Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 31 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If a unit gains an Attack trigger ability (like from Recurve Bow via Angle Shot) after already being designated as an attacker, does that Attack trigger get processed?
Ruling: No, Attack triggers added after a unit has already gained the attacker designation do not trigger. The trigger condition requires the unit to gain the attacker designation while having the ability, not to gain the ability while having the designation.
Does moving a unit to an empty battlefield cause a showdown?
Ruling: Yes, moving a unit to an empty battlefield causes a showdown if you don't control that battlefield. Sequence: - When you move a unit to a battlefield you don't control, that battlefield becomes contested - A showdown will be opened
What exactly does the Hidden keyword do?
Ruling: You pay one power to set a unit hidden to a battlefield you control. Starting next turn, you can play the card for free as a reaction, with the restriction that it only affects the battlefield it's been placed on.
If Lee Sin (Ascetic) has multiple buffs and I play Wallop to spend one buff to ready him, does he keep his remaining buffs or do all buffs go away?
Ruling: Only one buff is spent by Wallop. Lee Sin retains any remaining buffs after spending one to pay for Wallop's effect.
Why does Zenith Blade allow a yellow Leona to trigger her 'When I attack' ability when played during the Focus window after attackers are already declared?
Ruling: When I attack/defend triggers now happen whenever a unit becomes an attacker or defender, not just during the initial declaration phase. When Zenith Blade moves yellow Leona to the battlefield during the Focus window, she becomes an attacker and her 'When I attack' ability triggers.
When summoning Riptide (with a When You Play Me effect that targets), can an opponent respond with Gust to bounce the targeted unit, and does this save the unit from Riptide's damage?
Ruling: Yes, the opponent can respond to Riptide's When You Play Me ability with Gust. If Gust resolves first and bounces the targeted unit to hand, Riptide's ability will resolve but cannot find the target anymore, so no damage is inflicted.
If I play Brynhir Thundersong, can the opponent still reveal hidden cards this turn?
Ruling: No, the opponent cannot reveal hidden cards this turn after you play Brynhir Thundersong. Cards from hidden are also played, so Brynhir's effect prevents revealing them.
Can a unit without Ganking in Vilemaw's Lair be charmed to another battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, a unit without Ganking in Vilemaw's Lair can be charmed to another battlefield. Ganking only affects standard moves between battlefields, not other types of movement like Charm.
Is Rengar considered Mighty when played into a battlefield that you are attacking, for effects like Volibear that trigger when you play a Mighty unit?
Ruling: No, Rengar is not considered Mighty when played. He enters play at 3 power without the attacker designation, and only gains the attacker designation (and becomes 5 power) during the cleanup triggered by his entering the board.
When a reaction is played during showdown and the opponent responds with another card, which resolves first?
Ruling: The chain resolves from last to first, meaning the last effect added to the chain resolves first. Sequence: - Player A plays reaction "Gust" (bounce a 3 might unit) - Player B responds with "Discipline" (give a unit +1) - "Discipline" resolves first (last in, first out) - "Gust" resolves second
Can you win the game by holding for your 7th point and then conquering for your 8th point in the same turn?
Ruling: Yes, you can win by holding for your 7th point and then conquering another battlefield for your 8th point in the same turn. You can score the last point through holding, card effects, or by scoring/conquering a battlefield, as long as you scored at least one battlefield through any method that turn when conquering.
If Yellow Darius (6 Might) and a 1 Might unit battle a 7 Might unit, can you conquer the battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, you can conquer the battlefield. Darius (6 Might) boosts the 1 Might unit to 2 Might for a total of 8 Might vs 7 Might, winning the battle. The 1 Might unit survives because its damage heals immediately after combat, before it checks for lethal damage again, leaving it at 1 Might with 0 damage after Darius dies.
Can Defy be played without a spell on the chain to counter?
Ruling: No, Defy cannot be played without a spell on the chain because it requires a target. Nuances: - Defy cannot target itself
Why does Red Darius enter untapped when played as the second card?
Ruling: Red Darius enters untapped when played as the second card because triggered abilities (indicated by "when" or "at") trigger after the event they're looking for has fully resolved. When you play Darius as your second card, he fully resolves and enters the board first, then his ability checks if he was the second card played this turn and triggers.
Can Player 2 play Stupefy in response to Arena Bar, let it resolve, and then play Gust on the now-reduced might unit before Player 1 can act?
Ruling: No. Once Player 1 passes priority after Stupefy is played, the chain resolves completely. Player 2 cannot play Gust targeting the reduced-might unit before the chain finishes resolving and the unit moves to the battlefield.
Can Mask of Foresight trigger multiple times in a battle, such as when a unit is moved out and back in with Ride the Wind?
Ruling: Mask of Foresight can trigger multiple times per battle, but only once per unit per combat. Attack and Defend triggers only apply the first time a specific unit gains the attacker/defender designation during a combat.
When a chain resolves during a showdown, does the showdown end immediately, or do players get another opportunity to play actions?
