Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: All units everywhere heal their damage after a combat showdown resolves, not just the units involved in that combat. Sequence: - When a showdown resolves, all damaged units (anywhere on the board) heal - This healing occurs after any combat showdown during a turn - Units damaged by spells outside of showdowns also heal after any subsequent combat showdown that same turn - If no combat showdown occurs, spell-damaged units heal at end of turn Nuances: - Units damaged by spells outside of showdowns don't heal immediately - they heal after the next combat showdown or at end of turn, whichever comes first

Ruling: Yes, all units heal after a combat concludes and at the end of turn. Nuances: - Units heal even if they were not involved in the combat - You can heal damaged units by invoking a combat with other units

No, units do not heal after a non-combat showdown. According to RiftJudge FAQ #7792 and #3513, healing only occurs after **combat showdowns** and at the **end of the turn**. Non-combat showdowns do not trigger this healing process. Even if combat damage is skipped or units are removed from the battlefield (e.g., via effects like "rebuke" or "FoFd") after a combat showdown has been initiated, the units will still heal because the combat showdown itself occurred. However, if the showdown is non-combat (uncontested), no such healing trigger exists.

Ruling: All units everywhere heal at the end of a combat showdown or end of turn. Units do not heal after a non-combat showdown. Sequence: - A unit can take damage from a challenge - If another unit initiates a combat showdown (not involving the damaged unit), the damaged unit still heals at the end of that showdown - The healed unit can then participate in a subsequent showdown at full health (if readied or moved by an effect) Nuances: - Only combat showdowns trigger healing for all units; non-combat showdowns do not trigger healing

No, units do not heal when you conquer an empty battlefield. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #7796** and **#9131**, there is a critical distinction between a **combat showdown** and an **open showdown**: * **Combat Showdown:** Occurs when a unit moves to an opponent-controlled battlefield. This triggers combat, which includes a "Combat Cleanup" step where all units heal. * **Open Showdown:** Occurs when a unit moves to an empty (uncontrolled) battlefield. This is a showdown, but it is **not combat**. Because it is not combat, there is no combat cleanup, and therefore no healing occurs. While conquering an empty battlefield allows you to score, it does not trigger the combat cleanup required to heal your units. Units only heal after combat concludes or at the end of the turn.

Ruling: The last point restrictions only affect scoring from battlefields. Other sources of points (like Yasuo Windrider and Ahri Alluring) are not prevented by these restrictions and can score the winning point directly. Nuances: - The restriction requiring control of both battlefields or holding only applies to battlefield scoring - Alternate scoring effects function as direct paths to victory, not just accelerators

Ruling: Battlefield effects are symmetric and affect both players equally at all times, regardless of who controls the battlefield. The controller of the battlefield controls its abilities, but the abilities still trigger for non-controlling players. Nuances: - Whether a battlefield ability requires control depends on whether the ability text references "you" (the controller). Void Gate has no such reference, so it works for both players. - A recent patch clarified that control of a battlefield establishes control of its abilities, but this doesn't prevent non-controllers from being affected by or utilizing those abilities. - Example: Icathian Rain targeting units on an opponent-controlled Void Gate would deal 6x3 damage.

Ruling: Battlefields that say "you" only have their effects work if the player who triggers them controls the battlefield. In most cases, battlefield effects only work for the player controlling the battlefield. Nuances: - The Dreaming Tree is an exception that was errated - an attacking player draws if they play a spell targeting one of their attacking units, even though they don't control the battlefield yet - The Dreaming Tree's wording didn't match the original design intent, making it an exception to the general rule

Ruling: No, Unchecked Power does not trigger Deflect because it does not target. Cards that deal damage to all enemies do not "choose" targets, so they bypass Deflect's targeting requirement.

Yes, a unit retains all of its buffs when it is saved from death by Zhonya's Hourglass. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #4022**: "When Zhonya's Hourglass saves a unit from death, the unit keeps its buffs because the unit never actually dies." Because the unit is recalled to its controller's base rather than moving to the trash (a non-board zone), it does not "leave play." Per **Rule 705**, a unit only removes its buffs when it leaves play. Additionally, while Zhonya's clears damage from the unit, it does not remove other status modifications like buffs or debuffs.

