Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: You can only counter spells. Units and gear cannot be countered because they enter and immediately exit the chain without lingering on it. Nuances: - Triggered abilities cannot be countered - Counter effects in the game specifically target spells only

Ruling: No, you cannot discard a card from your Champion Unit Location because the card in the champion location is not in your hand. Nuances: - Cards must be in your hand to be discarded

Ruling: No, you cannot activate Unlicensed Armory with no friendly units in play. For all effects that target, you must have a legal target to activate the ability, even if the effect itself is not mandatory. Nuances: - The targeting requirement is not optional, even though the save effect itself is optional - You also cannot activate Unlicensed Armory with no cards in hand, since "Discard 1" is a cost that must be paid to activate the ability

Ruling: No, you cannot equip before your Beginning phase. Equip is an activated ability without the action or reaction keyword, so it can only be used at base speed during your action phase. Temporary triggers at the start of your Beginning phase, which occurs before the action phase. Sequence: - Beginning phase starts - Temporary triggers and destroys the gear - Action phase begins (when you could normally equip) Nuances: - Quick-draw allows equipping at reaction speed, but still requires paying the equipment cost - Quick-draw uses "attach" which doesn't imply a cost, while "equip" implies both cost and the attach result - Weaponmaster is different from quick-draw in how it handles equipment costs

Ruling: No, you cannot equip items to Dauntless Vanguard when playing it to a battlefield with an opponent present. Equip can only be activated at base speed, and playing a unit to a battlefield where an opponent is present opens combat, during which base speed actions cannot be performed. Nuances: - This is the same reason you cannot play Vanguard to a battlefield and then move another unit there from base using a standard move - The restriction applies because there is a showdown or combat occurring, which prevents base speed game actions

Ruling: Yes, you can flip Hidden cards at other battlefields during reaction windows in a Showdown, but targeting restrictions still apply based on the card's location. Nuances: - Cards that don't target (like Zhonya's) will function normally from the other battlefield - Cards with targeting requirements can only target units at their own battlefield (e.g., Fight or Flight flipped at Battlefield B can only target units at Battlefield B) - Tideturner can be useful in these situations

Ruling: After Reaver's Row removes your only unit during combat, you can flip a hidden card during the combat showdown because control of a contested battlefield cannot change until after combat cleanup. However, after Unchecked Power resolves, you cannot flip the hidden card because UP is base speed (not playable during showdown), so control changes immediately and the hidden card is trashed. Sequence: - Reaver's Row removes your unit during combat - Battlefield is empty but still contested, so you retain control - During combat showdown chains, you can flip the hidden card - After combat cleanup, control would change Nuances: - The key rule is that while a battlefield is being contested, control of it cannot change - This only works during combat/showdown priority windows - Unchecked Power doesn't create this window because it's base speed and can't be played during showdown - Effects like Blind Fury that let you cast anything in a showdown could enable similar scenarios with base speed spells

Ruling: In constructed format, you cannot have more than two different domain runes in your Rune Deck. In limited format, you can have three different domains. Nuances: - Even in limited format with three domains allowed, you cannot play Twisted Fate (purple) alongside all three colors required for his effects - This means Twisted Fate cannot trigger his stun effect in constructed format

Ruling: You automatically hold priority when there is an open chain and you play an item to it. You can play multiple reactions before passing priority. However, you cannot hold focus - once the chain you opened with focus closes, the next player in turn order gains focus. Sequence: - When you play an item to an open chain, you automatically hold priority - You can play multiple reactions in a row before passing priority - Once you pass priority, your opponent can do the same - If both players pass priority consecutively, the topmost item on the chain resolves - When a chain opened with focus closes, focus automatically passes to the next player in turn order Nuances: - Priority and focus are distinct mechanics - you can hold priority but not focus

Ruling: No, you cannot combine standard movement with non-standard movement like Showstopper in this way. Nuances: - Showstopper is a slow spell, not an action - If it were a fast spell like Zenith Blade, you could move your unit with standard movement, then during the showdown use the fast spell to move another unit onto the battlefield

Ruling: You cannot have one of your units on the same battlefield as one of your teammate's units, ever. Nuances: - If an enemy moves to a battleground controlled by your teammate, it results in a normal showdown - You can move your teammate's units to a battlefield that only has an enemy unit on it, since your teammate's units are friendly

Ruling: Yes, this is legal. You can move an enemy unit to a battlefield and if there are no other enemy units there after the move, you would not choose an enemy unit, resulting in a battle starting on that battlefield with your defending units against the attacking unit you just moved. Nuances: - If there was a second enemy unit present on that battlefield, you could not choose to not continue resolving the spell - you would be required to select an enemy unit.

