Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 71 of 133 · 6,620 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
Does Wind Wall counter Time Warp?
Yes, **Wind Wall** can counter **Time Warp**. According to the card text for Wind Wall, it is a `[Reaction]` spell that allows you to "Counter a spell." Since Time Warp is a spell, it is a legal target for Wind Wall when it is on the chain.
Does Hiddenblade draw still happen when Guardian Angel is used?
Yes, the controller of the unit targeted by **Hidden Blade** will still draw 2 cards if **Guardian Angel** is used to save it.
When I re-equip Brutalizer with Jax legend ability (from one unit to the other) do I still get the additional +2 according to the new rules?
Yes, you will receive the additional +2 Might bonus when you use Jax's legend ability to move *Brutalizer* from one unit to another.
Does Unyielding Spirit stop Emperor's Decree damage?
No, **Unyielding Spirit does not counter Imperial Decree.** ### Ruling Unyielding Spirit does not prevent a unit from being killed by Imperial Decree.
If my Seth spends his buff to go to 8, does he go from 5 then 4 then 8 and I can use Fiora legend as one unit becomes mighty, or is he considered as already mighty?
Yes, your Fiora Legend ability will trigger when Sett, Brawler uses his ability to go from 4 Might to 8 Might.
Can I use Rell's ability when I attack into an empty battlefield?
No, you cannot use Rell, Magnetic's ability when moving into an empty battlefield. According to FAQ #8664 and FAQ #8689, moving a unit to an empty battlefield initiates a non-combat Showdown, not a Combat. Because there is no opposing unit to create a Combat, your unit does not gain the "Attacker" designation.
When you use Counter Strike, do you draw the card right away or wait till after the chain?
When you play **Counter Strike**, you do not draw the card immediately. You must wait until the spell resolves. According to the rules of Riftbound, spells are added to the chain as pending items and do not execute their effects until they resolve.
If I play Confront, and then play Maduli the Gatekeeper, does he enter ready?
Ruling: Yes, Maduli the Gatekeeper will enter ready when Confront is active. His ability "I can't be readied" prevents the action of readying him (changing from exhausted to ready), but does not prevent him from entering the battlefield already in a ready state.
What happens if I use Deathgrip on a unit that is in the same location as Soraka and has less might than her?
If you use **Deathgrip** on a friendly unit that is at the same location as **Soraka, Wanderer** and has less Might than her, Soraka's replacement effect will trigger, saving the unit from being killed.
Can I use Sett Brawler in Showdowns?
No, you cannot activate Sett, Brawler's ability during a Showdown. According to RiftJudge FAQs (specifically FAQ #8543 and #3969), Sett, Brawler's ability does not have the **ACTION** or **REACTION** keywords. Because of this, it is considered "standard speed" and is subject to the following strict timing restrictions:
Does "not so fast" stop all damage of Falling Star? Even if split targets?
Yes, **Not So Fast** can stop all damage from **Falling Star**, regardless of whether you target one unit twice or two different units.
Does Blue Ahri have to use her ability when attacking or defending?
Yes, Ahri, Inquisitive's ability is mandatory when she attacks or defends. According to the card text, her ability triggers "When I attack or defend." Because the ability does not contain the word "may," it is a mandatory triggered ability.
Do you still have to pay the power cost when revealing a hidden card?
No, you do not have to pay any costs when revealing and playing a card from its Hidden state. According to the RiftJudge FAQ (ID 4052 and 5952), when you play a card from Hidden, you pay nothing. The cost to "Hide" the card is 1 Power (by recycling a rune), but once it is in the facedown zone, playing...
If I play Switcheroo from Hidden, do I still need to pay the power costs?
No, you do not need to pay the power cost when playing *Switcheroo* from Hidden. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ #6234** and **Rule 421.3**:
For Grand Plaza, when is the '7+ units' condition checked - when deciding whether the ability triggers and enters the chain, or after it's already on the chain during resolution?
Ruling: The '7+ units' condition is checked at the moment you hold the battlefield to determine whether the ability triggers and is placed on the chain at all. If you have fewer than 7 units when you hold, the ability does not trigger.
