Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: When you play a spell targeting a unit on Dreaming Tree, you choose targets during finalization, which triggers Dreaming Tree immediately. Since Defy cannot be played until after the spell finalizes, the Dreaming Tree trigger is already on the chain and will resolve even if Defy counters the original spell. Sequence: - Play spell (e.g., Cleave) targeting unit on Dreaming Tree - Spell finalizes (targets are locked in) - Dreaming Tree trigger goes on chain: Cleave > Dreaming Tree trigger - Pass priority - Opponent can now play Defy targeting Cleave - Chain becomes: Cleave > Dreaming Tree trigger > Defy - Both players pass priority - Defy resolves, removing Cleave from chain - Dreaming Tree trigger remains and resolves, drawing a card Nuances: - Finalization happens immediately when playing a spell, before opponents can respond - There is no opportunity to add Defy to the chain until after the spell finalizes - Countering removes the spell from the chain, but doesn't affect triggers that already occurred during finalization

Ruling: Eager Apprentice reduces the total cost of a spell only once, even when that spell is repeated. The cost reduction applies to the combined cost (base + repeat additional cost). Sequence: - Declare you are using Repeat when putting the spell on the chain - Calculate total cost: base cost + Repeat's additional cost - Apply cost reductions (like Eager Apprentice) to the total - Pay the final cost - The spell executes its instructions, then executes them again (Repeat doesn't create a copy on the chain) Nuances: - Repeat is declared when casting, similar to Accelerate - you choose which version to play before putting it on the chain - If a repeated spell is Defied, none of its instructions execute (not even the first set) - With multiple cost reduction effects (e.g., two Apprentices), discounts are applied after additional costs are added

Ruling: When Ekko dies with Zero Drive, you get multiple Deathknell triggers on the chain (two from Ekko, one from Zero Drive), but you can only successfully resolve one that affects Ekko. You must choose to either banish him OR recycle him and ready your runes - you cannot do both. You cannot recycle Ekko from banishment, and you cannot recycle him a second time once he's already in your deck. Sequence: - Three Deathknell triggers go on the chain: Ekko, Ekko, Zero Drive - You choose the order to resolve them - You can play reactions between each effect resolution - If you recycle Ekko first, the banish trigger whiffs (invalid target) - If you banish Ekko first, you cannot recycle from banishment - If you recycle Ekko first, the second Ekko trigger also whiffs (cannot recycle from deck) Nuances: - Ekko's recycle ability is compulsory, not optional - You cannot recycle from banishment because effects that reference cards in banishment only do so by means of also putting the cards there, and the default zone for effects is a board zone unless specified - With Karthus, you can only get your runes back once since Ekko can only successfully recycle himself once

Ruling: Ember Monk's triggered ability gets added to the chain as pending immediately after the correct event happens, and finalizes at the next available cleanup. There can only be one chain at once, not a new chain. Sequence: - Void Seeker is played targeting Ember Monk - Player reacts with Hidden Card (Teemo Scout) - Cleanup happens immediately after Teemo is played - Ember Monk's trigger finalizes and is added to the chain - Chain is now: Void Seeker -> Ember Monk trigger - Chain resolves FILO (First In, Last Out): Ember Monk trigger resolves first, then Void Seeker Nuances: - The judge's ruling that Ember Monk would die before a new chain could open was incorrect - In a related scenario with Hextech Rey dealing 3 damage to Ember Monk, if opponent plays another Hextech Rey and player reacts with Hidden Card, but opponent reacts to Hidden Card with Stupify, the Monk dies before getting extra Might because Stupify resolves before the Hidden Card - The opponent could also let the Hidden Card resolve and react with Stupify before Ember Monk's trigger resolves

Ruling: When both the attacker and defender are stunned, the attacker will be recalled back to base because there are still defenders present. Recalls are not considered moves. Sequence: - Both units become stunned - The attacker (Lee Sin) gets recalled to base - This occurs because defenders are still present Nuances: - The recall happens even though the unit is stunned because recalls are not moves

Ruling: Fox Fire targets are selected when the spell is cast and locked in at that point. On resolution, you kill as many of those locked-in targets as possible up to a total of 4 might, adjusting for any might changes that occurred. Sequence: - Select targets when casting the spell (total might must be 4 or less at this point) - Targets are locked in - On resolution, kill as many of the locked targets as possible up to 4 total might - If a target's might increased but is still 4 or less, you can still kill it along with other targets totaling 4 might - If a target's might increased above 4, you cannot kill it but kill the remaining valid targets Nuances: - Spells in Riftbound don't fizzle; you do as much as you can with the locked-in targets - If you only selected one target and it gets buffed above 4 might, Fox Fire resolves killing nothing - You cannot change or deselect targets after casting, even if might values change