Ruling: Showstopper allows you to move just one unit.

Ruling: Yes, units moving together using Standard Move must have the same destination, but they may come from different locations. Sequence: - Multiple units can use Standard Move at the same time - Units moving together must have the same destination - Units moving together may come from different locations - Each unit pays the Exhaust cost - Units with Ganking can move from battlefield to battlefield, while units without Ganking can move from base to battlefield Nuances: - Standard Move can only be done during your turn, outside of Showdown, and with an empty Chain - Multiple units with Ganking can still move at the same time with a Standard Move - All other move restrictions still apply (e.g., can't move to a battlefield already containing units from two other players)

Ruling: Yes, you can move units to a battlefield even after losing a showdown there. There is no restriction on how many times you can move units to the same battlefield. Nuances: - You can move units to the same battlefield one at a time if you choose - You can even move the same units that just participated in the showdown if you can ready them and they didn't die

Ruling: Yes, if you have focus during a showdown and Zhonya's is revealed, you can play Acceptable Losses to force your opponent to destroy a gear. If Zhonya's is their only gear, they must destroy it. Nuances: - If the opponent has multiple gears, they can choose which gear to destroy (not necessarily Zhonya's) - Scrapheap can counter this strategy by recovering the destroyed gear from the scrapheap

Ruling: Champion units are main deck legal if they share a domain with your legend. Champion units are chosen champion legal only if they share a character tag (like "Jinx" or "Viktor") with your legend. Nuances: - Region/unit tags (like "Zaun" or "Freljord") currently have no bearing on legality in your main deck or chosen champion zone - Legends always refer to a specific character, so your chosen champion must be the same character - Currently no legends have region tags, though this may change in the future

Ruling: Yes, you can play Cull of the Weak even if you control no units while your opponent controls units. Nuances: - Cull the Weak has both players make a choice on resolution, so you don't need a valid target to play it - If you can't perform the instructions (because you have no units), that won't stop your opponent from performing their part of the effect

Ruling: No, you cannot move multiple units simultaneously when playing them from hand. You can only move one unit at a time when playing cards. Nuances: - This same restriction applies when using Set's signature spell - you cannot move other units with it - Multiple units can only be moved at the same time through standard movement, which is the inherent capacity of moving units by exhausting them - Any movement that involves playing a unit from hand is restricted to moving only that single unit

Ruling: No, you cannot play Relentless Pursuit without controlling an equipment. You must choose both a friendly unit and an equipment you control when casting the spell, even though attaching the equipment is optional. Sequence: - Choose both a friendly unit and an equipment you control as the spell is cast - Move the chosen unit - You may choose to attach the chosen equipment to that unit - The unit gains "When I conquer, you may move me to my base" until end of turn Nuances: - The equipment must exist to cast the spell, but attaching it during resolution is optional - This is a special case where the card text creates a targeting requirement despite using "may" language for the attachment - The unit still moves and gains the conquest ability even if you choose not to attach the equipment

Ruling: No, this does not work. When the first Retreat resolves (last on the stack), it cannot find the owner anymore, so you don't channel the 1 rune. Sequence: - Play first Retreat - Play second Retreat in response - Second Retreat resolves first, returns the unit - First Retreat resolves, but cannot find the unit to return, so no rune is channeled

Ruling: You cannot play a unit at a battlefield unless you are in control of that battlefield. Since you have no unit at the battlefield, you cannot play Shen there as a reaction. Nuances: - This rule applies even when reacting to an opponent's conquest attempt

