Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 63 of 133 · 6,620 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
Does Thousand-Tailed Watcher's ability require recycling an additional card when affecting a unit with deflect?
Ruling: No, you do not need to recycle an additional card. Deflect does not apply to Thousand-Tailed Watcher's ability. Nuances: - Watcher's ability doesn't target, so deflect has no effect - Deflect only applies when choices are involved in targeting
If I take a unit with Possession and then use Portal Rescue on it, does it return to my base or the owner of the card?
Ruling: The unit returns to its owner's base, not the controller's base. Portal Rescue has been errata'd so that the owner of the card plays it to its base.
What does 'add' mean on a card in Riftbound?
Ruling: 'Add' means you can exhaust the card and spend it for a power cost, without having to recycle a rune to generate the power.
What are the ways to save my unit from an enemy's Harnessed Dragon?
Ruling: You can save your unit from Harnessed Dragon with Zhonya's Hourglass (hidden or active), Gust (if your unit is on the battlefield with 3 or less Might), or Sett Legend (if your unit is buffed).
If my Ekko is killed by Bullet Time and has a hidden Teemo underneath, is there a priority window to play the hidden Teemo before it's discarded during cleanup, since Ekko's deathknell trigger wants to go on the chain?
Ruling: Once Ekko's deathknell triggers, you have already lost control of the battlefield and therefore the hidden card will be discarded. You would have to use the hidden card in reaction to your opponent's Bullet Time before the damage resolves.
When is the appropriate time to activate "repeat" on a chain, and can an opponent react before the repeat effect goes off?
Ruling: Repeat is an optional additional cost paid during the pay costs step of playing a spell. It creates one spell and one chain item, so there is no opportunity for your opponent to react between the initial effect and the repeat effect.
Can I tap a rune to float energy, play a seal to recycle that exhausted rune, and then use the floated energy to cast another card?
Ruling: Yes, you can tap a rune without spending the energy, let it float, play a seal to recycle the exhausted rune, and then use the floated energy to cast another card.
Does Black Market Broker apply to hidden cards, since they are face down?
Ruling: Yes, Black Market Broker applies to hidden cards because hidden cards are played from the facedown zone. Sequence: - Hidden cards are put in the facedown zone associated with the battlefield they are hidden to - You play hidden cards from that facedown zone - Black Market Broker's "face down" text applies to this zone
If a unit has deflect and I target it with a gear, does it count as an ability and do I pay the cost?
Ruling: Yes, if you target an opponent's unit that has deflect with a gear's effect, it counts as an ability and you must pay the deflect cost. If the unit is yours and it's your own gear, you don't have to pay because deflect only applies to opponents' effects.
Does putting a -1 might counter on a unit count as damage for the purpose of Imperial Decree?
Ruling: Might changes do not count as damage. Damage and might modifications are treated separately for Imperial Decree. Nuances: - Imperial Decree requires non-zero "damage" to be dealt; a might modification is simply the stat itself going up or down - When assigning damage with Imperial Decree, you must assign the full might value to be lethal on one enemy;...
Why did the Kai'Sa player channel 3 runes on their first turn and the Master Yi player channel 4 runes on their first turn?
Ruling: There is a battlefield card that causes players to channel an extra rune on their first turn of the game.
When is the last moment you could play a hidden card during a losing showdown if the opponent doesn't trigger anything?
Ruling: During a losing showdown, the last moment to play a hidden card is at action speed timing when the defender has priority, before both players consecutively pass priority without doing anything (which would complete the showdown).
If Blue Ezreal is attacked and the attacker passes priority, can you use his action to move him to base before his 'when I defend' damage resolves?
Ruling: No, you cannot use the action until after Ezreal's 'when I defend' trigger is resolved. The triggered ability goes onto the initial chain and will resolve before either player would have open focus to play an action.
Can you react with a hidden Zhonya to a unit dying during combat damage assignment, or must it be revealed during the showdown chain before damage is assigned?
Ruling: If Zhonya is hidden when both players pass during showdown, it stays hidden until cleanup finishes. You cannot react to combat damage being assigned - once both players pass, no one can play anything until cleanup finishes.
When a possessed unit dies, where does it go?
Ruling: A possessed unit goes to its owner's discard pile when it dies. Nuances: - This rule applies to all cards - they can only go to their owner's discard pile - The same principle applies when cards return to deck
If a unit is charmed/forced to move onto a battlefield where Ahri is, does this trigger Ahri, Inquisitive and Nine Tailed Fox? Does the moved unit get Assault bonuses?
Ruling: Both Ahri, Inquisitive and Nine Tailed Fox trigger when a unit is forced to move onto the same battlefield, as combat starts and designations are assigned. The moved unit does get Assault bonuses if they have it.
Can you move multiple units together when using Yasuo Unforgiven's ability to move an exhausted unit?
Ruling: No, you cannot move multiple units together using Yasuo's ability. Multiple units can only move together when using the inherent Standard Move Action, not when using abilities or spells that move units.
When an opponent taps a seal, can you respond with a reaction speed spell, or can you only play an action speed spell after it resolves?
