Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 47 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If defending and playing Shen as a reaction during defender focus, does Shen join the showdown and combat? If playing Ride the Wind onto a battlefield with an active showdown, does that unit join the showdown/battle or queue up a new showdown?
Ruling: A unit moved into an ongoing combat that its controller is part of will join the combat and gain the appropriate designation (attacker or defender). A unit moved into an ongoing showdown that its controller is part of will join that showdown. If moved to a showdown their controller is not part of, a combat will be staged there...
Does Fan's effect prevent Yasuo from dealing damage?
Ruling: Yes, Fan's effect stops Yasuo from dealing damage because Yasuo's ability requires him to be "here" and Fan moves him away from that location.
If a character with Shield 1 (Fiora) gains Shield 2 from a location (Fortified Position) while defending, do multiple instances of Shield stack together?
Ruling: Yes, multiple instances of the Shield keyword stack. Add their values together to determine the total bonus might gained while defending.
Can you react to a Sprite token dying at the start of your turn (due to Temporary) by playing a hidden Blastcone Fae before it dies?
Ruling: Yes, you can react to the Sprite token dying by playing the Blastcone Fae from the facedown zone. The Fae will resolve before the token dies, allowing you to get the hold point.
What is the correct phase order during a Showdown in Riftbound, and when can players play spells versus reactions?
Ruling: During a Showdown, "When Attacking" and "When Defending" abilities trigger before players get a chance to play spells. Players can only play reactions while triggered abilities are on the chain, but once that chain resolves (or if no triggered abilities exist), the attacking player gets priority to start a new chain with a spell, then the defender gets a...
Can you save a unit with Zhonya's Hourglass after its Deathknell trigger goes on the chain and still get the Deathknell effect?
Ruling: No, you cannot save a unit with Zhonya's and still get its Deathknell effect. Deathknells only happen if the unit dies.
Can you score the same battlefield twice in one turn by conquering it, losing it, then reconquering it?
Ruling: You can only score each battlefield once per turn. If you've already scored it from a conquer or hold that turn, you can't score it again.
After the initial chain with attack/defend triggers has resolved, which player receives priority?
Ruling: The attacker gets focus and priority after the initial chain resolves.
If Leona, Radiant Dawn stuns multiple units (via Svellsongr attachment or multiple Leonas attacking, or via Thwonk with repeat), how many buffs are generated?
Ruling: The number of buffs depends on how the stuns are created. Leona's legend ability triggers based on "when you stun one or more" units.
For Foxfire, can you choose which units die, and how does the 4 might threshold work?
Ruling: You choose units with might that total up to 4 to destroy. You can select any combination of units whose might adds up to 4 or less (e.g., two 2-might units, four 1-might units, one 3-might and one 1-might unit, etc.).
Does Legend Ahri's -1 might effect persist on a unit after it has been applied, or does it reapply if the unit's might changes?
Ruling: Ahri's -1 might effect applies once when the attack is initiated and does not reapply if the unit's might changes later in the turn. If a 1 might unit is reduced to 1 might by Ahri, then receives +1 might from another effect, it will be at 2 might.
If I cast Smoke Screen on a 3 might unit (reducing it to 1), and my opponent responds with Discipline after Smoke Screen resolves, what is the unit's final might?
Ruling: If Smoke Screen resolves first (reducing the unit to 1 might), then Discipline is played afterward, the unit's might becomes 3.
How does the 'invite' mechanic work in 3-player Riftbound games?
Ruling: During a showdown on a controlled battlefield, only the attacker and defender are Relevant Players by default. Either can invite a non-Relevant Player to join, and if they accept, they must immediately make a legal game action and remain a Relevant Player for the rest of that showdown. Outside of showdowns, all players are always Relevant Players and can...
Can you play a reaction spell like Shakedown during a showdown chain when moving Watchful Sentry to an empty Trifarian War Camp (where no combat occurs)?
Ruling: Yes, you can play reaction spells during a showdown even when there is no combat. Both players get an opportunity to play spells (action and reaction speed) during any showdown, which only ends once both players have passed on an empty chain.
When does excess energy/mana drain in Riftbound?
Ruling: Excess energy drains at two specific times: at end of turn and after draw for turn. Sequence: - After draw for turn - At end of turn
When Carnivorous Snapvine is played and its Focus effect triggers, can the turn player play an Action spell before the trigger resolves, or can only Reaction spells be played in response?
Ruling: When a unit like Carnivorous Snapvine is played and its effect triggers, that trigger goes on the chain immediately. Only Reaction spells can be played in response to that trigger - Action spells cannot be played until the trigger resolves. The turn player has priority to play Reactions first.
When Azir's action targets Stellacorn, does Stellacorn's move ability trigger to draw a card?
Ruling: Stellacorn's ability only triggers if it actually moves to a different location. Being instructed to move is not the same as moving.
Does Wielder of Water gain +2 attack when attacking on an open battlefield (with no defending units)?
Ruling: No, Wielder of Water does not gain +2 attack when attacking on an open battlefield. A unit must be in combat to have the attacker or defender designation, and combat only opens when units controlled by different players are present on a battlefield.
