Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 17 of 133 · 6,624 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
When Emperor's Dais triggers on Conquer and you return your only unit as a cost, does the Sand Soldier token still resolve and play to the battlefield even though you lose control mid-resolution?
Ruling: The Sand Soldier token still plays to the battlefield because Emperor's Dais explicitly specifies to play it "here" (at the battlefield), which pre-selects a valid location regardless of whether you control the battlefield when the unit finalizes. However, returning your only unit causes you to lose control of the battlefield during cleanup, which triggers a showdown.
When can an opponent play action cards in relation to Yasuo and Mask triggers?
Ruling: Action cards and effects cannot be played while there is a chain open. Opponents must wait until the chain closes (the game reaches an open state) before they can play action cards, meaning Yasuo and Mask always trigger first.
For cards with optional effects (using 'may'), are targets in those optional effects still mandatory to declare when playing the card?
Ruling: Yes, targets in optional effects using "may" must still be chosen when finalizing the spell. If there are no legal targets for any part of the effect that involves targeted game objects, you cannot play the spell at all.
In 2v2, if you cast Time Warp on your teammate's turn, when does your extra turn occur and how does it affect turn order?
Ruling: When you cast Time Warp on your teammate's turn, you get the extra turn immediately after the current turn ends, then the regular turn order resumes.
Does Defy work against Sky Splitter when Sky Splitter's cost is reduced by a high Might unit?
Ruling: Defy can negate Sky Splitter regardless of cost reductions. Effects that check a card's cost always use its base cost, even if that cost is altered or ignored as the card is played.
Can champion units in the Chosen Champion Zone be targeted by spells and abilities (such as Falling Star targeting Yasuo)?
Ruling: The Chosen Champion Zone is not part of the board. Spells and abilities cannot interact with champion units in the Chosen Champion Zone unless they explicitly state they can (like Teemo).
If both players reveal the same location/battlefield in game 1, do they have to change it?
Ruling: No, if both players in a 1v1 choose the same named battlefield, both players continue play with those battlefields. There is no rule requiring players to change duplicate locations.
Can Hidden Blade kill a unit at a different battlefield than the one where it was hidden?
Ruling: No, Hidden Blade cannot kill a unit at a different battlefield than where it was hidden. Nuances: - The targeting is restricted to the battlefield where Hidden Blade was hidden - This restriction applies even when the ability is activated
Do Recruit tokens count towards the 7+ units required to hold Grand Plaza to win?
Ruling: Yes, Recruit tokens count towards the 7+ units required to hold Grand Plaza. Tokens are not considered cards but they are still units.
Can you play another action after a chain is resolved to start another chain during a showdown, and who gets priority to start the second chain?
Ruling: Yes, you can play multiple actions during a showdown by starting new chains. After each chain resolves completely, "Focus" (the opportunity to play an action/start a chain) automatically passes to the next player.
When Caitlyn has the Tank keyword, can the opponent choose whether to assign damage to her first or last?
Ruling: Yes, when Caitlyn has the Tank keyword, the opponent can choose whether to assign damage to her either first or last.
Can Jinx Demolitionist be played if you don't have 2 cards in hand to discard, and does this apply to other similar effects?
Ruling: You can play Jinx Demolitionist even with 0 or 1 cards in hand because "discard 2" is an effect, not a cost. This principle applies to other non-targeting effects like Cull of the Weak.
Can you react to a hidden card being placed?
Ruling: No, you cannot react to a hidden card being placed. Hiding a card does not create a chain and is not considered playing the card. You can react to a hidden card when it is flipped over/revealed, as that counts as a spell.
Can I discard a card to Unlicensed Armory with no friendly units in play?
Ruling: No, you cannot activate Unlicensed Armory with no friendly units in play. For all effects that target, you must have a legal target to activate the ability, even if the effect itself is not mandatory.
If I play Unchecked Power while my opponent has Order Viktor and 2 other non-token units on the battlefield, do 2 tokens from Viktor's effect get played?
Ruling: No, Viktor will be dead before his effect can trigger, so no tokens are created. Sequence: - Unchecked Power destroys all units - Viktor dies along with the other units - Viktor's effect does not trigger because he is no longer on the battlefield
If Yasuo, Remorseful's might is reduced (e.g., by Ahri's legend effect or Smoke Screen), does that change the damage dealt by his ability when it resolves?
Ruling: Yes, reducing Yasuo, Remorseful's might changes the damage of his ability. Abilities use current information while resolving. Sequence: - Yasuo's ability is placed on the chain - If an effect reduces Yasuo's might (such as Smoke Screen reducing it by 4) - When the ability resolves, it uses Yasuo's current might value to determine damage dealt - Example: Smoke...
When Warwick attacks and triggers its ability, can the opponent play an action spell to kill Warwick before its effect resolves, or must they kill it before it moves?
