Riot Games has revealed new Legends and mechanics for Riftbound: Radiance, the next set for its League of Legends Trading Card Game (TCG).
Radiance is the fifth Riftbound set and the last one planned for 2026. It launches on October 23rd in English, French and Simplified Chinese. According to the announcement, it is the first Riftbound set to release in all three languages on the same day.
Riot launched League of Legends in 2009 and has since released titles including VALORANT and Teamfight Tactics. It revealed the new set in a developer update and during a developer panel at the Los Angeles Regional Qualifier. The company described Radiance as a set built around 'performance', with mechanics designed to reward players who find clever ways to win.
Three new keywords and Riftbound's first neutral unit
Radiance adds Deploy, Show Off and Disarm to the game.
Deploy allows gear cards to be played straight onto a battlefield, even one the player doesn't control. The gear then grants an effect on that battlefield until an opponent holds it. Ziggs, Hexplosive Expert uses the mechanic to place Bomb tokens. When a Bomb is killed, it damages enemy units and sets off every other Bomb in play.
Show Off gives a card an extra effect if the player reveals a qualifying card from their hand while playing it. The catch is that opponents get an early look at a strong card. Riot summed up the trade-off as 'the price of fame'.
Disarm lowers the Might of an enemy unit on the same battlefield whenever a unit with the keyword attacks. Multiple instances stack. Kai'Sa, Rebel pairs Disarm with the ability to give spells Reaction during a showdown. The set also introduces Equipment Units, along with Neeko, the first neutral domain Champion Unit in Riftbound. Decks in the game are built around domains, and Neeko can be added to any deck regardless of which ones it uses.
Radiance features nine new Legends in total, with K'Sante, Pride of Nazumah among the latest to be shown. Orianna, Lady of Clockwork turns gear into Units. That lets players build an army of machines, treasures and even Gold tokens. Ekko, The Boy Who Shattered Time lets players put expensive units into play earlier than usual. However, those units are lost at the end of the turn.
Ultimate Rare and new collectibles
For collectors, Radiance includes the second Ultimate Rare in Riftbound's history. According to the announcement, it appears in fewer than 0.025% of packs. That works out at less than one in every 4,000 packs.
All nine new Legends also have Overnumbered variants. These sit alongside Heartsteel Overnumbers, musically inspired Alt Art Runes and Special Alt Art cards. The Special Alt Arts use the same Crystal Rose treatment seen in Vendetta, an earlier Riftbound set.
Riot is also adding a Collector's Binder to its product range, designed for storing and displaying cards.
Preview Season, Pre-Rift events and release
Preview Season began on September 25th and runs until October 9th.
Pre-Rift events will then take place at local game stores from October 16th to 22nd. Each Pre-Rift Kit contains five Radiance boosters and a seeded Pre-Rift pack, with a version available for each of the nine new Legends. Players who attend can also pick up a Heimerdinger, Academy Instructor promo card while supplies last. After launch, Summoner Skirmish events are set to begin on November 9th and December 14th.
Riftbound is Riot's physical TCG, set in Runeterra, the fictional world of League of Legends. The game is designed for newcomers and experienced card players alike. Alongside new sets, Riftbound has a global organised play structure. It runs from weekly events at local stores up to Regional Qualifiers and championship-level competition. The Los Angeles Regional Qualifier, where Radiance was shown off, is part of that circuit.
