Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 92 of 128 · 6,389 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
So if my Yone took damage and is from a 5 to a 4, and I move it to an empty battlefield, after gaining a point for Conquer, do I also heal, and then use his ability? Or because there was no defender, there was no combat, does he stay at 4?
To address your question regarding Yone, damage, and combat: ### 1. Does Yone heal? **No, Yone does not heal.** As clarified in RiftJudge FAQ #9649, there is a critical distinction between a combat showdown and an open showdown: * **Combat Showdown:** Occurs when a unit moves to an opponent-controlled battlefield. This triggers combat, which includes a "Combat Cleanup" step where...
Does the damage on a unit from Challenge units fighting each other stick around?
Yes, the damage dealt by **Challenge** persists on the units involved until it is removed. According to **RiftJudge FAQ 7781**, damage from **Challenge** remains on units until either combat occurs on any battlefield (which triggers a Combat Cleanup) or the turn ends.
If you're not so fast an overzealous fan, does the fan still die from defending?
Yes, if you use *Not So Fast* to counter *Overzealous Fan's* triggered ability, the *Overzealous Fan* still dies. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8702** (which reflects the current Unleashed rules update), the "kill me" instruction in *Overzealous Fan's* text is a **cost within instructions** that must be paid upfront to finalize the ability onto the chain.
If I stun a unit to prevent damage once in a showdown, do we commence combat a second time without healing taking place in between calculating total might? Example: 5 might, counterstrike proc, into 8 might, I assume takes 5, and triggering a second round of damage calculation, 5 into 3?
No, a second round of combat does not occur. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #6276**, if units from both players remain at the end of a showdown (such as when a unit is stunned and survives), **another showdown does not start**. Instead, the attackers are simply recalled back to their base.
If I own 0 battlefields and I'm 1 point from winning but I use Hostile Takeover on an enemy unit, do I score a hold point and win the game?
No, you do not win the game by scoring a "Hold" point. You would potentially win the game through a **Conquer** point, but **not a Hold point**.
Does a countered card count for Legion or for Chemtech Cask?
To determine if a countered card counts for **Legion** or for the ability of **Chemtech Cask**, we must look at the specific requirements for each.
If I trigger Overzealous Fan, can I still play an action?
Yes, you can still play an action after triggering **Overzealous Fan's** ability. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8798** and **FAQ #9694**, a combat showdown does not end immediately when a unit is moved or removed from the battlefield (such as by *Overzealous Fan*). The showdown continues until both players pass consecutively with focus on an empty chain. Even if *Overzealous Fan*...
For Relentless Pursuit does "when I conquer you may move me to base" effect remain for the rest of the turn?
Yes, the effect granted by **Relentless Pursuit**—"When I conquer, you may move me to my base"—remains active on that unit for the rest of the turn.
If I start combat and play Counter Strike, then it resolves. The chain is empty. Is it still my priority? Can I play first still, or is it impossible after I start combat and start a chain?
No, it is not your priority, and you cannot start another chain immediately. According to **Rule 340.2.a** and **RiftJudge FAQ #1968**, during a showdown, once the chain resolves and the turn returns to an Open State, **focus automatically passes to your opponent**.
Does Sun Disk Legion tap after playing itself?
No, you cannot play *Sun Disc* as the first card of your turn and immediately exhaust it to activate its *Legion* ability.
Does Thundersong cancel out a Hourglass's hidden?
Yes, **Brynhir Thundersong** effectively prevents an opponent from playing a hidden card for the remainder of the turn once its ability resolves.
Does opponent plays Mirror Image, I bounce the chosen unit back to hand. Does Mirror Image still activate with copied unit?
When your opponent plays **Mirror Image** and you return the chosen unit to their hand, **Mirror Image** still resolves, but the resulting **Reflection** token will not successfully copy the unit.
Does Deflect work with Forbidding Waste Battlefield?
No, **Deflect** does not interact with the ability of the **Forbidding Waste** battlefield. ### Why Deflect does not apply:
In a 2v2 if an opponent controls a battlefield with a Jayce and I charm their teammate's Akshan into the base that the Jayce controls, do they fight each other and both die?
