Sometimes a card isn’t about raw power or flashy combos—it’s about options. Tideturner is one of those cards that lowkey changes the game by giving you movement flexibility in a system that heavily rewards smart positioning.
At just 2 Energy, this Bilgewater utility unit comes in cheap, hits the board with a 2/2 body, and then asks a question most decks aren’t ready to answer: what happens when units swap lanes in the middle of a setup?
In Riftbound, location matters. From battlefield bonuses to directional targeting, shifting board presence is a real mechanic—not just flavor.
Tideturner taps directly into that, and if you’re playing a setup-heavy list or trying to protect a backline engine, this card pulls more than its weight.
Gameplay / Cool Mechanics
Let’s break it down: Tideturner has the Hidden tag (lets it enter play as a reactive piece), but more interesting is its swap effect. When played, you select a friendly unit, then move Tideturner to that unit’s spot and vice versa.
This does several things well:
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Protects key units by rotating them back into safety
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Baits spells by moving a target away post-declaration
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Triggers on-location effects or detaches debuffs like roots or status
The fact that you can hide it for 1 Energy means it also becomes a mini mind-game piece—do they target your exposed unit, or hold off fearing a switcheroo?
There’s tempo value here even when Tideturner never flips face-up.
It’s not an aggro piece. It’s a battlefield manipulator. And in Riftbound, that might end up mattering more.
Visuals
The art on Tideturner is dynamic and cinematic. You’ve got a powerful sea minotaur-type figure driving his trident into a glowing rift in space—runes, water, light all bursting at once.
The animation-style colors and strong action lines give a sense of control over chaos—exactly what the card does in play.
The background blur emphasizes the motion, while the visual echo of both units in frame teases the swap mechanic nicely.
Pull Rate & Value Speculation
This one’s number 199/298, and judging by its clean synergy potential and tactical flexibility, it’s likely Uncommon—though Hidden units have been sliding up in value as playtesters start to realize how strong reactive cards can be in this meta.
No alt-art or overnumbered version is confirmed yet, but if Tideturner ends up in high-tier Bilgewater control or mirror match meta decks, expect it to rise in value fast.
Especially if Bilgewater emerges as a sleeper faction mid-season, this might be one of those “wish I picked up a playset earlier” units.
Read more – Wallop from Riftbound TCG
