Riftbound Frequently Asked Questions

Ruling: No. When effects reference a card's cost (like Spectral Matron checking for "3 or less"), they always look at the printed cost in the top left corner of the card, not any discounted cost. Cost discounts like Legion are only applied when you actually play the card. Nuances: - Legion does apply outside the board (including in trash), but this only matters when you're actually playing the card and calculating what you pay - A discounted 5-cost spell still triggers effects that care about 5-cost spells (like Lux) - A spell played for free can't be countered by effects that check for a specific cost threshold - The rules will be clarified in future updates to make it clearer that effects always consider printed costs

Ruling: No, Sprite Call must be played at the same battlefield where it is activated. The sprite is summoned to that battlefield. Nuances: - Spells played while hidden generally have their effects appended with <here> for targeting, indicating they affect the same battlefield - Sprite Call cannot be played to a contested battlefield during an attack unless you control that battlefield, as it must follow regular play rules and doesn't explicitly state it can be played to any battlefield

Ruling: You cannot play a unit on an occupied Battlefield unless the card specifically states otherwise. Sprite Call does not have this exception, so it cannot be played on an occupied Battlefield during a Showdown.

Ruling: Yes, Sprite Call can be revealed and played as a reaction to the removal, allowing you to play the sprite to that battlefield. Sequence: - Conquer a battlefield with a single unit - Hide Sprite Call - Opponent plays hard removal on the unit - Reveal Sprite Call as a reaction and play the sprite Nuances: - Hidden cards can be used as reactions starting the turn after they were hidden - Face down cards gain reaction (they don't just act like they have reaction)

Ruling: Sprite Call cannot be used as a Reaction in this situation. The card goes to Trash as a result of cleanup, which doesn't use the chain, so you cannot react to it. Nuances: - You need to trigger Sprite Call before your other unit gets removed - You can't conquer a Battlefield that you already scored that turn (including scoring for holding) - You can lose and gain control of a Battlefield, but that doesn't result in a conquer

Ruling: No, you cannot play units at a battlefield you don't control. You can use Sprite Call for defense, or play the sprites beforehand and move them in with your other attacking units. Sequence: - Play sprites before the attack - Move them to the battlefield with other attacking units Nuances: - Sprites enter ready, so they can be played before attacking and then moved in - You cannot play them retroactively in response to opponent actions like buffing their units

Ruling: No, Sun Disc cannot be flipped between playing Jinx and summoning Chompers because Sun Disc does not have reaction. If Sun Disc is flipped before playing Jinx, it would affect Jinx (the "next unit"), not the Chompers summoned afterward. Sequence: - If Sun Disc is flipped first, it affects the next unit played (Jinx) - Jinx is played with Sun Disc's effect - Chompers are summoned without Sun Disc's effect (already used on Jinx) Nuances: - Sun Disc's "next unit" wording means it only affects the very next unit played after flipping, not subsequent units in the same sequence

Ruling: If you have no cards in hand, you cannot get Super Mega Death Rocket back from trash. Nuances: - The ability still triggers even if you have no cards in hand - You could use other abilities to draw a card before Rocket tries to resolve, which would then allow you to discard and return it to hand

Ruling: Super Mega Death Rocket's trigger cannot be retroactively added if it moves to the trash while other conquer triggers are resolving. All conquer triggers are evaluated at the same moment when the conquer occurs. Sequence: - When a conquer occurs, all conquer triggers are evaluated at that moment - For SMDR's trigger to be added to the chain, it must already be in the trash when the conquer happens - If SMDR is discarded by another conquer trigger during resolution, its trigger won't be retroactively added Nuances: - This differs from Immortal Phoenix, which checks its condition ("when a spell kills") after the spell fully resolves, at which point Phoenix is already in the trash - The key distinction is "when the condition is met" - SMDR's condition must be met at the moment of conquer, not during the resolution of other conquer triggers

Ruling: Yes, Teemo Strategist can be removed with Gust after his defense trigger goes on the chain but before it resolves. When the trigger resolves with Teemo in hand, you still reveal the top 5 cards but deal 0 damage because "here" (the battlefield location) no longer exists, so no enemy unit can be chosen. Sequence: - Teemo is revealed from Hidden when attacked - His defense trigger goes on the chain - Opponent can respond with Gust, returning Teemo to hand - Gust resolves first - Teemo's trigger resolves: you must reveal top 5 cards, but deal 0 damage since there's no valid "here" location - Revealed cards are immediately recycled Nuances: - You still get to reveal the top 5 cards even though Teemo is in hand, allowing you to potentially get cards like Nocturne - Targets are chosen when the trigger goes on the chain, but "here" is re-evaluated for legality at resolution - If "here" cannot be determined (Teemo is in hand), no enemy unit can be chosen and the damage portion fizzles

Ruling: No. Swift Scout specifies it can place a Teemo unit into your hand from your champion zone of the board. Your trash is neither of those places. Nuances: - The trash is specifically a non-board zone, so it cannot be targeted by abilities that reference "the board" or specific board zones.

