Vendetta Patch Notes

If a card specifies that an action can "only" be performed under certain circumstances, it cannot be performed under any other circumstances.

Some Game Effects may allow a player to add cards to their deck irrespective of those cards' Domains. Those cards are considered part of their deck's Domain Identity, regardless of their Domain.

Facedown Zones are Public Zones, though facedown cards located there are Private.

Some effects may add a legend card or token to the Legend Zone. These legends are not Champion Legends.

Non-Champion legends may be removed from the Legend Zone. They cannot exist in any zone other than the Legend Zone or Banishment.

The cards in a player's hand are Unordered. Their sequence does not matter and they may be reorganized.

A Game Object that changes zones to or from a Non-Board Zone becomes a new object for the purposes of tracking that object.

Whenever a Game Object changes zones to or from a Non-Board Zone, all Temporary Modifications of all kinds cease to be tracked on it in all capacities. Examples: Damage is cleared. Counters are removed. Granted Keywords are no longer granted. Statuses are cleared.

A Game Object can have any of the following statuses (non-exhaustive): Attached, Attacking, Buffed, Banished, Controlled, Defending, Empowered, Equipped, Exhausted, Facedown, Readied, Replaced, Revealed, Stunned, and any applied Layer alternations.

Unless specified otherwise by the state of the card, a card's Privacy is the same as the zone it is located in.

A player cannot be compelled to perform an action on cards whose privacy is secret or private if that action specifies a type or quality of card. Example: A card effect reads, "Play a unit from your hand, ignoring its costs." Although the effect does not say "may", the player can choose not to perform the action even if they have a unit in their hand, because the effect specifies a card type.

If an effect would compel a player to perform an action on cards whose privacy is secret or private, and if that effect specifies a type or quality of card, the player in question may choose to ignore that instruction. Ignored instructions are deemed impossible.

A single instruction is made up of a game action and its complement.

The complement of a game action is made up of the players or Game Objects that perform that game action, that that game action is performed on, the condition under which it is performed, and the duration for its effect to last. Some game actions omit a complement entirely. Example: Void Seeker is made up of two instructions. The first is "deal 4 to a unit at a battlefield." Here "deal 4" is the game action, while "a unit at a battlefield," is its complement. The second instruction, "draw 1," has no complement. Example: Teemo, Strategist's defend trigger reads "When I defend, choose an enemy unit here and reveal the top 5 cards of your Main Deck. Deal 1 to that unit for each card with Hidden revealed this way, then recycle the revealed cards." There are four instructions here: "choose an enemy unit here," "reveal the top 5 cards of your Main Deck," "deal 1 to that unit for each card with Hidden revealed this way," and "recycle the revealed cards."

Instructions do not include trigger conditions or the events or actions that a replacement effect defines as being eligible to be replaced. Example: An ability reads "When you play me, draw 1." The trigger condition for this ability is not an instruction. "Draw 1," is the only instruction included in the ability. Example: An ability reads "If a unit would die, banish it instead." The text "If a unit would die," is not an instruction of the ability. Example: An ability reads "As I'm revealed from your Main Deck, Add [2]." The text "As I'm revealed from your Main Deck," is not an instruction of the ability.

A [C] shorthand on a card with multiple Domains is processed as any power of that card's Domains. Example: Defiant Dance is a Calm and Chaos spell. Its cost is [1][C]. The power component of that cost can be paid with either [G] or [P]. Example: Tibbers is a Fury and Chaos Unit. If Tibbers is granted the Accelerate keyword, the power component of the optional additional cost can be paid with either [R] or [P].

Effect Text may refer to "this" or to the name of the Attached game object that appended the Effect Text. Doing so refers to the Attached game object and not the Top-Most Card, even if the Top-Most Card shares a name with the Attached game object. Example: Guardian Angel's effect text reads "If I would die, kill Guardian Angel instead. Heal me, exhaust me, and recall me." Example: Brutalizer's effect text reads "If this was attached to me this turn, I have an additional +2 [M]." The "this" in the effect text refers to the attached Brutalizer.

Damage is marked on Units by players.

The player responsible for the Deal action that caused the Damage to be marked is the player who marked that Damage.

Game Effects may refer to that player's Damage. This means the Damage marked by that player. Example: A unit reads in part "Your damage can't be prevented." This refers to the damage marked by that player.

Lethal Damage is the amount of marked Damage that will cause a unit to die in a cleanup.

Lethal Damage for a Unit is a non-zero amount greater than or equal to that Unit's Might. Example: A unit has 5 [M] and 3 damage marked on it. Frigid Touch is played targeting that unit. When it resolves, the unit's Might becomes 3, and it will have lethal damage marked on it. Example: A unit has 0 [M]. In order to have lethal damage marked on it, it must have at least 1 damage marked on it.

Some effects may alter this amount. These effects will refer to the amount of damage needed to kill a unit. Example: Elder Dragon's passive ability reads "Any amount of your damage is enough to kill enemy units." This alters the Lethal Damage value for enemy units that have damage marked by you.

Gear can have the Equipment tag.

These Gear are referred to as Equipment.

Equipment have effect text and a Might bonus. See rule 136. Effect Text for more information on effect text. See rule 137. Might Bonus for more information on Might bonuses.

Equipment can have the Equip or Quick-Draw keywords. See rule 818. Equip for more information on the Equip keyword. See rule 819. Quick-Draw for more information on the Quick-Draw keyword.

Equipment are still Gear and have the same intrinsic properties and rules that Gear do.

Equipment and whether a Gear has the Equipment tag is a characteristic of the Gear may be checked or referenced by other Game Effects.

Battlefields can have Activated Abilities. See rule 376. Activated Abilities for more information.

Multiple Types

Game Objects can have multiple types.

A Game Object that is more than one type has the properties of all of their types, except where they are mutually exclusive.

Regardless of a Game Objects' other types, there are some properties that are true of Game Objects of certain types. These properties take precedence when properties are mutually exclusive.

If a Game Object is a Unit, regardless of its other types, it has Might, can have damage marked on it, enters exhausted, and can be played to any valid location.

It will not be recalled to base in step 5 of a cleanup.

If a Game Object is a Rune, regardless of its other types, it will be recycled to the Rune Deck.

A Game Object that is more than one type maintains all of the permissions of all types.

If a Game Object is a Unit, it has the standard move inherent ability.

It can move and become located at a Battlefield.

