Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 134 of 158 · 7,873 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
If I react to my opponent's temporary trigger on their Sprite Fountain or Sprite dying at the start of their beginning phase with a Hidden Temporal Breach at a battlefield I control with a Brynhir to banish him and replay him, does my opponent still get the Sprite from the deathknell of the Sprite Fountain or are they unable to play the card?
**No — your opponent still gets the Sprite.** The chain resolves in your favor for sequencing (Temporal Breach → Brynhir's "can't play cards" trigger → the Temporary kills), but Brynhir's restriction only stops opponents from **playing cards**. The Sprite Fountain's Deathknell is a triggered ability that plays a **Sprite token**, and tokens are not cards (Rule 350.2), so it triggers...
If I conquer Zaun Warrens with Rumble Hotheaded and discard a Mech from hand with Zaun Warrens, can I play it with Rumble?
**No.** Rumble's conquer trigger requires a valid Mech already in your trash when the trigger is placed on the Chain — you can't use Zaun Warrens' discard to create a target retroactively.
Does Cull the Weak choose targets on play or on resolve?
**On resolve — Cull the Weak never targets.** Its text is "Each player kills one of their units," which falls under Rule 355.10.e: choices made by each player as the spell resolves don't target. So no choices are made when you finalize it on the chain, and nothing is locked in at play.
If I play Promising the Future and choose to play Dazzling Aurora, my opponent chooses to play Brynhildr Thundersong, what happens?
**Yes — your Dazzling Aurora still gets played and enters as a Gear.** Because Promising Future says "starting with the next player," your opponent plays Brynhir first, then you play Aurora. Both go on the chain as pending items before Brynhir's "When you play me" trigger can do anything. Brynhir finalizes first and her "opponents can't play cards" effect goes...
Can I play Emperor's Divide at Vilemaw's Lair to move my units back to base?
**No.** Vilemaw's Lair's restriction ("Units can't move from here to base") overrides Emperor's Divide's move instruction, so your units stay put.
If I attack with Rell and use ability to play Recurve Bow attached to Rell, will I get to activate Recurve Bow ability to deal 2?
**No.** Recurve Bow's "When I attack" trigger won't fire during the attack that played it. Rell's trigger and Recurve Bow's trigger both need the unit to *gain the Attacker designation while already having the ability*. Rell is designated as the attacker first, her "When I attack" trigger fires, and Recurve Bow is only played and attached during that trigger's resolution...
Is Nasus Curator of Sands ability slow speed?
**No — Nasus's ability isn't a speed at all; it's a triggered ability.** Curator of the Sands reads *"When you play a unit, gear, or activated ability with Energy cost [7] or more, you may exhaust me to ready up to 2 runes."* Because it starts with "When," it automatically fires and goes on the Chain whenever the condition is...
Does their spell go to the bottom of the deck still if opponent plays Star Crossed with Fizz and I Hard Bargain?
**Yes — either way, the Star-Crossed ends up on the bottom of the deck.** Fizz's "Then recycle it" is a replacement effect that kicks in whenever that spell would leave the chain, for any reason — including being countered (FAQ #10401, #11158). So if your opponent declines to pay the [2] and Hard Bargain counters the spell, it's recycled to...
Opponent played Charm on my unit and wants to move it, but I play Not So Fast. They defied, I play Not So Fast again, can I do that or no?
**Yes, you can.** Each Not So Fast is its own Chain item, and your second copy resolves before the Defy does.
How can you consider a card has been played? I am confused because a lot of cards say "when you play me" then the ability of that card will trigger.
A card is considered "played" (for trigger purposes) only when it has **finished resolving** — not when it's put on the chain (Rule 419.4.a). So "When you play me" fires *after* the unit is already on the board: you play it → it finalizes and enters play instantly → only then does its play trigger go on the chain as...
If Kennen, Keeper of balance is played from hidden and I gust her before the trigger ability resolves, is that okay?
Yes, you can Gust her in response — but it won't stop the stun trigger. Kennen's "When you play me" is a Play Effect: it goes on the Chain *after* Kennen finalizes and enters the board (Rule 383.4.a.2). By the time you get priority to react, the Kennen player has already paid [2] and chosen the stun target during finalization...
Can a unit get when I attack triggers multiple times? E.g. I move in, get struck trigger, use an effect to move back to base, and in same Showdown in a new chain back into the same combat?
**No — in the same combat, that unit's "When I attack" trigger fires only once, even if it leaves and re-enters.**
If I attack with a Stellarcorn and a Twilight Reveler, may I ready the Stellarcorn that attacked alongside the Twilight Reveler?
