Showdowns
Unofficial Riftbound rules answers about showdowns, with examples and Core Rules citations.
When does a showdown close?
A showdown closes only after every player passes focus in sequence without playing a spell or activating an ability. It does not close merely because a unit leaves or is killed.
Example
You control a battlefield with a 2 might Stalwart Poro on it. Your opponent moves their Ravenbloom Student into that battlefield starting a showdown. When combat opens, Stalwart Poro becomes a defender and its Shield increases its might to 3. Once your opponent gains focus, they play Hextech Ray targeting Stalwart Poro. Hextech Ray resolves, marking 3 damage on it. During the resulting cleanup, Stalwart Poro is killed for lethal damage. The showdown remains open, and you gain focus when the chain empties. You may still play a legally timed card or ability before players begin passing focus again.
What happens if an opposing player's unit moves into an existing non-combat showdown?
When an opposing player's unit becomes present during a non-combat showdown, combat is staged and the showdown becomes a combat showdown during the cleanup following that unit's arrival.
When combat opens, the player who began the non-combat showdown is the attacker, and the player whose unit joined is the defender. Both players and their units at that battlefield then gain the matching attacker or defender designation, identifying them as attacking or defending for that combat. Eligible attack and defend triggers are checked when those designations are gained.
When do attack and defend triggers happen?
An attack or defend trigger is checked when its unit or player first gains the matching attacker or defender designation during a combat. Units already present gain their designations when combat opens, while units that become present later gain them during the cleanup following their arrival. If the trigger has another condition, that condition must also be fulfilled at that time.
Units can join combat late and still trigger
If a unit becomes present at a battlefield where combat is already in progress, it gains its controller's attacker or defender designation during the next cleanup. Its eligible "When I attack" or "When I defend" abilities trigger then, after their other conditions are checked.
Can attack and defend abilities trigger more than once per combat?
An attack or defend trigger's condition is checked only once per combat, even if its unit loses and regains the matching designation.
A unit that leaves the combat battlefield loses its designation during the next cleanup. If it returns during the same combat, it regains its controller's designation during a later cleanup, but its attack or defend trigger is not checked again.
How was this page?
Written by Christian “Near” Ivicevic.
Last updated on .