Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: Weaponmaster is a triggered ability that activates when you play the unit, allowing you to equip one gear to it by reducing the equip cost by 1 power at that moment only. Sequence: - When you play a unit with Weaponmaster, the triggered ability activates - You may equip one gear to that unit with the equip cost reduced by 1 power - The cost reduction applies only during this trigger resolution - You can equip gear on the same turn the unit and equipment are played Nuances: - Weaponmaster reduces the cost but does not replace it - equipment with non-power costs (like BOTRK requiring a unit kill) still require those conditions to be met - An equip cost of 1 power becomes 0 power (free) - Weaponmaster only equips 1 gear per trigger, but nothing prevents attaching additional gear through other means in the same turn - The cost reduction only applies when the Weaponmaster trigger resolves, not on subsequent turns

Ruling: Each player chooses any unit on the battlefield to return to hand, not just their own units. The "may" is included so players aren't forced to return their own units if there aren't enough opponent units available. Nuances: - Players can choose opponent units to return - Opponents can also choose any unit, including yours - The "may" prevents forcing you to bounce your own units when insufficient targets exist

Ruling: When a unit moves to a battlefield and triggers a showdown, all 'When I Attack/Defend' abilities go on an initial chain at the beginning of the showdown. Players can only respond to this initial chain with reactions, not actions. Sequence: - Unit moves to battlefield, triggering a showdown - Initial chain is created with all 'When I Attack/Defend' abilities - Players can respond to this chain with reactions only - Once the initial chain fully resolves, the attacking player gets priority and can cast actions first - After that, both players can play actions Nuances: - Actions can only be played when the state is open (no active chain) - The attacker gets to play actions first in showdowns after the initial chain resolves

Ruling: Yi's effect activates when you have exactly 1 unit in Reaver's Row. If you initially have 1 unit and then move another unit in, Yi's effect stops. Nuances: - The effect is conditional on having exactly 1 unit in Reaver's Row - Moving units in or out can start or stop the effect based on the count

Ruling: When playing Zhonya's Hourglass normally, it costs 2 Runes and is placed readied in your base. When using the hidden effect, you only pay power to hide it, then can play it for free from hidden (not an additional 3 Runes total). Sequence: - To play normally: Pay 2 Runes, place readied in base - To use hidden effect: Pay power to hide it, then play for free from hidden Nuances: - The face-down card orientation (horizontal or vertical) does not matter

Ruling: When a unit would die, Zhonya's Hourglass saves it by sending it to base instead, and Zhonya's is placed in the trash. Sequence: - Calculate battlefield might totals - Determine winner and which units would die - If a unit would die, Zhonya's triggers: send that unit to base and place Zhonya's in trash - Other losing units go to trash normally Nuances: - Zhonya's is not attached to a specific unit beforehand - If multiple units die simultaneously (like from combat damage), the owner of Zhonya's chooses which unit to save - If the unit dies before combat damage is calculated, the saved unit's might is removed from the battlefield total - If the unit dies to combat damage, you still lose the battlefield but keep the unit alive

Ruling: The attacker has priority to add to the chain first during combat. Players alternate adding reactions to the chain, which resolve in reverse order (last in, first out). If both players pass consecutively, combat resolves and no more reactions can be added. Sequence: - Attacker has priority and can play a reaction first or pass - Defender can respond with their own reaction or pass - Players continue alternating until both pass consecutively - Once both players pass, the chain resolves in reverse order (last played resolves first) - A player can "hold priority" and play multiple reactions in a row, but opponent gets a window to respond between each card Nuances: - Reactions can be played before moving units during an attack (pre-combat) - If a reaction is played before movement, opponent can only respond with reactions (not actions) - Some reactions have targeting conditions (like requiring units to be at a battlefield) that may prevent them from being played at certain times - Strategic passing can allow you to respond to opponent's reactions by letting them act first

Ruling: When player A moves a unit to an open battlefield and player B uses Ride the Wind in response, player A is the attacker and player B is the defender. The player who moved to the battlefield first (applying contested status first) is the attacker. Sequence: - Player A moves a unit to the open battlefield, making it contested and starting a non-combat showdown - Player B uses Ride the Wind during this non-combat showdown to move their unit to the battlefield, which stages a combat - Player A has a chance to respond (e.g., cast a spell or kill the Ride the Wind unit) - If player A passes, the non-combat showdown ends - The staged combat showdown begins, and only then do units gain attacker/defender status - Player A (who moved first) is the attacker, player B is the defender Nuances: - There are no attackers or defenders during the initial non-combat showdown - The first player has an opportunity to prevent combat entirely by responding before the non-combat showdown closes - Combat includes the entire showdown phase, not just the damage step

