Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 150 of 158 · 7,873 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
Can Chosen Champion be changed between games in a match?
Ruling: Yes, Chosen Champion can be changed between games during sideboarding. Nuances: - You can remove the Chosen Champion entirely from your deck during sideboarding and replace it with a different color champion - You can play both champions in your main deck and switch which one starts in the champion zone in games 2/3 without needing to sideboard -...
Does Siphoned Power affect only units currently at the chosen battlefield when it resolves, or does it create a continuous effect that affects units that move there later in the turn?
Ruling: Siphoned Power only affects units that are at the chosen battlefield when the spell resolves. It does not create a continuous effect on the battlefield that would affect units arriving later.
Do you need to control 2 units to activate Back to Back, or can you activate it with only 1 unit under the 'do as much as you can' rule?
Ruling: You must control 2 units to activate Back to Back. The card requires exactly two targets ("give two friendly units"), and you cannot activate it with only 1 unit.
If you use Hextech Ray to deal 3 damage to an enemy unit outside of combat, does the unit heal before you can attack it, or does it still have the damage when you attack?
Ruling: When you deal damage to a unit with a spell outside of combat, the unit does not heal immediately. If you then attack that unit with one of your units, it will still have the damage marked on it when combat damage is dealt.
When time is called during a Riftbound match, when do you play 5 additional rounds and how are winners determined?
Ruling: When time is called during a game, you always play 5 additional rounds (unless time is called between games). After those 5 rounds, the player with more points wins that game. The match winner is determined by who has more game wins.
Can a defender lose control of a battlefield during a showdown (by moving their unit away with Fate of the Fallen), then move back with Ride the Wind before the showdown ends to score a point as a defender attempting to gain control?
Ruling: No, this specific sequence no longer works due to the updated rule that prevents control of a battlefield from changing while it remains Contested.
If I attack an occupied battlefield with a unit that has Assault +1 and my opponent plays Challenge against my unit during the combat, does my unit still have +1?
Ruling: Yes, if the battlefield is occupied, your unit will still have the +1 from Assault during the Challenge combat because your unit is considered attacking.
When playing a card that has had an errata, do I need to tell my opponent and explain what has been changed?
Ruling: Yes, you should tell your opponent and explain what has been changed when you play a card that has had an errata.
During a showdown at one battlefield, can you play an action card to target units on the other battlefield?
Ruling: Yes, during a showdown you can play action cards and target units on either battlefield. There are no restrictions about where you target during a showdown.
Do you need to control Dreaming Tree battlefield to get the draw trigger, or can you attack into that battlefield, Cleave your attacking unit, and draw a card?
Ruling: You do not need to control the Dreaming Tree battlefield to get the draw trigger. As long as you have a unit at the battlefield and select it as a target for a spell or ability for the first time in a turn, you will draw a card.
Does Lux's ability trigger when a spell is countered or when its target becomes invalid?
Ruling: Lux's ability triggers when you play a spell, regardless of whether the target becomes invalid. However, if the spell is countered, Lux will not trigger.
If Player A initiates a showdown at battlefield 1, Player B plays Ride the Wind to go to battlefield 2, then Player B plays another Ride the Wind to return to battlefield 1 and wins, does Player B score one point or two points that turn?
Ruling: Player B scores only one point. When Player B plays Ride the Wind to battlefield 2 while the first showdown at battlefield 1 has not yet resolved, the showdown at battlefield 2 never happens because the existing showdown must fully resolve first.
Does recalling a unit exhaust it?
Ruling: Recalls do not inherently exhaust units. A unit only exhausts if the specific effect text says to exhaust it.
If Orange Lee Sin dies from combat damage and was buffing a Clockwork Keeper that also took damage, does the Clockwork Keeper die when it loses Lee Sin's buff?
Ruling: The Clockwork Keeper does not die. After combat damage is assigned and units are killed, they are immediately healed before any other game state checks and before any abilities are able to enter the chain.
Does the Vision keyword stack, and if so, how does it work?
Ruling: If something has multiple instances of Vision, they trigger separately. Sequence: - First Vision triggers: look at 1 card, choose to keep on top or put on bottom - Second Vision triggers: look at 1 card, choose to keep on top or put on bottom - Third Vision triggers: look at 1 card, choose to keep on top or...
Do two Leona Zealot -8 effects stack?
Ruling: Yes, two Leona Zealot -8 effects stack.
When a card effect ignores energy cost (like Harrowing), does it also ignore the additional cost from Accelerate?
Ruling: No, ignoring energy cost only applies to base costs. Any additional costs, including the extra cost from Accelerate, must be paid as normal.