Ruling: Facedown cards at a battlefield do not take damage from effects like Firestorm or Tibbers. A facedown card is not actually on the board and is not even a unit until it is played to that battlefield. Nuances: - Facedown cards are technically in the "facedown zone" of that battlefield, not at the battlefield itself - If a unit is face-up at the battlefield (already played), it will take damage from these effects - Facedown cards can be played from the facedown zone for 0 energy as a reaction, and units must be played to the corresponding battlefield

Ruling: Yes, you still score (conquer) the battlefield even at 7 points; you just draw a card instead of gaining the final point. Cards that trigger on scoring/conquering will still activate. Sequence: - Win combat on a battlefield you haven't scored this turn - You score (conquer) the battlefield - Instead of gaining the 8th point, you draw a card - Cards that trigger on scoring/conquering activate Nuances: - You must not have already scored that specific battlefield this turn for the scoring to occur - At 7 points, if you would score on multiple battlefields, you draw a card for each instead of gaining points

Ruling: Cards with delayed triggers do not enter the chain twice. The card itself goes on the chain once when played, and when it resolves it creates a delayed trigger that separately goes on the chain later. Sequence: - The card (e.g., Imperial Decree or Targon's Peak) is played to the chain - When it resolves, it goes to the trash - The delayed trigger it creates goes on the chain separately (e.g., at end of turn) Nuances: - Triggered ability phrases like "when" and "at the end of turn" don't always appear at the beginning of card text, but they still indicate triggered abilities that will create chain links

Cards with the **Hidden** keyword can only be played at **Reaction** speed *after* they have been hidden facedown on a battlefield. They cannot be played at Reaction speed directly from your hand. According to **Rule 811.1.b**, the **Hidden** keyword functions as follows: > "While this card is in your hand or in your Champion Zone on your turn during an Open State, you may pay [A] to hide this facedown at a battlefield you control... **Beginning on the next turn, this gains [Reaction] and you may play this, ignoring its base cost.**" To summarize: * **From your hand:** The card must first be played using the "Hide" action (which costs [A]) to place it facedown on a battlefield. This action is performed during an Open State on your turn. * **From the battlefield (facedown):** Beginning on the next turn after it was hidden, the card gains the **Reaction** keyword, which allows you to play it at Reaction speed. Essentially, **Hidden** is a setup mechanic that requires you to place the card on the board before it gains the ability to be played at Reaction speed on a later turn.

Ruling: No cards ever get replaced when played. You can have as many copies of a card in play as you like, regardless of whether they share the same name or are champions. Nuances: - While you can have multiple copies in play, you can only include three copies of any card in your original deck construction.

Ruling: No, units do not heal after combat or at end of turn. This effect is not a combat effect. Nuances: - Healing after challenges is not an automatic game mechanic - Challenge resolution does not trigger healing

Ruling: Passive abilities check constantly, including during the resolution of spells and abilities. Sequence: - When a spell begins resolving that changes game state (like drawing cards) - Passive abilities immediately recognize those state changes - The passive ability applies before the spell finishes resolving Nuances: - In the first example (Draw 2, Deal 1 damage to all units), the unit gains +1 Might from drawing cards before damage is dealt, so it survives with 2 Might - In the second example (Draw 2, Kill all units with 1 or less Might), the unit gains +1 Might from drawing cards before the kill effect checks, so it survives with 2 Might - There was initially no direct rule in the CRD addressing this, but it was confirmed that passive abilities check constantly

Ruling: Conquer abilities do not trigger when you already held/conquered that battlefield. Conquering is specifically a form of scoring, and you cannot score a battlefield again if you already scored it this turn. Sequence: - You can only score a battlefield once per turn - Conquering requires scoring - If you cannot score (because you already did), you cannot conquer - If you cannot conquer, conquer abilities do not trigger Nuances: - You still gain control of the battlefield, but without scoring you cannot conquer - Scoring includes both conquering and holding; inability to score means inability to do either

