Explore every episode of the podcast The Winning Point

The first Radiance legends are here and the Winning Point crew rates them: Orianna turning your gear into units, Jarvan IV and his Demacian Standard flag-and-drag, Ziggs bringing Miracle Draven back, Seraphine's three-unit cost reduction, and Neeko, Blending In, the neutral card that adds a second Legend to your board mid-game. Plus the Elnuk Ziggs scale for flavor, and the best Neeko legend combos in Riftbound.Before the spoilers, the RQ Los Angeles recap: Prismaticismism wins again, the Smoke and Mirrors LeBlanc story from the player's seat, the ARAM Mayhem tower we built at the Cloud9 studio, Malmo and Bristol showdowns, and a top eight with no Jayce Aurora and a Poppy deck without Aurora ("sloppless Poppy").ENDGAME Sleeves are an official sponsor of Turn ’em Sideways! Use code TURN10 at checkout for 10% off your order! → https://endgametcg.ca/CHAPTERS0:00 RQ recap and Radiance spoilers5:34 Malmo and Bristol showdowns, casting Sweden9:56 LA week at Cloud9: the ARAM Mayhem tower13:37 Free for all with Jimmy Wong and Krim15:16 RQ LA story: Smoke and Mirrors LeBlanc21:43 Charmer's LA: cosplay, Ivern stilts, 24 hours of content29:16 Sloppless Poppy, no Jayce Aurora, Prismaticismism wins again34:02 Radiance reveals begin: Orianna rules questions41:39 Jarvan IV and the Demacian Standard45:29 The Elnuk card, zero out of ten on flavor49:26 Ziggs, Rune Blade Anvil and Miracle Draven55:20 Seraphine: nerfed in playtesting?62:00 Neeko, Blending In: add a second Legend67:11 Mailbag, the Elnuk Ziggs scale, Neeko combo question- Dunc x Turn'em Sideways Rift Hub score pads, playmats and TCG accessories (score pads drop October 2): https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/- Best-of decklists, tier list & event coverage: https://turnemsideways.gg/

Can you actually go pro in Riftbound? We recorded a special episode of The Winning Point live from the Cloud9 studio in Los Angeles, with Prismaticism (DSG) on what life as a full-time Riftbound pro really looks like, Nack (MERC) and Dani from Cloud9 on building a Riftbound content career, and LCS caster Kangas on how casting a card game compares with casting League of Legends. We get into why esports orgs are still waiting to sign Riftbound players, why the Best-Of prize system might make Riftbound the first TCG where going pro is realistic, and how Turn' em Sideways itself got started.

Then the part you can use this weekend: what RQ Los Angeles looks like after the Stacked Deck ban. Jayce and LeBlanc are rising, Akali keeps winning with a 44% win rate, Kangas thinks Pack Ezreal is back, and the whole panel puts their top 8 predictions on the record.

ENDGAME Sleeves are an official sponsor of Turn ’em Sideways! Use code TURN10 at checkout for 10% off your order! → https://endgametcg.ca/

Huge thanks to our special guests for joining us this week!

Nack: https://x.com/nacktcg

Dani: https://x.com/queuep0p

Prismaticism: https://x.com/Prismaticismism

Kangas: https://x.com/KangasCasts

Riot banned Ekko, Recurrent and Stacked Deck effective September 18, killing the Lux combo and pulling the best consistency card in the game out of Kennen, Diana, Ezreal, Kha'Zix and the rest of purple. Blevins, Casanova and Charmer disagree on the record about who actually got hurt: Charmer thinks Kennen took the worst of it, Blevins thinks Kennen keeps Lightning Rush and every other purple deck is the one paying, and Charmer's tinfoil theory is that Riot was aiming at the round timer the whole time.Then the part you can act on this weekend. Green is the de facto best color now, LeBlanc finally escapes the purple matchup that has capped her for three sets, three Lucians made Showdown top 8s without the combo, purple Ezreal and Vex are quietly back, Proving Grounds Yi is still a problem, and the Aurora panic is probably overblown. Convergence #3 and the CCS Houston Showdown on Saturday are the first real read on all of it, with RQ Los Angeles the week after.⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 Stacked Deck and Ekko are banned8:11 Two cards gone: Ekko and Stacked Deck10:09 Tinfoil theory: the ban targets the round timer17:33 A good long term ban, and Origins regrets20:46 Is an Aurora winter actually coming?24:49 Why Best-Ofs stop the meta from moving30:05 LeBlanc, Vex and purple Ezreal rise34:41 Lucian in Showdown top 8s, minus the combo41:41 Houston and Convergence preview RQ LA

Casanova was on the mic for the RQ Singapore round seven feature match, the one everybody spent the week arguing about on Twitter and Reddit, and he explains what it actually looked like from the casting booth. Then the part nobody is saying out loud: playing every resource you have once the round goes to turns is not sharking, it is the correct play, and the real problem is the players who slow the game down for forty minutes to manufacture that clock pressure in the first place.