Can you play a spell (like Gust) without any valid targets on the battlefield?
Ruling: You cannot play any spell that doesn't have a legal target to begin with. Nuances: - This applies to all spells requiring targets, not just Gust specifically
When Baited Hook recycles multiple cards, can you choose which order to recycle them, or is it random?
Ruling: When you recycle more than one card at once, it must be done in a random order. Nuances: - This applies to Baited Hook and any other effect that recycles multiple cards simultaneously - You cannot choose the order yourself
How does scoring work in Riftbound, particularly regarding holding and conquering battlefields?
Ruling: You gain points in two ways: (1) beginning your turn with control of a battlefield gives you a "Hold" point for each battlefield controlled, or (2) ending a showdown with a unit present at a battlefield you do not control (and haven't scored at this turn) gives you a "Conquer" point. Each battlefield can only be scored once per...
Does the blue seal (Sapphire Seal) provide energy or just power, and how can a player use it to pay for Teemo after channeling runes?
Ruling: The Sapphire Seal only provides power, not energy. The player was able to pay for Teemo by floating energy from a rune they recycled earlier to pay for the Seal, then using that floated energy along with the Seal's power.
Does Ravenbloom Student get +1 when you play a spell from hidden?
Ruling: Yes, Ravenbloom Student gets +1 when you play a spell from hidden. Playing a card from hidden still counts as playing it.
Can opponent burn out give you the winning point at 7 points?
Ruling: Yes, burn out can give you the winning point. Only points earned from Conquer or Hold have restrictions on the final point.
Is there timing before a Showdown starts where reactions can be played, and do abilities like Assault, Shield, or 'When I attack/defend' triggers open chains that can be reacted to?
Ruling: You cannot react to a unit moving into the battlefield before the showdown starts. Assault and Shield are passive abilities that don't go onto the chain, but 'When I attack/defend' triggers do go onto an initial chain once the showdown has already begun.
If I steal control of a repeat spell with Mystic Reversal, do I get both instances of the repeat effect if my opponent paid for both?
Ruling: Yes, you get all instances of the repeat effect that were paid for. When you gain control of a repeat spell, the repeated spell effects are part of the original spell which has been finalized and paid for, so gaining control doesn't change the fact that the repeat cost has been paid.
When using Bellows Breath with Repeat, can you target a separate battlefield/location for the repeated effect?
Ruling: Yes, when you pay the Repeat cost for Bellows Breath, you can target a different battlefield for each instance of the effect. The two sets of damage are chosen separately.
Do Miss Fortune's Legend ability (giving Ganking to a unit) and Captain ability (choosing to ready a unit) trigger Spirit Wheel?
Ruling: Both Miss Fortune abilities trigger Spirit Wheel because they target/choose a unit. Sequence: - Miss Fortune Legend ability targets a unit to give Ganking, so Spirit Wheel triggers as chain link 2 - Miss Fortune Captain ability chooses a unit to ready, which also counts as targeting for Spirit Wheel
If you conquer a battlefield, then retreat and return to conquer that same battlefield again on the same turn, do you get the point again and do field abilities (like Candlelit Sanctum) trigger?
Ruling: You cannot score a battlefield more than once per turn. When you close the second showdown after moving back to a previously scored battlefield, you will not score a point and thus will not conquer. No conquer effects will trigger.
How does priority work when reactions are stacked in a showdown, and who can react as the chain resolves?
Ruling: As each item on the chain resolves, there is another round of priority for players to react. The player who controls the next item on the chain after an item resolves gets priority first, then they can play a reaction or pass priority to the next player in turn order. When all players pass in succession, the topmost item...
In a 4-player game, if players A and B are in showdown on a battlefield, can player C use a reaction to assign additional damage to one of the units?
Ruling: Yes, player C can interact with a reaction during the showdown between players A and B. Sequence: - Priority goes around to all players, not just the attacker and defender - Every player gets a window of focus (the ability to start chains) - Each player gets a chance to add items to each chain, regardless of whether they...
What does "choose" a friendly unit mean in Riftbound? Does it mean the same as targeting?
Ruling: "Choose" means "Target" in Riftbound. Nuances: - This clarification applies when evaluating whether cards are "choosing" units
In a closed state, can a reaction be played after the last card/ability in the chain resolves?
Ruling: The chain ends once the last card resolves. A reaction card drawn during the resolution of the last card in the chain cannot be played within that same chain.
Can Zaun Warrens trigger if you have no cards in hand?
Ruling: Yes, Zaun Warrens can trigger even if you have no cards in hand. You do as much as you can, following the instructions in order.
For Jinx (red), is the 'discard two' effect a cost that must be paid, or a normal 'when you play' triggered effect?
