Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 12 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
When playing a card with Harrowing (which ignores energy cost) that has Accelerate (additional cost), do you still need to pay the Accelerate cost?
Ruling: You must still pay the Accelerate additional cost (1 energy and the power requirement). Harrowing only ignores the card's base energy cost, not additional costs.
Can you play Get Excited onto the chain, then play Gust to return Flame Chomper to hand, and discard it to Get Excited (allowing you to replay it)?
Ruling: Yes, this works. The discard cost for Get Excited happens at resolution of the spell, not at cast, so you can return Flame Chomper to hand with Gust before Get Excited resolves and then discard it to satisfy Get Excited's cost.
Can players play action spells back and forth after a chain is created but before the showdown resolves?
Ruling: Yes, players can play action spells back and forth before the showdown resolves, as long as they have mana.
If a ready unit on a Reaver Row battlefield is charmed and retreats via Reaver Row, does it become exhausted or remain ready?
Ruling: The unit remains ready. Reaver Row and other move effects don't change the orientation of a unit unless explicitly stated. Only the Standard Move action has exhausting as a cost.
Can you conquer a battlefield you already scored on in the same turn by moving units out and then back in?
Ruling: No, you cannot conquer a battlefield you already scored on in the same turn. You can only score each battlefield once per turn, and conquering only happens when you score a battlefield.
What happens when you play Blind Fury in a closed showdown and choose to play Time Warp?
Ruling: Time Warp resolves normally and queues up an extra turn for you, but you don't get that extra turn right away. The entire current turn (including the showdown and combat) proceeds as normal regardless of when Time Warp is played during that turn.
Does a showdown end after both players pass once, or does playing a spell/ability reset the sequence, allowing the showdown to continue?
Ruling: A showdown continues as long as players take actions. The showdown only ends when both players pass in sequence without playing any spells or abilities.
What does the keyword "choose" mean in Riftbound?
Ruling: "Choose" means "target" in the context of card effects. Nuances: - For cards that choose multiple things, each individual choice must meet the targeting criteria (e.g., if a card requires targeting two enemy units, both chosen units must be enemies) - A card like Switcheroo that swaps stats between two units only triggers "target enemy unit" effects if both...
What defines an 'open' battlefield for purple MF's ability?
Ruling: An 'open' battlefield means completely empty with no units from any players present. Nuances: - You cannot play units to battlefields where opponents have units, even if you don't have units there - You can play multiple copies of the same named champion (including multiple purple MFs) on the field at once
Can multiple cards be in the Champion Zone at the same time, such as when using Hallowed Tomb to return a Chosen Champion when one is already present?
Ruling: Only one card can ever be present in the champion zone, and it must be a chosen champion. Nuances: - This rule exists but its location in official documentation was unclear to participants, though it was confirmed to exist in red text somewhere in the server
Can a Defender play Defy on Ride the Wind after drawing it from a Stupefy that resolved during the showdown chain?
Ruling: No, you cannot Defy Ride the Wind after the showdown has begun because Ride the Wind has already resolved. You cannot start a showdown while a chain is present (in a closed state).
If Kaisa Evolutionary is in base and you move a unit out of a battlefield you already scored this turn, then send Kaisa to re-take that battlefield, does her on-conquer ability trigger to let you play a spell from trash?
Ruling: No, Kaisa's ability does not trigger. Conquering is a form of scoring, and you cannot conquer a battlefield you've already scored this turn.
Does the Convergent Mutation effect end when Aurora is about to resolve?
Ruling: No, the Convergent Mutation effect does not go away when Aurora is about to resolve. Aurora happens before 'until end of turn' effects cease.
Can Karma give more than one buff when you recycle 2 cards from Candlelit?
Ruling: No, Karma cannot give more than one buff when you recycle 2 cards from Candlelit. Nuances: - Karma's text specifies "one or more" cards recycled, which means it triggers once regardless of how many cards are recycled in a single instance
Can I show my cards to my teammate in 2v2? If not, can I say it out loud?
Ruling: You may show your cards to any player you want at any time. This will not trigger any effects that say "on reveal" since "Reveal" is a specific game mechanic.
If I hide a Tide Turner, then later react with it, do I get the "when you play me" effect to swap with a unit?
Ruling: Yes, when you react with a hidden Tide Turner, you get the "when you play me" effect because you played it as a Reaction.
If you retreat a unit that your opponent targets with Hidden Blade, does the controller still draw 2 cards?
Ruling: No, the controller does not draw 2 cards. When Hidden Blade resolves, if its target is no longer a valid unit at a battlefield, the entire instruction is ignored because it cannot determine the controller of the target.
When Falling Star targets a unit with Deflect multiple times, do you pay the Deflect cost once or for each instance of targeting?
