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Beginner’s Guide to Riftbound
Get to know the cards, fight for your first battlefield, and build a deck of your own. Start here with a two-player game.
Reviewed · A first-game introduction
01 / Game basics
Win ground. Hold your advantage.
Riftbound is a trading card game set in the world of League of Legends. You do not need to have played League to begin: each player brings a deck, plays units and spells, and competes to control shared locations called battlefields.
In a two-player game, the goal is eight points. You score by conquering battlefields and by holding them into your next turn. Scoring has limits, including a special rule for the final point, so use the official tutorial for the full sequence.
The rhythm of a game
Think of these as your main decisions, rather than a complete turn sequence:
- Prepare your resources. Runes supply the resources you need to play cards. Decide what you can afford now and what to save for a response.
- Build your board. Play units, use spells and develop your plan. Read each card’s abilities before committing it.
- Contest a battlefield. Move units to challenge your opponent. In combat, units use their might to deal damage; spells and abilities can change the outcome.
- Score and defend. Taking ground matters, but keeping it matters too. Leave enough strength to protect a battlefield on the next turn.
02 / Meet your cards
A role for every card
- Legend
- Your deck’s identity. Its domains—the game’s colors—guide which cards you can include and the strategy you build around.
- Chosen champion
- A champion unit that matches your Legend. You set this card aside at setup so it is available to play; it is a different card from your Legend.
- Runes
- Resources from a separate rune deck. Exhausting a rune means turning it sideways to generate energy. Recycling it returns it to the rune deck to generate power. Check the card’s cost for what you need.
- Units
- Your force on the board. They move, fight and help control battlefields. Other champion units can also be part of your main deck.
- Spells and gear
- Spells create effects when played. Gear stays on the board to support your plan; equipment is a kind of gear that can attach to units.
- Battlefields
- The places you fight over to earn points. Their abilities can change how you approach a game, so read both battlefields before you begin.
Follow along with Riot’s quick-start guide for an introduction to the cards and board.
03 / Your first deck
Start with a deck. Make it yours.
A preconstructed deck is a straightforward first step: the cards are already selected so you can focus on learning. Riot’s Proving Grounds starter set includes decks and materials for learning together. Booster packs can expand a collection, but are not a substitute for a complete first deck.
Once you have played a few games, try small changes and see how they affect your plan. For Standard Constructed, start with this checklist:
- 1 Legend
- Sets your deck’s identity.
- 40 Main-deck cards
- Includes your chosen champion.
- 12 Runes
- Kept in a separate rune deck.
- 3 Battlefields
- Each with a different name.
In our Deck Builder, that 40-card total is shown as 39 in Main Deck plus 1 in Champion. Do not add a 41st card for your chosen champion. Check Riot’s current rules and card restrictions for domains, copy limits and event requirements.
Put your ideas into a list
Browse cards, organize your deck and save your work in this browser on this device. The Deck Builder helps you plan a list; it does not certify tournament legality.
Open Deck BuilderFor ideas after your first few games, explore reviewed tournament decklists. These are historical examples; check current rules before using one at an event.
04 / Learn in person
Learn with another player
No tutorial sessions are scheduled at RiftExchange yet. If you are interested in learning with us, get in touch. You can also use the official event finder to look for play near you. Ask the organizer whether an event welcomes beginners and what you need to bring before attending.
05 / Keep learning
Go further with Riot’s guides
This guide introduces the essentials. For setup, timing, card exceptions and the complete rules, continue with these official resources. Rules and card text can change between releases.
- Learn to Play
The official tutorial and quick-start resources for your first game.
- Rules Hub
Current core and tournament rules, card restrictions, patch notes and errata.
- Find an event
Explore local Riftbound play through the official event finder.