Why can't Sett - Brawler conquer Monastery of Hirana, get the buff from conquering, and then spend that buff to draw?
You **cannot** conquer the Monastery of Hirana with Sett, Brawler and use the buff he gains from that conquest to pay for the Monastery's draw effect.
If my Glasc Mixologist dies during combat from an opponent's attack and I use its Deathknell to play Xin Zhao to that battlefield, can I do so and what happens next?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Xin Zhao to the battlefield where combat is occurring. As the defender, you retain control of the battlefield throughout combat until the Establish Control step, which allows you to play units there via the Deathknell trigger. After the current combat concludes, all units are fully healed and a new combat is staged between Xin Zhao...
Can you recycle a mech token with Rumble Hotheaded?
Yes, you can recycle a Mech token with Rumble, Hotheaded's ability. According to the RiftJudge FAQ #8409: "Yes, he can. This is a minor gap in the rules. Main Deck cards are recycled to the Main Deck and runes are recycled to the Rune deck, but tokens aren’t actually either of those things. We’ll be clarifying in a future rules...
If during a showdown, my Draven Audacious dies from an opponent's spell, does it count as dying in combat?
Yes, if **Draven, Audacious** dies to a spell during a Showdown while he is still participating in combat, it counts as dying in combat.
Does Diana no longer human +2 each time a spell is played?
Yes, Diana, No Longer Human gains +2 Might each time you play a spell. According to her card text, Diana has the ability: **"When you play a spell, give me +2 [S] this turn."**
If I am attacking, can I use ambush unit, since I now have units at that battlefield?
Yes, you can use an Ambush unit to join an ongoing attack. According to **Rule 822.1.b** and **Rule 822.1.c**, Ambush is a passive ability that expands the valid locations where a unit can be played. Specifically, it allows you to play the unit as a **[Reaction]** to any battlefield where you already control units.
I am controlling Ravenbloom Conservatory with 3 Might units, and my opponent attacks it with Anivia. Does Anivia's ability activate first to kill my units, or do I get to use the Battlefield ability first?
To determine the order of operations when Anivia attacks your battlefield containing a 3-Might unit and Ravenbloom Conservatory, we must look at the showdown timing rules.
If my Yasuo Remorseful is stunned, does the ability damage still go through?
Yes, your Yasuo, Remorseful's ability damage still goes through even if he is stunned. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #7935** and **FAQ #514**, stun only prevents combat damage; it does not prevent ability triggers or the damage dealt by those abilities.
For Vex Apathetic ability, does it stun the unit only for the turn that it is played or for how long?
The stun applied by **Vex, Apathetic** lasts until the beginning of the next Ending Step. According to **Rule 423.1.a.2**, stunned units lose the Stunned status at the beginning of the next Ending Step. As clarified in **RiftJudge FAQ #3710**, this refers to the next Ending Step that occurs in the game, which is the active player's (the player who applied...
How do brush battlefield tokens work? Do they ever disappear or do they stay all game?
A Brush battlefield token is a domainless battlefield token that provides a passive buff and has a specific replacement ability. According to Rule 184.8, its text is:
Can I use all 3 Alter of Memories of the Proc of one unit dying?
Yes, you can trigger all three copies of **Altar of Memories** when a single friendly unit dies. ### Ruling When a friendly unit dies, each copy of Altar of Memories on your battlefield sees the event and triggers independently. Because each Altar of Memories has a "you may" triggered ability, you choose whether or not to place each individual trigger...
If I have 2 Guardian Angels attached to the same unit, do both GAs trigger and both items die?
No, both Guardian Angels do not trigger, and only one is destroyed. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #1622**, when a unit with multiple Guardian Angels equipped would die, only one Guardian Angel will be destroyed because only one can replace the dying event.
While sitting in the Battlefield Void Gate if you challenge, you apply the bonus damage still, right?
No, you do not apply the bonus damage from **Void Gate** when units use **Challenge**. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ #2276**: * **Ruling:** Void Gate does not amplify damage from Challenge. * **Nuances:** Challenge makes units deal damage to each other directly, rather than the effect itself dealing damage. Void Gate only amplifies damage from spells or abilities, not damage...
