Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: Buffs and debuffs are applied in layers - increases first, then decreases. Smokescreen snapshots its debuff value when it resolves (calculating the reduction to a minimum of 1 might), then continuously applies that snapshotted value for the rest of the turn. Sequence: - Start with base might and apply all increases (buffs) - When Smokescreen resolves, it calculates its debuff based on the current might value, reducing to a minimum of 1 - Smokescreen snapshots this debuff amount and applies it continuously - Any subsequent buffs applied that turn are added to the calculation alongside the snapshotted debuff Nuances: - In the example of 1 base might + 1 buff = 2 might, Smokescreen would snapshot to -1 might (since 2 - 4 = -2, but minimum 1, so the reduction is only -1), resulting in final 1 might - If you buff a Smokescreened unit in the same turn, you calculate from the current value (1 might), not from a negative value - If En Garde resolves before Smokescreen on a 1 might unit: 1 + 2 = 3, then Smokescreen snapshots to -2 (3 - 4 = -1 minimum, so -2 reduction), then if another En Garde resolves it becomes 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 3 total

Ruling: Cards with power cost symbols require both energy (exhaust runes) and power (recycle runes or use seals). Seals can only pay power costs, not energy costs. Sequence: - Exhaust the card with the power cost symbol - Pay the energy cost by exhausting runes (shown by numerical value) - Pay the power cost by recycling runes of matching color OR exhausting seals of matching color (shown by colored symbols) Nuances: - You can mix payment methods: exhaust a rune for energy and exhaust a seal for power - You cannot exhaust a seal for energy and recycle a rune for power (this overpays the power cost without paying energy) - When recycling runes for power costs, you can recycle any rune of the matching color, not just the one you exhausted for energy - All runes of the same color are equivalent, so normally you'd recycle the exhausted one unless paying a cost requiring any color

Ruling: During a showdown, both players can use actions and reactions. Actions can only start a new chain, while reactions and triggers can be added to an existing chain. The chain resolves like a stack (last in, first out), and combat damage only happens when both players pass priority without starting a new chain. Sequence: - Attacker has priority first and can play an action to start a chain - Defender can respond with reactions (not actions) to the chain - Players alternate adding reactions to the chain until both pass - Chain resolves from top to bottom (most recent first) - After chain resolves, attacker has priority again to start a new chain - If neither player starts a new chain, combat damage happens - Players can play multiple reactions before passing priority Nuances: - Actions cannot be added to an existing chain - only reactions and triggers can be added once a chain starts - If P1 plays an action, P2 must wait for it to resolve before playing their own action (which would start a new chain) - Showdown and chain are two different concepts - there can be many chains started during a showdown - Seals are reactions that cannot be reacted to, but they do not automatically close a chain

Ruling: Damage marked on a unit does not reduce its might, so a damaged unit still deals its full might value in combat. However, effects that explicitly reduce might (not damage) will reduce the amount of damage that unit deals. Sequence: - When damage is dealt to a unit, it is marked on that unit - If marked damage equals or exceeds the unit's might, the unit dies - During combat, the unit still deals damage equal to its current might value (not reduced by marked damage) - At the end of every combat, all units on the board are healed and marked damage is removed Nuances: - Damage (like from Hextech Ray or Skysplitter) marks damage on a unit but doesn't reduce its might for combat - Might reduction effects (like Accelerated Watcher's -3M) actually reduce the unit's might, which reduces combat damage dealt - A 4M unit with 3 damage marked will still deal 4 damage in combat and trade with another 4M unit

Ruling: Effects with "to a minimum of 1" clauses snapshot their value when they resolve, calculating the actual modifier at that moment, then continuously apply that remembered value for the duration. The order effects resolve matters because each snapshots based on the current state when it resolves. Sequence: - When Smoke Screen resolves on a 2M unit first, it evaluates "-4 (minimum of 1)" as -1 and remembers that value - If Discipline (+2M) then resolves, the unit becomes 3M (2 base +2 -1) - If Discipline resolves first on a 2M unit, it applies +2M making it 4M - Then Smoke Screen resolves and evaluates "-4 (minimum of 1)" as -3 and remembers that value - The unit becomes 1M (2 base +2 -3) - The snapshotted values don't recalculate; they remain fixed for the duration Nuances: - The "minimum of 1" only snapshots for one-time effects; for continuous effects it applies last after all addition and subtraction - If additional modifiers are added later (like from Trifarian Warcamp), they add to the existing calculation without re-evaluating the snapshotted Smoke Screen value - Future CR updates will clarify that effects caring about "to a minimum of 1" are evaluated at application time with values stored, and positives are calculated before negatives when doing stat math

