Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 11 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
When playing Reinforce and finding both Blitzcrank and Nocturne, does Nocturne get played before Blitzcrank pulls an enemy, resulting in Nocturne participating in the combat triggered by Blitzcrank's pull?
Ruling: Yes, Nocturne is played and resolves to the battlefield before Blitzcrank's pull ability triggers, so Nocturne participates in the combat initiated by Blitzcrank's pull.
Can you play hidden cards the same turn you hide them?
Ruling: You cannot play hidden cards the same turn you hide them. You can only play them beginning on the next turn at reaction speed, ignoring their base cost.
When Singularity targets 2 units that would both be killed, and the defending player has Zhonya's, which unit uses Zhonya's ability - does the attacker or defender choose?
Ruling: The person who controls Zhonya's gets to choose which unit uses the ability. Nuances: - Singularity deals damage to all targets at the same time, which is different from cards like Falling Star
For Rumble Hotheaded's ability, can you recycle a unit from anywhere, or only from the board?
Ruling: You can only recycle a unit from the board (base or battlefield). "Unit" without further specification only refers to units on the board.
If a unit has both 'I must be assigned combat damage first' (like Caitlyn) and 'Tank ... last' (like Doran's Shield), what happens in combat with another friendly unit?
Ruling: Your opponent gets to choose which of the rules they will follow. They either need to assign damage to it first or assign damage to it last.
When Watcher's effect is applied to a unit with 2 power, does the unit defend for 1 or 3? How do -might effects get applied - are they timestamped at resolution or do they linger?
Ruling: When Watcher applies -1 might to a 2 power unit (minimum 1), the debuff is 'snapshotted' at -1 might. When that unit later defends alone and gains +2 from Wuju Bladesman's passive, it will defend for 3 total power.
Does Ride the Wind allow you to score 2 points by conquering two battlefields with Vi?
Ruling: Yes, you should score 2 points total (one point for conquering each battlefield), assuming you haven't scored on them previously.
Can you react to each part of a chain as it resolves, or does the entire chain resolve once both players pass?
Ruling: You can react to each part of a chain as it resolves. After each item on the chain resolves, players get priority again and can play new cards before the next item resolves.
Can you use Gust on an opponent's Tideturner after its swap ability resolves to move it to the battlefield?
Ruling: No, you cannot use Gust after Tideturner's triggered ability resolves. Once the ability resolves and the chain is empty, there is no window to play reaction spells.
Does Pack of Wonders bounce cards with the Hidden keyword, or cards that are currently face-down and hidden?
Ruling: Pack of Wonders bounces cards that are currently face-down and hidden. The keyword formatting on the card is an error.
If Stormbringer's damage doesn't occur because the target unit isn't there, does the friendly unit still move to the battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, the friendly unit still moves to the battlefield even if the damage doesn't occur because the target isn't there. Stormbringer targets the battlefield, not the units on it.
Can a champion card in the champion unit slot be hidden directly to a controlled battleground during your turn, or does it need to return to hand first?
Ruling: A champion card in the champion unit slot can be hidden directly to a battleground you control during your turn without needing to return to hand first.
In Riftbound, after a spell or ability resolves on the chain, can you respond to the next item on the chain (like MTG's stack), or does the entire chain resolve once both players pass priority?
Ruling: You can respond after each item on a chain resolves, similar to MTG's stack. When an item fully resolves from a chain (e.g., a -> b -> c, and c resolves), you can add a new reaction to the chain.
Does attaching a gear trigger Irelia (Fervent)'s ability that triggers when she is chosen?
Ruling: Yes, attaching a gear triggers Irelia. Equipping is targeting, and any time you target Irelia, you trigger her ability.
Can you use Zhonya's Hourglass to save a unit targeted by Baited Hook (or Sett's legend ability) and still get the Baited Hook effect?
Ruling: You can use Zhonya's to save the unit, but since the unit was not killed, you cannot get anything from Baited Hook's effect (the same applies to Sett's legend ability).
If Warwick's on-attack ability triggers to kill damaged enemies, and the opponent responds with Hidden Blade (from hidden) targeting Warwick, do both effects resolve (killing Warwick and all damaged units)?
Ruling: Warwick's ability will not kill any units if Warwick is dead when the ability resolves, because the ability says "here" and cannot identify where "here" refers to if Warwick is no longer on the battlefield. You will still draw 2 cards from Hidden Blade.
When Yasuo, Remorseful's attack trigger is on the chain and an opponent uses Smoke Screen to reduce his might before the trigger resolves, does the trigger deal damage equal to his original might or his reduced might?
Ruling: The attack trigger deals damage equal to Yasuo's current might when it resolves (2 damage after Smoke Screen). Only targets and choices are locked in when abilities go on the chain, not the values of variables like might.
