Exhaust or recycle
Why a Basic Rune's two abilities cost different things, where each leaves the rune, and a card paid for with both.
Before this: Paying a cost
Every Basic Rune offers the same choice each time you use it. You can Rule 164.2.a. [E]: [Reaction] — Add [1]. Open in the rules browser, or Rule 164.2.b. Recycle this: [Reaction] — Add [C]. Open in the rules browser to add 1 Power of that rune's Domain.Rule 164.2.b.1. The Power added this way corresponds to the Domain of the Rune that is being Recycled. Open in the rules browser Neither ability adds the other resource. What they cost you is different too, and that difference is this whole lesson.
Where the rune ends up
An exhausted rune stays in your base, turned sideways. In your next Awaken Phase you Rule 315.1.b. 1. The Turn Player readies all Game Objects they control that are able to be readied. See rule 415. Ready for more information. Open in the rules browser, and the rune is normally available again.
A recycled rune leaves your base. It Rule 416.1.b. Runes are Recycled to the Rune Deck. Open in the rules browser, on the bottom.Rule 416.1. Recycling cards is the action in which a player takes one or more cards from a specific zone and then puts it on the bottom of the corresponding deck. Open in the rules browser Your next Awaken Phase does not bring it back, because it is no longer on the board to be readied. Channeling takes runes Rule 430.1. Channeling is the action of taking one or more Runes from the top of a player's Rune Deck and putting them on the board. Open in the rules browser, and the recycled rune went to the bottom. Your base holds one rune fewer than it did, and the recycled rune waits at the bottom of your Rune Deck.
What that means for a cost
Power is what pays a Power cost.Rule 163.2. Power is used to pay Domain-associated Power Costs. Open in the rules browser Of a Basic Rune's two abilities, only recycling adds Power. So each Power you pay with a Basic Rune is a rune leaving your base, while each Energy you pay by exhausting one costs you that rune only until it is readied.
The two abilities also do not rule each other out. The recycle ability's cost is Rule 164.2.b. Recycle this: [Reaction] — Add [C]. Open in the rules browser: it does not ask for the rune to be ready. A recycling cost Rule 416.3. When Recycling is listed as a Cost, the action must be able to be completed for the cost to be paid.Example: Vi, Destructive has the ability "Recycle 1 from your trash: Give me +1 [M] this turn." Each time a player activates the ability, they must recycle 1 card from their trash to pay its cost. If they have no cards in their trash, they can't activate the ability, because they can't pay its cost. Open in the rules browser, and a rune that is exhausted is still on the board to be recycled. So a rune you have already exhausted for Energy can be recycled for Power in the same turn.
Which ability to use, and when, is your decision every time. The rules fix only what each one costs. Step through a card paid for with both below.
Paying for Ember, Rallying
Step 1 of 7
Every step is a complete board an author wrote down. Nothing here is simulated, and no step is derived from the one before it.
Your Main Phase begins with an empty pool
Your turn, Main Phase.
Opponent: 2 points, 4 cards in hand, 0 Energy in the rune pool, 28 in the main deck, 7 in the rune deck, 2 in the trash, legend in the Legend Zone.
Opponent's Base: no units.
Opponent's Base: 5 runes, all ready.
Rune domains in Opponent's Base: 5 Fury.
Battlefield Riverfork Crossing (uncontrolled): no units.
Battlefield Silent Shrine (controlled by opponent): opponent's Kindling Volunteer, Might 2, ready.
You: 2 points, 4 cards in hand, 0 Energy in the rune pool, 28 in the main deck, 6 in the rune deck, 1 in the trash, legend in the Legend Zone, chosen champion waiting in the Champion Zone.
Your Base: no units.
Your Base: 6 runes, all ready.
Rune domains in Your Base: 6 Fury.
Callout 1: Six ready runes, and six more in your Rune Deck.
Card names in this diagram are RiftBounce teaching samples, not official Riftbound cards.
- 1Six ready runes, and six more in your Rune Deck.
Your Main Phase begins, and its first task empties every player's Rune Pool, so yours holds nothing. All six of your runes are ready: your Awaken Phase readied the four you already had, and the two you channeled this turn entered ready. You want to play Ember, Rallying from your Champion Zone. Its cost is 3 Energy and 1 Fury Power, written [3][R]: the numeral is its Energy cost, and the Power symbol in its cost is Fury's.
Rules:Rule 316.3.Rule 315.1.b.Rule 430.2.a.Rule 419.1.a.Rule 131.2.a.Rule 131.3.a.Rule 135.2.e.4.
Rules cited in this lesson
- Rule 164.2.a. [E]: [Reaction] — Add [1].
- Rule 164.2.b. Recycle this: [Reaction] — Add [C].
- Rule 164.2.b.1. The Power added this way corresponds to the Domain of the Rune that is being Recycled.
- Rule 315.1.b. 1. The Turn Player readies all Game Objects they control that are able to be readied. See rule 415. Ready for more information.
- Rule 416.1.b. Runes are Recycled to the Rune Deck.
- Rule 416.1. Recycling cards is the action in which a player takes one or more cards from a specific zone and then puts it on the bottom of the corresponding deck.
- Rule 430.1. Channeling is the action of taking one or more Runes from the top of a player's Rune Deck and putting them on the board.
- Rule 163.2. Power is used to pay Domain-associated Power Costs.
- Rule 416.3. When Recycling is listed as a Cost, the action must be able to be completed for the cost to be paid.