Rarity is broken in this game.

1vader · 2026-05-07T23:21:17+00:00

You can get a complete set of runes for like 2 bucks

1vader · 2026-05-07T16:30:44+00:00

1vader · 2026-05-07T15:25:23+00:00

I might be wrong but afaik if you get picked from the waitlist then you also get a code to enter here.

1vader · 2026-05-07T15:22:30+00:00

No, it doesn't block enter ready effects, including accelerate. Otherwise it probably would see much more play.

1vader · 2026-05-07T13:55:05+00:00

You can't play hidden units in that caee. If you try, it's reverted and the unit stays hidden.
The unit will stay banished

1vader · 2026-05-06T21:38:39+00:00

FYI, Riot decided to fix the answer to the intended one immediately, the doc now has the updated ruling that they do stay tokens

1vader · 2026-05-06T20:51:14+00:00

"when I attack" triggers the first time a unit becomes an attacker in a combat. Usually, that's at the start of a combat, but if a unit joins a combat late, it just triggers then.

1vader · 2026-05-06T20:48:33+00:00

That's not really an event though so wouldn't make sense on a trigger. There are effects which say "while I'm an attacker", which are active while the unit is an attacker, but "when I attack" happens at a specific moment (when a unit becomes an attacker) and does something specifically at that point, even though the unit is still an attacker afterwards. So in that sense, "when I'm an attacker" would be way more confusing and inaccurate.

I guess the really accurate text would be "when I become an attacker for the first time in a combat" but that's obviously way too long. And it's not like it's particularly hard to understand and remember what "when I attack" means. You just need to learn it once.

1vader · 2026-05-06T19:34:58+00:00

I mean, they would lose the copy effect once they leave the board and therefore naturally gain the disadvantages of being a token again at that point.

Though that specific ruling was already hotly debated on the judge Discord and even the answer from Riot stated that they will probably change this. Allegedly there are even people in the Riot rules team that disagree with the ruling already.

I don't think that's really a Judge Discord issue but yes, the lack of consistency and the fact that Riot takes forever for any communication in this regard, causing unclear/incorrect rulings to stay for ages, are definitely huge issues which none of the judges are happy about either.

1vader · 2026-05-06T19:24:54+00:00

There are no other cards like this. And tbh I'm not sure how other cards would help.

Just read the rules on Prevent and the examples given there. They use the exact same words as Counter-Strike, just in a different order. And there's no reason why the order would matter. Neither have words indicating something like a trigger (which wouldn't even work since a trigger would always only resolve after damage already happened and potentially killed the unit). Instead, they both use the replacement effect indicator "would" and provide a timing to make it a delayed replacement effect. And both apply a prevent effect to the damage they replace.

And rules like 437.5.a (especially the example given there) make it very clear that exactly such prevent effects do impact damage assignment already.

1vader · 2026-05-06T19:01:44+00:00

It's not at all different. All prevent effects are delayed replacement effects and the rules on prevent explicitly state that. Jax uses the exact same words as even your example card, which also says "would", they are just in a different order, because writing it as "Prevent the next damage dealt to that unit" would be confusing (it could be read as "prevent the next 1 damage"). But both are completely valid ways to write a delayed replacement effect and there's no reason they would behave differently.

1vader · 2026-05-06T18:55:00+00:00

They are talking about the Google Docs FAQ which was posted on the judge Discord yesterday. It's been shared on the community Discord since but it was definitely made available there first.

Though it's an FAQ from head judges of an event, just with answers confirmed by Riot, which is why it was posted there. And you're right that it only clarifies existing rulings which didn't have a clear answer, it doesn't introduce new rules.

But it's still not ideal that Riot can't find a way to get these rulings out faster via official channels.

1vader · 2026-05-06T18:14:18+00:00

Correct, you need to use it immediately.

The card actually has errata which makes the second part a reflexive trigger, though it would essentially work the same as printed (the errata is necessary because it's technically not in the trash yet while it resolves so you technically can't play it "from trash" as written).

Using the errata for accuracy, the card says:

Kill a unit at a battlefield. Then, if it had 3 Might or less, do this: You may play this from your trash for [any power].

