Browse Riftbound Rules Questions
Page 156 of 158 · 7,873 verified questions. Each links to the full ruling.
Can you cast Not So Fast in response to Rain/Fallen Star or their reflexive triggers?
Ruling: You cannot cast Not So Fast in response to the initial Rain or Fallen Star spell being played, but you can cast it in response to one of their reflexive trigger abilities.
What is a valid location for playing a unit?
Ruling: You can play units either to your base or to a battlefield you control. Nuances: - The definition of valid location was accidentally deleted from the V1.1 rules and will be added back in V1.2 - This ruling is confirmed by the Patron example in the rulebook
Does Ornn Legend's power reduction apply to the hidden gear cost of cards like Zhonya's Hourglass?
Ruling: Ornn's power reduction does not apply to hidden gear costs. Hiding a card is not the same as playing it, so Ornn cannot be used to reduce the cost of hiding a gear.
When playing a unit with Baited Hook (which ignores the cost), do you still have to pay Accelerate costs?
Ruling: When Baited Hook ignores the cost of a unit, it only ignores the base cost. You can still pay the Accelerate cost to have the unit enter readied, but you must actually pay the energy and power cost for Accelerate.
Does Imperial Decree make 1 damage count as lethal damage, allowing a unit to kill multiple defenders with less might than their combined total?
Ruling: Imperial Decree does not change how damage must be assigned during combat. You must still assign damage equal to or greater than a unit's current Might before assigning damage to another unit. The card creates a triggered ability that kills any unit when it takes damage, but this doesn't make small amounts of damage count as "lethal damage" for...
When Ava Achiever's attack ability allows you to play a hidden cost card from hand, does that count as playing it 'from hidden' for the purposes of Teemo's ability?
Ruling: No. Playing a card with the hidden keyword is not the same as playing it from face down (from hidden). Ava plays the card from hand, not from the hidden zone.
If Green Yasuo with Mask of Foresight solo moves into a battlefield with an enemy unit, does Yasuo's might get increased to 7 before his ability resolves?
Ruling: Yes, Yasuo's might can be increased to 7 before his ability resolves. Sequence: - Green Yasuo's ability and Mask of Foresight's ability both trigger simultaneously when Yasuo solo moves into a battlefield with an enemy unit - The player controlling both abilities selects the order to place them on the Chain - By ordering Mask of Foresight's ability to...
If a defending unit uses Ride the Wind to move to another battlefield and then back to the original battlefield during the same combat, does it become an attacker?
Ruling: When a unit leaves a battlefield where it was defending and moves to another battlefield with enemy units, it does not become an attacker because the combat at the new battlefield is only staged (not started) due to the ongoing combat at the original battlefield. When it returns to the original battlefield, it becomes a defender again.
When an opponent targets a unit with Deflect using a spell, and you counter that spell with Defy, does the opponent still have to pay the Deflect cost? Do they get the rune back if the spell is countered?
Ruling: The opponent must pay the Deflect cost to finalize targeting the unit with their spell. If the spell is then countered by Defy, the Deflect cost has already been paid and the opponent does not get the rune back.
If your opponent steals control of a gear you own, is that gear still considered 'friendly' to you?
Ruling: If your opponent controls the gear itself, it is no longer friendly to you. If your opponent only controls the unit that your gear is attached to, the gear remains friendly to you.
Does Teemo Strategist's 'when I defend' ability trigger when revealed from hidden state as a reaction, even if no combat is occurring?
Ruling: Teemo's "when I defend" trigger only activates when he is flagged as a defender in an active combat. He does not trigger simply by being revealed from hidden state outside of combat.
When Hidden Blade is played from hand during a showdown, does it kill the unit before damage is calculated?
