Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 23 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
Does conquering Targon's Peak several times in a turn cause the player to ready 2 runes each time?
Ruling: No. You can only score at each battlefield one time per turn. If you've already scored there, you can't conquer it again that turn, which means conquer effects like Targon's Peak don't trigger.
If Soulgorger plays Magma Wurm, does the Magma Wurm enter the board before Soulgorger, allowing Soulgorger to enter ready?
Ruling: No. When Soulgorger's ability goes on the chain, Soulgorger is already on board exhausted. There is no window where Magma Wurm would hit the board before Soulgorger.
When playing a card with an effect that ignores its cost (like Dazzling), do you still have to pay additional costs like Accelerate? Does 'ignoring' count as cost reduction?
Ruling: Ignoring a card's cost only applies to its base (printed) cost, not additional costs. You are never forced to pay additional costs, but you can choose to pay them. Cost reduction effects can reduce additional costs to 0, allowing you to 'pay' them without expenditure.
Are there multiple windows to play cards during a showdown, and how does priority/focus work between players before combat damage happens?
Ruling: There are multiple opportunities to play cards during a showdown. Combat damage only happens when both players pass focus/priority in succession while the stack (chain) is empty.
When interacting with Reavers Row, does the Leona stun occur before the move by the defender?
Ruling: No, the Leona stun does not occur before the defender's move. "When I attack" effects go on the chain before "when I defend" effects, and are resolved after.
Does Baited Hook count the +1 Might bonus from Trifarian War Camp when a Recruit or unit on the War Camp is killed?
Ruling: Yes, Baited Hook uses the Might the unit had at the moment it was killed, so it does take into account the +1 from Trifarian War Camp.
If Yasuo, Windrider moves to conquer, gets stunned and bounced back to base without dealing damage or dying, does that count as another movement toward scoring the point?
Ruling: No, recall is not a movement and does not count toward scoring the point. Nuances: - Being bounced back to base due to stun (not dealing damage and not dying) triggers a recall - Recall does not count as movement for scoring purposes
Can you respond to Fiora's trigger with Gust when she attacks/defends alongside Yi, and does it work differently if she's defending?
Ruling: Fiora's "When I attack/defend" ability creates a trigger that can be responded to with Reaction spells like Gust. However, if Fiora is defending with Yi, Gust would not work on her alone because Yi's +2 Might ability applies first through layers and dependency, making her 5 Might (above Gust's threshold).
When conquering Zaun Warrens, what is the order of conquer triggers and scoring effects?
Ruling: Drawing the card is part of the conquer score. The conquer effect triggers when you conquer (when you draw a card) and is finalized in the following cleanup, so you draw first and then resolve the Zaun Warrens trigger.
Does using Caitlyn's ability exhaust the champion, and does this prevent her from moving in/out of battlefields?
Ruling: Yes, Caitlyn's ability has the exhaust icon, so using it exhausts her. After using her ability, she cannot use a standard move action (which requires exhausting) unless she is readied again.
Does damage marked on units get cleared during the showdown phase, even if those units are not participating in the showdown?
Ruling: All marked damage is cleared from all units on the board during the showdown phase, regardless of whether they participated in the showdown or their location.
Can you pre-tap runes on your opponent's turn to float energy/power for later use in that turn?
Ruling: Yes, you can pre-tap runes on your opponent's turn to float energy and power in your rune pool. Nuances: - Your rune pool empties at the end of each draw phase and at the end of each turn - This allows you to pre-tap runes before an opponent's action (like Divine Judgment or starting a showdown) and use that...
Does an effect that affects everything (like Thousand Tailed Watcher) trigger Deflect?
Ruling: No, effects that affect everything do not trigger Deflect. Deflect only activates when a player makes a choice to target something.
Can you still do the Zhonya's interaction after the rules update?
Ruling: Yes, you can still do the Zhonya's interaction after the rules update. The ruling for this situation remains the same despite the rules being rewritten more cleanly.
When attacking with Volibear and Warwick at the same time, can you use Volibear's ability first to damage up to 5 units, then use Warwick's ability to kill those damaged units before combat starts? Generally, when multiple 'When I attack' abilities trigger simultaneously, can you choose the order?
Ruling: Yes, when multiple triggers happen at the same time, the controller of the triggers chooses the order in which they are placed onto the Chain.
When a unit with Deathknell dies and triggers both its Deathknell ability and another 'when a unit dies' trigger, can the player choose the order to resolve them?
Ruling: If both triggers are from the same event (the unit with Deathknell dying), you can choose to order them in either sequence.
When defending with a damaged unit on Reavers Row and Warwick attacks, can I retreat my unit using Reavers Row's ability before Warwick's attack resolves, since Warwick's focus ability goes on the chain first and Reavers Row resolves first?
