another friendly unit to play **Beast Below**. According to the RiftJudge FAQ (#466, #9370, #9889): * **Playing the Unit:** You are permitted to play **Beast Below** as a unit even if you do not control another friendly unit. * **Triggered Ability:** Its "When you play me" ability requires you to target another friendly unit and an enemy unit. Because valid targets must exist for all required targets to place an object on the chain, if you do not control another friendly unit, you simply **do not put the triggered ability on the chain**. * **Result:** The unit enters the battlefield normally, and the ability—which would have returned units to their owners' hands—never triggers or enters the chain, so your unit remains on the battlefield.

No, you do not need to control your own gear on the field to play **Acceptable Losses**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #4344 and #9554, you can play Acceptable Losses even if you do not control any gear, as long as your opponent does. The card does not target, and at resolution, each player who controls gear will choose one to kill.

Yes, you must declare all targets (the friendly unit to be moved and the enemy unit to be moved) and all destinations (where each unit will be moved) when you play Void Assault, before any opponent has the opportunity to play a counter-spell. ### Reasoning and Rules * **Targeting and Choices:** According to the **Patch Notes - 2025-10-24**, move destinations are a required choice that must be made at the time of putting the spell on the chain. Furthermore, **FAQ #6324** and **FAQ #6318** clarify that you must declare all targets for a spell or ability when it is placed on the chain, before the ability resolves and before any reactions can be played. * **Execution:** Void Assault contains two "Move" instructions. Per the **Patch Notes - 2025-10-24**, because move destinations are required choices, you must identify which friendly unit is moving, where it is moving, which enemy unit is moving, and where it is moving during the "Finalization" step of playing the card. * **Chain Timing:** Once these choices are made and the card is finalized on the chain, the state becomes **CLOSED**. Only then do opponents receive priority to play a [REACTION] card, such as a counter-spell. ### Summary of Sequence 1. **Play Void Assault:** You announce the card and pay the cost. 2. **Declare Targets and Destinations:** You choose the friendly unit, its destination, the enemy unit, and its destination. 3. **Finalize:** The card is placed on the chain as a pending item. 4. **Priority/Reaction:** Opponents now have the opportunity to play a [REACTION] (such as a counter-spell or other response) to the Void Assault currently on the chain. 5. **Resolution:** If the spell is not countered, it resolves, executing the move instructions in order. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules, as the specific text and mechanics of the card 'Void Assault' were not present in the provided context.*

Yes, you must have a friendly unit on the board in order to play **Arcane Shift**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #378 and FAQ #9022, Arcane Shift requires valid targets for both parts of its effect—a friendly unit to banish (and subsequently replay) AND an enemy unit at a battlefield to deal 3 damage to—in order to be played on the chain. You cannot play the spell if there is no enemy unit present at a battlefield, nor can you play it if there is no friendly unit to target for the banishment portion of the effect.

### Ruling Yes, you must pay the Deflect cost for any enemy unit with Deflect that you choose as a target for the damage dealt by Alpha Strike. According to **Rule 809.1.c**, Deflect is functionally short for: *"Spells and abilities an opponent controls that choose me cost an amount of Power equal to [Deflect Value] more to play as an additional cost for each time they choose me."* ### Reasoning 1. **Targeting:** Alpha Strike instructs you to "Choose a friendly unit." While the friendly unit is the primary target of the spell, the effect of the spell is to have that unit deal damage "split among enemy units." 2. **Splitting Damage:** According to **Rule 355.14.a**, if a card specifies that an amount of damage may be split among some number of units, then each unit chosen is **Targeted**. 3. **Deflect Interaction:** Because the damage from Alpha Strike is split among enemy units, you are choosing (targeting) those enemy units. If any of those enemy units have the **Deflect** keyword, you are choosing a permanent with Deflect using an ability (the effect of the spell) controlled by you. Therefore, you must pay the Deflect cost for each Deflect unit you choose to assign damage to. ### Sequence of Play 1. **Finalization:** When you play Alpha Strike, you must finalize it on the chain. This includes choosing your targets. 2. **Choosing Targets:** You choose the friendly unit (no Deflect cost) and the enemy units that will receive the split damage. 3. **Paying Costs:** If any of the enemy units you chose have Deflect, you must pay the Deflect cost for each of those units as an additional cost to play the spell. 4. **Placement:** Once all costs (including Deflect) are paid, Alpha Strike is placed on the chain. **Summary:** You are not paying Deflect for the friendly unit, but you are required to pay the Deflect cost for every enemy unit with Deflect that you select as a target for the split damage. If you cannot pay the Deflect cost for a specific unit, you cannot choose that unit as a target for the damage. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

