This past weekend in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the Sorcery: Contested Realm community gathered at the Event Centre Kaue to celebrate all things Sorcery over three days of play, 126 competitors, and a vibrant crowd of fans and friends - a major milestone for Sorcery in Europe and a reminder of the game’s growing global reach.
A Community United
The White Rabbit Community Game Store has long been a stronghold of Sorcery in Europe, playing host to the launch of Arthurian Legends last year. This year, White Rabbit once again took center stage as the host of the 126-player European Crossroads event. With players traveling from across Germany and beyond, store owners Heiner and Sasha ensured the Sorcery community was in good hands as they welcomed everyone to their home turf once again.
From the moment the doors opened, the atmosphere was electric. As players filtered into the light-filled Event Centre Kaue, it was undeniable that something special was unfolding. Content creators like Cardboard Guide and Nerd and Proud of It, fans from across the region, Sorcery artist Mattias Frisk, and vendors like Trolls of the Realm all came together to make the weekend unforgettable.
Watch the European Crossroads '25 Finals
Looking to catch the finals? Thanks to the White Rabbit Community Game Store, the match was recorded- and our very own Jesse Muelman-Marshall provides expert commentary to guide you through every play!
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: Match results are discussed below in this article.
Crossroads Championship
At the center of the weekend stood the Crossroads Championship, with 126 players testing their skills, as countless stories of surprising upsets and unforgettable plays unfolded throughout the event. But, in true Sorcery spirit, camaraderie and sportsmanship shone just as brightly as the competitive fire.
When the dust settled, eight players rose to the top. You can explore the European Crossroads Championship Top 8 decklists below:
- 1st - Geoffrey - Archimago Control
- 2nd - BikBerry - Steam Druid
- 3rd - Felix - Archimago Control
- 4th - Hicham V - Pathfinder Site Destruction
- 5th - Cedric F - Sorcerer Aggro
- 6th - Sparkmage - Mono-fire Druid
- 7th - Florian K - Beastly Battlemage
- 8th - BaileyBoy59 - Pathfinder Midrange
The top 8 decks showed a healthy spread across 5 different avatars, with no avatar represented more than twice. After failing to land a top 8 placing at Gen Con, Archimago roared back into contention with two strong finishes. Druid continued its steady run with another pair of Top 8 placements, and Pathfinder again proved its power as a dark horse of the format with two final placings.
What we Learned
As our second Crossroads event, the European Championship offered a deeper glimpse into how players are approaching the evolving Sorcery metagame. With Dragonlord cards now firmly in the mix (and even the Gothic promo card Swap making an appearance), the weekend highlighted both the resilience of established strategies and the rise of inventive new decks. The event even saw three players piloting the new Dragonlord Avatar into the fray!
After emerging victorious at Gen Con, it’s little surprise that Druid topped the list of most played avatars at the Europe Crossroads event. Sorcerer, with its flexible and ever-useful ability to draw extra spells, came in second with 23 players.
Battlemage, Pathfinder, and Archimago were some of the standout performers at the event, with 1 out of 7 Battlemage players making it to the top cut, and 2 out of 6 of both Pathfinder and Archimago decks making it all the way to the top 8. These three avatars ended up comprising 5 out of 8 spots in the top 8, despite only being around 15% of the overall field.
The diversity of the Sorcery metagame and the plethora of options available to players was on full display, with 18 avatars out of 21 currently in the game represented at the Europe Crossroads event.
We always jump at the chance to see how the community is exploring Sorcery, and while we’re still combing through the handwritten decklists, the Top 8 alone offers plenty of insight.
A link to all Top 8 Decklists can be found here.
Most Played Unique Cards
It’s no surprise to see powerful element-neutral cards like Ring of Morrigan and Mirror Realm topping the list. More unexpected, however, is Philosopher’s Stone slipping from the “most played Uniques” category. Three players in the Top 8 still brought the potent mana accelerator, but other heavy hitters each appeared in four decks: Boudicca, Morgana le Fay, and Jihad.
Among sites, the fiery Uniques Vesuvius and River of Flame featured in at least half of the Top 8 lists, with Fields of Camlann and Smokestacks of Gnaak close behind in three decks apiece.