Ruling: Fox-Fire targets any number of units whose might values sum to 4 or less total (e.g., four 1-might units, one 1-might and one 3-might unit, two 2-might units, etc.). When played from hand, it can target units at any battlefield(s). When played from hidden, all targets must be at the battlefield where it was hidden. Sequence: - Determine if Fox-Fire is being played from hand or from hidden - If from hand: select any number of units at any battlefield(s) whose total might sums to 4 or less - If from hidden: select any number of units only at the battlefield where Fox-Fire was hidden, whose total might sums to 4 or less Nuances: - The spell can target 0 units if desired - When hidden, Fox-Fire only costs 1 power instead of its normal cost - The spell's effectiveness can be increased when combined with Ahri's might reduction abilities

Ruling: You play Get Excited and declare a target. When it resolves, you discard a card and deal damage equal to the energy cost (the number) of the discarded card. Nuances: - Get Excited can be played during any showdown, including non-combat showdowns - When a unit moves to a battlefield, a showdown begins, allowing Get Excited to be played before points are scored

Ruling: Heimerdinger can use all exhaust abilities from other sources by exhausting himself. The original units/legends/gear do not get exhausted - only Heimerdinger exhausts to activate their abilities. Sequence: - Treat all exhaust abilities as if they are printed directly on Heimerdinger - Exhaust Heimerdinger to activate any of those abilities - The original source of the ability remains unexhausted Nuances: - Heimerdinger copies the speed of each ability (e.g., Lux's ability would be a Reaction when used by Heimerdinger, while Baited Hook would be base speed) - This includes exhaust abilities from legends, units, and gear

Ruling: Hextech Anomaly allows you to convert power into energy at a 1:1 ratio. Power and energy are distinct resources that go into a common pool and can be spent later in the turn. Sequence: - Exhaust runes to float the energy - Recycle the runes to gain power (which goes into your resource pool) - Exhaust Hextech Anomaly and pay the power to gain energy - You now have double the energy available to spend Nuances: - Resources stay in your pool until end of turn and can be spent on any cards, not just the next one - Hextech Anomaly can be used as a reaction while paying for another card, not just floated for later - Multiple Hextech Anomalies don't stack - each creates its own chain and converts power to energy at 1:1 ratio - When the ability resolves, you pay the power (it goes away) and gain energy equal to the power paid

Ruling: When you use Hextech Anomaly, you float/add power to the rune pool in exchange for more energy. These floated runes stay in your rune pool until the end of the round or draw phase. Sequence: - Use Hextech Anomaly to recycle runes - Power is added to your rune pool - Rune pool empties at end of round or draw phase

Ruling: Hidden Blade's kill and draw effects depend on whether the targeted unit and its controller remain referenceable when the effect resolves, with different outcomes based on where Hidden Blade is played from and where the target moves. Sequence: 1. Zhonya's/Sett replacement effects: The unit and controller are still referenceable when the effect resolves, so draw still occurs 2. Played from hidden, target moves to another battlefield: Kill and draw do not occur because hidden changes targeting requirements to "here" and the unit no longer meets this requirement 3. Played from hand, target moves to another battlefield: The unit is killed and draw occurs because the controller is still referenceable 4. Played from hidden or hand, target returned to base: The unit is not killed and draw does not occur Nuances: - Hidden Blade gains reaction speed when played face-down/hidden, allowing it to be used in response to triggers like Yasuo's "when I attack" ability - If a unit is moved to a zone with private or secret information, special considerations apply

Ruling: If Hidden Blade's target becomes invalid before it resolves (e.g., removed from battlefield), the game cannot reference "its controller" and returns "null", so nothing is killed and no cards are drawn. Sequence: - Choose a valid target (a unit at a battlefield) when putting Hidden Blade on the chain - The target cannot be changed once declared - When Hidden Blade resolves, it checks if the target is still valid - If the target is invalid, any checks for information about that target return "null" - Both parts of the effect (kill and draw) resolve without effect Nuances: - If the target is moved back to base before resolution, both the kill and draw fail - Playing Hidden Blade from hidden further restricts valid targets - Zhonya's Hourglass does not prevent Hidden Blade from working because it replaces death with recall, but the target remains valid when Hidden Blade begins resolving, allowing the controller check to succeed - Void Seeker differs from Hidden Blade because it doesn't perform further checks on its target after the kill attempt, so you still draw a card even if the target becomes invalid - The target only needs to be valid when the spell begins to resolve, not throughout the entire resolution