No, this play is **illegal**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #1089** and **RiftJudge FAQ #260**, it is illegal to move a unit to a battlefield occupied by a teammate. Teammates can never have units at the same battlefield. Therefore, you cannot play *Charm* to move an opponent's *Akshan* into a battlefield controlled by their teammate who controls *Jayce*.
Does Janna's "move an enemy unit" when played mean choose, aka pay deflect cost?
Yes, moving an enemy unit with *Janna, Savior's* ability triggers **Deflect** because it requires you to "choose" a specific enemy unit.
If I have 2 Guardian Angels equipped to 1 unit and it dies, do both Guardian Angels get burned to recall my unit?
No, both **Guardian Angel** gears are not destroyed. Only one **Guardian Angel** will be destroyed when the unit would die.
Can you target gear on Ruin Runner? Or is it protected by the card?
Yes, you can target gear attached to **Ruin Runner**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #9699:
Hey, I have a question. I'm defending a camp with a traveling merchant, enemy player attacks that camp with an overzealous fan. In his priority attacking player plays a spinning axe. Is it possible for defending player to answer to that spinning axe with a gust?
Yes, you can respond to the *Spinning Axe* with *Gust*. According to the **Showdown Timing Flowchart**, once a Showdown has begun, the state is generally "Closed" when items are on the chain. During this time, players can alternate playing [Reaction] cards.
Does using Emperor's Divide on a unit that is ready exhaust it?
No, using **Emperor's Divide** on a unit that is ready does not exhaust it. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8882** and **FAQ #7964**, when a unit is moved by a card effect, its state (Ready or Exhausted) does not change unless the card explicitly states otherwise. Because *Emperor's Divide* does not contain text instructing you to exhaust the units being moved,...
It's my turn and there's an empty battlefield "Sunken Temple". I decided to conquer it, so I move my Noxus Hopeful to it. In my priority, I play a Blood Rush without repeat. I conquer the battlefield, so the question is: can I pay 1 to draw a card by conquering Sunken Temple with a Mighty unit?
No, you cannot use the effect of Sunken Temple to draw a card in this scenario. ### Reasoning According to **RiftJudge FAQ #4146** and **#8999**, Sunken Temple’s ability is a triggered ability that requires the unit conquering the battlefield to be **Mighty** (having 5 or more Might) at the exact moment the conquer occurs.
I'm defending at a battlefield, my opponent attacks. He passes priority to me, I play a spell. The spell resolves. Who has priority after my spell resolves?
To determine who has priority after your spell resolves during a showdown, we follow the established showdown timing flow. According to **FAQ #9365** and **FAQ #5067**, in a showdown, when you (the defender) play a spell/reaction and it resolves, priority returns to the attacker.
Can I have two rune up, one exhausted one ready, can I tap the ready one to ready the exhausted one?
No, you cannot tap (exhaust) a ready rune to ready an exhausted rune. According to **Rule 415.1** and **Rule 414.1**, Ready and Exhaust are states that mark a card's availability. There is no general game rule that allows you to "tap" or exhaust one rune to ready another.
If I play Fizz to play Ride the Wind on him and move him to BF Abandoned Hall, can I give that Fizz +1 or not, since he wasn't at BF when the spell was played, only when it resolved and moved him?
No, you cannot give the Fizz, Trickster +1 [M] (Might) from the **Abandoned Hall** in this scenario. ### The Reasoning The ability of **Abandoned Hall** is a triggered ability that occurs when a spell is played. Triggered abilities are placed on the chain as soon as the spell is finalized (Rule 359.3). Because **Fizz, Trickster**'s ability is what plays the...
If I play Baron to a battlefield and my opponent has an Apathetic Vex, he gets stunned. Does he go back to base?
No, Baron Nashor does **not** go back to your base. ### Reasoning 1. **Stun Effect:** As established by **RiftJudge FAQ #9240** and **FAQ #8685**, **Vex, Apathetic**'s ability is a triggered ability that programmatically selects the unit you just played. Because it is programmatic selection rather than "choosing" or "targeting," it bypasses **Baron Nashor**'s protection ("I can't be chosen by enemy...
