Welcome to Episode 21 of The Winning Point! This week, MTG legend Jim Davis joins Casanova and Blevins to talk about the past, present, and future of trading card games — from his years on the Pro Tour to helping playtest Riftbound at Riot Games.We dig into everything surrounding Riftbound’s launch:
⭐ Walmart’s early pack release fiasco
👀 Incorrect rarity print errors and UVS' response
📄 Riot releasing “patch notes” for a physical TCG
🏬 How Riftbound could revive local game stores
🏅 And what’s next for competitive play in Vegas and Houston
The Riftbound prize era has officially begun! In episode 20 of The Winning Point, Blevins and Casanova break down the massive $30,000 Chinese National Open prize pool — including the first-ever championship ring — plus new Spiritforged prerelease kits, and the community’s heated reaction to a collector buying four Miss Fortune prize cards.
They also dive deep into the new best-of metal promo cards, discussing how their rarity could be worth thousands and might even change how tournaments are played.
💭 In this episode, we discuss:
💵 $30K National Open prize breakdown + Championship ring reveal
📈 Riftbound “best-of” metal promos and secondary market value
😱 Reddit’s wild reaction to prize card resales
🪷 New Spiriforged prerelease kits for Set 2
📊 Latest City Challenge results — is Kai'Sa still too strong?
Riftbound just hit the big leagues. 💰 The first-ever prize card — The 1st Place Miss Fortune from the Hangzhou Regional — just sold for over $9,000 USD, marking a massive milestone for Riot’s new TCG.
In this episode of The Winning Point, Blevins, Casanova, and Charmer break down what this sale means for Riftbound’s future — from collector demand to competitive growth — and how it stacks up against other games like One Piece, Lorcana, and Flesh & Blood.
We also dive into:
🔥 The new Worlds Bundle reveal (Panda Teemo, gold foil playmat, collector FOMO)
📦 Riot’s Set 1 Restock for local game stores🃏 Which decks we’re building first for locals (Yasuo, Annie, Leona, and more
🧠 Developer insights from Dave on Discord on Aurora, Whiteflame Protector, and precon decks
✉️ Mailbag: Does going second actually help? And which League regions we want next?
🔥 Riftbound is officially going BIG!
In this episode, we break down everything from the Vegas 10K event, the sold-out Houston Regional Qualifier, and what to expect for Riftbound’s next era of competitive play.
Anu joins the crew to talk about how Turn ’em Sideways is bringing Riftbound’s biggest Western tournament as of yet to life, and the team speculates on what to expect from the new Legends coming in Spiritforged set.
💬 In this episode:
🪷 The debut of two new Legends in Riftbound's next expansion: Spiritforged
🆕 12 brand new Legends incoming
⭐ Star City Games - Vegas $10K broadcast plans and what to expect
📩 Mailbag Q&A: What colors and combos should define the future meta?
💪 Community optimism and store allocation discussion — how to keep your local scene strong
🎙️ Hosted by Blevins, Casanova, Charmer, and special guest Anu
🔔 Subscribe for weekly Riftbound content: gameplay, analysis, deck techs, and interviews.
George’s story is one of the wildest in Riftbound so far. He flew to China without a guaranteed spot, fought through the lottery system, locked in on Kai’Sa, and came out as the Number 1 Player in China.
In this interview, George shares:
✈️ What possessed him to fly across the world to compete without a confirmed spot
🃏 Why he locked into Kai’Sa and how his prep team shaped his run
🎮 His struggles with language barriers and judge calls on stage
📸 The surreal experience of becoming a minor celebrity in the Chinese Riftbound community
🔮 His thoughts on the Chinese meta, Western perceptions, and Riftbound’s future
Welcome back to The Winning Point Podcast – Episode 17!This week, Casanova, Pastrytime, and Charmer break down some of the biggest Riftbound news yet:
🎉 Houston Regional Qualifier Announced – happening December 5–7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
⚡ The best-of-one format sweeping Chinese City Challenges. Does it work for Riftbound or is it fundamentally flawed?
🤝 Why 2v2 Riftbound might be the most fun casual format you’re not playing yet.
🛡️ Underexplored Battlefields and how they could shape future competitive play.
✉️ Mailbag: what makes Riftbound so fun, and which mechanics we’re excited to see expanded.