Ruling: Yes, Hidden Blade kills the unit before damage is calculated. Spells resolve before combat damage is dealt. Sequence: - Hidden Blade is played during showdown - The spell resolves, killing the target unit - Combat damage is dealt (after the showdown is over) - Since the unit is already dead, it does not deal or receive combat damage
Can you play Carnivorous Snapvine on your turn and respond to its ability with En Garde and Discipline to boost it?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Carnivorous Snapvine on your turn and respond to its trigger ability with En Garde and Discipline to boost it.
Can Charm be played on a chain in response to a Hidden Blade, and if so, would moving the recruit that controls the battlefield where Hidden Blade was hidden nullify the Hidden Blade?
Ruling: Charm cannot be played on the chain in response to Hidden Blade because Charm is neither an action nor a reaction card. Only reactions can be played on the same chain.
Can Nocturne be played directly to a defending battlefield after seeing it from Teemo's trigger on flip or when defending?
Ruling: Yes, Nocturne can be played directly to a defending battlefield after being revealed by Teemo's trigger. Nuances: - Teemo's trigger was errata'd to only trigger when defending, not when played or flipped from hidden - When Teemo is flipped from hidden while defending, it becomes a defender and the "when I defend" trigger activates - "When I attack/defend" triggers...
Do alternate scoring effects like Yasuo Windrider and Ahri Alluring bypass the last point restrictions that require controlling both battlefields or holding, or do they only help accelerate to the final point?
Ruling: The last point restrictions only affect scoring from battlefields. Other sources of points (like Yasuo Windrider and Ahri Alluring) are not prevented by these restrictions and can score the winning point directly.
If you are at 7 points with one battlefield controlled, and during your opponent's turn you play Deadbloom Predator via Promising Future to conquer the other battlefield, does this give you the winning point?
Ruling: No, this does not give you the winning point. To win through conquer, you must score both battlefields during your own turn, not during your opponent's turn.
Does Pit Crew ready when you play a gold gear token?
Ruling: Yes, Pit Crew readies when you play a gold gear token. A token gear is a gear, and Pit Crew does not specify "non-token gear."
Can you use Defy to counter Bullet Time, and does the variable power cost affect whether Defy can target it?
Ruling: Yes, you can Defy Bullet Time. Defy only looks at the printed energy and power cost in the upper left corner of the card, not any additional costs paid during resolution.
Can you use reaction speed effects in response to unit abilities like Snapvine's trigger from Aurora?
Ruling: You can play reaction speed spells or activate reaction speed abilities in response to triggers like unit abilities. You can react to pretty much anything on the chain with reaction speed effects, except units/gear which resolve immediately when put on the chain.
Can you reveal Tideturner from hidden after Charm resolves and moves your only unit (Mundo) off the battlefield, before you lose control of that battlefield?
Ruling: No, you cannot reveal Tideturner after Charm resolves. When Charm moves Mundo off the battlefield and he was your only unit there, you immediately lose control of the battlefield (since it's not contested and you have no units there). The hidden Tideturner is then removed during the cleanup that occurs from the movement.
Can you play Gust as a reaction to Jinx's Legend Ability to reduce your hand to 1 card and draw the extra card?
Ruling: Yes, you can play Gust as a reaction to Jinx's Legend Ability. The Legend trigger goes on the chain at the beginning step, allowing you to react to it before it resolves.
For triggered abilities with optional costs (like Vayne's 'pay 1 energy to return me to hand'), when do you decide whether to pay the cost and actually pay it - when adding the trigger to the chain or on resolution?
Ruling: Costs formatted as "do X to do Y" within triggered ability instructions are paid on resolution, not when adding the trigger to the chain. You decide whether to pay the optional cost and pay it when the trigger resolves.
When the loser decides whether to go first or second, is it before or after they see battlefields?
Ruling: The loser chooses turn order after battlefields are revealed. Sequence: - Reveal legend - Reveal chosen champion - Choose and reveal battlefields - Choose turn order - Draw opening hands - Mulligan
Can Zenith Blade move an exhausted unit, does this trigger combat, and would Symbol of the Solari trigger if the exhausted unit defeats some but not all defenders?
