Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 110 of 145 · 7,241 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If I play a Bone Skewer and, due to the effect, play Thousand Tailed from the opponent's hand onto the field, do my units receive the -3 penalty or do my opponent's units receive it?
When the opponent's **Thousand-Tailed Watcher** enters the battlefield via **Bone Skewer**, its triggered ability ("When you play me, give enemy units -3 might this turn") will affect **your units**.
If a reaction card resolves before a damage card, resulting in returning a unit to hand or base, does the damage card get to choose a new target because it resolves after the reaction card, or does the target of the damage card not change?
When a reaction card (such as a bounce effect) resolves and moves a targeted unit to a different zone, the damage card **cannot choose a new target.**
Do units played after Moonfall resolution still get -2 might?
No, units played at or moved to that battlefield *after* **Moonfall** has finished resolving do not receive the -2 Might penalty.
Can I sideboard in game 1 before the game starts?
No, you cannot sideboard in the first game of a match. According to **Rule 403.5** of the Tournament Rules: "Players may not use sideboard cards in the first game of a match." Additionally, per **Rule 406.1.e**, the start-of-game procedure—which includes placing your Legend and Chosen Champion—occurs as part of the initial setup, and you are not permitted to use sideboard...
I am defending with a Rift Herald, I cast Sacrifice and then play Vi. Do I get a stun on the attacker? Is Vi now an attacker?
### 1. Does Vi stun the attacker? **No, you do not get to stun an enemy unit with Vi, Peacekeeper in this scenario.**
If I play Ride the Wind after the opponent moves into a battlefield where I have a unit, can I then play a Moonfall to pull their unit to the battlefield I moved my original unit to and do they score on the original battlefield?
To answer your question: **No, your opponent will not score on the original battlefield in this scenario.** Because the opponent’s unit is moved away by *Moonfall* during the Showdown, they have no units present at the original battlefield when the Showdown concludes. According to Rule 187.4, control is established by having units at a battlefield at the end of a...
If I play Gust on a unit and my opponent uses Reaction Speed to increase the might of that unit to 4, does that unit still get gusted?
No, the unit will **not** be returned to its owner's hand. According to the rules of target legality in *Riftbound*, a spell must meet its targeting requirements both when it is played and when it resolves.
When does the Abandoned Hall activate, if I play Ride the Wind to the battlefield do I get the +1 or not?
The **Abandoned Hall** triggered ability activates after the spell has completed its resolution, not when it is placed on the chain.
Can I not so fast? A mind splitter? He is targeting an Adaptatron that's in my hand.
No, you cannot use **Not So Fast** to counter **Mindsplitter**'s ability in this situation. There are two primary reasons why this interaction is not legal:
When I play a 4 cost spell and my enemy plays Defy, does it still count for Jhin Virtuoso and can I banish it?
No, you cannot banish the spell with Virtuoso's ability if it has been countered by *Defy*. According to **Rule 425.1.b**, a card that is countered is not considered to have been "played." Because Virtuoso's ability triggers only when you "play a spell," a countered spell fails to meet the required condition for the ability to trigger.
If my opponent casts Challenge on Abandoned Hall, does he get the +1 before resolution or after resolution?
According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10497** and **RiftJudge FAQ #10217**, your opponent does **not** receive the +1 Might from Abandoned Hall before the spell resolves.
Does Angler Beast return units based on their printed Might or their current Might?
Ruling: Angler Beast checks the current Might of units on the battlefield, not their printed Might. If a unit with printed Might 2 has been buffed to 3 or higher, it will not be returned to hand. Conversely, if a unit with printed Might 3 has been reduced to 2 or less, it will be returned to hand.
When I go into an battlefield, then Moonfall an enemy Overzealous Fan into the battlefield, is he still able to use the Overzealous Fan trigger or is the "when I defend" trigger already gone?
Yes, **Overzealous Fan** can still use its "When I defend" trigger in this scenario. ### The Timing Explained
Does equipping start a chain?