A Game Object that is more than one type can be affected by Game Effects that modify or interact with any of its types. Example: A unit that is also a gear can be affected by spells and abilities like the Ruination or Thermo Beam that say "Kill all units," or "Kill all gear." A unit that is also a gear can be targeted by spells and abilities like Vengeance or Rocket Barrage that say "Kill a unit," or "Kill a gear."

"Token" is an intrinsic category of Game Objects, in the same way "card" is.

Token Game Objects cannot lose their token nature by any means.

Card Game Objects cannot become tokens by any means.

Tokens can have costs appended to them via applied Layer effects. Example: Deceiver's conquer effect creates a 0 [M] Reflection unit token and applies a copy effect to that token. The copy effect will append all copyable traits, including the cost of the unit to be copied. This appends a cost to the Reflection token.

Tokens can have domains appended to them via applied Layer effects. Example: A card reads in part "As you play this, pick a domain. All units and gear are that domain." If that card is in play, any unit and gear tokens will have the chosen domain appended to them.

A 1 [M] Tentacle token is a domainless unit token with 1 Might and the Bilgewater tag.

A 0 [M] Shadow Clone token is a domainless unit token with 0 Might and "When I attack, you may banish a unit from your trash. If you do, give me [Assault 4] this turn." See rule 807. Assault for more information.

If a player who applied Contested status to a Battlefield controls no Units there and there is no ongoing Showdown or Combat at that Battlefield, then Contested status is removed in the following Cleanup.

If an Ability of a Battlefield indicates that a specific player makes a choice, that player is the Ability's controller. They take responsibility for adding it to the chain if applicable and make all choices required by the ability. They and only they control the ability, regardless of who controls the Battlefield. Example: Abandoned Hall is a battlefield that reads "When a player plays a spell, they may give a unit they control here +1 might this turn." The ability indicates that the player who played the spell makes the choice, so that player takes responsibility for putting the ability on the chain and makes all choices. They control the triggered ability.

If an Ability's Source is located in a non-Board Zone, the Ability's Controller is the Owner of the Source.

Winning

Players win Riftbound games primarily through gaining points.

Players can gain points a number of ways:

Holding a Battlefield. See rule 467. Scoring for more information.

Conquering a Battlefield. See rule 467. Scoring for more information.

Spells, Triggered Abilities and Activated Abilities that instruct them to gain one or more points.

When an opponent Burns Out and picks that player to gain 1 point. See rule 431. Burn Out for more information.

A player wins the game if, in a cleanup, they have points greater than or equal to the Victory Score and more points than any other player. See rule 318. Cleanups for more information.

If more than one player has points greater than or equal to the Victory Score, whichever player has more points wins.

If those players have the same number of points, play continues until one player has more points in a cleanup.

The Victory Score is 8 points by default.

Some game modes or card effects may alter the Victory Score. See rule 481. Modes of Play for more information.

Players cannot have less than 0 points.

If a player would lose 1 or more points while they have 0 points, nothing occurs.

Any effects that trigger on a player losing points do not trigger.

A player also wins the game if an effect instructs them to do so, or if they are the only player remaining in the game.

If an effect instructs a player to lose the game, that player is immediately removed from the game. See rule 649. Conceding for more information about being removed from the game.

When a player wins the game, the game ends.

Locations

Locations are the Game Objects and Zones where permanents and runes may be located.

Locations include the Battlefields and the Bases.

A permanent's Location is a characteristic of that permanent that may be referenced by Game Effects.

A Game Object that comprises a Location is also a Game Object at that location.

A Battlefield is both a location and also a Game Object at that location.

Locations can be Destinations and Origins for movement. See rule 445. Movement for more information.

Costs

Some Game Effects will instruct players to pay resources, spend counters or XP, or perform game actions as a Cost in order to perform a linked Effect.

Costs must be paid in order to get their linked Effect.

Paying a Cost requires a player to perform the appropriate game action: pay resources, spend counters or XP, kill units, etc.

The Cost is still considered paid even if the associated game action is replaced.

If the game action associated with a Cost is impossible for any reason such that a player cannot perform it, then they cannot pay the Cost and they will not execute the linked Effect.

Costs paid in this way might be:

Base Costs: These costs are the most fundamental costs that must be paid to finalize a spell or ability.

On cards, the Base Cost is found in the upper left corner of the card.

On activated abilities, the Base Cost is the resource or instruction written before the ":".

Additional Costs: These Costs are in addition to the base cost of the spell or ability and will include "as an additional cost."

Additional Costs must be paid to finalize the spell or ability, in addition to the base cost.

Costs within Instructions: These Costs are part of the resolution of a spell or ability, and will take the form "[do X] to [do Y]."

When Costs within Instructions appear as the first part of the effect in triggered abilities, the cost is taken to be the base cost of the triggered ability. It must be paid to finalize the triggered ability. Example: Overzealous Fan is a unit that reads "When I defend, you may kill me to move an attacking unit to its base." In order to finalize the ability to the chain, its controller must kill Overzealous Fan.

When Costs within Instructions appear in spells, activated abilities, or in later parts of triggered abilities, the cost must be paid to get the effect during resolution of the spell or ability. Example: Bullet Time is a spell that reads "Pay any amount of [A] to deal that much damage to all enemy units at a battlefield." As the spell resolves, its controller pays any amount of [A] as a cost, and deals that much damage to all units at a battlefield as the effect. Example: Ancient Henge is a gear that reads "[Reaction][>] [E]: Pay any amount of Energy to Add that much [A]." As the ability resolves, its controller pays any amount of Energy as a cost, and Adds that much [A] as the effect. Example: Insightful Investigator is a unit that reads "When you play me, choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. You may pay 2 XP to choose a card from their hand. If you do, they discard that card and draw 1." As the ability resolves, its controller may pay 2 XP as a cost, and chooses a card from that player's hand as the effect.

Applied Costs: These Costs are applied to one or more Game Actions, and typically take the form of a passive ability with a Cost within Instructions preceded by "must." Example: Mageseeker Investigator reads in part "Opponents must pay [A] for each unit beyond the first to move multiple units to my battlefield at the same time." This is an applied cost.

The associated Game Action is the linked Effect for the Cost.

Applied Costs are paid as the Game Action is performed. They do not use the chain and cannot be reacted to.

Abilities that Add resources with the Reaction keyword can be activated at any time when costs need to be paid. See rule 429. Add for more information.

If a player can't pay or chooses not to pay the Applied Cost, they cannot perform the associated Game Action.

