Riftbound keyword
Tank
Tank is a Riftbound keyword: in combat, a unit with Tank must be assigned lethal damage before any of its controller's other units without Tank can be assigned damage.
32 cardsFirst seen in OriginsCore Rules 815
Official text
On the cards
Tank (I must be assigned combat damage first.)
Core Rules
- 815.1
- Tank is a Passive Ability keyword.
- 815.1.a
- It is present on Units.
- 815.1.b
- It is functionally short for "I must be assigned lethal damage before any other unit with the same controller as me that does not have [Tank] during the Combat Damage step."
- 815.1.c
- It alters how players can elect to assign combat damage during combat.
- 815.1.c.1
- Players must still assign lethal damage to a unit before moving to the next when assigning their damage.
- 815.1.c.2
- If more than one unit with Tank is present with the same controller in Combat, damage may be assigned to any of them. Units without Tank are invalid assignments until all units with Tank have lethal damage assigned to them.
- 815.2
- Multiple instances of Tank are redundant.
Riftbound Core Rules, updated October 9, 2026
How Tank works
What does Tank do?
It decides where combat damage goes first. When your opponent assigns combat damage to your units, they must assign enough to kill your Tank before they can assign any to your other units in that combat.
Core Rules 815.1.b, 815.1.c
Does Tank protect my other units from spells and abilities?
No. Tank only changes how combat damage is assigned in the Combat Damage step. Spells and abilities can still choose and damage any of your units.
Core Rules 815.1.b, 815.1.c
What if I have more than one unit with Tank?
The player assigning damage picks the order among your Tanks, but every one of them must be assigned lethal damage before your other units can be assigned any.
Core Rules 815.1.c.2, 467.2.c.7
What if my Tank prevents some of the damage?
Then it takes more to get past it, because prevention counts while damage is being assigned. A 2 Might Tank that prevents the first 3 damage it would take each combat must be assigned 5 damage before your other units can be assigned any.
Core Rules 467.2.c.5, 815.1.c.1
What if my Tank can't be dealt damage at all?
Then it's skipped. A unit that can't be dealt damage is exempt from the rules about assigning lethal damage, so the damage goes to your other units as normal.
Core Rules 467.2.c.10
What if a unit has both Tank and Backline?
The player assigning damage follows one of them: that unit is assigned damage first or last, never in between. Riot's example is Caitlyn, Patrolling after she's given Tank.
Core Rules 467.2.c.8
Can my opponent ignore Tank?
Only with a card that says so. Dune Surfer's controller ignores Tank while assigning combat damage at its battlefield, and that applies only to them.
Core Rules 765, 767
Example: Getting past Sunlit Guardian
Your opponent defends a battlefield with Sunlit Guardian, a 3 Might unit with Shield and Tank, and a 2 Might unit. As a defender, Sunlit Guardian has 4 Might. You attack with 5 Might, so you must assign 4 damage to Sunlit Guardian first, leaving only 1 for the other unit, which survives.
From Riftbound Core Rules
Every Tank card (32)
kw:tankCards with Tank · 23
Cards that give Tank or boost Tank units · 8
Cards that ignore Tank · 1
