Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 33 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
Why were banish-before-play errata added to cards like Baited Hook, Blind Fury, Dazzling Aurora, Nocturne, and Promising Future?
Ruling: Banishing the card before playing it prevents complications when playing the card needs to be undone (such as when it becomes illegal during finalizing). Without banishing first, it's unclear whether to return the card to the top or bottom of the deck, or shuffle it into recycled cards.
What happens if you attack a battlefield, stun the only enemy there, but don't have enough might to kill it?
Ruling: If at the end of combat both attacking and defending units remain on the battlefield, the attacking units are recalled (sent to base).
Can you use the Jinx Rocket effect when conquering without cards in hand?
Ruling: No, you need a card in hand to discard in order to bring Rocket back. The discard is a cost to return Rocket.
Do triggered abilities with 'may' go on the chain even if you choose not to do the effect?
Ruling: Triggered abilities go on the chain regardless of whether you choose to do the effect. When the trigger resolves, you then choose whether or not to do the effect.
For Fortified Position battlefield ('when you defend here, choose a unit. It gets shield 2 this combat'), does the shield trigger resolve before 'When I attack' abilities, potentially saving defending units from attack-triggered damage?
Ruling: 'When I attack' triggers are placed on the stack first but resolve last. The battlefield's 'when you defend' trigger resolves first, giving shield 2 to a chosen unit before 'When I attack' abilities resolve.
Does Warwick's kill effect trigger if enemy units die from -might reduction instead of damage?
Ruling: Warwick's effect only triggers when units are killed by damage, not by -might reduction or other means of death.
Do hidden cards at battlefields only interact with units at that specific battlefield, or can they target units anywhere?
Ruling: Once cards are hidden at a battlefield, they can only target things at that specific battlefield. Nuances: - Zhonya's is an exception where rules-as-written currently allows it to protect all friendly units globally even when played from hidden, but rules-as-intended is that it should only affect units at the battlefield it was played from - The Zhonya's interaction is...
When a unit enters play via Portal, can you use Accelerate on it, and do you have to pay the Accelerate cost?
Ruling: You can use Accelerate on a unit that enters play via Portal, and you must pay the Accelerate cost.
When a unit with a triggered ability (like Brynhir) enters play, can you respond with Reaction speed cards before the trigger resolves, and does removing the unit prevent the trigger from resolving?
Ruling: When a unit with a triggered ability enters play, the ability goes on the chain and both players can respond with Reaction speed cards before it resolves. Triggered abilities always resolve regardless of whether the unit is killed, bounced, or banished.
When Pit Rookie is played with Cithria of Cloudfield on board, can you use Call to Glory to consume one buff while keeping the other buff on Cithria plus the +3 Might for turn?
Ruling: Yes, this interaction is legal. You can stack both triggers (Pit Rookie and Cithria), resolve one trigger to place a buff, then play Call to Glory in response to the second trigger before it resolves, allowing Cithria to keep one buff and gain the +3 Might for turn.
Does Master Yi Meditative get +4 might when you have '8 or more' runes or '9 or more runes'?
Ruling: The notation '8+' means '8 or more', not '9 or more'. Master Yi Meditative gets +4 might when you have 8 or more runes.
If Brynhir enters play while a spell is on the stack/chain, does that spell fail to resolve?
Ruling: No, the spell on the chain will still resolve. Brynhir's "players can't play cards" effect refers to the "Play" action, not cards already on the chain.
Does Mask of Foresight trigger Irela Fervent's ability when it readies a unit?
Ruling: Mask of Foresight does not trigger Irela Fervent's ability because Irela Fervent specifically requires "you" (the player) to choose or ready the unit, and Mask of Foresight is not a player choice.
Does Mask of Foresight's +1 might bonus remain on a unit if another unit joins the showdown after Mask has triggered?
Ruling: Mask of Foresight triggers and snapshots when the unit initially enters combat alone. The +1 might bonus remains even if another unit joins the showdown later.
Can an opponent use Gust to remove the target unit when playing Cruel Patron, and if so, does Cruel Patron still resolve?
Ruling: Cruel Patron cannot be responded to with Gust. Killing a unit is an additional cost paid when playing Cruel Patron, so the unit is already dead before any player can react. Additionally, as a permanent without triggered abilities, Cruel Patron enters and leaves the chain immediately without giving priority to either player.
When playing a spell that gets countered by a reaction like Wind Wall, when do players pay the costs for their cards?
Ruling: Both players pay the energy and power costs when they declare and play their cards (as they enter the chain), not when the cards resolve. If your spell is countered by Wind Wall, you still pay the costs for your spell because you already paid them when you played it.
If Snapvine targets a unit (Kai'Sa) but the target is removed with Retreat before resolution, does Snapvine retarget another unit?
Ruling: No, Snapvine does not retarget. Once a trigger has finalized and the target is chosen, it cannot be changed regardless of what happens to either unit.
Can Sprite Call be played in a Showdown to conquer an occupied Battlefield?
