000. Golden and Silver Rules

001. Golden Rule

002. Card text supersedes rules text. Whenever a card fundamentally contradicts the rules, the card's indication is what is true.

050. Silver Rule

051. Card text uses different terminology than rules. Card text should be interpreted according to these rules, not as though it were text within these rules.

052. Card, when written in card effects, is shorthand for "Main Deck card." Runes, legends, and battlefields are not considered cards when executing the abilities and effects of game objects. They are considered cards for the purposes of these rules.

053. Cards refer to themselves in the first person.

• 053.1. Units and legends say "I," "me," etc.

• 053.2. Gear and spells say "this."

• 053.3. Battlefields say "here."

054. “Can’t beats Can”

• 054.1. Cards that forbid actions or effects, as a broad method of determination, supersede cards that allow or permit that same action or effect.

055. When executing card text, do as much as you can, ignoring impossible instructions.

• 055.1. If all of a card’s instructions are impossible, it is still played and resolved, but nothing happens.

100. Game Concepts

101. Deck Construction

102. Riftbound is a Trading Card Game where a player must provide their own cards to play against other players.

103. To play Riftbound, a player must have two Decks, a Champion Legend, and a number of Battlefields determined by the Mode of Play.

• 103.1. 1 Champion Legend

  • 103.1.a. This is placed in the Legend Zone at the start of the game.

  • 103.1.b. This will dictate the Domain Identity of the Main Deck.

    • 103.1.b.1. Cards included in your Deck must abide by your Domain Identity.

    • 103.1.b.2. Your deck’s Domain Identity is dictated by the domains of your Champion Legend. In the default card frame, these domains appear as symbols in the legend’s upper left corner.

    • 103.1.b.3. If a card has a single Domain, then that card is permitted in the Domain Identity that corresponds to the same Domain.

    • 103.1.b.4. If a card has more than one Domain, then that card is permitted only in a Domain Identity that contains all of the indicated Domains on that card.

• 103.2. A Main Deck of at least 40 cards 1 Chosen Champion Unit Units Gear Spells

  • 103.2.a. Chosen Champion

    • 103.2.a.1. This will be placed in the Champion Zone at the start of the game.

    • 103.2.a.2. Must be a champion unit with a champion tag that matches the tag on your Champion Legend. Example: Loose Cannon has the tag Jinx. Therefore, a player could choose Jinx, Rebel or Jinx, Demolitionist as their Chosen Champion, because they also have the tag Jinx. Example: Tibbers has the tag Annie, but it is a signature unit, not a champion unit. It cannot be your Chosen Champion, even if your Champion Legend has the tag Annie.

    • 103.2.a.3. A player’s Chosen Champion is both the specific card chosen for this slot during Deck Building and also any Champion Unit with the same name as the specific card selected for this specific slot during the course of play. Example: A player chose Jinx, Rebel as their Chosen Champion. One copy of Jinx, Rebel starts the game in their Chosen Champion zone. Any additional copies of Jinx, Rebel in their Main Deck, their hand, their trash, or on the board also count as their Chosen Champion for any game rules and effects that care about Chosen Champion status during the game.

  • 103.2.b. Your Main Deck can include up to 3 copies of the same named card.

    • 103.2.b.1. This includes your Chosen Champion. Example: A deck could include Volibear, Furious as its Chosen Champion and still include 2 more copies of Volibear, Furious.

    • 103.2.b.2. Cards have different names even if they represent the same character. Example: A deck could include 3 copies of Yasuo, Remorseful and 3 copies of Yasuo, Windrider, because they have different names.

  • 103.2.c. Subject to Domain Identity.

  • 103.2.d. Your deck may only contain 3 total Signature cards that have the same Champion tag as your Champion Legend.

    • 103.2.d.1. Regardless of name, a deck may only contain a sum total of 3 Signature cards.

    • 103.2.d.2. All of the Signature cards must have the Champion tag that corresponds to the Champion Legend of the deck.

    • 103.2.d.3. Signature cards are not Champion units and cannot be placed in the Champion Zone.

  • 103.2.e. During Gameplay, the Main Deck is Secret Information.

    • 103.2.e.1. It cannot be looked through or revealed unless instructed by a card effect.

• 103.3. Rune Deck

  • 103.3.a. 12 Rune Cards

    • 103.3.a.1. Cards in this deck must be of the Domain Identity of your Champion Legend.

  • 103.3.b. Must be shuffled and kept separate from the Main Deck.

• 103.4. Battlefields

  • 103.4.a. The number will be dictated by your Mode of Play.