An instruction that requires a player to pay resources or spend counters or XP that does not also have a linked Effect, is not a Cost. Example: A card effect reads, "When I attack, you may pay [4][C]. If you do, kill a unit here." Paying [4][C] in this way is not a cost of the ability, base or otherwise, but a game action being performed by a player. The later instruction checks whether the game action was performed, not whether a cost was paid—if paying [4][C] was replaced for any reason, the later linked instruction will not execute.

Effects that need to determine a card's cost for any purpose always use its printed or copied cost, even if that cost is increased, decreased, or ignored as the card is played. Example: Sky Splitter is a spell that costs [8] and says in part "This spell's Energy cost is reduced by the highest Might among units you control." Lux, Illuminated is a unit that says "When you play a spell that costs 5 or more, give me +3 [M] this turn." If a player who controls Lux plays Sky Splitter, Lux's ability will trigger, regardless of how much was actually paid for Sky Splitter. Example: Defy is a spell which reads "Counter a spell that costs no more than [4] and no more than [A]." Rocket Barrage is a spell that costs [4][C] and has a Repeat cost of [4][C]. Rocket Barrage is a legal target for Defy even if Rocket Barrage's Repeat cost is paid, because Defy only checks the printed or copied cost of its target. Example: Atakhan is a unit that reads in part "You may kill a friendly unit as an additional cost to play me. If you do, I cost [1] less for each Energy it costs and [Y] less for each Power it costs." If a player plays Atakhan and chooses to kill a Reflection token that is currently a copy of Noxus Hopeful, Atakhan will cost [4] less.

Effects that need to determine an ability's cost for any purpose use its base cost, ignoring any alterations to that base cost unless otherwise specified. Example: A card reads "When you play an activated ability with Energy cost [7] or more, you may exhaust me to ready up to 2 runes." A gear has an activated ability that reads "[12], Banish this: Choose an opponent. Banish all units they control. This ability costs [1] less for each point the chosen opponent has." The ability of the first card will trigger when the activated ability is played, even if the chosen opponent has 6 or more points. Example: An equipment has an ability that reads "Equip [4][A]. This ability costs [1] less for each occupied enemy battlefield." If its controller plays a unit with Weaponmaster, the Weaponmaster trigger will refer to the cost including the alterations. This is because Weaponmaster specifies that it includes modifications to the cost.

The following Tasks become Outstanding in the specified order:

1. Each player's Rune Pool empties. Any unspent Energy and Power are lost. See rule 165. Rune Pools for more information.

2. At the start of Main Phase game effects take place.

If as a result of the removal of Contested status there are Units located at an uncontested Battlefield that their controller does not control, their controller applies Contested status to that Battlefield.

If there are no Outstanding Tasks, no pending Chain Items, and there is an ongoing Showdown, the player with Focus receives priority.

If, after finalizing the Chain Item, that item is a Unit, Gear, or an ability that Adds resources, it resolves immediately—Move to Step 4: Resolve. See rule 349. Playing Cards for more information.

If, after finalizing the Chain Item, there are still Pending Chain Items, return to step 1. Finalize.

When that Chain closes, Focus passes to the next Player in Turn Order.

This includes the choice of whether or not to pay an Optional Additional Cost.

That player cannot choose to have fewer Targets than they have damage to split when choosing which Targets cease being Targets. Example: A player plays Alpha Strike, which reads in part "Choose a friendly unit. It deals damage equal to its Might split among enemy units at battlefields." They target their 5 [M] unit and five 1 [M] enemy Recruits at battlefields. In reaction, their opponent plays Feral Strength targeting one of their recruits, and Frigid Touch targeting the 5 [M] unit. When Alpha Strike resolves, they have 3 damage to split, and must choose which targets cease being targets. They can't choose for 4 of the units to cease being targets so that they can deal 3 to the 3 [M] recruit. They can only choose at most 2 of the targets to cease being targets.

Effects that refer to the Base Cost of the card refer to the Printed or Copied Base Cost of said card, and not the modified Base Cost that is used when determining the total cost of the card.

Apply modifications to the total cost in any order.

If an effect allows a player to play a card ignoring "any and all costs," set the total cost to [0], including any non-standard costs.

If a Game Effect prevents the performance of a game action, that effect doesn't prevent cards and abilities that instruct a player to perform that game action from being played or finalized. On resolution, that game action will be skipped as it is an impossible instruction. Example: A player plays Here to Help when their opponent controls a Mageseeker Warden at a battlefield. Here to Help is legal to play under these circumstances. On resolution, no unit will be played.

If any of the above checks fail, the actions taken in this process are undone and the action is cancelled.

If another spell or ability attempts to reference the number of game objects, players, or zones that a Finalized Chain Item targets, it will include any mistargeted choices, but not any targets that have changed to a non-board zone. Example: When a player moves their Volibear, Furious to an occupied enemy battlefield and combat initiates, Volibear's attack trigger goes on the chain targeting three of the units at that battlefield. In reaction, the defending player plays Flash moving two of the three units back. That player cannot then target the attack trigger with Repulse, which reads "Choose a friendly unit at a battlefield. Counter an enemy spell or ability that chooses it and no other friendly unit." If the defending player instead played Heedless Resurrection twice, killing the two units, Repulse can legally target the attack trigger, because two of the targets have changed to a non-board zone.

Referencing a game action in this way only refers to the game action being performed and the object or player it was performed on, not the circumstances of its performance. Example: A spell reads "Deal 3 to an enemy unit at a battlefield. If you do, heal units you control at the same location as that unit." If some but not all of that damage is prevented, the later linked instruction will still execute. Example: A spell reads "Banish an enemy unit at a battlefield, then play it to any battlefield. Then if you do, do this: stun all enemy units there." A player plays it targeting a unit that has a passive replacement effect that reads "I enter in base." The replacement effect causes the unit to enter in base, but this does not prevent the reflexive trigger of the spell from being placed on the chain. All that matters is that the unit was played.

If a Delayed Ability's duration has ended before it was generated, the Delayed Ability is not generated and any instructions related to it are ignored. Example: Targon's Peak is a battlefield that reads in part "When you conquer here, ready up to 2 runes at the end of this turn." If Targon's Peak is conquered during the Ending Phase after the beginning of the ending step, such as via an effect like thrill of the Hunt, the delayed trigger will not be generated. Example: Akshan, Mischievous reads in part "When you play me, if you paid the additional cost, move an enemy gear to your base. You control it until I leave the board. If it's an Equipment, attach it to me." If Akshan leaves the board in reaction to his play effect, the delayed passive ability "You control it until I leave the board," will not be generated. You will not gain control of the targeted gear even for a moment.