Ruling: You cannot play a unit on an occupied Battlefield unless the card specifically states otherwise. Sprite Call does not have this exception, so it cannot be played on an occupied Battlefield during a Showdown.
Can you react with a hidden card on the battlefield once Blitzcrank is recalled to hand?
Ruling: You can react to Blitzcrank's hold trigger with a hidden card. However, once Blitzcrank leaves the battlefield, you will lose control of the hidden card and any hidden cards there will go to the trash.
What does the 'Add' tag mean in Riftbound, specifically in the context of Kaisa's ability that adds universal power?
Ruling: The 'Add' tag means you're adding that resource to your temporary rune pool, which must be spent or it will go away at the end of the turn or at the draw phase. The universal power symbol means you can spend it on power costs of any domain (color), whereas power is normally generated by recycling a rune of...
Does Wallop's consuming a buff count toward Sett Brawler's ability for +4 attack?
Ruling: Spending a buff on Wallop's additional cost does not trigger Sett Brawler's +4 attack ability. Spending a buff is the cost of activating Sett's ability, so the buff must be spent specifically to activate Sett's ability to gain the +4.
When Volibear Imposing triggers ('When an opponent moves to a bf other than mine'), if a player moves 4 units all at once to a different battlefield, does the opponent draw 1 card or 4 cards?
Ruling: The opponent draws 1 card when multiple units move simultaneously to a different battlefield, because the trigger is templated per player, not per unit.
Does Green Yasuo's 'when I attack' ability trigger when he is swapped onto a battlefield using Tideturner while defending (opponent is attacking)?
Ruling: Green Yasuo's ability does not trigger in this scenario. The attacker/defender designation is determined by who initiated the contested status on the battlefield, not by which units move onto it. Since the opponent is attacking the battlefield, Yasuo is a defender and does not gain the attacker designation.
Does Sett the Boss's protection effect prevent lethal spell damage (like from Void Seeker), or does it only work against combat damage?
Ruling: Sett's protection effect prevents lethal damage from spells like Void Seeker, not just combat damage. Nuances: - The asker initially thought Sett only protected against combat damage, but this was incorrect
When Leona Legend's ability triggers during a showdown after a chain resolves, does it create a new chain, is it still a showdown, and can players respond with action cards or only reactions?
Ruling: Leona Legend's triggered ability creates a new chain that can be responded to with reactions. Showdowns do not end when a chain resolves - both players must pass focus in sequence before a showdown ends.
In a showdown, if my opponent casts Hexray (deal 3 damage) and then reacts to their own spell with Smokescreen (reduce might by 4), how does priority work?
Ruling: The player who cast Hexray retains priority after casting it and can immediately react with Smokescreen on the same chain. Then both players pass priority, Smokescreen resolves first, then Hexray resolves.
Does a unit with 0 Might die, or does it need damage marked on it to be killed?
Ruling: A unit can have 0 Might and survive on the board. It needs damage marked on it equal to or exceeding its Might to be killed.
Can you activate a gear ability that buffs an exhausted unit during a showdown after playing a unit that becomes exhausted from moving to an occupied battlefield?
Ruling: No, you cannot use gear abilities during a showdown unless they have the "action" or "reaction" keywords. Sequence: - Activated abilities on gears, units, and legends can only be used outside of a showdown during your turn by default - Abilities with the "action" keyword can be used during a showdown when there's no chain - Abilities with the...
If a unit is removed from the battlefield in response to Hidden Blade targeting it, does Hidden Blade still resolve and does its controller draw 2 cards?
Ruling: When Hidden Blade resolves, it checks if the target is still legal (still at a battlefield). If the unit has been removed from the battlefield, Hidden Blade does not kill the unit and its controller does not draw 2 cards.
When defending with Master Yi's +2 might bonus and playing a Challenge Action spell during a showdown, does Challenge count only the unit's base might or does it include the defending bonuses?
Ruling: The might increase from defending bonuses counts. The unit has the increased might while the showdown is ongoing, so Challenge uses that total might.
If a buffed unit is reduced to 1 might by Smoke Screen, then an opponent tries to use Call to Glory by removing the buff as payment (which would temporarily make the unit 0 might), does the unit die before Call to Glory resolves?
Ruling: The unit does not die from having 0 might alone. Units only die if they have damage equal to or greater than their might.
When using Dazzling Aurora with Snapvine, does the opponent heal from Snapvine before or after Dazzling Aurora's damage resolves?
Ruling: Dazzling Aurora's damage resolves first, then healing from Snapvine happens after all ending abilities are complete. Sequence: - Dazzling Aurora triggers and resolves at the start of end of turn - Once all ending abilities are fully resolved, healing occurs - The opponent heals after taking the damage from Dazzling Aurora
If I have two recruits and the opponent attacks with a single unit, will Imperial Decree trigger once or twice (does each recruit dealing damage count as a different event)?
Ruling: Imperial Decree will trigger only once. Damage is pooled together and then distributed, so all units take damage in a single event regardless of how many sources are dealing damage.