Ruling: Spells or abilities can move exhausted units. A combat starts whenever a unit is moved into a battlefield with an opponent's unit present, even if the moved unit is exhausted. Symbol of the Solari only triggers if a combat took place.
When using Convergent Mutation to target a unit like Ravenbloom Student (which gains +1 might when you play a spell) or Darius (which gains +2 might when you play a spell), does their ability trigger before or after the mutation resolves, and what is the final might value?
Ruling: A spell only counts as played after it completely resolves. Therefore, Ravenbloom Student and Darius trigger after Convergent Mutation finishes resolving, not during it.
If a 6 might Stormbringer moves to a battlefield where a 6 might unit with Master Yi Legend (alone) is located, does it kill the Yi unit?
Ruling: Yes, the Stormbringer kills the Yi unit. The unit dies to the marked damage before a combat can be staged and initiated, so Master Yi's passive (which requires the defender designation from an initiated combat) never comes into effect.
Can I reveal Zhonya on my turn to send it to my base without using it to react to anything?
Ruling: Yes, you can reveal Zhonya on your turn at any time you can play a reaction, even if not in response to anything, and it will go to your base.
Does Mask of Foresight proc when a unit is pushed into a battlefield using abilities like Yasuo's ability or Ride the Wind? Can Mask of Foresight proc twice in one turn when moving between battlefields?
Ruling: Mask of Foresight procs regardless of how combat started, as long as it is a combat (not an open battlefield) and the unit is the only one there. You can proc Mask multiple times in one turn.
Can a unit with Ganking move to another battlefield after participating in a showdown at a battlefield it conquered, and does there need to be an enemy unit at the destination battlefield?
Ruling: If a unit with Ganking is ready (unexhausted) after a showdown, you can use the Standard Move Action to move it to another battlefield during your turn. There does not need to be an enemy unit at the destination battlefield.
When attacking with multiple units against multiple defending units affected by Yi's legend ability (which gives +2 might when a friendly unit is destroyed), do the defending units die simultaneously from combat damage, or does Yi's ability trigger between kills?
Ruling: All combat damage is dealt simultaneously, so both defending units die at the same time and Yi's legend ability does not trigger to boost the second unit during this combat.
When a unit is moved into combat after the initial chain (e.g., via Ride the Wind), does Ahri Legend's ability trigger to reduce that unit's might by 1?
Ruling: Yes, Ahri Legend triggers for each unit the first time that unit gains attacker status during each combat, regardless of whether it enters during the initial chain or later via effects like Ride the Wind.
In a showdown, if a player has focus and priority, uses an action to start a chain, and that chain resolves, does focus automatically pass to the opponent or can the original player start another chain?
Ruling: After a chain resolves in a showdown, focus automatically passes to the opponent in turn order. The player who started the chain cannot start another chain consecutively unless the opponent chooses not to act.
If you control a battlefield with Zhonya hidden and lose control of the battlefield in a showdown, can you choose not to activate the hidden ability and return Zhonya to base, or must you discard it?
Ruling: If you have a deathknell ability, you can respond to that ability with Zhonya's hidden ability to send Zhonya back to base. Without a deathknell ability, Zhonya will be discarded when you lose the battlefield.
If a card said 'Stun an enemy unit, then stun an enemy unit', would Leona trigger 1 or 2 times?
Ruling: Leona triggers twice. The word 'then' does not make a difference - unless the same game action is being performed on multiple units simultaneously, the stun game actions do not happen simultaneously and therefore Leona will trigger for each of them.
When attacking with two 5 might units (10 total might) against an 8 health unit and a 2 health unit, can you choose to kill only the 8 health unit?
Ruling: No, you cannot choose to kill only the 8 health unit. You must assign damage equal to your total might (10), and you cannot overassign damage to a unit unless it is the last unit.