Before that, the good stuff. Courtney cast her first ever live event in Singapore and Cas breaks down the round five decision that turned the whole booth around. The event itself came down to an Akali deck with a 4 percent day two conversion rate and four pilots in the entire field, and the story behind why he registered it is the best thing to come out of the weekend. Plus Master Yi is still the second most represented legend, a Teemo deck went 7-1 on day one, and the Riot music teasers have everyone convinced Radiance is bringing K/DA and True Damage into Riftbound.

🏆 Rift Atlas Convergence #3, 256 players, $5,500 prize pool, streamed live right here: https://topdeck.gg/event/convergence-3

📊 Best-of decklists, tier list & event coverage: https://turnemsideways.gg/

🛒 Playmats, dice & merch: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

ENDGAME Sleeves are an official sponsor of Turn ’em Sideways. Use code TURN10 at checkout for 10% off your order!→ https://endgametcg.ca/

Riot Games has posted a job listing for a publishing product manager on an unannounced new digital game, asking for trading card game knowledge and mobile experience, and Casanova thinks it is the Riftbound digital client we have been asking for since before the game launched. Blevins, Casanova and Charmer read the post line by line, work out how soon a client could realistically arrive, and argue about whether it helps or guts the local game store.

Then Barcelona. Casanova calls it the worst Regional Qualifier that has ever happened for attendee experience, and explains why: a venue at 85 to 90 degrees, players stuck outside for hours, side events gone in minutes, and on demand events that never fired because there was no room to run them. After that, the fun part: an Aggro Ornn deck most people had written off as a D tier legend won the entire event in Manland's hands, and we go through the official Day 1 and Day 2 metagame numbers to work out how it happened. Kennen was 13% of the field, near prime Draven numbers, and still could not close it out.

So many Riftbound showdowns from this past weekend - what does that mean for us? Statistics. Lots and lots of statistics. In Episode 60 of the Winning Point, we cover decks and legends seen from Convergence #2, Riftbound Showdown in Speyer, 10K Showdown in Auckland, Ottawa Showdown, and Gen.G LA Showdown (did we catch them all?).

We also delve into what goes into streaming these tournaments, and include a snippet of an interview we did with Tayfun from Battle Bear, who ran the Riftbound Showdown in Speyer. If you're watching/listening to this upon release, we're also at Barcelona, so come and say hi if you see any of us! We have new playmats available for preorder! https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/🃏 SPONSOR: VEGAS SINGLESOur partner for the whole month of August. Singles, trade-ins and a buy list worth actually reading. Use code **TURN5** for 5% off your singles order, free tracking on every package, free US shipping over $50.→ https://vegas.singles/collections/riftbound-singles?bg_ref=lOW1wb5iTD

Riftbound Showdown Ottawa gave us the first real look at the Vendetta metagame, and Prismaticism took the whole thing down on Rengar with a 25-1-1 record in games before telling everyone not to play the deck at their RQ. Kennen was the most represented legend in the room, Rek'Sai put three copies in the Top 8, Master Yi is still posting an absurd win rate with no Best-Of on the line, and Diana is stuck at 51% while everyone keeps calling Blue Purple the boogeyman.Blevins, Casanova, Charmer and Pastry break down the Ottawa Top 8 and the win rates, argue about what a stock Kennen list is even supposed to look like, make the case that somebody is about to crack Mel, then recap Dual Queue, the 2v2 tournament we ran on this channel, where Helm of Suppression turned out to be format warping and one Otterpus denied three points in the grand final. Plus the updated RQ prizing with the Jayce champion promo, the Wuhan Regional exhibition between the English and Chinese scenes, and the mailbag returns with a Crash Out Corner about sets designed for draft.