Ruling: Teemo cannot be hidden from the chosen champion zone because the champion zone only allows playing cards (not hiding them), and hiding is a separate game action from playing a card. A hidden card cannot be played on the same turn it was hidden, only on subsequent turns. Sequence: - Question 2 scenario: Opponent hides a card at a battlefield, then activates Caitlyn's ability - You react by playing Gust on Caitlyn - Opponent cannot react with the hidden card because it was hidden this turn Nuances: - The champion zone specifically allows playing cards following the Playing a Card rules, but Hide is a distinct game action - Hidden cards require being in hand to pay the hide cost - Teemo Legend specifically lets you put something from the Champion zone into your hand (implying you need it in hand to hide)

No, this is an illegal play. Swift Scout's ability states "Put a Teemo unit you own into your hand from your Champion Zone or the board." "'Unit,' 'gear,' and 'rune' refer to objects on the Board unless specified otherwise," and another rule states "'Facedown card' refers to a card in a Facedown Zone unless specified otherwise." A facedown card is not a "unit" - it has no card type and is a different game object category. Therefore, even though the controller knows what the facedown card is (since it's Private Information they can look at), they cannot target it with Swift Scout's ability because the ability specifically requires "a Teemo unit" and a facedown card does not satisfy that requirement.

Ruling: Teemo is restricted to targeting units at the battlefield where he is located. Nuances: - Hidden cards must choose targets from among options at the battlefield where they were hidden, unless the ability explicitly restricts targeting in a way that makes this impossible - This applies to hidden spells and play effects of hidden permanents - The original question referenced an erratum about hidden cards targeting anywhere, but this appears to be a misunderstanding of the actual rules

Ruling: No, you choose only 1 unit with Teemo, Strategist's ability, regardless of how many hidden cards are found.

Ruling: Whenever card text says "cost" it means the base cost of a card. Temporal Portal looks at the printed cost, so a card played from Hidden with 0 cost cannot be repeated by Temporal Portal since its base cost is higher. Nuances: - A card reduced in cost (like Skysplitter reduced to 4 energy) still has its original base cost for card effects - With Hidden, you would pay for one cast and get one free from the Hidden effect, but Temporal Portal would not trigger an additional repeat

Ruling: Yes, The Dreaming Tree's effect can be triggered by the attacker targeting one of their own units during a showdown, as long as the unit is present at the battlefield. Nuances: - The effect will trigger even if you initiate a non-combat showdown, use retreat on the unit, and the unit leaves - you will still draw 1 card.

Ruling: No, you cannot move an ally's unit to your base. The effect should move the unit to its controller's base (the base of whoever currently controls that unit). Nuances: - The controller is different from the owner - the controller is whoever currently controls the card, while the owner is whoever brought it to the table - If a unit has been stolen via effects like Possession or Blind Fury, it goes to the current controller's base, not the original owner's base

Ruling: Thousand Tailed Watcher gives a unit -3 might to a minimum of 1 might. A 2 might unit affected by Watcher will receive a snapshotted -1 might until end of turn effect, reducing it to 1 might (not below 0). Nuances: - The "-1" refers to the snapshotted modifier value, not the final might total - Units cannot go below 1 might due to the minimum clause on Watcher

Ruling: Tideturner can be activated during a showdown when you have priority to swap with a unit in combat, even if that unit is about to take lethal damage. The swapped unit will move to the battlefield where Tideturner was hidden, potentially with damage already marked on it. Sequence: - During a showdown, when you have priority, you can activate Tideturner's ability - Tideturner swaps positions with the target unit - The unit that was in combat moves to the battlefield where Tideturner was hidden - If swapped after damage is dealt but before combat cleanup, the swapped unit will heal during combat cleanup Nuances: - Tideturner can only be hidden at a battlefield you control, not at your base - You can swap a unit that has taken damage during the combat damage step, sending it to another battlefield with less than 4 health remaining - This can be used to save a unit from dying in combat by moving it away, though Tideturner will likely die instead