Ruling: Focus is a showdown-specific mechanic that determines who can play action-speed spells. The player with focus can play action or reaction spells to start a chain, while the player without focus can only play reaction spells in response to an existing chain. Sequence: - When a showdown begins, the attacker has focus and priority - Any "when I attack" or "when I defend" triggers create an initial chain that can only be responded to with reactions - After that chain resolves, the attacker (with focus) can start a new chain with an action or reaction spell - Once that chain resolves, focus passes to the defender - The defender can now start a chain with an action or reaction spell - After their chain resolves, focus passes back to the attacker - This continues until both players consecutively pass with an empty chain - When both players pass with no chain, the showdown proceeds to combat damage Nuances: - If you pass priority while a chain is open, you retain focus but pass priority only - If you pass with an empty chain (no active chain), you pass both focus and priority to your opponent - Focus only exists during showdowns; outside of showdowns, you cannot play action spells on your opponent's turn - Units and gear create chains when played, but they immediately resolve and cannot be responded to (unless they have "when played" triggers) - Even if units leave the battlefield during a showdown, players can continue starting chains until both pass

Ruling: Focus is the ability to start a new chain during a showdown open state, while priority is the ability to play reactions to an existing chain. When the last item on a chain resolves, both focus and priority automatically pass to the next player. Sequence: - When a chain completes resolution, focus and priority automatically pass together (this is not an optional pass) - The player who receives focus also receives priority - Two consecutive optional passes are still required to resolve the next item or end the showdown - After the initial chain resolves, the attacker retains focus (this is a confirmed rule correction - the current rules incorrectly imply the defender gets focus) - Once a chain is established, the controller of the topmost item gets priority first - When an item resolves mid-chain, the owner of the new topmost item gets priority again Nuances: - Priority is retained when playing a reaction, allowing multiple reactions in a row before passing - If you pass priority after playing an action and your opponent also passes, the topmost item immediately resolves (both passed consecutively) - You must react to your own spells immediately if you want to ensure you can do so even if your opponent doesn't react - The automatic pass of focus when a chain resolves does NOT count toward the two consecutive passes needed to resolve items - Starting a chain with a reaction as the attacker prevents your opponent from playing an action until that chain resolves, though you could usually just react to their action anyway - Focus always remains with the attacker after the initial chain resolves entirely - In multiplayer, focus passes to the next player in turn order, not just "the other player"

Ruling: When a chain is open, the player who controls the item that started the chain gets first priority to add items to it. Adding an item to the chain doesn't pass priority - only passing priority does. When all players pass priority in succession, the topmost item resolves, and the controller of the next item on the chain gets priority. When a chain closes (all items resolve), focus automatically moves to the next player in turn order. Sequence: - Player with focus can start a chain with Base, Action, or Reaction speed cards during their action phase - Action and Reaction speed cards can start chains during showdowns - Only Reaction speed cards can be added to an existing chain - When adding to a chain, priority stays with the player who added the item (they can add multiple reactions at once) - When a player passes priority, the next player in turn order gets priority - When all players pass priority in succession, the topmost chain item resolves - After an item resolves, the controller of the next item on the chain gets priority - When the last item on the chain resolves and no items remain, the chain automatically closes - When a chain closes, focus automatically moves to the next player in turn order - A showdown ends when all players pass focus (not just priority) in succession without starting new chains Nuances: - You cannot play Action speed items to add to an existing chain (except during showdowns where they can start chains) - You cannot play two Action speed items in a row unless your opponent passes focus - When a chain closes during a showdown, focus passes but the showdown continues - players can start new chains - The player who starts a chain will always have an opportunity to start another chain before the showdown ends - "When I Attack" and "When I Defend" triggers are put on the initial chain when combat begins, and players can add reactions to this initial chain - The initial combat chain is special - it doesn't pass focus when it closes - If you play a reaction as the only item on a chain and it resolves, the chain closes immediately and focus passes - you don't get priority to add another reaction to that same chain

