Unsporting conduct, angle shooting and outside help

The penalties in this lesson share one feature that the game play errors do not: they are about people, not about the game state. Riftbound does not tolerate unsporting conduct, and attendees and spectators must behave respectfully and honorably (TR 704.1.a). Unsporting Minor is a Warning, and its examples include disrespecting attendees or spectators, bullying, poor hygiene and offensive play materials. Unsporting Major is a Disqualification, with examples such as racial slurs, physical violence or threats, displaying aggression and intentionally misgendering an attendee, and it often comes with ejection from the venue (TR 704.2.a, TR 704.3, TR 704.3.a and TR 704.3.b). The lists are examples and not exhaustive, all judges may escalate, and the head judge may apply any penalty up to Disqualification (TR 704.1.c). Repeating the same category of unsporting Warning twice in an event upgrades it to a Game Loss (TR 704.1.b), a lower threshold than the three that apply to game play errors (TR 702.1.b.1). Floor judges step in on errors they see, but only after the error and not for Missed Triggers; unsporting conduct is the exception where they may intervene proactively (TR 204.5.c and TR 204.5.c.1). The Core Rules let a token be represented by anything (rule 181), though in tournaments it must be represented by a card object that can show its ready state and be understood by all players (TR 508.8), and what a player uses can also be an offensive play material.

Angle Shooting is a Warning for using the technical precision of the rules to gain an advantage the spirit of the rules would not have given. The listed examples include asking an opponent to state a choice they would make on resolution before deciding whether to react, taking actions quickly so the opponent has no time for priority, promising a concession to get information before changing a decision, baiting an opponent into a rules violation, distracting an opponent so they miss a priority window, and using sloppy play to obscure information (TR 704.4 and TR 704.4.a).

Outside Assistance is advice or strategic help from someone outside the match. If the player actively refuses the advice by calling a judge, it is a Warning, and otherwise a Match Loss, unless the head judge decides the advice was given maliciously. If they asked for the advice, it is cheating (TR 703.9 and TR 703.9.a and TR 703.9.b). A spectator who is also a player in the event takes the same penalty (TR 703.9.c). It is not outside assistance to get strategy from a teammate in team formats, or help with the physical logistics of the game at a judge's discretion, such as shuffling (TR 703.9.e and TR 703.9.f). A spectator who gives advice maliciously or knowingly may also be barred from the venue (TR 703.9.d). Breaking the electronic device policy is an Outside Assistance Warning (TR 703.9.g).

Two more rules protect the integrity of results. Games and matches must be decided by playing Riftbound, so a coin flip, dice, or another game is not allowed, and offering or accepting such an offer is a Match Loss, raised to Disqualification at Professional OPL (Organized Play Level) (TR 703.10, TR 703.10.a, TR 703.10.c and TR 703.10.d). Bribery, making or accepting an offer of out-of-game rewards to influence a game, is a Match Loss, wagering is a Disqualification, and theft is a Disqualification (TR 704.5, TR 704.5.a, TR 704.6 and TR 704.7). Sharing prizes that have not yet been awarded is not bribery, as long as the sharing is not offered in return for an outcome, an in-game action or a player dropping (TR 704.5.b). In the single-elimination part of a tournament, with the Competition Organizer's permission, players may also divide the remaining prizes evenly, or in the final round agree on a winner, with one player dropping (TR 704.5.c and TR 704.5.d). Goading an opponent into determining a winner improperly is cheating (TR 703.10.e). All of this applies whether or not it was a joke, a stunt, or social media content (TR 705.2.g).