How to play Riftbound — Rules & Resources

Before Turn 1

Setup

Choose a Legend card — your champion, which defines your deck's identity and unlocks its domain(s).
Build a Main Deck of legal cards and a separate Rune Deck (your resource deck).
Set out the shared Battlefields between players. The number of Battlefields scales with the player count.
Determine turn order. In multiplayer, seating matters — you can be attacked by anyone.

Getting Started

1
Each turn you gain Runes from your Rune Deck. Spend them to play Units, Spells, and Gear.
2
Deploy Units to any Battlefield. Units stay committed there until you move them.
3
Move Units between adjacent Battlefields to build a Might advantage where scoring matters.
4
At the end of the round, the player with more Might at each Battlefield scores its points.
5
Defeated Champions can be redeployed at a Rune cost — you don't lose them permanently.
6
First to the point threshold (8 in 1v1, 11 in free-for-all) wins the game.

Core Rules

Shared zones players fight over. Whoever has the higher total Might there at scoring wins its points. Tie = no one scores it that round.

Your resource system, kept in a separate deck. Deckbuilding your Rune Deck (colors and quantity) is as important as your Main Deck.

Each deck is led by one Legend. Legends set your domain (color identity) and often provide passive or activated abilities.

Signature Unit cards for your Legend. When defeated they can be summoned again from the Champion Zone at higher cost.

The combat stat that matters at scoring. Boost Might with Gear, Spells, or friendly Units at the same Battlefield.

How You Win

Reach 8 points in a 1v1 match by controlling Battlefields at end-of-round scoring.
Reach 11 points in a 4-player free-for-all.
Concession by your opponent(s).

Beginner Tips

Don't over-commit to one Battlefield — spreading pressure forces your opponent to choose what to defend.
Track your Rune Deck ratios carefully. Being short one Rune color at the wrong turn is a lost tempo swing.
Champions are worth redeploying when the board state calls for it — don't hoard the Rune to bring them back and never spend it.
In multiplayer, don't be the visible threat. Whoever's closest to 11 usually eats the table's removal.