Ruling: Battlefield selection depends on the number of players and match format. In Best of 1 (Bo1), players select battlefields at random. In Best of 3 (Bo3), each player selects which battlefield to use each match (cannot repeat battlefields in subsequent matches of the same round). Sequence: - In 1v1 Bo1: Both players select a battlefield at random, and both are used - In 1v1 Bo3: Each player selects which battlefield to use each match - In multiplayer (2v2 or 4 players): Apply Bo1 ruleset (random selection), but the first player removes their battlefield from the game, resulting in 3 battlefields in play - Selected battlefields are placed face up on the battlefield zones before drawing 4 cards Nuances: - In 4-player games, only 3 battlefields are used, so the first player does not provide a battlefield - The same rule applies to 2v2 format

Ruling: A buff gives +1 might to a unit as long as the unit has it, and units can only have one buff at a time. Buffs stay on the unit until it dies or is spent for other benefits. Sequence: - A unit can only receive a buff if it doesn't already have one - The buff remains on the unit until death or spent - The +1 might bonus applies continuously while the buff is present Nuances: - You can target a unit that already has a buff with a buff effect, but it won't gain another buff (matters for legal targeting and sequencing) - Many cards allow spending buffs from units for other benefits

Ruling: Each player adds up the total might on their side of combat and distributes that damage to opposing units simultaneously. Stunned units do not contribute their might to their side's total. After damage is dealt, units with damage marked equal to or greater than their might are killed. Sequence: - Each player totals up the might of all their units in combat (stunned units contribute 0 might) - Each player distributes their total might as damage to opposing units - All damage is dealt simultaneously - Units with damage marked equal to or greater than their might are killed - Marked damage is cleared Nuances: - Damage does not reduce might - When distributing damage, you must assign exactly lethal damage (damage equal to a unit's might) to a unit before you can assign damage to the next unit - Each player chooses how to distribute their own side's damage among opposing units

Ruling: Combat damage adds up the total might of units on each side, then you allocate it, and then it's all dealt to both sides simultaneously. In this scenario, all units on both sides will die regardless of which side is attacking. Sequence: - Total might is calculated for each side (10 vs 10) - Each player distributes lethal damage to opposing units - Damage is dealt simultaneously to both sides - All units die Nuances: - The number of units on each side doesn't matter for damage calculation - Units can be recalled to base instead of dying in cases like when units are stunned and combat ends in a draw without a clear winner

Ruling: Challenge damage is not blocked by Unyielding Spirit because Challenge specifies that the chosen units are the source of the damage, not the spell itself. When a spell or ability specifies a unit as the damage source, it replaces the spell/ability as the source rather than being in addition to it. Sequence: - When Challenge is played, it specifies that the chosen units deal damage to each other - The damage source is the units themselves, not the Challenge spell - Therefore the damage is not spell damage and bypasses Unyielding Spirit Nuances: - When an ability deals damage without specifying a unit as the source (like Hextech Ray), the spell itself is the damage source - When an ability is the source of damage, it is in addition to the spell or unit that created that ability (like Iron Ballista dealing damage as both a gear and an ability) - Yasuo, Remorseful's damage would be blocked by Unyielding Spirit (ability is additional source) - Snapvine's damage would go through Unyielding Spirit (unit is specified as source)

Ruling: You add up all the might of living units you control to determine total damage available, then assign lethal damage to opponent units one at a time. Sequence: - Add up all the might of your living units you control - Assign lethal damage to opponent units one at a time

Ruling: Damage does not reduce might. Damage counts up separately, and when damage equals or exceeds might, the unit dies. You cannot cast Gust on a 6 might creature just because it took 3 damage in combat - it still has 6 might. Sequence: - All damage in combat is dealt at the same time - You must play Gust during the showdown (before combat damage) to affect combat - You cannot play spells after the showdown is over but before combat damage - After combat resolves, all units everywhere heal to full Nuances: - Gust can only target creatures with 3 might or less as their printed/modified might value, not creatures that have taken damage - You cannot do a standard move into a showdown in progress, but you could move a unit with effects like Ride the Wind

