Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 56 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If I conquer a battlefield on my turn, my opponent conquers it on their turn, then I reconquer it on the same turn (opponent's turn) by killing their unit with Ride the Wind, do I get a conquer point?
Ruling: Yes, you get a conquer point and the card draw. You can only score 1 point per battlefield per turn, so if you already scored at that battlefield during your own turn, you cannot score there again until the next turn cycle.
Can Mystic Reversal be played after the player who played Bullet Time has recycled X amount of runes?
Ruling: No. Mystic Reversal must be played before Bullet Time resolves. The power cost for Bullet Time (recycling runes) is paid during resolution, and you cannot play spells during another card's resolution as there is no priority window at that time.
Can you use a signature spell if you have the Champion unit but not the Legend?
Ruling: No, Signature Spells can only be included in your deck if your Legend matches. Having the Champion unit alone is not sufficient.
What happens when defending and someone triggers Face Breaker in a 1v1 combat? Does the attacker go back to base?
Ruling: If a combat ends and units from 2 players are still present, attacker units are recalled. Nuances: - This applies specifically when Face Breaker triggers during 1v1 combat while defending
When Sprite Call is played as a hidden card from battlefield A and creates a Sprite during a showdown at battlefield B, where can the Sprite be played?
Ruling: When a hidden spell causes you to play a unit, you must play that unit at the battlefield where the hidden card was located.
When Cemetery Attendant targets a champion unit in the trash, does the champion return to the chosen champion location on the board or to hand?
Ruling: The champion unit goes to your hand, not to the chosen champion location. Nuances: - Chosen champions are treated as normal units/cards except at the start of the game when they are in the chosen champion zone - Hallowed Tomb battlefield is the only card that would return a chosen champion to the chosen champion zone
Can you chain a reaction when someone hides a card?
Ruling: No, hiding a card does not open a chain and it instantly resolves. Nuances: - Hiding a card always happens instantly - The hidden status means no one knows it's a permanent, so permanent-related rules don't apply in the typical way
When Player A moves a unit to an open battlefield and Player B uses Ride the Wind to move a unit onto that battlefield, who is the defending player?
Ruling: Player B is the defending player. Sequence: - Player A moves a unit to an open battlefield - The open showdown finishes - Player B becomes the defender when using Ride the Wind to move a unit onto the battlefield
When does Ahri legend's Nine-Tailed Fox effect trigger, can it be missed, and what happens if the opponent plays too quickly?
Ruling: Ahri's effect triggers when attackers and defenders are established, before "when I attack" effects. It is a defender trigger that resolves before attacker triggers in the initial chain (LIFO order). This trigger can be missed if not declared in time.
Can I hold priority during showdown to play multiple reactions in a row, or does focus pass automatically after the chain resolves?
Ruling: You automatically hold priority when there is an open chain and you play an item to it. You can play multiple reactions before passing priority. However, you cannot hold focus - once the chain you opened with focus closes, the next player in turn order gains focus.
If I move a unit away from a battlefield I'm holding/conquered and then move it back to the same battlefield on the same turn, do I gain points again?
Ruling: No, you cannot gain points by moving a unit away from and back to the same battlefield on the same turn. You can only score once per turn per battlefield.
In a Match (1v1 Best of 3), how do you determine the First Player in subsequent games?
Ruling: The loser of the previous game chooses who plays first in the next game.
Can Lee Sin activate his abilities or play his signature spell (Dragon's Rage) during Showdown when defending a battlefield?
Ruling: You can only activate abilities during your turn in a neutral open state. Dragon's Rage cannot be played in combat because it does not say action or reaction on it.
When conquering a battlefield where units die in the process, do death triggers (like Viktor/Deathknell) and conquer triggers (like Zaun Warrens) go on the chain at the same time, or does one happen before the other?
Ruling: Death triggers occur before conquer triggers. Units die first during the resolution step, triggering abilities like Deathknell and Viktor. After those triggers resolve, the battlefield is conquered and conquer triggers go on the chain.
Can Karthus cause Ekko to trigger his deathknell twice by floating the first set of power to get double value?
Ruling: No, Karthus cannot cause Ekko to trigger his deathknell twice. You must recycle Ekko to ready the runes, and you cannot recycle him twice from a single death.
After a spell chain resolves during combat, does the attacking unit immediately conquer, or do players get priority again to play more spells before damage assignment?
Ruling: After a spell chain resolves during combat, players get priority again and can start another chain before the attacking unit conquers. Damage assignment only occurs when both players pass with an empty chain.
When a unit with Skyfall of Areion and Trinity Force equipped holds at Reckoner's Arena, which effects trigger and in what order?
Ruling: When a unit equipped with both Skyfall of Areion and Trinity Force holds at Reckoner's Arena, you gain 3 points total and draw 2 cards. The hold trigger, Trinity Force's hold trigger (which becomes a conquer effect via Skyfall), and Reckoner's Arena's trigger all go on the chain simultaneously.