Yes, you must pay the Deflect cost when casting Switcheroo on a unit with Deflect. According to the official ruling: * **Yes, you must pay for Deflect** when casting Switcheroo on a unit with Deflect, because Switcheroo is a spell and you are choosing (targeting) the unit with Deflect. * **Nuance:** This only applies if the unit with Deflect is controlled by an opponent. Because Deflect is a mandatory additional cost (Rule 735.1.d), it must be paid when the spell is placed on the chain, before the spell resolves.

Yes, you must pay the **Deflect** cost if the enemy unit you choose to move with **Moonfall** has the **Deflect** keyword. ### Reasoning According to **Rule 809.1.c**, the **Deflect** keyword functions as a mandatory additional cost for any spell or ability an opponent controls that "chooses" the permanent with **Deflect**. * **Choosing:** When you play **Moonfall**, you are instructed to select a specific enemy unit to move to your battlefield. Selecting this unit counts as "choosing" it. * **Deflect Requirement:** Because **Moonfall** is an ability that chooses an enemy unit, if that unit has the **Deflect** keyword, you are required to pay the additional cost specified by that keyword as part of the process of playing the spell. ### Sequence of Play 1. **Playing the Card:** You play **Moonfall** and proceed to the cost payment steps. 2. **Choosing:** You identify the enemy unit you intend to move. 3. **Mandatory Cost:** The game checks the chosen unit for the **Deflect** keyword. If it has **Deflect**, you must pay the additional cost to proceed. 4. **Payment/Finalization:** * **If you pay the Deflect cost:** You may complete the process of playing **Moonfall**, and the unit is moved as instructed. * **If you cannot or choose not to pay the cost:** You are prohibited from choosing that unit. If you cannot pay the cost to choose a legal target, you cannot play the ability (or you must choose not to move a unit, if the spell allows). This interaction is consistent with RiftJudge FAQ #10419, which clarifies that for spells requiring you to select a unit, **Deflect** applies as a mandatory additional cost.

No, you do not need to pay the Deflect cost. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #734**: > "Ruling: No, you can target attached equipment normally. Equipment cards have their own properties, not those of the unit they are attached to (the Top Most Card)." ### Reasoning: 1. **Targeting:** When you play *Detonate*, you are targeting the gear (the equipment), not the unit it is attached to. 2. **Deflect Interaction:** Deflect only applies to spells and abilities that choose the permanent that has the Deflect ability (the unit). Because the gear is a separate game object from the unit, targeting the gear does not trigger the unit's Deflect ability. 3. **Equipment Properties:** As noted in the FAQ, equipment cards do not inherit the properties of the unit they are attached to. Even if the unit has Deflect, that protection does not extend to the gear attached to it.

Ruling: Tokens and buffs must be physically materialized on the board, but modifiers do not need to be marked. However, you must answer honestly about a unit's current Might if asked. Nuances: - Distinction between tokens/buffs (must be visible) vs modifiers (can be tracked mentally) - Players have obligation to provide accurate information when questioned about game state