Ruling: You score and conquer at the same time, then conquer triggers happen as a result. The player scores first (gaining the point), which satisfies the conquer condition, and then triggered effects from conquering occur. Sequence: - Player conquers and scores simultaneously - Conquer triggers (like Candlelit Sanctum's effect) happen after scoring - Player can use the conquered battlefield's triggered effect Nuances: - Conquer is defined as scoring from taking control of a battlefield, so scoring must happen to meet the trigger condition - Scoring itself is not a triggered event and does not go on the chain - You only get conquer effects when you score; moving away from a battlefield you already scored and returning does not trigger conquer effects again

Ruling: No, conquer effects do not trigger if the unit dies during the showdown. You don't conquer until you establish control, which happens after the showdown or combat ends, so if the unit dies before that point it is no longer on the board to see the conquer. Sequence: - Showdown or combat occurs - Unit with conquer ability may die during this phase - Control is established after showdown/combat ends - Conquer effects trigger only if the unit is still on the board at this point

No, conquering a battlefield does not cause units on other battlefields to heal. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #6111** and **#4324**, units heal at the end of **combat** and at the end of the **turn**. Conquering a battlefield is a game action (Rule 464.1), but it is not combat. Therefore, it does not trigger the "Combat Cleanup" step where healing occurs. To summarize: * **Healing** occurs automatically at the end of combat (for all units everywhere) and at the end of the turn (for all units everywhere). * **Conquering** a battlefield does not trigger a combat cleanup, so no healing occurs as a result of that action.

Ruling: Yes, cost reductions apply to additional costs. Kraken Hunter's power cost reduction from spending buffs can be applied when using Accelerate, effectively changing the card to a 4 Energy 3 Power card. Sequence: - Additional optional costs get added to the Total Cost - Cost reductions are then applied to that Total Cost

Ruling: Countered cards do not count as being played. Cards only count as played once they have fully resolved, not when they are put onto the chain. Nuances: - There is no "on cast" concept in Riftbound - Countered cards started the process of being played but were cancelled partway through - The distinction between "play" and "played" is grammatical (present vs past tense), not mechanical - both require full resolution

Ruling: Countered spells and spells affected by Mystic Reversal do not count as played for Legion effects or similar triggers. Legion looks at resolution to establish if you played a card. Nuances: - This applies to both hard counters (like Defy or Wind Wall) and Mystic Reversal - The spell must resolve to count as played for these effects

Yes, Irelia, Fervent still receives the +1 Might bonus even if the spell targeting her is countered. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #636** and **FAQ #5762** in the retrieved context: * **Trigger Timing:** Irelia's ability triggers when she is chosen during the spell's finalization, which occurs before the opponent has the opportunity to counter the spell. * **Chain Resolution:** Once the trigger condition is met, the ability is placed on the chain. Even if the original spell is subsequently countered, the triggered ability remains on the chain and will resolve normally. **Sequence of events:** 1. A player plays a spell and chooses Irelia, Fervent as the target. 2. Irelia's ability triggers and is placed on the chain above the spell. 3. The opponent has the opportunity to play a "Counter" effect against the original spell. 4. If the spell is countered, it is moved to the Trash and does nothing. 5. Irelia's triggered ability, which is already on the chain, resolves, and she gains +1 Might. This interaction is consistent with **Rule 412.1.b**, which states that a countered card is not considered to have been played, but it does not retroactively remove triggered abilities that were already placed on the chain as a result of the initial targeting.