Ruling: No, this sequence will not save Sona. When you play Call to Glory and remove the buff counter from Sona, her Might will drop to 6, matching her 6 marked damage, causing her to die during cleanup before combat damage is dealt. Sequence: - Jinx player attacks - You react with Shen (Shen resolves immediately as a unit) - Focus passes to Jinx player, who passes - Focus returns to you, you play Call to Glory paying 3 by removing buff from Sona - Sona dies during cleanup (Might reduced to 6, matching 6 marked damage) - Combat resolves: Jinx dies, Shen survives with Tank Nuances: - Units and gear resolve immediately and do not linger on the chain - When units/gear resolve and the chain closes, focus passes to the next player (unlike add abilities which have a special exception) - Showdowns only end when both players pass focus consecutively without starting a chain - Removing a buff counter that is keeping a unit alive will cause that unit to die during the next cleanup

Ruling: Yes, you can play Shen when enemy units move to your controlled battlefield. When a battlefield you control becomes contested by an enemy moving into it, you retain control of that battlefield until the contested status is lifted (likely at the end of combat). Sequence: - You control a battlefield - Enemy moves units into your battlefield - The battlefield becomes contested - You retain control during the contested state - Shen's requirement of controlling the battlefield is met - You can play Shen as a defender Nuances: - You cannot play Shen if the battlefield was NOT controlled prior to the move (i.e., if it was already uncontrolled before the enemy moved in) - When played in this situation, Shen is considered a defender and receives his shield bonus

Ruling: No, you cannot respond to Master Yi's ability because it is a passive ability that uses "while" rather than a triggered ability. Passive abilities with "while" do not use the stack and cannot be responded to. Nuances: - "While" indicates a passive ability that cannot be responded to - "When" indicates a triggered ability that uses the stack - Shield abilities also use "while" and are passive - To use Stupify effectively in this situation, play it before moving in to attack

Ruling: Yes, you can play a Quickdraw gear even when you have no friendly units on board. The gear will remain at your base. Sequence: - You play the gear to your base - The "When you play this, attach" triggered ability attempts to trigger - Since there are no legal targets, the ability cannot finalize - The gear remains at your base unattached Nuances: - The triggered ability doesn't "whiff" (resolve with no effect) - it simply never finalizes due to lack of legal targets - Gears can only be played to base initially; they would only move if the attach ability successfully resolves

Ruling: No, there is no "end of turn" opportunity to play reactions that prevents your opponent from taking further actions. Reactions can only be played when a chain is already open (during closed states), which means if you play a reaction on your opponent's turn, they can still go back to taking normal actions afterward. Sequence: - A reaction requires a chain to be open (closed state) to be played - If your opponent does nothing on their turn, no chain opens, so you cannot play a reaction - If a chain does open (from a trigger or ability) and you play a reaction, it's still their turn and they can continue taking discretionary actions after the chain resolves Nuances: - End of time procedure exists and some abilities may trigger there (like Dazzling Aurora or Annie Legend), but you can only play reactions if those triggered abilities start a chain - Once end of time procedure starts, you cannot go back to main timing - The opponent controls when chains open during their turn, effectively controlling when you can play reactions

Ruling: Once both players pass focus/priority, it is too late to play a reaction spell. You cannot go back to play cards after both players have passed. Nuances: - Passing focus means you don't want to play anything unless your opponent does - Attempting to play a card after both players pass would be considered angle shooting in tournaments

Yes, you can react to the on-play ability of Carnivorous Snapvine (and similar units like Riptide Rex) with Reaction-speed spells. Here's how it works: When the unit is played, it enters the board first. Then the Play Effect goes on the chain as a Pending Item. The controlling player completes the steps of playing it, including targeting. Once it becomes a Chain Item, it functions just like a spell. Other players have an opportunity to play Reactions before the resolution of spells. Since Play Effects become Chain Items 'just like a Spell,' they also have a reaction window before they resolve. So you cannot react to the unit being played itself, but you CAN react to the on-play ability before it resolves, using Reaction-speed spells only.

