Riftbound rarity plays a central role in shaping the experience for players, collectors, and investors alike. As Riot Games’ first official entry into the trading card game space, Riftbound blends the expansive world of League of Legends with innovative mechanics and a high-end production approach.
Like most TCGs, it uses a tiered rarity system to structure card distribution, influence gameplay dynamics, and drive collectibility—but with notable differences from traditional genre norms. Each rarity level impacts not just how frequently a card appears in booster packs, but also how it functions in decks and how it performs on the secondary market.
Whether you’re building your first deck, chasing alternate-art Champions, or looking for cards with long-term investment potential, understanding how rarity works in Riftbound is a clear competitive and financial advantage. Here’s a breakdown of every Riftbound rarity tier you’ll encounter in the Origins set.
Common
Common cards are the most frequently pulled cards in Riftbound booster packs, with each pack containing seven. These cards typically feature basic units, straightforward abilities, and early-game functionality that supports smooth mana curves. While they lack the flashiness of higher-rarity cards, many Commons form the foundation of efficient, consistent decks. Their accessibility also makes them ideal for new players learning the game’s mechanics and core strategies.
Uncommon
Uncommons appear three times per Riftbound booster and tend to offer more synergy-driven designs than Commons. These cards often include battlefields, reactive spells, or role-players for specific champion combos—especially in faction-themed builds. They’re not as universally powerful as Rares or Epics, but they’re often crucial in enabling more advanced strategies. Because of their specific utility, certain Uncommons (like Piltover Pulse Extractor or Ionia’s Breath) have spiked in demand due to meta relevance.
Rare
Rares are present in every Riftbound booster, with at least two Rare-or-better slots per pack. Most Champion Legends—the base units for iconic characters—appear at this rarity, giving players access to familiar faces like Jinx, Gunblazing or Yasuo, Blade Tempest. While technically not the highest rarity, Rares are core to deck identity and usually provide splashy abilities or stat lines that make them must-includes. Riot has intentionally made Rares very accessible to avoid gatekeeping champion play, which has led to widespread availability in the secondary market.
Epic
Epic cards are the most scarce within the numbered Origins set, showing up roughly once every four booster packs. These cards often include Champions’ signature spells, advanced Gears, or powerful Agents—cards that elevate a deck from functional to dominant. Epics are marked by a pentagon gem and foil treatment, and they frequently replace a Rare slot in a pack rather than being guaranteed. Because some signature spells and game-ending effects are only found at this tier, acquiring playsets can be a serious commitment for competitive players, leading to strong aftermarket prices on key Epics.
Alternate-Art / Overnumbered Cards
Alternate-art cards and Overnumbered cards exist outside the main numbered set (cards #1–298) and are strictly collectible in function. Alternate-arts apply to 12 featured Champions, offering unique visuals, special foil frames, and a hexagonal rarity gem—found roughly twice per booster box.
Overnumbered cards are extremely limited chase variants that replace a foil slot at a rate of about one per three booster boxes. Even rarer are signature Overnumbered cards, with artist-signed foils appearing only once every 30 boxes, making them the pinnacle of Riftbound collecting and a serious target for long-term investors.
Breakdown Table: Riftbound Rarity Overview
| Rarity Type | Frame / Gem | Avg. Frequency | Typical Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | Bronze / round gem | 7 per pack | Basic units or spells |
| Uncommon | Silver / triangular gem | 3 per pack | Battlefields, synergies |
| Rare (Legend cards, etc.) | Gold full-art / square gem | ≥2 per pack | Champion Legends, side Champions |
| Epic | Gold foil / pentagonal gem | ~1 per 4 packs | Signature spells, powerful Champions/Gear |
| Foil slot (any rarity) | Same as above | Always 1 per pack | Foil card, often Common or Uncommon |
| Alt‑art Champion | Hex‑gem, unique foil | ~2 per box | Select Champions in special skins |
| Overnumbered (artist variants) | Above card number 298 | 1 per 3 boxes | Exclusive art, numbered outside standard set |
| Signature Overnumbered | Artist signature foil | 1 per ~30 boxes | Ultra-limited collector chase cards |