Ruling: To hide a card costs 1 recycle energy. Playing a card from hidden costs exactly 0 energy (you don't pay the card's energy cost again). You can only hide cards on a battlefield you control, and you cannot play a card from hidden on the same turn you hid it (no exceptions). Sequence: - Pay 1 recycle energy to hide a card on a battlefield you control - Wait until a future turn - Play the card from hidden for 0 energy cost Nuances: - When playing from hidden, any targets/choices must be from that same battlefield if possible - Cards with global effects (like Zhonya's) still work globally when played from hidden - Cards that can target any battlefield when played from hand (like Fog of War) can only target their own battlefield when played from hidden - If you lose control of the battlefield where a hidden card is placed, that hidden card goes to trash - Even if a reaction chain starts on the same turn you hid a card, you still cannot play it from hidden that turn

Ruling: To hide a card, you must control a battlefield, and the hidden card is placed at that battlefield. If there are no units at the battlefield where the hidden card is located, the hidden card is sent to the trash. Nuances: - You can prevent hidden cards from being played by countering them with cards like Defy or Wind Wall - The rainbow symbol on cards means "recycle any rune"

Ruling: Might increases are applied before might reductions. Each Smoke Screen snapshots the unit's current might when played and applies a continuous reduction. The first Smoke Screen sees the Poro at 6 might and applies -4 might continuously. The second Smoke Screen then sees the Poro at 2 might (6 - 4) and applies -1 might continuously, for a total of -5 might reduction. During combat, the Poro will be at 1 might (6 - 5, minimum 1). After combat when shield and Yi passive expire, the Poro will be at -2 might (2 base + 1 buff - 5 from Smoke Screens) but will not die unless damage is assigned to it. Sequence: - Calculate total might with all increases (base + shield + buff + Yi passive = 6) - First Smoke Screen sees 6 might, applies -4 might continuously - Second Smoke Screen sees 2 might (6 - 4), applies -1 might continuously - Total continuous reduction is -5 might - During combat: 1 might (minimum enforced when effect applied) - After combat: -2 might (temporary bonuses expire but reductions remain) Nuances: - The "to a minimum of 1" clause is only checked when the effect is applied, then the reduction continues regardless of how might changes afterward - Units with negative might do not die unless they have non-zero damage assigned to them - Shield and Yi bonus and buff all "remain" but are canceled out by the might reductions

Ruling: Multiple units moving TO the same battlefield location can be moved at once to create a single showdown. Damage is assigned based on total combined might (not individually per unit), and damage heals at the end of each showdown and at the end of turns. Sequence: - Move multiple units to the same battlefield location simultaneously to create one showdown - Each player assigns damage however they want based on total might - Damage heals at the end of the showdown - If you want multiple showdowns at the same location, you must move units separately (triggering separate showdowns), but the defending units will heal between showdowns Nuances: - Units must move TO the same location at the same time to be in the same showdown; showdowns trigger immediately when units arrive at a battlefield the player doesn't control - You cannot ready a unit and then add more units to join that showdown - the showdown happens immediately - To conquer a battlefield, at least one of your units must survive the showdown - If units on both sides survive, attacking units are recalled to base - All units on the board heal after combat, not just those involved in the showdown

Ruling: Passive effects (indicated by "while" wording) like Shield, Assault, and Master Yi's Legend ability apply immediately at the start of combat before any player can play cards or trigger abilities. They cannot be reacted to. Might reduction effects like Smokescreen reduce the unit's current might (including any passive bonuses already applied), and units can have negative might without dying. Sequence: - Combat showdown begins - All passive effects (Shield, Assault, Master Yi Legend, etc.) apply immediately - If there are "when I attack" or "when I defend" triggers, they go on the chain and can be reacted to - If there are no such triggers, attacking player immediately gets priority on an empty chain - Players alternate playing cards and passing until both pass on an empty chain - Combat damage occurs Nuances: - Passive effects use "while" wording, triggers use "when" wording - Assault bonus applies whenever a unit is an attacker, even if Cleave is played late in the showdown - Units at negative might do not die until they take at least 1 damage - After Smokescreen resolves on a unit with passive might bonuses, the unit's might equals its new reduced value (e.g., 5 might reduced to 1), and when combat ends and passives stop applying, it can go negative

Ruling: In best-of-3, players select a battlefield and simultaneously reveal it after legend and chosen champion are revealed but before determining who plays first. Players cannot select the same battlefield in subsequent games of the match. Sequence: - Game 1: Each player picks from their 3 battlefields - Game 2: Each player picks from their remaining 2 battlefields (cannot reuse Game 1 battlefield) - Game 3: Each player must use their last remaining battlefield (the one not used in Games 1 or 2) Nuances: - Random battlefield selection is specific to best-of-1 format only - In best-of-3, you actively choose which battlefield to use each game

