Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 155 of 158 · 7,873 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
What is the difference between the old and new text of Sigil of the Storm, and why was the change made?
Ruling: The new text prevents you from targeting a rune when the effect triggers, instead requiring you to recycle a rune upon resolution. This change prevents the interaction where you could recycle a targeted rune before the effect resolved to float a power.
For Foxfire, do you choose targets when the card goes on the chain or on resolution?
Ruling: You declare targets when the spell goes on the chain. The targets must meet the condition (total might 4 or less) at that time, and those targets are locked in.
During a showdown, if the defender plays an action-speed card (like Hextech Ray), the chain resolves and focus passes to the attacker. If the attacker then passes focus, does the showdown end, or does the defender get focus back to play more actions?
Ruling: The showdown does not end. When the attacker passes focus after the defender's chain resolves, the defender gets focus back and can play more actions. The showdown only ends when two players pass focus consecutively.
How is it determined who goes first in Riftbound, and does the randomly selected player get to choose or are they forced to go first?
Ruling: A player is randomly designated after battlefields are revealed, and that designated player decides who goes first. Sequence: - Randomly select a player (using any mutually agreed method like dice roll or coin flip) - That designated player chooses whether they or their opponent goes first
If Zhonyas is hidden at battlefield A and a unit is dying at battlefield B, can Zhonyas be played from hidden at battlefield A to save the unit at battlefield B?
Ruling: Yes, Zhonyas can be played from hidden at battlefield A to save a unit dying at battlefield B. Nuances: - Zhonyas's ability is not a play ability, so it isn't restricted to the battlefield where it was hidden - Play abilities and spells played from hidden have targeting restrictions that limit them to the battlefield they were hidden at...
When a card says to play it ignoring its costs, do you pay power or nothing?
Ruling: When you play a card ignoring its costs, both its base Energy cost and base Power cost are set to zero, so you pay nothing.
Can seals be used to pay for Hextech Anomaly's power cost to generate energy?
Ruling: Yes, seals can be used to pay for Hextech Anomaly. Seals produce power, and power of any domain can be used to pay universal power costs.
In a best-of-3 match, do you reveal the battlefield before or after deciding turn order?
Ruling: You reveal the battlefield first, then determine turn order. This applies to each game in the match. Sequence: - Step 1: Reveal the battlefield for the current game - Step 2: Determine turn order (choose first or second) - Step 3: Begin the game
How does damage work in combat - does it reduce a creature's might, and can you cast Gust on a creature after it takes damage in combat?
Ruling: Damage does not reduce might. Damage counts up separately, and when damage equals or exceeds might, the unit dies. You cannot cast Gust on a 6 might creature just because it took 3 damage in combat - it still has 6 might.
Can you play an exhausted unit to your base, move Miss Fortune to ready that unit, then move the newly readied unit to a battlefield as part of the same challenge/contest?
Ruling: No, you cannot do this in the same challenge/contest. Miss Fortune's move ability goes on the chain, and the unit only becomes ready once that ability resolves, which is after the showdown has already started.
If a unit at a battlefield is targeted by Riptide Rex and then moved to a different battlefield, will it still take the damage?
Ruling: Yes, the unit will still take the damage. The unit would have to be moved to base to avoid the damage.
Can actions and reactions be activated at the end of an opponent's turn in Riftbound, or are they tied specifically to showdowns on opponent's turns?
Ruling: Phase changes do not grant priority windows in Riftbound. You cannot play actions or reactions at the end of an opponent's turn unless there is a trigger (such as an end-of-turn effect) that goes on the chain.
Does Forge of the Fluft's ability exhaust your legend in a way that prevents you from using your legend's own ability (e.g., can Azir still create a Sand Soldier if you use Forge of the Fluft's control ability)?
Ruling: No, you cannot use both abilities. Exhausting your legend is a cost for both Forge of the Fluft's ability and your legend's ability (like Azir's Sand Soldier creation), so you cannot exhaust your legend once to pay both costs, nor can you activate two abilities at the same time.
For Promising Future, when each player looks at the top 3 cards and banishes one, does the active player choose first (meaning the opponent sees what they banished before choosing their own)? And how do the cards resolve on the chain?
Ruling: The active player looks at their top 3 cards and banishes one first, then the next player does the same. Since banished cards are public information, the opponent sees what the active player banished before making their own choice. When playing the banished cards, the next player (opponent) plays their card first, then the active player plays theirs, so...
If Mask of Foresight is removed during combat, does the static bonus (+1 might) disappear?
Ruling: No, the bonus does not disappear when Mask of Foresight is removed. It is a triggered ability, not a passive effect.
If a unit is moved to a battlefield during a showdown (after attacker/defender triggers have already occurred), does this trigger attack/defend trigger abilities again?
Ruling: When a unit is moved to a battlefield during an ongoing showdown, it does not start a new showdown. Triggers that happen as a result of a NEW unit being declared attacker or defender can happen late, but triggers that require the unit itself to become an attacker/defender again (when it's already in that state) do not trigger again.