  • 103.4.b. Subject to Domain Identity if applicable.

  • 103.4.c. Cannot include more than one of a Battlefield of the same name when there are more than one required for the deck.

104. Setup

105. Spaces

106. The Play Area includes a space for Game Objects referred to as The Board.

• 106.1. The Board is divided into several Zones.

• 106.2. The Base

  • 106.2.a. One per player.

  • 106.2.b. The space each player always has access to play their Units and Gear to.

  • 106.2.c. Each Base is a Location.

  • 106.2.d. Other players cannot have Game Objects they control in another player's Base.

  • 106.2.e. The Base also houses each player's Runes that are on The Board.

• 106.3. The Battlefield Zone

  • 106.3.a. Multiple Battlefields will be here, typically one per player, but occasionally less.

  • 106.3.b. The space where Battlefields are located during gameplay.

  • 106.3.c. Each Battlefield is individually a Location.

• 106.4. The Facedown Zones

  • 106.4.a. Each Battlefield is associated with a sub-zone called a Facedown Zone, a single logical space that a card can be put facedown in through various Game Effects.

  • 106.4.b. Each Facedown Zone has a maximum occupancy of one card.

  • 106.4.c. Cards can only be placed in or occupy the Facedown Zone if the controller of the card also controls the associated Battlefield.

  • 106.4.d. If the Hidden card's controller loses Control of the Battlefield, the card in the Facedown Zone is removed during the next Cleanup. See rule 318. Cleanups for more information. See rule 408. Hide for more information.

  • 106.4.e. Facedown Zones are not locations.

• 106.5. The Legend Zone

  • 106.5.a. The space for each player's Champion Legend.

  • 106.5.b. This is not a location.

  • 106.5.c. The Champion Legend here is a Game Object. See rule 119. Game Objects for more information.

  • 106.5.d. The Champion Legend cannot be removed, moved, or displaced from this zone.

107. The Play Area also includes Non-Board Zones.

• 107.1. The Trash

  • 107.1.a. This space is where cards are placed when they are killed or discarded, when they finish being executed as spells, when they are moved to the trash as an effect, etc.

  • 107.1.b. Represents cards that have been used or spent.

  • 107.1.c. Each player has a separate trash.

  • 107.1.d. A card owned by a player can never, for any reason, be put into a trash of another player. If it would be, it's put into its owner's trash instead.

  • 107.1.e. The cards in the Trash are unordered. Their sequence does not matter, and they may be reorganized.

  • 107.1.f. The cards in any player's Trash are Public Information. See rule 127. Privacy for more information.

• 107.2. The Champion Zone

  • 107.2.a. The space each player puts their Chosen Champion at the start of the game.

  • 107.2.b. The Chosen Champion here cannot be returned to this zone by normal means.

    • 107.2.b.1. If a Chosen Champion is instructed to be returned to this zone, it can only do so if there is not a card already in this zone.

  • 107.2.c. The Chosen Champion can be played from here as normal, following the rules of Playing a Card. See rule 346. Playing Cards for more information.

• 107.3. The Main Deck Zone

  • 107.3.a. The space for the player's Main Deck.

  • 107.3.b. Primarily houses the face-down deck during gameplay.

  • 107.3.c. The order of cards in the deck is Secret Information during the course of play. See rule 127. Privacy for more information.

• 107.4. The Rune Deck Zone

  • 107.4.a. The space for the player's Rune Deck.

  • 107.4.b. Primarily houses the face-down runes during gameplay.

  • 107.4.c. The order of runes in the deck is Secret Information during the course of play. See rule 127. Privacy for more information.

• 107.5. Banishment

  • 107.5.a. This space is where cards are placed when they are banished by a spell or effect.

  • 107.5.b. Represents cards that have been removed from play in a more difficult-to-recover way, or a temporary space to hold cards while effects are being processed.

  • 107.5.c. Each player has a separate banishment.

  • 107.5.d. A card owned by a player can never, for any reason, be put into the banishment of another player. If it would be, it's put into its owner's banishment instead.

  • 107.5.e. The cards in the banishment are unordered. Their sequence does not matter, and they may be reorganized.

  • 107.5.f. The cards in any player's Banishment are Public Information. See rule 127. Privacy for more information.

  • 107.5.g. Some spells or effects may reference cards placed into banishment directly.

  • 107.5.h. Effects that reference cards in banishment only do so by means of also putting the cards there.

  • 107.5.i. The effects or references to cards in banishment do not count as Choosing.

