Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 65 of 133 · 6,624 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
When do you announce the targets for Dragon's Rage - on cast or when resolving the spell?
Ruling: Targets are never selected on resolution. Dragon's Rage targets a unit on activation (the unit to be moved and the destination), and then creates a reflexive trigger that targets another unit at the destination.
If I have 2 Zhonyas on my battlefield and my unit dies, do both trigger and get removed, or can I save one?
Ruling: When a unit dies with multiple Zhonyas on the battlefield, only one Zhonyas will be used to save the unit. The other Zhonyas will not be wasted.
How many times can you use the repeat mechanic on a single card?
Ruling: You can pay the repeat cost once per instance of the repeat keyword on a card. A card with one instance of repeat can be repeated once; a card with multiple instances of repeat (either printed or granted by other effects) can be repeated multiple times.
How does battlefield selection work at the start of the game?
Ruling: Battlefield selection depends on the number of players and match format. In Best of 1 (Bo1), players select battlefields at random. In Best of 3 (Bo3), each player selects which battlefield to use each match (cannot repeat battlefields in subsequent matches of the same round).
When a defender is removed from a battlefront during combat using Portal Rescue and replayed at base, does the attacker (Darius with Cleave) keep their combat bonus?
Ruling: The attacker (Darius) keeps the Cleave bonus and survives the Riptide Shark's 6 damage. Combat/showdown continues until both players pass focus in order, not when units are removed.
Can activated abilities on cards be used during an opponent's turn, and what timing restrictions apply?
Ruling: Activated abilities follow the same timing logic as spells. Abilities with "Reaction" or "Action" speed tags can be used during any appropriate timing window on any player's turn. Abilities with no speed tag can only be used on your own turn outside of combat.
Do units and gear go on the chain and can they be reacted to when played?
Ruling: Units and gear enter the chain but skip Execute and Pass after Finalizing, immediately Resolving, so opponents cannot react to them.
When ganking, if you move your only unit out of a battlefield, can you play a new unit to that now-empty battlefield after the move?
Ruling: No, you cannot play a unit to a battlefield after your ganking unit leaves it empty. When you no longer have any units at a battlefield, you lose control of it, and you can only play units to battlefields you control.
If a unit with Sett Legend ability is targeted by Charm, then dies to Hidden Blade and is saved by Sett (returning to base), does the Charm still resolve and pull the unit?
Ruling: The Charm will still resolve and pull Cithria from base to the battlefield. Since Cithria never hit a non-board zone (she went from battlefield to base via Sett's ability), she is still considered the same target and remains a legal target for Charm.
When does Ravenbloom get +1 might when you play spells - immediately when you use the spell or after the spell resolves?
Ruling: Ravenbloom gets +1 might when your spells resolve, not when you initially use them. Sequence: - You play a spell - The spell fully resolves - Ravenbloom's trigger goes on the Chain - Both players get priority before the trigger resolves - The trigger resolves and Ravenbloom gets +1 might - This repeats for each spell that resolves
When Anivia attacks into a defending Ahri, does Ahri's ability trigger before she dies from Anivia's 3 damage?
Ruling: Yes, Ahri's ability triggers and resolves before she dies from Anivia's damage. Sequence: - Attack triggers activate first - Defend triggers activate last - Triggers resolve in reverse order (defend triggers resolve first) - Ahri uses her -2 Might ability - Ahri then dies to Anivia's damage
Can a hidden Zhonya be revealed as a reaction to save a unit that is being moved or discarded from a battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, hidden Zhonya can be revealed as a reaction to save units being moved or discarded. Hidden cards have Reaction speed, allowing them to react to any action, and when a gear at a battlefield is revealed it returns to base.
Do units heal after a combat showdown if one unit is moved away (e.g., via Flash) before combat damage is dealt?
Ruling: Yes, units heal after combat as long as a combat was started, even if combat damage is skipped or a unit is moved away before damage is dealt.
With the Patch Rules for Hidden, do hidden cards now target other battlefields?
Ruling: No, hidden cards that have a targeting choice must choose from that battlefield when played from hidden. Nuances: - This ruling is confirmed in the FAQ
Does Thousand-Tailed Watcher's -3 might effect persist if units are later buffed, or is it a one-time reduction?
Ruling: Thousand-Tailed Watcher gives all enemy units -3 might this turn (down to a minimum of 1 might). If units are later buffed, they gain might from their current value after Watcher's effect. Negative might values below 1 are not stored.
If I have a sprite at a battlefield with hidden Teemo, can I react to the sprite's temporary keyword dying in my beginning phase, and would Teemo then conquer or hold?