Ruling: After a chain resolves during a showdown, players get another opportunity to play actions. The showdown only ends when both players consecutively choose not to start a new chain.
If Hidden Blade is played against me and I react with Defy, do I still draw 2 cards?
Ruling: No, you do not draw 2 cards. When a spell is countered, it is removed from the chain without any resolution and none of the countered card's instructions will be carried out.
If you play a time warp in overtime (5 turns), do you steal one of your opponent's turns?
Ruling: No, it doesn't matter who takes which of the turns in overtime. At the end of the 5th turn, you check point totals and the player with the highest points wins.
Can you play Cemetery Attendant if you have no units in your trash?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Cemetery Attendant even if you have no units in your trash. The unit itself will be played successfully, but his triggered ability simply won't be able to be put on the chain.
If Zenith Blade targets a unit and the opponent responds with Retreat to return that unit to hand, does Zenith Blade still resolve or does it fail due to an invalid target?
Ruling: When the targeted unit is returned to hand by Retreat before Zenith Blade resolves, the unit is no longer a legal target. All instructions that reference that unit or use information about that unit will not execute.
Can a signature spell like Super Mega Death Rocket be placed in the chosen champion zone at game setup, or must it be a unit?
Ruling: Only a unit with the champion tag can be placed in the chosen champion zone at game setup. Signature spells always start in your main deck and must be drawn to be played.
Can Vi's ability "Recycle 1 from your trash: Give me +1 Might this turn" be activated multiple times per turn?
Ruling: Vi's ability can be activated multiple times per turn as long as you can pay the cost (recycling cards from trash). It can only be activated on your own turn when there is no chain open (neutral open state).
Does Ahri Legend's ability trigger when multiple enemy units attack together, and does it affect all attacking units?
Ruling: Ahri Legend's ability triggers individually for each enemy unit that attacks. When multiple units attack together, the ability triggers multiple times (once per attacking unit) and each attacking unit gets their might decreased.
When Player 1 moves a unit into an uncontrolled battlefield creating a neutral showdown, then Player 2 casts Ride the Wind to move a unit into that same battlefield during Player 1's pass window, who is the attacker and who is the defender in the resulting combat?
Ruling: Player 1 is the attacker because they applied contested status to the battlefield. Player 2 is the defender and benefits from Shield and defender triggers (known as a "surprise defence").
In a showdown, if the attacker passes priority and the defender plays a reaction (Shen), can the attacker play an action after the reaction resolves, or did they already pass their opportunity?
Ruling: When a reaction resolves in a showdown, priority returns to the attacker. Damage only occurs after both players pass priority consecutively without playing anything.
When a unit recalls after moving from one battlefield to another, does it return to base or to the battlefield it came from?
Ruling: Recall always goes to base, regardless of which battlefield the unit moved from. Nuances: - This applies even if the unit moved from a different battlefield in the same turn before recalling
Can you hide directly to battlefield in Riftbound?
Ruling: Yes, you can hide directly to battlefield. Sequence: N/A
If I cast Hidden Blade on my own unit but my opponent reacts with Gust to bounce it to my hand, do I still get the draw from Hidden Blade?
Ruling: No, you do not get the draw. For Hidden Blade to identify the controller of the unit, the unit must be a legal target as Hidden Blade resolves AND be in a zone where Hidden Blade can ascertain its information (on the board or in the trash if Hidden Blade was the effect that moved it there).
Does Fortified Position's triggered ability go to the chain after when I attack/when I defend triggers, and when must the defending player decide which creature to have shield?
Ruling: Fortified Position is a defend trigger that goes onto the initial chain. The target unit must be declared when the trigger is put on the chain (when it finalizes onto the chain), not upon resolution.
When assigning damage to a tank unit, must you assign all damage needed to kill it before assigning damage to other units, or can you assign just 1 damage to it first?
Ruling: You must assign lethal damage to the tank unit in full before you can assign damage to any other units. In the example given, all 4 damage would need to be assigned to the 4 might tank unit before any damage could be assigned to the 3 might unit.
When recycling multiple cards to the main deck (e.g., with Stacked Deck), do they need to be placed in a random order, and how is this randomization done in practice?
Ruling: When 2 or more cards are recycled to the main deck simultaneously, they must be placed on the bottom of the deck in a random order. Players typically present the cards face-down to their opponent who indicates which should go on top/bottom, or the opponent cuts them, to ensure randomness.
If you use Ride the Wind on your opponent's turn to move to an empty battlefield, do you get the conquer point?
Ruling: Yes, you score the conquer point when you use Ride the Wind to move to an empty battlefield on your opponent's turn. You can also score the hold point if you still control it at the start of your next turn.
If Lee Sin is copied by Svellsongur, can you exhaust him once to trigger both copies of his exhaust ability and get double the buff?
Ruling: No, you cannot double up on Lee Sin's exhaust ability when copied by Svellsongur. Since both copies of the ability require exhausting Lee Sin as a cost, and you can only exhaust him once, you can only activate one of the two abilities.