Ruling: Damage does not reduce Might. Instead, damage is "marked" on a unit, and if the total marked damage equals or exceeds the unit's Might, the unit dies. Sequence: - When a unit takes damage, that damage is marked/tracked on the unit - The unit's Might value remains unchanged - If total marked damage >= Might, the unit dies - Think of it as damage counting up from 0 toward the Might threshold, rather than HP counting down from Might to 0 Nuances: - If a unit's Might is reduced by an effect (e.g., -1 Might spell), the marked damage stays the same but the threshold changes, which can cause a unit to die if marked damage now equals or exceeds the new lower Might value - Multiple sources of damage accumulate as marked damage on the same unit

Ruling: An equipment's text becomes its equipped unit's text when equipped. The equipment itself does not gain or benefit from unit abilities - the text on the gear benefits the unit it's equipped to. Nuances: - Equipment text uses "I" to refer to the equipped unit, not the equipment itself - In Trinity Force's case, the equipped unit holds and grants the point scored, not the gear - Svellsongur equipped to Qiyana would give Qiyana Deflect 2 and proc twice (not Deflect 1 to the equipment) - Svellsongur will not copy grafted text from units, only printed text

Ruling: Equipment always enters the base ready, allowing you to immediately pay the equip cost to attach it to a unit. When the equipped unit dies, the equipment returns to your base ready, so you can pay the equip cost again to re-equip it. Sequence: - Play the equipment card by paying its play cost - Equipment enters your base ready - Pay the equip cost to attach it to a unit (can be done immediately) - If the unit dies, equipment returns to base ready - Pay the equip cost again to re-equip to another unit Nuances: - Currently, no gear has an exhaust symbol as part of its equip cost

Ruling: You must exhaust a rune to float 1 energy before recycling runes to pay for the seal's power cost. After playing the seal and using it to play Vanguard Captain, you end with 2 exhausted runes, an exhausted seal, and Vanguard Captain in play. Sequence: - Start with 3 ready runes - Exhaust 1 rune to float 1 energy (2 ready runes, 1 exhausted rune, 1 floating energy) - Recycle 2 ready runes to pay Yellow Seal's power cost (2 ready runes, 1 exhausted rune, Yellow Seal in play, 1 floating energy) - Exhaust the seal to generate 1 order energy (2 ready runes, 1 exhausted rune, exhausted seal, 1 floating energy, 1 order energy) - Exhaust both ready runes for 2 energy and combine with floating energy to pay Vanguard Captain's 3 energy + order cost - End result: 2 exhausted runes, exhausted seal, Vanguard Captain in play Nuances: - Legion only triggers when playing main deck cards from hand, not from channeling, playing tokens, or using abilities - Tapping a seal alone does not trigger Legion

Ruling: After the initial chain (consisting of "When I Attack" and "When I Defend" triggers) resolves in a showdown, the attacker retains focus and priority. After any subsequent chain resolves during the showdown, focus passes to the next player. Sequence: - Showdown begins and initial chain is created ("When I Attack" triggers, then "When I Defend" triggers) - Initial chain resolves - Attacker retains focus and priority (exception to normal focus passing) - Attacker may play action/reaction cards or pass - After this next chain resolves, focus passes to the opponent - Focus continues passing between players after each chain resolves for the remainder of the showdown Nuances: - The initial chain is unique - it's the only chain in a showdown where focus does not pass after resolution - Focus and priority come as a "bundle deal" - you cannot have one without the other - Players should clearly announce whether they are playing a card or passing focus to avoid confusion

Ruling: Focus is not retained by a player. Whenever a chain closes in combat or a showdown, focus passes to the next player in turn order. A showdown only ends when all players pass without starting a chain in succession. Sequence: - Player plays an action (e.g., Hex Ray) - Players pass priority in succession - Action resolves - Focus immediately passes to the next player in turn order - If all players pass without starting a chain in succession, the showdown ends Nuances: - Even if player A plays an action and all other players pass, player A will still have a chance to start a chain again when focus returns to them - The attacking player does not automatically get "final say" - focus continues to rotate until all players pass in succession

