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Definitions for game terms, keywords, and mechanics. Hover any underlined term in a lesson for a quick definition.
49 terms
Accelerate is a unit ability. Accelerate is functionally short for as you play me, you may pay [1] and 1 Power as an additional cost. If you do, I enter ready.
Kai'Sa Survivor can be played normally for 4 energy - if you choose to accelerate you add the cost (1 energy 1 fury power) to playing her and she will enter.
Action grants the corresponding card or effect permission to be played or activated during Showdowns, even when it is not the Controlling player's turn.
Your opponent plays Thousand Tails Watcher accelerated and starts a showdown at a battlefield. They pass focus to you. The chain is empty - this is where you can play an Action card. You pay for Rebuke and send the Thousand Tailed Watcher back to your opponents hand.
It is functionally short for 'While I am an attacker, I have +X Might.'
Chemtech Enforcer has 2 base might and Assault +2 - When Chemtech Enforcer is an attacker in combat they gain +2 might from the assualt keyword.
A deck archetype built around flooding the board with units and winning quickly through sustained pressure. Aggro decks prioritize Might and low costs over late-game staying power.
An aggro player deploys units on turns 1 and 2, initiates Showdowns immediately, and aims to close out the game before the opponent can stabilize.
A run of poor luck — usually a sequence of unplayable draws at a critical moment. Not a misplay, just misfortune.
Drawing three high-cost units in a row when you need answers is a bad beat.
Informal term for a unit on the battlefield. A 'big body' refers to a unit with high Might.
Trading your 2-Might unit into their 5-Might body is rarely worth it.
A card powerful enough to single-handedly swing or decide a game. Usually a high-cost unit or spell with a disproportionate impact.
Thousand Tailed Watcher is a bomb and wins games when played.
Returning a permanent from the battlefield to its owner's hand. Bounce effects remove a threat without destroying it, so the opponent can replay it.
Using a spell to bounce your opponent's unit before a Showdown removes it from combat without sending it to the trash.
A low-cost card that provides an effect and replaces itself by drawing a card. Cantrips maintain hand size while still doing something useful.
A 1-cost spell that gives a unit +1 Might and draws a card is a cantrip.
Having more cards or card value than your opponent. Achieved through draw effects, two-for-one removals, or any card that generates more than one resource of value.
A spell that destroys two of your opponent's units for the cost of one card generates card advantage.
A format where players build their deck in advance from their own card collection and bring it to the event.
Most competitive Riftbound events are Constructed, where players tune their decks to beat the current meta.
A deck archetype focused on disrupting the opponent's game plan and winning late. Control decks answer threats rather than deploy them, and close out games with powerful finishers.
A control player spends the first several turns countering units and spells before winning with a single bomb.
The distribution of card costs in your deck. A well-built curve ensures you have something to play at every stage of the game — low-cost plays early and high-impact plays late.
A deck with too many expensive cards will often have nothing to play on turn 1 or 2, falling behind on tempo.
Deathknell is a Triggered Ability keyword. It is functionally short for 'When I die, [Effect].' The Trigger for this effect is the Permanent being Killed and sent to the Trash.
Watchful Sentry states: Deathknell - Draw 1. When Watchful Sentry dies and is sent to the trash its controller draws a card.
It is functionally short for 'Spells and abilities an opponent controls that choose me cost an amount of Power equal to [Deflect Value] more to play as an additional cost.' The Power used to pay this cost may always be of any Domain. It is an effect that imposes a Mandatory Additional Cost on Spells and Abilities that choose the permanent that has this ability. If a Unit has Deflect, or has been granted Deflect, and is granted Deflect by an additional source, the Deflect Value of all granted Deflect keywords is summed.
your opponents Pouty Poro has Deflect 1, in order to target this unit you have to pay an additional power of any domain. You may decline paying deflect, if the cost is not payed the targeting spell or ability does not finalize.
A Limited format where players open packs, select one card at a time, and pass the rest. Each player builds a deck from the cards they pick.
In a Draft, you might pivot your deck strategy mid-pick based on which cards are being passed to you.
Equip is an Activated Ability keyword. Equip has a cost to activate and Attaches the card with Equip to a chosen Unit when the cost is paid. Equip is functionally short for "[Cost]: Attach this gear to a unit you control."
