Riftbound Rules Questions (Page 26)

Can multiple units be on the same Battlefield, and if so, do you score 1+ point for each?

Ruling: You can have multiple units at a battlefield, but you only ever score one point per battlefield per turn regardless of how many units you have there.

Can you activate Death Rocket's triggered ability when you conquer if you do not have any card in hand to discard?

Ruling: Yes, the triggered ability always activates when you conquer. On resolution, you choose whether or not to discard a card and return Death Rocket to your hand.

Can a unit recall from Vilemaw's Lair (battlefield) when Zhonya's Hourglass is active, given that the battlefield prevents movement?

Ruling: Yes, the unit can recall from the battlefield even when Zhonya's Hourglass is active. Nuances: - Recall is not the same as Move - Move is a defined Game Action that is prohibited by the battlefield - Recall is not considered a Move action, so it is not prevented by battlefield restrictions

When there are both attack triggers and defend triggers, who gets priority first?

Ruling: The controller of the last link added to the chain gets priority first. When there are both attack and defend triggers, the defender gets priority first because defend triggers are added to the chain after attack triggers.

What does the word 'here' on cards mean in Riftbound?

Ruling: 'Here' refers to any location that the unit is currently at, whether that is the battlefield or a base.

When Blue Ahri attacks a Blastcone Fae and reduces its might by 2, then Blastcone Fae is pumped by Discipline during Showdown, what is the Fae's final might? Is Ahri's -2 continuous or does it bottom out at 1?

Ruling: The Blastcone Fae will be at 3 might. Ahri's -2 might reduction is continuous and applies even after other pumps.

Does Qiyana get a conquer effect if she helps conquer but gets saved by Sett when damage resolves?

Ruling: No, Qiyana does not get a conquer effect if she is recalled by Sett before the battlefield is conquered.

In 2v2 games, can you show your hand to your teammate?

Ruling: Yes, you can show your hand to your teammate freely in 2v2 games. This is not considered "revealing" cards for the purposes of card effects that care about when cards get revealed.

Can Fox Fire target cards at different battlefields, or must all targets be at the same battlefield?

Ruling: When played from hand, Fox Fire can target units at any one singular battlefield. When played from Hidden, it can only target units at the battlefield where it was Hidden.

How does Fox-Fire targeting work - does 'total might 4 or less' mean the combined might of all targets, and can it target units at multiple battlefields?

Ruling: Fox-Fire targets any number of units whose might values sum to 4 or less total (e.g., four 1-might units, one 1-might and one 3-might unit, two 2-might units, etc.). When played from hand, it can target units at any battlefield(s). When played from hidden, all targets must be at the battlefield where it was hidden.

If you control a battlefield with only one unit (Thousand-Tailed Watcher), and during an opponent's attack you use Arcane Shift to banish and replay that unit, can you play it back to the same battlefield even though there are temporarily no units there?

Ruling: Yes, you can play the unit back to the same battlefield. You cannot lose battlefield control as long as a combat is ongoing, and as long as you control a battlefield you can play units there.

If you have two Sun Discs and tap both of them, does the next unit enter ready and the second unit also enter ready, or do both effects apply to the same unit redundantly?

Ruling: Both Sun Disc effects apply to the same next unit redundantly. The second effect does not carry over to a subsequent unit.

If I kill a unit with a spell and use Immortal Phoenix's ability (pay 1 recycle 1), can I play it straight to the battlefield from trash, and if so, where can it be played?

Ruling: You can play Immortal Phoenix from trash to your base or to a battlefield you control (even when defending). You cannot play it to a battlefield you don't control (so not when attacking) or to an open battlefield.

How does Cithria's buff ability work when played alone, when playing units after her, and when a buff is expended from her?

Ruling: Cithria does not buff herself when played alone. She only gains a buff when you play another unit after her, and only if she doesn't already have a buff. A unit can only have one buff at a time (except Lee Sin).

If a combat is initiated but no combat damage occurs (because units are moved or killed by spells before the damage step), do units at other battlefields still heal?

Ruling: Yes, once combat is initiated, all steps and phases of combat occur including healing, regardless of whether combat damage is actually dealt.

Is Blitzcrank's hold effect (returning to hand) required or optional?