Ruling: To play a gear (seal) from hand, you recycle 1 rune of the matching color one time. Once on board, using the gear each turn is free and it produces 1 power of that color, which can pay for power costs on cards without needing to recycle additional runes. Sequence: - Pay the initial cost (recycle 1 matching rune) to play the seal from hand to board - Each turn thereafter, activate the seal for free to generate 1 power - Use that power to pay for power costs on cards (e.g., a card costing 3 runes + 1 yellow power would only require paying 3 runes if you have 1 yellow power from a seal) Nuances: - Seals cannot pay for effects that specifically require you to recycle runes (like Sigil of the Storm) - Seals have speed "reaction" but nothing can react to them, preventing opponents from responding before you receive the resources - This prevents counter-spell scenarios where an opponent could act before you gain the power needed to respond - You can stack multiple reactions before passing priority to the next player

Ruling: When calculating might modifications that have already been applied, increases are calculated first, then decreases. This ensures that "to a minimum of 1" effects are checked after increases have been applied. Sequence: - Apply all increases to the base might - Apply all decreases (including minimum checks) to the result Nuances: - This rule applies to the mathematical calculation of already-applied effects, not to chain resolution order - Triggered abilities that modify might still resolve via the chain as normal - Passive abilities that modify might (like Shield) do not use the chain and apply immediately - The biggest practical impact is with effects like Leona's that reduce might to a minimum of 1 - these are always calculated after static might increases, so a 6 might unit at a location with +1 might under Leona's effect ends up at 1 might (6+1-6=1, not 1+1=2)

Ruling: The new Deathknell rules fix Kog'Maw so his ability now correctly resolves. Previously, "my battlefield" was invalid when Kog'Maw was in trash, but now the game remembers his original battlefield before he dies, allowing his damage effect to work properly. Sequence: - Deathknell abilities pend before units are killed by damage - All units heal - Units die and Deathknell abilities finalize (or come off the chain if death was replaced) - After cleanup, a chain is created with all Deathknell abilities (but not Conquer abilities yet) - Normal non-showdown priority rules apply for this chain - Deathknell abilities resolve - When the chain is empty, control is established and Conquer effects happen Nuances: - This is technically a huge buff since Kog'Maw didn't work before under strict rules interpretation - In practice, players already played him as if he worked this way (or didn't play him at all), so functionally nothing changed

Ruling: Rule 541 is a generic rule stating that if a Chain exists, triggered abilities are added to that Chain. Rule 543.2 describes what happens when a triggered ability is triggered while resolving an item on the Chain, with 543.2.a following the same principle as 541 (add to existing Chain) and 543.2.b creating a new Chain. Sequence: - If a Chain exists and a triggered ability is triggered, add it to the existing Chain (rule 541) - When resolving an item on the Chain triggers an ability, apply rule 543.2 - Rule 543.2.a: add to existing Chain (same as 541) - Rule 543.2.b: create a new Chain Nuances: - Rule 541 is not a step in the process but rather a generic rule that applies whenever the condition is met - Both rules work together to handle different timing scenarios for triggered abilities

Ruling: In a best-of-one scenario, the battlefield must be chosen randomly. Nuances: - In best-of-three, for games 2 and 3, both players select their battlefields in private (from the 2 they have not used) and reveal them simultaneously

Ruling: In 2v2, turns alternate between teams with players on each team taking turns in sequence: Team 1 Player 1 → Team 2 Player 1 → Team 1 Player 2 → Team 2 Player 2, and so on. Sequence: - Randomly choose a player who decides whether they go first or last - Turns alternate between teams - Team 1 Player 1 goes first - Team 2 Player 1 goes second - Team 1 Player 2 goes third - Team 2 Player 2 goes fourth - Pattern continues Nuances: - Only the last player in turn order (Team 2 Player 2 in the example) channels an extra rune - The first player (Team 1 Player 1) does not draw a card on their first turn - The procedure for determining which specific player on each team goes first is not strongly defined in the rules

