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Your first gameLesson 5 of 76 min read

Playing your first unit

How to read a unit card, how runes pay for it, and where a unit goes when it enters the board.

Before this: The turn sequence

Units are the cards that go to battlefields and win you points. While a unit is on the board it is always at one Location: a battlefield, or its base.Rule 141.1.a.1. Units are at one of several Locations while on the Board: a Battlefield or their Base. Open in the rules browser Here is one, region by region.

Cost3+1 power
NameStone Sentinel
Might3
TypeUnit
DomainBody
KeywordsTank
Rules textTank
Flavor textIt does not move. Things move around it.
Energy—
Power1
TagsConstruct
Collector numberFIX FIX-004

Sample card for teaching. Its text is not official Riot card text; the card library replaces it with official cards from Riot's API.

  1. 1
    Cost

    A Main Deck card carries its cost in the upper left corner. The numeral is the Energy cost; the symbols listed under it are the Power cost.

    Rules:Rule 131.1.Rule 131.2.a.Rule 131.3.a.

  2. 2
    Might

    Might is the combat statistic. A unit with nonzero damage marked on it equal to or greater than its Might is killed.

    Rules:Rule 143.2.Rule 143.2.a.

  3. 3
    Domain

    This card's Domain. On a printed card the Domains appear as symbols in the lower right corner.

    Rules:Rule 134.1.

  4. 4
    Keywords

    Tank is a keyword: a term on the card standing in for a game effect the rules define once, in one place.

    Rules:Rule 801.Rule 815.1.

Stone Sentinel · Unit · art: RiftBounce placeholder

Paying for it

Runes Rule 162. Runes produce the resources needed to pay costs. Open in the rules browser you need to pay costs, and there are two kinds.Rule 163. Runes produce Energy and Power. Open in the rules browser Energy, the numeral in the corner, pays Rule 163.1. Energy is used to pay numeric Energy costs. Open in the rules browser. Power, the symbols under it, pays the Rule 163.2. Power is used to pay Domain-associated Power Costs. Open in the rules browser. A Basic Rune always carries the same two abilities: Rule 164.2.a. [E]: [Reaction] — Add [1]. Open in the rules browser to add 1 Energy, or recycle itRule 164.2.b. Recycle this: [Reaction] — Add [C]. Open in the rules browser to add 1 Power of that rune's own 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

Add your resources just before you spend them. Every player's rune pool empties at the start of each player's Main Phase and at the end of each player's turn.Rule 167. Every player's Rune Pool empties at the start of each player's Main Phase and the end of each player's turn. Open in the rules browser

Where it goes

By default you play cards from your hand or your Chosen Champion zone.Rule 419.1.a. By default, a player can only Play cards from their hand or their Chosen Champion zone. Open in the rules browser As a unit is played you Rule 355.2. For Units, choose a valid Location where that Unit will enter upon being Played. Open in the rules browser; the valid locations, by default, are your own base and a battlefield you already control.Rule 355.2.a. By default, Valid locations include the controller’s Base or a Battlefield the controller controls. Open in the rules browser

Units Rule 143.4. Units enter the Board exhausted. Open in the rules browser, turned sideways. Something already exhausted Rule 414.1.b. A Game Object that is already Exhausted cannot be Exhausted again. Open in the rules browser, and exhausting is the cost of a Standard Move. A cost you cannot pay is not paid, and the thing it was buying does not happen,Rule 203.3. 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. Open in the rules browser so a unit you just played normally waits until your next Awaken Phase readies it. Keywords such as Accelerate change that.Rule 143.4.a. This can be altered by Accelerate or similar game effects. See rule 805. Accelerate for more information. Open in the rules browser

Rules cited in this lesson

  1. Rule 141.1.a.1. Units are at one of several Locations while on the Board: a Battlefield or their Base.
  2. Rule 131.1. Main Deck cards have a Cost, listed in the upper left corner of the front face of the card. See rule 165. Rune Pools for more information.
  3. Rule 131.2.a. The numeral listed in the Cost element in the upper left corner of the card.
  4. Rule 131.3.a. The symbols, listed vertically, in the Cost element in the upper left corner of the card.
  5. Rule 143.2. Might: The combat statistic of a Unit. Used to determine a Unit's contribution to Combat, as well as when it is Killed by damaging effects.
  6. Rule 143.2.a. If a Unit ever has nonzero damage marked on it equalling or exceeding its Might, it is Killed.
  7. Rule 134.1. Most cards belong to one or more of six Domains, identified by one or more symbols in the lower right corner.
  8. Rule 801. A Keyword is a specific term that appears on Cards that acts as a shorthand for a specific game effect, or ability of any variety.
  9. Rule 815.1. Tank is a Passive Ability keyword.
  10. Rule 162. Runes produce the resources needed to pay costs.
  11. Rule 163. Runes produce Energy and Power.
  12. Rule 163.1. Energy is used to pay numeric Energy costs.
  13. Rule 163.2. Power is used to pay Domain-associated Power Costs.
  14. Rule 164.2.a. [E]: [Reaction] — Add [1].
  15. Rule 164.2.b. Recycle this: [Reaction] — Add [C].
  16. Rule 164.2.b.1. The Power added this way corresponds to the Domain of the Rune that is being Recycled.
  17. Rule 167. Every player's Rune Pool empties at the start of each player's Main Phase and the end of each player's turn.
  18. Rule 419.1.a. By default, a player can only Play cards from their hand or their Chosen Champion zone.
  19. Rule 355.2. For Units, choose a valid Location where that Unit will enter upon being Played.
  20. Rule 355.2.a. By default, Valid locations include the controller’s Base or a Battlefield the controller controls.
  21. Rule 143.4. Units enter the Board exhausted.
  22. Rule 414.1.b. A Game Object that is already Exhausted cannot be Exhausted again.
  23. Rule 203.3. 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.
  24. Rule 143.4.a. This can be altered by Accelerate or similar game effects. See rule 805. Accelerate for more information.