Does Dr. Mundo's ability still recycle cards when there are fewer than 3 cards in the trash?
Ruling: Yes, Dr. Mundo recycles as many cards as possible even with fewer than 3 cards in trash. Recycling effects do not target, so they follow "do as much as you can" rules.
During a showdown with attacker triggers (like Yasuo), can the attacker play action cards before triggers resolve, and who gets focus/priority first after the initial trigger chain resolves?
Ruling: You cannot play action cards or activate action abilities until the chain is empty. After the initial chain of attacker/defender triggers resolves, the attacker retains focus and has the first opportunity to play action speed cards in the showdown.
Can Gust target a unit with 3 or less health remaining (due to marked damage) if its Might is higher than 3?
Ruling: Gust can only target units with 3 Might or less. Marked damage and Might are separate values with no relation to each other except that a unit dies when marked damage equals or exceeds its Might.
Does Ahri's legend effect target units, requiring players to pay deflect costs when a unit with deflect attacks?
Ruling: Ahri's legend effect does not target and therefore does not require paying deflect costs when a unit with deflect attacks.
Can an Evangel with Imperial Decree resolved assign 1 damage to each of 4 defending creatures (3 Ravenblooms and 1 Recruit)?
Ruling: No. Imperial Decree does not change the meaning of "lethal damage" - you must still assign enough damage to a unit so that its total damage equals its might value before moving to the next unit during combat damage.
In combat with 18 might vs 9 might, does the player with 9 might still kill some units if the opponent has small units with 3 and 2 health?
Ruling: Yes, both players distribute their might as damage to enemy units regardless of who has more might. Each player decides how to distribute their own damage.
Can you use a spell like Incinerate to kill a unit after combat damage is assigned but before it heals, and does a unit killed by a spell during showdown still deal its combat damage?
Ruling: Once you reach the point of assigning combat damage, the showdown is closed and you cannot cast spells. However, you can cast spells like Incinerate during the showdown (before damage assignment) to mark damage on units. If a unit dies to a spell during the showdown, it is not present during the combat damage step to deal its might.
Does Ahri's Alluring ability affect only one character when multiple characters move to showdown, and when is the target declared? Does her leader ability affect one or all units?
Ruling: Ahri's Alluring character ability affects only one unit when multiple units move to a showdown at her battlefield. Her leader ability affects all units you move to a battlefield she controls.
When Discipline is played in a chain, when do you draw the card - immediately when played or after the chain resolves?
Ruling: You draw the card when your Discipline resolves (as the chain resolves backwards), not when it is initially played onto the chain.
If an opponent uses Blitzcrank to move my only unit away from a battlefield I control, then I use Ride the Wind during Showdown to move it back, do I score a Conquer point?
Ruling: Yes, you score a Conquer point. You can score Conquer during an opponent's turn as long as you haven't already scored that battlefield this turn.
If I move into an occupied battlefield and play Hidden Blade (killing their unit), can my opponent still play their Hidden Blade from hand even though their unit is now dead?
Ruling: Yes, the opponent can still play Hidden Blade from hand after their unit dies. The showdown doesn't close until both players pass in succession, regardless of how many units either player has remaining on the battlefield.
When Noxian Runner moves from base to an empty battlefield, can the opponent play Hextech Ray before the 'When I move, Recruit a unit here' trigger resolves?
Ruling: No, the opponent cannot play Hextech Ray before the Recruit trigger resolves. Hextech Ray has the action keyword, so it can only be played in a neutral open state (nothing on the chain and the other player has passed focus), not while a trigger is on the chain.
If a hidden card is played on a battlefield with a unit, and that unit dies the same turn (due to combat from a Charm effect), what happens to the hidden card?
Ruling: The hidden card goes to the trash. Hidden cards can never be played the same turn they are hidden.
When can hidden cards be revealed, particularly on an opponent's turn during neutral open state or when passing priority?
Ruling: Hidden cards can be revealed any time you have priority, just like reactions. On an opponent's turn during neutral open state, you do not gain priority through phase changes - only through chains being opened. If an opponent passes during an open state, their turn ends and you don't have a chance to respond unless this causes something to...
During a showdown, who has priority to play the first action, and how does priority work after an action resolves?
Ruling: During a showdown when the initial chain is resolving and the chain is empty, the attacker gets focus and priority. After an action resolves, priority goes to the owner of the next effect on the chain if the chain is not empty; if the chain is empty during a non-initial chain, the next player (not the owner of the...
Can you score on your opponent's turn if they Charm you into combat and you win?
Ruling: Yes, you can score on your opponent's turn if they force you into combat (such as through Charm) and you win the showdown.
Do players pick targets with spells before resolution or after, and can targets fizzle?
Ruling: For most spells, you must declare targets when you play them. Spells and effects never fizzle in Riftbound - they are either countered with specific cards (Defy/Wind Wall) or they always resolve as much as they can, though they can whiff (resolve with no impact) if target requirements aren't met.
Can Fox-Fire target units at different battlefields to kill them both, or must all targets be at a single battlefield?