Whether you need to conquer all three battlefields to win depends on your current point total. According to **Rule 466.1.b** and associated FAQs: ### 1. If you are NOT at your Final Point You do not need to control a specific number of battlefields to win. You simply continue to score points by conquering or holding battlefields normally until you reach the Victory Score. ### 2. If you are at your Final Point (1 point away from the Victory Score) The rules impose restrictions when you attempt to score your final point: * **If you score through "Hold":** You gain the winning point simply by maintaining control of a battlefield at the start of your turn. You do not need to conquer any additional battlefields (Rule 466.1.b.1). * **If you score through "Conquer":** You must have **scored every battlefield in play** (the two original battlefields plus the Baron Pit) during that same turn to gain the winning point. * "Scoring" a battlefield can be achieved either by Conquering it that turn **or** by already Holding it at the start of your turn. * If you conquer a battlefield but have not scored the other two battlefields during that same turn, you do not win the game; instead, you draw a card (Rule 466.1.b.2). **Summary:** You do not necessarily have to *conquer* all three in a single turn, but you must have *scored* all three battlefields (via either hold or conquer) within that turn to win via a Conquer action when you are at your final point. If you can win by Hold, these conquer restrictions do not apply.

Yes, playing Baron Nashor can score you a point, provided you have not already scored the Baron Pit battlefield during that turn. According to RiftJudge FAQs #9221 and #9698, this works because: 1. **Creating and Entering:** When you play Baron Nashor, his ability adds the Baron Pit battlefield token to the board if it is not already present, and he enters that battlefield. 2. **Conquering:** Playing a unit directly to an empty battlefield (which the Baron Pit is upon creation) counts as "conquering" that battlefield. 3. **Scoring:** Per Rule 463, a player scores through a "Conquer" when they gain control of a battlefield they have not yet scored this turn. Since you are gaining control of the newly created Baron Pit, you satisfy the requirements to score a point. **Important Nuances:** * **Once Per Turn:** Per Rule 447, you may only score from a specific battlefield once per turn. If you have already scored the Baron Pit this turn, playing Baron Nashor there will not grant you another point. * **Final Point:** If you are attempting to score your final point (the point that reaches your Victory Score) by conquering, you must have scored all battlefields currently in play during that same turn to win the game. In a 1v1 game, playing Baron Nashor creates a 3rd battlefield, meaning you would need to have scored the two original battlefields plus the new Baron Pit in the same turn to win (RiftJudge FAQ #10037). If you conquer the Baron Pit but have not scored the other battlefields, you will draw a card instead of scoring a point (Rule 466.1.b.2).

No, you do not draw 2 cards. According to the established rulings for this interaction: * **Hidden Blade** requires a legal target at a battlefield to resolve. * When you play **Retreat** in response, it returns your unit to your hand before **Hidden Blade** resolves. * Because the unit is no longer on the battlefield, **Hidden Blade** no longer has a legal target. Consequently, it cannot identify "its controller" to grant the draw effect, and the instruction to draw is ignored.

Yes, you will still create the Gold gear token even if the target of *Wages of Pain* becomes invalid (e.g., because it was killed by a reaction). ### The Ruling According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8795** and **FAQ #9296** regarding *Wages of Pain*: > "Wages of Pain WILL still give the gold token even if the target becomes illegal. [...] Wages of Pain's gold token generation is a separate instruction after a full stop that doesn't reference target information, so it executes even when the damage cannot be dealt." This is consistent with Rule 356.3.e.6, which states that instructions that cannot be followed are ignored, but instructions that do not reference target information are still executed. Because the creation of the Gold gear token is a separate instruction that does not depend on the success of the damage, it proceeds regardless of the target's status. ### The Sequence 1. **Playing the Spell:** You play *Wages of Pain* targeting a unit. The target is locked when the spell is placed on the chain. 2. **Reacting:** Your opponent plays a reaction that kills the target unit. 3. **Resolution (LIFO):** * The reaction resolves first, killing the unit. * *Wages of Pain* then attempts to resolve. Because the target is no longer on the battlefield, it is now an illegal target. The instruction to "Deal 3 to a unit" cannot be performed and is ignored. * The next instruction, "Play a Gold gear token exhausted," does not reference the target and therefore executes successfully.

Yes, you must still pay the Deflect cost. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #1922**, the Deflect cost is a mandatory additional cost that must be paid during the finalization of the spell (when you declare the target). Because the cost is paid to place the spell on the chain, it is already gone by the time you have the opportunity to react with a card like *Defy*. If the spell is subsequently countered, the Deflect cost is not refunded. ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Finalization:** You play your spell, declare the unit with Deflect as the target, and pay all costs, including the mandatory Deflect cost. 2. **Chain:** The spell is now a legal item on the chain. 3. **Reaction:** Your opponent plays *Defy* in response to your spell. 4. **Resolution:** *Defy* resolves and counters your spell. Because the Deflect cost was already paid to finalize the spell in step 1, it remains spent.

