Riftbound is the League of Legends trading card game from Riot Games, with organised play in shops run through UVS Games. It is a game for 2 to 4 players. Each player leads a deck built around a champion legend and fights for control of battlefields. Taking a battlefield scores a point, keeping it scores more, and the first player to 8 points wins (11 in a team game).
The easiest way in is a ready-made starter box at home, followed by a Nexus Night at a local shop, where regulars are used to teaching new players. The first set, Origins, arrived in October 2025, so the whole community is still fairly new, which makes it a welcoming time to start.
Find shops near you on our Riftbound page.
What is in a Riftbound deck
A Riftbound deck has more parts than most card games, but each one has a clear job:
- Your champion legend. The most important card, and the one you build your deck around. It sets your deck’s domains (Riftbound’s colours) and decides which chosen champion you can use. In Origins, every legend has two domains.
- Your chosen champion. A champion unit linked to your legend. It starts face up on the board rather than in your deck, so your star card is there from the first turn, ready to send into battle.
- The main deck. Your other units (including other champion units), spells to help them win, and gear to power up your team, all from your legend’s domains.
- The rune deck. A separate side deck of runes. Runes are your resources, the equivalent of mana or ink in other games.
- Battlefields. A constructed deck includes three different battlefields (no duplicates), and in a game each player puts a battlefield into play. Once the game starts, every battlefield is up for grabs.
The official Core Rules give the exact number of cards for each part, so check them before you build your own deck.
Domains and strategy
Every card belongs to a domain, and each domain has its own feel. Your legend decides which domains you play, which keeps deckbuilding simple at first. Together, your legend and chosen champion shape your plan: quick strikes, a huge army that builds up over time, or one powerful and mobile fighter.
Setting up a game
- Place your legend and chosen champion face up, with your main deck and rune deck beside them.
- Put the battlefields into play, where both players can fight over them.
- Shuffle both decks, decide who goes first and draw your opening hand.
- The first player begins their turn.
The official Quick Start and Core Rules cover opening hand size and any redraws, and starter products such as Proving Grounds guide you through setup step by step.
How a turn works
Each turn follows a set order of phases. The key moments for a new player are:
- Beginning Phase: early in your turn you score for each battlefield you still control.
- New runes: each turn you get two new runes from your rune deck.
- Your main play: you play cards, move units and fight for battlefields.
- End of turn: some cards trigger here, then play passes to your opponent.
Check the official Quick Start for the exact turn steps in order.
Runes, energy and power
Every card in your deck has a cost, which you pay with runes, and runes can be used in two ways. Turning a rune sideways (exhausting it) uses it up for now to pay normal costs. Returning a rune to your rune deck uses it up completely to pay for more powerful cards, and it comes back round later. Because you gain two runes a turn, your options grow quickly and games stay fast.
Units, battlefields and combat
Units are the characters you play, and you move your champion and other units from your base to battlefields. If your opponent already controls a battlefield, your army and theirs fight. Units use their Might (combat strength) to deal damage to opposing units, and if you are the only one with units standing at the end of the fight, you win the battle and take control. Some spells can be played during these showdowns too, so a battle can swing at the last moment.
Scoring and winning
There are two main ways to score:
- Conquer: take control of a battlefield and score 1 point straight away.
- Hold: start your turn still controlling a battlefield and score 1 point for it.
The first player to 8 points wins, or 11 in a team game. Because holding scores every turn, a strong defence can carry you to victory just as surely as a big attack. The Core Rules include extra detail on scoring the final point, so read them once you have a few games behind you.
The official Quick Start guide on the Riftbound website walks through all of this with pictures, and it pairs well with your first starter box.
