Some decks sprint. Others are comfortable taking their time.
At the European Crossroads in Gelsenkirchen, Geoffrey did just that with his Archimago Control deck, a defensive, spell-dense brew that squeezes value from every line of play and wears opponents down over the long game.
We caught up with Geoffrey to learn more about his path to victory and the Champion deck that carried him there.
Explore Geoffrey's European Crossroads winning list here.
How long have you been playing Sorcery, and what drew you to the game?
Geoffrey: “I started Sorcery in January 2024, a little after Beta hit retail, just in time to get the precons, a display box, and get started. I began playing online, then joined local meetups in London, where I live.
My first ‘big’ event was the Avatars of Yggdrasil Cup in Paris (where I’m originally from) in June 2024, where I placed second but, more importantly, got to meet the EU community. Later that year, I traveled to Spiel Essen for the big Arthurian Legends prerelease weekend, met Erik and the team, and won the Sealed tournament. In December, I won Siege at the Core in Brussels, and in June of this year, I took down the Constructed tournament at SorceryFest in Leeuwarden, organized by Trolls of the Realm.
It’s been a pretty good Arthurian Legends year for me! But apart from the results, the real highlight has always been connecting with the EU community, seeing it grow, and meeting new and familiar faces a few times a year. It’s always a good time, and I’m glad to have made so many friends along the way.”
What was your goal with “Tor Chains Archi”? What kind of deck is it?
Geoffrey: “This is a very defensive, spell-based deck, making full use of Archimago’s ability to accrue card advantage over time. It’s probably one of the slowest and most controlling decks out there - games rarely take under 30 minutes. This deck has an answer to everything, which is a great feeling. But at some point, you have to be the one asking questions, and that’s where the deck can sometimes struggle to close out games, with very few actual finishers.”
What are your primary goals when piloting this deck?
Geoffrey: “The goal is to survive the early game through cheap removal spells, defensive sites like Gnome Hollows, Perilous Bridge, and Pebbled Paths, and speed-bump creatures like Leprechauns and Root Spider. In the mid-game, I’m looking to cast higher impact spells like Earthquake, Poison Nova, and Guards!, while healing back up with Divine Healing or Angel’s Egg to turn the tide.
In the late game, I want to close with high-damage spells like Craterize, Major Explosion, or even a double Gigantism for ridiculous amounts of damage!”
Which cards are essential to the deck’s success?
Geoffrey: “I’ll give you three buckets of two cards each. Ideally, I want one card from each during my early to mid-game:
- Mass removal: Poison Nova & Earthquake. Trading one-for-one is fine in the early game, but eventually the deck wants to pull ahead with mass removal. These two are the staples.
- Healing: Divine Healing & Angel’s Egg. You’re always going to take some chip damage in the early game, and these keep you alive long enough to stabilize.
- Cantrips: Common Sense & Blink. These are the glue. Archimago only works if you can fill its cemetery quickly, and these excel at that. Common Sense finds what you need, or just loops into itself. Blink lets you dodge damage spells, reposition, or slip safely into a site like Gnome Hollows.”
Are there any unique combos or tactics you love to use?
Geoffrey: “Unlike a Water/Fire Druid that relies on a handful of two-card combos, most of the cards in this deck provide value on their own. That said, I enjoy playing a Lookout and Feast for Crows in the same turn - if there’s something scary in their hand, you can take it right away. If there’s a second, you can even recast Feast for Crows!
I also try to influence where my opponents place their minions. I’ll often leave one side of the board exposed while the other is locked down with Gnome Hollows, Perilous Bridge, or Root Spider. That way I can focus my attention and maximize the value of spells like Poison Nova, Earthquake, or Major Explosion.”
What do you see as the deck's main weakness?
Geoffrey: “The deck is extremely versatile and has an answer for everything, which is very satisfying. It’s also immune to many of the game-changing cards that crush minion-based decks, like Ring of Morrigan, Mesmerism, Infiltrate, or Death Dealer.
But it’s hard to pilot. Your cemetery is basically a second hand, so every turn has double the decision points. Common Sense makes it even trickier, since every tutor opens ten possible lines. It’s easy to make one mistake and fall behind.
The deck is also slow. You’re rarely applying early pressure, so opponents can sometimes take the time to set up a combo that kills you out of nowhere. And in timed paper rounds, you’re also playing against the clock.”
Final Thoughts and Future Plans
Geoffrey: “The deck performed as expected. I was surprised to face fewer Druids and Sorcerers, and more control mirrors - two Archimagos and two Enchantresses in my first seven rounds. Playing against other control decks makes a lot of my cards less relevant and increases variance. I lost one of those games to Marco from Italy, another strong Archimago pilot, and the other three were very close.
I don’t think it’s a surprise that this is a strong contender for Top 4, but it was missing from the Gen Con Top 8, so I’m happy I finally brought it to the spotlight!
Looking ahead, I’ll always have a soft spot for Archimago, it’s been my deck for the past year and fits my playstyle, but I wouldn’t mind moving on to something new once Gothic arrives. That said, I’ll be on a little break from paper events since my wife and I are expecting our second baby just days before Gothic’s release. I’ll have my own Screamer at home! I hope to be back for Avatars of the Realm next year.”
Write Your Own Story at a Crossroads Event
Geoffrey’s victory at the European Crossroads is just the next step in this year’s journey. Four more events will put players to the test, with the next stop in Melbourne, Australia, for the Australian Crossroads on October 8–9, followed immediately by PAX Australia, October 10–12.
Think you have what it takes to claim a title of your own?
See the full Crossroads schedule and start your story here.
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