Ruling: Blitzcrank's hold effect is required. You must return him to hand when the effect triggers. Nuances: - If the effect said "you may..." then it would be optional, but it would still go on the chain and resolve without effect if you chose not to return it

If you play Undertitan and then attack where you play Rengar as a reaction, does Rengar get the +2 from Undertitan?

Ruling: If you play Undertitan normally and then play Rengar as a reaction, Rengar does not get the +2 bonus because Undertitan's ability only affects units already on the board when it resolves. However, if you reveal and play Undertitan off Reksai/Swarm Queen's attack ability, you can sequence it so Rengar gets the bonus.

Can Irelia move to another battlefield using Ride the Wind while she has Ganking from Swiftness Boots, and if so, does a showdown start and can a point be earned on the opponent's turn?

Ruling: Yes, Irelia can move to another battlefield with Ride the Wind regardless of Ganking status. A showdown will be staged at the destination battlefield once the game is in a neutral open state (no other showdown ongoing and no active chain), and you can score points on the opponent's turn.

Do legend cards need to be paid for and played like other cards, or are they always active with their colors only determining deck color identity?

Ruling: Legend cards are always active from the start of the game at no cost. The symbols at the top left show the color identity for deck building purposes.

Does Viktor Innovator let me play a recruit when I play cards from hidden (Hidden Blade)?

Ruling: Yes, playing a card from hidden is still playing a card, so Viktor Innovator triggers and lets you create a recruit token.

If I invite someone to help in combat and they use MF ult, will my units take damage?

Ruling: The invite mechanic has been removed from the game, so this situation no longer applies under current rules. Nuances: - Players can now show up uninvited into combat - The previous invite mechanic that would have made this relevant is no longer part of the game

If I conquer Zaun Warrens with no cards in hand, do I still draw one from the trigger even if I cannot discard?

Ruling: Yes, you still draw a card from the Zaun Warrens trigger even if you have no cards in hand to discard.

What is the correct sequence for battlefield selection and turn order determination at the start of a game?

Ruling: Players first select and reveal battlefields, then determine turn order (via dice roll/coinflip), then draw cards and mulligan. Sequence: - Select battlefields - Roll dice/coinflip to determine who chooses turn order - Reveal battlefields - Choose turn order (who goes first/second) - Draw cards and mulligan

Does the equip keyword count as choosing/targeting a unit?

Ruling: Yes, equipping targets a unit. When you attach an equipment to a unit you control, you are choosing that unit, which makes it a target under the current rules.

Can a card like Wind Rider Yasuo score the 8th point and win by moving 3 times to reach 8+ points?

Ruling: Yes, Wind Rider Yasuo can score the 8th point and win by moving 3 times. Only conquering is restricted from scoring bonus points beyond 7.

Can you play a reaction speed effect during your opponent's turn without them playing something (like at end of turn in Magic)?

Ruling: No, you cannot play reaction speed effects during your opponent's turn unless they are responding to something on the chain. Priority only passes during showdowns or when an ability/spell are used, not between phases.

When a defender uses surprise defense (e.g., Ride the Wind) to move to a battlefield and the showdown results in a draw, does the defender score the battlefield?

Ruling: Yes, the defender scores the battlefield after a draw. When a draw occurs, the attacking units are recalled to base, but the defending player remains in control of the battlefield and conquers it.

Does Teemo's new text still trigger when played from hidden during a showdown?

Ruling: Yes, Teemo still triggers when played from hidden during a showdown because he is assigned as a defender when played to the battlefield, which triggers his "when I defend" ability.

Does Mageseeker Warden prevent units with Accelerate (like Sprite Mother tokens) from entering ready, and does it stop Thousand Tail Watcher from readying itself?

Ruling: Mageseeker Warden does not prevent units from entering the board ready. It only prevents exhausted units from being readied. Sprite tokens and all accelerated units enter ready and are not affected by Mageseeker Warden. Thousand Tail Watcher is also not affected because it does not "ready itself" in the way that triggers Mageseeker's ability.

Is there a window for reactions after resolving each effect of the chain, or can you only add to the top of the chain and wait for all of it to resolve?

Ruling: There is a window to react after each item on the chain resolves. After each resolution, the player who controls the most recent item on the chain becomes the active player, and all relevant players must pass again to proceed.

When Wildclaw Shaman is played, does its 'when you play me' trigger go on the stack after the unit enters the battlefield, and can you use buffs created by other 'when you play' triggers (like Cynthia of Cloudfield) to pay for Shaman's ability?