Yes, the targets for "When I attack" and "When I defend" triggers must be chosen before any player can play a reaction. According to the **Showdown Timing Flowchart** and the associated **RiftJudge FAQs**, the process for these triggers is as follows: ### 1. Placing Triggers on the Chain When a combat showdown begins, the triggered abilities are placed on the chain as follows: * **Step 1:** The attacker (who has focus) places all their "When I attack" triggers on the chain. They choose the order in which these triggers are placed. * **Step 2:** Any non-defender players (in turn order) place their triggers. * **Step 3:** The defender places all their "When I defend" triggers on the chain. They choose the order in which these triggers are placed. ### 2. Making Choices (Targets) When a triggered ability is added to the chain, you must make all required choices for that ability—**including choosing targets**—at the time it is placed on the chain (Rule 402.1). An ability cannot be placed on the chain if legal targets cannot be chosen for it. ### 3. Reaction Window * Once all triggers are on the chain and all choices (including targets) have been made, the state becomes **Closed**. * The defending player receives priority first to play a reaction, followed by the attacking player. * The chain then resolves in **LIFO** (Last-In, First-Out) order, meaning the last items added (usually the "When I defend" triggers) resolve first. **Summary:** You cannot wait to see if an opponent reacts before deciding who your ability is targeting. You must lock in your targets during the initial trigger-stacking phase before any reactions are permitted. *This is my interpretation based on Rule 402.1 and the established Showdown timing flow. No official FAQ exists for this specific "decision order" phrasing, but it is explicitly required by the core rules for placing triggers on the chain.*

Ruling: Discretionary actions do not pass priority. Priority is only passed during showdowns and when entering a chain. Nuances: - Discretionary actions themselves do not create a closed game state or chain upon their resolution - Moving units with a standard move does not open a chain - Moving units to a battlefield does not create a closed state, but it can create a showdown state

Ruling: Effects that modify stats "this turn" only affect units that are on the board when the effect resolves. Units that enter the board after resolution are not affected. Sequence: - The effect resolves and applies to all units currently on the board - Units summoned after resolution do not receive the modification - Exception: Units that enter the board before resolution (such as by reacting to a trigger) are affected Nuances: - This is generally true for all cards without a permanent (continuous) ability - If a card works differently, it would have very specific wording, such as: "All friendly units gain +5 might this turn and for the rest of this turn, when you summon a unit it gains +5 might until the end of this turn" - Imperial Decree is mentioned as an exception to this general rule

Whether an attached Gear with the *Temporary* keyword is killed during your Beginning Phase depends on how it gained that keyword: * **If the *Temporary* keyword is printed on the Gear:** It **will not** be killed while attached. According to Rules 135.4 and 718.2, a card's printed rules text is inactive while it is attached to another card. Because the *Temporary* keyword is inactive, it cannot trigger. (Source: RiftJudge FAQ #836) * **If the *Temporary* keyword was granted to the Gear by another effect:** It **will** be killed during your Beginning Phase. Granted rules text remains active even while the gear is attached. Therefore, the granted *Temporary* ability will trigger and kill the gear at the start of your next Beginning Phase. (Source: Rules FAQ Clarification 2026-04-29) In summary, printed *Temporary* goes inactive while attached, but granted *Temporary* stays active and will cause the gear to be killed.

Ruling: Playing a gear card does start a chain, but if it's a permanent, no player receives priority before it resolves. Activated abilities of gears also start a chain. Sequence: - When you play a gear permanent, it starts a chain - The permanent resolves without players receiving priority - When you activate an ability on a gear, it starts a chain with normal priority

Yes, Gold gear tokens are considered gear. According to the rules and official FAQs: * **Rule 146.1.a.3:** "Gear can be chosen, affected, or manipulated by spells, effects, or game actions that specify Gear." * **Official FAQ:** "A token gear is a gear, and Pit Crew does not specify 'non-token gear.' ... Token units and token gears have their respective card types (unit/gear) and are treated as such for game effects unless a card specifically says 'non-token'." While they are considered gear for effects that look for that type (such as *Pit Crew* or *Ornn, Forge God*), please note that they are **not** considered "Main Deck cards," so they do not count toward the **Legion** keyword (Rule 738.1.c).