⏱️ Timestamps0:00 Intro

1:15 Announcements

4:10 Ottawa Showdown

32:27 2v2 Magma Chamber

41:43 Updated RQ Prizing

46:45 Wuhan Riftbound Regional Exhibition

48:28 Mailbag🎮 WATCH THIS WEEKENDRift Atlas Convergence #2: Saturday August 15, $5,000 prize pool, 256 players, sold out with a waitlist. Streaming right here.Dual Queue, the Magma Chamber 2v2 tournament, is already up on the channel if you missed it.🃏 SPONSOR: VEGAS SINGLESOur partner for the whole month of August. Singles, trade-ins and a buy list worth actually reading. Use code **TURN5** for 5% off your singles order, free tracking on every package, free US shipping over $50.→ https://vegas.singles/collections/riftbound-singles?bg_ref=lOW1wb5iTD📊 Best-of decklists, tier list & event coverage: https://turnemsideways.gg/🛒 Playmats, dice & merch: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Riot dropped the August 2026 State of the Game plus five more articles in a single week, and between them they rewrite competitive Riftbound: Summoner Skirmish is retiring into the Riftbound Challenge Series, RQs become Riftbound Regionals with 16 in 2027, Regional Championships become Continentals with a Friday last chance qualifier, and a Riftbound World Championship finally lands next year.Blevins, Cas and Charmer go through all of it: Legacy being the first set designed for draft, The Minion and the illegal deck problem it fixes, the Ekko reveal from Radiance, the Cho'Gath movie monster posters coming in Reckoning, the trigger arrow and grey targeting backing that should finally make Riftbound cards read the way they work, the plated Legends that may never be awarded, and why Vendetta season is the last one where you can bank byes.⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 Kennen should be banned3:09 Dual Queue, Convergence 2 and our new partner Vegas Singles7:48 State of the Game: no more double Legend packs12:39 The trigger arrow, and why reading the card doesn't explain the card19:22 Legacy is the first set designed for draft, and The Minion29:04 Ekko revealed, and the Cho'Gath movie monster posters43:39 Stuttgart, Convergence Fest and the plated Legends nobody may earn53:39 2027: Summoner Skirmish retires and Worlds arrives📰 EVERY ARTICLE WE COVEREDState of the Game, August 2026: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/organizedplay/august-2026-state-of-play/Products and Sets: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/announcements/products-and-sets-into-2027/August and Onward Roadmap: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/announcements/august-2026-roadmap/Creators and Riftbound: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/announcements/riftbounds-creators-in-2027/Regional Championship Info: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/organizedplay/2026-regional-championship-info/🎮 WATCH US LIVE THIS WEEKENDDual Queue, the Magma Chamber 2v2 tournament: Sunday August 9, 11am EDT, $500 prize pool, Vendetta legal. Streaming right here.Convergence 2 with Rift Atlas: August 15, $5,000, 256 player cap. Sign up while there are still spots.🃏 SPONSOR: VEGAS SINGLESSingles, trade-ins and a buy list worth actually reading. Code TURN5 for 5% off your singles order, tracking on every package, free US shipping over $50.https://vegas.singles https://vegas.singles/collections/riftbound-singles?bg_ref=lOW1wb5iTD📊 Best-of decklists, tier list & event coverage: https://turnemsideways.gg/🛒 Playmats, dice & merch: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/======= SOCIALS =======Follow us for more competitive Riftbound content:🎥 YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@TurnemSideways?sub_confirmation=1🐦 Twitter – https://x.com/TurnThemSide⏲️ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@turnemsideways📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/turnemsideways/🎧 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0qFsptquUddq21pGXu9Thx🍎 Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-winning-point/id1847709608🎮 Discord – https://discord.gg/MNFCaxFGpZ🩵 Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/turnthemside.bsky.social📝 Threads – https://www.threads.com/@turnemsideways

We caught a glimpse of Riftbound's first Vendetta metagame at our CN vs. the World event, and the winning deck was a Diana running Swain, Visionary, and Patched Porobot. In this episode, we're breaking down every piece of the combo, the missed Promising Future in Game 3 of the Grand Finals, and discuss whether or not Lux deserved an emergency ban.

Also hot topics for this episode are: results of the Pre-Rifts, where Ambessa is in the current format, how Orange might be the best color, and whether or not our Vendetta predictions came true so far.

Riftbound dropped a ban announcement ahead of Vendetta, removing Aspirant’s Climb and Arena’s Greatest from competitive play. We break down why these battlefields had become nearly mandatory, what their removal means for the game, and whether cards like Star-Crossed, Ferrous Forerunner, Aurora and Ekko should have been targeted instead.

We also discuss the move to 10-card sideboards, the possibility of best-of-five tournament matches, our most anticipated Vendetta prerelease legends, and the cards that could define the new Limited environment. With Vendetta fully revealed, competitive Riftbound is about to look very different.

Let us know: Did Riot ban the right cards—and is Ekko eventually next?

Vendetta spoiler season is nearly complete, and the new Riftbound legends have given us plenty to argue about.

In Episode 55 of The Winning Point, the crew shares their first impressions of Mel, Ambessa, Nasus, Shen and Jayce, discusses the cards that could define their decks, and attempts to determine which new Epic might be the worst in the entire set. We also break down Riftbound’s massive Las Vegas Regional Championship announcement, the return of Best Of promos, and why overnumbered versions could create both an unbelievable prize pool and a serious competitive-integrity challenge.Which Vendetta legend impressed you the most, and which one are you staying far away from?

Riftbound’s Vendetta spoiler season is moving fast, and the first big story is already here: a card is getting banned before players even get to use it. This week on The Winning Point, we talk through the Stealthy Pursuer infinite combo, why the ban happened, and what it says about Riftbound’s future.Then we get into the real chaos: Kennen and Lightning Rush, Akali’s action-speed tricks, Renekton sacrificing resources for explosive turns, Zed’s shadow clone package, new sideboard-style cards, and the T1 collaboration with serialized cards. Spoiler season is here, and Vendetta already looks wild.LAST CALL TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE TOURNAMENT➡️ https://topdeck.gg/event/sideways-showdown-cn-vs-world-qualifiers

Vendetta spoiler season is upon us, the price of an Ahri card, and Korea entering the Rift(bound). All that and more in Episode 53 of the Winning Point!

Be sure to check out our stuff: Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Merch: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Stories from Hartford, Top 8 Recap, and 2v2 discussions -- is there actually something wrong with the 2v2 format or does it get a bad rap? Also, an unexpected Cas crashout.