When a referent checks information on execution of the instruction related to a target, and that target isn't legal, that referent will return ​ "null" and all instructions related to it will be ignored.

Replacement Effects that apply to a unit as it enters the Board can be identified by describing how the unit enters, or by describing a game action that occurs "as" a unit enters. Example: Master Yi, Honed reads "I enter ready." This applies a replacement effect to the way that units normally enter. The event of him entering exhausted is replaced by one where he enters ready. Example: Baron Nashor reads "As you play me, add the Baron Pit battlefield token to the board if it's not there already. If you do, I enter there." The last sentence of his ability is a replacement effect that replaces the event of him entering at his original play location with him entering at the Baron Pit if it was created.

An event is the singular moment that results from a Game Action being performed or from a Game Object changing state. Example: The moment that results from a unit being killed is an event that can be referenced by game effects, or even skipped entirely. Example: The moment that results from a unit becoming Mighty is an event that can be referenced by game effects, or even skipped entirely.

Modifying or replacing an event is the same as modifying or replacing that Game Action or change in state that generated that event. Example: Zhonya's Hourglass reads in part "If a friendly unit would die, kill this instead. Heal that unit, exhaust it, and recall it." A unit's death being replaced by Zhonya's Hourglass is the same as the kill action that caused that death not occurring. Example: A card reads in part "The next time an enemy unit would become Mighty this turn, banish it instead. Its controller plays a 3 [M] Mech unit token to its location." A unit becoming Mighty being replaced by this effect means the unit never became Mighty—no effects that trigger on units becoming Mighty will trigger.

An event can occur simultaneously with other events only when those events are all the result of the same Game Action or change in state occurring. Example: A spell reads in part "Kill up to two units at battlefields." When that spell resolves, the units targeted are killed simultaneously because their deaths result from the same game action. Example: A spell reads in part "Kill a friendly unit. If you do, kill an enemy unit with no more Might than it." When that spell resolves, the units are not killed simultaneously. There are two kill game actions being performed in the instructions of the spell. The friendly unit is killed first, followed by the enemy unit.

In the case of Replacement Effects that describe a game action to occur "as" an event occurs, the described event is replaced by that same event plus the game action being performed. Example: Undertitan is a unit that reads in part "As I'm revealed from your deck, [Add] [2]." The event of Undertitan being revealed from your deck is replaced by Undertitan being revealed from your deck and adding [2] Energy to your Rune Pool.

Replacement Effects are applied before any qualifying event has actually occurred.

A Game Object can apply its Replacement Effects to any qualifying events that occur simultaneously with it leaving the zone that its Replacement Effect is active in. Example: Soraka, Wanderer has a Replacement Effect that reads, "If another unit you control here would die, if it has less Might than me, instead heal it, exhaust it, and recall it." Soraka's replacement can be applied to any qualifying event that occurs simultaneously with her leaving the board, including to units that die simultaneously with her.

These Replacement Effects may only be applied to the specified number of events each turn. Once they have been applied to that many events, they cannot be applied to a later event in the same turn.

If the Replacement Effect says a player "may" apply the Replacement Effect, the player has the choice of whether or not to apply it.

When executing Replacement Effects, the Game Actions that comprise their instructions are performed before any simultaneous unmodified events. Example: Two units die simultaneously. One of those units has their death replaced by being healed, exhausted, and recalled. The healing, exhausting, and recalling of that unit will be performed before the other dies.

Any additional conditional statement immediately after the Condition must be true in order for the Condition to be fulfilled. Such a conditional statement is part of the Trigger Condition and not the Effect. Example: Sona, Harmonious reads "At the end of your turn, if I'm at a battlefield, ready up to 4 friendly runes." Her Trigger Ability's Condition will be fulfilled in the Ending Step, but the Triggered Ability will only be placed on the chain if she is located at a battlefield when the Condition is fulfilled. If she is removed in reaction to the triggered ability, it will still resolve. Example: Loose Cannon reads "At the start of your Beginning Phase, draw 1 if you have one or fewer cards in your hand." The "if you have one or fewer cards in your hand" conditional statement is not immediately after the trigger condition, so it is part of the effect and not the condition.

The decision of "may" when it appears in this way is solely whether or not to perform said triggered ability.

If the controller of the Triggered Ability chooses not to perform that Triggered Ability during finalization, it is removed from the chain and considered to have not triggered.

If "you may" or "they may" appears in any later part of the Effect of a triggered ability, it is decided on resolution. Example: Ornn, Blacksmith reads "When you play me or when I hold, look at the top 4 cards of your Main Deck. You may reveal a gear from among them and draw it. Then recycle the rest." This "you may" does not appear as the first part of its effect, so the choice is made on resolution. The ability is always finalized to the chain.

Such a Triggered Ability will only be performed the specified number of times each turn. If its trigger condition would be fulfilled and it has already been performed that many times, it does not trigger.

If the Triggered Ability says "you may" or "they may" as the first part of its effect, its controller has the choice of whether or not it is performed.

If they do not, it is removed from the chain. Example: A player controls a unit that reads in part "Once each turn, when an enemy unit dies, you may banish it." When an enemy Recruit token dies, the triggered ability goes on the chain. If they choose not to perform the ability on finalization, it is removed from the chain. When a Stalwart Poro dies later in the turn, they can choose to trigger it then.

Some effects may instruct a player to "activate" one of these named triggered abilities.

To do so, that player checks the condition of all of the specified effects, as if they had fulfilled the named part of the condition. Example: Reckoner's Arena reads "When you hold here, activate the conquer effects of units here." For each unit at the battlefield, you will check the trigger condition of their conquer effects to see if the condition has been fulfilled, treating the conquer portion of the condition as having been fulfilled. If all of the conditions are fulfilled for a conquer effect, it is placed on the chain as if it had just triggered. If any of the non-conquer parts of the condition are not fulfilled, it will not be placed on the chain. Example: A spell reads "Activate the play effects of your gear." For each gear you control, you will treat it as if you had just played the gear and check the other conditions of that gear. If all of the conditions are fulfilled for a play effect, it is placed on the chain as if it had just triggered.

"Do one of the following" can instead be "Do X of the following" or "Do the following". The effect will specify which of the related Reflexive Triggers will go on the chain when the condition is met.

Some Delayed Replacements take the form "then recycle it," or "then banish it," in reference to chain items being played by linked abilities or instructions. These are short for "if it would leave the chain after becoming a finalized chain item, and leaving the chain wasn't instructed by its own execution, perform the specified game action instead."