Ruling: Tideturner can be revealed as a reaction even when Fight or Flight targets a unit at a different battlefield (this is confirmed in the FAQ). Ember Monk remains a valid target for Fight or Flight after being swapped because Fight or Flight can affect any battlefield, so as long as Ember Monk is still at a battlefield when the spell resolves, it is still valid. Sequence: - Fight or Flight is played targeting Ember Monk at the right battlefield - Tideturner (hidden at the left battlefield) is revealed as a reaction - Tideturner swaps places with Ember Monk - Fight or Flight resolves, still affecting Ember Monk at its new location Nuances: - Hidden cards can be revealed at any time you have priority, not just when their battlefield is being interacted with - Tideturner is an exception to the normal hidden card targeting rule that adds "here" to targeting restrictions - Spells that can affect any battlefield (like Fight or Flight) don't lose their targets when units move between battlefields, as long as the unit is still at a battlefield when the spell resolves

Ruling: No, Tideturner cannot target a unit at the same location. The card specifies "another location" in its text, meaning the target must be at a different location than where Tideturner is played. Nuances: - The ability is optional ("may"), so you can play Tideturner without activating the trigger at all

Ruling: Yes, Tryndamere's ability can get you the 8th point. Only conquering has the restriction that you need to have scored from all other battlefields that turn for it to give you the final point. Nuances: - You can hold one battlefield and conquer the other to win - You cannot conquer a battlefield you held that same turn - You don't need to control the first battlefield anymore at the time you conquer the second - You just need to have scored from the other battlefield that turn, either from holding or conquering - The final point can be gained by holding a single battlefield; you do not need to hold both

Ruling: Yes, Tryndamere's "when I conquer" ability can win you the game at 6 points even if you only conquered one battlefield. Only the conquer point itself has the restriction requiring you to score on both battlefields. Sequence: - You score the conquer point first - Then "when I conquer" abilities trigger Nuances: - The restriction to score on both battlefields only applies to the conquer point, not to victory points gained from abilities that trigger when conquering - Both steps (gaining the conquer point and triggering abilities) are part of the same "Scoring" event

Ruling: Yes, Udyr can move twice in the same turn if he is readied between moves and meets the conditions for the second move (such as gaining ganking). Sequence: - Move Udyr from base to battlefield (he becomes exhausted) - Spend a buff to ready him - Apply another buff to him - Spend that buff to give him ganking - Move a second time in the same turn Nuances: - The key constraint is that moving exhausts a unit, but if the unit is readied and meets movement conditions again, another move is allowed in the same turn

Ruling: Udyr's ability to spend his buff is an activated ability without the reaction or action keyword, so it can only be activated at base speed during your turn while there's no chain or showdown. Nuances: - This applies to any permanent with "spend buff" templating in the "cost: effect" format for activated abilities - Spells that say "spend buff" follow different rules and are not restricted to base speed

Ruling: Udyr cannot use his ability between playing Wildclaw Shaman and Wildclaw Shaman's effect resolving because Udyr's ability is at base speed. Udyr must consume a buff on his own card ("spend my buff") to activate his ability. Sequence: - If you use Udyr's ability before playing Wildclaw Shaman, the buff won't be there for Shaman to spend - If you play Wildclaw Shaman first, you cannot activate Udyr's ability in-between because it's base speed, so the buff will be spent by Shaman's effect Nuances: - The colon (:) in Udyr's ability text denotes a cost:ability relationship, meaning spending the buff is the cost to activate the ability - Udyr's ability is an activated ability, not a triggered ability that automatically happens when you spend his buff

Ruling: Yes, Unchecked Power can be used even if your units are already exhausted. Exhausting your units is an effect, not a cost, so you do as much as you can and then proceed to deal 12 damage to all units at battlefields. Nuances: - If exhausting were a cost (indicated by text like "exhaust all friendly units:" or "if you exhaust" or "you may exhaust then"), then you would not be able to deal the 12 damage if units were already exhausted - Since it's just part of the effect, you simply do as much as possible and continue with the rest of the card's effect

Ruling: No, Units and Champions cannot be countered by cards that counter spells. Spells are specifically labeled as spells, while units and champions are separate card types. Nuances: - This differs from Magic: The Gathering where everything on the stack is considered a "spell"