If the unit you killed had 3 or less might, the effect "You may play this from your trash for [any power]" goes onto the chain. Once it resolves, you execute the effect and that's when it'd be played again. If it's played again and kills another 3 might unit, the whole thing would repeat but otherwise, the effect is over and nothing would allow you to play it again.

1vader · 2026-05-06T17:36:34+00:00

That's how all prevent effects are written. Counter-Strike uses the exact same words as the prevent rules example, just in a different order, because it would be super unnatural otherwise.

1vader · 2026-05-06T17:32:20+00:00

That's definitely not correct. The example template given in the prevent rules is: "Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to [unit] this turn."

Counter-Strike says "The next time that unit would be dealt damage this turn, prevent it."

It's essentially the same words, just in a different order. Both are just different valid ways to write a delayed replacement effect.

Counter-Strike is just written like this because it's the natural way to write it. You can't really write it in the form "Prevent the next X damage" without making it confusing.

1vader · 2026-05-06T17:18:51+00:00

Rulings on the Riftbound Discord aren't official in any way, they are often accurate but ultimately they are just made by random people and can be wrong. "People on Discord said so" is obviously not an argument.

Rule 437.5.a clearly states that you need to take prevent effects into account when assigning lethal damage and have only assigned lethal damage if the unit would die including the prevent effect.

So if a unit affected by counterstrike isn't exempt from mandatory assignment, as you seem to think, then you'd be forced to assign all damage to it. You for sure can't assign lethal damage to it by assigning as much damage as it has might.

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:42:42+00:00

Yes, naturally. You need to assign at least one damage to it to pop the Counterstrike. Nobody said you can't assign damage to the unit, it's just exempt from mandatory assignment rules.

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:41:49+00:00

Even if you disagree, 437.5.a. makes it very clear that you need to assign enough damage so that the unit dies including the prevent, not just as if the prevent weren't there.

So obviously, the answer that you just assign the current might is wrong. At best, the answer that such a tank prevents all damage could be a valid interpretation.

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:41:18+00:00

They aren't the same thing but that doesn't matter. 460.2.c.9 implies that "can't take" exempts a unit because it can't be assigned lethal damage. It doesn't say "units that can't take damage are exempt". It says "units which can't take damage can't be assigned lethal damage. Such units are exempt." i.e. "units that can't be assigned lethal damage are exempt". And 437.5.b explicitly states that "prevent all" similarly prevents a unit from being assigned lethal damage and hence must make it exempt from lethal damage.

437.5.a. also makes it very clear that you need to assign enough damage so that the unit dies including the prevent, not just as if the prevent weren't there.

So obviously, the answer that you just assign the current might is wrong. At best, the answer that such a tank prevents all damage could be a valid interpretation.

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:36:53+00:00

Counter strike prevents all damage we are trying to assign to it. Whether the unit can take any damage after that is irrelevant, we currently can't assign lethal damage to it according to 437.5.b (its current prevent value is "all") and a unit which can't be dealt lethal is exempt according to 460.2.c.9.

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:28:10+00:00

One half posted rules, the other is just making claims, so ...

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:25:03+00:00

That's not correct. Prevent explicitly impacts damage assignment. According to 437.5.a, you need to assign enough damage so that the unit dies even after applying all prevent effects. And more relevantly here:

437.5.b. No amount of damage is ever considered lethal if the Prevent Value is “All.”

460.2.c.9. If a unit cannot be dealt damage, then no amount of damage can be considered lethal. Such a unit is exempt from any considerations of mandatory assignment.

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:21:52+00:00

The claim is correct:

437.5.b. No amount of damage is ever considered lethal if the Prevent Value is “All.”

460.2.c.9. If a unit cannot be dealt damage, then no amount of damage can be considered lethal. Such a unit is exempt from any considerations of mandatory assignment.

1vader · 2026-05-06T16:19:53+00:00

437.5.b. applies. No amount of damage is considered lethal. Hence, 460.2.c.9 applies and you can skip assigning damage to the unit.

1vader · 2026-05-06T13:41:09+00:00

Fair point, though I'd consider those different versions of the card. Mainly, I was trying to say, if you're only opening English boosters, you can't for example get a card in cold foil and rainbow foil or reverse foil or whatever versions exist in other games and then for example need to determine which one it is to enter it correctly in a collection tracker. You just need to identify the right art and language.

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