  • 107.5.j. The effects or references to cards in banishment do not count as Attachment.

• 107.6. The Hand

  • 107.6.a. Each player has a collection of cards they may Play cards from.

  • 107.6.b. This is the location cards go when Drawn.

  • 107.6.c. The cards in a player's hand are Private Information.

  • 107.6.d. The number of cards in a player's hand is Public Information.

  • 107.6.e. The hand can be targeted as a zone, and cards there can be affected by spells and effects when specified.

  • 107.6.f. A card owned by a player can never, for any reason, be put into the hand of another player. If it would be, it's put into its owner's hand instead.

108. All Game Objects in the collective Play Areas are Public Information.

• 108.1. Any player may view, or be provided with the details of the face-up information printed on the cards in the Play Area.

• 108.2. The State of all Game Objects in the Play Area is also Public Information. Examples: If a Unit is Buffed If a Gear is Exhausted Etc.

109. Whenever a Game Object changes zones to or from a Non-Board Zone, all Temporary Modifications of all kinds cease to be tracked on it in all capacities. Examples: Damage is cleared. Buffs are removed. Temporarily granted Keywords are no longer granted.

110. Setup Process

111. Each player separates their Champion Legend and places it in the Legend Zone.

112. Each player separates their Chosen Champion and places it in the Champion Zone.

113. Each player sets aside their Battlefields.

• 113.1. Your Mode of Play will dictate how these are used and placed into the Battlefield Zone. See rule 454. Modes of Play for more information.

114. Each player shuffles their decks, separately, then places them into their respective Zones.

• 114.1. The Main Deck is placed in the Main Deck Zone.

• 114.2. The Rune Deck is placed in the Rune Deck Zone.

115. Determine Turn Order using any fair random method agreed on by all players.

• 115.1. Turn Order is established as a repeating set of the players.

  • 115.1.a. The Mode of Play will specify how to determine a First Player.

  • 115.1.b. If not otherwise specified, Seating then determines the sequence, play proceeding clockwise from the First Player.

    • 115.1.b.1. The First Player is the player who becomes the Turn Player first.

  • 115.1.c. Turn Order repeats until the game ends.

• 115.2. See the selected Mode of Play for any adjustments to each player's first turn. See rule 454. Modes of Play for more information.

116. Players each draw 4.

117. In turn order, players perform their Mulligan.

• 117.1. A player may choose up to two cards in their hand. They set those cards aside.

• 117.2. Then, that player draws as many cards as they set aside.

• 117.3. Finally, that player Recycles the cards that were set aside. See rule 403. Recycle for more information.

118. Begin play with the First Player taking their turn.

119. Game Objects

120. A Game Object is any game piece that can produce one or more Game Effects or grant prerequisites for players to take Game Actions.

121. A Game Object does not include nor preclude any inherent properties beyond the ability to produce, or act as the prerequisite for, Game Effects and Game Actions.

122. A Game Object can be a literal object or a logical object.

123. Game Objects include, but are not limited to, the following: Main Deck cards in any zone Runes in any zone Legends Battlefields Tokens Abilities of any type on the chain Buffs and other status markers

124. Cards

125. Riftbound games are composed of players playing the cards in their respective decks.

126. Ownership

• 126.1. For gameplay purposes, a card's Owner is the player who brought it into the game, either as their Champion Legend, one of their Battlefields, or part of their Main Deck or Rune Deck. The legal owner of a card doesn't matter during gameplay. Example: Bo didn't bring a deck, so Alice loans him a deck. During the game, Bo is considered the owner of those cards, even though legally they belong to Alice.

127. Privacy

• 127.1. A card will always exist in one of the many Zones described during Setup.

• 127.2. A card will have a different level of Privacy based on where it resides at a given time

• 127.3. Secret: This level of Privacy indicates that neither player may read or look at the face of the card.

• 127.4. Private: This level of Privacy indicates that only the controller of a card on the board or the owner of a card in any other zone may read or look at the face of the card. Example: Cards in a player's hand are owned by that player. Only that player may read or look at their faces. Example: If a player controls a facedown card at a battlefield, that player and only that player may read or look at that card's face, regardless of who owns that card.

• 127.5. Public: This level of Privacy indicates that any player may read or look at the face of the card.

128. Back Side

• 128.1. The back side of a card is the side with the Riftbound logo.

• 128.2. There is a unique pattern of back side for each of the three categories of card: Main Deck cards, Rune Deck cards, and Battlefields and Champion Legends.