Ruling: Imperial Decree will kill a unit through save effects like Sett or Zhonya's, but only if the damage dealt was lethal. Imperial Decree creates a delayed trigger that fires after the save effect resolves. Sequence: - Unit takes lethal damage - Damage creates a pending Imperial Decree trigger - Cleanup attempts to kill the unit from lethal damage - Save effect (Sett/Zhonya's) prevents the death - Imperial Decree trigger resolves and kills the unit Nuances: - If the damage is non-lethal, Imperial Decree fails to kill and the save effect simply heals/saves normally - Imperial Decree only triggers once per damage instance - it won't trigger again if it's what kills the unit (rather than the damage itself)

Ruling: Kai'Sa Legend adds 1 universal power (not a rune) to your rune pool when you tap her. This power can only be used to pay the colored power costs on spell cards, not the numbered generic costs that you normally recycle runes for. Sequence: - Declare the spell you want to cast - Tap the required number of runes for generic costs - Tap Kai'Sa where you would normally recycle a rune for power - Recycle any additional runes needed for remaining power costs - The power from Kai'Sa only lasts for the current turn Nuances: - Kai'Sa's ability is a reaction speed ADD ability that can be used any time a card asks for costs to be paid, even when you normally couldn't play a reaction - Kai'Sa Legend cannot pay power costs for abilities like Accelerate on champion cards, only for spells

Ruling: Kai'Sa commits to create 1 power (not energy) that can only be used to pay power costs of spells. Sequence: - Commit Kai'Sa to activate her ability - Add 1 power to your rune pool (without recycling a rune) - Use that power only to pay for spell costs Nuances: - Kai'Sa functions like an extra seal, but specifically for spells only - Unlike normal power generation, you don't need to recycle a rune to get this power - The power goes into your rune pool (not a physical zone on the board)

Ruling: In King's Edict, "each other" refers to each other player besides the caster. Each opponent chooses one of their own units to kill; the caster does not choose targets. Sequence: - The player casting King's Edict does not choose any targets - Each other player (opponent) chooses one unit they control - Those chosen units are killed Nuances: - In 1v1: Functions as an edict effect where your single opponent must choose and kill one of their own units - In 2v2: Actively bad for the caster because opponents can choose your teammate's units (not just their own), giving the opposing team two choices while your team only gets one - In 4-player FFA: This is the intended format where the card is most useful

Ruling: King's Edict does not target. Each opponent (starting with the next player in turn order) chooses a unit you don't control, then all chosen units are killed. The caster makes no choices. Sequence: - Starting with the next player in turn order, each opponent chooses one unit you don't control that hasn't been chosen yet - Continue until all opponents have chosen a unit - Kill all chosen units Nuances: - In 1v1, this is equivalent to "your opponent chooses one of their units. Kill that unit" - In multiplayer, multiple units will be killed (one per opponent) - The phrase "each other player" means all players except the caster

Ruling: Mask of Foresight's "friendly" designation applies to teammate units as well in 2v2 games. Both you and your teammate's units receive the buff based on how many Masks of Foresight you have. Nuances: - When your units attack/defend alone, they get +X based on how many Masks of Foresight you have - When your teammate's units attack/defend on their turn, they receive the same buff

Ruling: Mask of Foresight has a triggered ability that activates whenever combat begins if your unit is alone at that battlefield. Multiple Masks can stack, and each triggers separately - if you have 3 Masks in base and 1 unit on each of two battlefields, both units get +3 Might from all 3 Masks triggering. Sequence: - Combat begins and attackers/defenders are assigned - If your unit is alone at that battlefield, Mask's trigger goes on the Initial Chain of that Combat Showdown - Players can play Reactions before it resolves - The +1 Might buff clears at the end of each turn Nuances: - Mask can trigger multiple times if multiple combats occur in one turn - The effect is telegraphed, meaning opponents know exactly how much Might you will have - Mask triggers on both players' turns as long as it's on the board and the condition is met

