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Layering in riftbound explanation

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FAQ #12388·asked by Kendy Lie·August 30, 2026
Answer

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Layers (CR 473–480) are the ordered system that decides how effects modify a card's traits, keywords, and numbers — and they loop until nothing changes.

There are three layers, applied top to bottom:

  1. Trait-Altering (477.1) — name, supertype, type, tags, controller, cost, domain, copy effects, and Might setting ("Might becomes 4").
  2. Ability-Altering (477.2) — granting/removing keywords and passive abilities, appending/removing rules text (including attached Gear text).
  3. Arithmetic (477.3) — the +/− math on Might, Energy Cost, and Power Cost. Increases apply before decreases, and non-passive limitations are "snapshotted" when they apply.

The twist: after one pass, the sequence re-runs (CR 476). An effect applied in the Arithmetic layer can enable a layer-2 effect that wasn't applicable before. Example: Fiora, Victorious (4 Might, "While I'm Mighty, I have Deflect, Ganking, and Shield") gets a buff → Arithmetic bumps her to 5 → the loop re-checks layer 2 → she now gains the three keywords. When the buff leaves, she drops straight back to 4 with no keywords.

Within a single layer, check dependency first (if one effect changes another's outcome, apply the depended-on one first — CR 478–479); if no dependency, fall back to timestamp order, earliest first (CR 480).

References

Suggested answer — derived from the references below

Rules

CR 473

Core Rules 2026-07-16 > Section 400: Section 400 > Rule 473

CR 424

Core Rules 2026-07-16 > Section 400: Section 400 > Rule 424

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