Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 128 of 158 · 7,873 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If I target Vex Apathetic with the spell Falling Star, do I need to pay the deflect cost for both instances of damage?
**Yes, you must pay the Deflect cost twice.** Falling Star has two separate instances of "Deal 3 to a unit," and each instance chooses (targets) a unit. Vex, Apathetic has **Deflect** (Deflect 1), and per **Rule 809.1.c**, Deflect imposes an additional cost "for each time they choose me." If you target Vex with both instances, that's two times chosen, so...
If the enemy chooses a 5 might unit with sacrifice, can I use star cross on it first?
No. The 5-Might unit is killed as an additional cost while your opponent plays Sacrifice, **before** you get priority to respond. You cannot "Star-Cross it first" to save it.
If Pyke, Returned with Backline gets targeted by Block, which assigns him Tank as well, does he have Tank or Backline, and when should he be targeted?
The attacker (opponent assigning damage) chooses whether to treat Pyke as first or last. Pyke, Returned naturally has **Backline** (must be assigned damage last). Giving him **Tank** via Block creates an **exclusionary conflict** — he can't be both first and last. Per **Rule 460.2.c.7** (and FAQs 11355, 7737), the player assigning combat damage picks *one* of the two keywords to...
If I have Switcheroo at Trifarrian War Camp, and I switch Irelia with another unit, how does it work? How does it work with the buff from Battlefield and also the Choose Me?
Here's how it all works. **Yes, playing Switcheroo on Irelia triggers her +1 Might.** Switcheroo chooses/targets two units (Rule 433), and Irelia, Fervent's ability says "When you choose or ready me, give me +1 Might this turn." So she gets +1 from being chosen.
Does Turn to Dust on an equipped unit still kill the gear that is equipped the following turn?
**Yes.** A gear hit with **Turn to Dust** while attached will be killed during your next Beginning Phase. Here's the key distinction: when a gear is attached, its *printed* rules text becomes inactive (Rules 135.4, 718.2). However, **Turn to Dust** *grants* the **[Temporary]** keyword — and granted rules text remains active while attached. The granted [Temporary] triggers normally in your...
When I have a Ravenbloom Student on a battlefield and play a hidden card on the battlefield, does she get a buff or only when the hidden spell gets "played" as in revealed?
Ravenbloom Student gets +1 Might only when you **play** the hidden spell — that is, when you flip it up from facedown and resolve it on a later turn. Hiding it initially (paying [A] to put it facedown) is a separate action — it does **not** count as playing the spell and does **not** trigger Ravenbloom Student.
Does Unyielding Spirit prevent death from Imperial Decree?
**No, Unyielding Spirit does not prevent death from Imperial Decree.** Imperial Decree creates a triggered ability that *kills* a unit when that unit takes damage. Unyielding Spirit prevents *damage* from spells and abilities — but the kill from Imperial Decree is a separate instruction (a Kill effect, not a damage effect) and is not prevented.
Can Tideturner switch locations with a unit at Vilemaw's Lair?
**No — you cannot swap a unit out of Vilemaw's Lair via Tideturner if Tideturner was played to base.** Tideturner's "When you play me" ability uses the word "move." Vilemaw's Lair says "Units can't move from here to base." Since a "can't" restriction beats a "can" effect, the targeted unit in the Lair cannot move to base.
Can I keep my opponent's battlefield a Brush if I conquer it?
**Yes, you can.** When you conquer a Brush token battlefield, you become its controller. The Brush's ability says "When you score here, you **may** replace this with the battlefield it replaced" — and "you" refers to the battlefield's controller (Rule 187.6.c). Since you now control it, the choice is yours. You may simply choose not to replace it, and the...
Can I play Tideturner on the same battlefield as Hwei and choose him and it will count as him moving?
**No.** Tideturner's ability says "choose a unit you control at **another location**." If Hwei is on the same battlefield as Tideturner, he's at the same location — that choice is illegal, so you cannot pick him.
On my turn I attack a BF, opponent plays Hidden Hostile Takeover. After Hidden Hostile Takeover resolves, they attempt to sacrifice my unit on an open showdown. Is this legal?
**Yes, this is legal.** After Hostile Takeover resolves and the chain empties, the Showdown goes to Open State. Since the chain was opened by a played card (not a trigger or Add ability), **Focus passes** to the next player — your opponent — per Rule 346. With Focus in Showdown Open, they can play a card with **[Action]** or **[Reaction]**...
