Riot Tests New Start-of-Game Rules to Even Out Going Second

Riot is playtesting two changes to the start of a Riftbound game, aimed at a first-player win rate it says is higher than intended. They are tests, not an official rules update: nobody has to use them at Nexus Nights or other events unless told to.

What changes

Turn order is decided before Battlefields are chosen. In Best-of-three, players pick their Battlefields facedown already knowing who goes first; in Best-of-one, Battlefields stay random, but each player sees their own before sideboarding.
The second player still channels three runes on their first turn, plus one extra perk announced by event staff before the event: start the game at 1 point, draw an extra card, or Predict before the first draw.

Where it is tested

The rules will be used at the Radiance season City Tournaments in China and at the Friday and Sunday Standard Challenges of the European Regional Championship in Stuttgart. Premier events are excluded, and Skirmishes and Showdowns should not use them unless organizers are told to. Casual play with the changes is welcome.

Riot will analyse the data from the Radiance season and announce the outcome, a change or no change, in the Legacy patch notes, as stated on the official Riftbound site.