Yes, equipping starts a chain. According to RiftJudge FAQ #731 and Rule 818.1, **Equip** is an activated ability. When you activate an equip ability, it is placed on the chain, which allows players the opportunity to play reactions before it resolves.
If I attack into purple Kha'Zix with one unit and reaction Ambush another unit onto the battlefield at the same time, does Kha'Zix still gain +2 might?
Yes, **Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror will still receive the +2 Might bonus.** According to the established game rules and **RiftJudge FAQs (e.g., #9849, #10198, #10465)**, the condition for Kha'Zix’s triggered ability ("if an enemy unit is alone here") is evaluated at the exact moment the unit enters the battlefield and gains the "Attacker" or "Defender" combat designation.
If my opponent plays Star-Crossed and in response I kill his unit before it resolves, do I still have to return my unit?
Yes, you still have to return your unit. Even though you killed the opponent's unit, **Star-Crossed** does not "fizzle" (fail entirely). It resolves as much as possible, ignoring only the instruction or portion of the instruction that targeted the now-invalid entity.
Can units leave the Baron Pit battlefield?
Yes, units can leave the Baron Pit battlefield. While Baron Nashor's ability requires him to enter the Baron Pit when he is played, there is no rule or card text that restricts him—or any other unit—to that location once they are on the board. Units can leave the Baron Pit just as they would any other battlefield, provided an effect...
If you counter a repeatable spell, does it still have a chance to play twice, or does it go to trash on the first cast when it gets countered?
If you counter a spell with **Repeat**, the entire spell—including the repeated execution—is countered and sent to the trash. It does not have a chance to play twice.
If I have two Mixologists with Temporary in base, and they die. At the beginning phase of the next turn the first one bringing back Karthus, would Karthus enable the second Mixologist to bring back 2 units instead of 1?
No, the second *Deathknell* trigger will not trigger twice. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9606** and **FAQ #10300**, the number of times a *Deathknell* ability triggers is determined at the moment of death, based on the board state at that exact time.
If my unit was buffed by Discipline and got killed, but then saved by Guardian Angels, does it still keep the +2 from Discipline?
Yes, your unit keeps the +2 Might from **Discipline**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8433** and **FAQ #810**, when a unit is saved by **Guardian Angel**, it never technically "dies." Because **Guardian Angel** functions as a replacement effect, the event of the unit "dying" is replaced by the unit being healed, exhausted, and recalled to your base.
If I have Vilemaw on the battlefield and my opponent attacks me with a unit that has 8 might, do they deal damage to me or not?
Yes, the attacking unit will deal damage to you, provided its Might is equal to or greater than Vilemaw's Might.
Does Karthus get to repeat Deathknell abilities if he dies at the same time?
Yes, if **Karthus, Eternal** dies at the same time as another unit with a **Deathknell** ability, that unit's **Deathknell** will still trigger an additional time.
My Yasuo Remorseful got stunned, does his ability work? Deal damage when attack?
Yes, your **Yasuo, Remorseful**'s ability will still work while he is stunned. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #7935** and **FAQ #8745**, stun only prevents **combat damage**—it does not prevent ability triggers or the damage dealt by those abilities.
Does my opponent's weapon get returned if I play Thrill of the Hunt on Akshan?
To answer your question: **No, your opponent's gear is not returned to them just because you used *Thrill of the Hunt* on your *Akshan*.**
Do you need to pay mana to equip an Equipment?
In Riftbound, you do not pay "mana"; instead, you pay **Energy** and **Power** to perform actions, including equipping gear. Whether you must pay to equip an equipment depends on the context of the action:
How do you equip Guardian Angel?
To equip **Guardian Angel**, you must use its **Equip** ability. According to **Rule 818.1**, Equip is an activated ability found on Gear. To equip the card, you must:
For example, I'm playing Teemo and I just used the legend effect to move a Teemo from the board into my hand. I want to hide a card but not make it obvious it's Teemo. Am I allowed to shuffle my hand or place my hand below the table so the opponent can't track the card I'm hiding?