• 128.3. The back side of a card is presented to conceal information for Private and Secret information cards. For example, cards in the Main Deck and cards in hand have their back side presented.

• 128.4. The term facedown is used to describe the state during regular play of having a card's back side presented on the Board. A facedown card’s front side is considered Private Information.

129. Front Side

• 129.1. The front side of a card is the opposite of its back.

• 129.2. This is also referred to as a front face.

• 129.3. This can be identified in situations where the back is not easily discernible by the presence of the Play Cost in the upper left corner of the card.

• 129.4. Cards, when played, are played with their front face presented.

• 129.5. The term face up is used to describe the state during regular play of having a card's front face presented

• 129.6. Cards are considered to be Public Information while in this state, even if obscured by other cards in a pile. Example: The Trash is Public Information because all cards there have their front face presented even while stacked.

130. Cost

• 130.1. Main Deck cards have a Cost, listed in the upper left corner of the front face of the card. See rule 158. Rune Pools for more information.

• 130.2. Energy Cost

  • 130.2.a. The numeral listed in the Cost element in the upper left corner of the card.

• 130.3. Power cost

  • 130.3.a. The symbols, listed vertically, in the Cost element in the upper left corner of the card.

  • 130.3.b. This section may not be present on every card.

  • 130.4 Effects that need to determine a card’s cost for any purpose always use its base cost, even if that cost is altered or ignored as the card is played. Example: Sky Splitter is a spell that costs 8 Energy and says in part “This spell's Energy cost is reduced by the highest Might among units you control.” Lux, Illuminated is a unit that says “When you play a spell that costs 5 or more, give me +3 [M] this turn.” If a player who controls Lux plays Sky Splitter, Lux’s ability will trigger, regardless of how much was actually paid for Sky Splitter.

131. Name

• 131.1. Each card has a name that identifies it uniquely.

• 131.2. This is usually located in the middle of the card.

• 131.3. Cards that are printed in different languages but represent the same card are considered to have the same name for the purposes of deckbuilding and gameplay. Example: Chemtech Enforcer in English and its counterpart in Chinese are considered the same card, despite the Name element on the card reading differently.

• 131.4. Some cards have both a short name and a subtitle. For all purposes, including rules and deckbuilding, such a card’s name is “[Short Name], [Subtitle]”. Example: Kai’Sa, Evolutionary and Kai’Sa, Survivor both have the short name Kai’Sa, but they have different names. You can include 3 of each in your deck under normal deckbuilding rules. If one of them is your Chosen Champion, the other is not.

132. Category

• 132.1. A card can have one or more Categories and Sub-Categories based on the properties of its front and back sides.

• 132.2. These Categories and Sub-Categories dictate the behaviors of the card during play.

• 132.3. Spells and other effects can refer to categories, sub-categories, supertypes, card types, tags, and other characteristics inclusively or exclusively. Example: A "non-unit card" is any card that is not a unit. Example: A "unit" is any game object that is a unit, regardless of any other categories it belongs to.

• 132.4. Main Deck Cards begin the game in the Main Deck or (in the case of a Chosen Champion) the Champion Zone.

  • 132.4.a. Permanents

    • 132.4.a.1. An umbrella sub-category encompassing Main Deck Game Objects that remain on the board after being played.

    • 132.4.a.2. Unit and Gear are permanent types.

  • 132.4.b. Spells

    • 132.4.b.1. A sub-category encompassing Main Deck cards with the spell type, which do not remain on the board after being played.

• 132.5. Rune Deck Cards begin the game in the Rune Deck.

  • 132.5.a. Runes

    • 132.5.a.1. A sub-category encompassing cards with the rune type. These are channeled rather than played. They remain on the board after being channeled, but they are not permanents, as they are not Main Deck cards.

• 132.6. Non-Deck Cards are not part of any deck and begin the game in a zone determined by their type.

  • 132.6.a. Battlefields

    • 132.6.a.1. A sub-category encompassing cards with the battlefield type. They are not played or channeled. They start the game on the board.

  • 132.6.b. Legends

    • 132.6.b.1. A sub-category encompassing cards with the legend type. They are not played or channeled. They start the game in the Legend Zone and cannot leave it during play.

• 132.7. Supertypes are Categories that may apply to game objects of multiple types. They are listed before a card’s type.

  • 132.7.a. Champion is a supertype that applies exclusively to units. It impacts the rules for deckbuilding. See rule 103.2.a. Chosen Champion for more information.

  • 132.7.b. Signature is a supertype that may apply to game objects of any card type. It impacts the rules for deckbuilding. See rule 103.2.d. for more information about Signature cards.

