Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 25 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If Lecturing Yordle (3 health) is on the battlefield and the opponent plays Hexray (dealing 3 damage), does the Yordle's controller have an opportunity to use Cleave (an action) to save it, or does the Yordle die before they can act?
Ruling: The Yordle dies before its controller can use Cleave to save it, because the chain must resolve fully before focus is passed back, and Cleave is an action that requires focus.
When moving a character into a battlefield to start a showdown, can the designated attacker play an action card (like Facebreaker) before their opponent gets priority?
Ruling: When you move into a battlefield and showdown starts, the designated attacker has first priority and can play action cards before their opponent.
When Gust is cast on a Recruit unit token to return it to hand, does it go to the player's hand or does it cease to exist?
Ruling: The Recruit unit token is returned to hand, then immediately ceases to exist because tokens cease to exist when put into any non-board zone (hand is a non-board zone).
If I move a unit to an empty battlefield but my opponent immediately uses Gust to send it back, do I still conquer the battlefield and score a point?
Ruling: You do not conquer the battlefield or score a point. You need to have units at the battlefield at the end of the showdown in order to conquer it and score a point.
If Tryndamere attacks a battlefield with one unit and Hidden Blade kills that unit before combat damage, does Tryndamere's ability to score another point still trigger?
Ruling: No, Tryndamere's ability does not trigger. He doesn't assign any excess damage to units because no combat damage was assigned in this scenario.
When Aurora triggers and finds a unit, and Karma triggers on the recycle, can Karma buff the unit that was played from Aurora?
Ruling: Yes, Karma can target the unit played from Aurora. The unit is played first (goes onto chain pending), then the recycle happens (Karma triggers onto chain pending above the unit). When finalizing, the unit finalizes and resolves first because permanents cannot have finalized items above them on the chain. After the unit resolves and enters play, Karma finalizes and...
Does Bandle Tree allow hiding two cards at one battlefield by paying once, or does it add an additional hidden card slot (allowing two total cards hidden by paying for each separately)?
Ruling: Bandle Tree adds one additional hidden card slot to the battlefield, allowing up to two cards to be hidden there total. You must pay the hiding cost for each card separately.
Does a buffed unit lose its buff when it is recalled from the battlefield to base by Zhonyas?
Ruling: No, the unit retains its buff. Units only lose temporary characteristics like buff counters when they change zones, not when they change locations.
Does moving a unit to a battlefield you already control cause a showdown?
Ruling: Moving a unit to a battlefield you already control does not cause a showdown. Sequence: - If you control a battlefield with a unit and move another unit there, no showdown occurs - If you leave a battlefield (making it unoccupied) and then move back in with a different unit, a showdown does occur
Does Lux trigger when you reduce a spell's cost below 5 with Eager Apprentice?
Ruling: Yes, Lux triggers based on the printed/base cost of the spell, not the reduced cost you actually pay. Nuances: - Cost reduction effects like Eager Apprentice reduce the cost you pay, but do not change the base cost for trigger purposes - This principle applies to other similar effects like Defy and blue Kai'sa, which all check printed cost...
When you play an equipment with QuickDraw, do you have to pay the equip cost?
Ruling: When you play an equipment with QuickDraw, you do not have to pay the equip cost on the initial play. You only pay the card's energy and power costs to play it and equip it to a unit you control.
Does a showdown start automatically when a unit moves to an occupied battlefield, or can you move multiple units separately before declaring the showdown?
Ruling: When a unit moves to a battlefield, a showdown begins automatically. However, you can move any number of your units together to the same destination with one standard move action.
Can an opponent always kill Zhonya with Salvage before combat starts, preventing it from saving a unit that would die in combat?
Ruling: Yes, if Zhonya is face-up in play, the opponent can wait until they have Focus and use Salvage to destroy it before combat begins. If Zhonya is Hidden, you can play it at Reaction speed during a chain or after your opponent has played their last card or is out of resources, but if you play it just to...
To win via double conquer, do you need to keep a unit holding each battlefield, or can you score both battlefields in the same turn by any means (e.g., a unit conquering one battlefield then moving to conquer the other)?
Ruling: You do not need to keep a unit at each battlefield. You simply need to score all battlefields in the same turn to win the final point via conquering.
Can I attack and cast an action spell in response before passing priority to my opponent, preventing them from playing action spells since mine is on the stack?
Ruling: You can attack and cast an action spell, but after that chain resolves, your opponent can still play an action spell. Both players must pass priority (say they're not playing anything anymore) before moving on.
Does Thousand Tailed Watcher choose targets, and do you need to pay Deflect costs when activating Watcher's ability if the opponent has a Deflect unit?
Ruling: Thousand Tailed Watcher does not choose targets when its trigger activates, so you do not need to pay Deflect costs even if your opponent has a Deflect unit.
Does Svellsongur allow Caitlyn to use her activated ability twice?
Ruling: Svellsongur does basically nothing for Caitlyn. While it gives her two copies of her activated ability, you can only activate one of them because activating an ability requires exhausting Caitlyn as a cost, and you cannot exhaust her twice.