Ruling: You must pay the Deflect cost for each time the unit is targeted. Nuances: - The specific Deflect cost depends on the unit being targeted - If a unit is targeted twice by Falling Star, you pay the Deflect cost twice
When Blind Fury reveals Nocturne, Horrifying from an opponent's deck, how does the interaction resolve? Can the opponent banish Nocturne with its own ability to prevent the Blind Fury player from playing it?
Ruling: When Nocturne is revealed by Blind Fury, the opponent may choose to activate Nocturne's ability to banish it and optionally play it for A power. If they do, Nocturne is no longer available for the Blind Fury player to select and play. If the opponent chooses not to activate Nocturne's ability, the Blind Fury player can select and play...
When Gust sends a Sand Soldier back to your hand, does the Sand Soldier just die?
Ruling: The Sand Soldier does not die. It disappears from the game completely and ceases to exist. For any effect that would track it, it did return to hand.
When Promising Future allows moving a character to an empty battlefield, does the player score a conquest point immediately, or must they wait for Promising Future to fully resolve first?
Ruling: You must wait for everything to resolve before you can start a showdown and potentially score the conquest point. Moving to an empty battlefield applies contested status, but scoring only happens after a showdown completes, which can only begin when the chain is empty.
When casting a spell with Repeat, does the player need to declare the Repeat after checking if the opponent uses Defy?
Ruling: No. You must declare and pay for Repeat as part of playing the spell onto the Chain, before passing priority. You cannot wait to see if the opponent uses Defy.
What happens when Kayn starts a showdown while invulnerable but there is more might on the board than Kayn's might?
Ruling: Kayn bounces to base, killing whatever he can during the showdown. Nuances: - Kayn's invulnerability lasts until the end of the turn, not just until the end of the combat - When attacking units survive combat (whether from another battlefield or not), they are always recalled to base, not back to their origin battlefield
Can you conquer a battlefield, discard Super Mega Death Rocket from the battlefield's conquer effect, and then trigger SMDR's ability to take it from the trash?
Ruling: No, Super Mega Death Rocket must already be in the trash when you conquer in order to trigger its ability. If it's discarded as part of the battlefield's conquer trigger, it's too late to trigger.
What is the official order of events for game start in Riftbound?
Ruling: The official game start sequence is: Reveal Legend, Reveal Chosen Champion, Reveal chosen Battlefields (this is when you choose them), Shuffle decks, Determine player order (a player is designated at this point to decide turn order, after seeing battlefields), Draw 4 and mulligan (first player decides first), Start play.
When can you activate Tideturner from hidden, given that hidden cards can normally only target cards in the same battlefield?
Ruling: Tideturner can be activated from hidden to target units on the other battlefield when all units on its own battlefield are illegal targets, functioning as a reaction.
Can you recycle a rune that you exhausted to pay the cost while you have non-exhausted ones available?
Ruling: Yes, you can recycle any rune, whether it is exhausted or not. Nuances: - You can pool energy, recycle a rune, pay a seal with the power from recycling, then pay something else with the energy you pooled
If a Watcher gives opponent's units -3M and then you Charm one of their 1M Recruits to a Trifarian Warcamp (which gives +1M), does the unit become 1M or 2M?
Ruling: The unit would become 2M. When the unit changes control and moves to the Warcamp, the -3M effect is locked in at -0M (since the unit was already at minimum 0M), and then the Warcamp's +1M is applied on top of that.
Does taking damage reduce a unit's might, or only their HP, and does this affect combat damage calculation?
Ruling: Taking damage reduces a unit's HP but does not reduce their might. Units deal damage equal to their original might in combat, not their current HP. Only effects that specifically reduce might will affect damage calculation.
If Teemo Strategist is revealed as a defender during a showdown and the opponent uses Gust to return him to hand before his 'When I defend' ability resolves, does the ability still trigger and resolve?
Ruling: The 'When I defend' ability triggers as soon as Teemo becomes a defender and remains on the chain even if Teemo is returned to hand. You can still look at the top 5 cards, but you won't deal any damage since Teemo is no longer at the battlefield.
When your chosen champion is killed, does it return to the champion zone or go to trash?
Ruling: When your chosen champion is killed, it goes to trash. It does not return to the champion zone like commanders do in Magic: The Gathering.
Can you cast spells if there are no valid targets available on the board?
Ruling: Spells that require a target must have a valid target available in order to be played. Nuances: - Not all spells require targets, only those that specifically require targeting must have valid targets available - Targeting rules can be complex/unclear in some situations
When Ravenbloom Student copies a spell with Convergent Mutation, does the Student end up with +1 memory higher than the copied amount?