Opponent moves his unit on an open Battlefield, attempting to conquer during the showdown. I cast Rengar, Trophy Hunter on this Battlefield. Who is the attacker and defender?
### **The Ruling** * **Attacker:** Your opponent (the player who moved their unit to the open battlefield first). * **Defender:** You (the player who plays *Rengar, Trophy Hunter* to that same battlefield).
If I deathgrip my unit which has guardian angel attached, can I still give the might to another unit? Or won't this work because it has been saved by guardian angel?
No, you cannot give the Might bonus to another unit if you save the first unit using **Guardian Angel**. This is because the Might bonus provided by **Deathgrip** is contingent on the successful completion of the "Kill a friendly unit" instruction. Because **Guardian Angel** is a replacement effect (Rule 366), it replaces the "die" event with a "heal, exhaust, and...
Can you play Cull the Weak in combat if it's not an action or reaction?
No, you cannot play **Cull the Weak** during combat. According to the **RiftJudge FAQ (ID 8041)**, spells that are neither [Action] nor [Reaction] (often referred to as "Main" timing spells) can only be played during your Main Phase, out of a showdown, when the chain is empty.
For Rek'Sai legend do you have to pay the cost to play the unit that was revealed from the legend ability?
Yes, you must pay the full cost of the unit when using the Rek'Sai (Void Burrower) legend ability. According to RiftJudge FAQ #9215 and FAQ #284, you are required to pay the card's energy and power costs as normal when you play it using this ability. Only effects that explicitly state "ignoring its cost" allow you to play cards for...
Does an opponent's Vex Apathetic at a Battlefield stun / not allow units to move apply to Reflection unit tokens created from spells like Mirror Image or LeBlanc Legend ability?
Yes, an opponent's **Vex, Apathetic** at a battlefield will stun and restrict the movement of Reflection tokens created by **Mirror Image** and **LeBlanc's** (Deceiver) ability.
Does Fiora Victorious become mighty when played on Trifarian War Camp?
No, **Fiora, Victorious** does not "become Mighty" when played directly onto **Trifarian War Camp**. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #5835** and **#9442**:
I use Baited Hook to kill a unit, does the unit's Deathknell ability trigger first or can I choose to do the Baited Hook 5 card reveal to play a unit first?
According to **RiftJudge FAQ #8567**, when you use **Baited Hook** to kill a unit with **Deathknell**, the resolution order is fixed by the rules of the chain (LIFO - Last In, First Out). You do not have a choice to resolve the reveal effect before the Deathknell trigger.
I played Promising Future. My opponent played Relentless Pursuit to try and move into a battlefield. Does the showdown go through before I can do my 5 cards from Promising Future?
No, the showdown does not happen before you finish playing your cards from **Promising Future**. According to the official rulings for **Promising Future**, all cards revealed and played during its resolution must be fully played and resolved before any showdown or combat begins.
When Irresistable Faefolk moves to an unoccupied battlefield and uses its effect to move an enemy unit to that battlefield, who is the attacker and defender?
When you move **Irresistible Faefolk** to an unoccupied (uncontrolled) battlefield and use its ability to move an enemy unit to that same battlefield, **you are the attacker** and the **enemy unit is the defender**.
Do I need my own equipment on the field to play Acceptable Losses?
No, you do not need to control your own gear on the field to play **Acceptable Losses**. According to RiftJudge FAQ #4344 and #9554, you can play Acceptable Losses even if you do not control any gear, as long as your opponent does. The card does not target, and at resolution, each player who controls gear will choose one to...
Do cards with hidden only gain reaction speed when they are played facedown or can they also be played at reaction speed from hand?
Cards with the **Hidden** keyword can only be played at **Reaction** speed *after* they have been hidden facedown on a battlefield. They cannot be played at Reaction speed directly from your hand.
Does Rek'Sai give units Accelerate free or do you have to pay for them?
No, Rek'Sai, Breacher does not make the **Accelerate** cost free; you must still pay for it if you want the unit to enter the board ready.
How many times can you repeat?
You can pay the **Repeat** cost once per instance of the Repeat keyword on a card. According to **Rule 820.1.c.3**, each individual Repeat cost can be paid only a single time. However, if a card has multiple instances of the Repeat keyword (either printed on the card or granted by another effect), you may pay for each instance individually.
