Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 116 of 145 · 7,241 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
I just a unit before defend and attack trigger?
Whether or not you can play *Gust* before "When I attack" or "When I defend" triggers depends on whether the unit's arrival at the battlefield triggers a combat or non-combat showdown.
Does Baron give itself the +2 Might buff? Also, if a Vilemaw is attacking Baron with more Might than Baron, does the Baron get affected by Vilemaw's ability?
Baron Nashor does not give itself a +2 Might buff. According to its card text, Baron Nashor's ability specifies: "**Other** friendly units have +2 [S]." Because it explicitly uses the word "other," the bonus excludes Baron Nashor itself.
Can I gust a unit back before Mask of Foresight trigger resolve?
Yes, you can use **Gust** as a reaction to **Mask of Foresight**'s triggered ability before the trigger resolves. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #4305**: * When a unit attacks alone, the **Mask of Foresight** triggered ability is placed on the chain. * Because triggered abilities use the chain, the defender has priority to play reactions before the trigger resolves. * If...
Does moving an enemy to a battlefield I control with mutated Mouser by using Evelyn, Charm, or Blitzcrank all designate my Mouser as defender or attacker?
When you use **Evelynn, Entrancing**, **Charm**, or **Blitzcrank** (assuming "Blitzcrank" refers to Blitzcrank, Impassive) to move an enemy unit to a battlefield you already control that contains your **Mutated Mouser**, the enemy unit becomes the **attacker**, and your **Mutated Mouser** becomes a **defender**.
My opponent's Irelia champion is at 3 might. They declare En Garde targeting Irelia and tap Irelia legend on target. Can I then react with Gust before Irelia readies and gets +1 for target?
Yes, you can react with *Gust* to attempt to return *Irelia, Fervent* to their hand before she readies. However, there is a crucial timing mechanic you must understand regarding the chain and how your opponent's play sequence resolves.
If I play Fizz and use his effect to play a spell from my trash, can I still play Darius Trifarian and get his effect?
Yes, you can still play **Darius, Trifarian** and receive his effect in that same turn, provided he is the **second card played** in that turn.
When you use Hidden Blade to kill your own unit, do you still draw 2 if you use Sett to sworn a buff to revive?
Yes, you still draw two cards. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8540** and **#2372**, when you use **Hidden Blade** on your own buffed unit and use **Sett's (The Boss)** legend ability to save it, the draw effect still occurs.
If I attack with Anivia into a battlefield with two units, and my opponent then plays Star Crossed to return one of the units as well as my Anivia, does the remaining unit still take damage from Anivia's attack trigger?
No, the remaining unit will not take damage. ### Ruling When Anivia's "When I attack" ability resolves, it checks the location "here" (the battlefield) to determine which units to damage. Because **Star-Crossed** returned Anivia to your hand before her ability could resolve, she is no longer at the battlefield. Since Riftbound has no "last known information" for locations, the ability...
Can you as a reaction to a unit initiating a showdown use Heedless Resurrection as a defender and play another unit to that battlefield?
Yes, as a defender, you can use *Heedless Resurrection* in reaction to a unit initiating a showdown to play a unit to that same battlefield.
When you copy a unit which has a gear attached, do you also copy the gear?
No, you do not copy the attached gear. When you copy a unit, you are only copying the traits of that specific game object (the unit itself). Attached gear are separate game objects that are linked to the unit via the "Attach" action. Because they are separate cards, they are not included in the definition of the unit's "copyable traits."
When you play Void Seeker on a unit on the battlefield and an enemy flashes the chosen unit back, will the spell still do damage and resolve?
No, the spell will not deal damage, but it will still resolve. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 1794, 5984, 3134, 6470)**, when a unit targeted by **Void Seeker** is moved to a base (or any non-battlefield location) in response to the spell, the unit becomes an invalid target for the damage portion of the effect.
If I land on Abandoned Hall with Thrill of the Hunt, can I give the unit +1?
