Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

### **Draven, Vanquisher: Ability Timing and Cost** To clarify how Draven, Vanquisher's ability works regarding the timing of recycling a red rune for his +2 Might bonus, here is the official ruling based on the game rules and FAQs: ### **The Ruling** Draven, Vanquisher's ability ("When I attack or defend, you may pay [C]. If you do, give me +2 [M] this turn.") is a triggered ability that goes on the chain. The cost is paid on resolution, not when the ability is added to the chain. Because the cost is paid on resolution, you do not need to commit to recycling a rune until the ability actually resolves. This allows you to wait and see if your opponent plays any defensive reactions (such as moving a unit or using a buff) before you decide whether to spend your Fury Power. ### **Sequence of Events** 1. **Trigger:** Draven is declared as an attacker or defender. His "When I attack or defend" ability triggers and is added to the chain. 2. **Reaction Window:** Players have the opportunity to play reactions. During this time, you can use the **Basic Rune Ability** of a red (Fury) rune to recycle it and add [C] to your pool (Rule 160.2.b). 3. **Resolution:** When Draven's ability resolves, you are presented with the choice to pay [C]. * If you have [C] in your pool (from a previously recycled rune or an Add ability), you may choose to pay it. * If you pay, Draven gains +2 [M] (Might) for the turn. * If you do not pay, the ability resolves without effect. ### **Important Nuances** * **Cost vs. Effect:** The "may pay [C]" is part of the ability's instructions, not an additional cost to play the ability itself. This is why it is decided on resolution (FAQ #8425). * **Frequency:** According to FAQ #4341 and FAQ #3095, this ability triggers only once per combat (the first time he gains the attacker or defender designation). You cannot stack the +2 Might bonus multiple times in a single combat by recycling multiple runes. To stack the bonus, you would need Draven to participate in multiple separate combats in the same turn. * **Recycling:** You can recycle a red rune at any time you have priority to add [C] to your pool (Rule 160.2.b). Since recycling is a reaction, you can do this while the chain is open or closed, provided you have priority. *** *This interpretation is based on FAQ #8425, FAQ #4341, and Rule 160.2.b. No official rule exists that contradicts this timing for "cost within instructions" abilities.*

Spinning Axe is a piece of Gear with the **[Equip]** ability. ### How Spinning Axe Works * **[Equip] Ability:** The **[Equip]** ability is an **Activated Ability** (Rule 744.1). It is formatted as `[Equip] [Cost]`, which is shorthand for `[Cost]: Attach this gear to a unit you control` (Rule 744.1.c.2). * **Cost:** The cost for Spinning Axe is the payment of the required Power. It does not have an inherent exhaust cost. * **Timing:** Because it is an Activated Ability, you can only use it during your own Action Phase during an Open State (when the chain is empty and there is no Showdown), unless you have another effect that modifies its timing (Rule 148.2). ### If the Equipped Unit Dies If the unit equipped with Spinning Axe is killed, the Axe detaches and remains on the battlefield (Rule 435.1). * **Can you use a reaction?** No. Spinning Axe does not have a triggered ability that allows you to re-equip it as a reaction to a unit dying. * **Re-equipping:** Because the Axe is now unattached on the battlefield, it will be Recalled to your Base during the next Cleanup (Rule 435.1). You may use its **[Equip]** ability to attach it to a new unit during an Open State, following Base Speed timing. ### Can you react again if the new unit dies? No. Spinning Axe does not have a triggered ability that allows you to re-equip it as a reaction to a unit dying. If your second unit dies, the Axe detaches and remains on the battlefield until it is Recalled to your Base during the next Cleanup. You would then need to use the **[Equip]** ability again to attach it to a new unit. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

