Tournament Rules Changes (July 16, 2026)

Competition Format: Riftbound competitions can be run with one of two formats.

Tournament Modes:

Swiss: A competition or component of a competition where players are paired based on their current standing in the competition.

Swiss: A competition or component of a competition where players are paired each round against players they haven’t already played in the competition who, if possible, share the same current record.

Multiple: Some competitions may consist of multiple formats within the same competition.

Multiple: Some competitions may consist of multiple formats and/or structures within the same competition.

At high OPL, judges may not answer direct questions about the results of game actions a player has not yet taken. In these situations, players must ask hypothetical questions about the rules. Examples:

At high OPL, judges may not answer direct questions about the results of game actions a player has not yet taken. In these situations, players must ask questions about the rules. Examples:

Tracking Score

Tracking Score & Resources

When two or more cards are recycled to the player’sMain Deck as part of a single action, the above procedures 1-7 should be followed for that group of cards to properly randomize them before recycling them.

When two or more cards are recycled to the player’s Main Deck as part of a single action, the above procedures 1-7 should be followed for that group of cards to properly randomize them before recycling them.

Players that acquire secret or private information about a match in which a teammate is playing can’t communicate with that teammate for the remainder of that match. See CR 127. Privacy for information types

Players that acquire secret or private information about a match in which a teammate is playing can’t communicate with that teammate for the remainder of that match. See CR 128. Privacy for information types.

A player’s sideboard can include 8 or fewer cards.

A player’s sideboard can include 10 or fewer cards.

At low OPL, starting configuration registration is not required and players may freely change the composition of their starting deck and sideboard between games and matches unless otherwise specified by the head judge.

At low OPL, starting configuration registration is not required and players may freely change the composition of their starting deck and sideboard between games and matches unless otherwise specified by the head judge. Players may still only use a specific copy of a battlefield once per match, but may use the same named battlefield as many times as they have copies of it in their provided card pool.

Mispayment for Cost [Warning]: A player pays a cost underpaying its power or energy cost, or uses the incorrect domain to pay a power cost.

Mispayment for Cost [Warning]: A player pays a cost underpaying its requirements or using the incorrect requirements. See CR 201. Costs for more detail on costs.

If a simple rewind is not possible, correct the cost paid if possible, by exhausting, or recycling runes as needed.

If a simple rewind is not possible, correct the cost paid if possible.

Angle Shooting [Warning]: A player uses the technical precision of the rules to gain an advantage where the spirit of the rules would not have garnered that advantage.

Angle Shooting [Warning]: A player intentionally uses the technical precision of the rules to gain an advantage where the spirit of the rules would not have garnered that advantage.

Using a printing of a card that is pre-errata without informing opponents once the card is played.

Attempting to mislead an opponent during gameplay based on cards that have rules errata.

It is not bribery when players in the single-elimination portion of a tournament offering only items such as cash, store credit, and/or unopened product, with the tournament organizer’s permission, agree to divide the subsequent tournament prizes evenly. All players still in the tournament must agree to the arrangement.

It is not bribery when players in the single-elimination portion of a tournament offering only items such as cash, store credit, and/or unopened product, with the competition organizer’s permission, agree to divide the subsequent tournament prizes evenly. All players still in the tournament must agree to the arrangement.

It is not bribery when, in the final round of the single-elimination portion of a tournament, with the tournament organizer’s permission, players mutually agree on a winner and how to divide the remaining prizes. In such cases, one player must agree to drop from the tournament. Prizes are then awarded based on each player’s final standing.

It is not bribery when, in the final round of the single-elimination portion of a tournament, with the competition organizer’s permission, players mutually agree on a winner and how to divide the remaining prizes. In such cases, one player must agree to drop from the tournament. Prizes are then awarded based on each player’s final standing.