When moving Merchant to a battlefield, can you play reaction spells in response to its trigger to empty your hand before the trigger resolves, thus avoiding discarding a card but still drawing one?
Ruling: Yes, you can play reaction spells in response to Merchant's move trigger to empty your hand before it resolves, allowing you to discard 0 cards and draw 1 card.
Does Thousand Tailed Watcher's effect trigger Deflect? Does Unchecked Power trigger Deflect?
Ruling: Neither Thousand Tailed Watcher nor Unchecked Power trigger Deflect because they do not target. They apply blanket effects to all enemy units rather than selecting specific game objects.
When Yasuo Remorseful attacks and triggers his 'when I attack' ability, can you react with Smokescreen to reduce his might, and does that reduce the damage dealt by his ability?
Ruling: Yasuo's "when I attack" ability goes on the chain and can be reacted to. If you react with Smokescreen to reduce his might by 4, Yasuo's ability will deal damage equal to his current might when it resolves (2 damage instead of 6).
If Warwick moves to a conquered Battlefield, opponent plays a damaging spell, and you respond with Unyielding Spirit then Flurry of Blades, how does the chain resolve? Does Flurry deal damage before Unyielding Spirit prevents damage? Does Unyielding Spirit save Warwick from the damage spell? Does Warwick's ability still wipe the battlefield even with Unyielding Spirit active?
Ruling: The chain resolves in reverse order: Flurry of Blades deals damage first, then Unyielding Spirit prevents the damage spell from harming Warwick, then Warwick's attack trigger resolves and wipes the battlefield (since Warwick's ability doesn't deal damage, Unyielding Spirit doesn't prevent it).
Does Teemo still deal damage if he is moved with Gust after declaring a target, and are cards still revealed?
Ruling: Gust invalidates "here" and makes the target illegal, so Teemo does not deal damage. However, you still reveal the cards and then recycle them without dealing damage.
If I have two units at a battlefield with Mask of Foresight equipped, and the opponent attacks, can I use a reaction to move one unit away so the remaining unit gets the +1 might from Mask's 'when defends alone' trigger?
Ruling: No, Mask of Foresight will not trigger in this scenario. Attack/defend triggers only fire when a unit first gains the attacker/defender designation during a combat. Since both units were already designated as defenders when the showdown began, moving one away does not cause the remaining unit to be re-designated as a defender, so Mask's condition is never met.
On your opponent's turn, can you use Ride the Wind to move off a battlefield and back on to score a point?
Ruling: If you Ride the Wind off and back onto a battlefield during a showdown, you will trigger a new showdown after the current one resolves. If you still control the battlefield at the end of that second showdown and haven't scored it yet this turn, you will score a point.
If I control a battlefield and move my units off it then back onto it during my turn, do I score it again?
Ruling: Battlefields can only be scored once per turn. If you already scored a hold point this turn, moving units off and back on does not grant another point.
If you cast two Time Warps on the same turn, do you queue both extra turns or only get one?
Ruling: For every instance of Time Warp that resolves, the player who resolves it queues an extra turn after the current one, regardless of normal turn order. You get both extra turns.
Can you tap all runes for resources, then move Miss Fortune to ready a rune, tap that rune again, and use all accumulated resources to play a 10-cost card?
Ruling: Yes, this is a valid play. Resources float for your entire turn, so you can tap all runes first, then use Miss Fortune's ability to ready a rune and tap it again, accumulating enough resources to play a 10-cost card as long as you don't spend the resources elsewhere.
When Ahri charms an opponent's unit (with Mask in play) into combat, what is the order of 'when an enemy attacks' triggers on the chain, and what is the final Might of the charmed unit?
Ruling: The attacker's triggers go on the chain first, followed by the defender's triggers. Since the charmed unit is moved into contested and becomes the attacker, Mask (attacker's trigger) goes on the chain before Ahri triggers (defender's triggers). Ahri triggers resolve first, reducing Might to 1, then Mask resolves, bringing the unit to 2 Might.
If Leona is removed from a battlefield before her stun trigger resolves, does the trigger still stun an enemy unit at that location?
Ruling: If a unit is removed from a location before their trigger resolves, the "here" it refers to might no longer have valid targets. If the unit has been defeated, the ability will resolve to no effect.
After a showdown starts and the first action chain resolves, can players play another action and start a new chain, or does combat immediately resolve?
Ruling: After the first action chain resolves in a showdown, players can play another action and start a new chain before combat resolves.
Are Battlefields revealed before determining Turn Order?
Ruling: Yes, Battlefields are selected, placed, and revealed before Turn Order is determined. Sequence: - Legend selection - Champion selection - Battlefield selection and placement (revealed when placed in the Battlefield Zone) - Turn Order determination - Draw cards - Mulligan
Can you play Challenge (an Action) in response to an opponent playing Get Excited during a showdown?
Ruling: No, you cannot play Challenge in response to Get Excited because Challenge is an Action and cannot be played in response to other cards.
If a player flips a hidden Teemo in response to Blitzcrank pulling their last unit away from a battlefield, does that player score a point for conquering the battlefield with Teemo?
Ruling: No, you do not score a point. Control of the battlefield does not change, so you do not conquer it.