**Yes.** Twilight Reveler's "When I attack, ready another friendly unit" can target the Stellacorn Herder that attacked alongside it. Attack triggers fire when a unit gains the Attacker designation (Rule 383.4.e), and "another friendly unit" simply means a friendly unit other than Twilight Reveler itself — there's no restriction excluding units that also attacked. Since your Stellacorn exhausted to make...
I love Iterative Design, does this get banished by my Jhin legend or banished by Flow?
**Ruling: It's banished by Flow, not by Virtuoso — so it does not count toward Jhin's four banished spells.** Flow's "Then banish it" is a delayed replacement effect that sends the spell to Banishment as it leaves the Chain after resolving — that happens before Virtuoso's "when you play a spell" trigger even gets to act (Rule 829.1.b.1; same principle...
Is Astral Heron for the first or second card played? The discount
**The second card.** Astral Heron counts as your first card played, and its trigger fires after it's finalized on the battlefield, so the discount applies to your *next* card — the second card you play that turn (FAQ #11863, #11610).
Does the shadow clone Assault stack when it moves out and in again in the same combat, because it says give me Assault 4 this turn?
**No.** The clone's "When I attack" trigger only fires once per combat, even if it leaves and comes back. Attack triggers are only checked once per combat — gaining and losing the Attacker designation multiple times doesn't re-check them (Rule 383.4.e.2.a). So if the clone moves out and back into the *same* combat, the second arrival doesn't grant another Assault...
Does Decree of Discord return all order units below 5 might or any number of units with total might 5, meaning that when you hit total 5 might you can't return anymore units?
**The latter — you return "any number" of enemy Order units whose *total* Might is 5 or less, so once the sum reaches 5, you can't add more.**
If I conquer with Irelia as my Legend while it's ready, can I put the "When I conquer, pay 1 to ready me" effect on chain, use Discipline on my unit, use Irelia Legend to ready it by paying one power?
Yes — the whole sequence works. Conquering puts the Legend's "When you conquer, you may pay [1] to ready me" trigger on the chain (Rule 383.4.c.2.b), and you choose at finalization whether to perform it. Since the Legend is already ready, that ready does nothing by itself (Rule 415.1.c) — but if you pay [1] and leave the trigger on...
When does a card count as being played?
A card counts as "played" when it finishes the entire play process — meaning it finalizes and its resolution completes (Rule 350.1). Permanents hit that point when they leave the Chain and enter the board; spells when they finish resolving and go to the trash.
What are the differences between "play" when referenced by Crumbling Sands, and by Kennen Legend?
Short answer: they're two different meanings of "play" — Kennen's is a trigger that needs **resolution**; Crumbling Sands' is a conditional check that only needs **finalization**.
Do you need to target a location with Ride the Wind on cast? Or do you have to let it resolve first?
**Yes — you must declare the destination when you cast Ride the Wind, not on resolution.** Choosing the move destination is part of finalizing the spell (Rule 355.4), and the 2025-10-24 patch made move destinations a required choice made when putting the spell on the chain. You announce both the unit and the battlefield/base it's moving to when you play...
Can I return a hidden card back to hand?
Yes — but only if the effect can actually target it. A hidden (facedown) card is a legal target for effects that target "a card" or "a facedown card," but you **cannot** bounce it with an effect that specifically targets "a unit" or "gear," since a facedown card isn't a unit or gear for targeting purposes (FAQ #6679).
If I try to play a Shadowcloaked Lurker from trash and I currently have two of them there, does it get the discount from both of them?
No — you get the discount from **one** copy, not both. Cost is determined after the card you're playing has already left the trash and gone onto the chain, so it can't count itself. With two copies in trash and one being played, only the remaining copy still in trash applies, giving a discount of [2], not [4]. (FAQ #8430;...
Is Empower considered optional addition cost?
**No — Empower's cost is not an optional additional cost.** Empower is an **Activated Ability keyword** (Rule 827.1). Its cost is the *base cost* of that ability — the part before the ":" — not an additional cost of playing a card. "Optional additional cost" is a specific category that requires both "as an additional cost" and "may" (Rule 356.2.b.1),...
If you conquer the Battlefield, Hall of Legends, while playing Reksai Void Burrower, can you trigger Reksai first before the Battlefield's conquer trigger?
**Yes — if Rek'Sai is ready when you conquer.** Since you control both triggers, you choose the order they go on the Chain (Rule 383.3.d). Put Rek'Sai's "when you conquer" on first; Hall of Legends' "ready your legend" resolves first, then Rek'Sai's ability resolves (exhaust it, reveal 2, play one).
