Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 62 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If I play two copies of Darius in the same turn, do both trigger to become ready and get +2 attack, or only the first one?
Ruling: Both Darius cards trigger. When the second Darius is played, he sees himself as the second card played that turn.
If a player is at 5 points, controls both battlefields with Trinity Force attached to one, does the Trinity Force trigger win the game or does holding the battlefields put them to 7 points before the trigger happens?
Ruling: Trinity Force triggers after gaining points from holding the battlefields. Since you reach 7 points from holding both battlefields before Trinity Force triggers, you win the game immediately.
When Teemo comes out of hidden and does the top 5 cards hidden damage, and he uses it on a unit and brings that unit's might to 0, does that unit still get to attack in the showdown?
Ruling: Damage doesn't change a unit's might. If you deal damage equal to or greater than a unit's might, it will die. If it dies before the Combat Damage Step, its might won't be calculated in that because it's dead.
If Dazzling Aurora reveals and plays a unit after recycling non-units, can Karma Channeler's triggered ability buff that unit?
Ruling: Yes, Karma Channeler can buff the unit played by Dazzling Aurora. Sequence: - Aurora resolves, adding the unit to the pending chain, then recycling cards (which triggers Karma) - Karma's trigger is added to the pending chain after the unit - The pending chain finalizes in order: the unit is added to the chain first and immediately resolves (enters...
When Nine-Tailed Fox reduces a unit's Might by 1, and that unit later loses a static buff (like Assault from Captain Farron), does the -1 reduction persist and potentially bring the unit to 0 Might?
Ruling: Nine-Tailed Fox's -1 Might effect applies once when it resolves. If the unit could have its Might reduced at that moment, the reduction is applied permanently. The restriction only applies at the initial determination of whether to apply the -1 Might, not continuously afterward. Units can survive at 0 Might as they require nonzero damage to be defeated.
If you control a battlefield with Mundo at 7 points on your opponent's turn, can you use Ride the Wind to move to another empty battlefield and win the game immediately, or do you need to score both battlefields in the same turn?
Ruling: You need to score both battlefields in the same turn to win via conquest. Simply holding one battlefield from your previous turn and conquering another on your opponent's turn does not count, because you must conquer both battlefields in the same turn.
When Dazzling Aurora hits a Mighty unit, can you exhaust Volibear with his trigger to put a rune in the exhausted unit?
Ruling: Yes, when Dazzling Aurora hits a Mighty unit, you can exhaust Volibear with his trigger to put a rune in the exhausted unit.
When Ahri, Inquisitive attacks and Master Yi defends, does Ahri's -2/-2 effect resolve after Yi's +2/+2 from defending?
Ruling: Master Yi's +2/+2 from Wuju Bladesman is a passive effect that applies immediately and cannot be reacted to. Ahri's -2/-2 trigger goes on the stack after, with the attacker having first focus and priority.
What is the difference between paying 1 (energy) and paying a rainbow (power) for Teemo Swift Scout's ability?
Ruling: Energy is gained by exhausting a rune, while power is gained by recycling a rune (and the power has a domain matching the recycled rune). Teemo's legend ability allows you to pay an energy to hide instead of paying a power.
Can you play spells that are neither action nor reaction (like Cull the Weak) during a showdown on your turn?
Ruling: You cannot play spells that are neither action nor reaction during a showdown, even on your turn. These spells can only be played during your turn, out of showdown, when the chain is empty.
For Bullet Time, do you have to decide how much to recycle before it resolves, or can you wait until resolution (especially relevant if it gets countered)?
Ruling: You pay the recycle cost when the effect resolves, not when you play it. If Bullet Time gets countered, you don't pay the recycle cost.
Can Teemo, Strategist's ability target multiple units (like tokens) if more than one hidden card is found?
Ruling: No, you choose only 1 unit with Teemo, Strategist's ability, regardless of how many hidden cards are found.
Can you tap a resource to add energy/power as a reaction, and if so, what happens with priority and can opponents respond to it?
Ruling: You can tap a resource to add energy/power as a reaction, and it cannot be responded to. However, this is effectively pointless because priority passes to the opponent after it resolves, allowing them to play reactions anyway - the same outcome as if you hadn't done it.
If I use Charm to move an enemy unit with Assault onto Ahri's battlefield, does that enemy unit count as the attacker and get Assault? Also, when does Ahri's Nine-Tailed Fox ability get added to the chain?
Ruling: Yes, the enemy unit is the attacker because the attacker is the player whose unit creates the contested state at the battlefield. The player who controls the unit that moved is the player who applied contested status.
Does Siphon Power's +1/-1 might effect apply to units that move to the targeted battlefield after the spell resolves?
Ruling: No. Siphon Power is a one-time effect that only applies to units present at the targeted battlefield when the spell resolves. Units that move to that battlefield later are not affected.