Ruling: Fox-Fire targets units and those units must all be at a single battlefield. Nuances: - If Fox-Fire is played from hidden, you must pick units at the same battlefield where Fox-Fire was hidden.
If a unit with Hidden Zhonya's is targeted by two Yasuo Remorseful triggers on the chain, and the first Yasuo resolves (causing Zhonya's to recall the unit), does the second Yasuo trigger still resolve and kill the unit?
Ruling: The second Yasuo trigger becomes invalid and does not kill the unit, because the unit is no longer at the same location as Yasuo after being recalled by Zhonya's.
When conquering a battlefield, if both a unit ability and the battlefield's ability trigger on conquest, which resolves first?
Ruling: When multiple abilities trigger on the same event (conquering), you get to select the order in which they resolve.
Can one instance of Bellows Breath deal 3 damage to a single target by using all 3 instances on the same unit?
Ruling: No, one instance of Bellows Breath cannot deal all 3 damage to a single target.
If Lee Sin is killing Noxus Saboteur (which prevents hidden cards from being revealed) while Lee Sin is also being killed, can the hidden card be used after Saboteur dies but before Lee Sin leaves the battlefield?
Ruling: No, there is no window to use the hidden card. All units with lethal damage are removed at the same step of cleanup, so both Lee Sin and Noxus Saboteur die simultaneously.
Can hidden cards be activated the same turn they are hidden?
Ruling: No, hidden cards cannot be activated the same turn they are hidden. They become available beginning the next turn.
In a Showdown with Master Yi, when two units die simultaneously from combat damage, does one unit get Yi's +2 bonus when the other dies during damage calculation?
Ruling: No, neither unit gets the bonus. Combat damage is dealt simultaneously, so there is no time frame for a unit to have been alone during the damage calculation.
Can you play around retreat by using Hextech Ray on a 4 Might unit and then using Stupefy to kill it?
Ruling: You need two sources of might reduction (or effects that would cause lethal damage), with at least one at reaction speed, to play around retreat. If you deal 3 damage to a 4 Might unit with Hextech Ray, then play Stupefy, the opponent can retreat in reaction. You would need a second Stupefy to react to their retreat, which...
When playing Tideturner as a hidden card at a battlefield, can it target units at other locations (like base), or is it restricted to only units within that battlefield?
Ruling: Tideturner can target units at other locations (including base) even when played as a hidden card at a battlefield, because its ability explicitly restricts targeting to "a unit you control at another location," which makes the normal hidden card targeting restriction impossible to follow.
Can you pay the accelerate cost of a unit when playing it from Promising Future (not from hand), and if you conquer both battlefields on your turn but the opponent takes control of one of them during that same turn, do you still win?
Ruling: Yes, you can pay a unit's accelerate cost to have it enter ready even when playing it from sources other than hand, such as Promising Future. Yes, you win if you conquer both battlefields during your turn, even if your opponent takes control of one of them afterward during that same turn.
When Ride the Wind is played during a showdown to move a champion to another battlefield where a showdown is triggered, which showdown resolves first?
Ruling: You always finish the current showdown first, then process the showdown that was staged at the other battlefield. Sequence: - Complete the entire combat at the battlefield where the current showdown is happening - Then start combat at the battlefield where the new showdown was staged
If a 5 might unit is hit with Void Seeker (dealing 4 damage), then Stupify is used on it (reducing might to 4), does the unit die?
Ruling: Yes, the unit dies. Units die when they have non-zero damage marked on them greater than or equal to their might.
Can Miss Fortune Captain ready a unit that moved with her to an occupied battlefield, and can that unit participate in the showdown?
Ruling: Miss Fortune Captain cannot ready an exhausted unit in the base and then add it to a showdown at an occupied battlefield. However, if both Miss Fortune and another unit are ready and move together to the battlefield, Miss Fortune's ability can ready that unit.
Does Darius Trifarian get +2 Might if he's already readied at the start of your turn when you play two cards, or does he need to be readied by his ability to get the buff?
Ruling: Darius Trifarian gets the +2 Might bonus even if he's already readied. The ability still attempts to ready him (which has no effect if already ready), but the Might buff applies regardless.
When you play or reveal a unit card that was previously Hidden, does it enter the battlefield Ready or Exhausted?
Ruling: When you reveal a Hidden unit, you are playing the card just like you would play it from your hand, so it enters the battlefield Exhausted.
Does Viktor Innovator's ability trigger when a rune comes into play from Soaring Scout's ability?
Ruling: Viktor Innovator's ability does not trigger from runes. Only main deck cards count for Viktor's ability. Nuances: - Tokens from Viktor's legend form also do not count for his ability - Runes are not considered cards for Viktor's trigger purposes
When casting Divine Judgement by tapping 7 runes and recycling 2, can the player also float a power to hide a card on their Battlefront during the same turn?
Ruling: Yes, the player can add a power to their pool while paying for Divine Judgement. The power won't empty until end of turn, so they'll be able to use it to hide something on their Battlefront.