Riftbound Bans Riven, Dazzling Aurora and 6 More Cards: The Ban List From November 23

Riot Games is banning eight Riftbound cards and two battlefields in Standard and 2v2 Constructed from Monday, November 23, 2026, led by Riven, Broken Blade, per the Riftbound ban list announcement of November 13. Riven decks made up 43% of registered decks at the European Regional Championship and took 3 of the top 4 spots, Riot says. Game director Dave Guskin wrote that "we believe decisive action is needed now."

The Full Riftbound Ban List

Banned in Standard and 2v2 Constructed from November 23, per Riot, with set codes per RiftCompare:

• Riven, Broken Blade (Radiance, RAD-043): a 4-cost chosen champion that Riot says reliably lands on turn two, with little counterplay. Her alternate-art printing (RAD-043a) is banned too, since a ban covers every printing, per RiftCompare.
• Stellacorn Herder (Spiritforged, SFD-048): an unlimited reward for movement that replaces itself in Riven decks. Riot says it would not print it this way today.
• Zhonya's Hourglass (Origins, OGN-077): protects your best unit from removal and can be hidden to dodge gear removal
• Nocturne, Horrifying (Origins, OGN-194): a free early play in Kennen decks that only gets better as more cards that look at the top of the deck are printed
• Rhasa the Sunderer (Origins, OGN-195): a big 0-Energy unit that Kennen decks recur from the Trash again and again
• Brynhir Thundersong (Origins, OGN-026): locks opponents out of playing cards, and Riot calls the lines that do it complex and frustrating
• Dazzling Aurora (Origins, OGN-160): fetches big game-ending threats for free, and Riot says it pushed every ramp deck into the same list
• Baited Hook (Origins, OGN-242): checks Might rather than Energy cost, and Riot's playtesting found cards in upcoming sets, Legacy included, that would be a problem with it, so it goes now rather than risk an emergency ban around the World Showcase in January

Battlefields:

• Emperor's Dais (Spiritforged, SFD-207) and Star Spring (Unleashed, UNL-215): both let a conquering unit take no risk, which Riot compares to its earlier Reaver's Row ban

Why Riot Acted Now

Riot's numbers from the European Regional Championship, held in Stuttgart per Riot's Best-Of report, per the announcement:

• Riven: 43% of registered decks, 3 of the top 4 and 8 of the top 16. Across high-level events, Riot puts the deck's win rate at about 60% or more against the field, mirrors excluded
• Kennen: about 15% of registrations, 3 of the top 8, and the event winner

Riot also says it had avoided banning Epic staples since launch to respect players' investment, and that these bans mark a transition away from sets designed before the game launched.

Timing and Regions

• Effective: Monday, November 23, 2026. Riot avoids bans within two weeks of premier events, so the Houston CCS 50K (November 13 to 15) and the Ningbo Minor and the GenG Showdown in Los Angeles (November 20 to 22) play under the old list. TheGamer confirms events before November 23 can still use the cards.
• Regions: Riot now keeps separate ban lists per circuit. Korea and the Traditional Chinese regions are not affected until Radiance releases there.
• 2v2: no extra 2v2 bans. Riot says Yasuo is quite strong in 2v2, that it is testing changes to the format, and that it will share more early next year.

How Bans Work From 2027

Riot says its tolerance for unhealthy cards "will be a bit stricter" from next year, and it set fixed windows: ban announcements will come on the Friday two weeks before each Continental event and the Friday two weeks after. It also says it is working toward a future format where banned cards can be played again, without naming one.

What It Means for Collectors

Our take: from November 23 these ten cards are out of official events, Nexus Nights included, everywhere except the Korean and Traditional Chinese circuits until Radiance releases there. Prices had already reacted: TheGamer reported on November 13 that Riven's alternate art had dropped from about $30 in release week to about $4.80 on TCGplayer. If you own these cards for the art or for casual games, nothing changes on November 23. The decision follows our Stuttgart preview. The first premier event under the new list is the North America Regional Championship in Las Vegas (December 11 to 13), per Riot, and the World Showcase in Shanghai follows on January 22 to 23.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cards are banned in Riftbound?

From November 23, 2026: Riven, Broken Blade, Zhonya's Hourglass, Stellacorn Herder, Nocturne, Horrifying, Rhasa the Sunderer, Brynhir Thundersong, Dazzling Aurora and Baited Hook, plus the battlefields Emperor's Dais and Star Spring, in Standard and 2v2 Constructed.

When does the Riftbound ban list take effect?

Monday, November 23, 2026, per Riot. Events before that date still play with the cards.

Why was Riven banned in Riftbound?

Riot says Riven decks were 43% of registered decks at the European Regional Championship and took 3 of the top 4 spots, and that the deck wins about 60% or more of its games against other decks in high-level play, with little counterplay.

Where to Go From Here

The new Riftbound ban list takes effect on November 23, 2026. If you would rather collect than chase a meta, the Polkastarter marketplace gives you a free mystery pack when you sign up, and every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open it.

Details checked November 14, 2026. Ban details are as published by Riot Games. Price moves are as reported by TheGamer on the date given. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with Riot Games, TCGplayer or the other companies named.

Sources

• Riot Games: Radiance Ban List Updates (Effective November 23, 2026), published November 13, 2026, accessed November 14, 2026
• Riot Games: Best Ofs for the European Championship, published November 11, 2026, accessed November 14, 2026
• TheGamer: Riven, Broken Blade Is Hit With Riftbound Ban Alongside Nine Other Cards, published November 13, 2026, accessed November 14, 2026
• RiftCompare: Riftbound November 2026 bans, published November 14, 2026, accessed November 14, 2026