Riftbound keyword
Temporary
Temporary is a Riftbound keyword: the unit or gear is killed at the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring, so it lasts until their next turn starts.
24 cardsFirst seen in OriginsCore Rules 816
Official text
On the cards
Temporary (Kill this at the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring.)
Temporary (Kill me at the start of my controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring.)
Core Rules
- 816.1
- Temporary is a Triggered Ability keyword.
- 816.1.a
- It is present on Permanents.
- 816.1.b
- It is functionally short for "At the start of this permanent's controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring, kill this."
- 816.1.c
- The Trigger Condition is the controller of the permanent's Beginning Phase starting.
- 816.2
- Multiple instances of Temporary are redundant.
- 816.2.a
- Regardless of how many instances there are, the ability will only trigger once.
Riftbound Core Rules, updated October 9, 2026
How Temporary works
When does a Temporary card die?
At the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before they score. A Temporary unit you play on your turn stays until the start of your next turn, so it can still defend during your opponent's turn.
Core Rules 816.1.b, 816.1.c
Can a Temporary unit help me hold a battlefield?
No. It's killed before scoring, so it's gone by the time you hold. If it was your only unit at a battlefield, you lose control of that battlefield before you can hold it.
Core Rules 816.1.b, 315.2.b.2, 190.4.c
Does a Temporary card's Deathknell trigger?
Yes. Temporary kills the card, so anything that happens when it dies, like Deathknell, triggers. Sprite Fountain is built around this: when Temporary kills it, its Deathknell plays another Sprite.
Core Rules 816.1.b, 808.1.c
What if a card has Temporary twice?
It still dies only once. Extra instances of Temporary are redundant and trigger only one time.
Core Rules 816.2, 816.2.a
Does Temporary work on attached Equipment?
Not if it's printed on the Equipment. An attached card's printed rules text is inactive, so Spinning Axe's own Temporary doesn't trigger while it's attached. Temporary given to it by another card, like Turn to Dust, still works and kills it.
Core Rules 135.4, 718.2Unleashed Rules FAQ and Clarifications
Does an inactive Temporary still count as Temporary?
Yes. A card with inactive text still has its keywords for anything that checks, so an attached Spinning Axe is still a gear with Temporary.
Core Rules 722.1, 722.2Riftbound Core Rules: Spiritforged Patch Notes
If a unit I gave Temporary returns to my hand, is it still Temporary?
No. A card that leaves the board loses everything that was granted to it, Temporary included, so it's a normal card if you play it again. Temporary printed on the card stays.
Core Rules 124.1
Example: Sprite Fountain
You play Sprite Fountain, which plays a ready 3 Might Sprite token with Temporary to your base. The Sprite can attack this turn and defend during your opponent's turn. At the start of your next Beginning Phase, before you score, Temporary kills both the Sprite and the Fountain, and the Fountain's Deathknell plays a fresh ready Sprite. That Sprite arrived after the phase started, so it lasts until your following turn.
From Riftbound Core Rules
Official rulings
Riot's own words, from its rules articles.
If I play Turn to Dust on an attached Equipment, will the Equipment die in the Beginning Phase?
Yes. The granted Temporary keyword will be active. It will trigger and kill the equipment in its controller’s next Beginning Phase. Attached Equipment only have their printed rules text made inactive per rules 718.2. and 135.4. This means that any granted rules text will still be active; granted Temporary will trigger and kill attached Equipment and granted Deflect will add
Any Rune to the cost of enemy spells and abilities that target them.If Temporary is granted to an attached Spinning Axe, will it die at the start of my Beginning Phase?
Yes. The Spinning Axe will have two instances of the Temporary keyword - one that is active and one that is inactive. The inactive keyword will not trigger, but the active one will. Alas, Spinning Axe will die.
While inactive text has no effect on the game, it does still exist. This means other effects can still check on it. For example a card with Temporary still has Temporary even if it is inactive and won’t trigger. So a hypothetical effect that said “Destroy a card with Temporary” could still choose something with an inactive Temporary keyword.
Every Temporary card (24)
kw:temporaryCards with Temporary · 6
