Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 127 of 145 · 7,241 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
Alpha Strike: Do I have to deal at least one damage to each target at both battlefields, or can I only deal damage to one battlefield?
You can deal damage to units at just one battlefield. You are **not** required to target units at both battlefields or at every battlefield.
Can I defy Lilting Lullaby?
No. **Defy** cannot target **Lilting Lullaby**. Defy checks the printed (base) cost of the target spell, and can only counter a spell with **4 or less energy** and **1 or less power**. Lilting Lullaby costs 2 power, which exceeds Defy's power restriction. Defy's own power cost is 1, so its targeting condition ("no more than rune of any domain") caps...
Does attaching Gear create a chain that can be reacted to?
Yes, equipping/attaching a gear via its **Equip** ability creates a chain and can be reacted to. This is a confirmed ruling (FAQ #731).
If I cast Sacrifice on my 5 might Vi and then opponent reacts with Smokescreen on the Vi, does the Vi still die to Sacrifice and I get the Draw 2 and Channel 1?
**Yes, Vi dies and you get the Draw 2 and Channel 1.** Here's why: When you play Sacrifice, the additional cost (killing a friendly Mighty unit) is paid during Step 4 of the playing process — **before** the spell goes on the chain. By the time the opponent has priority to play Smokescreen as a Reaction, Vi is already in...
What can counter Sacrifice?
**Yes, Sacrifice can be countered** — but the unit you killed to pay its cost stays dead. Once Sacrifice is on the chain, any spell that counters spells works. The most efficient options:
If Aspirants Climb becomes a Brush, do you still need to score 9 points?
**No — once Aspirant's Climb is replaced by a Brush token, you no longer need 9 points.** Aspirant's Climb has a passive effect that only applies while it's in play (FAQ #7987). When it's replaced by a Brush token, Aspirant's Climb leaves the battlefield, and its "Increase the points needed to win by 1" effect stops. The victory score immediately...
Does equipping a Gear start a chain?
Yes, equipping a gear starts a chain. Equip is an activated ability (Rule 818.1), and like all activated abilities, activating it places the equip ability on the chain (Rule 333). This opens a window for your opponent to respond with Reaction cards before the equip resolves.
Does Teemo Strategist trigger first before attacker can play an action card such as Punch First?
**Yes, Teemo's defend trigger resolves first — the attacker cannot play Punch First before Teemo's ability goes off.** Here's the timing breakdown:
Do you choose a target with Teemo Strategist before revealing cards to determine the damage?
**Yes, you choose the target before revealing cards.** When Teemo, Strategist's "When I defend" trigger goes on the Chain, you choose the target enemy unit at that battlefield as part of putting the trigger on the Chain. Only after that does your opponent get a chance to react. When the ability resolves, you reveal the top 5 cards, count how...
Can you activate Star-Crossed if only one player controls units?
**No.** You cannot play **Star-Crossed** if only one player controls units on the board. The spell reads "Return a friendly unit and an enemy unit to their owners' hands." Both are mandatory targets — there is no "up to" language. You need a friendly unit **and** an enemy unit on the board at the time you announce the spell and...
If my Stupefy gets countered, will my Ravenbloom Student gain a Might from the countered Stupefy?
No, Ravenbloom Student will **not** gain +1 Might. For Ravenbloom Student's ability to trigger, a spell must be **played** — and a spell is only considered "played" once it successfully resolves. If Stupefy is countered (by Defy, Windwall, Hard Bargain, etc.), it never resolves and was never "played" for the purposes of triggered abilities (Rule 425.1.b). The countered spell simply...
If I have a sprite that dies at the start of my turn due to Temporary, does Zhonya's Hourglass proc and save that sprite? If so, will the sprite still have the keyword Temporary?
Yes, Zhonya's Hourglass will proc and save the sprite. The replacement effect intercedes when Temporary triggers, killing Zhonya's Hourglass instead and recalling the sprite to base (healing and exhausting it). The sprite survives because base is a Board location, not a Non-Board Zone. The sprite retains Temporary because it never left the Board. However, this only buys one turn—next turn,...
If an opponent conquers a battlefield on their turn, then on my turn I charm their unit to my battlefield, and they respond with Ride the Wind to move it back to their original battlefield, do they conquer and score that battlefield again?
Yes, they do conquer and score that battlefield again. When their unit moves back via Ride the Wind, the battlefield becomes Contested, opening a new Showdown. Upon resolution, they establish control and conquer the battlefield. Since a rule states "once per Battlefield per turn" (meaning once per player's individual turn), they can score the same battlefield twice in one game...
When Smoke Screen (-4 Might to a minimum of 1) is used on Jinx during combat, and Jinx takes 1 damage that is cleared during cleanup, does Jinx die or survive after losing Attacker status and the Assault bonus?