Do unit tokens count as units played?
Yes, playing a token unit counts as playing a unit. According to **Rule 350.2**, while tokens are not cards, they can still be played. **Rule 182.1.a** states that tokens are played by their owner following all applicable steps for playing a card (or unit). Additionally, RiftJudge FAQ #9440 confirms that playing a token unit counts as playing a unit.
Does Skyfall of Areion make Yone Blademaster ability trigger on holds?
No, **Skyfall of Areion** does not cause **Yone, Blademaster**'s ability to trigger on every "Hold" action. ### 1. Skyfall of Areion's Function According to FAQ #5622 and #288, **Skyfall of Areion** modifies the equipped unit's triggered abilities, allowing "When I conquer..." effects to trigger on both Conquer and Hold scoring, and "When I hold..." effects to trigger on both. It...
Can I deathgrip a unit and save it with Sett legend power?
Yes, you can use Sett's legend ability to save a unit targeted by **Deathgrip**, but the Might bonus will not be applied to the second unit.
Can my opponent attack and play an action, and can I respond with an action?
No, you cannot respond to an Action spell with another Action spell. When your opponent plays an Action spell, they start a **Closed State** (a chain). Once a chain is open and has items on it, you may **only** play cards or abilities with the **[Reaction]** keyword to respond.
Does Vex - Apathetic counter Lillia's ready sprites?
No, **Vex, Apathetic** does not counter the Sprite token created by **Lillia, Fae Fawn**'s ability, but it will interact with it.
If I conquer as a Rek'sai player the battlefield The Candlelit Sanctum, what effect will be first on the chain? Or can I choose if I want to trigger the battlefield's effect or my champion Rek'sai conquer effect first?
Because you control both the battlefield's effect and the ability triggered by your conquer, you get to choose the order.
Can I react to Lonely Poro Deathknell trigger with an Ambush unit to send it to the battlefield and still draw the card from the Poro?
Yes, you can play an *Ambush* unit while a *Lonely Poro*'s *Deathknell* trigger is on the chain, and you will still draw the card.
Can I react to Watcher ability?
Yes, you can react to the Thousand-Tailed Watcher's "When you play me" ability. According to **RiftJudge FAQ #93** and **FAQ #5127**, the Thousand-Tailed Watcher has a "When you play me" triggered ability that uses the chain, and players may respond to it using [Reaction] cards.
Can I use Charm to move an enemy unit at a battlefield to a battlefield I control?
Yes, you can use **Charm** to move an enemy unit from one battlefield to a battlefield you control. According to RiftJudge FAQ #7385, you can use Charm to move an enemy unit from anywhere on the board (including from another battlefield) to a battlefield you occupy. This movement is not restricted by standard movement rules (like the Ganking keyword), as...
If I control Vex, Cheerless in combat and my opponent is at 6 points, can I play Find Your Center for free?
Ruling: Yes. Both Vex, Cheerless's discount and Find Your Center's conditional discount apply to the total cost of the spell, not to a specific component. You may apply them in any order you choose.
If my opponent plays Cull the Weak with Repeat and I only have a single unit with a Guardian Angel equipped, does the unit die?
Ruling: Yes, your unit will die. Cull the Weak with Repeat creates two separate instances of "Each player kills one of their units." The first instance triggers Guardian Angel's replacement effect, which kills the Guardian Angel instead, then heals, exhausts, and recalls your unit to your base. However, when the second instance resolves, your unit is still a valid target...
When assigning combat damage to multiple defending units, must I assign lethal damage to each unit before assigning damage to another?
Ruling: No. The only mandatory restriction for combat damage assignment is the Tank keyword—you must assign lethal damage to Tank units before assigning to non-Tank units. Beyond that, you can choose how to distribute your remaining damage among defending units and are not required to assign lethal damage to each unit before assigning damage to others.
When a defending unit survives at the battlefield where it was attacked and the attacker is still alive, what happens?
According to the Riftbound core rules and the established FAQs, if both the attacking and defending units remain at a battlefield after the combat damage step, the attacking units are recalled to their base.