Ruling: A card's domain identity is determined by the color of the bar behind the card's name, or alternatively by the symbol at the bottom right of the card (for colorblind accessibility). Nuances: - The term "domain identity" specifically refers to the identity of legends and decks themselves - Individual cards have a "domain" (not "domain identity"), and cards with a domain that falls under your deck's domain identity are allowed in the deck - For example, Ravenbloom Student has a blue bar indicating Mind domain, so it can only go into Mind decks

Ruling: Cards reference current might unless they specifically indicate otherwise. Might is a property of units, not cards. Nuances: - Gust references current might, not original might - The distinction matters for units whose might has been modified during play

Ruling: Rainbow-colored symbols indicate [A] (any power/any domain), while solid colored symbols indicate [C] (power of that specific domain/color). Sequence: - Look at the symbol's coloring: rainbow = any power, single color = that color's power - Alternatively, check the symbol's shape: generic domain symbol (rainbow-colored) = any power, while domain-specific shapes (Fury, Mind, etc.) = that domain's power Nuances: - Both Sett The Boss and Kai'Sa, Daughter of the Void have rainbow rune icons, meaning [A] (any power) - In Sealed, you can recycle a Red Rune for Sett's ability or tap Kai'Sa for Yellow power because they use [A] - The distinction matters in all formats, not just Sealed

Ruling: When multiple triggered abilities trigger simultaneously, they all go on the same chain. The controller of those triggers chooses the order they go on the chain (placing them in inverse order of desired resolution, since the chain resolves last-in-first-out). Sequence: - When multiple triggers occur simultaneously, the turn player puts their triggers on the chain first - The turn player chooses the order for their own triggers - Then other players add their triggers to the chain - The chain resolves with non-turn player triggers resolving first, then turn player triggers (in reverse order of how they were placed) Nuances: - All simultaneously triggered abilities go on one chain, not separate chains - Abilities are placed on the chain in inverse order to how you want them to resolve (last on resolves first) - When multiple players have simultaneous triggers, the turn player's triggers are added to the chain first, meaning non-turn player triggers resolve first

Ruling: The attacker gains focus first in a showdown and can pass focus, play an action, or play a reaction. You can use reactions when the chain is empty. Both players must pass priority before proceeding to damage. Sequence: - The attacker is the first to gain focus in a showdown - They can pass to give the other player focus, or play an action or reaction - After that resolves, the other player in the showdown gains focus - The order of timings is base speed > action > reaction (each has all properties of the one before) - Both players must pass priority with no actions before proceeding to damage Nuances: - It is not possible to go to damage without your opponent having the chance to play cards - Reactions can be used when the chain is empty

Ruling: Exhausting a rune generates energy, which is used to pay numerical costs on cards (color doesn't matter). Recycling a rune generates power (the colored symbol), which is used to pay symbol costs on cards (color dependent). Runes themselves do not directly pay for costs. Sequence: - To pay a numerical cost: Exhaust runes to generate energy - To pay a symbol/power cost: Recycle runes to generate power (or tap a seal) - You can exhaust a rune before recycling it - Energy doesn't have to be used immediately Nuances: - Energy and power are not interchangeable - Seals can also generate power when tapped - The key principle: "Runes do not pay for costs, and costs on cards are not looking for runes"

Ruling: You need to exhaust 1 rune of any color (generating 1 energy) and recycle 1 yellow rune (generating 1 yellow power). These can be the same rune done in sequence: exhaust a yellow rune to float 1 energy, then recycle that same rune to generate 1 yellow power. Sequence: - Exhaust 1 rune of any color to generate 1 energy - Recycle 1 rune that produces yellow power (can be the same rune) - Tap the card Nuances: - Number in circle symbols mean energy (which has no domain type) - Colored symbols always mean power - Energy and power are different resources - The rainbow symbol is the generic version of colored power symbols (can pay or be paid for with any color) but still requires recycling

Ruling: You need to pay 3 Energy (by tapping runes) AND 1 Fury Power (by recycling a fury rune or using a fury gear). The number represents energy cost and the rune icon represents power cost. Nuances: - Energy (numbered costs) can only be paid by tapping runes - Power (colored rune icon costs) can be paid by either recycling runes of that color OR by tapping gear that produces that color - Gear cannot pay energy costs, only power costs

Ruling: You pay power costs by recycling cards or exhausting a Seal. Seals do not add mana; they are used for the exhausting cost. Sequence: - To pay a power cost, recycle a card of the appropriate color OR exhaust a Seal - Seals themselves do not generate or add mana to your pool