Jinx survives with 0 Might and 0 marked damage. Smoke Screen reduces Jinx from 6 Might (4 base + 2 Assault) to 2 Might. The 1 damage taken is cleared during cleanup. When Jinx loses Attacker designation at the end of combat, the Assault bonus is removed (2 - 2 = 0 Might). Since the kill condition requires nonzero marked...
Can Azir's ability swap positions with a unit at Vilemaw's Lair, given that units cannot move from the Lair to base?
No. When Azir targets a unit at Vilemaw's Lair, Azir moves to the Lair successfully, but the unit cannot move to base due to Vilemaw's Lair's restriction ('Units can't move from here to base'). The unit's move fails and it stays at Vilemaw's Lair. Azir ends up at the Lair with the unit instead of swapping positions.
Can you pay Repeat on Hard Bargain to counter two different spells on the same chain?
Yes. When you pay Repeat, you can target different spells with each execution. According to a rule, choices made for the additional execution do not have to be the same as choices made for the initial execution. So you can counter one spell with the first execution and a different spell with the second execution from Repeat.
When multiple Showdowns are staged, which one resolves first if one is already open?
Only one Showdown can exist at a time. The currently open Showdown must fully resolve completely before any other staged Showdown can begin. Once the open Showdown closes and a Cleanup occurs, then the next staged Showdown can open and resolve.
If Tryndamere is brought in as a defender via Ride the Wind, wins combat, conquers the battlefield, and deals 5+ excess damage, does his ability trigger to score an additional point?
No. Tryndamere's ability reads 'When I conquer after an attack' — this triggers only when the Attacker conquers. Since Tryndamere conquered on defense (not as the Attacker), the ability does not trigger. Only 1 point is scored from the normal Conquer.
Does Sett, Kingpin count himself when applying the +1 [M] buff bonus for each buffed friendly unit?
Yes, Sett, Kingpin counts himself. The ability states 'I get +1 [M] for each buffed friendly unit at my battlefield' with no exclusion, so if Sett is buffed, he receives the bonus for himself plus any other buffed units on the battlefield.
Can you Gust Vayne when she enters a battlefield?
Generally no. When Vayne moves to an occupied battlefield with no items on the chain, combat is immediately staged and she gains the Attacker designation before either player has priority, making her 5 Might (outside Gust's 3 or less range). However, there is an edge case: if another unit with a triggered ability (like Traveling Merchant) moves to the battlefield...
Do Repeat and Accelerate costs factor in for Yordle Explorer's trigger?
No, Repeat and Accelerate costs do NOT factor in for Yordle Explorer. According to a rule, effects that need to determine a card's cost for any purpose always use its base cost, even if that cost is altered or ignored as the card is played. Yordle Explorer checks the card's base Power cost (what's printed in the upper left corner),...
When Thousand-Tailed Watcher gives enemy units -3M (minimum 1) and then Grand Strategem gives friendly units +5M, how do these modifiers combine? Specifically, with 1M tokens and 2M Faithful Manufacturers, what are the final Might values?
The correct final values are 6M for all units (both the 1M tokens and 2M Manufactors become 6M). According to a rule, when an arithmetic effect has a limitation (like 'minimum of 1'), it snapshots at the limited level when applied and is 'remembered' at that value for the duration. When Thousand-Tailed Watcher's -3M effect applies: the 1M tokens would...
Would Defiant Dance kill units with two might, due to the wording not saying to a minimum?
No, Defiant Dance would not kill units with 2 Might. Defiant Dance gives one unit +2 [M] and another unit -2 [M] this turn. The -2 [M] is a Might reduction, not damage. According to Rules 708-710, a unit's Might is simply reduced by 2. A 2 Might unit would be reduced to 0 Might, but reducing a unit's Might...
If Yasuo, Remorseful attacks a battlefield, deals 6 damage to a unit with his ability, then is moved away with Ride the Wind, does the damaged unit heal or does the damage stick?
The damage will heal during Combat Cleanup. Here's the sequence: (1) Yasuo attacks and his ability triggers, dealing 6 damage to an enemy unit at the battlefield. (2) Ride the Wind moves Yasuo away and readies him, but the 6 damage remains marked on the unit. (3) The damage stays on the unit throughout combat. (4) During Combat Cleanup ,...
What is the correct remedy when a player draws 5 starting cards instead of 4 during initial setup (before mulligans)?
The correct remedy is to apply Rule of Drawing Extra Cards, even though the setup process is not technically a limited action. While Rule General Error could theoretically apply as a catch-all, it's not practical because you cannot rewind when the specific card drawn cannot be determined. Therefore, the closest applicable rule states: 'If the error is caught after the...