The appropriate zones for these Delayed Linked Abilities will be determined implicitly by the Linked Ability that generated them.

If the Linked Ability causes the affected Game Objects to change zone to a non-board zone, the appropriate zone for the Delayed Linked Ability will be the zone the Game Object is moved to.

Otherwise, the appropriate zone is whatever zone the Linked Ability triggered or was played from, or whatever zone the affected Game Object is located in when it is affected.

Delayed Abilities will resolve or be active just like the ability they augment, but only during the specified time in the effect that created the Delayed Ability. Example: Ravenborn Tome reads "The next spell you play this turn deals 1 Bonus Damage." This is a Delayed Passive Ability that passively adds 1 Bonus Damage to just the next spell played. The next spell is a specific time, and the 1 Bonus Damage is a passive ability. Example: Noxian Guillotine reads "Choose a unit. Kill it the next time it takes damage this turn." When the chosen unit takes damage is the specified time, and killing it is the condition for a Delayed Triggered Ability.

Component Abilities can reference other Abilities in the set by means of referencing those Abilities directly or by referencing Game Objects affected by or mentioned in another Ability in the set.

If the first part of a Triggered Ability's effect is "you may," or "they may," its controller decides whether or not to perform the Triggered Ability now.

If they choose not to perform the Triggered Ability now, it is removed from the chain.

Some Game Effects may check if a player has performed a Game Action "with" a Game Object. In order to do so, the Game Action must be attributed to the spell or ability of that Game Object if necessary, the player must control that spell or the ability of that Game Object, and the player must be responsible for the Game Action.

Abilities granted via the effect text of a Game Object to another Game Object count for both Game Objects for this purpose.

The controller of the source of a Deal action is responsible for that Deal action unless the player performing the Deal action is otherwise specified. Example: If a player plays Challenge targeting a friendly unit and an enemy unit, the controller of the enemy unit is responsible for the damage dealt by their unit. Any effects that trigger "when you deal damage" that that player controls will trigger.

Non-triggered abilities that check cards being played do so by means of referencing whether said cards have been Finalized. Example: A player plays a spell, which is countered by Defy. Any Legion abilities of game objects controlled by that same player will be active. Example: A player plays a spell, which is countered by Defy. If that player plays Battering Ram and has played no other cards that turn, it will cost [4] Energy.

The state of being Revealed lasts for the duration specified by the game effect that applied the state; if there is no duration specified and the state was caused by a Reveal action as instructed by a spell or ability, it lasts until the resolution of that spell or ability finishes.

When the zone is instructed to be Revealed without indicating a number of cards, that refers to "All cards currently in the specified zone." Example: A card reads "Choose an opponent and reveal your hand. That player picks a card in your hand. You may play the rest this turn, ignoring their costs." When instructed to reveal their hand, that player reveals the cards currently in their hand.

The Revealed state is applied to those cards. Any further cards added to that zone after the instruction has been executed do not become Revealed.

Cards that are cleared from the chain in this way are placed in the trash.

Some effects may grant a Game Object permission to be Buffed multiple times. Such an effect ignores this restriction.

The player responsible for the deal action is responsible for the kill action.

If the Cleanup that caused the units to be killed was the Combat Cleanup, the sources of the Combat Damage are attributed the kill action, and their controller is responsible for the kill action.

Spells that Add resources will linger on the chain as normal when they are finalized.

By default, runes are channeled readied.

If there aren't sufficient runes in the Rune Deck, channel as many as possible.

A player Channels two Runes during the Channel Phase on their turn.

Points gained after the first Burn Out being processed in sequence that cause a player to reach or surpass the Victory Score for their game mode will cause that player to win the game if they also have more points than any opponent. Example: If a player has no cards in their deck or their trash and they go to draw 1, they will begin to burn out repeatedly. After the first burn out is processed, any subsequent burnout that brings a player to a number of points greater than the Victory Score and more than any opponent will cause them to win the game.

The player wins immediately, without needing to wait for a cleanup to occur.

Attaching a card to another card does not modify either card's state except in making those cards Attached and the Top-Most Card, and causing the Attached card to change locations. Example: An exhausted equipment being attached to a unit does not ready the equipment.

Prevent includes any applied Bonus Damage when determining the total damage being prevented.

The replacing token is treated as the same Game Object as the card or token it replaced for the purposes of Game Effects that target or reference that game object. Example: A player with Green Father as their legend conquers Navori Fighting Pit. They choose to place the Green Father conquer effect on the chain after the Navori Fighting Pit conquer effect. When the Green Father trigger resolves, Navori Fighting Pit is replaced with Brush. Although the Navori Fighting Pit has been replaced, the "here" in its triggered ability still can have its information referenced, because the Brush inherited all statuses and conditions. The unit Navori Fighting Pit's triggered ability has targeted will still be a legal target on resolution.

Any card that has been Replaced by that token or any tokens it Replaced is eligible to swap back in this way.

Battlefields will be Created in the Battlefield Zone.

The zone a Game Object is created to can be specified implicitly by the Game Action being performed. Example: "Play a 1 [M] Recruit token" specifies a zone where the token is Created to implicitly, by specifying the token is played and thus created on the chain. Example: "Create a 1 [M] Recruit token" does not specify a zone, so the Recruit token will be created at any location on the board that it can be played to.

Burn

Burning is the act of moving cards from the top of a player's Main Deck to their trash.

"When you burn" abilities or other Triggered Abilities that trigger on burning are executed after burning has occurred.

This action is formatted as "Burn X."

X is the number of cards to be Burned.

Burning is a Limited Action.

A player must Burn cards when instructed to do so by game effects or costs.

When Burning is part of an effect, then a player must Burn as many cards as possible. If instructed to burn more cards than they have in their main deck, they burn that many cards, burn out and then burn the rest. See rule 431. Burn Out for more information.

Empower

Empowering is the act of rendering one or more Game Objects Empowered.

Empowered is a binary state. A Game Object is Empowered or it isn't.

An Empowered Game Object can not be Empowered.

If a Game Object is instructed to be Empowered when it is already Empowered, nothing additional happens.

Some effects may grant a Game Object permission to be Empowered multiple times. Such an effect ignores this restriction.

"Empowered" is a state for Game Objects on the board that other game effects and abilities can reference.

When a Game Object becomes Empowered as a result of the Empower game action, that is an event that can similarly be referenced by game effects and abilities.

Empowering is a Limited Action.

Players may only Empower Game Objects when directed to by Game Effects.

