Riftbound Preview Season just unleashed its first champion unit, and it’s the Noxian juggernaut we’ve all been waiting for. Darius stakes his claim as a midgame powerhouse, rewarding proactive decks with raw power the moment they stack plays.
If you’re building a red–Trifaritan list that thrives on “second card” synergy, this champion belongs in your curve.
Gameplay / Cool Mechanics
Darius is a 5-cost, 5-power Champion Unit with the Trifaritan and Noxus affiliations. His text reads:
When you play your second card in a turn, give me +2 defense this turn and ready me.
That one line turns a standard champion drop into an immediate threat. You lead with a one-drop or spell, then follow with Darius for five mana and two
key bonuses: he bypasses summoning sickness and gains a 5/7 statline for the turn. That punch can clear blockers, push extra damage, or set up lethal. Even when you can’t trigger the effect, a vanilla 5/5 body is a solid midrange anchor.
Decks built around multi-play turns—whether via cheap spells, accelerate units, or bounce mechanics—will find Darius a centerpiece for explosive turns.
Visuals
The art captures Darius at the height of his fury. His armor’s heavy plates gleam with battle-worn scratches, and his crimson cloak whips behind him as he bellows a warcry.
The painterly strokes around his raised axe-head convey raw motion, while the background—smeared in ash and embers—suggests the aftermath of a battlefield he’s already conquered.
Highlights on his helmet and pauldrons draw the eye to his grim determination, embodying Noxus’s relentless ethos: overwhelm or be overwhelmed.
Pull Rate & Value Speculation
-
Set Code: OGN
-
Card Number: 027/298
-
Rarity: Champion (Rare)
-
Foil Version: Available in Origins booster packs
-
Alt Art / Overnumbered: None revealed yet
As a champion unit, Darius is always a draft priority and a limited binder highlight. His combination of on-play readiness and stat bonus makes him a darling for aggressive and midrange pilots alike.
Collectors should chase foils for that battle-scarred armor sheen, while players will track his value closely once regional decks emerge.
If Trifaritan synergy proves strong in early meta, Darius could see a significant uptick in demand.
Darius is a textbook champion: he demands two-card commitment, and rewards it with immediate board impact.
In a set obsessed with tempo and battlefield shifts, he’s the anchor that can turn a solid turn into an unstoppable onslaught.
Read more – Cleave from Riftbound: League of Legends TCG