Does Overzealous Fan trigger when I defend, so it triggers before combat showdown starts? If my opponent just moves in with one unit and I use that ability, do I still win the combat even before showdown starts?
**No — you don't win the combat; it's "No Result."** First, a timing fix: Overzealous Fan's "when I defend" doesn't trigger before combat. It triggers when the Fan gains the Defender designation, which happens in Step 1 of Combat when the showdown opens as a Combat Showdown (Rule 464.2.c.3) — so there's no window to use it beforehand.
Can Rengar's Legend effect be interrupted by a Reaction before the unit gains the bonus Might?
**Yes.** Rengar, Pridestalker's legend ability is a triggered ability that goes on the Chain, so it doesn't apply the +1 Might until it resolves — after both players get Reaction windows (FAQ #11377, Rule 383.3).
Does Zed Without a Sound swap locations with a shadow clone?
**Yes.** Zed, Without a Sound's ability reads "Move me and a Shadow Clone you control to each other's locations," and the Shadow Clone token (from his conquer trigger or Death Mark) is a unit named Shadow Clone that you control — so it's a legal choice.
Will Shock Blast reduce the cost first or will Researcher is Empowered trigger ability reduce the cost first?
**You choose the order — discounts are applied by you in any order (Rule 356.4.d), but to get the lowest cost you should apply Applied Researchers' discount first, then Shock Blast's.**
When Blighted Battleaxe deals 4 damage, is it dealt this turn or the next turn?
The damage is dealt **this turn** — during the Ending Step of your own turn — and it's gone before the next turn starts.
If you gave +2 to a 4 might unit, does blighted battleaxe still kill it at the end of your turn?
No — the unit survives. The +2 is still active when the Battleaxe trigger fires, so the unit has 6 Might when it takes 4 damage, and 4 damage isn't lethal (damage only kills when it equals or exceeds current Might).
What happens if I need to burn 3 but only have 2 cards in my main deck?
Yes — you burn as many as possible, Burn Out, then finish the burn. Sequence: burn the 2 cards you have, then perform a Burn Out (recycle your Trash into your Main Deck, randomize, and choose an opponent to gain 1 point), then burn the remaining 1 card from the recycled deck to complete the "Burn 3." This applies when...
How does Xerath, Freed interact during combat/Showdowns? Specifically: What is the priority and resolution order for its ability on the Chain? Can Xerath use its ability when the opponent initiates a Showdown/attacks into the battlefield? After using its ability, can Xerath still participate in combat and deal combat damage, or does the ability exhaust/prevent it from fighting?
**Xerath, Freed's** ability is an activated ability with no **Action** or **Reaction** keyword — that determines everything here. **1. Chain/priority order.** Xerath's ability can only be activated on your own turn, in a Main Phase **Open State** (empty chain), and **not during a Showdown** (Rules 145.2, 381). When you activate it: pay the [C] and exhaust Xerath, choose the target,...
During showdown Chakram Dancer is played from hand at reaction speed, opponent uses Star Cross. Does the effect of Chakram Dancer still on the chain and give +1 to defenders even if she's sent back to hand?
**No — the Shield is not granted.** Chakram Dancer's trigger is still on the chain and does resolve (it's an independent object), but it says "give your other units **here** [Shield]," and "here" refers to Chakram Dancer's location. Since Star-Crossed resolves first and returns her to hand (a non-board zone), "here" returns null at resolution and the instruction is ignored...
How does Helm of Suppression interact with hidden cards? Does it increase the cost of revealing them?
**It depends on what was hidden.** Helm of Suppression only raises the cost of **spells**, so: - **Hidden spell:** Yes — playing it from Hidden still counts as playing a spell. Hidden sets its base cost to 0 (Rule 811.1.b → 356.1.b), but cost increases apply afterward (Rule 356.3), so it costs **[1] more** (or **[1][A]** more if Helm is...
In a BO1 match of Riftbound, when are you allowed to side deck?
**No — by default you can never sideboard in a BO1 match.** Sideboarding is only permitted between games of a match (Rule 403.4), and a BO1 has only one game. Rule 403.5 additionally forbids using sideboard cards in the first game of a match.
So I'm defending with Ahri, and a Hidden Temporal Breach. They move in and Ahri's defend trigger happens. They pass and I reveal Temporal Breach on my Ahri. Does the defend trigger happen again?