Ruling: When you attack and play an action to start a chain, you are the first who can use a reaction on that chain. Focus automatically passes every time a chain fully resolves. After the attacker plays an action and the chain resolves, the defender has focus and can play an action to start a new chain before the attacker can play a second action. Sequence: - Attacker plays an action and starts a chain (attacker can add reactions first) - Chain resolves completely - Focus automatically passes to defender - Defender can now play an action to start a new chain - That chain resolves, focus passes back to attacker - Process continues Nuances: - Focus automatically passing when a chain resolves is NOT the same as "passing focus" for the purpose of ending a showdown - A showdown requires both players to actively pass focus (not just chains resolving) in order to end - The automatic focus pass from chain resolution also does not count as passing at the end of the initial chain

Ruling: Healing only occurs after combat and at the end of the turn. Units heal to their full might after surviving combat, removing all damage marked during that combat. Sequence: - During combat, damage is marked on units - After combat resolves, surviving units heal to full might - Temporary might bonuses (like Yi's +2 in defense) are removed after combat ends - If new units enter combat after healing occurs, the healed unit is at full might Nuances: - If a spell is cast during combat showdown and the unit survives, it heals after combat ends - If a spell is cast outside of combat, the unit won't heal until after the next combat or at end of turn - Units must be dealt lethal damage to die - if a unit is reduced to 0 might by losing a temporary buff after combat (when damage has already healed), it does not die because no damage was actually dealt at that point - Damage marked and might modifications are separate - a unit can have temporary might increases while also having damage marked

Ruling: Units and Gear resolve immediately when played - they cannot linger on the chain. As soon as all choices are made and costs are paid, they immediately resolve and enter play. After a permanent resolves, the player who controls the next item on the chain gains priority. Sequence: - Player A plays an Action Spell - Player B responds with a Unit (e.g., Shen) - The Unit immediately resolves and enters play (cannot be responded to) - If the Unit has no play effects, Player A gains priority (they control the next chain item) - If the Unit has play effects (e.g., Teemo, Strategist), those effects go on the chain after the Unit resolves, and Player B retains priority Nuances: - Units and Gear can never be countered by spells because they don't linger on the chain long enough to be targeted - Play effects trigger and go on the chain after the Unit/Gear has fully resolved - This applies to Units played from hidden zones as well (e.g., Blastcone Fae)

Ruling: You must still assign damage equal to a unit's full might value, even when effects like Imperial Decree (deathtouch) are active. Lethal damage is defined as damage equal to the unit's might, regardless of damage-dealing keywords. Nuances: - This makes deathtouch effects work best when moving units in one-by-one to attack, rather than all at once - The effect is designed to work with tokens despite requiring full might assignment - If a unit already has marked damage, lethal damage calculation includes that marked damage (you only need to assign enough additional damage to reach the might total)

Ruling: When a showdown starts, the attacker has focus (which includes priority) and can play an action card first. The defender can only respond with reaction cards to that chain. Once the chain resolves and focus passes, the other player can then start a new chain with an action card. Sequence: - Attacker starts with focus and can play an action card - If attacker plays an action, defender can only respond with reactions to that chain - When you play a card, you hold priority and can chain your own reactions before passing - Once both players pass priority in order, the next link in the chain resolves - After a chain fully resolves, focus passes to the other player - The player with focus can start a new chain with an action card - This continues back and forth with no limit - The showdown ends when both players pass focus in order without creating a chain - After showdown ends (in combat), proceed to combat damage step Nuances: - Focus is what allows you to play an action card; priority alone only allows reactions - A player can chain multiple actions if the opponent keeps passing focus back without playing anything - You can react to your own action cards before passing priority - If either player starts a chain after both have passed, the process resets and focus passes around again before the showdown can end

Ruling: The attacker has focus during showdown, which grants them priority and allows them to play actions. After a chain fully resolves, focus passes automatically to the defender. When playing reactions, you may continue playing reactions until you choose to pass priority. Sequence: - Showdown starts with attacker having focus - If attack or defend abilities exist, they create an Initial Chain that must fully resolve first - After the Initial Chain resolves (or if there isn't one), the attacker gains focus - The attacker can play an action, which starts a chain - Players can add reactions to the chain until both pass priority - After the chain fully resolves, focus passes automatically - The player with focus can then play another action Nuances: - Assault and Shield are passive abilities, not attack/defend abilities, so they don't create an Initial Chain - You can play reactions to triggers on the Initial Chain - As items resolve on a chain, each link can be reacted to before it resolves - You cannot stack two actions in the same chain - After an item resolves on the chain, before the next item resolves, players can add reactions