Ruling: Once cards are hidden at a battlefield, they can only target things at that specific battlefield. Nuances: - Zhonya's is an exception where rules-as-written currently allows it to protect all friendly units globally even when played from hidden, but rules-as-intended is that it should only affect units at the battlefield it was played from - The Zhonya's interaction is acknowledged as not matching intended design and may be clarified in future rules updates

Ruling: Hidden cards do not count as played when you hide them on the battlefield. They count as played only when you later activate them from hidden. Sequence: - When you hide a card on the battlefield, it is not played at that moment - When you later flip and activate a hidden card, that is when it counts as played Nuances: - Cards can be played from hidden, but the act of hiding them does not count as playing them

Ruling: Hidden cards do not have an exhausted or ready state while hidden. When you play a unit from hidden, it enters play following standard rules—meaning it enters exhausted unless otherwise stated, just like playing from hand. Sequence: - While hidden, cards are not considered played yet and have no ready/exhausted quality - Hidden cards are not affected by awaken steps or other effects - When you play/reveal the hidden card, it follows normal play rules at that time - Units played from hidden enter exhausted (unless an effect states otherwise) Nuances: - The physical orientation (vertical/horizontal) of hidden cards doesn't matter as long as it's clear there is a hidden card and which battlefield it belongs to - Most players hide cards in an exhausted orientation to save space, but this is not required

Ruling: All hidden cards receive the additional targeting restriction of "Here" (meaning they must target at their own battlefield), except for Tideturner which cannot target at its own location due to errata. Nuances: - The targeting restriction is not printed on the cards themselves but is added by the rules when cards become hidden - Tideturner is the sole exception to this rule

Ruling: No, hidden cards do not remain on battlefields where you no longer have units. Hidden cards are removed from battlefields that do not have a unit controlled by the same player present and are placed in their owner's trash. Sequence: - Check if a hidden card is on a battlefield - Check if that battlefield has a unit controlled by the same player who controls the hidden card - If no unit is present, remove the hidden card and place it in the owner's trash

Ruling: Yes, hidden units enter play exhausted when you react with them from hidden. Nuances: - All units enter play exhausted, including tokens, unless otherwise stated

Ruling: Yes, triggered abilities always start a chain regardless of the source, including legend abilities. You can play a reaction spell in response to a legend's triggered ability. Sequence: - Legend's triggered ability activates - Ability goes on the chain - Players can respond with reaction spells or other effects

Ruling: Legend cards are always active from the start of the game at no cost. The symbols at the top left show the color identity for deck building purposes. Sequence: - Legends are active from the start of the game - No payment or playing action is required Nuances: - The color symbols on legends determine deck color identity, not a casting cost

Ruling: Yes, triggered abilities on legends will still trigger even if the legend is exhausted. The exhausted state only prevents you from activating abilities that require exhausting as a cost. Nuances: - As long as the trigger condition (the part before the comma in the ability text) is met, the trigger will go onto the chain regardless of exhausted state - This can be relevant for trigger ordering when multiple triggers occur simultaneously - This can create reaction windows that wouldn't otherwise exist

Ruling: Yes, move triggers resolve on a chain outside the showdown before it starts. You cannot start a showdown while there is a chain, so once the move trigger chain fully resolves, the showdown can begin with its initial chain containing attack/defend triggers. Sequence: - Move trigger is added to the chain as pending - Cleanup finalizes the trigger onto the chain (step 8) - The chain resolves completely - Showdown begins (step 9 of cleanup, only if there is no chain) - Attack/defend triggers go onto the initial chain of the showdown in order: attacker triggers first, then defender triggers - Initial chain resolves (LIFO - last in, first out) Nuances: - Move triggers happen before showdown begins, so the rules about combat and showdowns don't apply to move triggers - You cannot react in response to a move itself - A showdown only begins during cleanup if there is no existing chain

Ruling: Movement abilities that trigger when a unit moves create a chain that must resolve before any potential showdown from that movement begins. These abilities can be reacted to by both players. Sequence: - Unit moves (standard move itself does not create a chain) - Movement trigger abilities go on the chain - Players can react to these abilities - Chain resolves - If the move results in entering an opponent's battlefield, combat showdown begins Nuances: - Standard moves themselves are not abilities and cannot be reacted to - "When I attack" triggers (like some Yasuo abilities) are different - they trigger during the combat showdown, not before it - Any ability or spell can be reacted to unless stated otherwise - "Add" abilities and replacement effects cannot be reacted to

Ruling: Yes, multiple Battlefield Obelisk of Power stack, and you draw an additional rune per Obelisk on the first turn.