Can I play a reaction when an enemy plays a Carnivorous Snapvine to their base targeting a unit at a battlefield I control?
Yes, you can react to the on-play ability of Carnivorous Snapvine (and similar units like Riptide Rex) with Reaction-speed spells. Here's how it works: When the unit is played, it enters the board first. Then the Play Effect goes on the chain as a Pending Item. The controlling player completes the steps of playing it, including targeting. Once it becomes...
If Kayn uses Ride the Wind to move to an opposing battlefield and becomes ready, but cannot conquer the battlefield and is automatically sent back to base (because it can't take damage after moving twice), does Kayn retain its ready status when recalled to base?
Yes, Kayn retains its Ready status when recalled to base. Recalls do not affect the state of the Permanent being recalled. The rule states: 'Unless otherwise stated by the source of the Recall, Damage, Exhausted Status, Buffed Status, and applied Layer alterations will all remain unaffected by a Recall.' Since the recall is a corrective action due to Kayn being...
If Sett - Brawler spends his buff to get +4M, does that trigger Fiora's leader ability?
Yes, spending the buff DOES trigger Fiora's Leader ability. Here's why: When Sett activates his ability "Spend my buff: Give me +4 [M] this turn", the buff is spent (removed) as a cost during step 4 of activating abilities. This causes Sett to drop from 5 Might to 4 Might (losing the +1 from the buff). Then, when the ability...
What happens to Tideturner's trigger if it is returned to hand (gusted) after being flipped from facedown? Does the targeted unit still move?
The targeted unit does not move. When Tideturner is played from Hidden to the battlefield, its play trigger goes on the chain and you choose a target. If the opponent responds with Gust and returns Tideturner to hand before the trigger resolves, the trigger still resolves but has no effect. When the trigger tries to reference Tideturner's 'original location' but...
If I move Sett into a battlefield to start a showdown, then during the showdown I play Zenith Blade to move Leona (Determined) to that battlefield, does Leona's 'When I attack' trigger activate, or did she need to be present when the showdown started?
Yes, Leona's 'When I attack' trigger will activate. Leona does not need to be present when the Showdown starts.If a Unit controlled by the Attacker becomes present at the battlefield after Combat begins, it will gain the Attacker designation during the Cleanup phase following the action that caused it to become present. The sequence works as follows: (1) Showdown begins...
If my opponent plays Vanguard Captain to a battlefield they control and I use Gust on it, what happens to the recruit tokens? Does the timing of when I use Gust matter?
The timing of when you use Gust is critical: **If you Gust after the Play Effect resolves:** The two Recruit tokens remain at the battlefield. They were already created as separate game objects, and removing Vanguard Captain doesn't affect them. The tokens only cease to exist if they themselves are moved to a non-board zone.
When Yasuo, Remorseful attacks a battlefield with a unit controlled by Nine-Tailed Fox's leader, in what order do their triggered abilities enter the chain?
According to Combat-initiated Showdown Initial Chain, triggered abilities are added to the chain in this order: first by the player with Focus (the Attacker), then by players without the Defender designation in turn order, and finally by the Defender. In this scenario, Yasuo's 'When I attack' ability enters the chain FIRST (since Yasuo's controller is the Attacker with Focus), then...
If I have hidden a Flight or Fight and my opponent casts Hidden Blade, can I react to move my unit back to base and save it? Or does the Hidden Blade effect still happen even though my unit would not be at a battlefield?
Yes, you can save your unit this way. If you move your unit to base in response to Hidden Blade being played (before it resolves), your unit changes zones from a battlefield to base. A target is illegal as the spell resolves if it no longer meets the targeting requirements of the spell, or if it has changed Zones to...
If my opponent targets my 2 Might unit with Gust, and I respond by buffing it to 4 Might with Discipline, does Gust still return my unit to hand?
No, Gust will not return your unit to hand. The game checks if targets are legal both at activation (when the spell is played) and at resolution (when the spell effect applies). When Gust is played targeting your 2 Might unit, the target is legal at activation. However, when Discipline resolves first and increases your unit to 4 Might, the...
Can Teemo's Legend ability (Swift Scout) bounce a facedown card from the board to hand?
No, this is an illegal play. Swift Scout's ability states "Put a Teemo unit you own into your hand from your Champion Zone or the board." "'Unit,' 'gear,' and 'rune' refer to objects on the Board unless specified otherwise," and another rule states "'Facedown card' refers to a card in a Facedown Zone unless specified otherwise." A facedown card is...