According to the rules of Riftbound, you are **not** allowed to shuffle your hand below the table or outside of the visible playing area to obscure which card you are hiding.
If I attack with Kha'zix Mutating Horror, and the opponent reveals a unit in response to the attack trigger (making it two units), do I get the +2?
Yes, **Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror will receive the +2 Might bonus and gain 2 XP.** According to Riftbound rules and established rulings (specifically **RiftJudge FAQs #9849, #10198, #10465, and #10176**), the condition "if an enemy unit is alone here" is evaluated at the exact moment the unit gains the "Attacker" or "Defender" combat designation.
If you play Gust in reaction to Quick Draw does it resolve before the equipment?
Yes, if you play *Gust* in reaction to the *Quick-Draw* triggered ability, *Gust* will resolve before the equipment attaches. This happens because the *Quick-Draw* keyword creates a triggered ability that goes on the chain. Because it is on the chain, players have the opportunity to add *Reactions* to it. When the chain resolves, it does so in **Last-In, First-Out (LIFO)**...
If I attack a Trifarian War Camp battlefield that my opponent has a Ruined Rex on with my Leblanc Fragmented, then ambush in with a Vi Peacekeeper, would the Deathknell effect from Ruined Rex be able to kill my Leblanc?
To determine if the **Deathknell** effect from **Ruined Rex** can kill **LeBlanc, Fragmented** in this scenario, we must examine the sequence of the combat showdown and the timing of the healing and Deathknell resolution.
Opponent death from below targets a spirit in a battlefield might 2, I have a 7 might unit in different battlefield, what happens if I gust the spirit?
Because the target of your opponent's *Death from Below* is removed from the battlefield before the spell resolves, the spell will fail to resolve its primary instruction and will not trigger its recast effect.
Set Kingpin move in lane with 2 buffed units and opponent Watchful Sentry is in the battlefield. My opponent plays Switcharoo to Sett. What happens?
When your opponent plays **Switcheroo** on Sett, Kingpin and Watchful Sentry, the following interaction occurs: ### 1. Calculation of Current Might Before Switcheroo resolves, we determine the **current Might** of both units: * **Sett, Kingpin:** Has a base Might of 5. Including his passive bonus, his total Might is calculated based on the number of buffed units present. * **Watchful...
If my opponent plays Unchecked Power, can I Thrill of the Hunt my unit to save it?
Yes, you can use **Thrill of the Hunt** to "save" your unit from **Unchecked Power**, but it will not make the unit immune to the damage.
If I play Blind Fury and my opponent pays 1 energy and power to Defy it, what happens?
To resolve this interaction, we must look at the targeting requirements for **Defy** compared to the printed cost of **Blind Fury**.
If my opponent has Stellacorn Herder at a battlefield and a Zhonya's Hourglass at their base, and I play Smite targeting Stellacorn, what happens? Is Stellacorn banished? Or is it recalled and saved from Zhonya's?
Stellacorn Herder will be saved and recalled to your opponent's base; it will **not** be banished. ### The Breakdown
If my Lonely Poro dies from an enemy's unit at the battlefield and I react with Rengar Trophy during Lonely Poro's Deathknell, do I still get to draw 1 from Poro?
Yes, you will still draw your card from **Lonely Poro**. According to the rules and FAQs regarding **Deathknell** (specifically **FAQ #9841**), the condition of being "alone" is a historical check—it looks at the board state at the exact moment the unit died.
When play from hidden, does unit exhaust or ready?
According to Rule 811.1.c.3 and the related FAQs (such as FAQ #1908 and #8277), units played from **Hidden** follow the same rules as playing a unit from your hand.
Do I get Windsinger's effect if I play it to base?
Yes, you do get **Windsinger's** "When you play me" effect if you play it to your base. **Windsinger's** effect is a triggered ability: *"When you play me, you may return another unit at a battlefield with 3 [S] or less to its owner's hand."*
Does Forge of the Future kill itself as a cost? Or do I need to play a card that kills the Gear?