No, **Mirror Image** copies do **not** get gear or buff might. According to the rules regarding copy effects (Patch Notes - 2026-03-30), copy effects only copy the **"copyable traits"** of a game object. These traits are defined as all of the printed or copied traits of that object, including its Rules Text. Specifically: * **Buffs:** Buffs are objects appended to a unit (Rule 426.1.a). They are not "copyable traits" and are not inherited by the copy (RiftJudge FAQ #9410). * **Gear:** Gear is a separate game object attached to a unit. It is not part of the unit's printed or copyable traits, so the copy will not have any of the gear attached to the original unit (Patch Notes - 2026-03-30). **Summary of how the copy works:** 1. **Mirror Image** creates a 0 Might **Reflection** token. 2. The token then becomes a copy of the target unit's base characteristics (printed Might and Rules Text). 3. Any modifiers "appended or granted" to the original unit—such as **Buffs** or **attached Equipment (Gear)**—are ignored by the copy effect. This interpretation is consistent with the established rules for copy effects and verified by RiftJudge FAQ #9410 and #10200.

Ruling: Both Miss Fortune abilities trigger Spirit Wheel because they target/choose a unit. Sequence: - Miss Fortune Legend ability targets a unit to give Ganking, so Spirit Wheel triggers as chain link 2 - Miss Fortune Captain ability chooses a unit to ready, which also counts as targeting for Spirit Wheel

Ruling: "When I attack" and "when I defend" triggers all go on one chain together. Attack triggers are put on the chain first, which means defend triggers will resolve first. Sequence: - Attack triggers are placed on the chain first - Defend triggers are placed on the chain second - The chain resolves in reverse order (defend triggers resolve first, then attack triggers)

Ruling: Yes, Recruit tokens count towards the 7+ units required to hold Grand Plaza. Tokens are not considered cards but they are still units.

No, Repeat and Accelerate costs do NOT factor in for Yordle Explorer. According to a rule, effects that need to determine a card's cost for any purpose always use its base cost, even if that cost is altered or ignored as the card is played. Yordle Explorer checks the card's base Power cost (what's printed in the upper left corner), not the total cost paid. Additional costs like Accelerate and Repeat are NOT included in this check. For example, Miss Fortune (base cost: 1 Body Power) would NOT trigger Yordle Explorer even if you pay the Accelerate cost for an additional 1 Body Power. Yordle Explorer only triggers when you play a card that has 2 or more Power symbols printed in its cost box.

To address your questions regarding 0-Might units like **Scuttle Crab** and combat mechanics, here is the official ruling based on the *Riftbound* rules: ### 1. Do 0-Might units have "1 health"? **No.** Units do not have a separate "health" statistic. They have a **Might** value. * **Rule 143.2.a**: "If a unit ever has nonzero damage marked on it equalling or exceeding its Might, it is killed." * **FAQ #5256** clarifies that a unit can have 0 Might and survive on the board; it only dies when it has damage marked on it equal to or exceeding its Might. * **FAQ #3859** explicitly states that the **minimum lethal damage is always at least 1 point**, even for a 0-Might unit. Therefore, you must assign at least 1 damage to a 0-Might unit to kill it. A unit with 0 Might does **not** die simply by existing or by having 0 Might. ### 2. Can you kill a 5-Might unit and a Scuttle Crab with 5 Might? **No.** You cannot kill both because combat damage is a shared damage pool and you cannot "overassign" damage. * **Summing Might (Rule 460.2.a):** Your total attacking Might is 5. * **Assigning Damage (Rule 460.2.c):** You must assign 5 damage to the 5-Might unit to destroy it. Because you have no remaining Might, you cannot assign the minimum of 1 damage required to kill the 0-Might Scuttle Crab. * **The Result:** If you assign all 5 damage to the 5-Might unit, it dies, but the Scuttle Crab (0 Might) remains on the battlefield with 0 damage. ### 3. Combat Outcome and Battlefield Control In your scenario (You: 5 Might; Opponent: 5 Might + 0 Might Scuttle Crab): 1. **Combat Damage Step (Rule 460.2):** You assign your 5 damage to the opponent's 5-Might unit. The opponent assigns their 5 damage (from their 5-Might unit) to your unit. 2. **Lethal Damage:** Both 5-Might units receive lethal damage and will be killed. 3. **Cleanup (Rule 461.1):** The 5-Might units are killed; the Scuttle Crab remains on the battlefield. 4. **Recall (FAQ #6931 & FAQ #7302):** Because you no longer have units at the battlefield, but your opponent does, combat concludes. If you were the attacker, you would have no units remaining to be recalled. 5. **Establishing Control (Rule 461.5):** Since the opponent has a unit remaining at the battlefield, they maintain control. **Summary:** 0-Might units are not automatically killed. They require at least 1 damage to be killed. If your total Might is 5, you cannot kill both a 5-Might unit and a 0-Might unit in one combat, as you lack the remaining damage pool to reach the 1-damage minimum for the Scuttle Crab. The Scuttle Crab will survive and remain on the battlefield, effectively maintaining control for your opponent. *Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.*