Can I conquer the same bf twice in a turn if I conquered it, then the opponent conquered the same bf and then I conquered again?
**No.** Once you've scored a battlefield (by conquering it), you cannot conquer it again in the same turn — even if the opponent takes it and you take it back.
If an opponent plays Hidden Blade from hand, and I react with a Hidden Tidehunter, does it save my unit being targeted?
No, playing Tideturner from Hidden does **not** save your unit. Hidden Blade played from the hand only requires its target to be "a unit at a battlefield" — it doesn't lock to a specific battlefield location. When Tideturner's play effect swaps the targeted unit to another battlefield, that unit is still at a battlefield, so it remains a legal target.
If a unit controls a battlefield and cannot take damage, do the attacking units go back or take the battlefield?
**The attacker gets recalled back to base.** The defending unit that cannot take damage survives combat, so defenders remain at the battlefield — and per Rule 461.1.a.2, attackers are recalled whenever defenders are still present.
If Elder Dragon targets my unit with the on play effect, can I move that unit using Wide the Wind to avoid taking the damage?
I think you mean **Ride the Wind** — but unfortunately, **no, you cannot use it to dodge Elder Dragon's damage.**
How does the interaction between a Sprite token, Dusk Rose Lab, and Janna, Savior work during my Beginning Phase? Can I play Janna, Savior in response to the Dusk Rose Lab trigger, kill the Sprite token, draw a card, and then play Janna onto the battlefield in time to gain the Hold point?
**Yes, this works — the Sprite gets killed, you draw 1, Janna enters the battlefield, and she'll be there for the Hold check.**
If I move Traveling Merchant and discard Flame Chompers, do I finish the Traveling Merchant draw first or do I pay a power for Flame Chompers immediately and summon it?
You finish the Traveling Merchant trigger (discard *then* draw) completely before Flame Chompers' trigger ever goes on the chain. You cannot play Flame Chompers mid-resolution.
When I channel a rune via an effect like Jhin Virtuoso, do these runes enter the board ready or exhausted?
Runes channeled via Jhin's Virtuoso ability enter the board **ready**. Per FAQ #10639 and Rule 430.2, channeled runes default to the ready state unless the effect explicitly says "exhausted." Virtuoso says "channel 4 runes" with no such qualification, so they all come in ready. The same principle applies to any card effect that channels runes without specifying exhausted — ready...
Can I keep notes on my phone instead of paper?
**It depends on the event's Organized Play Level (OPL).** At **low OPL** (casual/local tournaments), yes — a phone or other digital device may take the place of written note sheets (Rule 417.2). You'd still need to follow the same note-taking rules: your notes must be empty at the start of each match, and you can't refer to notes from outside...
After playing Endless Riches, when a token is killed, is it banished?
No. When a token is killed under Endless Riches, it goes to the trash as normal — it is **not** banished.
If I discard 4 cards from Invert Timelines, does my Jinx Rebel get +4 Might?
No. Your Jinx, Rebel gets **+1 Might**, not +4. Jinx's ability says "When you discard **one or more** cards" — this triggers once per discard **event**, not once per card. Invert Timelines instructs you to "discard your hand" as a single instruction, meaning all cards leave your hand simultaneously in one event. So it triggers Jinx exactly once, giving her...
Does your legend count as something you control?
**Yes, your Legend counts as something you control.** Your Champion Legend is a Game Object (Rule 173) that you establish during the Setup process (Rule 112). All Game Objects have a Controller (Rule 189.1), and the rules consistently refer to "your legend" and "a friendly legend" — the latter only making sense because Legends have a controller that determines "friendly"...
If I use a Tactical Retreat on a unit, after I use the Baited Hook and target this same unit, does it save the unit? And does the Baited Hook still occur?
Yes, the unit is saved, and Baited Hook's effect only partially resolves — you'll look at 5 cards but play none.
If an opponent plays Abandon after I play a spell with Fizz, what happens?
**The spell is recycled (put on the bottom of its owner's deck), not returned to hand.** Here's why: Fizz's "Recycle that spell after you play it" and Abandon's "Return it to its owner's hand instead" are both **replacement effects** that modify what happens when the spell leaves the chain. Per Rule 372, the spell's owner chooses the order they apply.
If my Rift Herald dies, am I obligated to play a unit from my hand or can I choose not to?