You saw a snippet of it on episode 15 of The Winning Point and now you have the full interview! In case you missed it, we sat down with Yuuj, a former professional Heroes of the Storm currently living in Shanghai, to talk about their competitive experience in the Riftbound scene so far.
In this interview we cover:
📈 Riftbound’s insane growth in China, with 3,000+ player Regionals
🏆 Highlights from Hangzhou, Beijing, and Guangzhou Regionals
🪑 The Hangzhou chair incident and the 90-minute delay it caused
🃏 The meta battle: Kai’Sa vs Yi dominance, Viktor’s fall, and Ahri’s rise
💰 The upcoming $30,000 Shanghai Regional and what it means for Riftbound esports
🔮 Yuuj’s insights on China’s ranking/points system and how it shapes competitive play
Aurora is everywhere in Riftbound right now. Is it actually broken, or just overhyped? In Episode 16 of The Winning Point, Blevins, Casanova, and Charmer break down Riftlab Clash IV, the latest Aurora debate, and how new decks like Viktor Control and Darius Hook are attacking the meta after the Chinese regionals.
We also talk about Riot’s production choices, how Master Yi still defines play patterns, and what it means for Riftbound as it gets closer to global release.
In episode 16 of The Winning Point:
💪 Aurora’s dominance in Riftbound — is it really too strong?
⚔️ Riftlab Clash IV Decks (Viktor, Darius, Kai'Sa)
👑 Imperial Decree Breakdown
🎮 Riot’s Event Production/What to Expect for Global Launch
Whether you’re following the Aurora problem, the rise of Viktor and Darius decks, or just want to hear a podcast about Riftbound’s competitive scene, this episode covers it all.
In this episode we cover:
🎤 A special interview with Yuuj
⚠️ The moment when a judge was threatened with a chair
⏱️ How it led to a 90-minute delay as players were removed and banned
😱 Misplays, punts, and the pressure of playing on stream
🎭 Emotional reactions from players and community fallout
🌀 Deck stories like Eggplant Yi and Green Ahri Time Warp that got lost in the chaos
💬 Why these kinds of incidents are flash-in-the-pan growing pains for any young competitive scene
This wasn’t just a tournament recap — it was Riftbound’s most dramatic Regional yet.
🎙️ The Winning Point Ep. 14 – Falling Star, Judge Controversies, Paris Open Confirmed, and more!
This week, the crew covers:
🎙️ The Winning Point Ep. 13 – Riftbound’s Arcane Set & Meta Debate
This week’s episode dives into the biggest news Riftbound has had yet: Riot’s game director casually confirmed on Discord that the team already has 20 sets planned.
We break down what that means for Riftbound’s long-term future, what lessons can be learned from other TCGs with long life cycles, and what the community’s reaction has been so far.
We cover:
📦 The Arcane English Box Set — how it went live, how fast it sold out, and what it means for collectors
🏆 The Beijing Open results (Kai’Sa and Master Yi continue to dominate Top 8)
🔥 The big debate: is Kai’sa Tier Zero? Or is the meta still developing?
⚡ Card talk: Falling Star, Aurora, and other format-warping spells
👀 Riot’s game director confirms 20 planned sets!
💌 Mailbag: underrated cards (Inverted Timeline), Teemo deck support, and more
👉 What do YOU think — is Kai’sa really a Tier Zero deck, or just the current best choice? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
EP 12 - What Riot Just Announced – Arcane Set & Regional Recap
We’re back after the first Guangzhou Regional, and the results are in! Over 500 players showed up, and the meta delivered plenty of surprises. Kai’Sa wins it all, Yi dominated in numbers, and even Teemo found his way into the Top 8.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The Arcane Collector Set ($70 alt-art cards)
- New promos from Nexus Knights, including Teemo and the hilarious GG EZ promo
- Reflections on Riot’s approach to collectors vs. LGS support
- Predictions for the Beijing Regional and how the meta could evolve from here
- A spicy mailbag on future legends and Set 3 speculation
Between collector hype, promos, and big tournament results, Riftbound’s competitive scene is growing fast.
👉 What did YOU think of Guangzhou? Was Teemo’s Top 8 run the biggest surprise, or was it Kai’Sa dominance? Let us know in the comments!