  • 132.7.c. Token is a supertype applied to temporary game objects of any card type. See rule 170. Tokens for more information.

• 132.8. Tags are Categories that may apply to game objects of multiple types. They are listed after a card’s type.

  • 132.8.a. Tags have no innate rules meaning, but may be referenced by game rules and card effects.

  • 132.8.b. Tags used to link Legends, Champion Units, and Signature cards are known as Champion Tags.

133. Domain

• 133.1. Most cards belong to one or more of six Domains, identified by one or more symbols in the lower right corner.

• 133.2. Each Domain has an associated color, a unique symbol, and a shorthand used to represent that symbol in written text.

  • 133.2.a. Fury is associated with the color red and represented by a circular symbol with three projecting points. Its shorthand is [R].

  • 133.2.b. Calm is associated with the color green and represented by a symbol resembling a leaf. Its shorthand is [G].

  • 133.2.c. Mind is associated with the color blue and represented by a symbol resembling a sun and moon. Its shorthand is [B].

  • 133.2.d. Body is associated with the color orange and represented by a blocky diamond-shaped symbol. Its shorthand is [O].

  • 133.2.e. Chaos is associated with the color purple and represented by a hexagonal symbol with swirls emanating from its center. Its shorthand is [P].

  • 133.2.f. Order is associated with the color yellow and represented by an angular winged symbol. Its shorthand is [Y].

134. Rules Text

• 134.1. All cards have a section that describes how they affect the game. This section is known as the Rules Text of the card.

• 134.2. This section may contain:

  • 134.2.a. Abilities

    • 134.2.a.1. Abilities are discrete pieces of text that describe what a card may or must do. See rule 357. Abilities for more information.

    • 134.2.a.2. They may appear on any card.

  • 134.2.b. Instructions

    • 134.2.b.1. Instructions are a type of text that appears on spells and within abilities.

    • 134.2.b.2. They describe the actions to be taken as the spell or ability resolves.

  • 134.2.c. Keywords

    • 134.2.c.1. Keywords are short words or phrases that represent longer abilities or instructions. See rule 716. Keywords for more information.

    • 134.2.c.2. Keywords may or may not have reminder text.

  • 134.2.d. Reminder Text

    • 134.2.d.1. Reminder text appears in italics and parentheses.

    • 134.2.d.2. Its purpose is to summarize relevant rules, including keywords and other rules.

    • 134.2.d.3. The presence, absence, or exact wording of reminder text has no effect on game function.

  • 134.2.e. Symbols

    • 134.2.e.1. Rules text sometimes contains symbols that express game concepts. Each symbol also has a shorthand used to represent it in written text.

    • 134.2.e.2. The cost of Exhausting a Permanent is represented by the “exhaust symbol,” which resembles a card turning sideways. Its shorthand is [E]. (Some previous rules information has given its shorthand as [T].)

    • 134.2.e.3. Might is represented by the “Might symbol,” which resembles a sword and shield. Its shorthand is [M]. (Some previous rules information has given its shorthand as [S].)

    • 134.2.e.4. Power of a specific Domain is represented by its domain symbol and the corresponding shorthand. See rule 133. Domain for more information.

    • 134.2.e.5. Power of any Domain is represented by a swirling rainbow symbol. Its shorthand is [A].

      • 134.2.e.5.a. When required as a cost, [A] can be paid by Power of any Domain.

      • 134.2.e.5.b. When Added to a player’s Rune Pool, [A] can be spent to pay a Power cost of any Domain.

    • 134.2.e.6. Power of a domain corresponding to a card’s own Domain is not represented by a symbol, but appears in these rules similarly to other symbols. Its shorthand is [C].

      • 134.2.e.6.a. When a [C] shorthand is printed on a card as reminder text, it assumes that card’s usual Domain, but it still means “one Power of this card’s Domain.”

      • 134.2.e.6.b. A [C] shorthand on a card with no Domain or with multiple Domains is processed as [A] instead.

• 134.3. Rules text can be blank.

135. Flavor Text

• 135.1. Flavor text is text that appears at the bottom of some cards to provide aesthetic enjoyment. It conveys no gameplay information. Example: The card Void Seeker features a quote from the character Kai'Sa. It does not have the Kai'Sa tag and has no gameplay connection to the Champion unit Kai'Sa.

• 135.2. Flavor text is located at the bottom of the section provided for rules text, usually in a shaded bar. It appears in italics.

136. Illustration

• 136.1. Each card has an illustration. It conveys no gameplay information.