Ruling: Most spells target when added to the chain before reactions can be played, so you would play Not So Fast after your opponent has chosen their target and passed priority. Sequence: - Opponent plays the targeting spell (e.g., Void Seeker) - Opponent chooses the target for that spell - Opponent may add any reactions they wish to the chain while they have priority - Opponent passes priority - You can now play Not So Fast as a reaction Nuances: - When a player has priority, they may add as many reactions as they wish before choosing to pass priority to their opponent

Ruling: When Anivia attacks into Overzealous Fan, attacker triggers (Anivia) go on the chain before defender triggers (Fan). The chain resolves last-in-first-out, so Fan's ability resolves first and can bounce Anivia back to base, causing Anivia's trigger to do nothing since "here" will be the base at resolution. Sequence: - Anivia attacks and triggers - Overzealous Fan defends and triggers - Chain resolves last-in-first-out: Fan's ability resolves first - Fan's controller may kill Fan (as a cost) to bounce Anivia - If Anivia is bounced, Anivia's trigger does nothing when it resolves Nuances: - Killing Fan is a cost paid at resolution, not when the ability triggers - To counter Fan's bounce: kill Fan with damage, bounce Fan to hand (e.g., with Gust), or use Vilemaw to prevent the ability - Moving Fan to a different battlefield zone (like with Fight or Flight effects) won't stop the ability since the resolution doesn't care about location - Fan must be on the board at resolution to pay the cost of killing himself - If Anivia is moved back to the battlefield at reaction speed before its trigger resolves, it would still go off normally

Ruling: When playing a unit with Portal Rescue, you ignore the unit's base Energy and Power costs, but you must still pay the Accelerate cost if you want to use the Accelerate ability. Nuances: - Accelerate is treated as an Additional Cost that is not ignored by Portal Rescue - Only the base Energy and Power costs are ignored when playing the unit via Portal Rescue

When you cast Possession on an opponent's unit that has Gear equipped: **Initial State:** 1. You take control of the unit and it's recalled to your base 2. The Gear stays attached to the unit 3. Your opponent still controls the Gear (even though it's attached to your unit) 4. Your opponent can still equip the Gear to their own units using Weaponmaster or similar effects **If the Possessed Unit Dies:** - The unit goes to its owner's trash (the opponent's trash), not yours - , a card owned by a player can never be put into another player's trash - The Gear detaches to the last battlefield location where the unit was - The Gear is then Recalled to the opponent's base during the next Cleanup **If the Possessed Unit is Bounced to Hand:** - The unit goes to its owner's hand (the opponent's hand), not yours - , a card owned by a player can never be put into another player's hand - The Gear detaches to the last battlefield location where the unit was - The Gear is then Recalled to the opponent's base during the next Cleanup **Key Principle:** Ownership is permanent and cannot change. Cards owned by a player cannot be put into another player's trash, banishment, or hand zones. Both the possessed unit and the opponent's Gear return to the opponent when the unit leaves the battlefield.

Ruling: When Promising Future resolves, both players choose cards face-down, then play them in turn order (starting with the next player, so the opponent plays first in 1v1). All cards played by Promising Future resolve as part of that spell's resolution and cannot be interrupted or reacted to by other cards. Sequence: - Promising Future begins resolving - Both players choose cards face-down from the top 5 of their deck - Starting with the next player (opponent in 1v1), each player plays their chosen card in turn order - Each card resolves completely before the next card is played - All of this happens during Promising Future's resolution - Promising Future goes to trash - Any triggered abilities from units played this way go on a new chain after Promising Future finishes resolving Nuances: - If you cannot pay the power cost of your chosen card, you recycle all 5 cards and cast nothing (if you can't perform an instruction, you ignore it) - Spells played via Promising Future cannot be countered by cards like Windwall or Defy because nothing can be added to the chain during another spell's resolution - Windwall chosen from Promising Future itself would have no effect because there would be nothing on the chain when it's played - You cannot flip hidden cards or take other actions during Promising Future's resolution - This same principle applies to other effects that "play" cards, like Kai'Sa Evolutionary