**Forge of the Future** kills itself as a **cost**—you do not need another card to kill it for you. According to the card's ability text, "**Kill this:** Recycle up to 4 cards...", the instruction to kill the card precedes a colon (`:`). In *Riftbound*, any text appearing before a colon in an ability is a **cost** you must pay to...
Do you have to pay power costs of a unit played from Rift Herald's Deathknell effect?
Yes, you must pay the Power cost when playing a unit via the *Rift Herald* *Deathknell* effect. ### Ruling According to the text of *Rift Herald*, the *Deathknell* effect allows you to play a unit from your hand to your base while ignoring its Energy cost, but it explicitly requires you to pay the unit's Power cost.
If I'm at a battlefield with a mutated mouser unit and I charm an enemy sharkling unit into that battlefield, who is the attacker and who is the defender?
When you use **Charm** to move an enemy **Sharkling** into a battlefield where you already have a **Mutated Mouser**, the **Sharkling** becomes the **attacker** and you (the controller of the battlefield where the *Mutated Mouser* is located) become the **defender**.
If I'm at a battlefield with Hwei and Moonfall and an enemy Vi Peacekeeper into that battlefield, who is the attacker and who is the defender?
When you use **Moonfall** to move an enemy **Vi, Peacekeeper** into a battlefield you already control (where your **Hwei** is present), the resulting combat designations are as follows:
Can I Existential Dread on an attacker at an open battlefield?
A unit is not considered an "Attacker" when moving into an open battlefield. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #10095**, **RiftJudge FAQ #8593**, and **Rule 807.1.d**, the "Attacker" designation is only gained during **Combat**. Moving a unit to an unoccupied battlefield initiates a non-combat Showdown; because no opposing unit is present to create a combat encounter, the Attacker/Defender designations are not established.
Can I play Showstopper while all my units are buffed and could I still move a unit?
Yes, you can play **Showstopper** even if all your units in your base are already buffed. According to Rule 426.1.c and the mechanics of the card: * **Showstopper**'s ability is: "Buff a friendly unit in your base, then move it to a battlefield. (If it doesn't have a buff, it gets a +1 might buff.)" * Rule 426.1.c states: "Units...
If I use Deathgrip, can I use it to kill a card in my hand?
No, you cannot use *Deathgrip* to kill a card in your hand. According to **Rule 428.1**, a "Kill" action refers specifically to a permanent moving from the board to the trash. Furthermore, *Deathgrip* specifically targets a "friendly unit." Cards in your hand are not considered units on the board, so they are not valid targets for *Deathgrip*.
Does Irelia Legend target the unit it is readying?
No, the **Blade Dancer** (Irelia's legend) ability does not target or "choose" the unit it readies. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #220** and **FAQ #703**, the ability's effect of readying a unit is not considered "choosing" or "targeting." When you perform an action that triggers Blade Dancer (like targeting a friendly unit with a spell), the unit that was the subject...
I played Sett Kingpin to base and buffed it using Arena Bar, can my opponent play an action card during that?
To determine if your opponent can play an [ACTION] card, we must examine the sequence of events and the timing rules for playing cards and abilities.
Who gets to decide who gets saved by Zhonya's Hourglass when multiple units are killed by Elder Drake's ability triggering?
When multiple units die simultaneously—such as when Elder Dragon's play effect deals damage that results in multiple units being killed—the **controller of the Zhonya's Hourglass** decides which unit is saved.
Can I Star Crossed with no units?
No, you cannot play **Star-Crossed** if you have no friendly units on the board. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #9865**, **#10187**, and **#9452**, **Star-Crossed** requires both a friendly unit and an enemy unit to be present as valid targets to be played. Because the spell lacks "up to" language, both are mandatory targets. You must control a friendly unit on the...
My opponent plays Fizz and selects their target in the trash, can I react with Disposable Order and make them recycle the spell instead of casting it?
No, you cannot use **Disposal Order** to "recycle the spell instead of casting it" once it has been targeted by **Fizz, Trickster**'s triggered ability.