Riftbound – Spiritforged Rules Patch Notes
Core Rules Update
Effective Date: December 12, 2025
This Core Rules update has been released to support Spiritforged, Riftbound’s newest expansion. Its primary purpose is to ensure that all new cards and mechanics function correctly at release, while maintaining long-term system stability for the game.
What This Update Is
- Introducing new systems required by Spiritforged cards
- Clarifying ambiguous or incomplete rules
- Fixing logical and formatting issues
- Strengthening overall rules consistency
Important: These are not balance changes. Rules updates and card errata will never be used to adjust card power levels.
Why Some Rule Numbers Are Missing
Gaps in rule numbering are intentional. They separate logical groups of rules and allow future additions without widespread renumbering.
Spiritforged Systems & Rule Additions
1. Attachment, Attached, and Detached
New Attachment System
- Attach: the action of linking one card to another
- Attached: the state of being linked
- Detach: the action of removing the link
Cards that can attach have a distinct frame and should be physically overlaid on the card they are attached to.
Might Bonus
Attached cards include a Might Bonus that modifies the Might of the top-most card.
Text Behavior While Attached
- Normal rules text becomes inactive
- Effect Text and Might Bonus become active
2. Inactive Text
Inactive text has no effect on the game but still exists and can be referenced by other effects.
Example: A card with Temporary still has that keyword even if it is inactive.
3. Equip and Equipment
- Pay the Equip cost
- Choose a unit you control
- Attach the Equipment
Equipment cannot use Equip while already attached. If the equipped unit leaves play, the Equipment remains under your control.
4. Quick-Draw
- Includes Reaction
- Allows play and attach from hand
- No Equip cost required
5. Weaponmaster
Weaponmaster allows you to attach an Equipment you control to the unit, paying its Equip cost reduced by [A], even if already attached elsewhere.
6. Repeat
- Optional additional spell cost
- Effect resolves one additional time
- Spell is still played once
7. Control of Abilities on the Chain
Control of an ability does not change if control of its source changes while the ability is on the chain.
8. Priority and Focus
- Priority: exclusive right to act
- Focus: turn-order tracking permission
9. Deathknell
Deathknell now consistently remembers required information after a unit dies, supported by new rules in Kill and Cleanup steps.
10. Cleanup and Staging
Cleanup steps and staging for combat and showdowns have been clarified and formatting errors corrected.
11. Playing Units to Valid Locations
By default, units may be played to your base or a battlefield you control. Cards may override this rule.
12. Double and Swap
- Double: doubles a numerical value
- Swap: exchanges two numerical values