How does banish work?

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FAQ #8883·April 9, 2026·Rules v1.4·Asked before Vendetta
Answer

Banishing is a specific game action in Riftbound. According to and , here is how it works:

What is Banishment?

  • Definition: Banishing is the action of placing a card from any zone directly into the Banishment zone (, 414.2).
  • Not a Kill or Discard: Banishing is not a subset of "Kill" or "Discard." If an effect banishes a unit, it does not count as the unit dying (, 414.2.b). Consequently, "Deathknell" abilities do not trigger when a unit is banished.
  • Public Information: The cards in any player's Banishment zone are Public Information ().

How it Functions

  • Limited Action: Players may only banish cards when a game effect specifically directs them to do so ().
  • Temporary vs. Permanent:
    • Some effects use Banishment as a temporary holding space to process cards (e.g., playing a card from the deck). If a card is banished and can be played (like via an effect), it enters play normally.
    • If a card is banished and cannot be played (or the effect does not allow it), it remains in the Banishment zone for the rest of the game and cannot be recycled or returned to the deck.
  • New Objects: When a unit is banished and then replayed (such as with Portal Rescue), it enters play as a "new object." This means it is healed of all damage, loses all previous buffs, and triggers its "When you play me" effect again. Effects that were targeting the original unit will no longer target the new object.

Key Nuances

  • Board Zone: The Banishment zone is considered a "Board Zone" (, FAQ).
  • No Choosing/Attachment: References to cards in Banishment do not count as "Choosing" or "Attachment" (, 107.5.j).
  • Ownership: A card owned by a player can never be put into the Banishment zone of another player; it will always go to its owner's Banishment zone ().

If you have a specific card interaction in mind involving banishing, please let me know the card names, and I can provide a more detailed ruling!

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