Disempower

Disempowering is the act of removing the Empowered status from one or more Game Objects.

Disempowering affects only cards that are currently Empowered.

Game effects that instruct a player to Disempower a card that is not currently Empowered will do nothing.

Disempowering is a Limited Action.

Players may only Disempower Game Objects when directed to by Game Effects.

Skip

Skipping an event is the act of replacing that event with nothing.

Skip is an action that interacts with events and procedures of the turn. Example: A card reads in part "Choose an enemy unit. Skip the next time that unit would move this turn." This is a replacement effect that replaces the event of a unit moving with nothing. Example: A card reads in part "Skip your Draw phase." This is a replacement effect that replaces a player's Draw Phase with nothing. Example: A card reads in part "Choose a player. They skip their next point from conquering this turn." This is a replacement effect that replaces the 1 point gained when conquering with nothing.

An event is the singular moment that results from a Game Action being performed or from a Game Object changing state. See rule 367. Replacement Effects for more information.

Procedures of the turn include turns, phases, steps, and substeps.

Skip actions are usually formatted as "Skip [event or procedure of the turn]."

When an event or procedure of the turn is Skipped, it is replaced with nothing. Play proceeds accordingly.

Anything that triggers on the occurrence of the event or procedure of the turn does not trigger.

Skip is a Limited Action.

Players may only Skip events or procedures of the turn when directed to by Game Effects.

Skip is a Replacement Effect. See rule 367. Replacement Effects for more information.

Pay

Paying a resource is the act of removing that resource from your Rune Pool.

Pay is an action that interacts with Energy and Power.

When a player is instructed to Pay a resource, that player may remove that resource from their Rune Pool if it exists there. If they choose not to, the instruction is ignored. Example: When Diana, Lunari's triggered ability resolves, if its controller has [1] Energy in their rune pool, they choose whether or not to pay that Energy as instructed. If they choose not to pay the Energy, they will not perform the additional effects of the triggered ability.

If the instruction to Pay resources is part of paying costs for a card or ability, choosing not to pay those resources will cause the act of playing the card or ability to be undone. See rule 358. Check Legality for more information.

If the instruction to Pay resources is part of paying any other cost, choosing not to pay those resources will prevent the execution of the associated effect. See rule 201. Costs for more information.

Players may activate abilities that Add resources with the Reaction keyword at any time that they are instructed to Pay resources. Those abilities finalize and resolve immediately, ignoring normal restrictions. See rule 429. Add for more information.

Pay is a Limited Action.

Players may only Pay resources when directed to by Game Effects.

1. Start of combat or showdown effects happen now.

If a showdown was already ongoing when the combat opens, the player who has Focus maintains their Focus.

If the damage assigned to a Unit is modified to or replaced by an amount of damage larger than the initial value, the assigning player must choose the minimum applied value such that the unit would take lethal damage. Example: A unit with 3 [M] is being assigned damage in the combat damage step. There are other units without damage assigned to them with the same controller. The unit has a delayed replacement effect applied to it that reads "Double all damage that would be dealt to it this turn." When assigning damage, the assigning player can only choose to assign 1 or 2 damage to this unit—when doing so, the assigned damage is doubled to 2 or 4 damage respectively. The minimum applied value such that the unit would take lethal damage in this way is 4 damage.

When assigning damage in this way, replacement effects that would apply to the resulting damage are considered to apply to the assignment instead. Example: A unit with 2 [M] is being assigned damage in the combat damage step. The unit has "prevent the first 3 damage I would take each combat." The unit would need to be assigned 5 damage in order to have lethal damage assigned to it. Example: The attacking player is assigning their 3 [M] worth of damage to two defending units with 2 [M] each. One of the units has a delayed replacement effect applied to it that reads "Double all damage that would be dealt to it this turn." The attacking player assigns two damage to the other defending unit, then when assigning damage to the unit with the delayed replacement effect they assign 2 damage to it; 1 damage that doubles to 2 damage as it is assigned to the unit. When that damage is dealt, it doesn't get doubled again—the doubling is considered to have already happened during damage assignment. Example: The attacking player is assigning their 3 [M] worth of damage to a 2 [M] unit. That unit has a prevent value of two being applied to it, as well as the effect of Lotus Trap, doubling the damage dealt to them. Both of these replacement effects apply to the assignment of damage, in the order of the controller of the 2 [M] unit's choice. If they choose to order the replacement effects so that the prevent value is applied first, the unit will prevent 2 of the assigned damage, then the last 1 point of damage will be doubled to 2. The unit will have 4 damage assigned to it. When damage is dealt, the unit will take 2 damage. If they choose the other order, the unit will have 6 damage assigned to it, 2 of which will be prevented. When damage is dealt, the unit will take 4 damage.

At the end of Combat or Combat ends effects take place.

Copyable traits are: Name​ Super Type​ Type​ Tags​ Cost​ Domain​ Rules Text

Some Game Effects may specify copying certain traits of a card. Only the traits specified by the Game Effect will be copied.

Players cannot increase a numeric attribute by a negative amount. If an effect would instruct a player to do so, they increase it by 0 instead. Example: A player plays Last Stand, which reads "Double a friendly unit's Might this turn. Give it Temporary." The player declares a 2 [M] unit as the target during finalization. In reaction to Last Stand, an opponent plays Eclipse targeting the 2 [M] unit. When Last Stand resolves, the unit is -2 [M]. Last Stand instructs its controller to increase the unit's Might by its current amount, -2, when the double action is performed. This is not possible, so the unit's Might is increased by 0 instead.

If both effects are altered by the application of the other, no Dependency can be established. Example: A unit with 4 [M] is under the effects of a passive ability that reads "Units you control here have their Might increased to 5 [M]." Its controller plays a spell that reads "Give a unit +2 [M], to a maximum of 5 [M]." If we apply the passive ability first, the passive ability will apply +1 [M] and the spell effect will apply +0 [M]. If we apply the spell effect first, it will apply +1 [M] while the passive ability applies +0 [M]. Both effects are altered by the sequence of applications, so we can't establish a dependency.

If no player won a game, the battlefields presented for that game may be reused in a subsequent game.

This format may be played as best of 5. In such a case, during games 4 and 5 of the match players may present a battlefield that has been removed from the game.

Players may only re-use a battlefield in this way if they have already presented each of their battlefields at least once during the match.

Players may not present a battlefield more than twice in a match when re-using battlefields in this way.

Points are shared by a team.

Both players on a team have the same number of Victory Points.