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

Energy Conduit is a piece of Gear with an activated ability that allows you to add Energy to your Rune Pool. Here is how it works: ### Ability Breakdown * **Cost:** You must exhaust Energy Conduit to activate its ability. * **Effect:** When the ability resolves, you **Add 1 Energy** to your Rune Pool. * **Reaction Tag:** Because the ability has the **[Reaction]** tag, you can activate it during the process of playing a spell or ability to help pay for its costs (Rule 416.3). ### Important Rules * **Adding Resources:** According to Rule 416.2, spells and abilities that "Add" resources (like Energy Conduit) finalize immediately. Priority and Focus do not pass, and these abilities resolve before any other outstanding items on the chain. * **Reaction Limitation:** While the ability itself is a Reaction, the card text explicitly states: *"Abilities that add resources can't be reacted to."* This means that once you activate Energy Conduit to add Energy, your opponent cannot use a card or ability to stop that specific resource gain from happening. * **Rune Pool:** Once added, the Energy goes into your Rune Pool and can be spent to pay for cards or other abilities for the remainder of the turn (Rule 162.1). * **End of Turn:** Like all resources in your Rune Pool, any Energy gained from Energy Conduit that remains unspent will be lost at the end of the turn (Rule 317.3.b). If you are using Energy Conduit to help pay for a card, you would initiate the process of playing that card, and during the "Pay Costs" step, you would exhaust the Conduit to add the Energy to your pool to cover the cost.

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

To explain how **Fizz, Trickster** works when targeting a spell in your trash, we must look at the sequence of playing a unit and the subsequent resolution of its "When you play me" (WYPM) ability. ### The Resolution Sequence 1. **Play Fizz:** You play Fizz from your hand. Fizz enters the chain as a pending item. 2. **Fizz Enters Play:** Fizz finalizes on the chain and enters the battlefield as a game object (Rule 356.2). 3. **WYPM Trigger:** Because Fizz is now in play, his "When you play me" ability triggers and is added to the chain as a pending item on top of any other items currently on the chain. 4. **Targeting:** When you put Fizz's ability on the chain, you **target** the spell in your trash that you intend to play (FAQ 6132). 5. **Resolution:** Once the chain resolves down to Fizz's ability, you execute the ability's instructions: * You play the targeted spell from your trash. * You must pay any required costs associated with playing the spell. * After the spell finishes resolving, it is recycled to the bottom of your deck (provided it was not countered). ### Key Clarifications * **Targeting Timing:** Contrary to the idea that targeting happens on resolution, **targeting occurs when you put the ability on the chain** (FAQ 6132). You must have a valid target (a spell in your trash) at that moment. * **Chain Usage:** Units like Fizz enter the chain as part of the process of being played. Once they finalize, they leave the chain and become game objects on the board (Rule 356.2). The "When you play me" ability is a triggered ability that then uses the chain to resolve. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

Forecaster works by granting the **Vision** keyword to your Mechs (including itself, as it is a Mech). Because Vision is a triggered ability that activates when a unit enters the board, you will trigger it whenever you play a Mech. ### Does it stack? Yes, Vision stacks. If you have multiple Forecasters in play, each one grants an instance of Vision to your Mechs. When you play a Mech, each instance of Vision triggers separately. ### How the sequence works: 1. **Trigger:** You play a Mech (e.g., a Forecaster). 2. **Stacking:** If you have two Forecasters in play, your new Mech enters with two instances of Vision. 3. **Resolution:** Each instance of Vision goes on the chain as a separate triggered ability. * The first Vision trigger resolves: You look at the top card of your deck and choose whether to recycle it. * The second Vision trigger resolves: You look at the top card of your deck (which may be the same card if you didn't recycle the first one) and choose whether to recycle it. ### Key Nuances: * **Multiple Procs:** You do not get multiple procs "every turn" automatically; you get them **each time you play a Mech**. * **Recycling:** Because each trigger is separate, you can choose to recycle the card on the first trigger, then look at the *new* top card for the second trigger. If you choose not to recycle, you will simply look at the same card again for the subsequent triggers. * **Passive Effect:** According to **FAQ #84**, Forecaster activates Vision when played alone because it is a passive effect that includes itself. According to **Rule 743.2**, multiple instances of Vision trigger separately, and you may choose to recycle or not for each instance individually.

According to the card text of **Forgotten Monument** and the associated RiftJudge FAQs, the restriction "until their third turn" refers to the **third turn taken by that specific player**, not the total number of turns taken in the game. Here is how it works: * **Individual Turn Count:** You can score the battlefield as soon as it is your own third turn. For example, if you are the first player, your third turn is the 5th turn of the game overall (Player A, Player B, Player A, Player B, **Player A**). * **Scoring Timing:** You do not have to wait until the end of your third turn. As soon as you reach your third turn, the condition is met, and you may score the battlefield immediately if you satisfy the other requirements for scoring. * **Conquering Restriction:** Per RiftJudge FAQ #9332, you cannot "Conquer" the **Forgotten Monument** before your third turn. Because conquering is a method of scoring, you are prohibited from performing that action there until the condition is met. In summary: It is your third turn, not the sixth turn of the game.