The Winning Point Ep. 11 – Guangzhou Regional PreviewThis week, Riftbound enters its biggest moment yet — the first official Regional in Guangzhou.
We break down the current meta, give our blind predictions for who takes the crown, and recap a huge $1K Luxury Gaming tournament where Hook Darius claimed the title.
Alongside the tournament hype, we also cover a recent exploit found in TTS that players should be aware of if they’re competing online, plus the latest on Fight Night’s return and how local game stores are starting to adopt Riftbound
With Darius, Sett, Yi, Kai’Sa, Viktor, and even Chaos decks in the mix, this Regional will shape Riftbound’s competitive scene for months to come.
The Riftbound community just had its busiest week yet, and Episode 10 of The Winning Point is absolutely loaded with updates.
In this episode we cover:
🏆 The busiest Riftbound tournament weekend so far
💰 A new $1K event series announced by Luxury Gaming
🖥️ Pixelborn returning with a Riot-compliant version in development
📦 Riftbound cards already hitting eBay and Chinese pack openings going live
🔮 Riot teasing Set 2: Spiritforged, with first champions and artwork revealed
📖 The Core Rules FAQ for Set 1, with key clarifications and errata
💌 Mailbag questions on card value, accessibility, and reprints
Between tournaments, Pixelborn’s comeback, new rules updates, and Set 2 on the horizon, Riftbound’s competitive scene is moving faster than ever.
👉 Which update excites you the most: Pixelborn, Spiritforged, or the rules FAQ? Let us know in the comments!
Riftbound Collectors Tips + Gen Con Spoilers & Chaos Hype 💎
Episode 9 of The Winning Point is PACKED with collectible talk, Gen Con spoilers, and hot takes on the next big Riftbound meta shift.
We break down:
🃏 Pull Rates & Rarity – What to expect from packs, where the value is, and how to find those top-tier cards.
🎪 Gen Con Spoilers – Fresh reveals straight from the floor.
💜 Chaos/Purple Meta Watch – Is it secretly the most powerful domain?
📦 The Proving Grounds Problem – Why you might need to buy all of them… three times.
🎙️ Winning Point Ep. 8 — Riot Just Killed Pixelborn
This week, Riot’s digital tools policy officially took aim at Pixelborn — the online way to play Riftbound. The community’s not taking it lightly, and we’re diving in.
💥 What does it mean for digital play?
📦 Will organized play be enough to replace it?
🏆 Plus: a 128-player tournament recap, meta shakeups, and Q&A.
👉 Chapters below — subscribe for weekly Riftbound coverage and competitive insight.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Cold Open Chaos
03:55 – RIP Pixelborn: Riot's Policy Update
05:15 – Community Reaction Poll + Discussion
21:00 – Organized Play Revealed (Sideboarding, Sealed, Judges)
28:00 – Sealed Deck Rules Breakdown
40:00 – Set Rotation + Bans Schedule Breakdown
45:00 – Biggest Riftbound Tournament Recap (Top 8)
55:00 – Mailbag: Victor Sideboards, Shakedown Opinions, More
🎙️ Winning Point Podcast Ep. 7 – The Full Riftbound Set is Here!
The Riftbound: Origins set has been fully revealed—and we’re diving headfirst into the chaos.
Cas and Pastrytime are back, brewing up wild combos, control lists, and aggro piles using the full pool of cards. From Ahri control with mask synergy, to Yasuo + Ride the Wind bounce loops, to Miss Fortune Pack of Wonders gear decks, this is the golden age of tech.
PLUS:
💬 Blevins returns with a Show & Tell segment featuring comparisons to Magic cards, powerful new tools, and underrated cards you’re probably not playing (yet).
✅ Week Zero testing
✅ Hidden combo potential
✅ Favorite Battlefields
✅ The real post-reveal sleeper hits
👇 Full chapters and tags below.
00:00 – Intro: The Set Is Finally Out
01:26 – First Impressions & Card Overload
06:51 – Yasuo Combo Decks w/ Ride the Wind
12:41 – Ahri Control & Mask Synergies
19:08 – Miss Fortune Gear Decks & Pack of Wonders Madness
23:55 – Blevins’ Show & Tell: Kai'sa
32:49 – Blev's Boomer Flashbacks (MTG Card Comparison)
39:10 – Timeline + Baited Hook: S Tier Combo?
