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Riftbound buying guide: what to buy first, what's next, and how to pay the price on the box
Starting Riftbound, the League of Legends card game, in the US? Here's the first box to buy, what Radiance brings on October 23 and what it should cost, where you can buy at MSRP right now, and how to get an alert when a drawing opens.
Sources: Riot Merch Store, Riot Merch Store (Champion Deck), Riot Games (Radiance).
In short
- Start with Proving Grounds ($39.99): four ready-to-play decks for two to four players. A single Champion Deck is $19.99.
- Next set: Radiance, October 23. A 24-pack booster display is $119.99 and the Showdown Decks $34.99.
- Fair price right now: the box below shows what vetted shops have at or near MSRP, and any drawing that's open.
- Free email alerts tell you when a Riftbound drawing or pre-order opens.
- 01Start hereA box for $19.99 to $39.99
- 02What's nextRadiance, Oct 23
- 03Box price nowFair price or an open drawing
- 04AlertsFree, by email
Start here: what to buy first
Riot's learn-to-play page points new players to Proving Grounds, a starter deck, or packs (Riot Games). The first two are the better start.
For 2 to 4 playersProving Grounds$39.99Four ready-to-play decks built around Annie, Master Yi, Lux and Garen, with playmats, tokens and a rulebook: "everything 2-4 players need to start". $39.99 at the Riot Merch Store on October 5, limit 3 per Riot ID (Riot Merch Store, Riot Games).
- For one playerChampion Deck$19.99 each
A 56-card deck with a booster pack, a paper playmat and a deck box, for someone who already has an opponent. Fiora and Rumble (Spiritforged) or Vi and Vex (Unleashed) are the recent ones (Riot Merch Store, PHD Games). Riot's own store showed Fiora out of stock on October 5; game stores carry them too.
A second edition of Proving Grounds, with Heimerdinger, Karma, Vladimir and Illaoi, is due February 19, 2027 (Riot Games). Packs are a third option, but they won't give you a playable deck on their own.
"Nexus Nights are a great way for new players to learn the game and join the community!"
Riot Games, on weekly store play (Learn to Play Riftbound)
Learn free before you spend
- A short tutorial video and a Quick Start Guide are on Riot's learn-to-play page (Riot Games).
- Nexus Nights are weekly Riftbound nights at local game stores, which Riot calls "a great way for new players to learn the game" (same page). Stores set their own entry fees.
What's next: Radiance, October 23
Radiance is Riftbound's fifth set: 180 cards in 14-card packs. Pre-Rift events at game stores run October 16 to 22 (what those are).
- Booster display$119.99
24 packs of 14 cards
- Showdown Decks: Evelynn vs. Seraphine$34.99
Two 56-card decks, two paper playmats and a rulebook
MSRPs and contents: Riot's Radiance drawing FAQ (September 25, 2026). Every store and date: our Radiance release page.
Riot sells Radiance on its own store by drawing: entries closed September 30, and winners are emailed a link from October 5 with 24 hours to buy (Riot Games). Game stores sell it too; ask yours about a pre-order at the box price.
Where you can buy at the box price right now
We count two things as a real chance to pay the price on the box (MSRP):
A shop we've vetted sells it at MSRP, or a little over it: up to 5% or $10 over, whichever is more, and never more than a quarter over. That's the rule on our Deals page, the same for every product.
A queue, drawing, invitation or pre-order that's open now at a store that sells it officially.
Right now
If nothing qualifies today, the drawing is the line to watch: Riot moved its own store to drawings starting with Spiritforged in February 2026 (Riot Games).
Get an alert when you can act
For Riftbound, our free email alerts come only when a queue, drawing, invitation or pre-order is open right now at a store that sells it officially, with the store's own link first (how they work). Pick Riftbound when you sign up below.
Riot's drawings give winners 24 hours to buy, so the alert you most want is the one that says entry is open.
Keep going
- Every Riftbound date and MSRP: Riftbound releases.
- Pre-Rift and other release events: our events guide.
- How drawings, queues and invitations differ: store lines compared.
- Words like Legend, rune and display: our glossary.
Prices are MSRPs from Riot's pages and distributor listings, checked October 5, 2026. Store prices change daily. Product image: Riot Games (Riot Merch Store).