At the 2025 PAX Unplugged panel, Riot Games officially unveiled the second major expansion of Riftbound: Spiritforged. The announcement, delivered by Game Director Dave Guskin, came with a roster of changes and additions poised to reshape the fledgling trading-card game: a bold follow-up after the original set, Origins.
With more than 200 new cards, including twelve brand-new “Champion Legends,” plus new gameplay mechanics and improved collectible features, Spiritforged marks the start of what Riot envisions as a long-term set-rotation cycle for Riftbound.
Who’s Joining the Rift? New Champions and Expanded Options
Spiritforged introduces twelve new Champions, many pulled straight from the lore and gangly cast of League of Legends. The full lineup revealed includes: Azir, Draven, Ezreal, Fiora, Jax, Rumble, Rek’Sai, Ornn, Sivir, Lucian, Renata Glasc, and Irelia.
Notably, Fiora is the only Champion returning from the Origins set, the rest are entirely new to the game. Beyond the Champions, Spiritforged will launch with two preconstructed Champion Decks (centered on Rumble and Fiora).
New Mechanics
What really sets Spiritforged apart isn’t just fresh faces — it’s new gameplay systems likely to shake up the meta and offer fresh strategic depth. Among the headline additions are:
- Equipment — A new subtype of gear that can be attached to units, enhancing them. Importantly, this gear persists even if the unit is defeated.
- Gold Tokens — A new resource mechanic featured by certain Champions (like Draven and Renata Glasc). Instead of relying solely on Runes, Gold tokens allow players extra flexibility to pay for Power costs.
- Repeat Spells — Some spells now carry a “Repeat” cost: if paid, their effect triggers twice (potentially with different targets). Expect some truly explosive plays and comeback potential.
On top of that, the expansion brings back the collectible flair with 30 “Overnumbered” cards — twelve of which will have rare “Signature” variants — and even new alternate art editions themed around the “Spirit Blossom.”
Release Details and What’s Next
Spiritforged launches first on December 12, 2025 in China, followed by a global English release on February 13, 2026.
Looking further ahead, Riot isn’t slowing down: according to their roadmap, the next major expansions — Unleashed, Vendettas, and Radiance — are already scheduled to roll out throughout 2026.
In addition, Riftbound’s team revealed plans for organized play. Regional qualifiers are planned for Houston (Texas), Las Vegas (Nevada), and Bologna (Italy), suggesting Riot’s serious ambition for Riftbound’s competitive TCG ecosystem.
Pavle is the founder of PlayForge and its lead writer and reviewer, covering PC, PS5, and mobile games, a with a focus on RPGs, MMOs, FPS games, and more. He’s been gaming since the PS2 days and now writes in-depth reviews and guides to help players find their next obsession and get gaming insights from real players, not just critics. His reviews are honest and transparent, but he always tries to stay positive, because in his opinion, almost any game can be fun if you look at it the right way.
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