Ruling: Abilities that add resources finalize immediately and cannot be reacted to. After a seal resolves, you can play an action speed spell, but you cannot respond with a reaction speed spell because there is no chain to continue.
For Bullet Time, do you recycle runes as a cost when playing the card (before opponent responds), or do you play it first, let opponent respond, then pay the power cost afterwards?
Ruling: You play Bullet Time first, your opponent responds without knowing how many runes you'll spend, then after their response resolves you choose how much power to pay by recycling runes.
Does Grand Strategem apply retroactively to units that enter play after it is cast, or only to units in play when it resolves?
Ruling: Grand Strategem only affects units that are in play when the spell resolves. Units that enter play afterwards do not gain the +5 might bonus.
Can a unit with Ganking move from a battlefield to another battlefield with support from a unit at the base (i.e., units moving from different origins to the same destination)?
Ruling: Yes, this is legal. Units can move from different origins to the same destination when declaring a simultaneous move.
Does Unyielding Spirit prevent damage from Caitlyn, Patrolling and Yasuo, Remorseful?
Ruling: Yes, Unyielding Spirit prevents damage from Caitlyn, Patrolling and Yasuo, Remorseful because their abilities use "Deal damage" with no subject, meaning the ability itself is dealing the damage.
How does priority and focus work during showdown, particularly: (1) Does priority auto-pass after an action resolves? (2) Does the attacker keep priority after playing a reaction? (3) How does the initial chain from attack/defend abilities work?
Ruling: The attacker has focus during showdown, which grants them priority and allows them to play actions. After a chain fully resolves, focus passes automatically to the defender. When playing reactions, you may continue playing reactions until you choose to pass priority.
In what order do players choose battlefields and determine turn order across games in a best of 3 match?
Ruling: For all games in a match (games 1, 2, and 3), battlefields are revealed simultaneously by both players before turn order is determined. After battlefields are chosen, players then decide who goes first/second, followed by draw/mulligan.
Does Darius, Hand of Noxus add an unexhausted rune to the rune board, or does he generate 1 energy to help pay for a card's cost?
Ruling: Darius generates one energy (like tapping a rune) that contributes to paying for a card, but only after you've already played at least one card this turn. He does not lower the cost of the card itself, nor does he add a rune to the rune board.
After the errata, is the Zhonya's Hourglass trigger optional or automatic?
Ruling: Zhonya's Hourglass trigger is automatic, not optional. The errata did not change this aspect of the card. Nuances: - There is nuance around when you might or might not have to play a hidden Zhonya's under the new rulebook - In the new 1.1 rules, if you control a battlefield during combat (even if all your units die), you...
When Volibear (Furious) attacks and triggers his ability to deal 5 damage distributed among units, can the defending player play hidden units in response and have those units become valid targets for the damage distribution?
Ruling: No, when Volibear's trigger is put on the chain, targets for the damage distribution must be chosen immediately and are locked in. By the time the defending player can respond to the trigger, the targets have already been selected.
If I have a Vanguard Helm gear at base and I use Baited Hook to kill a unit with a buff on it, can I move that buff using Vanguard Helm to the newly played unit from the hook?
Ruling: No, you cannot move the buff to the newly played unit from Baited Hook. The Vanguard Helm trigger must finalize and choose its target before the unit from Baited Hook enters play.
When a spell that increases Might is played first, then a spell like Smoke Screen (which decreases Might) is used in response, what is the final Might value? Specifically, does the decrease from Smoke Screen negate the increase, or are they calculated separately?
Ruling: When effects resolve that change a unit's Might, each effect is "snapshotted" when it resolves. The unit's Might is recalculated from its base value by applying all current increases first, then all current decreases. If a decrease would reduce a unit below 1 Might, that decrease is snapshotted to only reduce to 1 Might (the minimum), and subsequent increases...
If Miss Fortune (5 cost) moves with another unit from base to a battlefield and her ability triggers to ready something, can she ready the unit that moved with her so it's ready at the battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, Miss Fortune can ready the unit that moved with her to the battlefield, and that unit will be ready at the battlefield.
For Last Rites, if I don't have two cards in my trash to recycle, can I still equip the gear?
Ruling: No, you cannot equip Last Rites if you don't have two cards in your trash to recycle. Recycling two cards from your trash is part of the cost of equipping it, and costs must be paid in full to take an action.
If an opponent controls red Darius and you play Possession to take control of him, does Darius see Possession as the first card played for his ability?
Ruling: Yes, Darius sees Possession as the first card played. When Possession resolves, you take control of Darius, and then when you play your second card, Darius triggers under your control.
If Leona, Zealot is played after Ember Monk receives a +2 Might buff from a mid-showdown trigger, does Leona still reduce the Monk's Might to 1?
Ruling: Yes, Leona's continuous effect applies after all snapshot/one-time effects are calculated, reducing the stunned Ember Monk's Might to 1 regardless of buffs received earlier.
After the initial chain resolves during a showdown in Riftbound, does the attacker retain focus to play another action, or does focus pass to the defender?