Gaurdian Angel has Equip 1 (Calm Rune) - When Gaurdian Angel is played, it's controller can pay 1 Calm Rune to attach the gear to a unit.
Turning a card sideways to indicate it has been used this turn and is no longer ready. Exhausted cards cannot act again until readied.
An Energy rune becomes exhausted after you spend it, then readies at the start of your next turn.
It is functionally short for 'I may move to a battlefield from another battlefield.'
Normally units can only move to battlefields from your base. Units with ganking can move from a current battlefield to a new battlefield.
Legion is a Conditional Keyword. It is formatted as "Legion — [Text]". Starting from the Keyword to the end of the clause, the entire statement is the Legion Ability. it is functionally short for "If you have played another Main Deck card before this one already this turn, apply [Text]."
Noxus Hopeful is a 4 energy unit, it states: LEGION - I cost 2 less. If you have played any main deck card in your turn then Legion is active and Noxus Hopeful cost 2 energy instead of 4.
A format where players build a deck on the spot from packs provided at the event. Includes Draft and Sealed.
Limited rewards card evaluation and adaptability more than Constructed, since you can't rely on your pre-built deck.
A unit is Mighty if its Might is 5 or greater. A unit becomes Mighty when its Might increases from less than 5 to 5 or greater. Mighty is a state that can be checked by other game effects.
Darius, Trifarian (5 might) is a mighty unit by default. Caitlyn, Patrolling (3 might) becomes Mighty after receiving +2 from Discipline
The current landscape of popular and strongest decks. Understanding the meta lets you anticipate opponents' strategies and build decks that counter them.
If aggro dominates the meta, slotting in more removal and healing cards is a strong meta call.
A deck archetype that blends aggression and disruption. Mid-range decks deploy efficient threats while maintaining the ability to answer the opponent's board.
A mid-range deck might deploy a strong unit on turn 3 and hold a reaction open on the same turn.
A mechanic where cards are removed from the top of a player's deck without being drawn. Milling can thin an opponent's options or set up graveyard-based interactions.
An effect that mills 3 cards forces the opponent to lose access to those cards for the rest of the game.
Before the game begins, you may recycle up to 2 cards from your opening hand and draw replacements. Used to improve a poor starting hand.
Mulliganing a hand with no low-cost units can set you up for a stronger turn 1.
The maximum number of copies of a card allowed in a single deck. In Riftbound, a playset is 3 copies.
If a card is strong enough, running a full playset maximizes your chances of drawing it when you need it.
Cards with Quick-Draw have Reaction inherently. Quick-Draw allows cards to be played and Attached using Reaction timing. Quick-Draw is functionally short for "[Reaction]" and "When you play this, attach it to a Unit you control." Quick-Draw has no function while on the board.
Long Sword has Quick-Draw and Equip 1 (Fury Rune). When you play Long Sword Quick-Draw triggers. You can equip it to a unit immediately with out paying for the equip cost.
Reaction grants the corresponding card or effect all abilities and permissions of Action. This card or ability may be played or activated during Closed States on any player's turn.
In response to you attacking a battlefield with Ravenbloom Student your opponent uses Gust to send Ravenbloom Student back to your hand. Once they pass you are able to cast a Reaction such as En Garde onto your Ravenbloom Student rendering the Gust inellible to resolve on your unit.
Repeat is an Optional Additional Cost keyword. Repeat is an optional cost that player may pay to execute the effect of their spells a second time. Repeat is formatted as "Repeat [Cost]" Repeat is functionally short for "You may pay [Cost] as an additional cost as you play this spell. If you do, execute the instructions of this spell one additional time."
Desert's Call is a spell with [Repeat] [2] and "Play a 2 might Sand Soldier unit token." If its controller pays its Repeat cost as they play it, the card's instruction to play a Sand Soldier is executed twice, as though the card says "Play a 2 Might Sand Soldier unit token. Play a 2 Might Sand Soldier unit token."
Expanding your Rune Pool or gaining additional resources ahead of schedule. Ramping lets you play high-cost cards earlier than normal.
Using an effect to add a rune to your pool on turn 2 lets you play a 3-cost unit a turn earlier.
An unconventional deck designed to exploit a specific meta, gaining an edge from being unfamiliar to opponents who haven't prepared for it.