Ruling: Yes, you can retreat your unit with Reavers Row before Warwick's attack resolves. Since Warwick's focus ability goes on the chain first, Reavers Row's ability goes on after and resolves first.
When Yasuo's ability is on the chain and the opponent removes Yasuo with Hidden Blade before the ability resolves, does the ability still deal damage based on Yasuo's might?
Ruling: Yasuo's ability would not deal damage if Yasuo is removed from the battlefield before the ability resolves. The might value cannot be determined when the unit is no longer present.
If I play Void Seeker targeting a unit, and my opponent plays Recall returning that unit to hand, do I still draw 1 card?
Ruling: Yes, you still draw 1 card. You resolve as much of Void Seeker's effect as possible even if the target is no longer valid.
Can I play a unit from my hand directly to a battlefield, or do I have to play it on my board first and then move it next turn?
Ruling: You can play units directly to any battlefield you control. You control a battlefield if you already have some of your units on it. You also control your base.
When Fading Memories gives an opponent's unit Temporary, and that opponent also has a Jinx Loose Cannon beginning phase trigger, who controls both triggers and can they order them?
Ruling: The opponent controls both triggers and can order them as they choose. Nuances: - Fading Memories only gives a unit the Temporary keyword - Like any other unit with the Temporary keyword, the trigger belongs to the unit's controller, not the player who gave it the keyword
Does using Sabotage to recycle a card from an opponent's hand into their deck trigger Karma's effect when you control Karma?
Ruling: No, using Sabotage on your opponent does not trigger your Karma. Only recycling cards into your own deck triggers Karma's effect.
When does a player receive priority to play a reaction during their opponent's turn, specifically when the opponent plays a unit to their base, moves a unit to a battlefield they already control, or passes turn?
Ruling: A player does not receive priority to play a reaction when their opponent plays a unit to their base (without abilities), moves a unit to a battlefield they already control, or passes turn.
When do you choose to repeat a card - on activation or on resolution?
Ruling: You must choose to repeat when you pay the cost of playing the spell, as part of finalizing the card. The repeated spell creates one chain item with its effect twice, not two separate activations.
When a card resolves from the chain and draws you a card, can you immediately play that card as a reaction before the next item on the chain resolves?
Ruling: Yes, when an item resolves from the chain, the controller of the next item on the chain gains priority. If you draw a reaction card during resolution, you can play it before the next item resolves.
Does Zhonyas Hourglass's effect of saving a unit use the chain, and can you respond to it with a reaction like Gust?
Ruling: Zhonyas Hourglass uses a replacement effect which does not use the chain, so you cannot respond to it with reactions.
If my unit died on Grand Plaza last turn, can I put a unit there this turn to win?
Ruling: Yes, you can conquer Grand Plaza to win if a turn has passed since you held it, as long as you haven't already scored Plaza this turn.
Does Lux's legend ability trigger after the spell has been put on the chain, or after it has resolved?
Ruling: Lux's legend ability triggers after the spell has resolved. In Riftbound, "play" means "resolve." Nuances: - If a spell is negated (such as with Windwall) and doesn't resolve, Lux doesn't draw and the spell wasn't played.
If Viktor Leader and another non-token unit are killed simultaneously by the same effect (e.g., 'Kill 2 units'), does Viktor's death trigger activate?
Ruling: No, Viktor Leader's trigger does not activate when he dies simultaneously with other units. Sequence: - Units killed simultaneously don't see each other dying - The trigger effect would occur after a unit dies - Since Viktor dies at the same time as the other unit, he is already dead when the trigger would occur and cannot trigger anymore
When a unit with buffs is reduced to minimum 1 Might by Thousand-Tailed Watcher's -3 debuff, does it gain additional Might from subsequent modifiers like Master Yi's +2 when defending, or does the Watcher's debuff continue to apply?
Ruling: When Thousand-Tailed Watcher is played, its -3 Might reduction occurs once in that moment and is not a continuous ability. Subsequent modifiers like Master Yi's +2 when defending apply normally after the Watcher's effect has resolved.
Can you move a ready unit from base to an opponent's battlefield and simultaneously move a unit with ganking from a different battlefield to the same destination, or does a showdown trigger immediately preventing the ganking unit from moving?
Ruling: You can move any number of eligible units simultaneously from different locations (including base and other battlefields) to the same destination as long as they can legally move there and you exhaust each of them. A showdown does not trigger until after all simultaneous movement is complete.
When Icathian Rain targets 6 times and Spirit's Refuge is on the board, does the user have to recycle a ruin for each buffed unit targeted, or is it a one-time cost?
Ruling: You must pay the cost (recycle a ruin) for every time you target a buffed unit with Icathian Rain while Spirit's Refuge is on the board, not just once.
In Riftbound, does the winner of the die roll get to choose whether to go first or second, or are they required to go first?