Welcome to episode 51 of The Winning Point! This week's episode may be one of the most action-packed ones yet. Eight different legends in the top 8, the results of Lux Loop, and drama around the best-of Kai'Sa? There's so much to recap and so little time.

Episode 50 (holy crap) of the Winning Point features discussions around the infinite combo that took the internet (and the current meta) by storm and the effects it has on the predictions we might see from Utrecht. Thanks for being a part of our journey -- here's to at least 50 more episodes. 🥰

If you're interested in tracking your favorite players at RQs, you can visit: https://turnemsideways.gg/trackerDon't forget to pre-order your playmat(s)! https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Another RQ has come and gone, and with it comes a little recap of the tournament and their first-hand experience at the event. Recap includes discussions around strategies, misplays that may have cost competitors the game, and venue experiences. The team also goes through some of the spoilers for Vendetta and Radiance that have been released so far and share what they're excited to see. Please note: there are some audio issues in this episode. We have noted them for you, just in case25:31 Audio Distortion47:30 Cas Mic Gain Dips 51:13 Audio Lag Best-ofs for Vancouver are in! We've updated them on our website: https://turnemsideways.gg/bestofsDon't forget to pre-order your playmat(s)! https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Welcome to episode 48 of The Winning Point!

This week, the crew talks about the FAQ article for the Regional Championships (which may have left us with more questions than answers), the release of French Riftbound cards, the results from the Regional Open in Xi'An and their predictions on what the Vancouver RQ this weekend may present.

Don't forget to check out our stuff!Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

It's time for Episode 47 of The Winning Point! Sydney delivered one of the wildest Riftbound tournaments we’ve seen so far, and The Winning Point is here to break it all down. From the first English Unleashed-format Regional Qualifier to the evolving Aurora meta, Teemo Top 8 runs, LeBlanc tech, and the future of competitive Riftbound, there’s a LOT to unpack this week.Blevins, Casanova, Pastrytime, and Charmer dive into everything that happened at the Sydney Regional Qualifier, including behind-the-scenes stories from the event, meta takeaways, production discussion, and why the current format may be the most open Riftbound has seen yet.Don't forget to check out our stuff - our tierlist got updated!Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

It's time for Episode 46 of The Winning Point! RQ Sydney is finally here — and with it comes one of the most interesting Riftbound metas we’ve seen so far. In this episode of The Winning Point, we break down our full Sydney tier list predictions, including which decks we expect to dominate the event, what strategies are flying under the radar, and whether Aurora is beginning to warp the format around itself.We dive into the rise of Aurora variants, LeBlanc experimentation, Diana hype, Ezreal positioning, and the decks we think could realistically make a deep run this weekend. With Western and Chinese major events happening at nearly the same time for the first time, this tournament could completely reshape how players approach the early Unleashed meta moving forward.Don't forget to check out our stuff - our tierlist got updated!Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Welcome to episode 45 of The Winning Point! We're beginning to welcome in the Unleashed set, and what stories do we have to tell you about our pre-Rift experiences. There have been a few decks taking an early lead in the Unleashed meta we've spotted so far -- did any of the ones mentioned surprise you? And, as always: Aurora. Discourse has returned...but has it ever really left?

Don't forget to check out our stuff! Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Welcome to Episode 44 of The Winning Point! Atlanta RQ was definitely one for the books - it brought to us probably the best grand finals so far. As we say goodbye to the Spiritforged set and hello to Unleashed, the crew goes over the Atlanta RQ recap and talks about their own experience from this past weekend.

Be sure to check out our stuff!

Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Welcome to Episode 43 of the Winning Point! Some of the crew just came back from Lille, and they're here to talk about their experience at the RQ. We go through the Top 8 decks, as well as make some predictions about the Atlanta RQ, sprinkled in with a little Azir deck talk.

Don't forget to check out our stuff! Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

(the team is traveling so no pretty thumbnail for this week's episode. if you see us in atlanta, come say hi!)

Welcome to Episode 42 of the Winning Point! It's the Lille preview episode! The crew talks about their predictions for the RQ and how different their prep time looks from then to now. It's also a much needed therapy session for Cas. Don't forget to check out our stuff! Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

Playmats are still available at: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/

The Post Ban Tier List is here: https://turnemsideways.gg/tierlist

It's the Spiritforged 2.0 episode! Welcome to episode 41 of The Winning Point! This week, we talk about the pre-rift kits revealed in China, go over the New Zealand 10k results, and discuss whether or not the meta is cured.

What are your thoughts on the meta with all the updates? Let us know in the comments below!

We Rated Every Unleashed Riftbound Card (Full Set Review)From trash to treasure, we're giving stars to every card. Quick takes before testing the set to see how wrong, or how right I can be.In this full-set review, Casanova breaks down the entire card pool, one card at a time:✅ 5-star staples and instant build-arounds✅ Underrated sleepers that could define the meta✅ Domain-by-domain evaluation: Body, Mind, Chaos, Order, Calm, FuryWhether you're prepping for tournaments, building your first deck, or just want to hear how the community is evaluating the set, we’ve got you.👥 Hosted by: Casanova👇 Drop your hottest take in the comments. What’s your 5-star card no one else respects?