Yes, if you use *Thrill of the Hunt* to move a unit to *Abandoned Hall*, you can give that unit +1 [M] (Might).
When does Floating Energy and Power Clear?
According to the Riftbound Core Rules (Rule 166) and the provided RiftJudge FAQ #4873 and #7050, each player's **Rune Pool** empties at the end of each of the following times:
If a player playing Piercing Light on a unit on a battlefield and I react with a Hidden Hidden Blade, killing the targeted unit, will the second half of the "then" of Piercing Light go through dealing damage to units in base?
Yes, the second part of *Piercing Light* will still resolve and deal 2 damage to the unit in your base.
Can you play Acceptable Losses without controlling a Gear?
Yes, you can play **Acceptable Losses** even if you do not control any gear, as long as your opponent does.
Can Windsinger be played from hidden on a battlefield(1) to trigger his ability on another battlefield(2) when my opponent starts a showdown on the battlefield(2) with a unit that has 3 or less might?
No, you cannot. According to **Rule 811.1.d.2** and supported by **RiftJudge FAQ #10647**, when you play a card from **Hidden**, any targets chosen by its "When you play me" triggered ability must be at the same battlefield where that card was hidden.
My opponent has a 4 might unit at a Forbidding Waste. I deal 2 damage to it. Then, I move in with a unit. Does his unit die immediately, or is there a window for my opponent to react before it dies?
**Conclusion: The opponent's unit dies.** To determine if the unit survives, we must evaluate the board state and the sequence of actions.
If I have Elder Dragon on field, my opponent casts Star Crossed targeting a unit on the battlefield. Then I use Flurry of Blades. Does the Star Cross resolve, bouncing my Elder to hand, or not because it has no valid target?
Yes, *Star-Crossed* will resolve and return the targeted units to their owners' hands. According to **Rule 359.3.e.1**, a spell resolves even if some or all of its targets are illegal (meaning they no longer meet the targeting requirements or have moved zones). When you play *Star-Crossed*, it targets a friendly unit and an enemy unit. Even if your *Elder Dragon*...
Turn to Dust targets a gear that is attached, what happens?
If you play **Turn to Dust** on a piece of gear that is currently attached to a unit, the following occurs:
Does LeBlanc Mirror Image copy Gear?
No, LeBlanc does not copy Gear. When LeBlanc (or any other effect, such as Mirror Image) creates a copy of a unit, the new copy does not inherit any Gear or buffs that were on the original unit.
If I play Fizz on my turn and play Existential Dread from trash, I want to play it repeated, do I have to pay the repeat cost of 2 energy or is it free?
To play **Existential Dread** repeated via **Fizz, Trickster**'s ability, you **must pay the Repeat cost of [2] Energy.** Here is the breakdown of how these costs work together:
After you play Moonfall, if you play a unit to that battlefield after, will it also have -2?
No, a unit played at or moved to a battlefield *after* **Moonfall** has finished resolving will not receive the -2 Might penalty.
What happens when you put Temporary on a unit with GA or Zhonya?
When a unit has the **Temporary** keyword and is protected by **Zhonya's Hourglass** or **Guardian Angel**, the interaction follows the rules for **Replacement Effects** (Rule 369/370).
Can I rewind my move if I didn't take any other actions since the move?
Whether you can rewind a move depends on the context of your game, specifically whether you are playing in a casual setting or a formal tournament:
When is rewinding a play allowed?
In Riftbound, rewinding a game state is considered an extreme remedy for handling errors and is governed by strict policies found in the Tournament Rules.
Does Defiant Dance fizzle if you remove one of its targets?
No, **Defiant Dance** does not "fizzle" (fail to resolve entirely) if you remove one of its targets. According to **Rule 359.3.e.5**, a spell resolves even if some or all of its targets become illegal. Furthermore, **Rule 359.3.e.8** states that if an instruction has multiple targets and some become invalid, the instruction will execute on the remaining valid targets.