Ruling: Yes, Wildclaw Shaman's 'when you play me' trigger works like MTG's 'enter the battlefield' triggers, not 'cast' triggers. The unit resolves and enters the battlefield first, then its trigger goes on the chain. You can order simultaneous triggers as you want and spend buffs created by other 'when you play' triggers (like Cynthia) to pay for Shaman's ability.

In a duel, if you're at 7 points but can't win through conquest, do you draw a card?

Ruling: Yes, you draw a card. Nuances: - This ruling applies specifically to duel format

In 2v2 games, can a player hide a card on a battlefield controlled by their partner?

Ruling: No, you cannot hide a card on a battlefield controlled by your partner. Hidden requires you to control the battlefield, and control is per player, not per team.

When Zhonya's Hourglass is played from hidden, must it target a unit at the battlefield where it was hidden?

Ruling: No, Zhonya's Hourglass is not restricted to targeting units at the battlefield where it was hidden because it does not target. The hidden targeting restriction only applies to cards that actually target.

Does Ahri's legend ability still activate if she is exhausted?

Ruling: Yes, Ahri's legend ability activates even when she is exhausted. Ahri does not need to exhaust to activate her ability.

When attacking in a showdown, does the attacker or defender start the action/reaction chain and have first focus/priority?

Ruling: The attacker has first focus/priority. If there is an initial chain of "when I attack/defend" triggers, the attacker will have priority for first reaction, and they retain first focus after that initial automated chain completes (focus does not pass after the initial chain). From there, focus passes normally between players.

If your opponent is at 7 points and plays Ride the Wind on your turn to score the other battlefield, do they draw a card or win the game with 8 points?

Ruling: The opponent draws a card but does not win the game. To win by conquer, you must score both battlefields on the same turn, which is a requirement that must be met.

If a unit at the opponent's base is hit by Falling Star, will it restore full might when moving to an open battlefield or at the end of the turn?

Ruling: Units heal at the end of combat or end of turn. Moving to an open battlefield does not trigger healing.

What does Nocturne's errata change and what types of effects does it apply to?

Ruling: Nocturne's errata now banishes him to resolve rare corner cases in the rules and ensure the game can rollback if needed. This applies to effects that look at or reveal from the top of your deck (like Vision, Stacked Deck, Teemo, Baited Hook), but does not apply to simply drawing cards.

Can you stun units that are already stunned?

Ruling: No, you cannot stun units that are already stunned. However, you can still target stunned units with stun effects.

Does Yasuo's legend ability give Irelia - Fervent +1 attack?

Ruling: Yes, Yasuo's legend ability gives Irelia - Fervent +1 attack because Yasuo chooses her as the unit he moves.

Does the Sett legend card ready at the start of turn, or does it only ready when you conquer?

Ruling: Sett readies at the start of your turn during the awaken phase like all other exhausted cards. The conquer trigger is an additional way to ready Sett beyond the normal start of turn readying.

Can I move more units with Showstopper or is it just the one?

Ruling: Showstopper allows you to move just one unit.

How does Time Warp work during overtime (OT), specifically regarding the 3:2 turn split and whether it can be played on turn 5?

Ruling: Time Warp can be played during overtime, but if played on turn 5 (the final turn of OT), it has no effect and you won't get an extra turn. If played on turns 0-4 of OT, you take the next turn, stealing it from your opponent.

If my opponent plays a vanilla unit (permanent), do I have a chance to play a reaction before it resolves?

Ruling: No, you do not have a chance to play a reaction before a vanilla unit resolves. When a permanent starts a chain, it enters the chain and immediately resolves with no priority windows for reactions.

In limited mode drafting, can you include a signature spell if you only have one of its two required domains?

Ruling: You need both domains to include a signature spell while drafting in limited mode. Nuances: - This applies even if you are drafting colors that include one of the required domains (e.g., drafting red-blue-green does not allow you to include Dragon's Rage, which requires the orange domain in addition to red)

During a showdown when Yasuo moves to an occupied battlefield and triggers 'when I attack', can you play actions before the attack/defend triggers resolve, or only reactions?

Ruling: When there are 'when I attack' or 'when I defend' triggers, the showdown starts with an initial chain. During this initial chain, only reactions can be played until the triggers resolve. After the chain resolves and the pile is free, actions can be played by the priority player.

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