Ruling: Players make choices in turn order (the turn player chooses first, then the opponent), and both players can choose units from any battlefield. All chosen cards are recycled at the same moment. Sequence: - Turn player chooses their units/gears to keep (up to 2) - Opponent then chooses their units/gears to keep (up to 2, can choose the same ones the turn player chose) - All non-chosen cards are recycled simultaneously Nuances: - You cannot choose the same unit twice (even though the card doesn't say "different") - If you have fewer than 2 units, you must choose from your opponent's board to reach 2 choices - Deflect does not apply to Divine Judgement choices because they are not targets - In rare cases like Promising Future where a non-turn player casts Divine Judgement, that player would still choose first as the turn player

Ruling: Lux does not provide ramp. When you exhaust her, you get 2 energy that can only be spent on spells during that turn. Sequence: - Exhaust Lux to gain 2 energy - This energy can only be used for spells - The energy does not persist beyond the current turn - On a 6 rune turn, you can exhaust 6 runes + Lux to play an 8 cost spell Nuances: - This works similarly to Kai'Sa's Legend ability, though Kai'Sa gives Power instead of Energy

Ruling: To play a card with Accelerate, you pay the card's base energy cost plus 1 additional energy, and you recycle one rune of the power type shown in the Accelerate cost. Numbers represent energy costs (exhaust runes), while symbols represent power costs (recycle runes). Sequence: - Exhaust runes equal to the base energy cost plus 1 - Recycle one rune matching the power symbol shown in the Accelerate cost - Example: A card with base cost 5 and Accelerate cost 1 fury power requires exhausting 6 runes total and recycling 1 fury rune Nuances: - The power type required for Accelerate always matches the card's domain type (shown in bottom right) - Energy and power are two different resources, though runes can produce both - Rainbow symbol represents power of any domain

Ruling: Ahri Fox Fire targets any number of units as long as the total might of all units is less than or equal to 4. After the opponent reacts with spells/buffs, the Ahri player chooses a subset of the originally selected targets (not redistributing damage, but selecting which targets to affect). Sequence: - Select any number of units with total might ≤ 4 as targets - Opponent can react with spells/buffs when allowable - Ahri player then chooses a subset of the selected targets Nuances: - Technically you don't redistribute damage; you choose a subset of targets from those originally selected

Ruling: Aspirant's Climb has a passive effect that is active simply by being in play. It does not need to be conquered or held. It increases the points needed to win by 1 for all players (9 points in 1v1/FFA, 12 in 2v2). Nuances: - If multiple Aspirant's Climb cards are in play, the effect stacks (e.g., if both players have one in 1v1, the win condition becomes 10 points) - The card would explicitly say "while you hold" or "when you conquer" if those conditions were required

Ruling: Baited Hook sees the unit's current might when killed (including any buffs), which determines the upper limit for searching. Sett's leader ability and Baited Hook are anti-synergistic - you cannot use both together because Sett's ability is a replacement effect that prevents death, and if no unit dies, Baited Hook has no legal target to search for. Sequence: - If Sett's ability replaces the death, no unit died and Baited Hook cannot find any legal unit to play (no upper limit exists) - If you let the unit die for Baited Hook, there is nothing left for Sett to save - Sett's ability works by replacing death, not by reviving units after death Nuances: - Buffed units (whether from Buff cards or effects like Trifarian War Camp) increase the upper limit that Baited Hook can search for - You cannot stack the triggers to get both effects - choosing one prevents the other from working

Ruling: You cannot choose the same unit multiple times. You choose zero, one, two, or three units at the same location and deal each of them 1 damage. Nuances: - With repeat paid, the maximum damage to a single unit is 2 (choosing it once in each resolution of the ability)

Ruling: You reveal cards from your opponent's deck, choose one, banish it, then play that card from banishment. You become the Controller of any unit played this way, while your opponent remains its Owner. Sequence: - Reveal cards from opponent's deck - Choose one card - Banish the chosen card - Play the chosen card from banishment (on the same chain, as a pending item) - If the card cannot be played for any reason, it stays banished Nuances: - The banishment step was added via errata as a fail-safe in case the chosen card cannot be played - Units are played immediately as you cannot respond to units being played - If you choose a spell with no legal targets, it stays banished - Controller vs Owner distinction matters for card effects that reference those terms - The card is played on the same chain (not a new chain) as pending items are added before chain end