Ruling: No, Unlicensed Armory cannot be activated without a valid target unit. Cards that require targeting cannot be used without a legal target. Nuances: - "May" language alone (e.g., "you may kill a gear") is not sufficient to make targeting optional - the target is still required at activation, with the choice to execute the effect made only on resolution - "Up to one" or "up to N" wording makes targeting optional, allowing activation without a target - Salvage received errata to change from "may" to "up to one" specifically to allow optional targeting

Ruling: No, Unlicensed Armory cannot be played as a reaction to save a unit during the opponent's turn because it does not have the Reaction timing keyword. Nuances: - If the card had Action timing instead, it could be played at Action speed (during your turn or in showdowns), but Unlicensed Armory does not have this timing either

Ruling: No, Unyielding Spirit cannot negate Challenger damage. Unyielding Spirit only prevents damage from spells, while Challenger initiates unit-to-unit damage, so the damage source is the unit, not the spell itself. Nuances: - Challenger damage functions similarly to combat damage (stays until healed) but is not affected by stun - Units damaged by Challenger will heal at end of turn or if they survive a subsequent showdown - The damage persists until the next combat cleanup, turn cleanup, or heal effect

Ruling: No, Veiled Temple cannot target the gold created by Plundering Poro. Veiled Temple requires a legal target when it is finalized, and since both triggers finalize at the same time, the gold does not exist yet to be chosen as a target. Sequence: - Both Veiled Temple's trigger and Plundering Poro's conquer trigger finalize at the same time - Veiled Temple must pick from among legal targets as it is being finalized - The gold from Plundering Poro is not created until after finalization - Therefore the gold cannot be selected as a target for untapping

Ruling: Yes, you can play Discipline for free. When paying costs, you can apply cost reductions in any order, so you can apply Vex's reduction first (getting the spell to 1 energy minimum) and then apply Irelia's reduction to get it to 0 energy. Sequence: - Apply Vex's cost reduction first (reduces to minimum of 1 energy) - Apply Irelia's cost reduction second (reduces to 0 energy) - Total cost is 0 energy Nuances: - The order of applying cost reductions is flexible during cost payment, not determined by layers or timestamps - This is handled by the cost payment rules rather than the layer system

Ruling: Vi's activated ability can be used multiple times on your turn, but only at base speed (not during showdowns, and not at reaction or action speed). Sequence: - Activated abilities like Vi's can only be used on your turn - They can only be used at the same speed as base speed spells - You can activate the ability multiple times before passing priority - You cannot use it during a showdown Nuances: - The ability cannot be used at reaction speed or action speed

Ruling: Yes, Vi - Destructive's effect can be used at a battlefield as long as it is your turn, the chain is empty, and there is no showdown occurring. Nuances: - The effect can only be used during an open game state - Cannot be used during a showdown - Standard timing restrictions apply (your turn, empty chain)

Ruling: Vi and Udyr's activated abilities can only be activated at base speed, which means on your turn, in the action phase, with nothing on the chain. You cannot activate their abilities on an opponent's turn. Nuances: - Base speed is the same speed at which you play cards that don't have the action or reaction keyword - This means you cannot use Udyr's ability to stun or deal damage as a reaction - You cannot use Vi's ability to cycle a card on your opponent's turn

Ruling: Yes, Vi can use her ability multiple times in one turn to trash several cards and gain more might, as long as she has cards to recycle. Sequence: - Vi activates her ability once (recycling one card) - The opponent can react before it resolves - After it resolves, Vi can activate the ability again if she has more cards to recycle - This process repeats as many times as Vi has cards available to recycle Nuances: - This is an activated ability, not a triggered ability - Each activation is separate and happens one at a time - The opponent has the opportunity to react between each activation/resolution

Ruling: Yes, Vi can use her recycle ability multiple times in the same turn as long as she can pay the cost (recycling a card from the discard pile). Each activation grants +1 might. Sequence: - Activate the ability by recycling one card from the discard pile - Vi gains +1 might - Repeat as many times as desired (one card at a time) while cards remain in the discard pile - Opponent can play reactions between each activation Nuances: - The ability is base speed, so it can only be used on your turn when there is no active chain or showdown - Cannot be used on opponent's turn - Must be done one activation at a time (opponent has opportunity to respond between activations)