Viktor's good again... you should get a playmat to celebrate: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/The tierlist and other decks have been updated: https://turnemsideways.gg/tierlist

Welcome to episode 40 of The Winning Point! We've got a little Lille announcement and we dig further into the banned cards and rules updates discussion. There's so much information and so little time to process it all.

What decks are we looking to play now?

Welcome to episode 39 of The Winning Point! This is more or less a continuation of last week's spoiler episode, but with a twist? We're also going over the Shenzhen National that happened over the weekend and talk about some of the crew's favorite spoilers of Unleashed! 🎧 The Winning Point is your weekly Riftbound podcast, covering competitive play, event coverage, and everything that shapes the game — from global regionals to your local prerelease.

Warning: spoilers up ahead. Welcome to episode 38 of The Winning Point! This week's episode focuses on everything Unleashed Spoilers. We go over our own spoiler (Gutter Palace), Baron Nashor, and all the revealed Legends. There's so much to cover and so little time. 🎧 The Winning Point is your weekly Riftbound podcast, covering competitive play, event coverage, and everything that shapes the game — from global regionals to your local prerelease.

Cas' is moving and Pastrytime was summoned elsewhere during this week's Winning Point episode, giving us a dynamic duo we didn't know we needed. In episode 37(!), we talk about future plans (both personal and for Riftbound), suggestions we've seen for the Miracle deck floating around, previews for both Unleashed AND Vendetta, and side events with banned decks in China. Also, we have new playmats available. 🎧 The Winning Point is your weekly Riftbound podcast, covering competitive play, event coverage, and everything that shapes the game — from global regionals to your local prerelease.

Two Regional Qualifiers have come and gone, and we're finally back and more or less well-rested enough to talk about them. It's not a secret that some of us work on the Riftbound shows or travel to compete in them, but there are definitely stories that come out of the events that are being revealed in this episode. For example: did you know Blevins was the reason Alanzq was late to accept his award in Bologna? We also talk about the discourse on Metal Cards... again.

🎧 The Winning Point is your weekly Riftbound podcast, covering competitive play, event coverage, and everything that shapes the game — from global regionals to your local prerelease.

Please note the beginning of the episode is a little laggy (it's not your internet). The team had a shorter turnaround time for this episode due to travels (be sure to say hi if you see them at either SCG CON Milwaukee or Bologna for the Regional Qualifiers)!

Welcome to Episode 35 of The Winning Point! This week, we talk about our new website, incoming merch, predictions about what decks we'll see in Top 8 for Bologna RQ, and more!

👇 Let us know in the comments:

- Do you think there will be a surprise deck that ends up in Top 8?

- Thoughts on the new website?

- How will Cas and/or Blevins do in the tournament?

🎧 The Winning Point is your weekly Riftbound podcast, covering competitive play, event coverage, and everything that shapes the game — from global regionals to your local prerelease.

Riftbound just made one of the biggest competitive changes yet — and it might finally make Best-of-One tournaments actually playable.

In Episode 34 of The Winning Point, we break down the new tournament policy update going live February 9, which allows players to make sideboard adjustments in Best-of-One after legends, battlefields, and turn order are revealed.

This is a huge step forward for competitive Riftbound, and it completely changes how players should prepare for events moving forward.We also dive into the evolving Spiritforged meta across recent Regional Opens, including the growing “triangle” at the top of the format, but with plenty of wild deck choices still sneaking into top cuts. Whether you’re preparing for your next event, testing new tech, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this episode covers what matters right now.

👇 Let us know in the comments:- Do you like sideboarding in Best-of-One?- What decks do you think benefit the most from this change?- What are you playing at your next event?

🎧 The Winning Point is your weekly Riftbound podcast, covering competitive play, event coverage, and everything that shapes the game — from global regionals to your local prerelease.

Spiritforged is almost here and Riftbound just took a massive step forward.In Episode 33 of The Winning Point, the full crew breaks down the latest Riftbound tournament rules update, dives into the evolving Chinese Regional Open meta, and talks through what these changes mean heading into Spiritforged pre-release events worldwide.

We cover:

✅ Mixed-language cards now legal in tournaments

✅ Major policy updates around missed triggers

✅ Draft & limited format rules officially revealed

✅ Ongoing Draven dominance — and why the meta might finally be cracking

✅ Controversial judge rulings from recent CN Regionals

✅ Spiritforged preorder changes & what they signal for the future

With Chengdu and Dalian Regional Opens fresh in the books and Pre-Rift events coming to the West next week, this episode is your essential prep guide for what’s coming next in competitive Riftbound.

Spiritforged is almost here — and the countdown has officially begun.

In episode 32 of The Winning Point, we shift gears from pure meta analysis to full pre-release mode, breaking down everything players need to know as Spiritforged pre-release events hit the West next week.

We start with a quick co-stream recap of the Chengdu Regional Open, highlighting what stood out, what surprised us, and what early Spiritforged gameplay is already teaching us. With Dalian happening tonight, we talk about what to watch for next.