Ruling: During a showdown, the active player has focus and can play actions or reactions without automatically passing priority - they can cast multiple spells before passing to their opponent. The showdown ends when both players consecutively pass focus without starting a new chain. Sequence: - Player with focus can play an action spell - That same player can immediately play reaction spells (or more actions if they have focus) without passing priority - When they choose to pass, opponent gets priority to react - If opponent passes without reacting, the top spell on the chain resolves - After a chain resolves, the player who started that chain gets focus again - Focus passes back and forth with each player able to start new chains - Combat ends only when both players pass focus consecutively without starting a chain Nuances: - You don't automatically lose priority when playing a card - you must explicitly pass - You can react to your own spells as many times as you want before passing - Each resolved chain "resets the clock" on the combat, giving the initiating player focus again

Ruling: Priority follows turn order in multiplayer games. In non-combat showdowns, all players get focus starting with the active player following turn order. In combat showdowns, only the attacking and defending players get focus (starting with the attacker), unless other players are invited to participate. Sequence: - Non-combat showdown: All players get focus in turn order starting with the active player - Combat showdown: Attacker gets focus first, then defender - Other players can only participate in combat if invited (exception: in 2v2, teammates are relevant by default) Nuances: - In 2v2 games, teammates are automatically relevant to combat showdowns without needing an explicit invite - Priority always passes in turn order regardless of showdown type

Ruling: When you play a spell, you can hold priority and play multiple reaction spells before passing priority to your opponent. Priority then passes back and forth (you as long as you want -> them as long as they want -> you as long as you want, etc.). Sequence: - Active player plays a spell and can hold priority to play additional reactions - When active player passes, opponent gets priority and can play reactions as long as they want - Priority continues alternating until both players pass in sequence - After both pass, the top item of the chain resolves - After each item resolves, the controller of the most recent remaining item (the one coming up next) gets priority first - Players can add to the chain again, and this continues until the chain is empty Nuances: - You cannot "chain block" - counterspells can target any object on the chain regardless of what was played after - The chain does not resolve in its entirety once both players pass; it resolves one item at a time with priority passing after each resolution - Permanents (like Shen) resolve immediately when played and cannot be reacted to, but players get priority again after they resolve - Triggered abilities that meet timing are added to the same chain before priority is passed

Ruling: Reaction cards can be played anytime Action cards can be played, not just in response to Action cards. When a chain resolves fully, focus passes to the player who didn't start the chain, who now has priority to play actions. Sequence: - When a chain is created, the player who controls the topmost item gets first priority to react - Only when that player passes priority can the opponent react - If both players pass priority on a card, that card resolves - When things resolve off the chain, both players get priority again (starting with the player who owns the next link on the chain) - After a chain resolves fully or a player passes without playing anything, the other player gets a window to play actions - To play multiple cards during your priority window, you must hold priority and play them consecutively; passing priority to your opponent counts as passing Nuances: - For the Initial Chain (created by "When I attack/defend" abilities), the attacker retains focus after it resolves - For each chain afterwards, focus shifts to the next player

Ruling: After each player passes priority without adding anything to the chain, the top item resolves. Then the player with the most recent item on the chain gets priority to potentially add further to the chain, and it requires all players passing priority without adding to resolve each item. Focus automatically switches to the next player in turn order when a chain empties. Sequence: - Players pass priority without adding to the chain - Top item of the chain resolves - Player with the most recent item on the chain gets priority - Process repeats until chain is empty - Focus automatically passes to next player in turn order - Showdown ends when all players pass focus in order without making a chain Nuances: - Focus is the ability to start a chain - Chains can start with either an action or a reaction - Exception: At the start of combats with an initial chain, the attacker holds focus after any initial chain so they always get the first "open" focus in a combat