For cards/abilities that say 'any number of units' (like Volibear Furious or Foxfire), can you choose 0 targets?
Ruling: No, you cannot choose 0 targets for abilities that say "any number of units." These abilities require at least one legal target to be put on the chain.
When a player at 7 points occupies Zaun Wasteland with no cards in hand, what is the order of drawing and discarding?
Ruling: The player draws a card (instead of gaining the 8th point), then discards a card for Zaun Wasteland's trigger, then draws another card from the discard effect.
When attacking with Volibear Furious (which deals 5 damage) against a unit with Deflect, do you pay 1 power or 5 power for Deflect?
Ruling: You only pay 1 power to target the unit with Deflect. Volibear Furious deals 5 damage as a single instance, not five separate instances.
Can you use Defy on Falling Star, which costs less than 4 memory but requires 2 recycled runes?
Ruling: No, you cannot use Defy on Falling Star. A card must meet both conditions (no more than 4 memory AND no more than 1 recycled rune) to be eligible for Defy.
If Yasuo Remorseful (6 Might) attacks alone against a 10 Might defender and both players pass with no actions, does Yasuo survive?
Ruling: No, Yasuo does not survive. Both units die. Damage does not reduce Might - a unit with damage markers still deals its full Might value in combat.
Does Triferian War Camp's passive effect apply to a 4 Might Unit before Relentless Storm triggers, making it 5 Might (and thus not destroyed)?
Ruling: Yes, Triferian War Camp's passive effect is always active, so a Unit entering the board at War Camp will enter at 5 Might and will not be destroyed by Relentless Storm.
How does the chain work when multiple reactions are played, and how does priority work during chain building and resolution?
Ruling: When building a chain, players alternate priority but a player can play multiple reactions while holding priority before passing. Priority passes voluntarily during chain building, never automatically. During resolution, after each link resolves, the owner of the next ability gains priority before that ability resolves.
Does a showdown start when you move a unit to a battlefield you already control?
Ruling: No, a showdown does not start when you move a unit to a battlefield you already control. Nuances: - A showdown only starts when a battlefield is contested, meaning it has a unit from a player who doesn't control that battlefield - A showdown also starts when attempting to conquer an empty battlefield (since the unit is at a...
If an opponent plays a card with an optional on-enter ability ("When I'm played, you may do x") and chooses not to do the effect, is there still an opportunity to react?
Ruling: Yes, you can react to the triggered ability when it is placed on the chain, before your opponent makes the decision about the "may" effect.
If I control a battlefield, move my units out, then move a unit back in, does that count as a new conquer?
Ruling: No, it does not count as a new conquer. Conquer only occurs when a player gains control of a battlefield they did not yet score this turn.
When can you 'float' resources (tap runes for Energy or recycle runes for Power) in Riftbound, and specifically, can you recycle a rune gained from Star-Tipped Peak before channeling to have it available untapped?
Ruling: You can tap or recycle runes any time you can play a reaction, or any time a card asks you to pay a cost during card resolution. Runes have reaction speed abilities by default. However, you cannot recycle a rune immediately after gaining it from a trigger like Star-Tipped Peak to use it before channeling, because you only get...
Does Blind Flurry ignore power cost as well as memory cost?
Ruling: Yes, Blind Flurry ignores power cost as well as memory cost.
How do Gears work in Riftbound? Do they stay on the battlefield until destroyed or are they one-time use?
Ruling: Gears are played into your base and remain on the battlefield until something sends them to the trash. When you play a Gear, you get its on-play effect, and any continuous effects remain active as long as the Gear stays on the field.
How and when does Everbloom Student get her +1 Might, and does she get it if the spell is countered by Defy?
Ruling: After a spell is fully resolved, Everbloom Student's trigger goes on the chain to increase her might by +1. A spell countered with Defy or similar effects will not count as "played" and will not trigger her ability.
Does Shield activate immediately when Shen is summoned, or does it use the chain, allowing an opponent to Gust him before Shield takes effect?
Ruling: Shield is a passive ability that does not use the chain. Shen gains Shield (5 might) immediately when he enters the battlefield, with no response window for the opponent to Gust him.
When 2 Dazzling Auroras are on board and one triggers, finding a Deadbloom Predator that causes a Showdown, does the Showdown happen immediately or does the second Dazzling Aurora resolve first?
Ruling: The Showdown will not occur until the chain is empty. You must resolve the second Dazzling Aurora and any triggers from it before the Showdown starts.
If Viktor dies with another non-recruit unit, will he spawn a recruit token at base?
Ruling: No, Viktor will not spawn a recruit token at base if he dies with another non-recruit unit. Sequence: - When multiple units die simultaneously, the board state is checked at the time the triggered abilities would resolve - At that point, Viktor is already in the trash/dead - Viktor's triggered ability requires checking if you control another non-recruit unit...
