Riftbound rules

Riftbound rules, explained

How the game works, one part at a time. Each page answers the question first, then quotes the rules it rests on from Riot's Core Rules (updated October 9, 2026).

  1. 1How to play RiftboundEach player brings a legend, a champion, a main deck of at least 40 cards, 12 runes and 3 battlefields. Conquer and hold battlefields to score points. First to 8 wins.
  2. 2How scoring works in RiftboundRiftbound is won at 8 points (11 in 2v2). You score a battlefield by conquering or holding it, once per battlefield per turn, and the final point comes with a catch.
  3. 3Riftbound turn structure: every phase in orderA Riftbound turn has six phases: Awaken, Beginning, Channel, Draw, Main and Ending. You ready, hold battlefields, channel 2 runes, draw 1, play cards, then units heal.
  4. 4How combat works in RiftboundCombat starts when two players' units meet at a battlefield. Each side deals damage equal to its total Might, and whoever still has units there afterward controls it.
  5. 5Timing in Riftbound: the chain, priority and focusBy default, you can only play cards on your turn with no showdown and nothing on the chain. Showdowns allow Action and Reaction cards, and the chain only Reactions.
  6. 6Moving units in Riftbound: the standard move, recalls and battlefieldsExhaust a unit in your Main Phase to move it between your base and a battlefield, or between battlefields with Ganking. A recall sends it to base but isn't a move.
  7. 7Runes in Riftbound: energy, power and the rune deckA Riftbound rune deck is 12 runes in your legend's domains. You channel 2 a turn, then exhaust a rune for 1 energy or recycle it for one power of its domain.
  8. 8Riftbound deck building rulesA Riftbound deck is a Champion Legend, a Main Deck of 40+ cards including your Chosen Champion, 12 runes and 3 battlefields. Max 3 copies of a card and 3 Signature cards.
  9. 9Riftbound card types: units, spells, gear, legends, runes and battlefieldsRiftbound has six card types. Units, gear and spells form your Main Deck, runes your rune deck, and legends and battlefields start in play. Units and gear are permanents.
  10. 10Riftbound game modes: 1v1, 2v2 and free-for-allRiftbound has five sanctioned modes: 1v1 Duel and Match, 3-player Skirmish, 4-player War and 2v2 Magma Chamber. All play to 8 points except 2v2, which plays to 11.
Keyword glossaryAll 34 keywords, with rules, rulings and every card.Riot's official Core Rules The full rules document, on Riot's Rules Hub.

For AI tools: every rules page as one Markdown file.