When it comes to Riftbound, there will always be cards that may be best in slot or that flashy play. At the same time, keeping an eye out for those overnumbered cards and alternate arts can be the cherry on top. What about those cards that are making the biggest plays? Those powerful cards that players build their decks around?

We are taking a look at the top ten Riftbound cards that are those dominant must-haves along with the impact and value they bring to the table.

10 Major Cards Dominating the Riftbound Meta

These are your utility pieces, or the cards that save the game. While they won't be all that you need, they're the top cards that can push games in your favor or suit you up against a specific strategy.

1. Spiderling
2. Salvage
3. Star-Crossed
4. Stupefy
5. Discipline
6. Falling Star
7. Charm
8. Stacked Deck
9. Sabotage
10. Defy

Let's dig into what each of them can do.

10. Spiderling (Vendetta)

It's not the most impactful card, but this three-energy unit opened the door for something we hadn't seen in Riftbound: the "meme" deck.

Since a deck can have any number of Spiderlings in it, and it is buffed by each card you have with the same name, Spiderling have been a favorite for both Teemo - Swift Scout and Vex - Gloomist decks.

9. Salvage (Origins)

For two energy and a single Order power, you can kill a gear and Draw 1. It's important to note that you don't have to have a gear target to get that card draw, either.

As Salvage is an action spell as well, you can cast it on your turn, or in showdowns. It's one of the best gear-hate options printed in Riftbound to date.

8. Star-Crossed (Unleashed)

This three-energy, one Chaos power spell is the perfect 'get out of jail free' card.

As a reaction, this spell can be played at any time. If your key unit is in trouble or you are looking to get rid of a pesky unit you just can't get around, Star-Crossed is a perfect solution.

You can use this to get more use out of utility units that give you benefits when they enter, too.

7. Stupefy (Origins)

The smallest spells can make the biggest impact, and the one-energy Stupefy is no exception.

For that single energy, you get to reduce a unit's power by one, to a minimum of one. You can play this spell at reaction speed, which is at any time. Finally, you also get to Draw 1 on top of everything else.

Stupefy is a premium debuff spell for Mind decks.

6. Discipline (Origins)

The yin to Stupefy's yang, Discipline is a two-energy reaction spell that is a top-shelf Calm card.

Whenever you need it, Discipline provides an extra two might to a unit for a minimum cost. The spell allows you to Draw 1 in addition, meaning it will replace itself in your hand and help you win those showdowns.

5. Falling Star (Origins)

Falling Star isn't cheap, but if you can pay the two energy and two Fury power, it absolutely can decide games.

As a normal spell, Falling Star deals three damage to a unit, then it does it again. The best part is that the "reverb" effect can be directed elsewhere so you can hit two units with it and they don't even need to be at the same location.

Take out a threat before it is readied from base or clear out a battlefield, the choice is yours.

4. Charm (Origins)

Riftbound is a game about positioning, and Charm is a spell that allows you to control that.

With this normal speed spell, if you pay one energy and one Calm power, you get to move an enemy unit. That could be from a battlefield to the base, or if you are feeling creative, you can do something like pulling that key unit in front of your meanest.

There are a few cards at this point that have similar features to Charm, but the classic still is the best at its specific use.

3. Stacked Deck (Origins)

There is no way to overstate it: card advantage wins games in Riftbound. With Stacked Deck, you can decide to fast-forward the game and Draw 3, keep one and recycle the rest, for one energy.

That type of value, at action speed, is a fantastic way to win a showdown or just find that card for your game-ending move.

2. Sabotage (Origins)

If card advantage is what will win games, Sabotage is the go-to way to create a disadvantage for your opponent.

One energy and one Body power is all it takes for this normal speed spell to let you look at your opponent's hand, choose a non-unit card, and then force them to recycle it. You get to eliminate a gear or spell but also get the knowledge of what your opponent has in hand.

1. Defy (Origins)

We've looked at a lot of great spells that can help win Riftbound games, but one of the best can put a hard stop on most of them.

Defy is a reaction spell that costs one energy and one Calm power. You can use it as a counter to any spell that costs no more than four energy and one power. Most of the game's most impactful spells will fall under that category, and Defy simply says "No, not this time."

Wrap Up

These ten cards are easily the ones you will see when you sit down to play a game of Riftbound, at any competitive level. Whether it is your local Nexus Night or the 25K Showdown Series at CoolStuffCon Orlando, any deck worth its weight will have these at its disposal.

Of course, these won't be the only cards you need to win, and as the meta evolves, we'll see new contenders. Cards like Crumbling Sands are making moves, and it's important to keep an eye on the scene. For now, though, these are the ones you'll see dominating most play.