Ruling: The winner of the die roll gets to choose whether to go first or second. Sequence: (for game setup) - Reveal legends, chosen champions, and battlefields - Roll to determine who picks turn order - Winner chooses to go first or second - Draw 4 cards and mulligan
Can Imperial Decree allow a single 4 might unit to deal 1 damage to each of four 4 might units to wipe the battlefield, or must lethal damage be assigned to one unit before moving to the next?
Ruling: You cannot use Imperial Decree to spread 1 damage to multiple units to wipe them. You must assign lethal damage to an individual unit before moving on to the next one.
When resolving Sabotage, must you choose a non-unit card from the opponent's hand if one is present, or can you decline to choose?
Ruling: If the opponent has a non-unit card in their hand, you must choose one. The effect is not optional once resolving.
When attacking with multiple units that have attack abilities, can the attacker choose the order in which those abilities are added to the chain?
Ruling: Yes, when you attack with multiple units that have attack abilities, you choose the order in which those abilities enter the chain.
What happens when you run out of units in your deck while Dazzling Aurora's end of turn trigger is resolving?
Ruling: You reveal cards until you run out of cards to reveal, then shuffle your deck. You do not perform a Burn Out because the revealed cards are still considered part of the deck.
When two showdowns are triggered in sequence (one from moving a unit to a battlefield, then another from Zenith Blade moving a unit away), which battlefield is scored first?
Ruling: When Zenith Blade creates a new showdown while another showdown is already in progress, the original showdown resolves completely before the new one begins. The battlefield where the first showdown was triggered scores first.
Can Hidden Blade hidden at Battlefield A target a unit at Battlefield B?
Ruling: Hidden Blade cannot target units at a different battlefield. Hidden cards can only affect units that are at the battlefield they are hidden at.
If a unit starts on battlefield B, gets charmed to battlefield A during the opponent's turn, then is moved back to battlefield B via Ride the Wind before combat resolves, does the controlling player conquer battlefield B?
Ruling: Yes, you conquer battlefield B when your unit moves back. What matters is whether you have already scored that battlefield this turn, which you generally would not have during your opponent's turn.
How are battlefields chosen at the beginning of a game - randomly or by player choice? Can the same battlefield be used multiple times in a match?
Ruling: Each player brings three battlefields as part of their deck. In best-of-three matches, each player chooses which battlefield to use for each game but can only use each battlefield once per match. In best-of-one matches, battlefields are randomly chosen.
Can Defy be used on Sky Splitter when its cost has been reduced to 0?
Ruling: No, Defy cannot be used on Sky Splitter when its cost has been reduced to 0. Effects that check a card's cost only look at the card's printed cost, ignoring any reductions.
If you have 0 cards in hand and Super Mega Death Rocket in trash, can you conquer at 7 points (drawing a card instead of scoring), then use the Death Rocket's 'when you conquer' effect with the card you just drew?
Ruling: Yes, you can use Super Mega Death Rocket's effect with the card you just drew from conquering. The draw from conquering at 7 points happens before 'when you conquer' triggers go on the chain.
If I use Hook to look at the top card of my deck and see an Undertitan, do I get to float 2 energy?
Ruling: No, you do not get the 2 energy from Undertitan when using Hook. Hook only lets you look at cards, not reveal them, and Undertitan's ability requires the card to be revealed from the top of your deck.
Does Svellsongr double a unit's Deflect, Assault, and Shield values, or does it create a duplicate that does nothing?
Ruling: Svellsongr doubles these values. The effects stack because Svellsongr copies the text, so a unit with Deflect 2 would have "Deflect 2" from its original text and "Deflect 2" from Svellsongr, combining into Deflect 4.
Does Mask of Foresight need to be attached or tapped when used?
Ruling: Mask of Foresight does not need to be attached or tapped when used. It is a constant triggered ability that provides its bonus any time a friendly unit attacks or defends alone.
Can a Hidden unit in a battlefield be used in response to a Temporary token dying during the Beginning Step to maintain control of the battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, you can respond to the Temporary trigger by flipping your Hidden unit (such as Teemo) to keep control of the battlefield and score it.
Can you play Stupefy or Discipline without targeting a unit, just to draw a card?
Ruling: No, you cannot cast Stupefy or Discipline without a valid target just to draw a card. You need a valid target to exist in order to cast the spell and put it on the chain.
When using Reaver's Row ability in chain, do you pick the target unit when the ability enters the chain or when it resolves?
Ruling: You must pick the target unit when the Reaver's Row ability is placed onto the chain, as targets must be chosen when a spell or ability is placed on the chain.
Can you play a reaction in response to Jinx Legend's beginning step trigger to remove opponent's permanents before they can respond?
Ruling: Yes, you can play reactions in response to Jinx Legend's triggered ability. The trigger occurs at the start of your turn regardless of hand size, and both players can play reactions at this time.