From there, the focus turns to Pre-Rift events, local game store play, and what Spiritforged means for players jumping in fresh. We discuss:- What archetypes feel intuitive for pre-release play- Why Spiritforged rewards proactive decision-making- How early Draven and Fiora narratives should (and shouldn’t) influence your expectations- What new players should prioritize when opening their first pools

This episode is about excitement, preparation, and momentum — bridging the gap between high-level tournament play and the experiences most players are about to have at their local stores. Whether you’re sleeving up for a Pre-Rift event, watching the China co-streams, or just counting down the days, Spiritforged is finally here.🎧 The Winning Point is your weekly Riftbound podcast, covering competitive play, event coverage, and everything that shapes the game — from global regionals to your local prerelease.

This week, we dive deep into the Fuzhou Regional Open, the first major Spiritforged regional in China, and unpack what the results actually tell us beyond the headline numbers. With Draven making up a massive portion of the field, we discuss whether this represents true dominance, early-set convergence, or simply China doing what it does best: identifying the perceived best deck and pushing it to its limits.

We break down the Top 64 and Top 8 legend spread, including strong showings from Fiora, Irelia, Annie, and Ezreal, and analyze why Draven’s representation dropped as the tournament narrowed — even after starting at nearly 40% of the field. From Jund-style “fair” Draven lists to the absence of expected combo builds, we explore how preparation, matchup targeting, and player skill shaped the event.

The episode also tackles one of the biggest conversations of the week: Riot’s Spiritforged errata, including the removal of reflexive triggers and how changes to cards like Falling Star and Icathian Rain impact gameplay clarity, tournament prep, and long-term confidence in physical card text. We debate errata vs bans, growing pains in early sets, and how these decisions affect both competitive and casual players.

To close things out, we zoom out on the broader Spiritforged landscape — discussing aggro vs midrange, why “proactive” decks feel strong early in formats, what might emerge as the next hated-but-not-broken deck, and how the meta could evolve heading into upcoming Chinese Regionals and major Western events.

In Episode 30, we dive headfirst into the Spiritforged meta explosion, focusing on the rise of purple-based draw engines, Miracle-style Draven builds, and what happens when Riftbound suddenly allows decks to draw nearly their entire library with consistency. From Chinese City Challenges and large proxy events to early testing for Vegas, we analyze how purple cores are warping deck construction — and whether this level of power was intended.We break down why Draven has emerged as the defining legend of the format, how Miracle Draven and “fair” Jund-style Draven coexist, and why Ezreal may quietly be the most important card in Spiritforged. The conversation also explores how decks like Kai'sa, Annie, Ornn, and even under-the-radar picks could adapt — or fail — as consistency and card velocity continue to increase.Along the way, we debate design intent, compare Spiritforged’s power jump to early Magic and other TCGs, discuss why China and the West approach metas differently, and examine what counterplay actually exists against full-deck cycling strategies. If you’re testing for upcoming events, tracking regional trends, or trying to understand where Riftbound is heading next, this episode gives you the context you need.

A reminder that co-streams will start next week (1/16 around ~8pm CT) with the Fuzhou Spiritforged Event!

Welcome back to The Winning Point, episode 29 — our first episode of 2026 and a deep dive into everything shaping Riftbound right now.

This week, Blevins, Casanova, and Charmer talk about projected content plans for Turn 'em Sideways (including new series like First 40) and break down early Spiritforged results from China. The most recent City Challenge data showied Draven at 36% of Top 8s with Kai’Sa close behind, and had some surprising representation from Irelia, Viktor, and Master Yi. We discuss what these numbers actually mean, which decks may be underrepresented, and why this is far from a solved meta. The pod also had some candid discussion around ticket sales, event capacity, and what Riot can do better long-term.We also talk Spiritforged accessibility, product availability updates, Worlds bundles, wave two distribution, and why panic-buying sealed product rarely pays off. On the competitive side, we unpack Riftbound’s updated tournament time rules, how the new structure impacts control vs aggressive decks, and whether this change actually fixes long round delays.If you’re preparing for Spiritforged events, watching the evolving meta, or just want honest Riftbound discussion, this episode sets the stage for what’s coming next.

The Battlefields & Legends set review dives deep into Spiritforged’s most meta-defining cards — covering every new Legend, signature spell, and battlefield, and how they reshape deckbuilding, tempo, and win conditions across Riftbound.

In this video, we break down each Legend and battlefield, discussing where they fit, what decks they fit into, and which effects are true standouts versus situational tech. High-impact Legends like Draven, Ezreal, Orrn, Jax, and Fiora introduce powerful resource engines, combat manipulation, and card advantage tools, while signature spells such as Relentless Pursuit, Void Rush, Arcane Shift, and Riposte offer some of the strongest interaction and tempo swings in the set.

We also take a close look at how Spiritforged’s battlefields influence scoring patterns and deck construction, highlighting options like Ravenbloom Conservatory, Minefield, Ornn's Forge, and Veiled Temple as potential one-sided advantages when built around correctly. Whether you’re optimizing legend-centric engines, planning around repeat spells and equipment synergies, or choosing battlefields that punish specific metas, this review breaks down what matters — and what can be safely ignored.

