Combat

Q: What happens when both sides in combat have the same total Might?

In this case, both sides will assign damage to the other side equal to the total Might of all units there, which will end up killing all units on both sides. No units will remain to control the battlefield, leaving it open and nobody will score a point.

Q: What happens if units from both sides in combat survive, either because of Kayn or a stun?

In this case, both sides will still assign damage to the other side as normal (stunned units will not deal damage). Units will still die if they are assigned damage equal to or greater than their Might (unless they don't die, for example because of Kayn's ability). Then if units from both sides remain alive at the battlefield, any remaining attacking units will be recalled to base and the defending player will maintain control (no score, though).

Q: Do units heal from combat damage? When?

Yes, units everywhere will heal from damage at the end of every combat and at the end of every turn. That means if a unit survives through damage assignment, it'll be back to zero damage at the end of the combat.

Resources

Q: How do runes work? What are energy and power? Can I recycle an exhausted rune?

Yes, each rune has two abilities, and you can use both of them in the same turn:

• You can exhaust a rune to produce 1 energy. Energy is used to pay numerical costs, and doesn't have a domain/color associated with it, even though the runes used to generate it do.
• You can recycle a rune (even an exhausted one) to produce 1 power of that rune's domain/color. Power is used to pay color symbol costs.

Rune abilities have the Reaction keyword, which means they can be used anytime.

Q: Is there a limit to how many runes I can have?

Yes, all Riftbound decks are built with exactly 12 runes, so once you have channeled all of them, you can't get more runes on the board.

Q: Do Seals add energy? Do Seals enter exhausted like units do?

No, Seals can't generate energy. They can be exhausted to produce 1 power of Seal's domain/color. Since you don't recycle them to make the power resource, you will be able to ready them and use them again on future turns.

Q: How much do I pay for an Accelerate cost?

Accelerate costs 1 energy and also 1 power of the unit's domain/color. Usually you'll do this by taking an additional ready rune of the appropriate domain/color, exhaust it, and then recycle that same rune. For example, if a fury/red unit normally costs [3] (or 3 energy) and you want to accelerate it, its total cost would be [4][R] (or 4 energy and 1 power of the fury/red domain).

Keywords

Q: What does Mighty mean?

A unit is Mighty if it has 5 or more Might. Units don't have the keyword "Mighty"—as long as a unit has 5 or more Might, the unit is Mighty. When you play a unit with 5 or more Might, you can exhaust your Relentless Storm Legend to channel a rune exhausted.

Q: Do I get my Legion effect when I play a token or use an ability?

No, Legion will only be active if you've played a card this turn. Tokens are not cards, and abilities aren't either.

Hidden

Q: How do I hide a card with Hidden?

You can hide a card with the Hidden keyword from your hand instead of paying its normal cost. To do this, you must already control a battlefield (have units there) to hide the card at. Hiding a card costs [A] (one power of any domain/color) and you place the card face down at that battlefield.

Q: When I hide a card, does that count for Legion?

Hiding isn't playing, and doesn't count as playing a card for abilities like Legion.

Q: If I hide a card, and then my opponent uses a spell to move a unit to that battlefield that same turn, can I play the card I hid?

No. You can't play cards the same turn you hide them.

Q: If I hid a card last turn, can I play that card even if I'm not reacting to another spell or ability?

You can play them any time you can normally play a reaction, which includes when you're not actually reacting to anything. You're not restricted to playing them during showdowns at their own battlefield.

Q: Do I have to play a unit I hid to that battlefield? Or can I play it to my base?

A hidden unit must be played to that battlefield if able.

Q: If I play a spell with targets that I hid, do I have to choose those targets from the battlefield I hid it at?

Yes. If a hidden spell or a play effect of a hidden permanent chooses any targets, those targets must be chosen from among options at that battlefield, unless the ability explicitly restricts targeting in a way that makes this impossible. (We'll talk more about this later for specific cards.)

Q: If I play a card I hid, and that card's effects include playing additional units (for example, tokens), can I play them anywhere?

No. If a hidden spell or a play effect of a hidden permanent causes you to play a unit, you must choose to have that unit enter the board at that battlefield.

Timing

Q: Can I use the exhaust ability of a unit in combat?

The cost of using an ability with the exhaust symbol is to exhaust that unit. If you just moved a unit into combat using the standard move, then you already exhausted the unit as the cost to do that, so you won't be able to use its ability with the exhaust symbol that same turn. If the unit is defending, it might be ready and then you can use abilities that require exhausting it in combat (as long as those abilities have the Action or Reaction keyword).

Q: When can I use Vi's ability to recycle cards from my trash to increase her Might?

Abilities can only be used in your Main Phase, outside of a showdown, unless they have the Action or Reaction keyword. Vi's ability does not, so it can't be used in combat/showdown.

Q: Can I use my Legend ability on my opponent's turn?

Abilities can only be used in your Main Phase, outside of a showdown, unless they have the Action or Reaction keyword. Some Legends don't have these keywords, so those can't be used on an opponent's turn.

Q: I have a Reaction spell. Can I play it at the end of my opponent's turn?

No. The only time you can do this is if another ability triggers at the end of your opponent's turn, such as the Dark Child - Starter legend.

Q: In a free-for-all, can I play Actions and Reactions in a showdown that I don't have units at?

Yes. Starting with the player who contested control/the attack, players each get a chance to play an Action or Reaction. Other players can then react with Reactions, but once everyone passes, the next player in turn order can play their own Action or Reaction. Continue like this until all players have passed on an empty chain, and then move to the end of the showdown.

Miscellaneous

Q: Is there a maximum hand size?

No, you can have any number of cards in your hand.

Q: Is there a maximum number of units I can have in my base? On a battlefield?

No. You can have any number of units in a location.

Q: What happens when I run out of cards in my Main Deck?

If you run out of cards in your Main Deck, and then you need to draw 1, you will Burn Out. This means you take your Trash, recycle it into your deck, shuffle, and then choose an opponent to score 1 point. If you have no Trash to recycle when you Burn Out, then you'll grant an infinite number of points and pick an opponent to win the game.

Q: What happens when I run out of cards in my Rune Deck?

Nothing. You can't channel any more runes, but there's no penalty beyond that.

Q: Do I put my Chosen Champion back in the Champion Zone when it leaves the board?

No. Once you play a Champion from your Champion Zone, it acts like any other card from your Main Deck. When it dies, it goes to the Trash.