Notes from the Design Team
The latest update to the Sorcery: Contested Realm Rulebook ensures that we provide the best possible Sorcery experience to players, whether they are TCG newcomers or veterans.
If you’re simply looking for a bulleted list of some of the updates, that can be found here.
Let’s dive a bit deeper into a couple of the most significant changes
Intercepting Now Causes a Fight, not an Attack
Issue: The rules for intercepting caused an “attack” to trigger, which cascaded into a defend sequence, slowing down the game and adding unnecessary complexity. Also, the difference between intercept and defend didn’t matter much, since they both resulted in an attack.
Change: Intercept now only results in a fight, instead of a full attack sequence.
Designer Comments: Now, the intercepting unit simply fights the moving unit, and that’s it. (Each unit strikes the other.) This is most relevant for cards that care about the “attack” trigger, like the Battlemage. If you intercept the Battlemage, it won’t count as an “attack,” but remember you can only intercept when a unit is using its “Move and Attack” basic ability and moves. (You intercept at the moment when an enemy enters a location via its “Move and Attack” basic ability.)
Unified Basic Ability - Move and Attack
Issue: The rules for moving and attacking were separated into two different basic abilities.
Change: “Move and Attack” is now a single basic ability, which includes an optional move, followed by an optional attack.
Designer Comments: This was a natural unification of the rules, making it easier to learn and remember. From a balance perspective, Skirmishers of Mu got a nice power up, since they can now declare the “Move and Attack” basic ability (which lets them move and attack), AND they get to use their ability as well, for a ranged strike.
Avatars Can’t Be Disabled
Issue: Avatars shouldn’t ever be disabled.
Change: Specified that Avatar’s can’t be disabled.
Designer Comments: This was an oversight in the previous rulebook, and is now fixed. The only card in Alpha that is impacted by this change is Dream-quest, which was never intended to work with your Avatar. This rule now aligns with our design intent.
Carrying Artifacts and Minions
Issue: The rules for carrying artifacts were inconsistent with the rules for carrying minions.
Change: The rules for when a minion can pick something up, carry it, and drop it are now unified.
Designer Comments: The previous rules were fine, but the newest version is now more consistent, and thus easier to learn and remember.
Acknowledgments
These improvements are a result of our commitment to delivering an exceptional gaming experience and the community's invaluable input. Your feedback and engagement mean a lot to us! As always, hailing frequencies are always open and we're keen to hear your feedback. Feel free to post your questions in our community spaces, from the Discord server to our Facebook group!