If I play a spell that targets something with Deflect and my spell gets countered, do I still pay the Deflect cost?
Ruling: Yes, you must pay the Deflect cost before the spell can be countered. Sequence: - You put your spell in the chase - You target and pay all costs (including Deflect as a forced additional cost) - Only then can the spell be countered
When can action cards be played during a showdown? Can you respond to an opponent's action card with your own action card, or only when the chain is empty?
Ruling: Action cards can only be played during showdowns when you have focus and nothing is on the chain. You cannot respond to an opponent's action card with your own action card because once something is on the chain, you can no longer play action cards.
Does Teemo Strategist trigger both when revealed from hidden and when defending a battlefield?
Ruling: No. Teemo Strategist has been errata'd in the FAQ to only trigger while defending, and no longer triggers when played from hidden.
What happens to hidden cards at a battlefield when an opponent conquers that battlefield but doesn't use the hidden cards?
Ruling: When you lose control of a battlefield that has your hidden cards, those hidden cards are sent to the trash.
Can I move a unit to a battleground controlled by a friendly player in 2v2 if they aren't in combat?
Ruling: You cannot have one of your units on the same battlefield as one of your teammate's units, ever. Nuances: - If an enemy moves to a battleground controlled by your teammate, it results in a normal showdown - You can move your teammate's units to a battlefield that only has an enemy unit on it, since your teammate's units...
When Student (1 might) enters the battlefield and Cleave is played, then opponent plays Smoke Screen, does the unit go to -4 might or stay at minimum 1 might, and how does this affect Cleave's +3 might bonus?
Ruling: Smoke Screen reduces the unit to minimum 1 might (not -4). Cleave's +3 might bonus is then applied along with the snapshotted -1 modifier from Smoke Screen.
Does Wielder of Water get the +2 bonus when attacking an empty battlefield?
Ruling: Wielder of Water gets the +2 bonus when moving to an empty battlefield. Moving to an open battlefield starts a showdown but not a combat, so Wielder of Water has 2 power.
When conquering Zaun Warrens with Red Kai'sa and no cards in hand, can you choose the order of conquer effects to draw from Zaun Warrens first, then discard to Red Kai'sa, ending with two cards instead of one?
Ruling: Yes, you can choose the order of conquer triggers, so you can have Zaun Warrens trigger before Red Kai'sa to end up with two cards in hand instead of one.
Does banishing a unit count as it dying (e.g., using Portal Rescue to activate Deathknell)?
Ruling: No, banishing a unit does not count as it dying.
If Yasuo attacks and his trigger goes on the stack, can the opponent use Rebuke during the showdown to remove Yasuo and prevent his ability from KOing the target?
Ruling: Rebuke cannot be played while Yasuo's trigger is on the chain because Rebuke is Action speed and cannot be played to a closed state (ongoing chain).
Do you have to pay one energy and recycle an orange rune to play Lee Sin accelerated?
Ruling: Yes, you must pay one energy and recycle an orange rune to play this unit accelerated. Sequence: - Exhaust 7 runes (including at least one orange rune) - Recycle one of the orange runes you exhausted
Does focus automatically pass to the opponent after a spell/action resolves, and can a player play actions back-to-back?
Ruling: Focus automatically passes to your opponent after a whole chain resolves (except the initial when I attack/defend chain). You cannot play actions back-to-back; your opponent must either pass focus back or play their action first.
Can you react to abilities that don't have action and reaction keywords, such as Solari Chief's triggered ability or Singularity?
Ruling: Yes, once any ability is on the chain, players get a chance to react to it, regardless of whether the ability has action/reaction keywords. The speed of the ability that started the chain does not affect what reactions are possible.
In a free-for-all game, when a player moves to an open battlefield triggering an open showdown, can another player use an action (like Blast of Power) to target a different player than the one who moved?
Ruling: Yes, during an open showdown triggered by a player's move, other players can play actions that target any player at any battlefield. Combat/showdowns do not limit what can or can't be targeted.
Can you react to Thousand Tailed Fox's on-play effect?
Ruling: Yes, you can react to Thousand Tailed Fox's on-play effect. You can react to every triggered ability and activated ability.
Can both players use the same legend and champion unit in a mirror match, or do the champion units need to be different?
Ruling: There is no restriction on chosen champion, legend, or battlefields between opponents. Players can use the same champion unit, legend, and even identical decklists.
Does Mask of Foresight trigger multiple times in a turn if the same unit participates in multiple combats, allowing it to gain +2 or more total?
Ruling: Mask of Foresight triggers once per combat per unit. If the same unit participates in multiple separate combats in the same turn (e.g., attacking alone, conquering, then attacking alone at another battlefield), it gains +1 each time for a cumulative total that lasts until end of turn.
Do abilities that trigger when a unit attacks/defends alone trigger if the unit initially attacks/defends with other units, but then becomes alone after another unit is removed?
Ruling: No, abilities that trigger when a unit attacks/defends alone do not trigger if the unit becomes alone after already gaining the attacker/defender designation with other units.