Yes — Ahri's defend trigger fires again. Temporal Breach banishes Ahri, and Banishment is a non-board zone, so she becomes a brand-new game object (Rule 124). That new Ahri has never gained the Defender designation in this combat, so when she gains it during the Cleanup after Breach resolves, her "When I defend" trigger goes on the Chain normally (383.4.f.2.a).
Can I use Accurate to ready a unit that is always on the playing field? Say I moved it from a battlefield to base. Can I pay the Accelerate cost?
**No.** Accelerate only works "as you play" a unit — it's an optional additional cost paid during the steps of playing that unit as a card (Rule 805.1.a, 805.2). A unit already on the board cannot pay Accelerate; it has no function there (Rule 805.2.a, 805.3).
Does Rek'Sai Breacher work with Shadow Clone?
**Yes — Rek'Sai, Breacher lets your Shadow Clone tokens enter ready, but only if you pay the Accelerate cost.** Shadow Clones (e.g., from Death Mark or Zed, From the Shadows) are played from a zone other than a player's hand, so Rek'Sai grants them Accelerate as they're being played. Accelerate is an optional additional cost — 1 Energy and 1...
Can I play a unit in banish from Cursed Sarcophagus with shadow clone?
**No.** Cursed Sarcophagus can only play units banished by its own play trigger ("When you play this, banish all units from your trash"). A unit banished by the Shadow Clone token's attack trigger was banished by the token's effect, so Cursed Sarcophagus's "[T]: Play a unit banished with this" cannot access it.
Can you use Zed legend ability to draw 1 even if you have no cards to discard?
Yes. **Master of Shadows** (Zed's legend) says "Disempower me, [T]: Discard 1, **then** draw 1." The discard is part of the effect, not a cost — the costs are only disempowering and exhausting. So with an empty hand you discard 0 and still draw 1 (Rule 422.4: discard as many as possible, then continue with the rest of the effect).
Can you react to a unit dying?
Yes — with an important distinction. You can't react to the death event itself, but you can react to whatever is on the Chain that leads to it.
Can you banish a unit from your trash with a shadow clone if the battlefield is empty?
**No.** "When I attack" only triggers when a unit gains the Attacker designation during **Combat** — moving a Shadow Clone to an empty battlefield stages a **Non-Combat Showdown**, and no Attacker designation is ever granted there, so the trigger never fires and you can't banish.
If I move out of a battlefield I conquered and played a hidden card there, does the hidden card disappear?
Yes — if you move your last unit out of that battlefield, the hidden card goes to your trash. A Move triggers a Cleanup when it completes (Rule 453). If you have no units left at a battlefield in an Open State, you lose control of it in that cleanup (Rule 323.6), and any hidden cards at battlefields you no...
Can I react to Baited Hook with Smokescreen to change the target's might and alter what he can use?
**Yes, you can.** Smoke Screen has [Reaction], so it resolves first (LIFO) and reduces the targeted unit's Might — to a minimum of 1 — before Baited Hook kills it.
If my target of Discipline gets Gusted, do I get the draw?
Yes — you still draw. Gust resolves first and returns the unit, but Discipline's "Draw 1" is a separate, non-conditional instruction: it executes even when the +2 Might can't be applied because the target left play (Rule 359.3.e.5). Spells always resolve as much as possible — only the instructions tied to the vanished target are ignored.
While Minotaur Reckoner is on the board, can a unit move to a base through any other effect apart from its own move effect, e.g. with a Ride the Wind spell?
No — while **Minotaur Reckoner** is on the board, **no unit can Move to base by any means**, including spells like **Ride the Wind**. Its ability "Units can't move to base" is a blanket restriction on the Move action, not just the Standard Move.
Does the wordkey when I attack trigger on an empty battlefield?
No. "When I attack" triggers only fire when a unit gains the **Attacker** designation, which happens only during a **Combat** Showdown — moving to an empty battlefield is a Non-Combat Showdown (Rule 383.4.e, 459.2.b).
When is Overzealous Fan activated? After or before actions is passed, do you need to pay the deflect cost? Can I counter the effect with Not So Fast?
**Overzealous Fan's ability triggers the first time it gains the Defender designation during a combat showdown** — that's its Defend Trigger (Rule 383.4.f).
If I move into a battlefield that's open, will I be designated as an attacking unit for the spell that can stun an attacking unit?
No. Moving into an open battlefield doesn't give your unit the attacker designation — that move creates a **Non-Combat Showdown**, not Combat, and attacker/defender designations only exist during Combat (Rule 437; FAQ #5513). So spells like **Existential Dread** ("Stun an attacking enemy unit") or **Shadow**'s ability couldn't target your unit at that point.