Ruling: The discard two is a triggered ability, not a cost. It triggers after Jinx has been played, and you do as much of it as you can based on your hand size.
Can you conquer and score a battlefield on your opponent's turn if you controlled it at the start of their turn but lost control during their turn?
Ruling: Yes, you can conquer and score a battlefield on your opponent's turn if you lost control of it during that turn, as long as you haven't already scored it that turn. You must lose control before you can conquer again.
Does Ahri, Nine-Tailed Fox (Legend) give -1 might to every unit attacking a battlefield or just one? Does Ahri, Inquisitive work the same way?
Ruling: Ahri, Nine-Tailed Fox (Legend) gives -1 might to all units attacking her battlefield. Ahri, Inquisitive only targets one unit.
If you use Hidden Blade on your own unit and save it with Sett's legend ability, do you still draw 2 cards?
Ruling: Yes, you still draw 2 cards. Hidden Blade's kill effect and draw effect are separate from each other, so the draw happens regardless of whether the unit actually dies.
If a unit has 5 damage on it and 6 might, does it die if Stupefy is used on it (reducing might)?
Ruling: Yes, the unit dies. If a unit has damage markers on it equal to or greater than its might, it dies.
Does Ravenbloom Student trigger when a spell is placed on the chain, or only when it resolves?
Ruling: Ravenbloom Student triggers when a spell resolves (is played successfully), not when it is placed on the chain. Sequence: - Spell resolves - Ravenbloom triggers and is put on the chain - Trigger resolves
If Strategist Teemo is defending and triggers to find Nocturne, can Nocturne be played directly to the battlefield being defended?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Nocturne directly to the battlefield you're defending because you're still controlling it until combat ends.
When playing Ride the Wind during an opponent's attack to move a unit to another occupied battlefield, what happens with combat timing and attacker designation?
Ruling: The new showdown is put in pending status, and the original combat resolves first. Since you are contesting the new battlefield, you are designated as the attacker in that showdown.
When a unit with Hidden is un-hidden on a later turn, must it be played to the same battlefield where it was hidden, or can it be played to a different battlefield or base?
Ruling: When a card is played from Hidden, it must be played to the same location where it was hidden. An additional restriction of "Here" is added to the card when played from Hidden.
Does 'board' include the trash pile, or is it just the base and battlefield?
Ruling: The board does not include the trash pile. It consists only of the base and battlefield zone. Nuances: - According to the comprehensive rules, the board specifically consists of: Base, Battlefield Zone (which includes Facedown Zone and Legend Zone) - Trash is a separate public zone that is not part of the board
Can you play Primal Strength on Carnivorous Snapvine after playing it so it fights with additional power?
Ruling: No, you cannot play Primal Strength on Carnivorous Snapvine after playing it because Primal Strength is Action speed, not Reaction speed. Only Reaction speed cards can be used in response to Snapvine's effect.
When can spells be played based on their timing keywords (no timing keyword, Action, Reaction)?
Ruling: Spells with no timing keyword are used in neutral open state (nothing on chain, no showdown). Action speed can be used in neutral open and showdown open states. Reaction speed can be used in all states including when the chain is closed.
Does Trinity Force score twice (for 3 points total) when both Trinity Force and Skyfall of Areion are attached to a unit on Reckoner's Arena?
Ruling: Yes, you score twice from Trinity Force when both Trinity Force and Skyfall of Areion are attached to a unit on Reckoner's Arena, for 3 points total.
Does Grabber require all three conditions (recycle 3, tapping the card, and paying 1 energy) to activate its effect?
Ruling: Yes, all three requirements must be met to activate the ability. Everything to the left of the semicolon represents the cost that must be paid.
When Thousand Tail Watcher reduces might to a minimum of 1, and Sett gains might from other units, how is Sett's total might calculated when all units have buffs?
Ruling: Sett becomes 6 might total. The calculation is: 5 (base) + 1 (buff) + 3 (from his effect counting other units) - 3 (Watcher reduction) = 6. The other small units become 1 might each.
When playing Imperial Decree with a 3 might unit attacking 3 units with 10 might each at a battlefield, can you choose to deal 1 damage to each unit to kill them all?
Ruling: No, you cannot deal 1 damage to each unit. Imperial Decree does not modify the concept of Lethal Damage, so you must still assign enough damage to kill a unit via normal means before assigning damage to another unit.
If Teemo Strategist is hidden and played during a showdown, does his ability trigger twice (once for playing from hidden and once for being declared defender)?
Ruling: With the original printed text and current core rules, the ability would trigger twice - once when played from hidden and once when declared as a defender.