Does Darius Executioner's 'Other friendly units have +1 might here' ability work in base, or only on the battlefield?
Ruling: The ability works in base as well as on the battlefield. 'Here' refers to wherever Darius Executioner is located, including your base.
If Vayne Hunter is buffed with Cleave (gaining Assault +3), does she keep the buffed Assault when bounced to hand and replayed?
Ruling: No, Vayne does not keep the buffed Assault when bounced to hand. When units move between the board and any other zone, they lose any temporary modifications they received.
Does Mageseeker Warden prevent units with Accelerate from entering ready, and does it prevent Sprite Call and Sprite Mother tokens from entering ready?
Ruling: Mageseeker Warden does not stop Accelerate or Sprite tokens from entering ready. Nuances: - Anything that enters ready is not affected by Warden's ability that prevents spells and abilities from readying enemy units and gears
If a temporary unit dies and there's a hidden card on that battlefield, can you reveal the hidden before cleanup removes it?
Ruling: Yes, you can reveal and play the hidden card before losing it. When the temporary unit's triggered ability resolves at the start of your turn, it starts a chain which gives you a window to play the hidden card before the unit dies and you would lose control of the battleground.
If a damaged unit receives a Might boost that brings its current Might back to or above its printed value, does it still count as damaged for effects like Warwick?
Ruling: Yes, the unit still counts as damaged. Damaged units receive damage counters that remain on them until after combat or at the end of the round, regardless of whether their current Might equals or exceeds their printed Might.
Does Repeat allow you to choose 2 different targets?
Ruling: Yes, you may choose different targets for the Repeat. Nuances: - Unlike some cards (e.g., Falling Star) that explicitly state "you can choose different units" on the card text, Repeat cards do not include this reminder text, but the ruling still allows different target selection.
Can you win the game by holding one battlefield, reaching 7 points that turn, and leaving that battlefield empty to attack and conquer the other battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, you can win the game this way as long as you've previously scored each battlefield at least once. You can score the final point via conquering.
When a unit is played and its 'when you play me' trigger goes on the chain, but then an opponent takes control of that unit with Hostile Takeover in response, who controls the triggered ability?
Ruling: The original player who played the unit remains the controller of the triggered ability. Taking control of the unit does not change the controller of the trigger.
If Sett already has a buff, can you stack the triggers so Monastery of Hirana draws a card and then Sett's trigger refunds the buff?
Ruling: Yes, you can stack the triggers. When both Sett and Monastery of Hirana trigger simultaneously on conquest, you choose the order. You can resolve Hirana's trigger first (drawing a card and removing Sett's buff), then resolve Sett's trigger (which will buff him since he's no longer buffed).
Can you score a point from the same battlefield twice in one turn by leaving it empty and re-entering it?
Ruling: No, you can score each battlefield only once per turn, regardless of whether you leave and re-enter it. Nuances: - If you lose control of a battlefield during your turn and regain control in the same turn, you do not score another point - Regaining control of a battlefield during your turn (after losing it) does not count as...
If an 8 Might unit has 4 damage on it, what is its Might value in showdown, and how much Might does an opponent need to kill it?
Ruling: Damage does not reduce a unit's Might value. An 8 Might unit with 4 damage on it still has 8 Might, but an opponent only needs 4 Might to kill it in showdown since the unit already has damage equal to the difference.
How do multiple units attacking a single stronger unit work in terms of showdowns and damage? Can multiple units move together to create one showdown, and when does damage heal?
Ruling: Multiple units moving TO the same battlefield location can be moved at once to create a single showdown. Damage is assigned based on total combined might (not individually per unit), and damage heals at the end of each showdown and at the end of turns.
If you cast Singularity for 6 damage on Mind Splitters (7 might units) and then play Watcher (which reduces might by 3 to a minimum of 1), do the Mind Splitters die?
Ruling: Yes, the Mind Splitters die. Watcher reduces their might from 7 to 4, and they already have 6 damage marked on them, so they die when their damage meets or exceeds their might.
Can you use a React card in response to another React card (specifically, can Deny counter Hidden Blade)?
Ruling: Yes, you can use reactions to respond to other reactions. In the scenario described, Deny can counter Hidden Blade.
Does conquering a battlefield and using its effect start a chain, or does it happen instantly?
Ruling: Battlefield effects work the same as unit effects - triggered effects (like "When you conquer") start a chain, while passive effects do not.
When a combat has both a 'when I attack' and a 'when I defend' trigger, which trigger goes on the chain first and which resolves last?
Ruling: Attacker triggers go on the chain first, then players who are neither attacker nor defender, then defender triggers. Since the chain resolves first-in-last-out, defender triggers resolve first.
In Riftbound, if a player conquers both battlefields during their opponent's turn and reaches 9 points, do they win immediately, or must they control both battlefields simultaneously at the end of the turn?
Ruling: You win immediately upon reaching 9 points by conquering both battlefields, even if you don't control them simultaneously. You only need to successfully score at both battlefields, not hold them at the same time.
