When Riot unveiled its enigmatic Project K as Riftbound, a card game set in the League of Legends universe, my initial reaction was tinged with a sense of apprehension. As someone who has invested countless hours into League, my relationship with the game has evolved, particularly during the transition from mid-2024 to 2025. While the core characters and gameplay remain intact, the emotional connection I once felt has somewhat diminished. I found myself hoping that Riftbound could rekindle that lost spark.
Gameplay Mechanics and Deck Diversity
For those yet to experience it, Riftbound draws inspiration from traditional trading card games like Magic: The Gathering. Players select a Champion Legend (or commander), a corresponding Chosen Champion that offers different buffs, and a Battlefield with unique traits. For instance, if you opt for the Master Yi deck from Proving Grounds, your Champion Legend would be Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman, paired with either Master Yi, Meditative, or Master Yi, Honed as your Chosen Champion. Victory is achieved by conquering and maintaining control over battlefields through unit placement and winning skirmishes, known as ‘Showdowns.’ The first player to reach eight points claims the win. Simple enough, right?
While marketed as “easy to learn,” my years of experience with Magic lead me to believe that ‘easy’ is a relative term. Riot has indeed streamlined the experience compared to League’s other card game, Legends of Runeterra, but there is still a considerable amount to grasp. The Proving Grounds set features four decks—Annie, Garen, Lux, and Master Yi—each representing distinct and intricate deck types. Newcomers to card games may find Annie and Lux more approachable, while Garen and Master Yi can be somewhat daunting, even for seasoned players.
Riot excels in capturing the essence of each champion. For example, Lux utilizes burst spells that align perfectly with her in-game persona, while Garen serves as a quintessential tank. Annie focuses on rapid damage output while maintaining mobility, and Master Yi dances around the battlefield, providing buffs to both defenders and attackers—a behavior familiar to anyone who has faced a Master Yi player.
The demo decks I explored—Jinx, Viktor, Volibear, and Yasuo—further exemplified this unique character representation. Jinx embodies a fast and reckless playstyle, whereas Viktor strategizes and builds robotic armies. Volibear starts slow but transforms into a formidable force in the late game, while Yasuo’s agile movements reflect his reliance on mobility, potentially leading to several unfortunate 0/10 power spikes.
This distinctiveness in deck design sets Riftbound apart. Unlike Magic decks, which can sometimes feel like a collection of optimized components, Riftbound’s initial offerings resonate with their characters. However, it’s important to note that some decks appear to be more powerful than others. In the Proving Grounds kit, Lux’s ability to generate extra Runes—akin to lands in MTG—enables her to unleash high-level powers swiftly, often with minimal recycling costs. While Jinx initially seems strong, she tends to falter in the late game, making her vulnerable to the likes of Volibear and Viktor. Moormann mentioned that the demo decks were crafted to showcase a variety of Riftbound’s potential, with the Jinx deck intentionally designed for speed at the expense of late-game viability.
Another observation is that games can extend significantly, especially with larger player counts. A match with my partner lasted around 30 minutes, while one with additional friends stretched closer to an hour, and another approached two hours. This duration can be advantageous for those with late-game strategies but may become tedious for aggressive players. Moormann acknowledged that the eight-point cap should ideally keep games concise, though my experience with larger groups left me sympathetic to those awaiting our table.
Riftbound successfully delivers a fun, League of Legends-themed trading card game with notable complexity and a distinctive feel. However, it enters a competitive landscape dominated by Magic: The Gathering. While it may not dethrone MTG, it is likely to find its niche alongside other card games like One Piece, Star Wars: Unlimited, and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy TCG. This raises questions about its longevity—while initial sales are promising, the future remains uncertain, especially given frustrations over product availability and missing rare cards. If the launch had been smoother, I might have felt more optimistic, but for now, I approach with a sense of caution.
Riftbound Set 1, Origins, is currently available but has sold out both online and in most local game stores. While various cards can be found on the second-hand market, it may be wise to hold off on making significant purchases—you never know when a Kai’Sa card might become available.
