Trading card game players rejoice; TCGplayer is having a nice Black Friday promotion. From November 28 at 9 AM ET to December 1 at 11 PM ET, you can get 10% cash back in store credits on all purchases.
This includes both single cards and sealed products. Plus, if you’re a TCGplayer subscriber, you’ll get 13% or more back (12% base plus 1-3% monthly loyalty bonus). That’s pretty great, all things considered.
With Riot and UVS Games’ Riftbound League of Legends TCG fresh on the Western market after just launching a few of weeks ago, taking advantage of this promotion is a great way to pick up singles and build your decks with all upside incentives.
Sealed Riftbound product has been fairly hard to come by for consumers, but for those of you lucky enough to get your hands on cards and follow the metagame, we’ve picked out 10 cards you should have on your radar.
And with Riftbound’s second set, Spiritforged, scheduled for English release in February of 2026, there’s ample time to pick up the cards you need for your deck and get the most out of them.
Read on for detailed breakdowns of our picks, listed from least expensive to most expensive.
I wanted to focus on metagame staples some players might not have on their radar, as well as some cheaper alternatives mixed with high-end late-game bombs.
Stacked Deck
Stacked Deck
2
One of the few draw spells in the game so far, this is an easy three-of in any Chaos (purple) deck. It’s single Energy cost without having to recycle Runes is an extremely valuable rate both on turn one and in the late game.
It’s going for around $5-$6, so as an uncommon it’s a bit pricey.
Tasty Faefolk
Tasty Faefolk
1
Tasty Faefolk sees play in most Calm (green) decks. It’s a great late-game finisher on a budget, currently sitting at around $7.
I might not play three of these due to its high cost, but it depends on the deck it’s slotted in.
Darius Trifarian
Darius Trifarian
1
Darius is a considerably good mid-game drop in Fury (red) decks. Midrange strategies like Sett the Boss will often play a copy or two, and you’ll likely see him taking up space in the top-tier Kai’sa, Daughter of the Void decks as well.
At $10, it’s reasonably priced for a powerful effect.
Falling Star
Falling Star
1
Speaking of Kai’sa, Falling Star is another card this deck typically considers including three copies of.
The two Power, two Energy cost disrupts your tempo a bit, but it can be an extremely efficient boardwipe in a pinch. I’d also consider playing this in any other red deck like Jinx, Loose Cannon, especially at the reasonably-priced $13.
Baited Hook
Baited Hook
1
Veteran Magic: The Gathering players will recognize this as Riftbound’s answer to Birthing Pod. It’s a great combo card that pairs nicely with cards like Machine Evangel.
In go-wide strategies like Viktor, Herald of the Arcane, Baited Hook can be a great finisher if you’re able to stomach the $37 price tag.
Master Yi
Master Yi
1
One of the strongest Legends in the game so far, Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman’s $38 cost is due to both his popularity and scarcity.
You can only get him in the Proving Grounds box (as well as three other exclusive Legends), and getting your hands on that is currently a bit of a chore. But if you’re looking to quickly build the second-best meta deck, singles are readily available.
Thousand-Tailed Watcher
Thousand-Tailed Watcher
1
One of the best cards in the game as a whole, every Mind (blue) deck will consider auto-including three of these, even with its high cost.
Thousand-Tailed Watcher is incredible late game finisher to score your last points, and strategizing your Battlefields and units in conjunction with it will mean the difference between victory and defeat. Because of this, it’s currently sitting at around $40.
Dazzling Aurora
Dazzling Aurora
1
One of the only cards in Riftbound Origins I would consider borderline unfair and actually broken, Dazzling Gleam is an incredibly powerful finisher in decks like Master Yi ramp.
Its nine Energy cost is worth considering, but spitting out massive Units like Deadbloom Predator for free will quickly win the game, especially since not many decks run much Gear removal.
Kai’sa Survivor
Kai’sa Survivor
1
The end-all, tier-1 meta deck in Riftbound Origins. Her aggressive cost mixed with her extremely powerful effect ensures she sees play in most red decks.
If you’re running Kai’Sa, Daughter of the Void as your Legend, playing three Kai’Sa Survivor is a no-brainer. That is, of course, if you’re able to get your hands on three copies. She’s currently sitting around $73, so I wouldn’t blame you if you found some budget replacements.
Time Warp
Time Warp
2
Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of extra turn effects in TCG’s, since they often give an unfair edge when used. Regardless, Riftbound’s Time Warp is an extremely powerful, high-cost effect that is the metagame’s current most expensive staple, sitting at around $86-$90.
Most blue decks run at least one of these, so it may be worth it to pick up a single copy to build up store credit.
More Riftbound Cards to Keep an Eye On
Naturally, these aren’t the only format staples or expensive cards Riftbound has to offer in its over 300-card Origins set.
There are dozens of much more expensive alternate versions of many Legends and Champions, and more metagame staples that will break the bank a bit.
But if you’re more interested in the collector value of these cards over their competitive use, we have a list of the 15 most expensive Riftbound cards you can buy.
We also have a handy buying guide if you’re new to Riftbound. While sealed product can be hard to find right now and price hikes are rampant, but knowing what’s available is always a good move when a new TCG launches.
TCGplayer Subscription
(Up to 15% Cashback for Cyber Weekend) Free Shipping and up to 3% Cashback on orders over $35
TCGPlayer Subscription
0
Free Shipping and up to 3% Cashback on orders over $35
If you’re planning on snapping up quite a few Pokémon cards in the sale, this is a great time to become a TCGplayer subscriber. It costs $8.99 a month and gives users free delivers and 1% cashback regardless of the time of year.
Whilst this climbs to 3% after a years membership, subscriber will get a boosted 13% cashback over cyber weekend on top of their usual cashback. For longtime members, this could equate to 16% cashback, which is frankly insane.
Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.