Ruling: Promising Future places all chosen cards on the chain as pending items. When PF resolves, these items finalize in First-In-First-Out (FIFO) order during cleanup. Units and gears finalize and enter the battlefield immediately (mid-cleanup), while spells finalize and then resolve normally through the chain. Sequence: - Opponent's chosen card is placed on chain first (bottom of stack) - Your chosen card is placed on chain second (top of stack) - When PF resolves, all pending items finalize in FIFO order (opponent's first, yours second) - Units/gears finalize and immediately enter the battlefield during the same cleanup - Spells finalize (choose targets at this point) and then resolve through normal chain resolution - You can play reactions/actions on top of the stack after cards are played but before they resolve Nuances: - Location choices for units are made during finalization (step 6), not when first placed as pending - Units that finalize earlier in the sequence become valid targets for spells that finalize later in the same cleanup - If opponent chooses a spell and you choose a unit, their spell finalizes first and cannot target your unit (it doesn't exist yet as a valid target) - Multiple units can finalize and enter the same battlefield during one cleanup, as contested status is applied immediately when units enter (not during cleanup steps) - Cleanups triggered during a cleanup (like units entering) happen after the current cleanup completes, not mid-cleanup

Ruling: Repeat appends the card text to itself on a single chain item, so the effect happens twice when the card resolves. There is no window for opponents to interact between the repeated effects. Sequence: - When playing the card, you choose whether to pay the repeat cost as an additional cost - Targets are selected and locked in at this time - Opponents can respond to the action before it resolves - Once the card begins resolving, it performs its effect twice with no interruption between repetitions Nuances: - If the card is countered (e.g., by Defy), the entire card is countered even if you paid the repeat cost - You still pay the repeat cost even if the card gets countered - There is only ever one chain at a time; items played while a chain is open are added to that chain - Actions can only be played when the chain is empty (as a discretionary action), though effects can instruct you to play action-speed cards ignoring timing restrictions - For Called Shot with repeat: you reveal 2 and take 1, then reveal 2 more and take 1 (not reveal 4 and take 2)

Ruling: In the first scenario, when the opponent uses Ride the Wind on Yasuo during a battlefield contest, Yasuo becomes a defender. In the second scenario, when using Ride the Wind to move Yasuo in after the initial chain during combat, Yasuo becomes an attacker and damage is dealt. Sequence: - First scenario: Attempt to contest battlefield, opponent uses RTW on Yasuo, Yasuo is a defender - Second scenario: Move in for combat, use RTW to move Yasuo in after initial chain, Yasuo is attacker, damage is dealt

Ruling: You can conquer and score a battlefield on your opponent's turn using Ride the Wind, as long as you haven't already scored that battlefield during the current turn. At the end of showdown, if you don't control the battlefield but your units are present, you conquer it and score if you haven't scored it this turn. Sequence: - Opponent's turn begins (your scoring resets for this turn) - Opponent moves into or contests a battlefield - During showdown, you use Ride the Wind to move a unit into that battlefield - At end of showdown, if you don't control the battlefield and your units are present, you conquer it - You score the point if you haven't scored that battlefield this turn Nuances: - Even if your opponent initiated the conquest attempt but you Gust them out during showdown, you can still Ride the Wind in and score - If you need to score both battlefields to win, you cannot win on your opponent's turn by scoring only one battlefield via Ride the Wind - you would draw instead of earning the final point - You can move out of and back into a battlefield on your opponent's turn to score it again

Ruling: Ride the Wind moves one unit to a declared destination when added to the chain. It is not a Standard Move, so it bypasses ganking and can move units directly between battlefields. Sequence: - Declare the one unit that will be moving and its destination when adding Ride the Wind to the chain - The spell moves only that single unit (not multiple units simultaneously) Nuances: - Standard Move is the only way to move multiple units at once (by exhausting them), unless an effect specifies otherwise - Ganking only matters for Standard Move, not for spell-based movement like Ride the Wind - You could use a Standard Move for one ready unit and Ride the Wind on another unit separately, but they cannot move at the same time

Ruling: Royal Entourage can legally exhaust enemy legends, but the practical impact varies by legend. Tapping legends prevents them from using abilities that require tapping as a cost. Sequence: - Daughter of the Void: You can exhaust it, but opponent can respond by tapping it to add power before it becomes exhausted - The Boss (Sett): Exhausting it prevents its use since the legend requires tapping to activate - Blind Monk: Exhausting it has no practical effect unless done on their turn before they use it - Lux: Exhausting it doesn't affect its passive ability, but it remains tapped until opponent's next awakening Nuances: - Opponent can respond to exhaustion effects by using tap abilities before the exhaust resolves - Some legends have passive abilities unaffected by exhaustion - Timing matters - exhausting on opponent's turn can prevent tap abilities from being used that turn