Ruling: As each item on the chain resolves, there is another round of priority for players to react. The player who controls the next item on the chain after an item resolves gets priority first, then they can play a reaction or pass priority to the next player in turn order. When all players pass in succession, the topmost item resolves and the process repeats. Sequence: - Player 1 (with Focus) stacks reactions 1, 2, 3 and passes priority - Player 2 can respond to any item on the chain (e.g., Defy targeting reaction 2) - When all players pass, the topmost item begins to resolve - As each item resolves, the player controlling the next item on the chain gets priority first - Players can add new items to the chain at each pause - When all players choose not to respond, the topmost item resolves - This repeats until the chain is empty Nuances: - Focus is specifically for playing cards/activating abilities during a showdown when nothing is on the chain; it doesn't affect priority or the chain itself directly - Focus swaps when the chain fully resolves in a showdown, or when a player chooses to pass focus rather than start a new chain - Defy can target any item on the chain when it's being finalized except for itself

Ruling: When you are one point away from winning, all scoring wins you the game except for conquering. When conquering for your final point, you only win if you have scored all other battlefields that turn; otherwise you draw a card instead of scoring. Sequence: - If at 7 points and you score by holding at start of turn, then conquer the other battlefield that same turn, you win (because you scored all other battlefields this turn) - If at 7 points and you conquer a battlefield without having scored all other battlefields that turn, you draw a card instead and remain at 7 points - All non-conquering point sources (holding, special abilities) always award the winning point when at 7 points Nuances: - You cannot reach 8 points without winning (except with special battlefields that increase the score needed to win, or in 2v2) - "Scored all other battlefields this turn" means you must have gained points from them during that turn, not just be holding them - If you draw a card instead of scoring when conquering, you stay at your current point total and can try again next turn

Ruling: Scoring is a specific term in Riftbound that only occurs at Battlefields through Hold (controlling a Battlefield during Beginning Phase) or Conquer (gaining Control of a Battlefield you didn't Score this turn). Gaining victory points through other means is not considered Scoring. Sequence: - Each Battlefield can only be Scored by a player once per turn - If gaining Control of a Battlefield already Scored this turn, you cannot score it and do not Conquer it - For the Final Point (8th point), if Scoring through Hold, you win immediately - For the Final Point, if Scoring through Conquer, you must have Scored every Battlefield that turn (both Hold and Conquer count) - If Conquering for the Final Point without having Scored all Battlefields, you draw a card instead of gaining the point Nuances: - The Final Point can be gained through cards and effects that give points without Scoring (like Burn Out, Ahri) - You can take an empty battlefield for the last point if you controlled/scored the other battlefield that turn, fulfilling the "scored on all battlefields" requirement

Ruling: You gain points in two ways: (1) beginning your turn with control of a battlefield gives you a "Hold" point for each battlefield controlled, or (2) ending a showdown with a unit present at a battlefield you do not control (and haven't scored at this turn) gives you a "Conquer" point. Each battlefield can only be scored once per turn. Sequence: - Hold points are awarded at the start of your turn for each battlefield you control - Conquer points are awarded when you end a showdown with a unit at an opponent's battlefield (that you haven't scored at yet) - You can score multiple points in one turn by holding one battlefield and conquering another Nuances: - The final game point (8th point in 1v1) has special rules: if you conquer at 7 points and have scored at every battlefield this turn, you get the victory point; otherwise you score a draw from your main deck - Battlefield effects apply to both players regardless of who chose the battlefield

Ruling: When an effect would reduce a unit's Might below 1, it is reduced to 1 (minimum) and the actual reduction amount is "snapshotted" - this snapshotted value is tracked and applied in all calculations for the rest of the turn. Visually you see the current Might value, but behind the scenes the game tracks all modifiers including the snapshotted reduction. Sequence: - Calculate the unit's current Might with all active modifiers - When a reduction effect resolves, if it would reduce below 1, the unit goes to 1 Might - The full reduction amount is snapshotted (e.g., -4 from Smokescreen on a 2M unit snapshots as -1) - Any subsequent Might modifications are added to the current visible value - The final calculation includes base Might + all buffs - snapshotted reduction Nuances: - If a unit loses a static Might buff (like leaving a location that grants +1M), the snapshotted reduction can cause it to go to 0 Might or negative - Units with conditional Might bonuses (Assault/Shield) that lose those bonuses can similarly drop below 1 when snapshotted reductions are factored in - Triggered abilities that grant Might last until end of turn even if their source is destroyed, so they don't interact with snapshots the same way as static buffs - In future sets, the minimum of 1 Might rule will be removed and units will be able to go negative directly