42:24 – Cas's Endless Turn Deck
49:52 – Red Gear Review - Mandatory?
55:25 – Favorite Battlefields + Flavor Mechanics
🎙️ Winning Point Podcast Ep. 6: LAST CALL BEFORE ALL CALLS!
This episode is a time capsule—recorded just before Riot Games revealed the full Riftbound card set.
We look back at the final tournament meta, analyze what was working, and make predictions for a card pool we hadn't yet seen. Some of us were right. Some of us were... very wrong. 😅
🔥 Topics Covered:
✅ Orange domain surging pre-reveal
✅ Snapvine, Bloom Predator & board control tech
✅ Set Brawler loops + Leona 6-drop discussion
✅ Commander Ledros: meme or future staple?
✅ Mind + Chaos strategies with Teemo, Nocturne, Yi
✅ Kaisa + Falling Star counterplay
✅ Buff-based finishers & low-curve efficiency
✅ How we expected the meta to shift
🧠 This is your last look at how players and deckbuilders were solving Riftbound before the floodgates opened. View it as strategy, reflection… or just nostalgia.
👥 Hosted by: Blevins, Charmer, Casanova
🎴 Subscribe for new Riftbound content weekly: podcasts, gameplay, meta coverage, and deck techs.
💬 Drop your favorite wrong prediction or underrated pre-reveal card in the comments!
#Riftbound #RiotGames #TCGPodcast #WinningPoint #CardGames #TurnEmSideways #RevealSeason
🎙️ Winning Point Podcast Ep. 5: Tournament Talk & Proving Grounds Analysis!
We’re back with another packed episode of the Winning Point, your go-to Riftbound podcast. This week Blevins, Casanova, Charmer, and Pastrytime break down the first-ever North American Riftbound tournament (32 players!) and what it says about the early meta.
✅ Full Top 8 Breakdown:
🥇 Viktor decks dominating
Ahri control's early success
Jinx aggro finding its place
Shen splash tech
Ravenbloom Students everywhere
✅ We also rant about:
Proving Grounds starter decks (are they actually competitive?)
“Order is broken” jokes...but is it?
How early Riftbound meta is shaping up without full sideboards or cards
How to build consistent early-game plans with limited sets
The difference between floor vs. ceiling in deckbuilding
⚔️ New segment: Tournament Talk💬 Viewer mailbag questions📈 Our predictions for how the Riftbound meta will evolve
✅ Drop your questions in the comments for next week’s mailbag!
Subscribe for weekly podcasts, deck techs, meta discussion, reveals, and gameplay all about Riot’s Riftbound TCG.
🔥 Follow us on Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram: @TurnEmSideways🔥 Join our Discord to discuss deckbuilding, spoilers, tournaments, and strategy.
🔥 Welcome to The Winning Point Podcast, Episode 4!
This week Casanova and Pastrytime dive deep into Riftbound’s Reveal Season and dissect Riot’s Proving Grounds starter product. Is it a must-buy for competitive players?
We break down new legend cards and spells including:
✅ Annie the Dark Child (Fury Chaos recursion)
✅ Master Yi’s defensive synergy and ganking power
✅ Lux’s powerful card-draw engine
✅ Garen’s underwhelming payoff (sorry Garen fans!)
✅ Qiyana insane 4-drop value (Ramp, Draw, Rune channel)
✅ Spells like Flash, Gentleman's Duel, Blast of Power, Firestorm, Incinerate
PLUS:🗂️ We debate if starter products forcing you to buy for staples is good or bad.
💬 Viewer mailbag with questions about Teemo’s double-trigger ruling, Leona deck tech tips, and Brazil’s TCG scene.
✅ Honest talk about how Legends of Runeterra mechanics and design are evolving in Riftbound.
🧭 Topics Covered:- Riot’s Proving Grounds: Must-Buy Debate- New Reveal Season Cards & Mechanics- Competitive Meta Predictions- Starter Product Design Philosophy- Viewer Questions & Discord Community Chat
👥 Hosted by: Casanova & Pastrytime.
🃏 Subscribe for weekly Riftbound reveals, meta analysis, deckbuilding tips, and competitive TCG talk.