Ruling: Vi's ability can be activated multiple times per turn as long as you can pay the cost (recycling cards from trash). It can only be activated on your own turn when there is no chain open (neutral open state). Sequence: - You must be on your own turn - There must be no chain open (neutral open state) - Pay the cost by recycling 1 card from your trash to the bottom of your deck - Vi gains +1 Might this turn - Repeat as many times as you can pay the cost Nuances: - This is an activated ability, not a triggered ability or on-play effect - Cannot be used during opponent's turns, even when defending in a showdown - Cannot be used when a chain is open - Recycled cards go to the bottom of the deck, not to your hand - If you have multiple Vi cards on board, activating one Vi's ability does not affect the other Vi cards

Ruling: Vi's ability can only be activated at base speed (on your turn, not in a showdown, during the action phase, with nothing on the chain). Everything in Riftbound can only be activated or played at base speed by default unless it has the "action" or "reaction" keyword. Nuances: - Action speed = base speed plus during showdowns when you have focus and there's no chain - Reaction speed = any time you have priority and aren't forbidden to play cards or activate abilities - Abilities need explicit keywords to be used at speeds other than base speed

Ruling: Vi's ability can be activated any number of times in a turn as long as you can recycle, since there are no restrictions on the card limiting frequency. However, since it's not an action or reaction, you cannot activate it on your opponent's turn, and your opponent can respond to you activating Vi. Sequence: - You can only activate Vi's ability on your own turn - You can activate it multiple times as long as you have cards to recycle - Your opponent can respond to each activation Nuances: - The ability is neither an action nor a reaction, which restricts when it can be used

Ruling: Vi's ability is an activated ability that can be used as many times as you want on your turn, but you must pay the cost (recycle a card from trash) each time you use it. Nuances: - The ability can only be used on your turn, not on opponents' turns - Must be done before showdowns - Vi needs to survive/hit for the bonus to matter - Works well in Jinx decks with discard synergy but can be countered by stuns, hidden blades, smoke screens, and other removal - Vi only recycles cards from your own trash

Ruling: No, Vi's ability cannot be used during a showdown. Vi's ability does not have the "Action" or "Reaction" keywords, so it can only be used during your own turn, outside of a showdown, and only while no chain currently exists. Nuances: - The ability must be used during your own turn - It cannot be used while any chain exists - It cannot be used during any showdown (whether attacking or defending)

Ruling: Vi's recycle ability can be activated as many times as you want during your turn (one card at a time), as long as there are cards in your discard pile and you are at base speed (outside of showdown). It cannot be used as a reaction to opponent actions because it is base speed. Sequence: - Activate Vi's ability once to recycle 1 card and give Vi +1 might - Opponent can respond with reactions - Resolve the chain - Activate Vi's ability again if desired - Opponent can respond again - Repeat as many times as desired during your turn at base speed Nuances: - The ability is base speed only, meaning it can only be used on your turn when no other abilities are on the chain - Each activation gives +1 might one at a time; you cannot recycle multiple cards simultaneously - Opponents have the opportunity to react with reaction-speed abilities after each individual activation

Ruling: No, Vi's ability cannot be used on an opponent's turn. It is an activated ability at base speed, which can only be used during your own turn with no existing chain. Nuances: - Vi's ability is not technically a "buff" - buffs are a protected term in Riftbound. Vi's ability increases her might. - The ability is an activated ability, not a trigger.

Ruling: Vi's recycle ability can only be activated on your turn, outside of showdowns and chains. Nuances: - The ability cannot be activated during opponent's turns - The ability cannot be activated during showdowns or chains (e.g., in the middle of combat) - The ability is neither an action nor a reaction - Ganking is just a keyword associated with the ability, not a timing restriction - The ability can be activated multiple times per turn as long as you have cards to recycle from the trash

Ruling: Viktor's restriction specifying tokens are created "in your base" overrides Miss Fortune's effect. The recruit token would be created in your base. Nuances: - When a card specifies a location for a token to be created, that specified location takes precedence over other effects that would modify where units enter play.

Ruling: Viktor Legend's token-creating ability can place tokens at any location you control (your base or a battlefield under your control). Viktor Leader specifically requires tokens to be played to base as stated in its rules text. Nuances: - The general rule is that playing a unit happens at a location you control - Viktor Leader is an exception that explicitly specifies base placement in its text - Viktor Legend does not have this restriction

Ruling: No, you cannot place a token directly onto an empty battlefield on turn one. Tokens must be played to your base first. Nuances: - In the video in question, the player actually played the token to their base, not the battlefield - the physical placement on the mat just appeared close to the battlefield area - The battlefield was already in play in that game, and the point was tracked late