Ruling: Blood Money does not require killing the unit to generate gold tokens, but it does require being able to determine the controller of the target unit. If the target becomes invalid or illegal (leaves the battlefield, is no longer 2 or less might, etc.) before Blood Money resolves, the controller lookup returns "null" and no gold tokens are created. Sequence: - Blood Money is cast targeting a unit with 2 or less might at a battlefield - If the unit is saved by Zhonyas (recalled but stays on board), controller can still be determined and appropriate gold tokens are created - If the unit leaves the battlefield entirely (Retreat to hand, Fight or Flight to base, killed by another effect), controller cannot be determined and no gold tokens are created - If the unit's might is increased above 2 in response, the target becomes illegal and no gold tokens are created Nuances: - Works the same way as Hidden Blade regarding controller determination - Zhonyas is an exception because the unit stays on the board (just recalled), so controller information is still available - Fight or Flight sending a unit back to base makes the target invalid, even though it's a board zone, because the spell targets "a unit at a battlefield"

Ruling: Caitlyn has two abilities. The first is a passive that makes Caitlyn always the last of your units to die when assigning combat damage. The second is an activated ability that requires paying a cost to use. Nuances: - Moving Caitlyn to a battlefield and exhausting her does not trigger her effect because it is an activated ability, not a triggered ability - You must pay the cost to activate the second ability

Ruling: Cithria does not buff herself when played alone. She only gains a buff when you play another unit after her, and only if she doesn't already have a buff. A unit can only have one buff at a time (except Lee Sin). Sequence: - When Cithria is played alone, she does not gain a buff - When you play another unit after Cithria is on the board, she gains a +1 buff (if she doesn't already have one) - If you play multiple units after Cithria, she can continuously buff herself, but only maintains 1 buff at a time - If a buff is expended from Cithria, she can regain a buff when another unit is played Nuances: - The reminder text "if I don't have a buff, I get a +1 buff" explains what "buff me" means, not that she instantly gets a buff when lacking one - A "buff" is a specific game term - general +1 might increases are not buffs unless the card specifically says "buff" - Only cards that specifically say "buff" count as buffs, which are restricted to 1 per unit

Ruling: When you flip Teemo and respond to his "When you play me" trigger by playing Convergent Mutation before the trigger resolves, Convergent Mutation resolves first (setting Teemo's Might equal to the targeted unit's current Might), then Teemo's trigger resolves (adding +3 to Teemo's Might). If you let Teemo's trigger resolve first, he gets +3 Might before Convergent Mutation sets his Might equal to the target. Sequence: - Lee Sin attacks and passes priority - Reveal Teemo, "When you play me" trigger creates a chain - React with Convergent Mutation targeting Teemo and Mundo, no responses - Convergent Mutation resolves, setting Teemo to 8 Might (Mundo's current Might) - Mundo goes to 9 Might from Convergent Mutation entering trash - Teemo's trigger resolves, giving him +3 Might up to 11 Might - Combat resolves: 20 total Might (11 Teemo + 9 Mundo) vs 18 Lee Sin Nuances: - Convergent Mutation snapshots the target unit's Might at time of resolution; later changes to that unit's Might don't retroactively affect the boosted unit - If Teemo's trigger had resolved before playing Convergent Mutation, Teemo would end at 8 Might total (not 11) because Mutation would overwrite the previous buff

Ruling: Convergent Mutation applies a one-time might increase on resolution to match the target unit's current might at that moment. The boosted unit does not continue tracking further changes to the source unit's might, and you can choose any friendly unit to match. Sequence: - Choose a friendly unit to boost and another friendly unit to match - On resolution, the boosted unit gains might until it equals the chosen unit's current might - The boosted unit maintains this new might value for the remainder of the turn - At end of turn, the might bonus expires and returns to base value Nuances: - If the source unit (like Mundo) gains or loses might after Convergent Mutation resolves, the boosted unit does NOT track those changes - If the source unit dies, the boosted unit keeps the might bonus until end of turn - You can choose any friendly unit to match, not necessarily the closest in might value

Ruling: Darius Legend can generate 1 energy by tapping himself, but only if you have already played another card that turn (Legion requirement). This works on both your turn and your opponent's turn - during your opponent's turn, you can play Action or Reaction cards which then allows you to use Darius's Legion ability as a Reaction to generate energy. Sequence: - Play a card (any card that turn) - Tap Darius to generate 1 energy - The energy must be spent that turn or it's lost Nuances: - Darius doesn't actually un-exhaust a rune; the energy generated doesn't carry over to the opponent's turn if unused - Spells and abilities that add resources (like Darius) resolve immediately and can't be reacted to - Using Darius mid-chain doesn't end the chain - other items on the chain can still be reacted to