How does buff work in Riftbound, including permanence, interactions, and whether units can have multiple buffs?
Ruling: A buff gives +1 might to a unit as long as the unit has it, and units can only have one buff at a time. Buffs stay on the unit until it dies or is spent for other benefits.
When a unit is defending alone with Yi's +2 might bonus and gets attacked by Leona Zealot (which gives -8 might), does the +2 apply before the -8, or does the -8 overwrite the +2?
Ruling: Both are passive effects that apply simultaneously in the arithmetic layer. You add all bonuses first, then subtract all penalties, with a minimum of 1 might.
For Volibear's attack ability that deals 5 damage, when do you choose targets and assign damage - before the trigger resolves or when it resolves?
Ruling: When Volibear attacks, the trigger goes on the chain and you choose targets at that time. When the trigger resolves, you then assign the 5 damage between the chosen targets (must assign at least 1 damage to each).
If multiple Zhonya's Hourglasses are in play, do they all get used up when a friendly unit dies, or just one?
Ruling: Only one Zhonya's Hourglass gets used up when a friendly unit would die. Sequence: - The first Zhonya's Hourglass triggers and resolves - After it resolves, the unit is no longer being killed - The other Zhonya's Hourglass triggers fizzle because their trigger condition is no longer met
Can you play Ride the Wind (an action spell) in response to an opponent's Fox Fire spell to remove a unit from the battlefield and cancel the spell?
Ruling: No, you cannot play Ride the Wind in response to Fox Fire. Action spells cannot be added to an existing chain - they can only start a chain. When an opponent casts a spell, they start a chain, and you can only respond with reaction spells, not action spells.
Who has priority to play an action spell at the beginning of combat/showdown?
Ruling: The attacker gains Focus at the start of a showdown and becomes the active player, allowing them to play an Action or Reaction first, regardless of who was the active player before the showdown.
In a showdown, can you play an action in response to another action if opponent passed priority, or only reactions?
Ruling: When there is anything on the chain, only reactions can be played. Actions can only be played when the chain is empty.
Does Ravensbloom Student's trigger go on the stack/chain where it can be reacted to, or does it immediately gain power?
Ruling: The trigger goes on the chain and can be reacted to before it resolves. Nuances: - Only Reaction spells can be used to respond to the trigger, not Action spells - There may not be 3 damage Reaction spells currently available in the game
If a Sand Soldier with Eye of the Herald attached is on a battlefield, can you play Azir Ascendant to the same battlefield, recycle 1 green to target that Sand Soldier (already on the same battlefield), switch the equipment to Azir, and does this create a token? Also, how does Azir interact with Vilemaw's Lair - can Azir swap with a unit on that battlefield?
Ruling: You can target a unit on the same battlefield with Azir's ability and switch equipment to Azir, but no token is created because the unit did not actually move. When Azir swaps with a unit at Vilemaw's Lair, both units end up at Vilemaw's Lair due to "can't beat can" rules.
Can you use Defy on a spell that targets your unit with Deflect, even though Deflect increases the spell's cost?
Ruling: Yes, you can use Defy on a spell targeting a unit with Deflect. When an effect checks a card's cost, it only checks the printed cost, not any additional costs from keywords like Deflect.
When Hidden Blade is played from hidden, can it target units at any battlefield or only the battlefield where it was hidden?
Ruling: When Hidden Blade is played from hand, it can target a unit at any battlefield. When played from hidden, it can only target units at the battlefield where it was hidden.
What is the difference between a combat and a showdown, and can a showdown occur without a combat?
Ruling: A showdown occurs whenever a unit moves into a battlefield. A combat occurs when units controlled by opposing players are present at the same battlefield. A showdown can occur without a combat when moving to an empty battlefield.
If I have 2 units at the same location and move one away during showdown, does Mask of Foresight trigger to give the remaining unit +1 for being alone?
Ruling: No. "When I attack/defend" triggers only when a unit becomes an attacker/defender. If you attack with 2 units, they are not alone when they become attackers, so the trigger misses. Moving a unit away afterward does not cause a new trigger because the remaining unit already was an attacker/defender.
When allocating combat damage to a unit that already has damage on it, do you need to allocate the full lethal amount or only enough to reach lethal?
Ruling: You only need to allocate enough damage to reach lethal. If a unit already has damage on it, you only need to assign the remaining damage needed to kill it.
Can you reveal a hidden unit in response to an opponent's Carnivorous Snapvine targeting another unit?
Ruling: Yes, you can reveal a hidden unit (like Teemo) in response to Carnivorous Snapvine targeting another unit (like Kai'Sa).
When seeing a Nocturne with no runes tapped, can you float a rune mid-resolution and recycle it to pay Nocturne's cost instead of losing Energy?
Ruling: Yes, you can float a rune when paying for Nocturne and recycle it to pay his cost. You are not obligated to lose Energy.