Ruling: Sett Legend readies itself whenever you conquer a battlefield (take control via combat or enter an empty battlefield and score a point). This allows you to use the first ability again, which requires exhausting Sett. Sequence: - Exhaust Sett Legend to use the first ability (save a character from dying by exhausting and returning it to base) - When you conquer a battlefield, Sett Legend readies - You can now use the first ability again if needed Nuances: - The ready effect applies to the Sett Legend card itself, not to champion units next to it

Ruling: Sett's ability is a replacement effect that does not go on the chain. The controller makes the choice to recall the unit or let it die during the resolution of the effect that would kill it. The card is currently miswording by using "When" instead of "If". Sequence: - A spell or effect that would kill a buffed unit begins resolving - During resolution, Sett's replacement effect applies - The controller immediately chooses whether to recall the unit or let it die - The unit either dies or is recalled based on the choice - No chain is created and opponents cannot respond to this choice Nuances: - Deathknell does not trigger if the unit is recalled by Sett, since the unit never actually dies - The unit remains on the battlefield with a legal controller during this process, so effects like Hidden Blade's "its controller draws 2" still resolve normally - Recalling a unit does not trigger "when played" effects, as recall is not considered playing or moving a card - The card should read "If" instead of "When" to properly indicate it's a replacement effect

Ruling: Soraka's replacement effect can save all units at her location with less might than her when they would die from damage, as long as Soraka herself survives. However, if Soraka dies simultaneously with other units during combat damage, her effect does not trigger because all units die at the same time and she doesn't see the other units die. Sequence: - During showdown, damage is assigned to all units simultaneously - If Soraka survives and other units with less might would die, her replacement effect triggers for all qualifying units - All qualifying units are recalled, exhausted, and healed instead of dying - If Soraka would die from the same combat damage, her effect does not trigger at all Nuances: - "Another unit" means any unit that isn't Soraka herself, not just one unit - the effect applies to all qualifying units - You can play cards like Stupify or Smokescreen on your own units before damage calculation to reduce their might so Soraka can save them - Soraka's replacement effect has no restriction on how many units it can affect, unlike effects that say "the next" or require exhausting

Ruling: Stand United makes buffs give +2 Might instead of +1 Might for the rest of the turn. When calculating Lee Sin's Might, count all buffs at their current value (+2 each while Stand United is active), then apply any fixed reductions like Smoke Screen. Sequence: - Step 3 (after Stand United): Lee Sin has 5 base Might + (4 buffs × 2) - 4 from Smoke Screen = 9 Might - Step 5 (after spending a buff with Wallop): Lee Sin has 5 base Might + (3 buffs × 2) - 4 from Smoke Screen = 7 Might Nuances: - Smoke Screen's reduction is fixed/snapshotted when it resolves and remains that value for its duration, even if the unit gains more Might later - Lee Sin, Ascetic can receive buffs from any source; the "if it doesn't have a buff" reminder text on other cards is just default behavior that his ability overrides - When calculating with "minimum" effects, use the snapshotted values from when those effects resolved

Ruling: Stealthy Pursuer's ability is a triggered ability that uses the chain. If the friendly unit is killed in response to the trigger before Stealthy Pursuer's ability resolves, Stealthy Pursuer does not move because it cannot find "it" (the reference to the friendly unit). Sequence: - A friendly unit moves from Stealthy Pursuer's location - Check for triggers; Stealthy Pursuer's ability triggers - Window for responses to the trigger opens - If the trigger resolves and the friendly unit still exists, you may choose to move Stealthy Pursuer - If the initial move caused a showdown, it starts after any move triggers are resolved Nuances: - Movement itself never starts a chain, but triggered abilities do - The ability implicitly references the unit's current location, which is no longer available if the unit is removed from the board - The wording "moved with it" is considered unclear; "I may move to its location" would be clearer

Ruling: Svellsongur copies Deathknell abilities that are part of a unit's printed text, but does not copy appended rules text from equipment or other sources. Sequence: - If Svellsongur is attached to a unit with printed Deathknell (e.g., Watchful Sentry), when that unit dies, both the original Deathknell and Svellsongur's copy trigger - If Svellsongur is attached to a unit that has Deathknell from equipment (e.g., Sacred Shears), only the equipment's Deathknell triggers, not a copy from Svellsongur Nuances: - The design intent is that Svellsongur does not copy appended rules text from any source

