Graves, the mercenary jungler from League of Legends, is making his debut in Riftbound, Riot Games' physical trading card game, as part of the upcoming Radiance set launching October 23. The card, titled Graves, Blasting Through, marks the first appearance of the shotgun-wielding champion in the TCG despite his popularity in the MOBA.
Graves, Blasting Through is a rare Champion Unit that costs 5 Energy and one Fury Rune to deploy. The card enters the battlefield with 4 Might and a unique ability: whenever Graves attacks or defends, he deals damage equal to his Might to every enemy unit on that battlefield, but does not deal conventional combat damage. This design faithfully translates his League of Legends playstyle, where his wide-spread shotgun attacks and explosive ultimate ability damage multiple enemies simultaneously rather than engaging in one-on-one combat.
The card's mechanics make it a powerful area-of-effect threat. With 4 base damage, Graves can eliminate multiple smaller enemy units in a single volley. His defensive trigger is particularly intimidating—opponents must account for the damage he deals whenever they challenge a battlefield where he's positioned, potentially discouraging attacks or forcing opponents to remove him first. His Might also scales well with effects that boost it, increasing both his survivability and damage output.
However, Graves has notable limitations. The 5 Energy cost is substantial for a unit with only 4 base Might, and he requires an attack or defense to activate his ability. Opponents can remove, stun, or neutralize him before he acts, and any enemy surviving his blast can still counterattack. Additionally, his text prevents him from dealing additional combat damage beyond his area effect.
Despite these constraints, Graves' potential is significant. In Riftbound's battlefield-focused gameplay, where players trade units over locations, a card capable of wiping out entire groups of enemies offers considerable strategic value. Graves belongs to the Fury Domain, making him available to any Legend with Fury in its two-domain identity. His self-contained ability doesn't require specific synergies, though decks suited to manipulating crowded battlefields will benefit most from his presence.
The full impact of Graves, Blasting Through remains unclear until Riot reveals the corresponding Graves Legend card for the Radiance set. In Riftbound, constructed decks begin with a Legend that determines available domains and places a designated Champion in the Champion Zone, with both cards featuring the same character. Historically, Riftbound releases both card types for the same character within the same set, so a Graves Legend should arrive during preview season.
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