Ruling: A card's cost is always its printed cost, not the cost after reductions or modifications. Cost reductions do not change what other cards see as the spell's cost. Sequence: - When a card references "cost" it looks at the printed cost on the card - Cost reductions (like from Sky Splitter's ability or Eager Apprentice) happen when playing the card but don't change the printed cost - Cards that check cost thresholds (like Defy, Kai'sa's conquer, or Lux's legend) use the printed cost Nuances: - Sky Splitter can never be countered by Defy (which requires cost 4 or less) because its printed cost is higher, even though its energy cost may be reduced when played - Kai'sa cannot play Sky Splitter from trash with only 2 power even if Sky Splitter's cost is reduced to 2, because the printed cost is what matters - When Promising Future allows you to play a 5+ cost spell for free with Lux legend, you still draw 2 cards because the printed cost is 5+, even though you paid 0

Ruling: For most normal spells, targets must be declared when the spell is put onto the chain. For spells with "Do this" (reflective triggers), the spell resolves first, then X triggers are added to the chain, and targets are declared at that point. Once targets are declared, they cannot be changed even if the opponent uses reaction spells. Sequence: - Normal spells: Declare targets as spell is put onto the chain - Reflective trigger spells (with "Do this"): Finalize the spell (opponent can respond) → spell resolves and adds X triggers to chain → declare all targets at this time → triggers resolve one by one with reaction windows Nuances: - If a target becomes invalid (e.g., no longer meets the targeting criteria due to a reaction spell), the spell/trigger will resolve with no effect and fizzle - You cannot redistribute damage to fewer targets if some targets become invalid after declaration

Ruling: When a unit is stunned, its might is not considered when calculating damage during combat. However, to conquer a site, the defender must have no units remaining at the battlefield after combat damage resolution. If both units survive (even if one is stunned), the attacker is recalled to base regardless of relative might totals. Sequence: - Stun prevents the stunned unit's might from being considered in damage calculation - Combat damage is resolved - If the defender still has units at the battlefield after damage resolution, the attacker is recalled to base - The relative might values have no bearing on whether conquest occurs Nuances: - You can stun a large unit to take out something small and avoid taking damage back, but you can't conquer the site without removing all defending units - Stun can turn a trade into a control by protecting a unit of the same might from taking damage

Ruling: Stun prevents a unit from dealing combat damage but does not lower its might, does not reduce the damage needed to kill it, and does not prevent it from exhausting. Stun falls off at the end of the turn. Sequence: - When a stunned unit is in combat, it deals no damage to opposing units - All other combat mechanics resolve normally - If both players still have units present after combat and you were the attacker, you are retreated regardless of might values Nuances: - Might values are irrelevant to retreat mechanics - attackers must completely win combat or be retreated - A stunned 8 might unit can still be attacked by lower might units without those units dying, since the stunned unit deals no damage

Ruling: Hidden Blade targets a unit at a battlefield. If the opponent responds by moving that unit (e.g., with Flash), Hidden Blade fails target legality on resolution and does nothing - no unit is killed and no cards are drawn. Sequence: - Hidden Blade is played and a target is chosen (a unit at a battlefield) - Target is locked in the chain and cannot be redirected - Target legality is checked again on resolution - If the unit has moved to an illegal location (like base), the spell fails to resolve and no effect occurs Nuances: - You cannot redirect Hidden Blade to a different unit once the target is chosen - If the target becomes illegal, no controller can be determined, so no one draws cards - If the unit moved to a different battlefield (not base) and Hidden Blade was played from hand (not hidden), it would still function - Cull of the Weak does not target, so you must sacrifice a unit on resolution regardless of what units existed when it was put on the chain

Ruling: During a showdown on a controlled battlefield, only the attacker and defender are Relevant Players by default. Either can invite a non-Relevant Player to join, and if they accept, they must immediately make a legal game action and remain a Relevant Player for the rest of that showdown. Outside of showdowns, all players are always Relevant Players and can play into any chain without being invited. Sequence: - Attacker or defender (whoever has priority) invites a non-Relevant Player - The invited player accepts or declines - If they accept, they must immediately make a legal game action (e.g. play a reaction) - They remain a Relevant Player for the rest of that showdown Nuances: - Inviting can only be done when you have priority during combat - Inviting someone doesn't imply any kind of allyship - On uncontrolled battlefields, all players are automatically Relevant Players - Outside of showdowns, all players are Relevant Players by default and can participate in chains freely