Yes, multiple **Breakneck Mech** units stack their effects, but with some nuances regarding how the keywords themselves function. ### Deflect According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8475** and **Rule 735.2**, **Deflect** stacks. * **Rule 735.2** states: "If a Unit has Deflect, or has been granted Deflect, and is granted Deflect by an additional source, the Deflect Value of all granted Deflect keywords is summed." * Since **Breakneck Mech** grants "Deflect" (which defaults to a value of 1 per **Rule 735.1.b.3**), having two copies of Breakneck Mech on the board means your Mechs will have **Deflect 2**. An opponent must pay 2 additional Power to target them. ### Ganking While the **Deflect** stacks, the **Ganking** keyword does not stack in a meaningful way. * **Rule 736.2** explicitly states: "Multiple instances of Ganking are redundant." * Because Ganking is a passive ability that simply adds a permission to a unit's Standard Move, having it granted by two different sources does not provide additional movement options or benefits beyond what a single instance provides. **Summary:** If you have two **Breakneck Mechs** in play, your other Mechs will have **Deflect 2** and **Ganking** (which functions the same as if they only had one instance of Ganking).

Ruling: Multiple copies of Ezreal Prodigy stack their cost reduction effects. Each Ezreal applies its cost reduction once. Nuances: - Riftbound has no Legend Rule for any card except those with the Unique keyword, so multiple copies of the same unit can exist on board simultaneously

Ruling: Yes, multiple sources of Deflect do stack, requiring the opponent to spend additional power for each instance to target that character. Nuances: - Spirit Refuge specifically prevents multiple instances of itself from creating this scenario (it cannot create stacking Deflect on its own) - If future cards create multiple Deflect instances from different sources, they would stack like Assault or Shield

Ruling: Yes, multiple sources of both Assault and Shield keywords sum together. Sequence: - If a unit has Assault (or has been granted Assault) and receives Assault from an additional source, sum all Assault values - If a unit has Shield (or has been granted Shield) and receives Shield from an additional source, sum all Shield values Nuances: - This applies whether the keyword is inherent to the unit or granted by external sources - All granted keyword values are summed, not just the highest value

Ruling: Cost reduction effects and continuous stat modification effects only apply while cards are on the board. When checking costs or stats from other zones like graveyard or deck, only the printed values are used. Nuances: - When an effect says "play something from trash with a cost of X or lower," it refers to printed cost only - Continuous effects that modify stats (like Might) do not apply in zones outside of play

Ruling: No, you do not get priority at the end of your opponent's turn to cast reaction spells. You can only get focus on an opponent's turn if they start a showdown or specifically play a spell card. Nuances: - This is different from games like Magic: The Gathering or Yu-Gi-Oh - The design choice prevents having to pass priority around 4 players constantly - Reaction spells' "anytime" reminder text can be misleading if you don't understand how focus works

Ruling: For most spells, you must declare targets when you play them. Spells and effects never fizzle in Riftbound - they are either countered with specific cards (Defy/Wind Wall) or they always resolve as much as they can, though they can whiff (resolve with no impact) if target requirements aren't met. Sequence: - Declare targets when playing the spell - Spell goes on the chain - Spell resolves and does as much as it can Nuances: - Reflexive triggers (spells with "Do this:" text) work differently - they target after resolution rather than on cast - A spell can whiff if there are extra target requirements (like targeting a unit at a battlefield) and the unit gets moved between the spell going on chain and resolving