Riftbound: Origins vs Spiritforged — A New Collector's Guide to the First Sets

League of Legends Riftbound is a young trading card game, and its early sets — Origins and Spiritforged — are where new collectors start. Both are available in Simplified Chinese, and both jumbo booster boxes are priced at $75.00. If you're deciding where to begin, here's how to think about it.

What "early sets of a young game" means

With an established game like Pokemon, early sets are history — often expensive, sometimes out of print, bought mostly for nostalgia or sealed collecting. With a young game like Riftbound, the early sets are simply the foundation. They're the sets that define what the game is, and they're still reasonably available. That makes this a genuinely good time to start: you're collecting at the beginning, not catching up.

We won't pretend to give you a card-by-card breakdown or a tier list of either set — that's the kind of thing that requires deep, current knowledge of the game's meta and print runs, and it changes. What we can do is help you think about the decision.

Origins: the starting point

Origins is the first set — the one that introduced the game. First sets in any TCG tend to carry a particular energy: they're the broadest, most foundational expression of the game's identity, and they often become the reference point everything after is compared to. For collectors, first sets have a natural appeal — this is where it all began.

If you're the kind of collector who likes owning the beginning of a story, Origins is the instinctive pick.

Spiritforged: the follow-up

Spiritforged is the second set — the follow-up that builds on what Origins started. Second sets in young games are interesting: the designers have seen how the first set played, the community has formed opinions, and the new set responds to all of it. Sometimes the second set is where a game finds its stride.

If you're the kind of collector who's drawn to where a game is going rather than where it started, Spiritforged is the instinctive pick.

How to actually decide

• Start with Origins if: you want the foundational set, you like collecting firsts, or you want the broadest introduction to the game's card pool.
• Start with Spiritforged if: you're more excited by the game's evolution, or the set's theme and direction speak to you more.
• Get both if: you're serious about the game. At $75.00 per jumbo box, two sets of a young TCG is a reasonable foundation — and many collectors end up wanting both anyway.

There's no wrong answer here. Both sets are early, both are available in Simplified Chinese, and both are priced identically. The "right" choice is the one that gets you opening packs and learning the game.

A note on Simplified Chinese product

Riftbound's Simplified Chinese printings open the game to a huge player base, and for English-speaking collectors they're an interesting niche — distinctive, legitimate product from a young game. Just be aware of your own goals: if you're collecting to play in English-language events, check the event's language policy first.

Both Origins and Spiritforged jumbo booster boxes are listed at puzzleplanet.shop in the Riftbound section of the sealed TCG catalog.

FAQ

Which set is better for a new player? Neither is objectively better — it depends on what draws you in. Origins gives you the foundation; Spiritforged gives you the evolution. Many new players just pick the one whose theme appeals to them.

Is it too late to start collecting a game that's already released two sets? Not at all. Two sets is still the very beginning — most TCGs release several sets a year for decades. You're early.

Should I keep boxes sealed or open them? For a young game, there's a real case for both. Opening teaches you the game and builds your collection; sealed early product sometimes becomes interesting later. A common approach: open one, keep one.

Prices and availability change — verify at puzzleplanet.shop.

Keep collecting smarter: Anime TCG Starter Guide: Union Arena, Weiss Schwarz & Friends — $12 on Gumroad, from Puzzle Planet's collector line. Or own the whole shelf: The Complete Collector's Guide Bundle — all five collector guides for $39.