Can I play a unit to a battlefield from the trigger of Baited Hook if I sacrificed the only unit at that battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, you can play a unit to that battlefield using Baited Hook even if you sacrificed the only unit there. Because the game is in a Closed State while the ability resolves on the chain, you do not lose control of the battlefield when it becomes temporarily unoccupied.
Can I play a unit to a battlefield if from the trigger of Baited Hook if I sacrificed the only unit at that battlefield?
No, you cannot play the unit to that battlefield. According to **FAQ #4776**, **FAQ #4281**, and **FAQ #5231**, when you use Baited Hook to kill your only unit at a battlefield, you immediately lose control of that battlefield. Because you no longer control the battlefield by the time Baited Hook finishes resolving and you would play the new unit, it...
Can I exhaust Daughter of the Void to add floating power, then conquer Hall of Legends and pay 1 energy to ready Daughter of the Void, then play Falling Star by tapping Daughter of the Void again and use both powers from Daughter of the Void?
Ruling: Yes, this sequence is completely legal. You can float power from Daughter of the Void before conquering Hall of Legends, use the Hall trigger to ready her by paying 1 energy, then exhaust her again to generate a second power, and finally use both floating powers to help pay for Falling Star.
Can you use Repulse to counter Atakhan's 'When I attack' ability?
Ruling: No, Repulse cannot be used to counter Atakhan's "When I attack" ability. Atakhan's ability does not choose a unit; it forces the defending player to kill one of their units, which means it does not meet Repulse's requirement to counter an ability that "chooses" a unit.
Does Dunebreaker proc if I have 3 cards in hand and I have 2 left after playing it?
### Ruling **Yes, Dunebreaker will enter ready in this scenario.** ### Reasoning According to the card text for **Dunebreaker**: *"If you have two or fewer cards in your hand, I enter ready."*
If Irelia, Fervent has Guardian Angel equipped and the opponent plays Imperial Decree, then attacks with two 6 might units, does Irelia die or survive at the end of combat?
Ruling: Irelia will be saved by Guardian Angel and survive. Imperial Decree triggers when Irelia takes any amount of damage and creates a "kill" effect, but Guardian Angel acts as a replacement effect that prevents the death, destroying itself instead and recalling Irelia to base.
Can Vex, Apathetic stun Reflection tokens from LeBlanc and Sprite tokens when they enter the battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, Vex, Apathetic can stun Reflection tokens and Sprite tokens because the card effects that create them explicitly use the word "play" (e.g., "play a ready reflection token" or "play a Sprite token"), which satisfies Vex's trigger condition of "when an opponent plays a unit."
Do reflection units have the energy and power cost of the unit they are copying?
Ruling: Yes, a reflection unit (or any unit that becomes a copy of another) does adopt the Energy or Power cost of the unit it is copying, because Cost is an inherent trait that is copied when a game object becomes a copy of another.
If I move a unit to an open battlefield (initiating a non-combat showdown) and then play Rengar at reaction speed to a different battlefield, can I tap Fresh Beans to draw a card?
Ruling: Yes, Fresh Beans will work in this scenario. When you move a unit to an open battlefield, you initiate a non-combat showdown. Because a showdown is now active, playing Rengar (or any unit) during that showdown satisfies Fresh Beans' trigger condition "When you play a unit during a showdown."
What happens when Imperial Decree is played, then Bellows Breath with Repeat is cast on an opponent's Irelia who has Guardian Angel attached at a battlefield?
Ruling: Irelia will be killed. Guardian Angel saves her from the first kill trigger (destroying the Guardian Angel and recalling/exhausting/healing Irelia), but the second kill trigger from Imperial Decree will still find and kill her even though she's been recalled to base.
If I have an Elder Dragon and attack an opponent on a battlefield which has 5 4-might units, can I assign 2 combat damage each to kill them all since Elder Dragon has the lethal ability?
