Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 148 of 152 · 7,585 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
When using Charm to move an enemy to my backfield, who is considered the attacker?
Ruling: When you use Charm to move an enemy to your backfield, that enemy is considered the attacker.
Can a player reveal a hidden Tideturner from one battlefield and use its swap ability to swap with a unit at a different battlefield where a showdown is occurring?
Ruling: Yes, this is legal. You can play reactions from any battlefield when there is an item on the chain, regardless of where the showdown is occurring. Hidden restrictions only apply to targeting, and Tideturner has errata that allows its ability to bypass that restriction.
When Player A plays Stand United from hidden at battlefield A targeting their unit, and Player B plays Mystic Reversal to gain control of it: (1) Does Stand United retain the targeting restriction to the battlefield it was hidden from? (2) If Player B controls no units at battlefield A, how does resolution proceed?
Ruling: When a spell played from hidden is controlled by another player via Mystic Reversal, it retains the targeting restriction to the battlefield it was played from. The new controller cannot make new choices for targets, and if the original target is no longer friendly to them, the buff portion fails but other effects (like "buffs grant +1 Might this...
Can Monastery of Hirana spend an enemy buff?
Ruling: No, you cannot spend enemy buffs. Players may only spend buffs on units they control. Nuances: - The buff must be one you control - You can only control something in play, but it does not have to be a buff at a battlefield
When is first player decided in 1v1 - before or after battlefields are revealed?
Ruling: First player is determined after battlefields are placed. Battlefields are placed face-up in the battlefield zone (a public information zone) before turn order is chosen.
Do conditional passive abilities apply mid-resolution of a spell/ability, or only during the next cleanup?
Ruling: Passive abilities check constantly, including during the resolution of spells and abilities. Sequence: - When a spell begins resolving that changes game state (like drawing cards) - Passive abilities immediately recognize those state changes - The passive ability applies before the spell finishes resolving
When Yasuo/Leona attacks a player holding Reavers Row with a buffed unit, what is the timing interaction between the attack triggers and Reavers Row's exit ability?
Ruling: Reavers Row resolves before Yasuo or Leona's attack triggers. The defender's unit exits the battleground before the attacker's abilities can affect it.
When Jinx, Demolitionist is played with Sun Disc activated and Flame Chompers is discarded as part of Jinx's triggered ability, in what order do the abilities resolve and which units get readied?
Ruling: Sun Disc is a passive effect, not a triggered ability, so Jinx enters the battlefield already ready. Flame Chompers' triggered ability goes on the chain after Jinx's "When You Play Me" trigger fully resolves, meaning Flame Chompers is played after Jinx is already on the battlefield and readied.
Does Convergent Mutation's effect last until end of turn or is it permanent?
Ruling: Convergent Mutation's effect lasts until end of turn. It was errata'd from its original text. Nuances: - The card was changed via errata because a permanent effect would have been too powerful - The card remains strong in decks like Teemo with Mundo despite the errata
Can you react to Zaunite Bouncer's ability? Does it start a chain?
Ruling: Yes, you can react to Zaunite Bouncer's "When You Play Me" trigger. It will go on or create a chain after Bouncer enters play.
Are you allowed to take notes of your opponent's hand from a Sabotage or Mindsplitter effect?
Ruling: Yes, you can write down information about your opponent's hand when you see it through effects like Sabotage or Mindsplitter.
If a 5 might unit is marked for 4 damage from Void Seeker, then takes damage from Hexray, and the opponent chains Call to Glory (which is then Stupified), does the unit die before Call to Glory resolves?
Ruling: Yes, the unit dies before Call to Glory resolves. Sequence: - Void Seeker marks the 5 might unit for 4 damage - Hexray deals damage to the unit (bringing total damage to 5 or more) - Opponent chains Call to Glory - Stupify is chained to Call to Glory - Cleanup happens after Stupify resolves, killing the unit (since...