When Dr. Mundo (6 might from 0 cards in trash) is attacked by Remorseful Yasuo (with 'When I attack deal damage equal to my might' ability), and two Stupefies are played in response, does Mundo gain +2 might from those Stupefies entering the trash before Yasuo's attack ability resolves?
Ruling: Dr. Mundo gains +2 might from the Stupefies before Yasuo's attack ability resolves, bringing him to 8 might and allowing him to survive.
If Yasuo - Remorseful (6 Might) moves to an occupied battlefield and his 'When I attack' ability deals 6 damage to a defending unit with 5 Might, does the defender die during cleanup before combat occurs?
Ruling: Yes, the defender will cease to exist during cleanup after Yasuo's ability resolves, so no combat will occur afterwards.
Can you use Yasuo's legend ability to recall him immediately after he starts an attack?
Ruling: No, Yasuo's legend ability cannot be used during combat because it has base speed (no action or reaction keyword). However, you could achieve a similar effect with a spell like "Ride the Wind" that can be used during combat.
After using Gust to move an attacking unit during combat, does the opponent have priority to play spells before combat ends and damage heals?
Ruling: Yes, after Gust resolves there is still a window for either player to play action or reaction spells before combat ends. The opponent can play Hextech Ray on the Deadbloom before it heals.
Does Vilemaw Lair prevent all forms of movement including from effects like Zenith Blade, Flash, and Ride the Wind?
Ruling: Vilemaw Lair prevents all forms of movement effects, including abilities like Zenith Blade, Flash, and Ride the Wind. Nuances: - Recall is not considered a move, so effects like Sett or Zhonyas can still recall units from the battlefield - The Syren's gear effect would not work with units in Vilemaw Lair battlefield since it involves movement
Does Ahri Nine-Tailed Fox's legend ability trigger once or multiple times when multiple enemy units attack, and does each attacking unit get -1/-1?
Ruling: Ahri Nine-Tailed Fox's legend ability triggers separately for each attacking enemy unit, giving each one -1/-1. You never make a choice about which unit to target.
When does Ravenbloom Student's triggered ability get added to the chain - when you play a spell or when a spell resolves?
Ruling: Ravenbloom Student's triggered ability enters the chain after a spell you play resolves, not when you initially play it.
If I use Retreat to remove the target of my opponent's Rebuke, does Rebuke retarget to bounce their own unit?
Ruling: No, Rebuke will not retarget. When Rebuke is played, the target unit is chosen and locked in. If that target is removed (such as by Retreat), Rebuke will fail to resolve but will not select a new target.
Does Scrapyard Champion's effect trigger if you have 1 or fewer cards in hand when you play it?
Ruling: Yes, the effect triggers. You discard as many cards as you can (including 0 cards) and then draw 2.
Can Anivia and Warwick attack together to trigger their 'When I attack' effects simultaneously, allowing Warwick to kill units damaged by Anivia?
Ruling: You can attack with both Anivia and Warwick together. Since their 'When I attack' effects trigger at the same time, the attacker decides the order they resolve in, allowing you to have Anivia damage the enemy board first and then have Warwick kill the damaged units.
Can you cast Retreat targeting your unit, then react to it by casting another Retreat on the same unit to bounce 1 unit and gain 2 memory?
Ruling: No, you cannot gain 2 memory this way. When the first Retreat resolves, "its owner" cannot be defined for the second Retreat, so you won't get a second memory.
When cards have 'when a unit dies' effects, do they trigger when the unit itself dies?
Ruling: No, units with "when a unit dies" effects do not trigger when they themselves die. They would be in the trash when their effect would trigger, so they cannot trigger.
Does Ride the Wind give Irelia Fervent +2 attack or only +1 attack?
Ruling: Ride the Wind gives Irelia Fervent +2 attack total if Irelia is exhausted when Ride the Wind is played.
For Jinx Demolitionist with Accelerate (Pay 1 and Exhaust a specific colored rune), does it cost 4 tapped runes and exhaust 2 red runes, or 3 tapped runes and exhaust 2 red runes and 1 of any rune?
Ruling: To play Jinx Demolitionist accelerated, you must exhaust 4 runes total and recycle 2 red runes. Nuances: - "Exhaust" means tapping the runes - "Recycle" is the term for putting runes under your runes-deck
When Zhonya's Hourglass is played from hidden at a battlefield where you lose control (due to having no units remaining), does it stay at the battlefield or move to base?
Ruling: When Zhonya's Hourglass is played from hidden, it is instantly recalled to base before other effects resolve, regardless of battlefield control.
Can you retreat after capturing a battlefield (but not conquer), or conquer but then choose not to hold (retreat back)?
Ruling: You cannot avoid conquering if you end a showdown with only your units present at a battlefield you do not control (and haven't scored this turn). Units exhaust when they move to the battlefield to initiate the showdown, not when they conquer it.
Can you play Zhonya's Hourglass to base (hidden) and then save a character in a battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Zhonya's Hourglass hidden to base, but you must reveal it (at reaction speed) before it can save anything. It will save the next unit that dies after being revealed.