To answer your question: **Yes, you can.** Because of Elder Dragon's ability, any amount of damage you deal to an enemy unit is considered lethal. Therefore, you only need to assign 1 damage to each of the five 4-Might units to kill them all.
Can I use Sett's buff power when defending?
No, you cannot use Sett, Brawler's ability to spend a buff while you are defending. According to established Riftbound rulings (RiftJudge FAQ #8543), Sett, Brawler's ability does not have the **ACTION** or **REACTION** keywords. Because it lacks these keywords, it is considered a "base speed" ability and is subject to strict timing restrictions:
I hide a card and then force a showdown the same turn on the same battlefield, can I review the hidden card?
Yes, you can review your own hidden card at any time. According to **Rule 128.4**, a card that is facedown at a battlefield is considered **Private** information. This means that you, as the controller of that card, may read or look at its face at any time, regardless of whether a showdown is happening or what turn it is.
What's the maximum amount of cards you can have in your sideboard?
In competitions where a sideboard is allowed, a player’s sideboard can include **8 or fewer cards**. According to Rule 601.1.c.1: "A player’s sideboard can include 8 or fewer cards." Additionally, all cards in the sideboard must be valid Main Deck cards, and the standard limits on copies of named cards apply to the combination of your Main Deck and sideboard.
I have a 3 might unit in base. My opponent has two 3 might units at a battlefield. I play Marching Orders, repeated, targeting each of my opponent's units, and my own unit twice. Do both of the opponent's units die? My thought process: Damage doesn't instantly kill a unit. When cleanup occurs, it checks if anyone has a lethal amount of damage and if they do they die. Since cleanup occurs after resolution of a spell or ability, Marching Orders will have my 3 might unit inflict 3 damage and take damage, and then do that again. On cleanup, the game will see that my unit has 6 damage on it and it will die alongside the other two units. Is this correct?
### The Ruling **Yes, all three units will die.** However, this does not happen because of a "cleanup" occurring between the two instances of *Marching Orders*. In *Riftbound*, cleanup does not occur between the resolutions of a single spell's repeated effects.
If an opponent moves a 1 might unit into a battlefield on their turn, can I play Bellows Breath to kill it? Can they react with Ride the Wind to avoid the Bellows Breath?
Ruling: You can play Bellows Breath to kill the unit, but your opponent cannot respond with Ride the Wind because both are Action spells. Action spells can only be played in an open state (when the chain is empty), so your opponent cannot play an Action in response to your Action.
Can I banish Time Warp with Virtuoso (Jhin's Legend card)?
Ruling: No, you cannot use Virtuoso's ability to banish Time Warp. Virtuoso's "when you play a spell" trigger only occurs after the spell has resolved, at which point Time Warp has already banished itself as part of its own resolution.
Can Amateur Recital send Baron Nashor to base?
Ruling: No, Amateur Recital cannot move Baron Nashor to its base because Baron Nashor has protection from being chosen by enemy spells and abilities.
If my opponent has Vex, Apathetic at a battlefield they control, and I play a Ruin Runner, will the Vex stun the Ruin Runner?
Yes, **Vex, Apathetic** will stun your **Ruin Runner** when it is played. ### Why this interaction works: Although **Ruin Runner** has the ability, "I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities," this protection only applies to effects that require a player to **choose** or **target** a specific unit.
If I use Ornn's Forge to discount gear on my turn, then pass it to my opponent, can I still use the discount on their turn?
Ruling: Ornn's Forge provides a passive discount (not an activated ability), so it applies automatically while you control the battlefield. The discount applies to the first friendly non-token gear played each turn, regardless of whose turn it is.
Can you use Detonate on nothing but pay the cost anyway?
To determine if you can play **Detonate** when there are no gears on the battlefield, we must look at its targeting requirements.
If I attack with a 12 Might unit and kill two defending units (including Glasc Mixologist), but my opponent uses Imperial Decree to kill all units including mine, can my opponent then play the same 3 Might unit back to that battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, your opponent can play the 3 Might unit back to the battlefield during combat, and they will win the combat as the only player with units remaining at that location.