Does Battlefield Void Gate (+1 damage for abilities/spells) increase Volibear's 5 split damage to 6 total, or does it add +1 to each individual target hit?
Ruling: Battlefield Void Gate adds +1 to the total damage, making Volibear's ability deal 6 damage split among enemy units, not +1 to each target.
If Z Hourglass is not hidden (played like a normal gear), does it have to revive the next friendly unit to die, or can the controller choose when to use it?
Ruling: Z Hourglass must revive the next friendly unit to die when played as a normal gear (not hidden). Nuances: - If multiple units die simultaneously, the owner of Z Hourglass chooses which unit it saves.
How does Thousand-Tailed Watcher's -3 Might reduction interact with Trifarian War Camp's +1 Might buff? Specifically, does the order matter and what happens to units with low Might?
Ruling: The effects apply in the order they were applied to the unit. There is no "refreshing" or "regaining" the might increase from the War Camp after other effects are applied.
Can Cithria of Cloudfield's buff from playing Wildclaw Shaman be used to buff and ready the Wildclaw Shaman itself?
Ruling: Yes, you can layer the interaction so that Cithria of Cloudfield gets buffed from playing Wildclaw Shaman, and then use that same buff to buff Wildclaw Shaman and have it readied.
Does 'pay 1 Red' mean pay 1 power or 1 energy, or both?
Ruling: 'Pay 1 Red' means pay 1 energy AND 1 power (red). The '1' denotes an extra energy cost, and the red symbol denotes the power cost.
When using Sett, The Boss's ability to recall a buffed unit that would die in a showdown, does the showdown damage still resolve on the enemy unit?
Ruling: Yes, the enemy unit still takes the showdown damage and dies. Sett's ability replaces the removal of your unit with a recall, but the damage has already been dealt simultaneously.
Can you use Draven's effect "When I attack or defend, you may pay [1 fury power]. If you do, give me +2 might this turn" multiple times in one attack or defend?
Ruling: No, you cannot use Draven's effect multiple times in one attack or defend. Sequence: - The trigger "When I attack or defend" happens once per attack or defend - You may pay the cost once when the trigger occurs - You gain the +2 might effect once if you pay
If an opponent controls Ravenbloom Student and casts spells that trigger its might increase but doesn't announce the triggers, can they declare the increased might later when it becomes relevant (e.g., when targeted by removal)?
Ruling: Yes, the opponent has not missed the trigger until it has a visible effect on the game. They can declare the might increase when it becomes relevant, such as during combat damage or when targeted by removal.
If my opponent plays Thousand Tail Watcher, can I kill it with damage in response before its 'When you play me' ability resolves?
Ruling: No, you cannot prevent Thousand Tail Watcher's ability from resolving by killing it in response. Once a unit is played, its 'When you play me' ability goes on the chain and will resolve even if the unit is killed before the ability resolves.
If Hextech Ray is used to kill a Pouty Poro, will this trigger Immortal Phoenix's ability?
Ruling: Yes, Immortal Phoenix will trigger. The source of the damage that killed the Poro is the Hextech Ray, so it's considered to have killed it.
If a 5 Might unit has 4 damage marked on it from Void Seeker, then Stupefy reduces it to 4 Might (causing it to die), does Immortal Phoenix trigger to return from trash?
Ruling: Immortal Phoenix does NOT trigger. The spell that resolved immediately prior to the cleanup was Stupefy, which did not apply damage. Only spells that both apply damage AND resolve immediately prior to the cleanup get kill credit.
Can targeted spells be played without valid targets just to trigger 'when you play a spell' effects?
Ruling: No. Spells with targeting effects require a valid target to be played and enter the chain. Nuances: - If the targeting is optional (indicated by "up to" or "any number"), the spell can be played without choosing targets.
What order do Ahri Legend and Ahri Inquisitive trigger in?
Ruling: They trigger simultaneously and you choose the order in which they resolve.
Does the second player draw a card on their first turn in a 2-player game of Riftbound?
Ruling: In a 1v1 game, both players draw on their first turn. Nuances: - In 4-player games (1v1v1v1 or 2v2), the first player does not draw on their first turn
Can you play a unit into a showdown using an effect like Get Excited discarding Flame Chompers when the battlefield is being attacked?
Ruling: Yes, you can play a unit into a showdown on a battlefield you control. The battlefield remains under your control until the showdown finishes, so playing a unit there (such as through Get Excited discarding Flame Chompers) is legal.
What happens if a unit is moved to an opponent's base (e.g., via Charm or other effects)?
Ruling: Units cannot be moved to their opponent's base - this is an illegal move that cannot happen. If an effect would do this, it either must describe how to resolve the situation or the effect would fizzle.
How does the chain resolve in Riftbound?
Ruling: The chain resolves in reverse order from how it was placed onto the chain (last in, first out).