Ruling: To play a card with Hidden, you pay one power (typically by recycling a rune) instead of the card's normal energy cost. When you reveal the hidden card later, you play it for free. Sequence: - Pay one power (by recycling a rune) to play the card hidden at a battlefield you own - Wait until the next player's turn (you cannot reveal it on the same turn you hid it) - Starting from the next player's turn, you can reveal it as a reaction to play it for free Nuances: - You don't have to play a card with Hidden as hidden - you can just pay its normal energy cost to play it as a regular unit - Hidden cards gain "reaction" as a keyword when hidden - You cannot hide a champion from the champion zone (it must be played from hand) - When a hidden unit is revealed and played, it enters exhausted like any other unit being played

Ruling: When resolving a showdown, damage must be assigned to Tank units first, but any remaining damage can then be assigned to non-Tank units. Tank is most effective when protecting valuable units and when your total might exceeds the opponent's. Sequence: - Opponent assigns damage equal to their might - Damage must be assigned to Tank units first - Any remaining damage after destroying Tank units can be assigned to non-Tank units Nuances: - Tank alone doesn't prevent damage overflow; the Tank unit must have enough health to absorb all incoming damage to fully protect other units - Tank is more strategically valuable when defending high-value units with sufficient might to survive

Ruling: You choose an enemy unit, and then its controller decides whether that unit takes 6 damage or you draw 2 cards. Nuances: - The opponent does not need to use another card to give you the draw option; the choice is built into Shakedown's effect itself

Ruling: The chain resolves in reverse order from how it was placed onto the chain (last in, first out).

Ruling: When you attack a battlefield, a combat showdown starts. The attacker begins with focus and can play an action or reaction to start a chain, holding priority by default to play reactions until they pass, then the defender can play reactions until they pass, and this continues until both players pass focus without starting a chain. Sequence: - When attacking a battlefield, a combat showdown starts - An initial chain of any "when I attack/defend" triggers happens (attacks go on chain first) - Attacker has priority to play spells on this initial chain - Once both players pass, the top link resolves and priority passes again until that chain is gone - After the initial chain (or if there wasn't one), attacker has focus and can play an action/reaction to start a chain - Attacker holds priority by default and keeps playing reactions until they pass - Defender then has priority and can play any number of reactions before passing - Continue passing priority until both players pass, then resolve the top link - Repeat until the chain is gone - Focus moves to the next player (defender) for their own action/reaction to start a chain - Loop continues until both players pass focus without starting a chain Nuances: - If you pass and your opponent passes, the next item on the chain will resolve - you cannot cast another spell at that point - The initial "when I attack/defend" trigger chain can be reacted to with reaction spells, with attacker having priority first

Ruling: When building a chain, players alternate priority but a player can play multiple reactions while holding priority before passing. Priority passes voluntarily during chain building, never automatically. During resolution, after each link resolves, the owner of the next ability gains priority before that ability resolves. Sequence: - Player A plays an Action and can hold priority to play reactions, then passes priority - Player B gains priority and can play multiple reactions (like Stupify 1, then Stupify 2) before passing priority back - Once both players pass priority consecutively, the chain begins resolving - Chain resolves last-in-first-out (Stupify 2, then Stupify 1, then Action) - After each link resolves during resolution, the owner of the next ability gains priority and can play reactions or pass before their ability resolves Nuances: - Priority and Focus are different mechanics - Priority passes voluntarily during chain building, while Focus passes automatically - A player cannot interrupt another player while that player holds priority - After chain resolution, if the chain is empty during a showdown, focus passes to the next player; if empty outside showdown, focus stays with current turn player - A player can respond to their own spells by holding priority

Ruling: Hidden cards are placed at a battlefield (only one per battlefield). You pay any color power to hide a card, then pay 0 to play it at that battlefield for its hidden cost. You cannot activate a card the same turn you hide it. Sequence: - Pay any color power to hide a card at a battlefield - Pay 0 to play the hidden card at that battlefield (on a later turn) - The card activates with its hidden cost Nuances: - Hidden cards can only be placed at battlefields, not at base - Only one hidden card allowed per battlefield - Hidden cards cannot be activated the turn they are hidden - All effects of hidden cards only affect the battlefield where they are hidden - Hidden cards can only target units at the same battlefield when played from hidden