Ruling: You can react to Temporary with Teemo, and Teemo would hold since you didn't lose control of the Battlefield.
Does Ahri's ability apply to every enemy Unit attacking a battlefield you own, or just one Unit? Does it count as targeting and trigger Deflect?
Ruling: Ahri's ability applies to all enemy Units attacking a battlefield you control. It does not target, so it does not trigger Deflect.
Is Volibear's ability to split 5 damage part of his 9 might or is it 5 additional damage?
Ruling: Volibear's ability deals 5 additional damage, separate from his might. This damage is dealt by an effect and has nothing to do with combat damage.
Can you conquer a battlefield on your opponent's turn, and does conquering only occur during combat or also when units move to empty battlefields?
Ruling: Conquering can occur on any turn, not just your own, and happens both as a result of combat resolution and when your units move to an empty battlefield.
When can you play units directly onto a battlefield? Can you conquer and play units on the same battlefield in the same turn?
Ruling: You need to have a unit on a battlefield to play units directly onto it (control it). You can move a unit onto an open battlefield and then play another unit from your hand onto that same battlefield in the same turn.
If a unit with Cleave is moved away from the battlefield during combat (via Ride the Wind after taking damage from Ray), does it die immediately since it loses the +3 might from Cleave's Assault before healing?
Ruling: The unit dies. When it leaves the battlefield, it loses its attacker designation during cleanup, which removes the Assault bonus from Cleave. The unit then dies in a subsequent cleanup due to having damage equal to or exceeding its base might.
How does 4c Lux's ability work? Does she provide ramp or temporary energy, and do the resources stay after the turn?
Ruling: Lux does not provide ramp. When you exhaust her, you get 2 energy that can only be spent on spells during that turn.
Does damage reduce a unit's might, and what happens when units with damage on them fight each other?
Ruling: Damage does not reduce might. The damage a unit deals in combat equals its might, regardless of how much damage is already on that unit.
When Switcheroo is used on units with Shield or Assault, do the bonuses transfer with the stats or do they get removed?
Ruling: Shield and Assault are passive effects that do not use the chain. When Switcheroo resolves, Shield and Assault bonuses are removed from the affected units rather than transferring with the swapped stats.
If opposing units already have damage from a spell effect, does the attacker still need to assign lethal damage during combat, or can they assign less damage since the units already have damage?
Ruling: When assigning damage during combat, you only need to assign enough damage to reach lethal when combined with damage already on the unit. You do not need to assign full lethal damage if the unit already has damage that hasn't been healed.
When attacking with Yasuo Remorseful, if the opponent moves a unit away from the battlefield in response but another unit remains there, can you target the remaining unit, or was the target locked in when the ability went on the chain?
Ruling: You must choose the target when Yasuo's attack trigger goes on the chain. If the opponent moves that targeted unit in response, the ability resolves with no effect and you cannot choose a different target.
When playing Stacked Deck in response to a chain, do you get to draw and use the drawn card in the same chain?
Ruling: Stacked Deck is an Action, so it cannot be played during a chain resolution. However, if you use a Reaction speed draw spell (like Consult the Past), you can draw and play the drawn card in the same chain if it's Reaction speed.
Does Teemo's ability to reveal Hidden cards to deal damage work with only cards that have the Hidden keyword, or does it also work with cards that have the word 'hidden' in their text?
Ruling: Teemo's ability works only with cards that have the Hidden keyword, not with cards that merely have the word "hidden" in their text.
What is the spell speed of tap abilities of units, or unit abilities in general?
Ruling: All activated abilities are base speed unless specified otherwise, and can only be used during your turn and out of showdowns.
Can you play reactions while the chain is resolving, or does the chain resolve all at once?
Ruling: Yes, there is a pause after each item on the chain resolves where both players can play more reactions and must pass again before the next item resolves.
Does Grand Stratagem apply to units that are spawned after the spell resolves (e.g., Noxian Drummer spawned after Grand Stratagem is cast)?
Ruling: Grand Stratagem does not apply to units spawned after the spell resolves. When Grand Stratagem resolves, it gives its effect to units that exist at that moment, and units that enter the battlefield afterward are not given the buff.
How does Stealthy Pursuer's triggered ability interact with the chain, and what happens if the friendly unit that triggered it is killed in response before the ability resolves?
Ruling: Stealthy Pursuer's ability is a triggered ability that uses the chain. If the friendly unit is killed in response to the trigger before Stealthy Pursuer's ability resolves, Stealthy Pursuer does not move because it cannot find "it" (the reference to the friendly unit).
When playing a card with Acceleration for free (ignoring cost), do you still have to pay the Acceleration cost?