How does priority and focus work during a showdown in Riftbound, particularly regarding who can play action cards versus reaction cards and when?
Ruling: When a showdown starts, the attacker has focus (which includes priority) and can play an action card first. The defender can only respond with reaction cards to that chain. Once the chain resolves and focus passes, the other player can then start a new chain with an action card.
Does Unyielding Spirit stop damage from fight spells like Challenge and Carnivorous Snapvine's ability?
Ruling: No, Unyielding Spirit does not stop damage from Challenge or Carnivorous Snapvine. Nuances: - Unyielding Spirit does stop damage from Void Seeker, Stormbringer, and Yasuo, Remorseless - Unyielding Spirit does not stop damage from Challenge, Last Breath, or Carnivorous Snapvine
Is a player required to proactively announce Master Yi's bonus when defending alone, or is it the opponent's responsibility to recognize it?
Ruling: Master Yi is a passive ability, not a trigger. You are not required to proactively announce it, but you cannot lie about it if asked. It is the opponent's responsibility to account for Yi's ability.
Can you respond to combat attack/defend triggers (specifically Yasuo's ability) with reactions?
Ruling: Yes, reactions can be played in response to combat triggers like Yasuo's ability. Reactions can be played anytime an action could be played plus in response to any trigger on the chain.
When I counter a spell, does the opponent need to pay the rune cost even though the spell wasn't played because of the counter?
Ruling: Yes, the opponent pays all costs before you begin to counter, and they don't get them back when the spell is countered.
How long do might increases from cards like Decisive Strike last, especially when used during a showdown on an opponent's turn?
Ruling: Might increases and decreases last for the duration specified on the card. When a card says "this turn," it lasts until the end of the current turn (the turn during which the effect was created), not until the end of your next turn.
Can Blitzcrank move enemies from one Battlefield to another Battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, Blitzcrank can move enemies from Battlefield to Battlefield. There are no restrictions on the source of his target.
How does Kai'Sa Legend's reaction ability work to add power for casting spells?
Ruling: Kai'Sa Legend adds 1 universal power (not a rune) to your rune pool when you tap her. This power can only be used to pay the colored power costs on spell cards, not the numbered generic costs that you normally recycle runes for.
If I play Challenge during a showdown to kill my opponent's attacking unit (using a unit from my base), does the showdown end immediately or continue, and does my defending unit survive?
Ruling: Challenge will kill the opposing unit, but the showdown does not end immediately. Players continue to have the opportunity to play spells back and forth until both pass, then the showdown ends.
Can Player B play a reaction to Shen when Player A plays Shen as a reaction to Blitzcrank, and does the reaction spell occur before Shen hits the field?
Ruling: Player B cannot play a reaction to Shen. Permanents (units and gear) exit the chain immediately after finalizing to be played and do not open priority windows.
Can you play a hidden card as a react on the same turn you hid it?
Ruling: You cannot play a hidden card on the same turn that you hid it. Nuances: - This timing restriction applies even if you're trying to use the hidden card as a react at a different battlefield than where you hid it - The mechanic works similarly to MTG's Foretell
Does a "when I attack" effect resolve if the attacking unit is killed by a reaction before combat?
Ruling: If a unit with a "when I attack" effect is killed by a reaction before combat, the effect still resolves unless it requires the unit to be in a specific location (uses "here").
Does En Garde's +1 bonus (when it's the only unit you control at a location) apply if you are the attacker, since you don't control that spot until after combat?
Ruling: The +1 bonus applies based on whether the targeted unit is the only unit you control at its location. You control your units that are in play, regardless of whether you control the location itself.
When Blitzcrank moves an enemy unit to a battlefield, who is the attacker and who is the defender?
Ruling: The moved enemy unit is the attacker and you are the defender, because the unit that applies contested to the battlefield determines who is the attacker.
If I move a unit that held a battlefield (for a point) out to base, then move another unit back into that battlefield, do I get another point?
Ruling: No, you do not get another point. You can only score each battlefield once per turn. Nuances: - Moving the second unit to the battlefield would not count as "conquering" it - Triggered abilities that happen when you conquer a battlefield would not trigger in this scenario - In order to conquer a battlefield, you have to score that...
When Rumble, Hotheaded recycles a Ferrous Forerunner (a card unit) from the battlefield, does Karma, Channeler's ability trigger?
Ruling: Yes, Karma triggers when Rumble recycles Ferrous Forerunner because Ferrous Forerunner is a card being recycled to the main deck.
Can Convergent Mutation be played targeting a single friendly unit (e.g., Mundo) when there are no other friendly units available?
Ruling: No, Convergent Mutation cannot be played if there is only one friendly unit available. All spells and abilities require legal targets in order to be played.
What is the total cost to play Jinx accelerated (entering ready)?
Ruling: To play Jinx accelerated, you pay 4 energy and recycle 2 red runes total (the base cost plus the accelerate cost).