Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 117 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
When using Repeat on Bellows Breath, can you target units at two different locations?
Ruling: Yes, when you Repeat Bellows Breath, you can choose different locations for each instance. The first set of up to three units must be at the same location, and the second set of up to three units must be at the same location, but these two locations don't have to match.
If time is called during setup for game 3 (after a 1-1 split), does the match end in a draw or do players play game 3 with 5 turns?
Ruling: If time is called while players are between games (during setup for game 3), no new game is started and the match ends in a draw.
If a unit is saved from death by Zhonya's Hourglass, does it lose spell buffs like Discipline and Enrage?
Ruling: No, the unit does not lose its buffs. When Zhonya's Hourglass activates, the unit is recalled rather than dying, so "until end of turn" effects like Discipline and Enrage are preserved.
If Piercing Light targets a unit at a battlefield then a unit at a base, but the battlefield unit is removed (e.g., by Gust) before the spell resolves, does the base unit still take 2 damage?
Ruling: Yes, the unit at the base still takes 2 damage. The "then" in the spell text is a timing instruction, not a condition that requires the first target to still be valid.
Can you use Repeat on Hard Bargain after it's already been put on the chain to target a second spell?
Ruling: You cannot use Repeat after Hard Bargain has been put on the chain. You must decide when initially playing Hard Bargain whether to pay the additional cost for Repeat.
Does Orange Fiora's ability to double her Might include Might gained from Shield and Assault keywords?
Ruling: Yes, Fiora's ability doubles her Might including any Might gained from Shield and Assault keywords, as these are passive effects that are already active when her ability triggers.
If Svellsongur grants Shield +1 to a Poro that already has Shield +1, does the Poro have Shield +2?
Ruling: Yes, when a unit with Shield is granted Shield by an additional source, the Shield values are summed together.
When Heimerdinger, Inventor copies tap abilities from multiple sources (like Vanguard Armory and Viktor Leader), can you activate multiple copied tap abilities at once, or do you choose one?
Ruling: Heimerdinger, Inventor copies all tap abilities from friendly legends, units, and gear, but you can only activate ONE copied tap ability per turn since activating a tap ability requires tapping Heimerdinger himself.
If I score both battlefields on my turn, then on my opponent's turn I move my unit from one battlefield to another (previously scored) battlefield, can I score that battlefield again on my opponent's turn?
Ruling: Yes, you can score the same battlefield again on your opponent's turn. The "once per Battlefield per turn" restriction resets each turn, regardless of whose turn it is.
What happens if both players choose the same battlefield during setup in a 1v1 constructed game?
Ruling: Both players are allowed to select the same battlefield during setup in a 1v1 game. There is no rule prohibiting this.
Does Unchecked Power deal 12 damage total split among all units, or does each unit take 12 damage?
Ruling: Unchecked Power deals 12 damage to EACH unit at battlefields simultaneously. Both friendly and enemy units take the full 12 damage.
When Altar to Unity's hold effect or Herald of the Arcane's ability creates a Recruit token, does that unit enter play ready or exhausted?
Ruling: Recruit tokens enter play exhausted by default unless the effect specifically states they enter ready. Nuances: - This applies to all token-generating effects unless the card text explicitly says the token enters ready - The default state for tokens differs from the general rule for permanents entering play - Units played from hand follow different rules than tokens created...
What does Fiora, Peerless (Orange) do?
Ruling: Fiora, Peerless is a 3-cost, 3-Might Champion unit with Body domain. When she attacks or defends one-on-one, her Might doubles for that combat (from 3 to 6).
When a unit has both Zhonya's Hourglass on board and Guardian Angel equipped, and that unit dies in combat, what happens?
Ruling: As the controlling player, you choose which replacement effect to apply. If you choose Guardian Angel, it is killed instead and the unit is healed, exhausted, and recalled (Zhonya's doesn't trigger). If you choose Zhonya's, the unit is recalled exhausted (Guardian Angel doesn't trigger).
Does Draven, Audacious need to remain at the battlefield to trigger his ability when you win combat?
Ruling: Yes, Draven must remain at the battlefield when combat concludes for his ability to trigger. If Draven is moved away during combat (even during Showdown), he loses his Attacker/Defender designation and is no longer participating in that combat, so his ability will not trigger even if you win.
Does an attached equipment with Temporary still get killed? (e.g., an attached Long Sword gets targeted by Fading Memories)
Ruling: No, an attached equipment with Temporary does NOT get killed while attached. Temporary is part of the equipment's Rules Text, which becomes Inactive while attached, preventing it from triggering.
What are the overtime rules for Best of 3 Nexus format in Riftbound?
Ruling: When time is called in a Best of 3 Nexus game, finish the current turn, then play 5 overtime turns. The winner is the player with the most points at the end of overtime.
