Riftbound: The New Trading Card Game

In the ever-changing world of collectible card games (TCGs), a new challenger is emerging: Riftbound. Promising to bring a unique experience to TCG fans with its mix of strategic elements, innovative mechanics, and captivating aesthetics, Riftbound wants to stand out from the crowd.

The Riftbound universe

Narrative context

Riftbound is set in the expanded universe of League of Legends. You will be able to find all your favorite characters and champions, whether you discovered them through video games or the Netflix series.

The story of Riftbound is told through maps, artwork, and in-game events, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in this fantasy universe. Each card tells a part of the story, whether it's a character, a creature, or a significant event.

Game mechanics

Deck Building

Each deck must be based on a Legendary Champion who will impose the colors you can use and the Chosen Hero who will be able to join your deck. In addition to this color restriction, the champion you choose gives you a unique ability that can influence the mechanics of your deck.

Rune System

One of the key features of Riftbound is the rune system. Each player has a deck of runes that they use to summon their units or cast powerful spells. Each Legendary Champion imposes two colors for their deck, so runes must respect this constraint.

The peculiarity of this resource system is that some cards will ask you to return runes under your rune deck, thus reducing your maximum resources. It's up to you to estimate the right time to play such cards without being left behind by your opponent.

Aim of the game

Unlike many other card games, the goal here is not to defeat your opponent by reducing their hit points or destroying their creatures. In Riftbound, you must compete for control of the battlefields. You earn a point if you take control of a Battleground belonging to your opponent, but also for each Battleground under your control at the start of your turn. The game ends when a player earns his 8th point thanks to his control (at the beginning of his turn).

The different battlegrounds in the game come from players' decks and all have a different effect that helps to make each game unique.

Card rarity

Riftbound offers, like all TCGs, cards of different degrees of rarity.

• The community cards : simple bronze frame, round rarity gem.
• Uncommon cards : silver frame, triangular rarity gem.
• Rare cards : gold frame with the artwork that comes out of it, shiny areas, square rarity gem.
• The Epic Cards : Minimalist gold frame to highlight the illustration, shiny, pentagonal rarity gem.

In addition to these cards with classic rarity levels, there are:

• Alternate cards : one for each of the twelve available champions.
• Supernumerary cards : two for each of the twelve available champions (1 normal and 1 signed).

Rune cards also get rare alternate versions, so keep your eyes peeled.

Conclusion

With a first expansion already on the way and a large fan base, we can expect to see Riftbound make its place in the world of TCGs. But only time will tell if he has what it takes to stay.

If you are interested in the game, you can find it in the store (while stocks last).

MagicFranco also hosts organized game sessions for Riftbound every Saturday at 2 p.m.