This past weekend, Sorcerers from around the world gathered in Indianapolis for Gen Con 2026. Four days of 

, two Grand Contests Championships, and one tornado. Gen Con 2026 had it all. 

First up was our Limited Grand Contest Championship. With limited play, there are no decklists to lean on, no months of prep,  just instinct and 6 packs of Gothic. With 102 players in the event, it was going to take more than luck to make it to the top where Grand Contest prizing and an Uncut Gothic Print Sheet awaited the victor. Ultimately, Sean Depottey out-built and outwitted the field and walked away champion. We'll have gameplay with commentary of his match on the 

 channel, as you'll certainly want to see how this finals game played out.

Next up was the Constructed Grand Contest. With 126 competitors, each bringing months of preparation to one of the largest Constructed events of the season. With 19 Necromancers in play, and the Archimago taking the most recent European Grand Contest, there was plenty of speculation on what Avatar would win the contest. It was Erika Ivey's Avatar of Air. 

We'll be back later this week with full Constructed Finals coverage and official Erik's Curiosa commentary. This was another exciting match, and we can't wait to share it with you all at the end of the week.

Necromancer walked into Gen Con as the deck to beat. Not necessarily because it was so dominant, but because there were so many of them. With 19 pilots, it was easily the most-played Avatar of the weekend. Sorcerer and Elementalist trailed behind at 9 and 8. Avatar of Air, Battlemage, and Imposter tied at 7, with Deathspeaker and Interrogator right on their heels at 6.

And then Necromancer didn't win. In fact, only one Necromancer made it into the Top 8. Erika Ivey's Avatar of Air took the title instead,  proof, once again, that the realm doesn't hand out trophies for popularity. From Dragonlord and Duplicator to Waveshaper and Witch, the field was stacked with strategies nobody could fully prepare for. If Sorcery had a fifth element, we'd like to think it'd be the element of surprise.

Just when we thought the biggest threat of the weekend was Necromancer, the weather stepped in.

It started with Water dripping through the ceiling into the event space. Then came the tornado warning. With one Swiss round left to play, the call was made. Let's shelter first and play Sorcery later. Players, judges, volunteers, Gen Con staff, and the Erik's Curiosa team packed up in minutes and got everyone to safety. 

As a result, the Constructed Grand Contest tournament ended early. We made the call to extend prizing from everyone who finished 5-2 or better to those who finished 4-2, and Top Avatar honors went to anyone at 3-3 or better instead of 4-3.

 Even sheltering from a tornado, couldn't dampen the Sorcery communities spirit, with volunteers sharing Sorcery themed snacks like Ruby Core Doritos, Pathfinder Trail Mix, Rolling Boulder M&Ms. We think it's safe to say that Sorcerers find a way to have fun anywhere.

Once it was safe, the finalists regrouped at a nearby location to finish what the storm interrupted. Full commentary drops later this week.

Being strictly a limited player, rather than build a deck Tyler "CUTS Cards" Olson decided that for his first time playing Constructed that he'd build a statement instead. Sixty Grey Wolves, one Sorcerer Avatar, nothing else. 

That it happened to coincide with the debut of the 2026 Grey Wolves convention promo was just icing on the cake.

As for inspiration? "I live way up in Wisconsin," Tyler shares. "We have a lot of wolves around here." While Tyler played since Beta, this was his first Constructed event ever. 

The pack ended up running wild over his opponents. Four wins in his first five matches, an improbable run all the way to the semifinals, and all against players who'd been grinding this format for years. His two losses in the event weren't blowouts either. In each match that he lost, his wolves managed to get his opponent to Death's Door while still being at full health himself. One Archimago narrowly escaped behind a wall of Root Spiders, while his final opponent managed to survive an imminent strike on Death's Door with a perfectly timed Feast for Crows, wiping the realm clean of Wolves in one swing.

While Tyler didn't take home the championship, he took a story nobody at Gen Con will forget, and a stack of Grey Wolves promos from the Erik's Curiosa team to replace the ones Feast for Crows banished.

We also now have a good answer to "How well does a full Grey Wolves deck do?" 

While the event tables were full, so was everything around them.  We had over 300 new players come through our Learn-to-Play tables, and Sorcery artists Drew Tucker and Alan Pollack spent the weekend signing cards, meeting players, and debuting brand-new Gen Con exclusive prints. If you've ever had an artist sign your favorite card, you already know - that moment can outshine a championship match. We're incredibly grateful to have such great artists as partners with Sorcery.

A deck nobody saw coming, a first Learn to play, signed cards, and the countless little moments between games. These are what help shape what Sorcery feels like. 

Thank you to everyone who showed up for Sorcery this weekend.

. Then the Organized Play season continues on at Dallas, Germany, Baltimore, Italy, Adelaide, London, Los Angeles, Montreal, Hartford, and Belgium.