**No, you are not obligated to play a unit.** Rift Herald's Deathknell says "Play a unit from your hand" — "a unit" specifies a type/quality of card, and your hand is a **Private** zone. Per the official 2026-04-29 rules clarification (which takes precedence over the general "mandatory unless 'may'" principle), a player cannot be compelled to perform an action on...
If Vex is on the bf, can an opposing Tide Turner activate its effect?
Yes, Tideturner can be played and its trigger will go on the chain — Vex doesn't prevent the unit from being played, only stuns it after. Whether the swap succeeds depends on who the **Turn Player** is.
Can I do Singularity to one unit? 12 dmg?
**No, you cannot deal 12 damage to one unit with Singularity.** Singularity says "up to two units" — that means you can choose **0, 1, or 2** distinct units. If you choose one unit, it takes **6 damage**. You cannot pick the same unit twice to get 12; the targets must be different units if you go for two.
Can I play a hidden card at my beginning phase before my shadow call procs?
Yes — you can play a Hidden card in response to Temporary's death trigger, before it resolves and kills your unit.
If I attach Svellsonger onto Akali Deadly Weapon, will she deal 4 damage when she moves into a battlefield, killing a unit with 4 might?
**Yes.** If Akali is **Empowered**, attaching Svellsongur gives her a second independent copy of her "When I move" trigger. Each trigger deals 2 damage (instead of 1), for a total of **4 damage** to a unit at a battlefield she moved to or from — enough to kill a 4‑Might unit.
If I play Dragon Form into 1 Recruit token unit, what will happen and if I play Dragon Form to a Unit with 18M now, what will happen?
Here's the ruling. **Dragon Form** (Order spell, 3E) reads: *"Choose a unit. Its base Might becomes 5 this turn."* This is a **Layer 1** trait-altering effect (Rule 472.1.a.1 — "becomes" sets the base value). Layer 3 arithmetic modifiers (buffs, gear, Shield, etc.) then apply on top.
Can I conquer Hall of Legends and, if I already used Rek'Sai's legend ability, pay the cost for conquering the battle file and then use Rek'Sai's legend ability again?
**No, this does not work.** If your Rek'Sai (Void Burrower) is already exhausted when you conquer Hall of Legends, its "When you conquer" trigger condition is checked at that moment — and since it must be ready to pay the exhaust cost, the trigger never enters the Chain at all. Hall of Legends can ready it afterward, but the opportunity...
If I play a hidden Switcheroo and my opponent plays Thrill of the Hunt as a reaction to the same battlefield, does Switcheroo still resolve since it states two mights at the same battlefield?
**Switcheroo still resolves, but its swap effect does nothing.** Here's why:
If I use Shady Spectacles to turn a recruit token into Baron Nashor, can I use Azir, Sovereign to move it with him?
**Yes.** Your Recruit token equipped with Shady Spectacles (copying Baron Nashor) is still a "token unit," so Azir, Sovereign can move it with his attack trigger.
What happens if I use Temporal Breach on a token unit?
The token is banished and ceases to exist — it does **not** return. **Ruling:** Temporal Breach on a token unit removes it permanently. The "play it back" part of the spell has nothing to act on.
Can Vi Peacekeeper stun Ruin Runner?
**No, Vi, Peacekeeper cannot stun Ruin Runner.** Vi's "When I attack" ability reads "[Stun] an enemy unit **here**" — which requires you to **choose** which enemy unit gets stunned. That makes it a targeted choice. Ruin Runner's protection ("I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities") prevents it from being a legal target for that choice. Even if Ruin...
When getting a +1 from empowering a unit, is it acted like a buff or is it only for that turn?
It's neither a buff counter nor a "this turn only" effect. The +1 Might from an `[Empowered][>]` ability (e.g. on **Punching Poro**, **Akali**, or **Apprentice Mage**) is a **continuous passive effect** that lasts as long as the unit remains empowered.
What happens if I target a unit at a BF with Hidden Blade. In response, my opponent plays a Tideturner from Hidden from the other BF and swaps places with Tide and the unit I targeted with Hidden Blade. Does it still die considering it's not on the same BF now?
It depends on **how** the Hidden Blade was played. * **If Hidden Blade was played from hand:** The unit still dies. Hidden Blade from hand only requires "a unit at a battlefield" — not a specific one. The targeting relationship follows the unit itself, so after Tideturner swaps it to the other battlefield, Hidden Blade tracks it there and kills...