Ruling: When Warwick attacks and its ability triggers, only reaction spells can be played in response. You cannot play action spells before Warwick's effect resolves. You can kill Warwick with a reaction spell (like Hidden Blade played from hidden) before its effect resolves, which will prevent the effect since "here" no longer refers to a battlefield when Warwick is dead.
If a 7 Might unit has 6 damage marked on it, then Stupefy reduces its Might to 6, does the unit die and what counts as killing it?
Ruling: The unit dies after Stupefy resolves during the next Cleanup, because it has damage marked on it equal to its Might. However, Stupefy is not considered the spell that killed the unit because it did not apply damage.
Is there a window after combat to play actions or reactions before the conquer point is awarded?
Ruling: There is no window after combat to cast spells before the conquer point is automatically awarded. Nuances: - If there are deathknell/death triggers put on the chain as a result of combat damage, these happen before conquering (but after damage is healed), providing a window for responses to those triggers.
If opponent plays Sprite Mother at a battlefield and I Gust it (returning it to hand), does the token still get created?
Ruling: No token is created. When Sprite Mother is returned to hand before her ability resolves, she is no longer at a location where a token can be played, so the ability creates no token.
In a showdown, who gets priority first (attacker or defender), and can players respond to action cards with other action cards?
Ruling: The attacker gets priority first to react to triggers on the initial chain, then gets focus and priority first to play Actions/reactions. Actions cannot be used to react to anything - they can only be played when the chain is empty.
When using Yasuo Unforgiven's legend ability to move a unit from a battleground to base, does that exhaust the unit or does it remain readied?
Ruling: The unit remains in the state it was in (readied or exhausted). Spells and abilities that move units do not change their exhaust or ready status unless they specifically say they do.
Does RED Darius get +2/+2 and enter ready if he is played as the third, fourth, or later card in a turn?
Ruling: No, Darius does not get the bonus if played as the third or later card. He must be played as the second card of the turn (meaning he "sees" himself as the second card played) to trigger his ability.
How does Timewarp interact with Overtime's 5-turn limit?
Ruling: Timewarp adds an extra turn for you that counts as one of the 5 turns in Overtime. This means your opponent gets one fewer turn in the Overtime sequence.
Can you gain a conquest point for winning a showdown at a battlefield on your opponent's turn?
Ruling: Yes, you can score 1 point for conquering a battlefield on your opponent's turn if you win the showdown there.
Can cards with the Hidden keyword be played face-up for their normal printed cost without hiding them, or must they always be hidden?
Ruling: Cards with Hidden can be played either way - hidden for 1 power (and no cost when played from hidden), or face-up for their normal printed cost. Hidden is an optional additional way to play the card, not a requirement.
Can hidden cards only be played on conquered battlefields, and what happens to them if you lose control of the battlefield?
Ruling: Hidden cards can only be played to the battlefield you currently control. If you lose control of that battlefield, hidden cards go to trash.
What happens to a hidden card on a battlefield when the player who played it loses control of that battlefield?
Ruling: When a player loses control of a battlefield that has their hidden card on it, the hidden card goes to the graveyard.
When Kai'sa Evolutionary conquers a battlefield and triggers her ability to play a spell, does she play that spell immediately before a new showdown begins (even if the spell is not Action or Reaction speed)?
Ruling: When Kai'sa Evolutionary conquers and triggers her ability, the spell she selects is played immediately before any new showdown would start, regardless of the spell's normal timing restrictions.
If a unit receives a minus effect (like Smokescreen's -4 might to minimum 1) and then receives a buff later in the same turn, does the minus effect continue to apply or does the buff increase from the current reduced value?
Ruling: Minus effects like Smokescreen apply once on resolution and modify the unit's current might. Subsequent buffs or debuffs that turn work from the new current might value, not the original value.
Does the first player draw a card on their opening turn (starting with 5 cards total)?
Ruling: In 1v1 modes, the first player does draw a card on their opening turn, giving them 5 cards total (4 starting cards plus 1 drawn).
For cards like Garbage Grabber that specify 'recycle 3', do you need to target exactly 3 to recycle? And why can you play Chemtech Enforcer with an empty hand but can't recycle less than 3 cards?
Ruling: You must recycle exactly 3 cards to activate Garbage Grabber's ability because it is a cost. You can play Chemtech Enforcer with an empty hand because the discard is an on-play effect, not a cost.
If a unit has reduced might (e.g., Cithria Cloudfield at 1 power from Watcher's -3 debuff) and you remove a buff token to pay a cost, does the unit die or stay alive at 0 might?
Ruling: The unit stays alive at 0 might. Units only die if their damage is equal to or greater than their might, so a unit with 0 might and no damage on it will not die.
Does "cost" in card text always refer to the original/printed cost, or does it include additional or repeat costs?