If I start a showdown and tap Honey Fruit to gain resources, would that result in my chain ending and result in focus passing to my opponent?
To answer your question, we first need to look at how **Honeyfruit** functions within a showdown. According to the card text: **"[T] : [Add] [A]. (Abilities that add resources can't be reacted to.)"**
If I start a contested showdown with a 1M unit then my opponent responds with Rengar Trophy Hunter then I stun Rengar what will the outcome of the Showdown be?
To determine the outcome of your showdown, we must follow the sequence of events and apply the combat rules as they stand after you stun *Rengar, Trophy Hunter*.
Can you play Safety Inspector on a battlefield where you have one unit in your turn, and then kill that unit on the battlefield?
Yes, you can play Safety Inspector on a battlefield where you have one unit, and you can kill that unit as part of the resolution of Safety Inspector's "When you play me" triggered ability.
A reflection of Glasc Mixologist is holding battlefield. The beginning phase begins and reflection goes away. I play the deathknell unit on the battlefield where my reflection was. Do I get a point from hold?
Based on the rules and your scenario, **yes, you do get a point from Holding.** While you previously understood that having items on the chain prevents you from losing control, Rule 464.2 confirms that you score from a Hold simply by maintaining control of a battlefield during your Beginning Phase. Because the *Deathknell* ability creates a pending item on the...
Does Deathknell trigger when the unit dies after playing Smite on it, and thus banishing it instead?
No, **Deathknell** will not trigger if a unit is banished by **Smite**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #9664 and Rule 808.1.d.1, the **Deathknell** keyword specifically requires the permanent to be **Killed** and sent to the **Trash**. Because **Smite** contains a replacement effect that banishes the unit instead of letting it die, the unit is never sent to the trash. Since the...
Does Deathknell trigger at the same time?
The answer depends on whether the units with **Deathknell** die due to the same event (like a board wipe or combat damage) or different events.
Does Star Springs effect get put on the stack?
Yes, the ability of **Star Spring** is placed on the chain (often referred to in other games as the "stack") when its trigger condition is met.
If the unit Tideturner wants to switch positions with gets bounced by Starcrossed in response, does the Tideturner still move to the other unit's original location?
If **Tideturner**'s triggered ability is on the chain and the friendly unit it is targeting is returned to its owner's hand by **Star-Crossed**, **Tideturner will not move**.
Can I play Disposal Order in response to Fizz in order to recycle the spell they were targeting?
Yes, you can play **Disposal Order** in response to **Fizz, Trickster**'s triggered ability to recycle the target spell. However, it is important to understand the timing and the outcome of this interaction:
Can I play an action card on the chain after an action card?
No, you cannot play an action card on the chain after an action card. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #2855** and **RiftJudge FAQ #8949**: * **Action cards** can only be played to *start* a chain when the game state is "Open" (meaning no chain currently exists). * Once an action card is played, the game state becomes "Closed." While a chain...
In 1v1 best of three do we pick our battlefields or are they random?
In a 1v1 best-of-three match, you **choose** your battlefields. According to Rule 481.5 and the associated RiftJudge FAQs, the setup process for a best-of-three match is as follows:
What happens if my opponent plays Piercing Light repeatedly, but I react with Thrill of the Hunt and target his first target?
To resolve the interaction between *Piercing Light* (with *Repeat*) and *Thrill of the Hunt*, we apply the game's "Do As Much As You Can" (DAMAYC) logic. When the first target of *Piercing Light* is banished and re-played via *Thrill of the Hunt*, it becomes a new game object, rendering the original targeting attempt invalid.
Can I target an already buffed Irelia Fervent with a Pit Rookie to get the +1 from Irelia's effect even though it does not get buffed again?
Yes, you can target an already buffed Irelia, Fervent with Pit Rookie's ability, and she will gain +1 Might from her own triggered ability.
When do I reveal my Legend and Champion?