What is the main strategy to use Disposal Order to break the method to play cards from Discard like Flow or Fizz Ability?
Here's the breakdown of how Disposal Order interacts with each "play from trash" method. **Against Fizz, Trickster (targeted ability):** Use Disposal Order **reactively**. When Fizz's "When you play me" ability goes on the Chain, the target spell is still in the trash — that's your window. Play Disposal Order in response, recycle that specific spell, and when Fizz's ability resolves,...
Do all units currently on the board become ready when I play Magma Wurm?
**No.** Magma Wurm's ability reads "Other friendly units **enter** ready" — it modifies how future units arrive, not the state of units already on the board.
Does Frigid Jewel in play count Stacked Deck as draw 1 card?
**No.** Using *Stacked Deck* while *Frigid Jewel* is in play will **not** trigger its ability. *Frigid Jewel* looks for when you draw your **second** card each turn. *Stacked Deck* instructs you to "put 1 into your hand" — that's a distinct game action from drawing (Rule 413.1). Since it isn't a draw, it doesn't advance the count toward the second...
Does excess damage (with VII for example) need a surviving unit on the battlefield on the opposite side?
**No.** Excess damage does not require a surviving enemy unit. Excess damage is calculated during the **Combat Damage Step** as part of assigning damage — before any units actually die. You assign lethal damage to each defending unit in order, and any leftover damage assigned to the last defending unit beyond what's needed to kill it is excess (Rule 460.2.c.3–4,...
Playing with Legend Sett, if one unit I have at a battlefield and my opponent uses Smite, can I save with my Legend ability?
Yes, you can save the unit with Sett's legend ability — **provided the unit has a buff on it**. Here's how it works. Smite deals 3 damage to your unit. If that damage is lethal (3 ≥ the unit's Might), the unit would die. But two replacement effects now want to modify that death: Smite's ("banish it instead") and Sett's...
If you play Akshan to steal an Aurora and the opponent plays Akshan to steal it back, what happens when the second Akshan dies?
When the opponent's Akshan (the second one) dies, **you regain control of the Aurora**. Here's the sequence:
If conquer at hall of legends and pay 1 to ready my Azir legend, do I need to play a second gear or have I met the requirement by already playing one gear this turn?
**Yes, you've met the requirement.** Azir's ability says "Use only if you've played an Equipment **this turn**" — that checks the entire turn up to the moment you activate it, not just what happens after the legend readies. If you played a gear at any point this turn, the condition is satisfied.
What is Empower?
**Empower** is a keyword from the *Vendetta* set. It's an activated ability with an associated cost — you pay the cost, and your unit gains the **empowered** status. You can only activate Empower if the unit isn't already empowered.
Does playing a Sand Soldier with Emperor's Dais trigger Legion for Noxus Hopeful?
No. Playing a Sand Soldier token from Emperor's Dais does **not** satisfy the Legion condition for Noxus Hopeful. Legion (Rule 812.1.c) requires "a **card** different than the one with the Legion ability" to have been finalized that turn. Tokens are not cards (Rule 182). A Sand Soldier is a token unit (Rule 184.3) — it can trigger "when you play...
My opponent moves a buffed Soaring Scout and a Sett Brawler to a battlefield. He has the Sett Legend and Vanguard Helm at base. My opponent moves into combat and will lose both Soaring Scout and Sett due to combat. Can he transfer the buff from Scout to Sett via Vanguard Helm and then save Sett using the Sett Legend ability?
**No, this doesn't work.** Sett Brawler needs to already have a buff at the moment he would die for the Sett legend to save him, and Vanguard Helm cannot put a buff on him before that moment.
If I play Wages of Pain and my opponent plays a Ride the Wind and moves the unit to another battlefield, does the Wages fizzle?
**No, Wages of Pain does not fizzle.** It still deals 3 damage to the unit after it moves. Here's the sequence:
I move a unit with a move trigger to a battlefield. I am attacker, he wants to use an action ability, but I want to use an action spell ability first. Who can use action speed spell first?
The attacker gets to act first. Here's the sequence:
Akali move to a battlefield with a move effect and deal 1 damage. Defending was a Teemo Strategist with when I defend trigger. Which should resolve first?
**Yes, Akali's move trigger resolves first** — well before Teemo's defend trigger even becomes pending. Here's the order: