Tournament Rules Changes (October 9, 2026)

Responding to floor judges who bring matters to their attention.

Responding to floor judges who bring matters to their attention.deck

In a constructed event, players must register a Main Deck of exactly 40 cards (including a chosen champion), 1 Legend, 12 runes, and exactly 3 battlefields each with a unique name.

In a constructed event, players must use a Main Deck of exactly 40 cards (including a chosen champion), 1 Legend, 12 runes, and exactly 3 battlefields each with a unique name.

Players may use sideboard cards to modify their deck in between games of a match. Sideboard cards must be exchanged 1 for 1 with Main Deck cards.

Players may use sideboard cards to modify their deck in between games of a match. In constructed, sideboard cards must be exchanged 1 for 1 with Main Deck cards.

Players can’t scout other match results before deciding to concede or draw their match and need to remain in their seats while their match is in progress.

Players can’t scout other match results before deciding to concede or draw their match and need to remain in their seats while their match is in progress. Violating this policy is considered an unsporting minor penalty. (See 704.2. for Unsporting Minor penalties.)

Deck checks for the players in a match should occur after players have randomized and presented their decks, but before opening hands are drawn.

Random deck checks should occur at the start of a round, after players have randomized and presented their decks, but before opening hands are drawn and should verify all elements of the registered decks.

Players may not refer to notes from outside the current match, including notes from previous matches, during games.

Players may not refer to notes from outside the current match, including written notes from previous matches, during games.

Between games, players may refer to notes they made prior to the match. They do not have to reveal these notes to opponents.

Between games, players may refer to written notes they made prior to the match. They do not have to reveal these notes to opponents. Players may consult such notes during sideboarding and after battlefields are revealed, but must stop once opening hands are drawn (before mulligans).

Modify or obscure the card name or cost, or make the art unrecognizable.

Modify or obscure the card name, Might/Might Bonus, or cost, or make the art unrecognizable.

Players may use a unique sleeve or additional layer to distinguish their Chosen Champion during game setup, but must change its sleeve to match their Main Deck if it would enter a zone whose information level is private during gameplay. See CR 128. Privacy for information types.

Players may use a unique sleeve or additional layer to distinguish their Chosen Champion during game setup, but must change its sleeve to match their Main Deck if it would enter a zone whose information level is private or secret during gameplay. See CR 128. Privacy for information types.

Players performing a loop must have each iteration of the loop be identical with no conditional actions.

Each iteration of a loop must contain identical, non-conditional actions performed on the same set of cards. To establish a loop, the looping player must be able to say with certainty exactly what each step of the loop will be, not just the outcome.

Tokens must be represented by card objects that show all relevant information including ready state.

Tokens must be represented by card objects that are able to represent ready state. They must be understandable and discernible by all players in the game where they are being used.

Release Date: July 31st, 2026

Release Date: October 23rd, 2026

Repeated game play error [Warnings] can upgrade to [Game Loss].

Except for 702.17, repeated game play error [Warnings] can upgrade to [Game Loss].

Except for 702.17, if a player commits the same exact category of game play error [Warning] 3 or more times in the same event, the penalty is upgraded to [Game Loss].

If a player commits the same exact category of game play error [Warning] 3 or more times in the same event, the penalty is upgraded to [Game Loss].

If a cost is overpaid and it is still the turn where the cost was paid, the overpaying player is considered to have the extra resources floating in their resource pool.

If possible, perform a simple rewind to before the card or ability was put on the chain. If a simple rewind is not possible, instruct the players to continue playing.

If rewinding is not possible, instruct the players to continue playing.

If neither is possible, instruct the players to continue playing.

Facedown Card Error [Warning]: A player places a card into a facedown zone in a manner other than how they are entitled to under the Core Rules.

Facedown Card Error [Warning]: A player adds a card to a facedown zone or removes a card from a facedown zone in a manner other than how they are entitled to under the Core Rules.

Remedies:

Example: Moving a hidden card from a battlefield to a hand or Main Deck illegally.

If the error is caught after additional game actions have been taken but before any cards have been added to the zone where the illegal card came from (such as a new card being drawn), return the illegal card to that zone and replace it with a random card from that zone that is legal for the facedown zone and resume play.

If the error is caught after additional game actions have been taken but before any unknown cards have been added to the zone where the illegal card came from (such as a new card being drawn), return the illegal card to the zone it came from and replace it with a random card from that zone that is legal for the facedown zone and resume play.

If the error is caught after cards have been added to the zone where the illegal card came from, this penalty upgrades to [Game Loss].

If the error is caught after unknown cards have been added to the zone where the illegal card came from, this penalty upgrades to [Game Loss].

Generally this error occurs when a player’s opponent commits a game play error and the player doesn’t call a judge immediately.

Generally this error occurs when a player’s opponent commits a game play error (excluding missed beneficial triggers) and the player doesn’t call a judge immediately.

Remedies:

Other Remedies:

If the error is caught by any player before opening hands have been drawn, restore the deck to its correct state if possible and instruct players to proceed.

If the error is caught before opening hands have been drawn, restore the deck to its correct state if possible and instruct players to proceed.

If the error is caught by a player other than the erroring player after opening hands have been drawn, the penalty is upgraded to [Game Loss].

If the error is caught by anyone other than the erroring player after opening hands have been drawn, the penalty is upgraded to [Game Loss].

If restoring the deck to its correct state is not possible, the penalty is upgraded to [Game Loss].

In either case, if restoring the deck to its correct state is not possible, the penalty is upgraded to [Game Loss].

Example: A player has two total copies of Traveling Merchant on their registered decklist, one in their Main Deck and one in their Sideboard. During game one of a match a player draws and plays one Traveling Merchant. On a later turn, they draw the second copy and realize they forgot to de-sideboard. At this point, restoring the deck is not possible.

Example: A player has two total copies of Traveling Merchant on their registered decklist, one in their Main Deck and one in their Sideboard. During game one of a match a player draws and plays one Traveling Merchant. On a later turn, they draw the second copy and realize they forgot to de-sideboard. At this point, since both Traveling Merchants have been drawn, restoring the deck is not possible as there is no easy 1 to 1 swap that can be made to restore the correct deck state.

If the cards required to correct the deck cannot be acquired in a timely manner, the head judge can issue a proxy.

For all deck presentation errors, if the cards required to correct the deck cannot be acquired in a timely manner, the head judge can issue a proxy.

Playing other formats of Riftbound other than the one designated for the tournament with the appropriate registered decklist may not be used to determine a winner.

Playing other formats of Riftbound other than the one designated for the tournament with the appropriate decklist may not be used to determine a winner.