How does equipment effect text work when equipped to a unit, specifically regarding pronouns like 'I' vs 'this' and whether the equipment itself gains abilities?
Ruling: An equipment's text becomes its equipped unit's text when equipped. The equipment itself does not gain or benefit from unit abilities - the text on the gear benefits the unit it's equipped to.
If you hold a battlefield at the start of the turn, leave it, and return to it, do you score an extra point? For victory points, do you need to occupy both battlefields simultaneously or can a single unit capture them sequentially?
Ruling: You cannot score a point from a battlefield you already held at the start of the turn, even if you leave and return to it. For the final victory point, a single unit can capture both battlefields sequentially in the same turn - you do not need to maintain control of the first battlefield while capturing the second.
Can units be targeted by Gust in various movement scenarios, and what happens when a token is Gusted?
Ruling: Units moving to empty battlefields or starting showdowns can be Gusted during the open showdown window before battlefield conquest. Units moving to occupied battlefields (owned by that player) cannot be Gusted unless there's a move trigger creating a reaction window. Tokens disappear if Gusted to anywhere other than a base or battlefield.
Are deathknell triggers immediately put onto the stack upon that unit hitting the grave or do they start a new chain after the current one cleans up?
Ruling: Deathknell triggers are immediately put on the chain in the cleanup after whatever caused the unit to die. Sequence: - When a unit with deathknell dies during chain resolution, its trigger is added to the current chain immediately - Priority is given to add reactions to the chain - The chain continues resolving from the top - Example: If...
When playing Deadbloom Predator to an occupied battlefield, can other units from your base enter the same combat?
Ruling: No, Deadbloom Predator goes into combat alone when played to an occupied battlefield. Other units cannot accompany it. Nuances: - Deadbloom Predator is being played, not moved, so the normal rules for moving units into combat don't apply - It's similar to playing a unit to your base or controlled battlefield, but with the ability to be played into...
Can you play a card that you drew mid-chain (e.g., drawing Deny from your own Discipline) in response to an opponent's card that is still on the chain?
Ruling: Yes, you can play a card drawn mid-chain in response to cards still on the chain. When your Discipline resolves and you draw a card, if your opponent passes priority while their Discipline is resolving, you can play the newly drawn card (like Deny) on their Discipline.
Does moving a unit cause it to become an invalid target if the targeting card doesn't specify the zone?
Ruling: Moving a unit does not make it an invalid target if the targeting effect has no location restrictions. Target legality is checked again on resolution, which includes location-based restrictions.
Can Thousand Tailed Watcher reduce a 2 might unit to -1 might, or does it stop at 1 might due to the minimum clause?
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).
Can a player react with a hidden card when their unit is being moved off a battlefield by an opponent's spell/unit/effect?
Ruling: Yes, a player can react with a hidden card when an opponent's spell/unit/effect that moves their unit goes on the chain.
If Shen (with buff, 4 might) and Sett, Kingpin (with buff from Shen, 6 might) both have Tank and are assigned lethal damage (4 to Shen, 5 to Sett) during a showdown, does Sett die when Shen dies and loses his buff?
Ruling: During combat damage step and cleanup in a showdown, units die and damage is healed immediately one after the other, so Shen dying does not cause Sett to die because damage is healed before Sett is reevaluated with his new might.
When Dazzling Aurora triggers, is there a window of opportunity to use action speed spells after resolution?
Ruling: No, there is no window for action speed spells after Dazzling Aurora resolves. However, there is a window for reaction speed spells.
Do cards with the same name replace each other when played (such as playing a second Traveling Merchant or champion cards like Jinx 'Rebel')?
Ruling: No cards ever get replaced when played. You can have as many copies of a card in play as you like, regardless of whether they share the same name or are champions.
Can you Defy a Bullet Time that you paid more than 2 runes for?
Ruling: Yes, Bullet Time can always be Defied because when cost is checked for effects, the printed cost is always checked, not the amount actually paid.
When a spell targets a unit at a battlefield with 'deal 4 damage to a unit at a battlefield, draw a card' and the opponent uses Flash to recall the unit before the spell resolves, what happens to the spell?
Ruling: The spell can no longer deal damage to the unit because it is no longer at the battlefield, but the spell still resolves as much as possible, so you still draw a card.
Can you cast an Action spell in showdown after casting a Reaction spell when responding to an opponent's attack?
Ruling: You cannot cast an Action spell while a chain is open. If you cast a Reaction spell in response to an attack, you have opened a chain, which prevents casting Action spells until that chain resolves.
When does Sett's recall ability activate during combat, and does the recalled unit deal damage?
Ruling: Sett's recall ability activates during the damage assignment step after lethal damage is assigned to a unit with a buff, before damage is actually dealt. The recalled unit does not deal damage because it is removed before damage resolution.