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New to Riftbound? We've Got You.
What is Riftbound?
Riftbound is a physical trading card game (TCG) where you build a deck around six color-coded domains: Fury, Calm, Mind, Body, Chaos, and Order. Each domain shapes what cards you can play.
You pick a Legend (your leader), fill your deck with Units (your fighters), Spells (one-time effects), and Gear (persistent items), then fuel everything with Runes (your resource system). First to 8 points wins -you score by conquering and holding battlefields.
If you've played any card game before, the closest comparison is probably King of the Hill with a deck of cards. You fight over battlefields, not each other. Games run about 20 minutes, and a starter deck costs $20. You can sit down and play tonight.
What's in a Deck?
A Riftbound deck has 56 required cards (or 64 with sideboard):
Your leader. Defines your deck's identity and allowed domains. Has up to two abilities that shape how you play.
Your resources. Separate from your main deck so you never get "mana-screwed" or "flooded."
The lanes where combat happens. You and your opponent each pick one from your decks to battle at.
1 Chosen Champion (your starting unit) + 39 more cards made up of Units, Spells, and Gear. This is what you draw and play each turn.
Optional: Sideboard (8 cards)
For tournament play, you can bring an extra 8 cards to swap in after games 1 and 2. Think of it like a bench; if your opponent is playing lots of removal, swap in more threats. For casual play, you can ignore this entirely.
The Goal: Race to 8
First to 8 points wins. You score points two ways:
Conquer (+1 point)
Win a Showdown (combat) on a battlefield to take it. Immediately scores 1 point.
Hold (+1 point/turn)
At the start of your turn, score 1 point for each battlefield you've already conquered. This is how leads snowball.
Important: You're not trying to kill your opponent. You're fighting over battlefields. It's King of the Hill, not life drain.
What Do I Need to Play?
The easiest way to start is with a Starter Deck ($20). Each one comes pre-built and tournament-legal, so you can open it, shuffle up, and start playing right away. You'll have the game down in two or three matches, and from there you can swap cards in as you figure out your playstyle.
If you'd rather build from scratch, you can crack Booster Packs and put a deck together yourself. It takes more time and a bigger investment, but that's half the fun for a lot of players.
Next Step
Learn the Game
You know what's in the box. Now let's walk through an actual game.
Learn the Game →