Riftbound Battlefields Guide: How to Choose Your Three Battlefields

Riftbound battlefields are where every game is decided. You score by conquering and holding them, and the battlefield cards themselves add rules that can swing a match. Yet battlefields are often the last three cards players think about when building a deck. This guide explains how battlefields work, how to judge one and how to pick a set of three that helps your deck.

How Riftbound battlefields work

Every Constructed deck includes three different battlefields. In a standard 1v1 game, each player puts one of their battlefields into play, so there are two battlefields on the table. You and your opponent fight over both, whoever brought them.

You score points from battlefields in two ways:

• Conquer: take control of a battlefield you didn't control, and score 1 point (once per battlefield per turn).
• Hold: still control a battlefield at the start of your turn, and score 1 point in your Beginning Phase.

First to 8 points wins. There's also the final point rule: you usually can't win your last point by conquering just one battlefield while the other is still unscored that turn. That rule makes holding, and therefore battlefield choice, especially important late in the game. Our guide to how to play Riftbound covers scoring step by step.

Why battlefield choice matters

Battlefields are in play for the whole game and can't be removed. A strong battlefield effect fires every turn, for whoever controls it. That cuts both ways:

• A battlefield that rewards what your deck does is a free card every game.
• A battlefield that rewards what your opponent's deck does is a free card for them.

This is also why so many battlefields have been banned. Five of the twelve Standard bans so far are battlefields, including Obelisk of Power, The Dreaming Tree and Reaver's Row. The Riftbound ban list has the full list.

A simple test for every battlefield

Ask four questions of each candidate:

1. Who benefits more if I control it? If your deck uses its effect better than most decks, that's a good sign.
2. Who benefits if my opponent controls it? A battlefield that's strong for anyone isn't really yours.
3. Does it help me conquer or hold? Aggressive decks want battlefields that reward attacking. Defensive decks want ones that make holding easier.
4. Does it still help when I'm behind? The best battlefields give you a way back into a game, not just a bigger lead.

A battlefield that scores well on questions 1, 3 and 4 and poorly on question 2 belongs in your deck.

Building a set of three

In 1v1, one of your three battlefields goes into play each game, so all three need to pull their weight. A few principles:

• Consistency over variety. Three battlefields that all support your main plan beat one great battlefield and two filler choices.
• Think about the matchup. If your local meta is full of aggressive decks, a battlefield that helps you stabilize is worth more.
• Check legality. Banned battlefields are easy to miss because they don't live in your main deck. Check them before every event.

Battlefields in 2v2 and multiplayer

Team and multiplayer games change the battlefield count. In 2v2, there are three battlefields in play, and the first player doesn't put one in. In free-for-all games, the number of battlefields depends on the player count. Teammates in 2v2 can't both have units at the same battlefield, so splitting battlefields between partners is a key part of team strategy. See the Riftbound 2v2 guide for more.

Common battlefield mistakes

• Choosing for art. Battlefields are beautiful, but pick on function.
• Ignoring symmetric effects. If an effect helps anyone who controls the battlefield, assume your opponent will use it.
• Forgetting the final point rule. A deck that wins by conquering needs a plan for its last point.
• Never changing them. As new sets arrive, better options appear. Revisit your three after each release. See every Riftbound set in order.

Collecting battlefields

Battlefield cards print in standard size and also appear as oversized cards in some products, such as the Proving Grounds box. If you want to store battlefields with your deck, standard sleeves fit the normal versions. See our Riftbound sleeves guide.

Frequently asked questions

How many battlefields do you need in Riftbound?

Three different battlefields per Constructed deck.

How many battlefields are in play in a 1v1 game?

Two: one from each player.

Can you play two copies of the same battlefield?

No. Your three battlefields must be different.

Can battlefields be destroyed?

Battlefields stay in play for the entire game. Their effects benefit whoever controls them, so control is what you fight over.

Which Riftbound battlefields are banned?

As of October 2026: Reaver's Row, The Dreaming Tree, Obelisk of Power, The Arena's Greatest and Aspirant's Climb. Check the latest ban list before events.

Finish your deck

Settled on your three? Pick up any you're missing, along with the rest of your list, from our Riftbound singles, and read the Riftbound deck building guide to make sure the rest of the deck supports them.