Riftbound game action
Add
Add is a Riftbound game action: it puts energy or power into your rune pool to pay costs. Abilities that add resolve instantly, so they can't be reacted to.
39 cardsFirst seen in OriginsCore Rules 430
Official text
On the cards
Exhaust: Reaction — Add 
1 Energy. (Abilities that add resources can't be reacted to.)
Exhaust: Reaction — Add 
Rune of this card's domain. (Abilities that add resources can't be reacted to.)
Kill this, Exhaust: Reaction — Add 
Any Rune. (Abilities that add resources can't be reacted to.)
Core Rules
- 430.1
- Adding is the action of putting resources into a player's Rune Pool.
- 430.2
- Triggered and activated abilities that Add resources finalize immediately when they are played, even when handling tasks or during the resolution of spells and abilities, and resolve as soon as they are finalized.
- 430.2.a
- Priority and Focus will not pass from Add abilities being finalized or resolving. Any ongoing Task or step in the FEPR process is paused while they are being finalized and while they are resolving.
- 430.2.b
- Spells that Add resources will be finalized and will resolve at the normal timing for spells.
- 430.3
- Activated abilities that Add resources and have the Reaction tag can be activated at any time that spells or abilities require resources be paid.
- 430.4.a
- Players may only Add resources when Game Effects direct them to do so.
- 168
- All Abilities that include the action "Add" are abilities that are adding Energy or Power to the Rune Pool.
- 164.2.a
- [Reaction][>] Exhaust: Add 1 Energy.
- 164.2.b
- [Reaction][>] Recycle this: Add Rune of this card's domain.
- 167
- Every player's Rune Pool empties at the start of each player's Main Phase and the end of each player's turn.
Riftbound Core Rules, updated October 9, 2026
How Add works
What does Add mean in Riftbound?
It puts energy or power into your rune pool, which is what you spend to pay costs. A number in an energy symbol adds that much energy, and a rune symbol adds one power of that domain.
Core Rules 430.1, 430.5, 166.2
Why can't abilities that add resources be reacted to?
They finalize and resolve immediately, like units and gear, so nobody gets a chance to respond. Priority and focus don't pass when they resolve either.
Core Rules 430.2, 430.2.a, 337.2Riftbound Core Rules: Patch Notes
Can I add resources in the middle of playing a card?
Yes, with an Add ability that has Reaction, like a rune's. You can use those whenever you're asked to pay, even partway through playing a spell, and they resolve on the spot.
Core Rules 430.3, 357.1.a, 445.2.c
Are runes Add abilities?
Yes. Every basic rune has two: exhaust it to add 1 energy, or recycle it to add one power of its domain. Both have Reaction.
Core Rules 164.2.a, 164.2.bRiftbound Core Rules: Patch Notes
Do spells that add resources work the same way?
No. Only abilities resolve instantly. A spell that adds energy or power goes on the chain and resolves at the normal time for spells, so players can respond to it.
Core Rules 430.2.b
What happens to energy and power I don't spend?
It's lost. Every player's rune pool empties at the start of each player's Main Phase and at the end of each turn.
Core Rules 167
Can I add resources whenever I want?
Only when a card or rune tells you to. Adding is a limited action, so you can't do it any other way.
Core Rules 430.4, 430.4.a
Example: Paying Mageseeker Investigator's tax
You move two units together to the battlefield where your opponent has Mageseeker Investigator, which makes you pay one power of any domain for each unit beyond the first. Moving doesn't give you priority, but you can still recycle a rune to add the power you need, because rune abilities are Reaction abilities that add resources, and those can be used whenever you have to pay.
From Riftbound Core Rules
Official rulings
Riot's own words, from its rules articles.
CLARIFIED: ‘Add’ abilities finalize immediately like Units and Gear.
CLARIFIED: Focus and Priority do not pass on resolution of Add abilities.
CLARIFIED: Basic rune abilities have Reaction.
Every Add card (39)
kw:addCards that add energy or power · 39