Ruling: Svellsongur does not double the values of activated abilities. It gives the unit two instances of those activated abilities with the same text. Sequence: - The unit gains duplicate text of its activated abilities - You can only exhaust the unit once per activation - Exhausting the unit is the cost of using one ability - You cannot pay for both abilities with one exhaust, just like you can't spend the same energy for two different abilities with energy costs - If you ready the unit, you can exhaust it again, but this is already true without Svellsongur Nuances: - Equipment grants its effect text to the unit as a matter of how equipment works, so you cannot exhaust Svellsongur itself to use the ability

Ruling: Targon's Peak triggers when conquering and creates a delayed trigger that resolves at end of turn, at which point runes are chosen as targets and then readied. Sequence: - Targon's Peak triggers when conquering - It enters the chain with no targets - When it resolves, it creates a Delayed Trigger that will occur at the end of the turn - At the end of the turn, the delayed trigger occurs and 0-2 runes are chosen as targets - The trigger enters the chain - Runes are readied on resolution

Ruling: The unit is killed by Baited Hook, and you get both the Zero Drive's Deathknell effect (looking at top 5 cards and banishing a unit) and the unit's own Deathknell triggers. The unit is then banished from the trash by Zero Drive's Deathknell. Sequence: - Activate Baited Hook, choosing the equipped unit - Baited Hook resolves, killing the equipped unit - Unit's Deathknell (provided by Zero Drive) is added to the chain as a pending item - Look at the top five cards, banish a unit, then add it to the chain as a pending item - Deathknell finalizes on the chain - The selected unit finalizes on the chain and then resolves immediately - Deathknell resolves, banishing the (formerly) equipped unit from the trash Nuances: - The banish effect does not prevent the kill; it happens after the unit dies and triggers are resolved - You get both the Zero Drive's effect and any other Deathknell triggers the unit has

Ruling: When Thousand-Tailed Watcher reduces a unit's Might, buffs are factored into the reduction. The reduction is "snapshotted" at the minimum value (1), and that snapshot value persists even when new buffs are added later. Sequence: - Start with base Might plus any existing buffs (e.g., 2 base + 1 buff = 3 Might) - Apply Thousand-Tailed Watcher's reduction, but snapshot at minimum of 1 (e.g., 2 + 1 - 2 = 1 Might, not -3 total reduction) - If new buffs are added later, they add to the snapshotted reduction (e.g., 2 + 1 + 3 - 2 = 4 Might with a +3 buff) Nuances: - If you spend the buff to play a card for free, the unit's Might adjusts accordingly (would be 3 instead of 4 in the example if the +1 buff was spent)

Ruling: The effects apply in the order they were applied to the unit. There is no "refreshing" or "regaining" the might increase from the War Camp after other effects are applied. Sequence: - If a unit is already at War Camp (e.g., a 1 Might recruit becomes 2 Might), then Watcher is played, the unit goes down to 1 Might (minimum) - If Watcher is played first reducing a unit's Might, then the unit moves to War Camp, it gains +1 Might on top of the reduced amount - If a unit is moved off War Camp after being affected by Watcher, it loses the +1 Might bonus (e.g., the recruit would go to 0 Might for that turn) Nuances: - A 5 Might unit at War Camp is effectively 6 Might; when Watcher is played, it becomes 3 Might (6 - 3 = 3) - The -3 reduction from Watcher is calculated when it enters and applies for the duration of the turn - Might modifications cannot reduce a unit below 1 Might during combat

Ruling: When time is called, turns proceed as normal for exactly 5 more turns total, regardless of who takes them. Time Warp takes an extra turn but counts toward the 5-turn limit. Sequence: - If Player A starts turn 1 and plays Time Warp on turn 3, the turn order is: A, B, A, A, B - The extra turn from Time Warp counts as one of the 5 turns Nuances: - Playing Time Warp on turn 5 has no effect because there are no further turns available after the 5-turn limit

Ruling: Time Warp can be played during overtime, but if played on turn 5 (the final turn of OT), it has no effect and you won't get an extra turn. If played on turns 0-4 of OT, you take the next turn, stealing it from your opponent. Sequence: - If Time Warp is played on OT turns 0-4: You get the next turn (stealing from opponent) - If Time Warp is played on OT turn 5: No effect, game ends after turn 5 Nuances: - Playing Time Warp on turn 4 of OT means you also get turn 5 (the final turn), then OT ends - Playing Time Warp on turn 5 of OT is entirely pointless as the game ends and you don't get a 6th turn - The 3:2 turn split note in the ruling explains default behavior; Time Warp modifies this by stealing turns from the opponent