Ruling: You can play units directly to any battlefield you control. You control a battlefield if you already have some of your units on it. You also control your base. Nuances: - Playing a unit directly to a battlefield is NOT the same as moving a unit - Moving refers to relocating units that are already on the board - You must control a location (your base or a battlefield with your units) to play units there

Ruling: No, you cannot play a unit to a battlefield after moving your only unit away from it, as you lose control when you no longer have units there. Sequence: - If you want to maintain presence, play the new unit to the battlefield first - Then move the original unit away Nuances: - Scoring a point by holding a battlefield does not grant you control for the remainder of the turn; control requires having units present

Ruling: No, you cannot play an Action card on your opponent's turn in response to a unit ability. You can only play Action cards on your opponent's turn when you have focus during a showdown and the chain is empty. Nuances: - The unit ability does create a chain - Only Reaction cards can be added to chains - You may react with Reaction cards, but not Action cards during a chain

Ruling: No, you cannot play action spells during the End of Turn phase. Action spells can only be played during the Action phase, or when you have priority in a closed state during a chain. Sequence: - Aurora triggers during the End of Turn phase - Only Reaction cards can be played during End of Turn phase if/when a chain is created - You can use reactions in response to Aurora or in response to any on-play triggers of the unit played Nuances: - Playing cards are discretionary actions which can only be done during the Action phase or when you have priority in a closed state - During your Action phase outside of a showdown, only you have the ability to start a chain - Your opponent cannot play actions after your action spell resolves during your turn; they only get priority to play reactions when something goes onto the chain

Ruling: Yes, you can hold priority to play multiple reactions in a row before passing priority to your opponent. Each spell will then resolve one by one, with both players passing priority between each resolution. Sequence: - Play an action spell (Chain 1) - Hold priority and play a reaction (Chain 2) - Hold priority and play another reaction (Chain 3) - Pass priority to opponent - If opponent passes back, Reaction (Chain 3) resolves - Pass priority, opponent passes, Reaction (Chain 2) resolves - Pass priority, opponent passes, Action (Chain 1) resolves Nuances: - Your opponent can react in-between resolutions - Focus = can start a chain; Priority = can add to a chain

Ruling: Yes, you can play reactions to your own action as many times as you like before the action resolves, as long as you have priority. Sequence: - Play an action - Play a reaction - Reaction resolves - The next link owner gets priority - Both players must pass for the next link to resolve - You can play another reaction before the action resolves - Repeat as many times as desired Nuances: - After each chain item resolves, the next link owner receives priority - Both players must pass priority in succession for a link to resolve

Ruling: You can play multiple Stupefies (or other Reactions) in a row without passing priority. You can chain Actions and Reactions together before passing priority. Sequence: - Opponent moves unit to battlefield and passes priority - You gain Focus and play first Stupefy - You can immediately play second Stupefy without passing priority - After you pass priority, opponent gets priority again - Priority must be passed by both players consecutively to move to damage calculation Nuances: - You can chain Actions and Reactions in sequence (e.g., Action, React, React) before passing priority - The resolution of a card does not automatically pass priority - priority is only passed when a player explicitly passes or by the rules

Ruling: Yes, you can play units directly from hand to any battlefield you control. Nuances: - This applies immediately after conquering a battlefield (playing a unit to an open battlefield and scoring a point) - This also applies on subsequent turns if you still control the battlefield and your opponent hasn't attacked it

Ruling: No, you cannot re-add Death Rocket with Zaun Warrens from the same conquer that triggered Death Rocket. Sequence: - Both Death Rocket and Zaun Warrens trigger simultaneously when you conquer - You choose the order to place them on the stack - By the time Zaun Warrens resolves to re-add Death Rocket, the conquer event has already passed - Death Rocket cannot trigger again from that same conquer event because it wasn't in the discard pile when the conquer occurred

Ruling: Yes, this works. When Sprite's Temporary trigger and Mushroom Pouch trigger at the start of turn, you can order them so Sprite's Temporary goes on the chain first, then Mushroom Pouch. After Pouch resolves and you draw, you can react with your Hidden card before Sprite dies. Sequence: - Put Sprite's Temporary trigger on the chain first - Put Mushroom Pouch trigger on the chain second - Resolve Mushroom Pouch (draw a card) - React with your Hidden card (it turns face-up) - Resolve Sprite's Temporary trigger (Sprite dies) Nuances: - After Mushroom Pouch resolves, you get priority to add reactions because you control the next item on the chain (the Temporary trigger), not because you're the turn player - The Hidden card must have been placed on a previous turn to have the Reaction tag