Ruling: "Cost" in card text always means printed cost only. It does not include additional costs or repeat costs. Nuances: - Cards like "Riposte" that increase cost only affect the printed cost, not additional or repeat costs - Cards like "Yordle Explorer" do not trigger even if a card like "Corina Veraza" is accelerated, because acceleration modifies the printed cost
Can I activate Lux Crownguard's ability to add 2 energy in response to a kill spell (like Vengeance), then use that energy to play Retreat to save Lux?
Ruling: Yes, you can activate Lux's ability to add 2 energy in response to Vengeance, then use that energy to play Retreat. However, the more standard play is to react with Retreat directly and use Lux's ability to pay the cost while finalizing Retreat on the chain, since you don't need to add resources before playing a spell.
When Irelia - Fervent (who gains 1 might when chosen or readied) is targeted by Ride the Wind, does she gain +1 or +2 might, and when does she gain it in the chain?
Ruling: If Irelia is exhausted when targeted by Ride the Wind, she gains +2 might total: +1 for being chosen and +1 for being readied.
Does Fight or Flight exhaust the unit being targeted?
Ruling: No, Fight or Flight does not exhaust the unit being targeted. The exhaust cost for standard movement is the cost for using it, while other movement effects only change a unit's status if they explicitly say they do.
If I use Hextech Ray on a 5-Might unit (dealing 3 damage) and then use Smoke Screen on it (reducing it to 1 Might), does it die?
Ruling: Yes, the unit dies. A unit dies when it has damage marked on it equal to or greater than its current Might.
Can Showstopper be used on a unit that is already buffed?
Ruling: Yes, Showstopper can be used on a unit that is already buffed. The buff will not be applied again, but all other effects of the card will still resolve.
Can Wind Wall counter unit and champion abilities like Harnessed Dragon's ability to kill a unit?
Ruling: Wind Wall can only counter spells. It cannot counter unit or champion abilities. Nuances: - No current cards can counter unit abilities
When attacking with a 2 might unit buffed by Imperial Decree into a battlefield with two 10 might units, can you split the damage 1 and 1 to kill both units?
Ruling: No, you cannot split the damage to kill both units. You must assign damage equal to a unit's Might before assigning damage to other units, and Imperial Decree does not modify the concept of Lethal Damage.
When can you play a +1 might reaction like En Garde to save a unit from Disintegrate's lethal damage?
Ruling: You can only play En Garde before Disintegrate resolves. Once Disintegrate resolves and deals lethal damage, a cleanup occurs immediately and there is no reaction window to save the unit.
Can you use Hidden Blade on your own unit after assigning combat damage but before damage resolves, then use Sett Legend to recall the unit and still deal damage?
Ruling: No, you cannot assign damage and then use Hidden Blade. Hidden Blade must be played from the facedown zone before reaching the combat damage step, when you have priority.
Can I score an extra conquer point by using Gust to return my unit from a battlefield during my opponent's turn (making it open), then using Ride the Wind to move another unit to that now-open battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, you can score a conquer point this way. Each battlefield can only be scored once per turn, but when a battlefield becomes uncontrolled and is then conquered again, it can be scored. However, you cannot use Gust "out of nowhere" - it must be played as a reaction to something (like a Ballista trigger or during a showdown).
Does flipping Foxfire from hidden count as playing a spell for Ravenbloom Student to get +1?
Ruling: Yes, flipping Foxfire from hidden counts as playing a spell for Ravenbloom Student to get +1.
When defending with a unit that has less might than the attacking unit, if the defender stuns the attacker, who recalls from the battlefield?
Ruling: If at the end of combat units remain from both players, then attackers recall. The stunned attacker returns to base and the defender successfully defends.
When Stormbringer moves Volibear Furious to an enemy battlefield with Sett Kingpin and other buffed units, does it cause one cleanup or two cleanups, and can the opponent respond with Hidden Blade?
Ruling: Stormbringer causes two cleanups in this situation. The first cleanup occurs after the move effect (killing units with lethal damage and reducing Sett Kingpin's might), and the second cleanup occurs after chain resolution (killing Sett Kingpin as a "zombie unit").
When Akshan steals a gear and Factory Recall is played, does the gear return to the original owner's hand?
Ruling: Yes, when Factory Recall is played on a gear that Akshan has stolen, it returns to the original owner's hand.
Does Tide Turner's location switch ability exhaust a readied card?
Ruling: No, Tide Turner's location switch ability does not exhaust a readied card. Only standard move actions or effects that explicitly state "exhaust" will exhaust cards.
If I use Hidden Blade to kill my own unit in response to my opponent's Hidden Blade targeting that same unit, do I draw 2 cards from both Hidden Blades?
Ruling: No, you only draw 2 cards from the Hidden Blade that successfully kills the unit. When you kill your own unit first, the opponent's Hidden Blade loses its valid target and cannot determine the controller of the unit (since it no longer exists at the battlefield), so its draw effect does not trigger.