According to **RiftJudge FAQ #7835** and **#2282**, the setup process for a game of Riftbound requires that you reveal your Legend and Champion simultaneously at the very beginning of the game, before any shuffling, determining the first player, or drawing cards.
If I play Hard Bargain and play its repeat cost when my opponent defy's it, does it also counter the repeat cost?
Yes, if your opponent uses **Defy** to counter your **Hard Bargain**, it counters the entire spell, including the repeated effect.
Thousand-Tailed Watcher attacks my Ruined Rex at a battlefield. I deal 6 damage to Thousand-Tailed and he kills my Ruined Rex. Does my Deathknell resolve dealing 4 damage to the Thousand-Tailed, killing the Thousand-Tailed that has 6 damage from combat? Or is there combat cleanup before my Deathknell resolves? Please explain.
No, your *Ruined Rex's* **Deathknell** will not kill the *Thousand-Tailed Watcher* in this scenario. The *Watcher* will survive the combat.
If I kill a Ruined Rex with a Baited Hook and from the Baited I play a Karthus the Deathknell from the Ruined also duplicates?
No, the *Deathknell* effect from *Ruined Rex* will **not** trigger twice in this scenario. According to the established game rules and RiftJudge FAQs, *Karthus, Eternal* must already be on the battlefield at the exact moment a *Deathknell* trigger is created for his passive ability ("Your *Deathknell* effects trigger an additional time") to apply.
Can not so fast be used on Star-Crossed?
Yes, you can use **Not So Fast** to counter an opponent's **Star-Crossed**. ### Reasoning: 1. **Targeting Relationship:** According to **RiftJudge FAQs #10769, #10927, and #9865**, **Star-Crossed** creates a mandatory targeting relationship with both a friendly unit (the controller's) and an enemy unit (the opponent's). 2. **Interaction with Not So Fast:** * **Not So Fast** can counter an enemy spell that...
If I have a Rift Herald alone at a battlefield and I use Sacrifice on it, can I play the card from Rift Herald's Deathknell to that battlefield?
To answer your question, we must look at the specific text of the cards and the rules regarding battlefield control and *Deathknell*.
During a 2v2 can I attack a friendly controlled battlefield?
No, you cannot attack a battlefield controlled by your teammate. According to **Rule 484.8.c**, control is not shared in 2v2 games. Furthermore, **Rule 484.8.c.2** explicitly prohibits issuing Standard Movement to your teammate's units, and the RiftJudge FAQ (#6609 and #3830) clarifies that allied players' units cannot share battlefields, meaning you cannot move your units onto a battlefield your teammate controls.
Does Assault count towards the Gust 3 Might limit?
Yes, **Assault** counts toward the 3 might limit for **Gust**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #6637** and **#1185**, Assault is a passive ability that applies immediately when a unit is designated as an attacker during the cleanup phase before combat begins. Because Gust checks the unit's **current might** (which includes any active modifiers like Assault), a unit with a base might...
If I play Bone Skewer, my opponent reveals their hand and I choose their Thousand Tail Watcher, playing it to a battlefield that I control, does the ability of the Thousand Tail Watcher give -3 to all my units, or does the ability not do its effect because I'm playing it?
When you play **Thousand-Tailed Watcher** via the effect of **Bone Skewer**, its "When you play me" triggered ability **will** activate, and it **will** reduce the Might of your units.
Hall of Legends, do you need to pay right away as a cost, or can I wait for other conquer triggers to finish before I choose to pay?
To address your question regarding **Hall of Legends**, the card ability reads: *"When you conquer here, you may pay [1] to ready your legend."*
Does the thousand tail watcher give -3 might to my units even if I play my units after the thousand enters in game?
No, **Thousand-Tailed Watcher** does not affect units played after its ability has already resolved. According to RiftJudge FAQ (ID 6445, 10209), the Thousand-Tailed Watcher's "When you play me" (WYPM) ability "snapshots" the battlefield at the moment it resolves. It applies the -3 Might reduction *only* to enemy units currently on the board at that specific time.