Priority and Focus
How Priority moves around a chain in a showdown while Focus stays put, when Focus passes, the chains after which it does not, and a Reaction ability answering a spell.
Before this: Passing and resolving
In a showdown two things move between players, and so far they have moved together. Moving to a battlefield defined Focus, and The combat showdown added that a player who gains Focus also gains Priority. While a chain exists, they come apart.
Passing Priority is not passing Focus
A player who passes Priority retains Focus.Rule 313.3. A player who passes Priority retains Focus. Open in the rules browser Focus is not enough on its own, either: a player can act with Focus only while they also have Priority.Rule 313.4. A player may not make discretionary actions with Focus unless they also possess Priority. Open in the rules browser And as Passing and resolving showed, passing hands Priority to the next player in turn order.
So in a showdown Priority travels around the chain as players answer and pass, while Focus stays where it was.
When Focus passes
When the last item on the chain resolves and the turn returns to an Open State during a showdown, Focus passes, and the next player gains both Focus and Priority.Rule 346. When the last item on the chain resolves and the turn returns to an Open State during a Showdown, Focus passes, and the next Player gains both Focus and Priority. Open in the rules browser That is the rule behind Track 3's shorter version, that Focus passes when the chain closes, which means when the chain is empty again, and it has an exception Track 3 did not need. Focus does not pass in this way if the chain was started by a triggered ability or an Add ability being added to it.Rule 346.1. Focus will not pass in this way if the chain opened as a result of a triggered ability being added to the chain, nor if it opened as a result of an Add ability being added to the chain.Example: the Combat Chain opens as a result of triggered abilities being added to the chain, so when the last item on the Combat Chain resolves and the turn returns to an Open State, Focus will not pass. Open in the rules browser The rules' own example is the chain combat can start with triggered abilities: when it empties, Focus stays put.
Using a rune to add resources leaves both alone as well. Priority and Focus do not pass when an Add ability is finalized or resolves.Rule 429.2.a. Priority and Focus will not pass from Add abilities being finalized or resolving, and will resolve before any other outstanding items on the chain are finalized. Open in the rules browser The Rune Pool showed when those abilities may be used.
An ability that answers
Reaction works on abilities as well as cards. An activated ability with Reaction can be activated during Closed States on any player's turn.Rule 813.1.c.2. On Activated Abilities: "This can be activated during Closed States on any player's turn." Open in the rules browser Tinder Rune, one of the sample cards, is a rune with such an ability, and in the walkthrough below your opponent uses it on your turn to answer Sudden Spark.
Answering Sudden Spark
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.
A showdown at Riverfork Crossing
Your turn, Main Phase, Showdown; you have focus.
Opponent: 3 points, 4 cards in hand, 0 Energy in the rune pool, 27 in the main deck, 5 in the rune deck, 2 in the trash, legend in the Legend Zone.
Opponent's Base: no units.
Opponent's Base: 7 runes, all ready.
Rune domains in Opponent's Base: 7 Fury.
Named runes in Opponent's Base: Tinder Rune, ready, Fury.
Battlefield Riverfork Crossing (uncontrolled): your Kindling Volunteer, Might 2, exhausted.
Battlefield Silent Shrine (controlled by opponent): opponent's Kindling Volunteer, Might 2, ready.
You: 3 points, 4 cards in hand, 0 Energy in the rune pool, 26 in the main deck, 4 in the rune deck, 2 in the trash, legend in the Legend Zone.
Your Base: no units.
Your Base: 8 runes, all ready.
Rune domains in Your Base: 8 Fury.
Callout 1: The showdown is here, and nothing is on the chain: Showdown Open.
Callout 2: 2 Might, with no damage marked on it.
Callout 3: Eight ready runes, and four more in your Rune Deck.
Card names in this diagram are RiftBounce teaching samples, not official Riftbound cards.
- 1The showdown is here, and nothing is on the chain: Showdown Open.
- 22 Might, with no damage marked on it.
- 3Eight ready runes, and four more in your Rune Deck.
It is your Main Phase. Your Kindling Volunteer has just moved to Riverfork Crossing, and the cleanup after the move opened a showdown there. Nothing is on the chain, so the turn is in a Showdown Open State. You applied the Contested status, so you have Focus, and gaining Focus gave you Priority. Your opponent's Kindling Volunteer, 2 Might, is at Silent Shrine, which your opponent controls. In your hand is Sudden Spark, a spell with Action that reads: Deal 2 to a unit. Its cost is 1 Energy and 1 Fury Power.
Rules:Rule 344.2.Rule 310.3.Rule 345.Rule 313.2.Rule 806.1.c.1.
Rules cited in this lesson
- Rule 313.3. A player who passes Priority retains Focus.
- Rule 313.4. A player may not make discretionary actions with Focus unless they also possess Priority.
- Rule 346. When the last item on the chain resolves and the turn returns to an Open State during a Showdown, Focus passes, and the next Player gains both Focus and Priority.
- Rule 346.1. Focus will not pass in this way if the chain opened as a result of a triggered ability being added to the chain, nor if it opened as a result of an Add ability being added to the chain.
- Rule 429.2.a. Priority and Focus will not pass from Add abilities being finalized or resolving, and will resolve before any other outstanding items on the chain are finalized.
- Rule 813.1.c.2. On Activated Abilities: "This can be activated during Closed States on any player's turn."