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

Here is how **Get Excited!** works based on the official rules and FAQs: ### **Is discarding a cost?** **No.** The discard is **not** a cost. It is part of the spell's resolution. Because it is not a cost, you do not have to discard anything if the spell is countered or "defied" (prevented from resolving). ### **Does the discard happen at resolution?** **Yes.** You do not choose or reveal the card you are discarding until the moment the spell resolves. This means your opponent will not know how much damage the spell will deal until it is already resolving and it is too late for them to react to the damage amount. ### **Is the target chosen at resolution?** **No.** You must declare the target **when you play the spell** and put it on the chain. --- ### **Sequence of Play** 1. **Cast:** You play *Get Excited!* and declare your target. 2. **Chain:** The spell is placed on the chain. 3. **React:** Your opponent has the opportunity to react (e.g., by using a defensive spell or ability). 4. **Resolve:** If the spell resolves, you then choose and discard a card from your hand. You deal damage to the target equal to the Energy cost of the discarded card. **Important Nuances:** * **Invalid Targets:** If your target is removed or becomes invalid before *Get Excited!* resolves, the spell still resolves, and you **must still discard a card** (though no damage will be dealt). * **No Fizzling:** In *Riftbound*, spells do not "fizzle." They resolve and do as much as they can. If the target is gone, the damage effect simply fails to find a target, but the discard effect still occurs. * **Information:** Because the discard happens at resolution, you can change your mind about what card to discard right up until the moment of resolution.

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

When **Hidden Blade** targets a unit and the opponent responds with **Fight or Flight** to move that unit to their base, the unit survives and the controller of Hidden Blade does not draw any cards. ### Why this happens: 1. **Targeting Requirements:** Hidden Blade requires a target at a battlefield to resolve. 2. **Illegal Target:** When Fight or Flight resolves, the unit moves from the battlefield to the base. Because the unit is no longer at a battlefield when Hidden Blade attempts to resolve, it becomes an illegal target. 3. **Resolution:** When a spell resolves, it checks if its targets are still legal. Since the target is now illegal, the spell fails to apply its effects. Consequently, the unit is not killed, and because the target is invalid, the game cannot reference the controller to trigger the draw effect. ### Sequence of Events: 1. **Hidden Blade** is cast targeting a unit at a battlefield. 2. The opponent plays **Fight or Flight** in response. 3. **Fight or Flight** resolves, moving the targeted unit from the battlefield to the base. 4. **Hidden Blade** attempts to resolve. It checks for its target, finds that the target is no longer at a battlefield, and determines the target is illegal. 5. **Hidden Blade** fails to resolve its effects (no kill, no draw). This interaction is a well-established defensive play in *Riftbound*. As noted in the Riftbound FAQ (ID 8319, 5878, 5232, 2339, 35, 8569, 497, 736), the key distinction is that the target must be legal at the moment the spell begins to resolve. If the target is moved to a non-board zone (like the base) before resolution, the spell's controller information becomes null, preventing the draw effect from triggering.

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)

To understand how **Virtuoso** interacts with spells that have **Repeat** costs, it is important to distinguish between the **total cost paid** to play the spell and the **printed cost** of the spell. ### The Interaction **Virtuoso's** ability triggers "When you play a spell, if you spent [4] or more..." Because **Repeat** is an optional additional cost that is added to the total cost of the spell during the "Determine Total Cost" step, paying a Repeat cost contributes to the total amount spent to play that spell. * **If the total amount spent (Base Cost + Repeat Cost + any other additional costs) is [4] or more:** Virtuoso’s ability will trigger, and you may choose to banish that spell. * **If the total amount spent is less than [4]:** Virtuoso’s ability will not trigger. ### Key Rules and Nuances 1. **Total Cost vs. Printed Cost:** Virtuoso checks the total amount you actually spent to play the spell, not the spell's printed cost. If you play a 1-cost spell and pay a 3-cost Repeat, you have spent [4] total, satisfying Virtuoso's condition. 2. **Timing of Payment:** Repeat costs are paid during the process of playing the card. Since Virtuoso triggers "When you play a spell," the total cost has already been finalized and paid by the time the trigger condition is evaluated. 3. **Repeat is Not a Separate Spell:** A spell with Repeat is still only played once. Virtuoso sees the entire action as a single spell play, regardless of how many times the effect is executed due to Repeat. 4. **Banishment:** If you choose to banish the spell via Virtuoso, the spell is removed from the chain before it resolves. Because the spell never resolves, none of its instructions—including the repeated effects—will occur. **Summary:** If you use a Repeat cost to bring your total expenditure on a single spell play to [4] or more, you satisfy Virtuoso's condition and may banish the spell. If you do so, the spell is banished and will not resolve. Note: I could not fully verify this ruling against the retrieved rules.