📺 This video is part of a 7-part review series, covering every card in Spiritforged — be sure to check out the rest of the playlist for full set coverage.

The Order Domain set review dives deep into Riftbound’s most board-focused and value-driven domain — built around tokens, efficient units, and layered interaction that rewards smart sequencing and battlefield control.

In this video, we break down every Order Domain card, discussing where each one fits, what decks want them, and which cards are core engines versus situational role-players. Token generators like Azir's Sand Guards, Royal Guard, and Corina Veraza, define Order’s ability to flood and reinforce the board, while standout tools such as BF Sword, Drag Under, and Rally the Troops offer real power in both tempo and removal-heavy matchups.

We also take a close look at Order’s evolving late-game and Champions Zone impact, highlighting cards like Fiora (Worthy), Undertitan, and Xin Zhao that push Order decks from incremental pressure into legitimate win conditions. Between efficient accelerate options, action-speed interaction, and token-based synergies, Order continues to reward players who can convert small advantages into overwhelming battlefield presence.

📺 This video is part of a 7-part review series, covering every card in Spiritforged — be sure to check out the rest of the playlist for full set coverage.

The Chaos Domain set review dives deep into Riftbound’s most volatile and play-pattern–warping domain — packed with swingy interaction, spell-heavy engines, and high-skill decision points that can completely flip games.

In this video, we break down every Chaos Domain card, discussing where each one fits, what decks want them, and which cards are true standouts versus niche tech options. Powerful interaction like Hard Bargain and Switcheroo give Chaos decks real counterplay and combat tricks, while flexible engines such as Fizz (Trickster), Ezreal (Prodigy), and Irelia (Graceful) open the door for repeatable value and spell-centric strategies.

We also take a close look at Chaos’ growing combo potential, hidden-card synergies, and how purple decks leverage tempo manipulation, cost reduction, and recursion tools like Last Rites to create pressure without committing too hard to the board. Whether you’re interested in Ezreal spell shells, Annie control, Teemo hidden tech, or experimental Chaos-based combo decks, this review breaks down what matters — and what can be safely skipped.

📺 This video is part of a 7-part review series, covering every card in Spiritforged — be sure to check out the rest of the playlist for full set coverage.

The Body Domain set review dives deep into Riftbound’s most straightforward — yet deceptively powerful — domain, focused on board presence, combat efficiency, and relentless pressure.

In this video, we break down every Body Domain card, discussing where each one fits, what decks want them, and which tools are core inclusions versus situational role-players. Efficient stat sticks, combat tricks, and pressure-oriented units define the domain, while standout cards highlight how Body decks can quickly snowball small advantages into overwhelming battlefield control.

We take a close look at how Body supports aggressive and midrange strategies, how it pairs with other domains to reinforce tempo-driven game plans, and which cards are most likely to shape early tournament metas. Whether you’re looking to curve out with efficient attackers, dominate combat phases, or force opponents into awkward defensive positions, this review breaks down what matters — and what can safely be skipped.

📺 This video is part of a 7-part review series, covering every card in Spiritforged — be sure to check out the rest of the playlist for full set coverage.

The Mind Domain set review dives deep into Riftbound’s most difficult to evaluate color — from powerful gold engines and removal spells to speculative combo pieces and niche tech options.In this video, we break down every Mind Domain card, discussing where each one fits, what decks want them, and which cards are worth building around versus leaving on the sidelines. Cards like Plundering Poro, Dropboarder, and Wages of Pain stand out as efficient role-players, while combo-focused tools such as Hextech Anomaly, Temporal Portal, and Jayce (Man of Progress) show massive long-term potential.We also take a close look at Ezreal synergies, Mind’s evolving removal suite, and how blue decks are gaining access to flexible answers for tokens, gear, and late-game value. Whether you’re interested in Rumble mech builds, blue-yellow gold strategies, or future combo shells, this review breaks down what matters — and what doesn’t.📺 This video is part of a 7-part review series, covering every card in Spiritforged — be sure to check out the rest of the playlist for full set coverage.

In this video, we continue our Spiritforged set review series by breaking down every card in the Calm domain. Joined by Prismaticism, we go card-by-card to evaluate what Calm brings to Riftbound — from efficient value engines and defensive tools to counterspells, gear synergies, and late-game power plays.

Calm continues to solidify its identity as a control-leaning, value-oriented domain, featuring standout cards like Not So Fast, Lonely Poro, Stellacorn Herder, and powerful gear options such as Heart of Dark Ice and Guardian Angel. We discuss which cards feel like auto-includes, which are meta-dependent tech, and which might struggle to find a home in competitive play.

Whether you’re preparing for Spiritforged tournaments, refining your green decks, or just want a deeper understanding of how Calm fits into the evolving Riftbound meta, this breakdown will help you separate the staples from the traps.

📺 This video is part of a 7-part review series, covering every card in Spiritforged — be sure to check out the rest of the playlist for full set coverage.

Welcome to our full Fury Domain set review for Riftbound’s Spiritforged expansion.