Ruling: Seals are Gear, and Gear enter Ready at your Base by default. This means you can use a Seal immediately on the turn you play it. Nuances: - You recycle one rune to play a Seal, then can use it instantly that same turn - The power cost is still meaningful because recycling runes slows your energy development - On the turn you play it, you're net zero on power generation (recycle one rune, gain one power from the Seal) - The value comes from subsequent turns when the Seal continues generating power

Yes, Seals enter the board in a Ready state. According to Rule 149.1, "Gear enter play Ready." As Seals are a type of Gear, they follow this rule by default unless a specific card effect states otherwise. This allows you to use a Seal immediately on the same turn you play it.

Ruling: Seals are tapped to generate 1 power each, which goes into your resource pool to spend on cards during your turn. Any unspent power disappears at the end of your turn. Sequence: - Tap a seal to generate 1 power (instead of recycling a rune) - Power goes into your resource pool - Spend the power on cards during your turn - Any unspent power is lost at end of turn Nuances: - Multiple seals can be tapped in the same turn to pay larger power costs (e.g., tap two seals for 2 power) - Seals and runes can be combined in the same turn (e.g., tap a seal and recycle a rune) - Normal power rules apply to seals

Ruling: Shield values are summed together on a unit. Multiple instances of Assault abilities like Cleave also stack (double Cleave is equivalent to Assault 6).

Ruling: Yes, Sprite tokens dying trigger Viktor's ability. Viktor's ability triggers on any non-Recruit unit dying, and Sprite tokens are Fae units, not Recruits. Nuances: - The Recruit designation refers specifically to units with the "Recruit" tag (shown next to "token unit" text) - If the ability was meant to exclude all tokens, it would say "non-tokens" rather than specifically restricting to "non-Recruit"

You must target both a friendly unit and an enemy unit to play **Star-Crossed**. You cannot choose to target only an enemy unit. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9865** and **FAQ #9452**, **Star-Crossed** requires both a valid friendly unit and a valid enemy unit to be present on the board to be played. Because the spell lacks "up to" language, both are mandatory targets. If you do not have a friendly unit on the board, you cannot fulfill the targeting requirements and therefore cannot play the spell. If, after the spell has been played and placed on the chain, one of the targeted units becomes unavailable (e.g., if it is moved to the trash or back to a hand by another effect), the spell will still resolve on the remaining legal target, as established in **RiftJudge FAQ #10058**. However, you must have both targets available at the moment you initiate the play of the card.

According to the card text for **Teemo, Strategist** and the associated RiftJudge FAQs, you recycle **all** of the revealed cards. The ability states: "...reveal the top 5 cards of your Main Deck. Deal 1 to that unit for each card with [Hidden] revealed this way, then recycle the revealed cards." As confirmed by the sequence in RiftJudge FAQ #5133 and FAQ #914, the reveal and recycle effects occur as part of the resolution of the ability. You reveal 5 cards, count how many of those have the Hidden keyword to determine the total damage dealt, and then recycle all 5 of those revealed cards to the bottom of your Main Deck.