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

King's Edict functions as follows: **Ruling:** King's Edict does not target. The caster does not make any choices. Instead, each other player (your opponents) chooses a unit you don't control, and then all chosen units are killed. **Sequence of Resolution:** 1. Starting with the next player in turn order, each opponent chooses one unit you don't control that has not already been chosen for this spell. 2. This continues until all opponents have made their choice. 3. All chosen units are then killed simultaneously. **Key Nuances:** * **1v1 Format:** In a 1v1 game, this functions as an edict effect where your single opponent must choose and kill one of their own units. * **Multiplayer Formats:** In multiplayer, multiple units will be killed (one per opponent). In a 2v2 format, this can be disadvantageous for the caster, as opponents can choose your teammate's units, effectively giving the opposing team two choices while your team only gets one. * **Protection Abilities:** Because the players make the choice during resolution rather than the spell itself, units with protection from being chosen by enemy spells or abilities (such as *Rune Runner*) can still be chosen by King's Edict. *Source: RiftJudge FAQ #509, #322, and #8616.*

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

*Kinkou Initiate's* ability checks the **total Might of all your other units** on the board, not the Might of a single unit. According to the card text, "When you play me, draw 1 if your **other units have total Might 5 or more**." ### Key Details * **Total Might:** You sum the current Might of every other friendly unit you have on the board. * **Timing:** This check happens **on resolution** (when the ability is processed from the chain), not when the unit is played. * **Sequencing:** If you have other effects that increase your units' Might (like a Legend ability or another triggered effect that shares the "When you play a unit" trigger), you can sequence those abilities to resolve *before* *Kinkou Initiate's* ability. This allows you to boost your other units' Might to reach the total of 5 or more just in time for *Kinkou Initiate's* ability to check the value. (See RiftJudge FAQ #9873).

To understand how **Last Rites** works, it is important to distinguish between its **Equip** ability (which gets it onto the board) and its **Effect** (which allows you to play units from your trash). ### 1. Equipping Last Rites * **Cost:** To play the [Equip] ability, you must pay **[C]** (1 Power) and **Recycle 2 cards** from your trash. * **Restriction:** According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8719**, you must be able to pay the full cost to initiate the ability. This means you must have at least two cards in your trash to recycle. If you do not have two cards, you cannot equip Last Rites. ### 2. The Triggered Effect Once equipped to a unit, Last Rites grants that unit the following ability: *"When I conquer or hold, you may play a unit from your trash. (You still pay its costs.)"* * **Trigger:** The ability triggers whenever the unit equipped with Last Rites participates in a "Conquer" or "Hold" event on a battlefield. * **Presence Requirement:** Per **RiftJudge FAQ #9486**, the unit equipped with Last Rites must be present on the battlefield at the exact moment the conquer/hold event occurs for the ability to trigger. * **Timing:** When this ability triggers and resolves, you may play a unit from your trash. Because the card text does not specify a restricted window, **this allows you to play the unit bypassing normal timing restrictions**, even during your opponent's turn. ### 3. Sequence of Play According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9486** and **FAQ #1014**: 1. **Trigger:** You conquer or hold a battlefield. The ability is placed on the chain. 2. **Resolution:** When the trigger resolves, you decide whether to play a unit from your trash. 3. **Playing the Unit:** If you choose to play a unit, it is placed on the chain as a pending item. 4. **Finalization:** You must be able to pay the full cost of the unit you are playing. Once you finalize the unit (choose its location and pay the cost), it immediately resolves and enters play. *Note: This is my interpretation based on the card text and retrieved FAQs. No official core rulebook section explicitly details the "play from trash" window, so I have relied on established RiftJudge FAQs regarding this specific card.*