Ruling: When an effect lets you play a card without paying the cost (ignoring cost), you only ignore the printed base cost. You must still pay additional costs like Accelerate.
If I kill my opponent's unit with an action card during a showdown, does the showdown end immediately or can my opponent still use actions?
Ruling: The showdown continues even if the opponent has no units remaining. The opponent still has the opportunity to play action cards.
If multiple Karthus are on the board, do Deathknells trigger more than twice?
Ruling: With 2 Karthus on the board, you would get 3 Deathknell triggers total. Each Karthus adds an additional trigger.
Can Action speed spells be played during the attack/defend trigger chain, or only after those triggers resolve?
Ruling: Action speed spells cannot be played during the initial attack/defend trigger chain. Only Reactions can be played in response to attack/defend triggers. Actions can only be played after all attack/defend triggers have resolved.
Can exhausted units enter combat if moved by a card effect?
Ruling: Yes, exhausted units can enter combat if they are moved there by card effects. Being exhausted only prevents regular movement, not movement by other methods.
When do spells go to the trash - immediately when played or after they resolve?
Ruling: Spells go to the trash after they resolve, not immediately when played. Sequence: - When a spell is played, it enters a temporal zone called the Chain - The spell remains in the Chain zone until it resolves - After resolution, the spell moves to the trash
Does Legend Ahri's trigger apply to creatures that enter the battlefield after a showdown has already begun (e.g., via Ride the Wind)?
Ruling: Yes, Legend Ahri triggers on units that gain the attacker designation after combat has begun. Sequence: - Combat begins and Ahri triggers on attacking units - A unit joins the fight later (e.g., via Ride the Wind) - Ahri triggers again on the newly arriving unit
Can you use the same rune to pay both the energy cost (by exhausting it) and the calm rune cost (by recycling it) for a card like Defy?
Ruling: Yes, you can exhaust a rune for energy and also recycle that same rune to pay for a calm rune cost.
If I use Time Warp while an opponent controls a battlefield, does the opponent get a hold point?
Ruling: No, the opponent does not get a hold point when you use Time Warp while they control a battlefield.
With the release of set 2, will all might reduction spells be able to reduce might down to 0 and below?
Ruling: Not all might reduction spells have been changed. Only some might reduction spells in set 2 do not have the "to minimum 1" clause and can reduce might below 0. There is no mass errata to all might reduction spells.
Does Unyielding Spirit prevent the damage from Challenge?
Ruling: Unyielding Spirit does not prevent damage from Challenge. Challenge does not deal spell or ability damage; the units themselves deal the damage to each other, so it bypasses effects that refer to spell or ability damage.
Does a card count as defending alone when there is a hidden (facedown) card at its battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, a card is defending alone even when there is a hidden card at its battlefield. Nuances: - A facedown card is not considered a unit, a spell, or a gear for game purposes
What is the 'bench'?
Ruling: The "bench" is player terminology for the Base zone in Riftbound. Nuances: - The Base is the location where players deploy units and gear - The Base is separate from the three battlefields - "Bench" is informal terminology; the official zone name is "Base"
Is the first friendly unit on Deathgrip a cost or a target? When do I kill it, and what happens if I don’t?
1) the friendly unit is a target, not a cost; 2) it is chosen along with the other friendly unit and killed as the spell resolves; 3) if you don’t actually kill it for any reason, either because it’s no longer a legal target or because you replaced its death with an effect like Zhonya’s Hourglass, you do not give...
Does Kato give keywords he’s gained during play? What about Might bonuses from various sources like Equipment?
Yes. Kato gives his current keywords and additional Might equal to his current Might to the unit you choose. Later changes to Kato don’t matter; what the unit gets is locked in as the ability resolves.
Does Forgotten Monument work the same as Tianna?
Forgotten Monument completely prevents the process of scoring there. That means no conquer triggers, no hold triggers, and no points from doing those things. “Extra” points such as those from Renata Glasc, Mastermind are unaffected. You can still gain control of the battlefield following a showdown—you just can’t conquer it.
When and how does Yone trigger? If you conquer a battlefield, is it still open?
He triggers at the end of a noncombat showdown in which he conquers. It also means that he now triggers in “surprise defense” scenarios, caused when units move around during showdowns and you wind up defending a battlefield you don’t control.
If I win on the attack and conquer, does this happen before or after I score? Before or after conquer effects?
Draven’s ability will trigger and resolve before you gain your regular point for scoring the battlefield and before any conquer effects are triggered. This means that you can’t win from 6 points by conquering a battlefield with Draven without having scored all other battlefields—you’ll gain your point from Draven, then the game will see that you’re at 7 points and...