When is rewinding a play allowed?

In Riftbound, rewinding a game state is considered an extreme remedy for handling errors and is governed by strict policies found in the Tournament Rules.

Here is a summary of when and how rewinding is allowed:

1. Simple Rewinds (Minor Errors)

Any judge may perform a "simple rewind" of the most recent action completed or one currently in progress.

• Definition: This involves rewinding only the last action (such as playing a card or activating an ability) to the state before that action began (e.g., before the card was put on the chain).
• Player Choice: Once rewound, the player may opt not to take the action at all, or take the action again while making different decisions (Rule 701.5.b.2).

2. Complex Rewinds (Extreme Circumstances)

For rewinds more complicated than a simple one, only the Head Judge or designated appeals judges (at high OPL) may authorize them.

• Criteria: These are authorized only in "extreme circumstances" where leaving the game in its current state is substantially worse than rewinding (Rule 701.5.a).
• Procedure: Each action since the error must be reversed in the correct sequence, starting with the most recent one (Rule 701.5.d).

3. Tactical Reversals (Not a Judge Call)

Players are permitted to reverse their own most recent action to make a different decision (or choose not to take it) without a judge in specific scenarios, provided no new action has been taken by either player:

• Immediate change: The player communicates a choice (e.g., targeting a unit for a spell or placing a unit on a battlefield) and immediately changes their mind (Rule 509.4).
• Resource Management: A player may reverse a decision to exhaust or recycle runes before taking a new game action (Rule 509.4.d).

Important Restrictions

• Angle Shooting: Players may not change decisions based on an opponent's physical reaction or as a response to an opponent starting to take a game action (Rule 509.5).
• Information Gain: If a player has learned the identity of a card in a deck during an error, it should be shuffled into the random portion of the deck to prevent an unfair information advantage (Rule 701.5.d.4).
• Complexity: If a rewind is not possible (e.g., the game state has progressed too far or information has been permanently revealed in a way that cannot be randomized), judges will instruct players to continue playing from the current state (Rule 702.16.c.2).

Note: This information is based on the Tournament Rules 2026-04-29. If you have a specific situation regarding a card error or game state issue, please provide the details so I can check for specific remedy guidelines.