A rogue deck built to hard-counter the most popular tier 1 archetype can perform well in a single event.
Shield is formatted as "Shield [X]". It is functionally short for "While I am a defender, I have +X Might."
Stalwart Poro is a unit with Shield 1, when it is defending a battlefield Stalwart Poro gains +1 might going from 2 to 3 total might.
A Limited format where players receive a fixed number of unopened packs and build a deck entirely from those cards.
In Sealed, card pool luck plays a larger role — opening a bomb rare can define your entire deck.
To concede a game, typically when the outcome is no longer in doubt. Named for the act of collecting your cards from the table.
After your opponent reaches 7 points with two battlefields held and a full hand, scooping may be the correct call.
Taking an unreasonable amount of time to complete your turn. Considered unsportsmanlike in competitive play.
Spending several minutes on a simple turn with no meaningful decisions is slow play.
Cards that are strong enough to fit into many different decks. Most competitive players are expected to run a playset of staples in any deck that can support them.
A cheap removal spell that answers almost any unit is a staple — it belongs in nearly every deck.
To attack with your units. 'Swinging for X' means your attacking units deal a combined total of X Might.
Swinging for 6 across two battlefields puts immediate pressure on your opponent's defenses.
It is functionally short for "I must be assigned lethal damage before any other unit with the same controller as me that does not have [Tank] during combat resolution." If more than one unit with Tank is present with the same controller in Combat, damage may be assigned to any of them. Units without Tank are invalid assignments until all units with Tank have lethal damage assigned to them.
Your opponent attacks into your battlefield with Chemtech Enforcer (4 might total) where you have Sona, Harmonious (4 might) and Lecturing Yordle (2 might Tank) defending. Because Lecturing Yordle has Tank your opponent is forced to assign 2 damage to Lecturing Yordle before they can assign any damage to Sona, Harmonious
Temporary is a Triggered Ability keyword. It is functionally short for "At the start of this permanent's controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring, kill this. The Trigger Condition is the controller of the permanent's Beginning Phase occurring."
The spell Fading Memories states: Give a unit at a battlefield or a gear Temporary. If your opponent uses this on your unit at a battlefield it gains the keyword Temporary. After they end their turn and your Beginning phase occurs, Temporary will trigger and your unit will be killed.
The strongest deck archetypes in Constructed at a given time. Tier 1 decks consistently perform well across a wide range of matchups.
If a deck wins the majority of top 8 finishes in back-to-back events, it's considered Tier 1.
Control over the pace of the game. The player driving actions has tempo; the player reacting to them does not. Maintaining tempo usually means dictating which battlefields are contested and when.
Deploying a unit and immediately initiating a Showdown takes tempo — your opponent must respond or concede the battlefield.
Drawing a card that immediately addresses your current situation or turns the tide of the game. Often refers to a lucky draw in a desperate spot.
Drawing your only board wipe when your opponent has four units on the field is a top deck.
When units from both players are destroyed in the same combat. Evaluating whether a trade is favorable is a core skill in Riftbound.
Trading your 2-Might unit into your opponent's 2-Might unit is even; trading it into a 4-Might unit is unfavorable.
Cards that provide value across a wide range of situations. High-utility cards add flexibility to a deck because they're rarely dead draws.
A card that can function as either removal or a buff depending on context has high utility.
Vision is a Triggered Ability keyword. It is functionally short for "When this is played, look at the top card of your Main Deck. You may recycle it." The trigger is the permanent entering the Board. Multiple instances of Vision trigger separately.
Mystic Poro has Vision, when Mystic Poro is played vision triggers allowing the controller to look at the top card of their main deck. They can recycle or return it to the top of the main deck.
Weaponmaster is a Triggered Ability keyword. It is Functionaly short for: When you play me, you may Equip one of your Equipment to me for 1 Power less, even if it's already attached."
Veteran Poro has Weaponmaster. When Veteran Poro is played if there is an equipment anywhere on your board you can attach that equipment to Veteran Power for 1 less power than the equipment states.
An effect that destroys all units simultaneously. Wipes reset the board and are a primary tool for control decks falling behind.
Saving a wipe for when your opponent overcommits multiple units to a battlefield is a classic tempo swing.