Ruling: Timewarp adds an extra turn for you that counts as one of the 5 turns in Overtime. This means your opponent gets one fewer turn in the Overtime sequence. Sequence: - Turn 0: Your turn - Turn 1: Opponent's turn - Turn 2: Your turn (play Timewarp) - Turn 3: Your extra turn from Timewarp - Turn 4: Opponent's turn - Turn 5: Your turn Nuances: - If you play Timewarp on turn 5, the game ends at the end of turn 5 and you don't get the extra turn because the game is already over

Ruling: Unyielding Spirit prevents damage from spells and abilities for the rest of the turn when played. It does not prevent effects that don't deal damage (like might reduction, banish effects, or units dealing damage to each other). Sequence: - Can be played as a reaction (chain 2) to prevent damage from a spell like Singularity - Prevents the damage portion only; spells/abilities can still be played and resolve their non-damage effects - Lasts for the remainder of the turn Nuances: - Blocks damage from spells (like Singularity) and unit abilities (like Tibbers, Anivia, Yasuo) - Does NOT block damage from units fighting each other (Challenge, Gentlemen Duel) - Does NOT prevent non-damage effects like Imperial Decree (which creates a trigger on damage), Watcher (banish effect), Smoke Screen or Stupify (might reduction) - Spells like Void Seeker can still be played and draw cards, but won't deal damage - If played after Deflect costs are paid (like with Icathian Rain triggers), those costs have already been paid and cannot be refunded

Ruling: Void Gate increases the total pool of damage that Volibear splits among units. Instead of splitting 5 damage, Volibear splits 6 damage among the targets. Nuances: - Volibear is currently the only effect that splits damage, which is why it receives specific treatment in the rules - The damage increase applies to the total pool before splitting, not to each instance or target

Ruling: Volibear must be at a battlefield for his ability to trigger. When an opponent moves one or more units with a Standard Move or spell to a different battlefield (not the one Volibear is at), you draw a card. Sequence: - Volibear must be positioned at a battlefield (not in base) - Opponent performs a Standard Move or uses a spell to move their unit(s) - The unit(s) must move to a battlefield where Volibear is not present - You draw one card (regardless of how many units moved simultaneously) Nuances: - Conquering a battlefield does not trigger the ability - Summoning a unit directly to a battlefield (like Deadbloom) does not trigger it, as this is not a move - If you move an opponent's unit (e.g., with Charm), this does not trigger the ability - the opponent must be the one performing the move action - Moving multiple units simultaneously in one move action only draws one card, not multiple

Ruling: Damage persists on units between combats and is only removed at end of combat and end of turn, not during cleanup. Warwick's ability triggers when he moves to a battlefield and kills all damaged units "here" (at that battlefield) when his ability resolves. Sequence: - Deal damage to enemy units (via spell or combat) - Move Warwick to that battlefield - Warwick's ability goes on the chain - Players can respond with reactions (e.g., killing Warwick) - When the ability resolves, all damaged units at that battlefield die (if Warwick is still there) Nuances: - Cleanup does not remove damage; it only checks state-based actions - Warwick's ability uses "here" which means he must still be at the battlefield when his ability resolves for it to have effect - If the ability said "at the battlefield" instead of "here", it would still work even if Warwick was removed - Warwick does not kill undamaged units, even if they are stunned and don't fight back

Ruling: When Warwick becomes an attacker for the first time (typically when moved to an occupied battlefield with a standard move), his triggered ability goes on the chain as part of the initial chain of combat. When his ability resolves, it kills all enemy units at the battlefield that have damage marked on them. Sequence: - Warwick is moved to an occupied battlefield and immediately becomes an attacker - Warwick's triggered ability is added to the initial chain (along with any other attack/defend triggers) - Players can respond with reaction spells/abilities only (not actions, as actions can only be played when there is no chain) - When both players pass in a row, the newest item on the chain resolves - This process repeats until all items on the chain resolve - Once the initial chain fully resolves, the attacker gets focus and can play actions or pass - Warwick's ability kills all damaged enemy units at the battlefield when it resolves Nuances: - If multiple units with attack triggers move to the battlefield together (like Warwick and Crackshot Corsair), the controller can order those triggers on the chain, allowing combos like dealing damage first then killing the damaged unit - Warwick's ability says "here" so if he is moved to a different battlefield before his ability resolves, it will kill damaged units at that new battlefield instead - The attacker still has priority to act first after the initial chain resolves, even though Warwick's ability was on that chain