When Traveling Merchant moves to Zaun Warrens and triggers Showdown, and I discard Flame Chompers as part of the Merchant's trigger, what is the timing/order of resolution?
Ruling: When Traveling Merchant moves and triggers both its ability and Showdown, you fully resolve the Merchant's trigger (including discarding and drawing) before Flame Chompers' discard trigger goes on the chain. You can never interrupt a resolving effect in Riftbound.
Can you move a unit from Battlefield A directly to Battlefield B with Ride the Wind?
Ruling: Yes, you can move a unit from one battlefield directly to another battlefield with Ride the Wind. Nuances: - The restriction against moving battlefield to battlefield only applies to the standard move action - Spells and abilities specify their own limitations (some may have restrictions like certain cards do)
When Kai'Sa (accelerated with Cleave) conquers a battlefield with Sentry after the opponent plays Void Seeker, does the damage stay on Kai'Sa after the showdown, causing her to die when she returns to 4 might?
Ruling: Kai'Sa survives because damage is cleared during combat cleanup at the end of the showdown, before her attacker status is removed and she returns to 4 might.
If an opponent plays Noxian Drummer and I respond to its trigger with Gust to return the Drummer to hand, does the Drummer still move the 1 might recruit token to the battlefield?
Ruling: No, the token will not be moved to the battlefield. When Gust returns the Drummer to hand before the trigger resolves, "here" becomes undefined, so the ability cannot execute the instruction that references "here".
If you hold a battlefield, retreat from it, and then move back to conquer it again in the same turn, do conquer effects (like Sett getting a buff) trigger even though you don't get a point?
Ruling: No, conquer effects do not trigger. Conquer is a subtype of scoring, so if you cannot score (which you cannot do twice on the same battlefield in one turn), you cannot conquer.
If I conquer a battlefield, then kill my own unit there, then move another unit to the now-empty battlefield in the same turn, do I score again?
Ruling: No, you do not score again. A player may only score once per battlefield per turn, regardless of the method (Conquer or Hold).
Can you react to your own 'When you play me' trigger with a spell, and does En Garde give +2 might to Carnivorous Snapvine when it's the only unit at your base?
Ruling: Yes, you can react to your own "When you play me" trigger. En Garde will give Carnivorous Snapvine +2 might total (+1 base, +1 additional) because Snapvine is the only unit at your base.
When an opponent attacks with Lucian Gunslinger and the defending player controls Reavers Row and Overzealous Fan, in what order do the triggers resolve, and can you retreat/bounce Fan before killing him to bounce Lucian?
Ruling: Reavers Row and Overzealous Fan triggers are placed on the chain after Lucian's when attacking trigger. You as the controller decide the order they are placed. Once triggers are on the chain, they resolve normally even if the trigger condition is no longer met.
Can Mistfall trigger by targeting an already buffed unit with a buff effect?
Ruling: No, Mistfall cannot trigger by targeting an already buffed unit with a buff effect. You must actually place a buff counter on a unit (i.e., the unit must not already have a buff) for Mistfall to trigger.
If I hold a battlefield at the start of my turn, leave it during my turn, then return to it later in the same turn, do I gain a conquest point and trigger the battlefield's conquest effect?
Ruling: No, you do not gain a conquest point or trigger the conquest effect. You can only score each battlefield once per turn.
If Wraith of Echoes is the first friendly unit that died this turn, does it draw a card with its own ability?
Ruling: No, Wraith of Echoes does not see its own death and cannot trigger its ability when it dies. The unit needs to be on the board for its ability to trigger, but it is moving to the trash as it dies.
When does Showdown end in relation to priority passing?
Ruling: Showdown ends as soon as both players pass focus in succession without doing anything, then the game proceeds to combat damage.
When a unit is exhausted (e.g., after moving), does its attachment also become exhausted, or does the attachment remain ready?
