Some Gear cards make a splash the moment they hit the board—Vanguard Helm plays the long game.
It’s not flashy, but if you’re running any sort of buff-centric board—Demacia swarm, midrange beef, or tempo with sticky stats—this thing quietly keeps your engine alive.
It fits cleanly into value-based play and synergizes especially well with decks that care about units staying upgraded.
For Riftbound, where buffs are everywhere but fragile, Vanguard Helm makes your stats outlive your bodies.
Gameplay / Cool Mechanics
At 2 cost, Vanguard Helm doesn’t need to carry the game—it just needs to carry forward momentum. Its text is simple and brutal: “When a buffed friendly unit dies, buff another friendly unit.”
That’s it. You don’t need to plan elaborate combos or track triggers across phases. It just happens.
Mechanically, this is huge in attrition fights and board-based matchups. Your opponent finally removes your pumped attacker? Cool, that +1|+1 lives on. It’s not quite regeneration or resurrection—it’s transference.
Think of it like handing the baton in a relay. You’re always in the race, always pushing tempo.
It’s especially nasty when paired with units that give self-buffs or passive scaling.
Suddenly, removing one isn’t enough—they’ve got to clear the whole board or risk the ripple effect.
Visuals
The art on Vanguard Helm leans into theme over spectacle. One gauntleted hand passes the helm to another, mid-glow.
It’s ceremonial, weighty. This isn’t loot—it’s inheritance. The background sun flare isn’t dramatic; it’s dignified.
The whole frame suggests that what matters isn’t who wears the helm, but that it keeps getting worn. Great metaphor for the card’s mechanical loop.
Pull Rate & Value Speculation
Card 228/298 in the Riftbound: OGN set, Vanguard Helm hasn’t been flagged as a rare or alt-art yet, but it’s already being talked about as a sleeper pick for value decks and synergy builds.
Not flashy enough to be a chase card, but if buff decks land in meta, this will be a quiet cornerstone.
There’s collector interest too—not necessarily as a flex, but for its theme.
Gear with emotional framing tends to pick up long-term fans, especially if future expansions play more with Vanguard archetypes or Leona-style pass-down buffs.
Read more – The Harrowing from Riftbound TCG