In this episode, we break down every Fury card, giving first impressions, ratings, and early meta predictions to help players understand what’s worth testing, what’s likely sideboard tech, and what may define the format going forward.

Joined by Prismaticism and Cas, we walk through Fury’s new units, reactions, gear, and champions, discussing how cards like Draven, Ferrous Forerunner, Rumble (Hotheaded), Long Sword, Piercing Light, and more as they fit into aggressive and midrange strategies. We also dive into weapon synergies, mech recursion, accelerate lines, and future combo potential, especially where Fury intersects with champions like Draven, Lucian, Rumble, and Rek'Sai.

📺 This episode is part of a 7-part domain review series, covering every domain in Spiritforged — be sure to check out the rest of it for a full set coverage.

Welcome to Episode 28 of The Winning Point! Spiritforged is officially on the horizon for Riftbound and we're closing this year out with a closer look at what's coming next. Spoiler alert: it includes co-streams for upcoming Spiritforged Chinese tournaments. In this episode, the crew breaks down early Spiritforged impressions, discusses hands-on experiences with Riftbound sealed play, and recaps the Paris Open, including what the event felt like on the ground and how Riot’s presence shaped the experience. With Spiritforged already live in China and global release approaching, we talk about how sealed differs from constructed Riftbound, what deck ideas we've come up with, and why the format feels so strong. If you’re preparing for Spiritforged, curious about sealed Riftbound, or want to stay ahead of the evolving meta, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Welcome to episode 27 of The Winning Point! This week the team returns from the Houston Regional, breaks down early takeaways from the event, and dives into the newest wave of Spiritforged spoilers. Blevins, Casanova, and Charm3r cover what stood out, what surprised them, and how the meta may shift heading into Bologna and Vegas.

🔥 Houston Regional Recap

• Casanova returns with a shredded voice but a full report

• Friends making top finishes, best-of prizing highlights

• Early impressions of how Origins decks performed under pressure

✨ Spiritforged Spoilers

We take a look at several standout new cards revealed since last episode:

• Renata Glasc — A powerful new blue card that can draw or score points directly, giving players another way to break the point curve.

• Teemo Tools: Edge of Night & Switcheroo — New hidden-card interactions that help solve Teemo’s retake problems and open up creative battlefield manipulation.

🗺️ Looking Ahead

• Online set two events have already begun

• Players preparing for Bologna, Vegas, and upcoming skirmishes

• The team reflects on the “lame duck” period of seeing a full new set before being able to play it

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe — your support helps us keep covering events, spoilers, and the evolving competitive Riftbound scene.

Spiritforged just unleashed the biggest wave of spoilers yet — and Episode 26 of The Winning Point breaks down as many major reveals as time allowed. From powerful purple spells to new token engines, counterspells, gear synergies, and combo enablers, this set is shaping up to be quite an impactful first expansion for Riftbound. In this episode, we analyze the most competitive, most hype, and most game-changing Spiritforged cards, including:

🔥 Fizz Trickster – Purple’s new reaction-speed “free spell” engine

🔥 Ornn – Blue/Green gear legend with huge long-game scaling

🔥 Rek'Sai Swarm Queen – The top-deck swarm engine

🔥 Bellows Breath, Downwell, Void Hatchling, and many more!

🔥 META & COMPETITIVE INSIGHTS

We also break down:

• Why Purple and Blue may be the biggest winners of Spiritforged

• Early Spiritforged combos and synergy packages

• Predictions heading into the Houston Riftbound event

There's a few more spoilers on their way, but we dug into those that were released thus far and how they may make an impact — what’s strong, what seems suspicious, and what competitive players should be preparing for.

🎥 TURN’EM SIDEWAYS AT HOUSTONWe’ll be on-site in Houston filming a documentary-style project following players through the event — deck techs, round-by-round reactions, and behind-the-scenes stories from the competitive community.

Welcome to Episode 24 of the Winning Point!

Spiritforged spoiler season has officially begun, and this episode might be one of the most important Riftbound breakdowns yet. From what has been released so far, this set is already revealing meta implications, controversial combat interactions, and what may be the strongest gear card printed so far.

Today, we’ll be digging into the competitive, strategic, and hype-worthy reveals, including, but not limited to:

🪓 Draven’s Spinning Axe

⚙️ Mechanics behind temporary gear

🦅 Fight or flight ruling

🔍 Riot’s preview article on Spiritforged content

👀 We have a spoiler coming on November 28th?

If you’re aiming to get ahead of the meta, prepare for tournaments, or understand how Spiritforged will influence Riftbound at a high level, this episode gives you everything you need.

In episode 23 of The Winning Point, the team welcomes a legendary voice in esports commentary, Uber (Valorant, Overwatch, FaB), for a hilarious and insightful chat about the early days of Riftbound, multiplayer madness, and the fine art of live casting.In this episode, the crew dives into:

⚖️ Riftbound's designs, pros and cons.

👨‍⚖️ Debate: removal of inviting players into combat.

🎧 Casting TCGs.

🤔 Bringing prior casting experience into Riftbound.

🍔 ...Arby's conspiracy about Ravenbloom Student?