When a card like Ride the Wind initiates a new combat while already in combat, does the old combat have to end first or does the new combat trigger immediately?
Ruling: New combats are staged until the current combat ends. Once the current combat concludes, the staged combat is then initiated.
In best-of-3, do you reveal the location/battlefield before you choose who goes first?
Ruling: Yes, you reveal the battlefields first, then roll to determine who goes first. Sequence: - Step 1: Reveal the battlefields - Step 2: Roll to see who goes first
Does Master Yi's +2 Might apply before Yasuo's attack ability kills him when both are at 7 Might?
Ruling: Master Yi's +2 Might applies before Yasuo's ability resolves, making Master Yi 8 Might and surviving the combat. The passive kicks in as long as Master Yi has the defender designation and is alone.
Can Divine Judgment be cast even if the opponent doesn't have 2 cards in hand or any gear?
Ruling: Yes, Divine Judgment can be cast regardless of whether your opponent has 2 cards in hand or any gear. The choices are made on resolution and it doesn't target anything, so there are no requirements for what players must have when casting it.
Can a Yasuo player unhide Zhonya's Hourglass from a battlefield to return it to their base, or is it stuck at the battlefield once hidden there?
Ruling: Gear cannot exist at battlefields, so when Zhonya's Hourglass is played/unhidden from a battlefield, it immediately gets recalled to base. You can play a card from hidden any time you can use a reaction, so you don't need a friendly unit to die to unhide Zhonya's.
Can my Legend be in a different language than the rest of my deck?
Ruling: Yes, your Legend can be in a different language than the rest of your deck. Nuances: - The Legend is not the same as the Chosen Champion. The Chosen Champion is the unit you place next to your Legend that you can play.
If Leona, Determined dies before her attack trigger resolves, does the trigger still resolve and stun a unit?
Ruling: If Leona dies before her attack trigger resolves, the trigger resolves but does nothing because her location is 'null' and the term 'here' cannot find a legal target.
What is the difference between priority and focus in Riftbound?
Ruling: Focus is who can start a chain (during a showdown with properly timed cards/abilities), while priority is who can add items to the chain. Focus is passed automatically once the item that started the chain resolves, while priority is passed manually.
When Miss Fortune Champion and another unit move together (exhausting both as a cost), can Miss Fortune's move trigger untap the other unit that is currently exhausted from the move cost?
Ruling: Yes, Miss Fortune's move trigger can untap another unit that moved with her, even though that unit was exhausted as part of the cost to move.
In Showdown, when two of your units die and you have a Zhonya's, do you get to choose which unit dies first, or does your opponent choose?
Ruling: When multiple units die simultaneously and you control a replacement effect like Zhonya's, you get to choose which death is replaced.
Do you still pay the equip cost to attach a gear weapon to a unit when it has the Quick Draw keyword?
Ruling: When you play a gear with Quick Draw from your hand, you pay only the play cost (energy and recycle). The gear attaches for free via Quick Draw's triggered ability. You do not pay the equip cost for this initial attachment.
When a unit played by Dazzling Aurora dies, does it go to the discard pile or the banish zone?
Ruling: The unit goes to the discard pile (trash). Once the unit is played onto the board, it becomes a normal unit with no memory of how it was put into play.
Does the Volibear legend trigger when you play a 4 Might unit directly on Trifarian Warcamp?
Ruling: Yes, Volibear's legend ability will trigger when you play a 4 Might unit on Trifarian Warcamp. The unit resolves to the battlefield and Trifarian Warcamp's passive ability applies the +1 Might instantly, so Volibear only ever sees it as 5 Might.
When an opponent plays a spell (action or non-action), does focus/priority pass to me so I can respond with a reaction?
Ruling: When your opponent plays a spell and passes priority, you can cast a reaction spell which will resolve before their spell resolves. Focus is only used during showdowns to start chains; priority is what passes around during an active chain.