Ruling: Focus passes automatically when a chain resolves, with one exception: when resolving the initial chain in combat (the attack/defense triggers chain), the attacker retains focus afterward. After any subsequent chains resolve during the showdown, focus passes to the other player.
If Tideturner is revealed at a location with another unit, and in response to Tideturner's ability you bounce the unit at that location (before the swap resolves), does the location become uncontested momentarily, allowing you to gain a point on your opponent's turn?
Ruling: No, you do not gain a point. Control of the battlefield is never lost during Tideturner's ability resolution. Cleanups (which would check battlefield control) cannot occur during the resolution of a spell or ability.
Can you react to a unit being played and stop its 'When you play' ability (specifically Vanguard Captain with Gust), and can you return Shen with Gust when he's played while defending?
Ruling: You cannot react to a unit being played. However, you can react to a "When you play" ability because the unit has already been played and the ability goes on the chain. For Vanguard Captain, if you bounce her with Gust before her ability resolves, the ability will fail because it cannot find "here" (the unit is gone). For...
Can you float energy from runes (tap a rune for energy, recycle it, then use that energy later in the same turn)?
Ruling: Yes, you can float energy from runes. You can tap a rune to generate energy, recycle that rune (e.g., with Seal of Unity), and then use the previously generated energy later in the same turn to pay for other cards.
If a unit is stunned during combat and then moved to another battlefield, does it remain stunned or can it deal damage in the new combat?
Ruling: A stunned unit remains stunned for the entire turn, even if moved to a different battlefield. The Stun status lasts until the beginning of the next Ending Step (end of turn).
If Baited Hook kills a friendly unit in the same area as Soraka (or is saved by Zhonya's/Sett), does it save the unit and can Baited Hook still use the unit's might+1 to look at cards?
Ruling: Baited Hook does not work if the unit is saved by Soraka, Zhonya's, or Sett. You will look at 5 cards and recycle them all because no unit was actually killed.
Can you play Shen to a battlefield you are attacking (but don't control) since Shen is a reaction?
Ruling: You cannot play Shen to a battlefield you are attacking because you do not control that battlefield. The "including battlefield you control" restriction prevents this.
Can a player play multiple reactions before passing priority, or does priority automatically pass after playing just one reaction?
Ruling: A player may play as many reactions as they want before passing priority. Nothing forces you to pass priority after playing a single reaction.
If a unit has shield 1 and a card gives it shield 2, does it have shield 3 or shield 2?
Ruling: The unit has shield 3. Shield values stack additively when multiple sources grant shield to the same unit.
If you control only 1 gear and play Dropboarder (which has 'When you play me, if you control 2 or more gear, attach me to target unit and ready me'), can you respond to the trigger with Cloth Armor (a reaction gear) to get both the attach and ready effects?
Ruling: Yes, this is legal. Dropboarder's ability triggers when it enters play and only checks if you control 2 or more gear when it resolves, not when it triggers.
When a player on 7 points conquers Candlelit Sanctum, do they draw a card from scoring first and then resolve Candlelit Sanctum's effect, or does Candlelit Sanctum resolve before drawing?
Ruling: Conquer effects are put on the chain after scoring occurs. The player draws a card from scoring first, then resolves Candlelit Sanctum's trigger.
Can you respond to any part or step of Zhonya's Hourglass?
Ruling: No, you cannot respond to Zhonya's Hourglass. It does not go on the chain because it replaces the act of killing a unit, and even when played from hidden at reaction speed, it is a permanent that resolves without priority.
For deck building, do we only need to focus on Domain (runes) when considering Domain Identity restrictions, or could there be other identity restrictions later?
Ruling: For beginners, only focus on Domain (runes) matching your Legend. Cards with one Domain must match that Domain, cards with two Domains must match both, and Signature Spells must match the Legend's name.
When a unit with a 'this turn' might increase (from abilities like Sett Brawler or spells like Call to Glory/Primal Strength) is recalled by Sett's legend ability, does it keep the might increase?
Ruling: When a unit is recalled by Sett's legend ability, it heals from damage but keeps all other effects acting on it, including 'this turn' might increases.
With 2 Auroras in base, do their end-of-turn triggers go on the same chain or separate chains? Can you play a Deadbloom from the first trigger to a battlefield, then play the second unit to that same battlefield to start a showdown with both units simultaneously?
Ruling: Both Aurora triggers enter the same chain and resolve before any showdown, as showdowns can only start in an open state. You cannot play both units to the same battlefield to start a simultaneous showdown.
Can Frostcoat Cub destroy a unit with only 2 Might (or can units with 0 or negative Might survive without damage)?
Ruling: Units only die when they have non-zero damage marked on them that is greater than or equal to their Might. A unit with 0 or even negative Might will not die until it takes at least 1 damage.
Are units continuously checked for Attacker/Defender status during a Showdown, and how does this work for units like Blue Teemo and Yellow Shen that enter during combat?
Ruling: Units are continuously checked for Attacker/Defender status during a Showdown as part of the Clean-up check. When a unit like Blue Teemo is revealed as a REACTION during an open chain, its Defender trigger goes on top of the current chain.