Can units be played to a battlefield mid-showdown, specifically: (1) Can an attacker play a unit revealed from Stacked Deck to the battlefield they're attacking? (2) Can a defender play a unit (like Shen) to a contested battlefield when reacting?
Ruling: You must control a battlefield to play units to it. An attacker cannot play units to a battlefield they're attacking (they don't control it yet). A defender can play units to a battlefield they control when defending.
Does Back-Alley Bar trigger Blade Dancer when a unit moves from Back-Alley Bar and receives the +1 might buff?
Ruling: Back-Alley Bar does not trigger Blade Dancer because Blade Dancer requires YOU to choose a friendly unit, but Back-Alley Bar is doing the targeting, not the player.
If a unit has Tank and Imperial Decree is active for the turn, does it take 1 damage to kill the Tank unit per Decree, or does the Tank need to be killed manually with enough damage before Decree can destroy other units?
Ruling: Imperial Decree does not change what counts as lethal damage for might allocation. You must still assign enough damage to kill a Tank unit according to normal combat rules before you can assign damage to other units, even with Imperial Decree active.
Can you kill Forge of the Future at base speed, or do you need to kill it through other means?
Ruling: You can kill Forge of the Future at base speed by placing it in your trash. The "Kill this:" text before the colon indicates an activated ability with an activation cost.
If you successfully defend an open battlefield you didn't control, do you get a conquest point?
Ruling: Yes, you get a conquest point. When combat ends, control is determined. Since you gain control of a battlefield you didn't control before, you get a conquer.
If a 3 might unit has a buff applied and then gets smoke screened, is its final might 1 or 2?
Ruling: The unit will have 1 might. Smokescreen reduces the might that the buff gives because bonuses are applied before minuses.
If Thousand-tailed Watcher reduces a unit's power, and that unit later receives a power buff during combat, does the Watcher's effect continue to reduce the buffed power or was it a one-time reduction?
Ruling: The Thousand-tailed Watcher applies a one-time reduction that lasts the entire turn, not a persistent effect. If a unit later receives a power buff, that buff is added to the already-reduced power.
In combat with Reavers Row, is there a round of priority after the Reavers Row trigger resolves (where the defending player chooses whether to move a unit) but before combat damage is assigned?
Ruling: Yes, there is absolutely a round of priority between when the Reavers Row trigger resolves and when combat damage is assigned. Combat damage assignment doesn't begin until all players stop playing actions and reactions (pass priority and focus without playing any cards).
Can I use an action after a card with 'When I'm played' ability resolves during my opponent's turn?
Ruling: No, you cannot play actions on your opponent's turn after a 'When I'm played' ability resolves. You can only play actions on your opponent's turn during showdowns when you have focus.
Does moving to a battlefield you control start a showdown or give the opponent an opportunity to act/react?
Ruling: No, moving to a battlefield you control does not start a showdown or give the opponent an opportunity to act/react.
When playing Recruit the Vanguard with Lux as leader and Gemcraft Seer on board, do the 4 Vision triggers resolve before or after Lux's draw trigger?
Ruling: The 4 Vision triggers from the units will always resolve before Lux's draw trigger. Sequence: - Recruit the Vanguard spell puts unit tokens on the chain as pending - Spell resolves, triggering Lux (now pending) - Unit tokens finalize first (they were put on chain first) and immediately resolve - Units trigger Vision 4 times (now pending) - Lux's...
What happens if Zenith Blade is played targeting an enemy unit at a battlefield, and the opponent responds by recalling that unit with Flash before Zenith Blade resolves?
Ruling: Zenith Blade loses its target and does nothing. The card requires targeting an enemy unit at a battlefield, and if that unit is no longer at a battlefield when the spell resolves, the targeting condition fails and neither effect (stun nor moving a friendly unit) occurs.
Does a unit heal back to full health during cleanup after taking damage from a spell (Super Mega Death Rocket) that doesn't kill it?
Ruling: Units do not heal during cleanup. Units heal after each combat and at the end of turn. Nuances: - Cleanup is not a reset of everything; it's a cleanup of game state where dead units are removed and the state of attack/defend effects and other passives is adjusted - All units heal after each combat (not just units that...
With the rules change, does Zhonya now work at reaction speed for any unit on the board regardless of where it is when played from hidden, with no constraints on what it saves?
Ruling: Zhonya has no constraints and saves the next unit which dies, regardless of where it is on the board. When played from hidden, it works at reaction speed for any unit.
Do you need to pay deflect when targeting with Ahri Inquisitive's triggered ability, and can you decline to pay it?
Ruling: Yes, you need to pay deflect when targeting with Ahri Inquisitive's triggered ability. However, you can decline to pay this cost, in which case the triggered ability will cease to exist and be removed from the Chain before becoming a Chain Item.
If a defending unit survives a spell and the attacking unit is removed (via Gust) before dealing damage, does the defending unit still heal during combat resolution?
Ruling: Yes, the defending unit will heal during the Resolution step of combat. Combat is initiated when an opponent moves into your battlefield, and healing occurs in the Resolution step regardless of whether damage was dealt.