If a player gains or loses points, their team gains or loses those points.

If a spell or ability references or checks a player gaining or losing points, that ability checks whether that player's team gains or loses points.

Buffs are counters, and thus are not targeted by spells and abilities. See rule 741. Counters for more information.

If Damage is replaced or reduced by any means, the replacing or reducing action will include the Bonus Damage in the total damage when determining how much damage is to be dealt. Example: A unit has prevent 3 applied to them. The unit is located at the Void Gate battlefield. An opponent targets the unit with Hextech Ray. Hextech Ray deals 4 damage to the unit, including the Bonus Damage from Void Gate, which the prevent effect will prevent 3 of. The unit takes 1 damage.

This is true of all statuses aside from location, Attached, and Top-Most. Example: If the top-most card becomes stunned, it does not affect the state of any attached cards. Example: If an attached card becomes empowered, it does not affect the state of its top-most card.

If a Dependent Ability is a Triggered Ability whose condition occurs at the same time as the Dependent Keyword's condition being fulfilled, that text exists and can be processed as it is fulfilled.

If an ability has multiple Dependent Keywords, all of them must have their Condition met in order for the ability to be active. Example: A unit reads "[Level 11][>>][Legion][>] When you conquer, gain 1 point." In order for the conquer effect of the unit to be active, its controller must have 11 XP and have finalized a card other than the unit that turn.

Card text and this rules document use certain terms in specific ways that are different from their common usage.

Some card text refers to specific terminology:

A tie occurs when there are units controlled by different players located at a battlefield where combat is taking place during the step 3d of the combat cleanup.

Costs within instructions that appear in any later part of the trigger effect are paid on resolution.

Counters

Counters are Game Objects generated by and given to other Game Objects on the board during play.

Counters serve to track semi-permanent effects on Game Objects.

Counters can have game effects themselves, or serve as the prerequisite for game effects.

Counters can be spent by game effects.

In order to do so, that player must remove that many counters of the specified type from the specified Game Objects.

If no type of counter is specified, any counter can be removed this way.

If no type of Game Object is specified, then counters can be removed from any Game Objects with the specified counter.

In order to spend a Counter, the spending player must control the Game Object the Counter is placed on.

Some effects may move a Counter between two Game Objects. The Counter is either on the first Game Object or the second. There is no state for a Counter being between either object.

Counters that leave a Game Object without being placed on another game object cease to exist.

Game Objects that change zones to a non-board zone lose all of their Counters. See rule 124. for more information on temporary modifications.

Counters do not have a controller.

Making New Choices

Some Game Effects will instruct a player to make new choices for a finalized item on the chain.

Making new choices in this way requires a player to choose Game Objects, players, zones, or modes that were previously not being chosen by the chain item.

This refers to the choices normally made during finalization, with some exclusions. See rule 355. Make Relevant Choices for more information.

The relevant choices that can be remade for these Game Effects are locations to be played to, modes, destinations, and targets.

This does not refer to any choices made "as you play this" or "as I am played," or any choices made for Optional Additional Costs.

When making new choices in this way, a player can choose any subset of the possible choices to remake, so long as doing so doesn't lead to an illegal state.

A player may not make new choices this way that would be illegal or that would lead to an illegal state, even if there are no other options.

A player may not choose to make new choices for a spell or ability if there aren't legal choices that they could make in this way.

If, as a result of new choices, the spell or ability targets a Game Object it previously did not target, any Targeting Effects of that Game Object will trigger as appropriate at that time.

Any costs "to play" the spell or ability that are incurred as a result of new choices made in this way are ignored.

The spell or ability is already played and its costs paid. Any further costs incurred have no effect on the finalized chain item.

Untargetability

Some Game Effects declare that a Game Object can't be chosen by a certain set of spells and abilities. Those effects designate the Game Object as Untargetable.

These passive abilities will usually take the form "[Game Object] can't be chosen by [Category] spells and abilities." Example: Ruin Runner's passive ability reads "I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities."

Untargetable Game Objects are not legal targets for the indicated spells and abilities. See rule 355.6. Targeting for more information.

If a Game Object becomes untargetable for a spell or ability after becoming its target and before it resolves, the spell or ability will mistarget on resolution. Any instructions related to that Game Object will be ignored as the spell resolves.

If the spell or ability changes for any reason such that it will no longer fall under the category of spells or abilities for which a Game Object is untargetable, the Game Object will become a legal target for that spell or ability. Example: A 1 [M] unit reads "I can't be chosen by enemy spells or abilities with Energy cost less than my Might." That unit is targeted by an enemy Falling Star; in reaction to the Falling Star, the unit's controller plays Discipline targeting that unit, bringing its Might to 3 [M]. If Falling Star resolved at that point, the unit would be unaffected by it as it resolves. Falling Star's controller plays Eclipse before Falling Star resolves, bringing the unit's Might to -1 [M]. When Falling Star resolves now, the unit is affected by the spell and has 6 damage marked. It dies in the following cleanup.

This will also occur if the Game Object is no longer among the set of objects that are made untargetable by a Game Effect. Example: Alpha Wildclaw and Vilemaw are controlled by the same player and located at a battlefield. An opponent targets Vilemaw with Rebuke. Before Rebuke resolves, Vilemaw's controller plays Discipline targeting Alpha Wildclaw, making Vilemaw no longer a legal target. Rebuke's controller then targets Alpha Wildclaw with Star-Crossed. When Star-Crossed resolves, Alpha Wildclaw's passive ability no longer applies to Vilemaw, making it a legal target for Rebuke. After all spells and abilities have resolved, both Vilemaw and Alpha Wildclaw will be returned to hand.

Naming Cards, Types, and Tags

Some Game Effects may instruct a player to name or guess a card, type, or tag.

The act of naming a card in this way may be accomplished in one of two ways:

1. Stating the exact name of the card. Example: "Kai'Sa, Evolutionary" identifies the card Kai'Sa, Evolutionary.

2. Identifying a combination of traits and characteristics that can identify that card uniquely. Example: "The blue Kai'Sa," "the 6 [M] Kai'Sa" or "the [6] Energy Kai'Sa" are sufficient to identify Kai'Sa, Evolutionary when there are no other cards that satisfy those traits. Example: If there is only one unit with Kato in their name, saying "Kato" is sufficient to identify the card in question even if the exact name of the card is "Kato the Arm."

When instructed to name a card, a player must name a card that is legal in the Format being played.

They cannot name a card that doesn't exist.

A player cannot choose the name of a token when instructed to name a card.