Can you play Charm during showdowns?
Ruling: No, you cannot play Charm during a Showdown because it is neither an Action nor a Reaction. Nuances: - Only Actions and Reactions can be played during Showdowns - Charm is classified as a normal spell that is neither an Action nor a Reaction
If you use Baited Hook on your only 5 might unit and then want to play Cruel Patron, can you play him, and what happens?
Ruling: You can play Cruel Patron, but if you select the banished unit, it will stay banished. Alternatively, you can choose not to select the banished unit and Cruel Patron will recycle.
Can Vi use her ability to trash several cards in one turn for more might?
Ruling: Yes, Vi can use her ability multiple times in one turn to trash several cards and gain more might, as long as she has cards to recycle.
If Stand United is played Hidden from one battlefield, does its global effect (+1 to all buffs) apply to units on the opposite battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, the second effect of Stand United (+1 to all buffs) is global and affects all friendly units on both battlefields.
What happens if a third player plays Zenith Blade to move their unit to a battlefield where two other players are already in combat?
Ruling: Zenith Blade's movement is optional, so you cannot choose to move your unit to a battlefield where two other players are already in combat, since only 2 players can be in combat at the same time.
Does Assault apply when a unit moves into an unoccupied battlefield?
Ruling: Assault does not increase a unit's might when moving into an unoccupied battlefield because moving into an unoccupied battlefield begins a non-combat showdown, and units only gain attacker or defender designation during combat.
Can Sett use his ability to prevent a unit in base from dying when hit by Fallen Star?
Ruling: Yes, Sett can save a unit in base from dying to Fallen Star as long as there's a buff to spend and Sett is ready. His ability works regardless of where the unit is on the board.
If I cast Retreat in response to Falling Star, removing all my characters, and my opponent has characters, must my opponent target their own characters with Falling Star?
Ruling: Yes, if there are legal targets available, the player must choose from them, even if they are their own units.
If a unit with 5 might has 3 spell damage already marked on it, can an attacking unit assign only 2 damage to it during a showdown and assign the rest elsewhere?
Ruling: Yes, the attacking unit can assign only 2 damage to the unit that already has 3 spell damage marked on it, since the total damage (2 combat + 3 marked) equals or exceeds the unit's might and is considered lethal.
Can a player move a second unit to a battlefield to continue a showdown after their first attacking unit loses, and does damage carry over between combats?
Ruling: No, a player cannot move additional units into an ongoing showdown after the initial attacker is declared. After each combat resolves, surviving units heal all damage, so a second unit moving to that battlefield would start a completely new showdown against a fully healed defender.
Was there a rule update or errata that changed how Teemo Grand Strategist and Nocturne interact?
Ruling: There is no change to Teemo and Nocturne interaction. The errata hasn't changed all that much about how Teemo and Nocturne interact.
Can you use the same red rune to pay both the energy cost and cycle cost for a card that requires tapping 1 red rune and cycling a red rune?
Ruling: Yes, you can use the same red rune to pay both the energy cost and the cycle cost. Nuances: - The same rune can be used for both energy and power requirements
If a 2 might unit is buffed to 3 might and then reduced to 1 might by Watcher's ability, what happens when the buff expires?
Ruling: When a buffed unit is reduced to 1 might by Watcher, the buff is already factored into that 1 might. If the buff expires afterward, the unit goes to 0 might but does not automatically die.
How does The Zero Drive interact with Baited Hook? Does the Banish effect prevent the unit from being killed, and do you still get Deathknell triggers?
Ruling: The unit is killed by Baited Hook, and you get both the Zero Drive's Deathknell effect (looking at top 5 cards and banishing a unit) and the unit's own Deathknell triggers. The unit is then banished from the trash by Zero Drive's Deathknell.
If Falling Comet gets reacted with Retreat, does Lux's Legend still get triggered?
Ruling: Yes, Lux's Legend still gets triggered when Falling Comet is reacted with Retreat because the card still resolves and counts as played.
When Stormbringer targets a friendly unit (Sand Wurm) and moves it to an enemy-controlled battlefield (where Kai'Sa is), and the defending player has a hidden Fae card, what is the correct resolution sequence?
Ruling: Stormbringer deals damage to all enemy units at the chosen battlefield, then moves the friendly unit (Sand Wurm) to that battlefield. When the unit moves, contested is applied immediately (before cleanup), which locks control of the battlefield. During the subsequent cleanup, Kai'Sa dies from damage, but the hidden Fae card is NOT discarded because the battlefield remains controlled (contested...
Does Kai'sa have to survive combat where you conquer in order to draw a card from her ability?
Ruling: Kai'sa must survive and remain on the battlefield when the conquer occurs in order for her triggered ability to enter the chain and draw a card. If she dies during combat, you will not draw a card.