Ruling: The exhausted/ready state of a unit does not affect the state of its attachments and vice versa. When a unit is exhausted, its attachments remain ready unless separately exhausted.
Does the Navori battlefield buff stack each turn, or is it a one-time +1 buff that doesn't stack?
Ruling: The buff does not stack. A unit can only have one buff at a time (unless it's Green Lee Sin, who can have multiple buffs).
Can Reaction cards be played on their own, or only in response to another card?
Ruling: Reactions can be played as actions or base speed spells on their own. You don't need to react to something else to play them.
When a unit with a hidden card is moved from a battlefield using Charm, when can the opponent cast the hidden card, and what happens if they miss that window?
Ruling: Hidden cards have the Reaction keyword, so the opponent can flip and cast the hidden card in response to Charm being cast. If they miss that window, the hidden card is trashed during the cleanup step after Charm resolves and before any move triggers go on a new chain.
Can hidden cards be played at any eligible timing, or only when a showdown is happening at that specific battlefield?
Ruling: Hidden cards can be played at any eligible timing when you have priority, as long as the card has not been placed facedown during the current turn. They are not restricted to only being played when a showdown is happening at their battlefield.
If I give a unit deflect in response to a spell (like Rebuke) that targets it, does the deflect cost apply to that spell?
Ruling: No, giving a unit deflect in response to a spell does not apply to that spell. Deflect only applies if the unit has deflect while a spell or ability is being finalized (choosing targets and paying costs).
How do effects like Smoke Screen (with 'to a minimum of 1' clauses) interact with other stat modifiers like pump effects?
Ruling: Effects with "to a minimum of 1" clauses snapshot their value when they resolve, calculating the actual modifier at that moment, then continuously apply that remembered value for the duration. The order effects resolve matters because each snapshots based on the current state when it resolves.
If a spell targets something 'at a battlefield' and the target moves to a different battlefield before the spell resolves, is the target still legal?
Ruling: Yes, the target is still legal. The game only checks if the target meets the targeting requirements when the spell resolves - it needs to be at *a* battlefield, not necessarily the same battlefield you originally targeted.
If P1 controls both battlefields and P2 charms a unit from BF1 to BF2, but P1 retreats their unit from BF2 in response (before charm resolves), does P1's arriving unit start a showdown to score when it arrives at BF2?
Ruling: Yes, a showdown will start and you'll gain a point if you re-establish control. Sequence: - P1 retreats their unit from BF2 in response to charm - Cleanup establishes the battlefield as uncontrolled immediately after the retreat effect resolves - When P1's unit arrives at BF2, a showdown starts - P1 can score if they re-establish control
Can you play Cull the Weak if you have no units?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Cull the Weak even if you have no units. Sequence: - Cull the Weak is played and finalized onto the chain without requiring a valid unit at that time - On resolution, both players choose units
Can Skysplitter be countered by Deny if its cost is reduced to 4 energy?
Ruling: No, Skysplitter cannot be countered by Deny even if cost reductions bring its actual cost to 4 energy or less.
If a unit with damage on it is moved away from the battlefield during combat (e.g., with Ride the Wind), does it die from having damage equal to or greater than its might?
Ruling: When a unit is moved away from the battlefield during combat, it loses its attacker (or defender) designation during cleanup, which turns off assault and causes it to die if it has damage equal to or greater than its base might.
If Watcher reduces a unit's might to 1, and then another effect increases that unit's might later in the turn, does the unit's might increase normally, or does Watcher's effect keep it locked at 1?
Ruling: Watcher applies a -1 might modifier for the rest of the turn (limited by the minimum of 1 might). Subsequent might increases are applied normally to the modified value.
How does spell targeting work in Riftbound, specifically when targets are declared and whether they can be changed?
Ruling: For most normal spells, targets must be declared when the spell is put onto the chain. For spells with "Do this" (reflective triggers), the spell resolves first, then X triggers are added to the chain, and targets are declared at that point. Once targets are declared, they cannot be changed even if the opponent uses reaction spells.