The realm keeps growing. We'll see you at the next 

Gen Con 2026: Two Grand Contests, One Unforgettable Weekend

The realm is about to get a lot hotter, and yes, we mean that literally.

Today at Gen Con, we revealed the Lavamancer, one of the two Avatars headlining Frost Mage vs. Lavamancer, releasing worldwide on November 14. Let’s take a closer look at the Lavamancer in full.

For those who are less interested in carefully navigating the realm, and more interested in tearing it apart, the Lavamancer is ready to open fissures and embody the destructive forces of Fire and Earth.

With beautiful art by Melissa Benson, the Lavamancer sets the tone for these two Preconstructed Decks. As the Lavamancer, you’ll disrupt the very ground beneath your opponent’s feet, and that’s just with your Avatar ability. If the Frost Mage wins through patience and position, the Lavamancer wins by making nowhere feel safe, and there’s a whole Spellbook of supporting cards to enable it.

One of the defining themes of the Lavamancer deck is turning the battlefield itself into a threat. Ground Slam lets one of your allies strike the earth beneath its feet, sending a shockwave through nearby units. If subtlety isn’t your thing, and this is exactly the kind of power you dream of unleashing on your enemies, then Lavamancer is for you.

And that’s just Ground Slam on its own. Paired with Smoldering Hollow, a site that cranks up the damage dealt to nearby units, that’s where things start to get fun. For veteran Sorcery players, there are even more ways to squeeze more destruction out of these cards, with the Lavamancer unlocking additional damage and positional threat.

We said it in our philosophy article and we'll keep saying it: these decks aren't a pile of strong cards shipped in the same box. Every spell earns its slot because of what it does next to the other sixty. Groundslam and Smoldering Hollow are just the tip of the volcano. In the weeks to come we'll be pulling back the curtain on more synergies, more interactions, and some entirely new mechanics that change how you think about contesting the realm.

Frost Mage vs. Lavamancer arrives November 14th, and it’s ready to be the new hotness. Stay tuned as we keep melting away the mystery.

The realm isn’t going to know what hit it.

Meet the Lavamancer: Frostmage vs. Lavamancer

Lindsey Crummett

The Auckland Card Show is almost here, and Sorcery will be right in the thick of it with tournaments and Learn-to-Plays all weekend, as well as product and promos available while supplies last.

The Sorcery booths are located at S1 and W2 on the left side of the main hall. That’s where you’ll find Sorcery products, staff, and the community hanging out. We’ll be selling product throughout the show, including a limited number of 

, capped at one per person, while supplies last. Our events can be found in the top right of the venue, and we’ll have banners up to point the way if you get turned around. Just keep your eyes open for banners with beautiful hand-painted art.

Artist Lindsey Crummett will be at the main both Saturday and Sunday, signing cards and chatting with players. If you’ve got something you’d like signed, or you just want to meet the artist behind some of Sorcery’s iconic artwork, swing by!

We’ll be hosting events all weekend, including learn-to-plays at the booth. No experience is needed to start your journey into the realm. Just come find us and one of our volunteer teachers will run you through a full game from scratch.

On top of that, we’ve got a full tournament lineup:

Six rounds of Swiss kick things off on Saturday, with the Top 8 playing out Sunday. If you're entering, VIP access opens at 9:30am for check-in, and Round 1 begins sharp at 10:00am.

Not keen to play Constructed but still wanting to get involved through some limited play? Then come along and test your mettle in a Gothic draft. Booster pack per win guaranteed with other prizes for those willing to enter the contest!

Once the Constructed finals wrap up, Team Sealed takes over at 1:30pm. Bring two friends or get matched with a team on the day. We’re happy to help pair you with fellow Sorcerers.

 are in high demand! We’ll have a limited number of Dust Court cards (foil and non-foil) available to pre-order ahead of the show using the form below.

Please note: Orders close Thursday, August 13, NZST and everything is pick-up only. We won’t be shipping any orders.

Sorcery's 2026 Convention Promo, Grey Wolves, will also be on hand at the Auckland Card Show. Come with a friend (or several!) and each member of your pack can claim a promo at the booth, limit one person, per day, while supplies last

From the Grand Contest to a first-time game at the booth, there's something for every Sorcerer at the Auckland Card Show this year. We can’t wait to see you there.

Tickets to the Auckland Card Show are available 

Everything You Need to Know About the Auckland Card Show

Where to Find on the Floor

Meet Sorcery Artist Lindsey Crummett

Events All Weekend

Grand Contest (Constructed) - Saturday

Draft - Saturday

Team Sealed - Sunday

Dust Courts on Tour

Bring Your Pack

See You There!

More Articles

Gen Con 2026: Two Grand Contests, One Unforgettable Weekend

Meet the Lavamancer: Frostmage vs. Lavamancer