Riftbound Radiance ban list: every banned card
Riot bans 8 cards and 2 battlefields in Riftbound Standard and 2v2 from November 23, 2026: the full list, why each one and what the banned cards sell for.
Riot banned 8 cards and 2 battlefields in Riftbound Standard and Constructed 2v2, effective Monday, November 23, 2026, Game Director Dave Guskin announced on November 13 in Riot's ban list update. The main target is Riven: her decks were 43% of the field at the European Regional Championship. No card was unbanned. Prices reacted the same day: Dazzling Aurora's TCGplayer market price fell from $23.71 on November 12 to $8.66 on November 13, 2026.
The full Riftbound ban list, effective November 23
| Banned | Type | Set and number | Why Riot banned it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riven, Broken Blade | Card | Radiance 043/167 | Riven decks were 43% of the European Regional Championship field and took 8 of the top 16 spots; Riot calls her "an incredible guaranteed turn two play". |
| Zhonya's Hourglass | Card | Origins 077/298 | Protects strong units from removal and dodges gear removal, especially with Astral Heron: it "provides powerful effects when combined with other cards". |
| Stellacorn Herder | Card | Spiritforged 048/221 | "A very powerful reward for movement effects" with no limit on the payoff, likely to get worse in Calm decks. |
| Nocturne, Horrifying | Card | Origins 194/298 | "An early game zero energy play that doesn't cost you a card when found", and more "look at the top of your deck" cards are coming. |
| Rhasa the Sunderer | Card | Origins 195/298 | "A very powerful payoff for filling up your Trash" that costs 0 Energy, so there is little opportunity cost. |
| Brynhir Thundersong | Card | Origins 026/298 | Played in the opponent's Beginning phase it can lock them out of a turn, and with blink effects it is "an extremely powerful removal tool". |
| Dazzling Aurora | Card | Origins 160/298 | It "homogenizes all energy-ramping decks into one form" and "has too many dangerous things all in one card". |
| Baited Hook | Card | Origins 242/298 | "Cheating out free units of high cost", banned now ahead of the January World Showcase and of upcoming sets like Legacy. |
| Emperor's Dais | Battlefield | Spiritforged 207/221 | With Star Spring, "particularly powerful with Riven" because it removes the risk of conquering, like Reaver's Row before it. |
| Star Spring | Battlefield | Unleashed 215/219 | Same reason as Emperor's Dais: it makes conquering with Riven risk-free. |
Reasons summarized and quoted from Riot's announcement. Set and number are the card's regular printing in the Kontora catalogue; the ban covers every printing of the card.
What the banned cards sell for
| Card | November 12, 2026 | November 13, 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baited Hook | $43.01 | $32.27 | -25% |
| Dazzling Aurora | $23.71 | $8.66 | -63% |
| Zhonya's Hourglass | $13.43 | $7.43 | -45% |
| Brynhir Thundersong | $4.50 | $3.93 | -13% |
| Stellacorn Herder | $2.48 | $2.40 | -3% |
| Nocturne, Horrifying | $2.15 | $2.05 | -5% |
| Rhasa the Sunderer | $1.29 | $1.25 | -3% |
| Emperor's Dais | $0.42 | $0.43 | 2% |
| Star Spring | $0.36 | $0.37 | 3% |
| Riven, Broken Blade | $0.19 | $0.19 | 0% |
TCGplayer market prices of the regular printing as of November 13, 2026 and the day before, from Kontora's price history. Riot posted the list at 16:00 UTC on November 13, so that day's price mixes sales from before and after the news; expect more movement before November 23. The Riven alternate art (Showcase, 043a) went from $4.95 to $4.50, and the Stellacorn Herder promo stayed at $4.96.
The three cards that fell the most, Dazzling Aurora, Zhonya's Hourglass and Baited Hook, were also the three most expensive on the list. The cheap uncommons and the two battlefields barely moved.
Why Riven, and why the two battlefields
Riot's case starts with numbers: Riven, Broken Blade decks were 43% of the decks registered at the European Regional Championship and took 8 of the top 16 spots. Riot calls her "an incredible guaranteed turn two play" that conquers while risking nothing. Emperor's Dais and Star Spring go with her because they remove the risk of conquering, the same reason Riot gave for banning Reaver's Row earlier. Riot's update also discusses Kennen and Kai'Sa decks; none of their cards are on the list.
When the bans apply, and where
- From November 23, 2026, the 10 cards cannot be played at official Standard or Constructed 2v2 events. Riot does not say what applies to events before that date; check with your store.
- Korea and Traditional Chinese regions are exempt until Radiance is released there. Riot now keeps separate regional ban lists, and says some cards stay legal there until Spiritforged, Vendetta and Radiance come out in those regions.
- Why November 23: Riot avoids bans within 2 weeks of premier-level tournaments. Its announcement lists the CCS 50K in Houston (November 13 to 15), the GenG Showdown in Los Angeles (November 20 to 22), the Qingdao Minor (December 5 to 6) and the North America Regional Championship in Las Vegas (December 11 to 13).
What to do before November 23
- If you play Standard, plan your deck now: Riven, Baited Hook and Dazzling Aurora lists need replacements, and a store event on or after November 23 will not accept them.
- If you are selling banned cards, know where prices stand: the three most expensive lost 25% to 63% on announcement day (table above), and the cheaper ones barely moved.
- If you collect, alternate arts moved less: the Riven Showcase lost 9% on announcement day, against 63% for Dazzling Aurora.
See what every Riftbound card sells for in our most expensive Riftbound cards guide, and the set behind Riven in our Riftbound Radiance guide.
Earlier Riftbound bans, and how bans will work from 2027
Riot mentions two earlier bans in this update: Stacked Deck (banned in Vendetta) and the battlefield Reaver's Row. From next year, Riot says ban announcements will come "on the Friday 2 weeks before each Continental, and on the Friday 2 weeks after". There are no new 2v2 bans for now, though Riot says Yasuo is "quite strong in the format" and promises more 2v2 changes early next year. The next set, Legacy, comes out on January 29, 2027.
FAQ
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; Baited Hook; and the battlefields Emperor's Dais and Star Spring, in Standard and Constructed 2v2.
When does the Riftbound Radiance ban list take effect?
On Monday, November 23, 2026, according to Riot. Competitive events in Korea and Traditional Chinese regions are not affected until Radiance is released there.
Why was Riven banned in Riftbound?
Riven, Broken Blade decks were 43% of the European Regional Championship field and took 8 of the top 16 spots. Riot calls her "an incredible guaranteed turn two play".
Were any Riftbound cards unbanned?
No. Riot's November 13 update only adds cards to the Standard and Constructed 2v2 ban list.
Card prices are TCGplayer reference market prices in US dollars as of Nov 13, 2026. A reference price is not an offer.
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