TL;DR: Riot Games is spotlighting two preconstructed Champion Decks — Vi, Piltover Enforcer and Vex, Gloomist — to accompany the release of Riftbound: Unleashed, the third set of the League of Legends TCG, available in English and across Europe starting May 8, 2026. Preconstructed, immediately playable and sold individually, these decks are the most direct entry point to the game, provided you plan a little gear to protect them.
Riftbound: Unleashed, the third set of the League of Legends TCG
Riftbound: Unleashed is the third expansion of the Riftbound TCG, after Origins and then Spiritforged. The Chinese version arrived on April 10, 2026, followed by the English and European release on May 8. Ahead of the official launch, Riot organized a wave of Pre-Rift events from May 1 to 7 in participating stores, designed as previews where players could get their hands on the new cards before everyone else.
On the gameplay side, Unleashed introduces three mechanics previously absent from the game: XP, Hunt and Ambush. Concretely, the set pushes decks toward longer game plans (XP rewards long-term investment) and more biting interactions (Hunt and Ambush create targeted attack windows, in the vein of hunt effects seen in other TCGs).
Another notable addition on the collection side: the Ultimate rarity, nicknamed Overnumbered, present in fewer than one booster in a hundred. The first card of this rarity, Baron Nashor, was revealed during the China Major on March 21 and 22, 2026 — a typical Riot move of turning a competitive event into a product announcement showcase.
For French-speaking players discovering Riftbound, the opportunity is interesting: a fresh set, mechanics that change the rules of engagement, and two Champion Decks designed precisely so you don't have to buy a whole display before being able to play.
Vi, Piltover Enforcer: the aggressive Champion Deck
The first Champion Deck features Vi, Piltover Enforcer, true to her identity as Piltover's brawler. The deck combines the Order and Fury runes, a pairing that steers the strategy toward constant pressure: Order brings structure and group synergies, Fury serves the offensive tempo.
Like other Riftbound Champion Decks, the product is preconstructed and ready to play out of the box. Inside, you'll find the champion in three level versions — Destructive Vi, Hotheaded Vi and Peacekeeper Vi —, three Battlefields (the game's specific terrains), twelve runes as well as double-faced tokens to represent effects in play.
The official price announced on the Riot Games Store is $34.99 per deck. The euro conversion on the European store has not yet been publicly confirmed, so it's better to wait for the EU store to open rather than relying on a rate. For players who want to dive into Riftbound today without waiting for the Unleashed Champion Decks to be available in France, the already-distributed Spiritforged Champion Decks offer a similar experience:
Vex, Gloomist: the control Champion Deck
Opposite Vi's aggression, Riot positioned Vex, Gloomist in a very different register. The deck blends the Calm and Chaos runes — a duo that fits the champion perfectly, whose identity in League of Legends rests on resigned apathy and bursts of bad mood. On the table, this translates into a more defensive game plan, capable of defusing opposing pressure before turning the situation around.
The deck's internal structure follows the same recipe: Vex also appears in three level versions, accompanied by three Battlefields, twelve runes and double-faced tokens. The contents are calibrated for casual use among friends as well as for tackling your first Pre-Rift events and local tournaments without modification.
For Magic players scouting it out, the Vi / Vex pairing offers an interesting case study: two opposing archetypes (aggro versus control) sold separately, with no booster or randomization. It's a format also found on the Wakfu TCG side via the starter sets, and it makes the entry ticket much more predictable than a classic Magic Bundle. If you want to dig into this "deck by deck" discovery model, our guide to getting started on a TCG covers the same principles applied to Magic.
Properly protecting your Champion Deck: sleeves and deckbox
Once the deck is opened, the practical question comes up quickly: how do you keep it in shape for Pre-Rift events and weekly sessions? Riftbound cards are in the standard 66×91 mm format, so compatible with the overwhelming majority of sleeves on the market. For a preconstructed deck you plan to use regularly, opaque matte sleeves are the default choice: they make shuffling easier, hide the back and resist tournament wear well.
In terms of lineup, the Dragon Shield Matte 100 series is a solid reference for this kind of use. If you're hesitating between brands and finishes, our Dragon Shield vs Ultra Pro vs KMC: Sleeve Comparison details the quality/price trade-offs.
For transport, a rigid deckbox able to hold a sleeved deck (around 60 to 100 cards once Vi or Vex are assembled with their runes and tokens) is more than enough. If you accumulate several preconstructed decks — Vi, Vex and the Spiritforged Champion Decks already at home —, a more generous storage system quickly becomes relevant: our TCG storage and transport guide covers options from the simple deckbox to multi-deck cases.
Key takeaways
With Vi and Vex, Riot is maintaining its entry-level strategy: an expansion set driven by new mechanics (XP, Hunt, Ambush) and an Ultimate rarity for pull hunters, but also Champion Decks sold individually to keep the barrier to entry low. It remains to be seen how Unleashed will be physically distributed in France and how long the Vi and Vex Champion Decks will hold up in stores. Which duo do you want to try first?
Sources: The Unleashed Overview – Riftbound official, Riftbound Unleashed Champion Deck: Vex – Riot Games Store, Riftbound – Wikipedia