Arthurian Legends removal auras also made their presence felt, with The Great Famine and The Black Plague each showing up in three decks, alongside the elusive Courtesan Thais.
Finally, a few one-of-inclusions, such as Boneyard and Pristine Paradise, highlighted the creativity and innovation that carried these players into the Top 8.
Most Played Elite Cards
Sites dominated the most-played Elites list, with Valley of Delight, Wizard’s Den, Perilous Bridge, and Sinkhole proving most popular among the top finishers. Earthquake was, unsurprisingly, the most-played Elite spell in the Top 8, with Angel’s Egg close behind, reflecting the strong control presence at this event.
Fire and Air spells made up much of the rest of the list, with Monstrous Lion, Major Explosion, Infiltrate, Disintegrate, Chaos Twister, and Grandmaster Wizard each appearing 4 times in the top 8 decks. Craterize and Chains of Prometheus also had a strong showing, with four copies each.
One notable surprise was the low presence of Grim Guisarme, which appeared only once across the Top 8. The card was widely expected to take advantage of the recent changes to striking sites, but the European metagame either found stronger options or simply passed it by. On the other hand, a single copy of the tournament’s titular card, Crossroads, did find its way into the Top 8.
Most Played Exceptional Cards
Fire and Earth once again defined the Exceptional tier, with aggressive spells like Quarrelsome Kobolds, Redcap Powries, War Horse, Colicky Dragonettes, Saracen Raiders, and Siege Giant finding homes across multiple decks. Control players had their answers as well: Funeral Pyre emerged as the go-to site-based check against Archimago, while Root Spider crept into 12 copies across the Top 8.
Sites told a similar story. Steppe proved the most-played dual site, with Ruins close behind at eight copies, reinforcing the dominance of Fire and Earth. Even Torshammar Trinket, long on the rise thanks to its synergy with Tawny and Ring of Morrigan, saw less play than expected, settling at eight copies across the Top 8.
Still, there was room for innovation. Blue Knight appeared three times, Brobdingnag Bullfrog hopped into two lists, and one-of inclusions like Cornerstone and Secret Tunnel reminded us that even at the highest levels, creativity can carve out a place on the battlefield.
Most Played Ordinary Cards
Vile Imp stood out as the most-played Ordinary in the Top 8, with 14 copies making it a clear format staple. Common Sense, the ever-reliable tutor, followed closely with 13 appearances.
Blink, which had often topped most-played lists in the past, still had a strong showing with 9 copies, but it was overtaken by Minor Explosion, Fire’s popular removal spell and finisher, with 10 copies played.
Sites told a similar story of shifting priorities. Deserts overtook Towers as the preferred choice, with Red Desert and Remote Desert each appearing 9 times and Arid Desert 7 times. While Pond continued to serve as a dependable accelerator in Water and was notably the only Water card to crack the most-played list at any rarity.
Other key players included Kettletop Leprechaun, which showed up 8 times, and Grapple Shot, which appeared in 7 decks. And in a nod to the rise of Pathfinder strategies, two copies of Wasteland, the humble basic site from the Draft Kits, also found their way into the cut.
Behind the Scenes
A weekend like this is only possible thanks to the efforts of so many people behind the curtain. First and foremost, a heartfelt thank-you to Heiner and Sasha and the White Rabbit Community Game Store team, whose tireless work and hospitality turned the European Crossroads into something truly special.
We are equally grateful to the judges, volunteers, vendors, and content creators who gave their time and energy to make the event run smoothly and keep the community spirit alive throughout the weekend. From welcoming new players to recording matches, every effort helped shape an unforgettable experience.
And, of course, to the players themselves: thank you for bringing your decks, your stories, and your passion to the grid. Events like this prove once again that Sorcery is more than just a game - it’s a community.
Until Next Time…
With Gelsenkirchen now behind us, our journey continues. Next week, October 8–9, the Sorcery community turns its gaze to Melbourne for the Australian Crossroads, followed immediately by our presence at PAX Australia (October 10–12).
Whether you joined us in Germany, will be with us in Melbourne, or are cheering from afar, thank you for helping us build something extraordinary together.
See you in the realm!
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