How does Dazzling Aurora work - is it mandatory to use, must you play the first unit revealed, and are cards revealed publicly?
Ruling: Dazzling Aurora is mandatory to use at the end of your turn. When you reveal cards, you must play the first unit you reveal and cannot choose to recycle it instead.
Can gear be used the turn they come into play?
Ruling: Yes, gear can be used the turn they enter play if they enter readied (untapped). If a gear is readied, you can use any exhaust abilities on it.
Can you choose the same unit when paying the cost of Blade of the Ruined King (killing a unit) and equipping it, or equip it with only 0 or 1 friendly units?
Ruling: You cannot choose the same unit for both the cost and the equip target, and you need at least 2 units to attempt to equip Blade of the Ruined King. Targets are chosen before costs are paid, but there is a final legality check before finalization that causes the action to rewind if the target becomes illegal.
When multiple recruit tokens are played from a single ability while Karma and Gemcraft Seer are in play, does each recruit trigger vision separately, and does each vision trigger allow Karma to buff a unit if you recycle during each vision?
Ruling: Unit tokens are played and resolved sequentially. Each recruit token triggers vision separately through Gemcraft Seer, and each vision trigger can recycle up to one card. If you recycle a card during a vision trigger, Karma's buff trigger goes on the chain after that vision trigger.
Do cards like Firestorm or Tibbers affect facedown hidden units at a battlefield?
Ruling: Facedown cards at a battlefield do not take damage from effects like Firestorm or Tibbers. A facedown card is not actually on the board and is not even a unit until it is played to that battlefield.
If Hidden Blade loses its target (e.g., the target flashes), why don't you get the draw effect?
Ruling: When Hidden Blade resolves and cannot find its target on the battlefield, it cannot kill the unit and therefore cannot determine who the controller was, so the draw effect does not trigger.
Do Assault and Shield trigger each combat/showdown or once per turn? Specifically, if Lucian conquers with Assault 1, readies, then attacks again, does he get Assault again? And if a unit with Shield defends, then defends again in the same turn, does Shield apply both times?
Ruling: Assault and Shield do not trigger - they are passive abilities that are either on or off based on the current game state. They can toggle on and off multiple times throughout a turn based on whether the unit is attacking (Assault) or if there are enemy units present (Shield).
Can you activate a hidden card from a battlefield that is not currently being attacked?
Ruling: Yes, you can activate a hidden card from a battlefield that is not currently in combat. However, hidden cards have the added text "here" for targets, so any targeting effects can only target things in the hidden card's own battlefield.
Can you play a hidden card as a reaction outside of a chain (e.g., just pop it after the beginning phase)?
Ruling: You can play a Hidden card like you would a Base Speed card on your turn (popping it without doing anything), but otherwise you must follow normal Reaction rules.
When a unit's power is reduced below its minimum (e.g., -3 to a 2 power unit that goes to 1), does the excess reduction carry over if the unit gains power later in the same turn?
Ruling: The excess reduction does not carry over. When an effect would reduce more might than allowed, the decrease is "snapshotted" to the amount it was actually able to apply.
If Lee Sin (centered with 7 might) and another buffed unit (5 might) are both targeted by Icathian Rain (Lee Sin 4 times, other unit twice), will both units die during cleanup even if Lee Sin takes the last instance of damage? Does the order of triggers matter?
Ruling: The order does not matter. Both units will die. Once Lee Sin dies, the other unit will have its might reduced (losing the centered buff) and then die in the cleanup after the one where Lee Sin dies.
Can players choose the same targets for Divine Judgment?
Ruling: Yes, players can choose the same targets for Divine Judgment. Sequence: - You select 2 units (can be the same unit twice if you only have 1 unit) - Your opponent selects 2 units to keep (can be the same unit twice) - All other units are destroyed