When instructed to name a tag, a player cannot choose to name a tag that does not exist on cards or tokens in Riftbound.

The following tags exist in Riftbound: Ahri, Akali, Akshan, Ambessa, Anivia, Annie, Aphelios, Ashe, Azir, Bandle City, Bard, Bilgewater, Bird, Blitzcrank, Caitlyn, Cat, Darius, Demacia, Demon, Diana, Dog, Dr. Mundo, Dragon, Draven, Ekko, Elite, Equipment, Evelynn, Ezreal, Fae, Fiora, Fizz, Freljord, Galio, Gangplank, Garen, Heimerdinger, Hwei, Icathia, Illaoi, Ionia, Irelia, Ivern, Ixtal, Janna, Jax, Jayce, Jhin, Jinx, Kai'Sa, Karma, Karthus, Katarina, Kathkan, Kayle, Kayn, Kennen, Kha'Zix, Kog'Maw, LeBlanc, Lee Sin, Leona, Lillia, Lucian, Lux, Malzahar, Master Yi, Mech, Mel, Miss, Fortune, Morgana, Mount Targon, Nami, Nasus, Nidalee, Nilah, Nocturne, Noxus, Ornn, Piltover, Pirate, Poppy, Poro, Pyke, Qiyana, Recruit, Rek'Sai, Rell, Renata Glasc, Renekton, Rengar, Riven, Rumble, Sentinel, Sett, Shadow Isles, Shen, Shurima, Sivir, Sona, Soraka, Spider, Spirit, Swain, Syndra, Taric, Teemo, The Void, Trifarian, Tryndamere, Twisted Fate, Udyr, Vayne, Vex, Vi, Viktor, Volibear, Warwick, Xerath, Xin Zhao, Yasuo, Yone, Yordle, Yuumi, Zaun, Zed, Zilean.

Ignoring Effects

Some Game Effects may instruct players to ignore abilities while performing a game action or procedure.

Any abilities ignored in this way are treated as inactive for the purposes of the game action or procedure. Example: A spell reads "Ignore Deflect while paying this spell's costs." Any instances of the Deflect keyword on relevant units are treated as inactive while paying the costs of the spell. Example: A unit reads "You ignore Backline while assigning combat damage here." While assigning combat damage in the combat damage step with this unit present, any instances of Backline on enemy units is treated as inactive. The unit's controller can assign damage to any units with Backline as if they didn't have it.

Ignored abilities are only treated as inactive for the specific game action or procedure described, and only by the players directed by the ability. Example: A spell reads in part "Ignore Deflect while paying this spell's costs." If another player attempts to play a spell targeting the same units that the above spell does, that other spell will not ignore Deflect. Example: A unit reads "You ignore Backline while assigning combat damage here." Any other player assigning combat damage at the same location as that unit will not be able to ignore Backline.

Paying the cost generates a delayed Replacement Effect. Even if the unit loses the accelerate keyword during the finalization process, as long as the cost was paid, that unit will still enter ready.

Each target is treated separately and individually when processing this rule. Example: Smoke and Mirrors is a spell that reads in part "Choose a unit you control and another unit you control at a different location." If Smoke and Mirrors is played from hidden, the first unit chosen can be chosen at the battlefield Smoke and Mirrors was played from, so it must be. The second unit chosen explicitly restricts targeting in a way that makes this impossible, so it can be chosen from any location.

Any instructions not performed on resolution of the spell or ability are ignored.

Ambush can also appear as a verb on a card. In such a case, the verb is taken to mean "play with the permissions of the Ambush keyword." Example: Rengar, Trophy Hunter reads in part "I can [Ambush] to a battlefield where there are enemy units, even if you don't have units there." This ability expands the normal permissions of the Ambush keyword to include battlefields where there are enemy units. Example: A card reads in part "Opponents can only [Ambush] at any time they could play cards with [Action]." This ability introduces a restriction to when opponents can play cards with Ambush.

It is normally present on main deck cards.

Empower

Empower is an Activated Ability keyword.

Empower is normally present on permanents and legends.

Empower has a cost to activate and Empowers the source of the ability when the cost is paid. See rule 441. Empower (Game Action) for more information.

The source game object is not a target of the Empower ability.

Empower is formatted as "Empower [Cost]"

Empower is functionally short for "[Cost]: Empower this. Play only if not Empowered."

Empower costs may include both resource costs and non-resource costs.

Empower abilities may also include text that alters the Empower cost. Such text is taken into account when determining a card's Empower cost for any reason.

Empower abilities may include text that alters the timing of the Empower ability.

When the Empower action completes from this keyword, the source permanent or legend becomes Empowered.

This is an event other Game Effects and Triggered Abilities can reference.

Multiple instances of Empower are equivalent to multiple activated abilities and can each be activated separately by paying the corresponding costs.

Empower and whether a permanent or legend has Empower are a characteristic of those Game Objects and may be checked or referenced by other Game Effects.

Empowered

Empowered is a Dependent Keyword.

It is formatted as "[Empowered][>] [Text]."

Starting from the keyword to the end of the clause, the entire statement is the Empowered Ability.

It is functionally short for "While I have the Empowered status, this card gains '[Text]'."

The [Text] here is the Dependent Ability.

As long as the Game Object has the Empowered status, then the Dependent Ability will be active.

If the Dependent Ability is a Triggered Ability whose condition is "When I become Empowered," or a permutation thereof, it will be active and trigger when its source becomes Empowered.

Empowered and whether or not a card has an Empowered Ability is a characteristic of the card that may be checked or referenced by other Game Effects.

Flow

Flow is a passive ability keyword.

Flow is present on Spells.

It is functionally short for "You may play this from your trash for its flow cost. Then banish it."

Banishing the spell in this way is a delayed replacement effect. If the spell would leave the chain after becoming a finalized chain item, and leaving the chain wasn't instructed by its own execution, banish it instead. See rule 367. Replacement Effects for more information. See rule 389. Delayed Abilities for more information.

Playing a spell for its Flow cost does not change the timing at which it can be played, nor any permissions for the spell aside from the zone from which it can be played.

Flow is formatted as "Flow [Cost]"

The cost is an alternate cost that replaces the base cost of the spell to be paid during finalization.

Flow costs may include both resource costs and non-resource costs.

If a spell has multiple instances of the Flow keyword with different costs, its controller may choose which cost to apply as they play it.

Flow, and whether or not a spell has Flow, is a characteristic of the Spell and may be checked or referenced by other Game Effects.