Riftbound’s upcoming expansion, Unleashed, is set to hit shelves on May 8th, and it’s already coming out of the gate swinging. I’d expect nothing less from this set, especially when you consider the fact that Vi has become the face of Unleashed. For those unaware, Riftbound is a TCG (Trading Card Game) based on Riot’s MOBA League of Legends. Unleashed is the third expansion for the game, which brings over 200 new cards, mechanics, precon (Preconstructed) decks, and more. Ahead of its full release, MonsterVine received a press package for the upcoming set.
Unleashed even tells a story within the set. In short, it takes place in the deep jungles of Runeterra. The set centers on a single idea: Power strikes from the shadows. That’s why it features champions like Master Yi, Diana, Vi, and Pyke, because all of them carry this philosophy with them. In addition to having these core traits, Unleashed is all about “becoming.” You’ll quickly learn that all of the core champions in this set don’t come at their full strength when exploring the set. That’s because it’s you to build them up and decide when it’s a good time to expose yourself and attack.
As previously mentioned, knowing when to strike is a core part of this set. So it only makes sense for Vi to have her own precon deck in Unleashed, her domains in her deck Order (Yellow) and Fury (Red). As someone who loves to play aggressively, this was a deck that I instantly connected with, and thankfully, she has a lot of equipment that helps with just that. The most obvious one is the Hextech Gauntlets. It’s a three-cost/equipe card that, when held, adds a +3 might to whoever holds it. I couldn’t think of anyone better than Vi to wield it. As you’d expect, her deck is filled with lots of cards that help you punch above your weight to inflict serious damage.
Then there’s Vex’s precon. Their domains couldn’t be more different: Calm (Green) and Chaos (Purple). This deck is built around forcing your opponents’ hand, cycling through cards, and inflicting quick damage. If this style is something you’d be interested in, Vex is a great starting point for building something that’ll surely annoy everyone else at the table but you.
In addition to having two precon decks ready out of the box, Unleashed introduces new mechanics to playing the game. The newly added keywords are: XP, Level, Hunt, Ambush, Backline, and Predict.
Many of these are fairly straightforward, but they change how the game is played. XP is a great example of this. There are certain cards, like Demacian Diplomat, in the set that give you XP, and this is essentially another form of currency you can use on the newly added Level mechanic. You won’t have to look hard to find the Level keyword either. Cards like Concentrate have it with two different Levels. For example, with this card at Level Six, it’ll cost two less to play, and at Level Eleven, it’ll cost four less to play. The best thing about XP is that even if you have two cards that are both Level Six, you can activate them both with just Six XP instead of needing Twelve.
It’s also worth noting that XP can be used to activate certain abilities in cards, too. Cards like Shepherd’s Heirloom will ask you to spend it, and when you do, you’ll lose the XP. But in return, you’ll receive some kind of benefit. If you run short, you can simply play cards that have the Hunt keyword, which is another way for you to farm XP.
There’s also Ambush, which is a reactionary term that lets you play another card where you already have units. In many ways, this is meant to help ensure you keep a position on the battlefield safe if you’re about to lose it.
The last two keywords are simple to understand. The first is Backline, which makes any damage taken during combat last, making your opponent weaker for the next fight. Lastly, there’s Predict, which lets you look at the top card(s) of your main deck. When you do this, you can recycle any number of them and then put the rest back on top in any order.
Something I’ll continue to champion about Riftbound is its art. As I said in the Spiritforged review, Riftbound continues to prove that it has some of the best artwork in the TCG space. At the risk of repeating myself, even if you don’t play the game, the art on these cards is worth the purchase alone. Some of my personal favorites in the current set were Vi, Hotheated (UNL-030/219), Master YI, Unstoppable (UNL-059a/219), and Leblanc Deciever (UNL-235/219).
Right now, Riftbound is in a great place. The game is still evolving, adding layers to make it more complex and fun, without becoming too crunchy. All the introduced keywords are simple and easy to understand, and they truly make it feel like you’re playing a video game at times. With over 200 cards in this set, I’m excited to see what kind of decks the community comes up with. As someone whose first exposure to this IP was Arcane, I’m beyond excited to upgrade my VI precon deck with the cards provided to me. Even if you’re not a fan of League of Legends, Riftbound at its core is a great TCG to play if you’re looking for a great hobby to invest in.