Ruling: Yes, Ravenbloom Student ends up +1 memory higher than the amount copied by Convergent Mutation. Sequence: - Convergent Mutation resolves first - Ravenbloom Student's ability triggers after the spell fully resolves - Student gains the additional +1 memory
If I kill a unit for Baited Hook's effect and find Spectral Matron in the top 5 cards, can I use Matron to return the unit I just killed for Baited Hook?
Ruling: Yes, you can return the unit you killed with Baited Hook using Spectral Matron's effect. The unit is in the trash when Matron resolves, making it a valid target.
When you cast Retreat on your chosen champion, does it go to hand or return to champion zone?
Ruling: When you cast Retreat on your chosen champion, it goes to hand. Nuances: - Even though the card is a chosen champion, Retreat treats it as a regular unit and returns it to hand rather than the champion zone.
Do Seals stack power across turns or only provide power for the current turn?
Ruling: Seals are tapped to generate 1 power each, which goes into your resource pool to spend on cards during your turn. Any unspent power disappears at the end of your turn.
How do players select battlefields in a best-of-3 match?
Ruling: In best-of-3, players select a battlefield and simultaneously reveal it after legend and chosen champion are revealed but before determining who plays first. Players cannot select the same battlefield in subsequent games of the match.
Does moving a unit to an empty battlefield trigger a showdown with a window for the opponent to gain focus and take actions?
Ruling: Yes, moving to an open battlefield causes a showdown to open, which gives the opponent a window to gain focus and take actions.
Can Vex and Irelia Graceful attacking the same battlefield allow playing Discipline targeting Irelia for free (reducing cost from 1 to 0)?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Discipline for free. When paying costs, you can apply cost reductions in any order, so you can apply Vex's reduction first (getting the spell to 1 energy minimum) and then apply Irelia's reduction to get it to 0 energy.
Does Viktor trigger his ability if he dies during a battle with other units?
Ruling: No, Viktor does not trigger his ability if he dies during a battle with other units. He must be alive to see other units die for his ability to trigger.
Can you play Not So Fast to counter an opponent's Salvage if they intend to target your gear?
Ruling: Yes, you can counter Salvage with Not So Fast if the opponent chooses to target your gear. Salvage targets on finalization, and the opponent must declare valid choices at that time.
When you recycle 2 cards during a mulligan, do you shuffle them together?
Ruling: When 2 or more cards are recycled to the Main Deck simultaneously (such as during a mulligan), they are placed on the bottom of the deck in a random order. You shuffle only the recycled cards together, not the entire deck.
Can Draven, Vanquisher decide whether to use his attack ability after the opponent decides whether to retreat from BFS Reaver's Row?
Ruling: Yes, Draven's "may" ability is decided when his trigger resolves, which happens after Reaver's Row resolves. The defender's decision to retreat comes first, then the attacker decides whether to pump Draven.
Do Gears come onto the field tapped, and can you have more than one copy of the same Gear on the field?
Ruling: Gears come onto the field ready (untapped), and you can have multiple copies of the same Gear on the field unless the card specifies otherwise.
If I use Sabotage to recycle one of my opponent's cards from their hand, does that trigger my Karma's ability?
Ruling: No, using Sabotage to recycle an opponent's card does not trigger your Karma. Karma only triggers when you recycle one of your own cards, not when your opponent recycles their cards.
If a hidden Blastcone Fae is in a battlefield and an opponent plays Unchecked Power to kill a unit in that battlefield, can you react to the unit dying by flipping Blastcone Fae to keep a unit in the battlefield?
Ruling: No, you cannot react to the unit dying by flipping Blastcone Fae to keep a unit in the battlefield.
Can you choose which cards to recycle from your trash, or must it be the top card?
Ruling: You can choose which cards to recycle from your trash. Nuances: - Your trash is unordered, so there is no "top card" to be concerned with
When a player uses Charm to force an opponent's unit to move to a battlefield they control, who becomes the Attacker in the resulting Combat?
Ruling: The Attacker is the player whose unit(s) applied the Contested status to the Battlefield, regardless of who controlled the effect that caused the move.
Can Vi's recycle ability be activated at any time, including on opponent's turns and during showdowns?
Ruling: Vi's recycle ability can only be activated on your turn, outside of showdowns and chains. Nuances: - The ability cannot be activated during opponent's turns - The ability cannot be activated during showdowns or chains (e.g., in the middle of combat) - The ability is neither an action nor a reaction - Ganking is just a keyword associated with...
Can you trigger Candlelit Sanctum before doing Traveling Merchant's discard and draw effect?
Ruling: No, you cannot trigger Candlelit Sanctum before Traveling Merchant's discard and draw effect. Traveling Merchant's ability triggers when he moves, which occurs before he might conquer.