When do you choose the battlefield for Bullet Time - upon putting it on the chain or on resolution?
Ruling: You choose the battlefield when putting Bullet Time on the chain (during finalize), not on resolution. Sequence: - Put Bullet Time on the chain AND choose the battlefield - Players have a chance to react - Bullet Time resolves: pay the runes and deal damage
When playing Cruel Patron and paying its cost by killing a Recruit token, does this create a chain that can be reacted to? Can you kill the Recruit with a facedown Hidden Blade, draw 2 cards, and still play Cruel Patron? If the death triggers abilities like Deathknell, when do those resolve and can they target Cruel Patron?
Ruling: Killing the Recruit token is a cost, not an ability, so it doesn't use the chain and opponents cannot react to it. You cannot use Hidden Blade to kill the Recruit instead because costs are paid as part of playing the card. When a unit dies as a cost and triggers abilities like Deathknell, those triggers are added to...
Does Assault apply when attacking an open battlefield, and if it does apply when attacking an occupied battlefield, can the opponent use Gust (which targets units with 3 might or less) on a Vayne with base 2 might and Assault 3 during the showdown?
Ruling: Assault does not apply when attacking an open battlefield because there are no attackers or defenders in an open showdown. When attacking an occupied battlefield, Assault applies as soon as the unit is designated as an attacker, so Vayne would have 5 might and cannot be targeted by Gust.
Can Action-speed spells like Grand Strategem be used in response to "When I Attack" triggers like Anivia's?
Ruling: No, Action-speed spells cannot be used in response to "When I Attack" triggers during the initial chain of a showdown because the initial chain is closed and Action-speed spells can only be used in open chains.
During a showdown with both 'when I attack' and 'when I defend' effects, who gets priority first to play reactions, and how does priority work on the chain?
Ruling: During the initial chain of a showdown, when both 'when I attack' and 'when I defend' effects go on the chain, the defender gets priority first to play reactions because their 'when I defend' effect goes on the chain last (making it the topmost item). The player controlling the topmost item on the chain always gets priority first.
If Hidden Blade is played on a unit and the opponent responds with Retreat, does the unit's controller still draw 2 cards even though the unit won't be killed?
Ruling: The unit's controller will not draw 2 cards. Nuances: - When Retreat returns the unit to hand, the controller cannot be established for the draw effect
Can you react to playing a spell like Cull the Weak, and does playing cards in general create a chain?
Ruling: Yes, playing a spell like Cull the Weak creates a chain that you can cast a reaction to. All types of cards, triggered abilities, and activated abilities create chains.
If I use Charm to move an opponent's unit to an open battlefield on my turn, does my opponent score a point?
Ruling: Yes, the opponent will conquer the battlefield and gain a point when their unit is moved there on your turn.
If Blitzcrank is played with Temporary (from Last Stand), does Temporary sacrifice it before Blitzcrank's Hold ability returns it to hand?
Ruling: Yes, Temporary sacrifices Blitzcrank before Hold can return it to hand. Sequence: - Begin of turn step happens (Temporary triggers and sacrifices the unit) - Hold step happens (but Blitzcrank is already gone)
What is the correct start of game procedure for 1v1 Riftbound in Best of 1 and Best of 3 formats, and does the first player draw a card?
Ruling: For both Best of 1 and Best of 3, players reveal legends and champion units, then select/determine battlefield, then decide who goes first, then draw 4 cards and mulligan. The first player does draw a card on their first turn in 1v1 (but not in 3+ player games).
What does "You can hide ignoring costs this turn" on Guerilla Warfare mean?
Ruling: You don't pay power to hide cards this turn. Nuances: - The phrasing means "you can [hide] [while] ignoring costs" - the verb is "hide" and you ignore the costs while doing so
If a unit with hidden Tideturner at battlefield A gets +1 Might from Mask of Foresight when opponent attacks, then during showdown uses Ride the Wind to move to battlefield B and reveals Tideturner to swap back to battlefield A, does the unit get another +1 Might from Mask of Foresight? Also, when is battlefield B scored?
Ruling: The unit does NOT get another +1 Might from Mask of Foresight when it returns to battlefield A. Attack and defend triggers only trigger the first time a unit gains the attacker or defender designation. When Tideturner is revealed at battlefield B, it does get +1 Might from Mask of Foresight as it becomes a defender alone at that...
Does Heimerdinger get exhausted and pay mana costs when using abilities he gains, or does he just have the ability without those costs?
Ruling: Heimerdinger has the ability and must pay the full cost when he uses an ability, including exhausting. Nuances: - If Heimerdinger uses an ability with a reaction tag (like Kai'Sa's ability), he can use it at reaction speed even though Heimerdinger himself doesn't have a reaction tag, because the reaction tag is on the ability itself.
Can Seal of Rage be used to pay for Sigil of the Storm's recycle cost?
Ruling: No, Seal of Rage cannot be used to pay for Sigil of the Storm's recycle cost. Seals can only pay for Power costs, while Sigil of the Storm specifically requires you to recycle a rune.