In 2v2, can you cast cards without action or reaction cost on your teammate's turn?
Ruling: Yes, you can cast base speed spells (cards without action or reaction cost) on your teammate's turn at legal timing.
How do Fae Dragon's buffs interact with units that already have buffs, including whether you can target the same unit multiple times, target already-buffed units, and whether buffs can be added via reactions?
Ruling: You target up to four different units with Fae Dragon, each receiving one buff. You can target units that already have buffs, but this won't add additional buffs to them (except for Lee Sin Ascetic). When spending a unit's buff (like with Sett Legend ability), you spend one buff at a time.
Can I react to Teemo Strategist's trigger after the cards have been revealed, or only before?
Ruling: You cannot react after the cards are revealed but before damage is dealt - that all happens during resolution. You can only react before the trigger resolves or after it completely resolves (if there are still items on the chain or when you get priority/focus).
If Overzealous Fan's ability is used during combat but the opponent responds with Gust (returning Fan to hand), does the ability still move the attacking unit to the owner's hand?
Ruling: The ability resolves to no effect (whiffs). Since killing Overzealous Fan is a cost-within-instruction required to move the unit, and Fan cannot be killed because it's no longer on the battlefield, the effect cannot be performed.
If I move Traveling Merchant to an occupied battlefield and use its ability to ready an exhausted Jinx Rebel, can the newly readied Jinx Rebel then move together with the Traveling Merchant to attack?
Ruling: No, the Jinx Rebel cannot move with the Traveling Merchant. The Merchant's move triggers only after it has already moved, so once that ability chain resolves, the showdown will begin.
Does a unit with Tank (like Dropboarder) still get the +1 Might bonus from Doran's Shield equipment, even though Tank prevents it from being assigned combat damage?
Ruling: Yes, the unit receives the +1 Might bonus from Doran's Shield. The Might bonus from equipment is separate from the effect text and is always granted to the equipped unit.
Can you activate a gear's ability that costs 'Kill this:' at any time during your turn, or does it require an external prompt?
Ruling: You can activate a gear's ability that costs "Kill this:" on your turn when there isn't a chain, without needing an external prompt.
Does Xin Zhao count himself as one of the two units required in your base for him to enter ready?
Ruling: Xin Zhao does not count himself. The card specifically says 'other' units, so you need two other units in your base besides Xin Zhao for him to enter ready.
In a best-of-3 match, if Player 1 wins Game 1, then time is called during Game 2 and Player 2 wins on points after 5 turns, what is the match result?
Ruling: The match ends as a 1-1 tie (draw). Each game win counts separately, so if Player 1 wins Game 1 and Player 2 wins Game 2 on points after time, the match is a draw.
Can either part of Sivir's Legend skill be used during the opponent's turn?
Ruling: Yes, both parts of Sivir's Legend skill can be used during the opponent's turn because they are triggers that activate whenever the appropriate event happens.
When Wildclaw Shaman is played with only Cithria (without a buff token) on board, does Wildclaw Shaman's trigger require a buff to target when going on the chain, or only when it resolves?
Ruling: Wildclaw Shaman's ability does not require a buff to be present when the trigger goes on the chain. The buff selection happens at resolution, not when targeting to put the trigger on the chain.
If you attack an empty battlefield, are you considered an attacker? Can you still use Cleave (which grants Assault) in this situation?
Ruling: If you move a unit to an unoccupied battlefield, a showdown (not a combat) begins and you are not considered an attacker. You can still play Cleave to target a unit since it only requires "a unit" as a target, but the unit won't get the +3 Might from Assault because they are not an attacker.
If Yasuo Remorseful attacks a battlefield and is killed by Hidden Blade in response to the attack trigger, does the damage still happen?
Ruling: The damage does not happen. When the ability resolves, Yasuo is no longer present at the battlefield (he's in the trash), so the "unit here" condition fails and no damage is inflicted.
If Player 2 plays Discipline in response to Player 1's Void Seeker, can Player 2 draw from Discipline and then play a Defy they draw to counter the Void Seeker?
Ruling: Yes, Player 2 can draw from Discipline as it resolves and then play a Defy (or other reaction) they drew to respond to Void Seeker before it resolves.
Can you use the Retreat spell to target a champion unit in your champion zone?
Ruling: No, you cannot use Retreat to target a champion unit in your champion zone. "A unit" refers to a unit on the board, and spells can only target units on the board unless the spell specifically says it can target units in other zones.
In 2v2, if my teammate controls one battlefield and I conquer the other two battlefields on my turn, do I win the game or do I need to personally conquer all three battlefields?
Ruling: If your ally controls a battlefield, you do not have to score it yourself to get the final point needed to win. You only need to conquer the remaining battlefields not controlled by your teammate.