Ruling: If you play two spells on your opponent's turn and they both resolve, Darius will ready and get +2 Might until the end of that opponent's turn. This can happen during the End of Turn phase because end of turn effects expire after end of turn triggers occur. Sequence: - End of turn effects trigger (like Dazzling Aurora) - Players can respond with reactions (you can play spells here) - End of turn cleanup happens - Expiration occurs (Darius's bonus Might goes away) Nuances: - Darius only triggers when you play your second spell, which can only happen once per turn - You need priority to play cards on the opponent's turn - If responding to a showdown started by Deathbloom during End of Turn, playing two reactions will trigger Darius - You can react to Aurora itself, but if you don't and they play Deathbloom to base, there would not be a reaction window past that

Ruling: Dazzling Aurora is mandatory to use at the end of your turn. When you reveal cards, you must play the first unit you reveal and cannot choose to recycle it instead. Sequence: - At the end of your turn, you must use Dazzling Aurora - Begin revealing cards from your deck one by one - Reveal each card publicly so your opponent can see - When you reveal the first unit, you must play it Nuances: - Cards must be revealed publicly as proof that you are not picking something else or skipping over cards

Ruling: Defy can target Called Shot based on its printed cost, even if the repeat cost was paid. When Defy resolves, Called Shot is removed from the chain. Sequence: - Opponent places Called Shot on the chain as pending - As it finalizes, opponent chooses whether or not to pay the repeat cost - Costs are paid, item is finalized to the chain - Opponent passes priority - Defy is added to the chain targeting Called Shot, maybe there are reactions - Defy resolves, Called Shot is removed from the chain Nuances: - Defy only checks the printed cost of Called Shot, not the modified cost if repeat was paid

Ruling: Defy can counter Rocket Barrage even if it has been Repeated. Defy always looks at the printed cost in the upper left corner of the card, not the actual cost paid. Sequence: - Repeat is declared on finalization - One Defy counters the entire spell, including all repeated effects - The spell does not create separate instances like in other games Nuances: - When you Repeat a spell, the rules text is duplicated but the cost for Defy purposes remains the printed cost - All cards that look at the cost of a card use the printed cost, not what was actually paid - You cannot Defy the first "wave" and then Repeat it afterward, because Repeat is declared during finalization

Ruling: Divine Judgement ignores hidden cards entirely. They are not selected and they are not recycled. Nuances: - Hidden cards are not considered spells, units, or gear - Hidden cards are not units, gear, runes, or cards in hand, so they don't fall under the categories that get recycled by "recycle the rest"

Ruling: Each player chooses 2 units, 2 gears, 2 runes, and 2 cards in their hand. All units (including tokens), gears, runes, and hand cards from both players that weren't chosen by at least one player are recycled into their respective decks. Sequence: - Each player selects 2 units, 2 gears, 2 runes, and 2 cards in hand - Any units, gears, runes, or hand cards not chosen by at least one player are recycled - Units and hand cards go to the main deck, runes go to the rune deck Nuances: - Affects units in play (including on base and battlefields) and tokens, not just cards in hand - Most powerful when used asymmetrically (e.g., when you have Dazzling Aurora and opponent doesn't, allowing you to remove most of their hand and runes)

Ruling: When Divine Judgment resolves, players choose permanents in turn order (starting with the player whose turn it is), and each player can choose any units, gear, or runes regardless of who controls them. The second player can see and respond to the first player's choices. For cards in hand, players can only choose cards from their own hand. Sequence: - Divine Judgment is cast and goes on the stack (reactions can be made before it resolves) - When it resolves, the player whose turn it is chooses first - Then the other player chooses second (seeing what the first player chose) - All chosen permanents are recycled simultaneously Nuances: - If Divine Judgment is played on your opponent's turn (e.g., via Promising Future), your opponent chooses first since it's their turn - The second player has an advantage because they see the first player's choices and can adjust accordingly - Cards in hand specifically say "cards in their hands" so players can only choose from their own hand for that part - Divine Judgment does not target (it chooses at resolution) - It only affects cards in board zones, not the trash