Does Udyr's effect trigger when his buff is spent by another card's effect (like Wildclaw Shaman)?
Ruling: No. Udyr's effect is an activated ability with the template "cost: effect" where spending his buff is the cost. You must directly activate his effect and spend the buff on him as a cost to get one of his four effects.
When playing Promising Future while Brynhir's effect prevents the opponent from playing cards, what happens to the card chosen by Promising Future?
Ruling: This follows the "Do As Much As You Can" principle. The opponent chooses a card from Promising Future and it remains banished, since they cannot play it due to Brynhir's effect.
Do triggered abilities like Riptide Rex provide a window to use Reactions on the targeted unit?
Ruling: Yes, all triggered abilities create a chain, allowing all relevant players to react. Sequence: - Triggered ability goes on the chain - Players can respond with reactions before the triggered ability resolves
When a spell deals damage equal to a unit's might (e.g., 3 damage to a 3 might unit), can you use a reaction to boost the unit's might and prevent it from dying?
Ruling: Yes, you can respond with a reaction (like Discipline) to boost a unit's might and prevent it from dying when damage is assigned to it.
For Convergent Mutation, if you copy stats from a creature with temporary buffs to another creature, does the copied creature keep those buffed stats after the original buff expires?
Ruling: No, the copied creature does not keep the buffed stats permanently. The card has a printing error and should read "until end of turn" according to the errata.
Can you flip Tideturner on Battlefield B to switch it with something on Battlefield A when someone is attacking Battlefield A?
Ruling: Yes, you can flip Tideturner on Battlefield B and switch it with something on Battlefield A, even when someone is attacking Battlefield A.
How many actions and reactions can be played in a chain, and how does priority/focus work during showdowns?
Ruling: You can play multiple actions during a showdown by alternating focus - after a chain resolves, if your opponent passes focus and does nothing, you can play another action. You can play multiple reactions in succession by holding priority, but you cannot respond to an action with another action.
Does the Possession card awaken (ready) an exhausted unit, or does it stay exhausted when moved to the enemy base?
Ruling: Possession does not ready the unit you're gaining control of. If it was already readied, it stays readied. If it was exhausted, it stays exhausted.
Can you use Defy to counter Shen when played at reaction speed?
Ruling: No, Defy cannot target Shen. Shen is a unit, not a spell, and Defy can only target spells. Nuances: - Even though Shen is played at reaction speed, it is still a unit card and therefore not a valid target for Defy
For a card that says 'Target a gear. Its controller may kill it' then 'Draw 1' - do you need to kill the gear to draw, and can you play it without controlling a gear yourself?
Ruling: You can play the card as long as any player controls a gear (including your opponent's). You draw 1 card regardless of whether the gear is killed or not.
Can Retreat target an opponent's unit, or does 'friendly unit' only mean the caster's own units?
Ruling: 'Friendly unit' refers only to your units or a teammate's units, not opponent units. Nuances: - If you cast Retreat on an ally's unit, it returns to their hand and they channel 1
In 1v1 Riftbound, does the player going first skip their draw on the first turn?
Ruling: In 1v1 formats, all players draw a card during the draw phase of their turn, including the first turn. Only in multiplayer formats does the first player skip their first draw phase.
If a unit with 4 Might and a buff (making it 5 Might) is moved to a battlefield, the opponent reacts with Smokescreen (giving -4 Might), and then Sett's champion ability is used to spend the buff and recall the unit, will the unit survive as a 0 Might unit?
Ruling: Yes, the unit will survive. A unit only dies when it has damage marked on it equal to or greater than its Might. Having 0 Might does not cause death if there is no damage marked on it.
Do units defending Trifarian Warcamp get the might bonus outside of showdown and combat, such as for the purposes of cards like Gust or triggering Fiora's mighty abilities?
Ruling: Yes, units defending Trifarian Warcamp receive the might bonus at all times, not just during showdown and combat. This means the bonus applies for effects like Gust (which checks might to determine if a unit can be moved) and for triggering mighty-dependent abilities like Fiora's.
If Fading Memories targets a unit and Sett saves it with Sett's legend ability, does the unit keep the Temporary keyword and die again next turn?
Ruling: Yes, the unit keeps the Temporary keyword even after being saved by Sett's legend ability. Nuances: - The unit will die again at the end of the next turn due to retaining Temporary
If a player has only 4 cards in their main deck when resolving an effect that tells them to look at the top 5 cards (like Promising Future), does this trigger a burnout?
Ruling: No burnout is triggered. You only look at/reveal as many cards as are available in your deck (4 cards in this example). A burnout only occurs if the deck is completely empty when attempting to look/reveal cards.
During a showdown, after a reaction is played to buff a unit, can an action card (like Hidden Blade) be played to kill the buffed unit, or must combat resolve first?
Ruling: Actions can only be played to start a new chain when a player has focus, not during an ongoing chain. During a showdown, focus passes back and forth between attacker and defender after each chain resolves, allowing either player to start a new chain with an action card until both players pass consecutively.