Ruling: Thousand Tailed Watcher and similar might reduction effects (Smokescreen, Stupefy, Ahri BS) "snapshot" when they resolve - they apply once and then stop. Units that enter play after the effect resolves are not affected, and units that already had the reduction applied can gain might afterward without the reduction reapplying. Sequence: - When Watcher's effect resolves, it reduces the might of all units currently in play by 3 - The effect then stops looking at the game state - Any units played afterward (like Shen as a reaction after Watcher's effect has resolved) do not get the -3 reduction - If a unit that was reduced later gains might through other effects, it gains the full amount without the reduction reapplying Nuances: - If Shen is played as a reaction to Watcher being played (before Watcher's WYPM effect resolves), Shen enters first and would get the -3 reduction - If Shen is played after Watcher's WYPM effect has already resolved, Shen does not get the reduction - Passive effects with "while" text work differently than "when" or "give" effects - passive effects continuously apply - Battlefield passive bonuses are calculated in the arithmetic layer before subtractions, so a unit at a +1 might battlefield would be at 2 might when Watcher resolves, then reduced to 1 might (base 0, +1 from battlefield) - These are not "debuffs" - buffs are a protected term in Riftbound relating to specific deck archetypes

No, Recruit tokens created by **Vanguard Armory** do not enter ready. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9583**, Recruit tokens created by Vanguard Armory enter play exhausted by default. Recruit tokens follow the default rule that they enter exhausted unless the card text specifically states otherwise. Since Vanguard Armory does not specify that the tokens enter ready, they enter exhausted.

Yes, the Recruit tokens created by **Vanguard Armory** enter play exhausted. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #828**, Recruit tokens enter play exhausted by default unless the card text specifically states they enter ready. Since Vanguard Armory does not specify that the tokens enter ready, they follow the default rule and enter exhausted.

Ruling: Yes, these cards work together favorably. You can spend the buff Cithria gives to ready Wild Claw Shaman. Sequence: - Both abilities trigger simultaneously when Wild Claw Shaman enters play - You can stack them as you choose - Order Cithria's ability to happen first - Use the buff from Cithria to ready Wild Claw Shaman

Ruling: Yes, abilities stack per activated gear. The trigger will occur each time its conditions are met.

Ruling: Yes, the triggered ability still resolves even if the unit is no longer at its destination or has been moved to a non-board zone. Triggers are evaluated when their condition is fulfilled and go on the chain; once on the chain, the trigger resolves regardless of whether the condition is still true. Sequence: - Unit moves, triggering the "When I move..." ability - Trigger goes on the chain - Even if the unit is moved again or removed before the trigger resolves, the trigger still resolves Nuances: - The trigger will fail to resolve properly only if the effect itself requires information about the unit that can no longer be determined (e.g., "draw a card for each friendly unit here" when "here" is undefined because the unit is no longer on board) - Triggers that simply say "When I move..." without requiring location-dependent information will resolve normally - All chain items check legality both when added to the chain and when they resolve, but this applies to the effect's requirements, not the trigger condition itself

Ruling: No, abilities that trigger when a unit attacks/defends alone do not trigger if the unit becomes alone after already gaining the attacker/defender designation with other units. Sequence: - The unit must simultaneously gain the attacker/defender designation AND be the only unit at the battlefield for the trigger condition to be met - If a unit gains the attacker/defender designation while not alone, the trigger condition is not satisfied - If another unit is later removed, making it alone, the condition does not retroactively trigger because the unit already has the attacker/defender designation Nuances: - This is different from general "when I attack" or "when I defend" triggers, which only occur once per showdown regardless of other circumstances - All conditions of a trigger must be satisfied simultaneously for it to evaluate

Ruling: Once a triggered or activated ability has been put on the chain, it resolves regardless of whether its source permanent is still alive. Nuances: - If the ability references characteristics of its source (e.g., "deal damage equal to my might"), the ability still resolves but won't do anything because the unit is no longer there and its characteristics can't be referenced.