Riftbound: Spiritforged Unveiled! New Champions, Mechanics & 2026 Roadmap Revealed

The world of Runeterra is about to get a whole lot bigger on the tabletop. Following the successful launch of Riftbound: Origins, Riot Games has pulled back the curtain on the game's ambitious future, starting with the next major expansion: **Riftbound: Spiritforged**. This isn't just a few new cards; it's a foundational shift for the physical TCG, introducing fresh champions, innovative mechanics, and a collectibility surge that will have players and collectors alike buzzing. Mark your calendars, because the journey begins in China on December 12, 2025, before the English release hits North America, LATAM, EMEA, and Oceania on **February 13, 2026**.

**Spiritforged: Champions, Mechanics & Mystical Steel**

The heart of any expansion is its champions, and Spiritforged delivers a powerhouse roster of twelve **Champion Legends**. Prepare to build around the likes of the predatory **Rek'Sai**, the showboating **Draven**, the relentless **Irelia**, and the cunning **Renata Glasc**, alongside **Rumble, Lucian, Sivir, Azir, Ezreal, Ornn, Fiora, and Jax**. But these champions are just the vessels for three groundbreaking new mechanics that promise to reshape the meta. **Equipment** cards attach to your units, persisting on the board even if the equipped unit falls—a huge value engine. **Gold** tokens, champion-tied resources for figures like Draven and Renata, offer flexible, instant power generation. Finally, **Repeat** spells let you pay a card's cost a second time for a supercharged effect, adding a new layer of strategic depth and combo potential. Thematically, Riot is blending the hard-edged, forge-born aesthetic of Spiritforged with the ethereal beauty of Ionia's Spirit Blossom universe, creating a unique fusion that will influence card art and champion identities.

**A Collector's Paradise and Competitive Roadmap**

For those who love the hunt, Spiritforged is a treasure trove. The expansion massively expands collectibility with stunning Spirit Blossom-themed alternate art, 30 new **Overnumbered** cards, and 12 Champion Units joining that exclusive series. At PAX Unplugged, Riot even previewed Signature variants for select Overnumbered cards and teased new cross-set synergies between Spiritforged and the original Origins set. But Riot isn't just thinking about casual play. They've laid out a full competitive circuit for 2026, announcing a slate of **Regional Qualifiers**. The action kicks off in Houston from December 5-7, 2025, followed by events in Bologna, Italy (Feb 20-22) and Las Vegas (Feb 27-Mar 1). With 12 total Qualifiers planned for the year, the path to the top is clearer than ever.

**The 2026 Vision: Unleashed, Vendettas, and Radiance**

Perhaps the most exciting reveal is Riot's confidence in the game's future, shown by confirming the **next three full sets** for 2026. This kind of roadmap is a huge vote of confidence in the community. First up after Spiritforged is **Unleashed** in May, introducing new Champion Legends like **Vi, Rengar, and Master Yi**. Following that, **Vendettas** in Q3 will dive deep into Runeterra's most iconic rivalries, featuring champions such as **Akali, Mel, and Ambessa**. The year will wrap up with **Radiance** later in 2026. Game Director Dave Guskin stated the team actively learned from how players engaged with Origins, and Spiritforged is built directly on that foundation. This commitment to evolution based on community feedback is exactly what a growing TCG needs to thrive.

**Forging the Future of Riftbound**

The message from Riot is clear: Riftbound is here for the long haul. Spiritforged is more than a simple card drop; it's a strategic expansion of the game's mechanical vocabulary and narrative scope. With a full year of content already announced, a structured competitive scene, and a clear focus on player-driven design, the tabletop future of League of Legends has never looked brighter. Whether you're a combo player eager to break the new Repeat mechanic, a collector chasing Spirit Blossom alternates, or a competitor eyeing the Las Vegas qualifier, February 13, 2026, can't come soon enough. The forge is lit, and the spirit is willing.