What to buy first
| Product | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Proving Grounds | The companion box to Origins, with four prebuilt decks led by Annie, Garen, Lux and Master Yi, priced at £29.99 RRP | Learning with friends or family at home |
| Champion Decks | Single preconstructed decks, such as the Jinx, Lee Sin and Viktor decks from the Origins launch | A ready-made deck you can upgrade over time |
| Booster packs | Random cards from the current set | Tuning a deck you already own |
Proving Grounds is the most common first purchase, because it supports 2 to 4 players, includes a guided play experience and comes with deck upgrade suggestions for when you start buying boosters. Riftbound has released several sets since Origins, including Spiritforged, Unleashed and Vendetta, with Radiance as the fifth. Ask your local shop which Champion Decks they have in stock, since the staff can often show you a game first.
Nexus Nights and organised play in the UK
Riftbound organised play starts at local shops, which register to host official events each set season. The main ones a beginner will meet are:
- Nexus Night: the weekly casual event, on whichever day suits the shop. The shop picks the format, from one-on-one games to 2v2 or free-for-all, and players receive a Nexus Night promo pack as a participation prize while supplies last.
- Pre-Rift: Riftbound’s name for a prerelease, held one week before each new set comes out. Each player gets a kit with a small preconstructed deck, five booster packs and a promo card, and builds a deck on the spot, so everyone starts level. Our prerelease guide explains how this kind of event works.
- Summoner Skirmish: the competitive step up from Nexus Night, played one-on-one with constructed decks in best-of-three matches. Shops can host up to two per set season, and the winner earns a round 1 bye at a future Regional Qualifier.
Shops schedule these events through Riftbound’s official organised play system, so the official Riftbound event listings are a good place to look, alongside each shop’s own website. Many shops also take bookings directly.
What a UK Riftbound night is like
Across the Riftbound events we list, most start around 6pm, and Sunday is the busiest day, with plenty of midweek nights too. Where a fee is shown, entry is usually between £3 and £8, and some shops run free sessions. Games are quick, so you can expect several rounds in an evening, often with players swapping tips between matches.
Some good places to start are Leicester, London and Northampton. The Leicester events calendar shows what is on each week, and every shop listing has its own details. You can also browse other trading card games played at the same shops.
Your first night checklist
- Play a practice game at home with Proving Grounds, or read the official Quick Start guide.
- Find the event on the official listings or the shop’s website, and book if they ask you to.
- Bring your legend, chosen champion, main deck, rune deck and battlefields, plus card sleeves and a deck box.
- Bring something to track points, such as a dice or a notepad.
- Arrive a little early and tell the organiser it is your first Riftbound night.
- Say each action out loud, especially when you move units or use runes.
- Ask your opponent or a staff member whenever a rule is unclear. Everyone at the table is still learning this game.
If you enjoy Riftbound, our guide on how to play Magic: The Gathering is a good next step at many of the same shops.
Common questions
How do you win a game of Riftbound?
The first player to 8 points wins (11 in a team game). You score a point when you take control of a battlefield and another each new turn you keep it, so holding on matters as much as taking it.
How many cards are in a Riftbound deck?
A deck is built around your champion legend, with a chosen champion unit, a main deck of units, spells and gear, a separate rune deck and three different battlefields. The official Core Rules give the exact card counts for each part.
What is the best Riftbound starter deck for beginners?
Proving Grounds is the usual first buy, because it holds four prebuilt decks for 2 to 4 players and includes a guided play experience. Champion Decks are single preconstructed decks you can upgrade as your collection grows.
What is a Riftbound Nexus Night?
Nexus Night is the weekly, casual in-store event for Riftbound. Players receive a Nexus Night promo pack as a participation prize while supplies last, and the focus is on friendly games rather than serious competition.
Do I need to know League of Legends to play Riftbound?
No. The cards feature League of Legends champions, so fans will spot familiar faces, but the rules stand on their own. Plenty of players come to Riftbound from other card games instead.
How do I find Riftbound events near me?
Shops schedule official Nexus Nights, Pre-Rifts and other events through Riftbound's organised play system, so check the official Riftbound event listings and your local shop's website. Our city pages also list UK shops that run regular Riftbound nights.