Viktor attacks Sett at Trifarian War Camp with Leona Determined and 3 recruits. Sett has Cithria of Cloudfield (buffed), Sett Kingpin (buffed), Fiora Victorious, and 1 recruit. Viktor stuns Sett Kingpin and plays Siphon Power. What is the might of each side and how does the duel turn out? Bonus: What is the best way for Sett to play Challenge spell and how does it change the outcome?
**Initial Setup (with Trifarian War Camp battlefield bonus):** Player A (Attacker): Leona 5 Might (4+1 battlefield), 3 Recruits 6 Might (3×2). Total: 11 Might
To play Facebreaker, does there have to be both a friendly unit and an enemy unit? Does the 'do as much as you can' rule apply?
Yes, you must have both a friendly unit and an enemy unit at the same battlefield to play Facebreaker. The 'do as much as you can' rule does NOT apply here.
How does Possession interact with a unit that has Gear equipped, and what happens to both cards when the possessed unit dies or is bounced to hand?
When you cast Possession on an opponent's unit that has Gear equipped: **Initial State:** 1. You take control of the unit and it's recalled to your base 2. The Gear stays attached to the unit 3. Your opponent still controls the Gear (even though it's attached to your unit) 4. Your opponent can still equip the Gear to their own...
Does Irelea's +1 might ability trigger every time she readies or is chosen (including during normal ready phase, and when targeted by equipment/spells), and can it stack multiple times in a turn?
Ruling: Irelea's ability triggers each time she readies or is chosen by a spell/equipment, with no once-per-turn limit, so she can gain multiple +1 might in a single turn.
Does Blood Rush's effect stay forever or just for the turn it's played?
Ruling: Blood Rush's effect lasts only for the turn it is played, not permanently. Nuances: - This is confirmed day 0 errata for the card - The original card text did not clarify the duration, leading to the question
Can you move two units from different locations to attack the same battlefield in a single action?
Ruling: Yes, you can move multiple units from different origins to the same destination simultaneously, including moving one unit from base and ganking over another unit to attack the same battlefield.
When Irelia with Marching Orders attacks and uses Repeat, does she die after the first instance of damage (if she takes lethal damage) or does she survive to complete both instances before dying?
Ruling: Irelia survives to complete both instances of Marching Orders' effect even if she takes lethal damage during the first instance. Units only die during cleanup, which occurs after the entire spell resolves, not in the middle of resolution.
How should 'Not So Fast' be read - does it counter (enemy spell) OR (ability that chooses friendly unit/gear), or does it counter (enemy spell or ability) that chooses (friendly unit or gear)?
Ruling: Not So Fast counters an enemy spell or ability that chooses a friendly unit or gear. Both "spell" and "ability" must be enemy, and both must choose a friendly unit or gear to be valid targets.
Can Tryndamere's ability win the game at 6 points if you only conquer one battlefield (not both)?
Ruling: Yes, Tryndamere's "when I conquer" ability can win you the game at 6 points even if you only conquered one battlefield. Only the conquer point itself has the restriction requiring you to score on both battlefields.
Does Darius get the +2 on Challenge if Challenge is the 2nd card played?
Ruling: No, Darius does not get the +2 bonus if Challenge is the 2nd card played. Sequence: - Challenge is played as the 2nd card - Challenge causes units to deal damage to each other before it resolves - Challenge resolves - Darius's trigger goes on the chain during the cleanup that follows - If Darius has 5+ damage marked...
For Tryndamere's excess damage ability, if the battlefield has 2 units with 3 Might each, does excess damage count after killing one unit (since 5 damage remains), or must there be 5 excess damage after ALL units are killed?
Ruling: Excess damage only counts after ALL defending units are killed. You must assign lethal damage to all units before any damage can be considered "excess."
What happens when Here to Help is played from hidden (via Rockfall Path) if the player doesn't control a battlefield where units can be played?
Ruling: Here to Help whiffs because there is no legal destination to play the unit. The "can't" restriction from the battlefield overrides the "can" permission from Here to Help.
Does Frigid Touch kill a 2 Might unit by reducing its Might to 0?
Ruling: No, Frigid Touch alone cannot kill a unit. Units die only when they have nonzero damage marked on them that is at least equal to their Might, so it always takes at least 1 point of actual damage to kill something.
Does Forecaster activate vision when played alone, and if you have multiple Forecasters in play, does playing a mech trigger vision multiple times?
Ruling: Yes, Forecaster activates vision when played alone because it's a passive effect that includes itself. Multiple Forecasters do stack, so playing a mech with multiple Forecasters in play will trigger vision multiple times.
In a showdown, are all actions and reactions played before anything resolves, or can actions be played, then something resolves, then more actions?
Ruling: Actions can only be played when there is nothing waiting to resolve. Showdowns consist of multiple chains, where each chain must fully resolve before new actions can be played.