Riftbound: Radiance reveals three mechanics and its first neutral unit

Riot Games has detailed Radiance, the fifth Riftbound set, with three new keywords, nine Legends, and the game's first neutral-domain Champion Unit. The physical card collection based on the League of Legends universe launches on October 23, 2026 after a preview season running through October 9.

The announcement confirms the Deploy, Show Off, and Disarm mechanics. It also introduces Neeko as a card that can join any deck regardless of its domains. That flexibility matters because domains normally define which cards can be included in a Riftbound strategy.

Three mechanics change control of the battlefields

Deploy allows gear to be played directly onto a battlefield, including one the player does not yet control. The gear provides its effect while it remains there, but it is killed when an opponent holds that battlefield. This turns gear into a territorial piece: beyond improving a play, it can pressure the opponent to contest a specific location.

Show Off grants an additional effect when a player reveals a qualifying card from their hand or board. The benefit comes with information for the opponent, who learns about a potentially important card before it is used. The choice is therefore not limited to meeting a condition; it also involves deciding when the extra effect is worth exposing part of a plan.

Disarm lowers the Might of an enemy unit on the same battlefield when the unit with the keyword attacks. Multiple instances can stack. In practice, it creates a combat-linked weakening effect rather than permanent removal, making its value dependent on attack sequencing and the fight for that location.

Neeko opens deck space beyond domain combinations

The largest structural change is Neeko, described by Riot as the first neutral-domain Champion Unit. She can be included in any deck without relying on its chosen domain combination. That does not mean Neeko will automatically be useful in every list, since efficiency, cost, and synergy still determine a card's value. The change does, however, create a Champion Unit that can be tested by strategies that would not normally share the same Champion pool.

Radiance also adds Equipment Units and nine new Legends. Detailed examples include Orianna, who turns gear into Units; Ekko, who can bring expensive units into play early at the cost of losing them at the end of the turn; and K'Sante. Seraphine and Evelynn lead two preconstructed decks sold together as a two-player package with two Radiance boosters, paper playmats, and a rulebook.

The synchronized launch does not include Portuguese

The set will launch simultaneously in English, French, and Simplified Chinese, which Riot presents as the first Riftbound release to reach all three languages on the same date. For organized play, this synchronization narrows differences in preview schedules, card availability, and tournament starts across those markets. The company has not announced a Portuguese edition, so a Brazilian localization is not confirmed.

Pre-Rift events will run from October 16 through 22 at participating local stores before the October 23 release. Each kit contains five boosters and a seeded pack for one of the nine new Legends. The competitive schedule continues in November and December with Summoner Skirmish events.

For collectors, Riot confirmed nine Overnumbered variants and the second Ultimate Rare in the game's history. Its stated average appearance rate is below 0.025% of booster packs, with no guarantee in any pack, box, or case. Some artwork, promotional cards, and full decklists remain unrevealed. Until preview season ends, any composition not published through official channels should be treated as speculation.