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

The **Obelisk of Power** is a Battlefield card that provides a one-time resource boost at the start of the game. Here is how it works: ### Core Mechanic According to its card text, the ability states: *"At the start of each player's first Beginning Phase, that player channels 1 rune."* * **One-Time Effect:** This ability triggers **only once** per player during the entire game—specifically during their very first Beginning Phase. It does not trigger every turn. * **Trigger Timing:** The ability triggers during the Beginning Phase. As noted in RiftJudge FAQ #8260, the sequence is: 1. During your Beginning Phase, declare the Obelisk of Power trigger. 2. Channel the rune(s) from the Obelisk. 3. Channel your normal runes for the turn. 4. Proceed to your draw. ### Important Nuances * **Stacking:** If multiple Obelisk of Power battlefields are in play (for example, if both players choose it), their effects stack. You will draw an additional rune for each Obelisk present (RiftJudge FAQ #7784). * **Uncontrolled Battlefield:** The ability triggers even if the battlefield is not controlled by a player. The turn player is responsible for adding these uncontrolled battlefield abilities to the chain (RiftJudge FAQ #8260). * **Missed Triggers:** If you forget to trigger the Obelisk during your first Beginning Phase, tournament rules dictate that your opponent decides whether you may receive the effect retroactively (RiftJudge FAQ #8260). In summary, the Obelisk of Power is designed to accelerate your resource pool only at the very start of the game, not as a recurring source of runes.

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

No, Overzealous Fan does not survive if countered. Under the Unleashed rules update, "kill me" is treated as a cost within instructions. You must kill Overzealous Fan first (paying the cost) to put its defend trigger onto the chain. Your opponent can still play Not So Fast to counter the triggered ability, but Overzealous Fan will already be dead because the cost was paid upfront. The "may" in the text means you have the option not to kill Overzealous Fan at all, in which case the ability never goes on the chain. Previously, Overzealous Fan would survive a Not So Fast counter because the kill happened on resolution, not as a cost.

To understand how **Portal Rescue** interacts with **Reflection tokens** and "When you play me" triggers, we must examine the rules governing tokens, the "play" action, and the specific behavior of Portal Rescue. ### 1. Can Portal Rescue target a token? According to **RiftJudge FAQ #2895**, you can target a token with **Portal Rescue**. However, the sequence results in the token ceasing to exist: * Portal Rescue banishes the token. * The token enters the banished zone (a non-board zone). * Tokens cannot exist outside the board or chain, causing the token to cease to exist immediately upon reaching the banished zone. * The "play it to your base" portion of Portal Rescue then has no valid target, and the effect concludes. Because the token ceases to exist before it can be "played" to your base, it **does not trigger** any "When you play me" effects. ### 2. Playing Tokens and "When you play me" triggers If a token is generated by an effect that uses the word "play" (e.g., "play a Reflection token"), it is considered "played" (Rule 182.1.a/Rule 350.2). * **Triggering:** When a token is "played," its "When you play me" triggered abilities will trigger if it has any, just like a card. * **Chain Timing:** These abilities are placed on the chain as pending items, just as they would be for a standard unit card (Rule 383.3). ### 3. Summary of Interaction | Scenario | Outcome | | :--- | :--- | | **Using Portal Rescue on a Token** | The token is banished, ceases to exist, and **does not trigger** any "When you play me" effects because the "play" portion of the spell fails. | | **Playing a Token via another effect** | If an effect explicitly uses "play" to put the token into play, it is considered "played." Any "When you play me" triggered abilities will go on the chain and can be resolved. | ### Reasoning and Rule References * **Tokens as "Played":** Tokens are considered "played" when an effect uses that specific terminology to put them into play (Rule 182.1.a and Rule 350.2). * **Portal Rescue interaction:** Per FAQ #2895, Portal Rescue's effect fails to "play" the unit if the target is a token because the token ceases to exist before it can be re-played. Note: I could not fully verify the rule regarding tokens ceasing to exist in non-board zones against the retrieved rules.

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