Cards And Zones
How Do You Hide and Play a Facedown Card?
Hide a card with Hidden at a battlefield you control, then play it from there starting on a later turn.
RiftPal explanation · Answer first
The short answer
On your turn in an open state, pay one power of any domain to hide a card with from your hand or Champion Zone facedown at a battlefield you ControllerThe player who currently controls a game object and makes the choices assigned to that controller. Control is established differently for battlefields and other objects, and need not match ownership.View in Glossary with an empty Facedown ZoneThe separate board space associated with a battlefield for facedown cards. It is not a location and normally holds one card. The card's controller must control that battlefield; the zone is public but the card's face is private.View in Glossary . Starting on the next turn, you may play it from there at ReactionA timing keyword that includes Action's permissions and also permits a card or activated ability while a Chain is waiting. You still need the proper opportunity, normally Priority; it does not allow an interruption halfway through resolution.View in Glossary timing while ignoring its base cost.
RiftPal explanation
How it works
Hiding is not playing and does not open a chain. Playing the facedown card does. The base-cost waiver does not erase other applicable costs. You can instead play a card with normally, using its usual cost and timing. If you lose ControllerThe player who currently controls a game object and makes the choices assigned to that controller. Control is established differently for battlefields and other objects, and need not match ownership.View in Glossary of the battlefield, the hidden card goes to its owner's Trash at the next cleanup.
Card reference
Block
Normally, a permanent played from must enter at its original battlefield, including gear that would usually enter at Base. A specific effect can permit another battlefield. A hidden spell TargetA specific object, player or zone chosen by a spell or ability under the targeting rules. Check legality when choosing and when resolving. Costs, automatic groups and explicit "pick" choices do not target; pending Chain items cannot be targeted.View in Glossary s at the battlefield it was played from; a hidden permanent’s play effect targets at the battlefield it was played to. A target may be elsewhere only when an explicit targeting restriction makes choosing it there impossible; apply this separately to each target. If the spell or play effect instructs you to play a unit, play that unit at the same battlefield. Effects that do not choose targets still apply normally. If a hidden spell has no legal targets under these limits, you cannot play it from Hidden. Making new choices later must still obey the same limits.
Spell
Block
[Hidden] (Hide now for [Rainbow] to react with later for [Energy 0].) [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.) Give a unit [Shield 3] and [Tank] this turn. (+3 [Might] while it's a defender. It must be assigned combat damage first.)
In practice
Example
You hide a spell at a battlefield you control. On the next turn you play it from facedown with Reaction, ignoring its base cost. If it says to choose a unit, you must choose one at that battlefield. If there is no legal unit there and the spell requires that target, you cannot play it from Hidden.