Ruling: You cannot react after the cards are revealed but before damage is dealt - that all happens during resolution. You can only react before the trigger resolves or after it completely resolves (if there are still items on the chain or when you get priority/focus). Sequence: - Teemo is revealed and goes on the chain, resolves immediately (enters the board) - Teemo's trigger goes onto the chain, target is chosen at this point - Reaction opportunities available here (before trigger resolves) - Trigger resolves: reveals 5 cards and deals damage to the target - this all happens during resolution with no reaction window in between - If the chain is empty after resolution, the attacker gets focus and can play an action or reaction first - If there are still items on the chain, you can add reactions to the remaining chain Nuances: - If Teemo is removed before the trigger resolves, the top 5 cards are still revealed but no damage is dealt because the trigger can no longer locate "here" - Permanents (units and gear) resolve immediately after going to the chain with no reaction opportunity - The target is chosen when the trigger goes on the chain, not during resolution

Ruling: You cannot play ACTION spells in response to Traveling Merchant being moved and using its effect. You can only play REACTION spells during those chains. You can play an ACTION spell only after you get focus. Sequence: - Opponent moves Traveling Merchant (move trigger occurs BEFORE showdown) - During the move trigger chain, only reactions can be played - Showdown begins - If there is an initial chain, only reactions can be played - If opponent plays an action, only reactions can be played during that chain - THEN you get focus and can play an action Nuances: - Actions can only be played when you have focus, not during triggered chains or in response to opponent actions

Ruling: Yes, you can react with a hidden card at your battlefield to kill your unit in response to Divine Judgement. Nuances: - You cannot use the hidden card in the same turn it was hidden (though this is very unlikely to occur)

Ruling: Yes, if you play a unit in reaction to the temporary trigger, you can keep control of the battlefield. Sequence: - Temporary unit trigger occurs - React by playing a unit from hidden - You maintain battlefield control because you still have a unit

Ruling: Yes, you can respond with any reaction to a buff being played on a unit before the buff resolves. Sequence: - Opponent plays buff targeting their unit - You can respond with a reaction (like Gust) to return the unit to hand - The reaction resolves before the buff

Ruling: Yes, you can react to Karma's buff ability when your opponent recycles a card due to her Vision ability. Sequence: - Playing Karma triggers Vision - When Vision resolves, if a card was recycled, Karma's buff ability triggers - The buff ability goes on the chain - There is a priority window where players can respond, first to the player who controls Karma, then to other players in turn order

Ruling: No, you cannot react to movements between two controlled locations. Movements between controlled locations do not create a reaction window. Nuances: - If a player conquered a battlefield, then left it (making it uncontrolled), and then moved back in, that would cause a showdown because control is changing from uncontrolled to controlled - If a player has a unit in a battlefield they're controlling and moves another unit into it, that doesn't contest control so no showdown occurs - A player's base is always considered controlled by its owner

Ruling: You can play a hidden card as a Reaction whenever you have priority to play a Reaction, but hidden cards can only target the battlefield they are hidden at. Nuances: - You can only hide cards at battlefields you control, one per battlefield - You can only play hidden cards starting the turn after you hid them - Hidden cards cannot be played at your base, only at battlefields

Ruling: No, when a vanilla is played, it goes onto the chain and immediately resolves and leaves the chain as a permanent, with neither side having priority for reactions. Nuances: - Rebuke is action speed, so you cannot react with it anyway

Ruling: Yes, you can respond to Aurora's trigger in the end phase with reactions. However, you cannot respond after it resolves its ability. Sequence: - Aurora's end phase trigger goes on the stack - Players can respond with reactions at this point - Once the ability resolves, you cannot respond to it anymore

Ruling: No, you cannot gain another point. You can only score 1 point per battlefield per turn, whether by conquering or holding. Nuances: - You only conquer battlefields you did not score this turn - Effects that trigger "when you conquer" cannot be triggered again on a battlefield you already scored this turn - The 1 point limit applies to either method of scoring (conquering or holding)