How does priority and spell casting work during a showdown in Riftbound, specifically regarding when players can play actions and reactions, and when the showdown ends?

Question

Accepted Answer

A Showdown is an Open state window where the player who applied Contested gains Focus and may play legally-timed spells or activate legally-timed abilities in alternating order. Playing a spell from Focus starts a Chain. If the player with Focus passes, Focus moves to the next player in Turn Order. When all players have passed once in sequence the Showdown ends and a Cleanup occurs. If all players pass Focus without playing a spell or activating an ability, the Showdown Closes and follow-up steps (e.g., continuing Combat or Conquer/Hold resolution) occur.

When a Showdown is staged, Focus is given to the player who applied Contested. That player may play legally-timed spells (which start a Chain) or activate legally-timed abilities while they have Focus. If they pass, Focus passes to the next player. The Showdown continues with players alternating the opportunity to act until every player has passed once in sequence, at which point the Showdown ends and Cleanup is performed. If, during the passing, nobody plays a spell or activates an ability, the Showdown closes and the prescribed follow-up (Combat continuation or Non-Combat Conquer/Hold checks) happens [342] [345] [347] [347.1.a] [342.1] [347.4] [347.3.a] [348] [348.1] [348.2].

A Showdown is staged (normally during Cleanup after Contested is applied) and as it begins the player who applied Contested gains Focus [345] [FAQ:unleashed#5]. While a Showdown is open, players have an Open State and may play Spells in an alternating fashion; each spell played this way creates a Chain as normal [342] [342.1]. When a player has Focus they may play a legally-timed card (which starts a Chain) or activate legally-timed Abilities, or pass. See rule 360 for ability timing [347] [347.1] [347.2]. If the Focus player passes without acting, Focus passes to the next player in Turn Order; play continues with players getting the opportunity to act in turn [347.4]. If every player passes once in sequence (no player takes an action when given Focus in that rotation), the Showdown ends and Cleanup is performed [347.3.a] [347.3.a.1]. If all players pass Focus without anyone having played a spell or activated an ability, the Showdown Closes and you resolve the applicable follow-up (continue Combat steps or perform Conquer/Hold checks) [348] [348.1] [348.2].

If a card or ability is not "legally timed" it cannot be played/activated during the Showdown even if a player has Focus; legality is governed by the Abilities and timing rules referenced by [347.2] and [360]. Showdowns are staged in Cleanup after Contested is applied, so there can be cases where Control and staging interact—see [FAQ:unleashed#5] for clarifications on when Showdowns are staged. Effects that would compel a player to perform actions on private information (for example, forcing a player to play a specific card from their hidden hand) are handled by the policy in the clarifications: players cannot be compelled to perform an action on secret/private cards of a specified type; such instructions may be ignored [FAQ:unleashed#7].

A Showdown is a special Open-state window where players alternate opportunities to play Spells and activate Abilities [342]. When a Showdown begins the player who applied Contested to that Battlefield immediately gains Focus [345]. While they have Focus, that player may play any card that is legally timed; playing a legally timed card from Focus will start a Chain as normal [347] [347.1] [347.1.a]. They may also activate Abilities that are legally timed while they have Focus [347.2] [360]. If the Focus player chooses to pass instead of acting, Focus passes to the next player in Turn Order and that player then has the same set of choices while they have Focus [347.4]. Play proceeds with Focus passing around the table as players pass or act, each spell played creating its own Chain and resolving by the normal Chain rules [342.1] [347.1.a]. The Showdown continues until every player has passed once in sequence; when that happens the Showdown ends and a Cleanup is performed [347.3.a] [347.3.a.1]. There is a related closure condition: if all players pass Focus without anyone playing a spell or activating an ability, the Showdown Closes and the game continues with the appropriate follow-up (for a Combat Showdown, continue the remaining Combat steps; for a Non-Combat Showdown, check for Control/Conquer/Hold results) [348] [348.1] [348.2]. Note that Showdowns are normally staged during Cleanup after Contested is applied, so the timing of when a Showdown becomes available to players is governed by those staging rules [FAQ:unleashed#5]. Also be aware of the privacy protection guidance: effects that would force a player to take an action on secret/private cards of a specified type can be ignored by that player per the clarifications (see Rift Herald example) [FAQ:unleashed#7].