As you’ve explored Sorcery: Contested Realm, from the Humble Villages of Beta to the Pebbled Paths of Arthurian Legends, you might have felt it.
Something darker. Monstrous shapes shifting through the mists. The scent of brimstone hanging in the air.
Gothic, the highly anticipated set for Sorcery: Contested Realm, brings those eerie elements out of the shadows… and it’s time we started talking about it!
In this series, we’ll be sharing a closer look at some of the cards, art, and mechanics you can expect from Gothic, due out later this year. Fair warning: deadly spoilers ahead!
If you spent any time in the Realm, you know we’re all about flavor-first design. We don’t just toss mechanics on cards and call it a day. We want each card to pull you further into the Realm, whether through thematic abilities, world class art, or an overall deepening of the Sorcery play experience.
And what better way to start our descent into Gothic than with a mechanic that ties its darkest forces together?
For too long, wicked things have crept through the Realm, unnamed and unchallenged.
But now, evil has a name.
And that name is….well, Evil.
A Day of Judgement for the Realm
Sure, Sorcery’s always had its share of darker themes, but with Gothic we’re taking things to a whole new level. A day of judgement has come, and Gothic marks a real tonal shift for the Contested Realm, with the introduction of the new keyword Evil as one powerful expression of that transformation.
We gave you an early glimpse of the Evil keyword through our Organized Play Judges promo, but today we’re delving into the big question, “what is Evil, anyway?”
Everything Wicked, All in One Word
With Sorcery, mechanics are more than just function, they’re part of the story. In the case of Evil, they serve as a unifying force.
Evil is a batched keyword that brings together Undead, Demons, and Monsters, creatures that rise from graveyards, storm sanctuaries, and claw through nightmares to terrorize the mortals of the Realm. When a card references “Evil,” it’s checking for any of those types. That means cleaner text, tighter design, and more room for thematic gameplay.
Take the more Ordinary horrors of Gothic, Hellhounds, Horrible Hybrids, and Ghouls. On their own, they may seem manageable. Creepy, sure, but nothing a brave soul can’t handle.
But where darkness is allowed to gather, evil grows in power. And for those willing to make the necessary sacrifices, that dark power can be…well, tempting.
How Evil Synergy Works
Decks built around Evil may revel in recursion, battlefield attrition, or a host of sinister strategies. Some raise vast legions of Undead that just won’t stay down. Others lean into the raw, bone-crushing strength of Monsters from the forgotten corners of the Realm… and beyond. And then there are those who strike unholy pacts with Demons, cunning forces whose twisted abilities let you warp the pace and shape of the game itself.
Whether you choose to channel a single dark force or embrace Evil in all its terrible forms, one truth remains: power often comes at a price.
Take Willing Tribute, for example, a card that allows players to sacrifice itself to untap adjacent Evil minions. In the right deck, that can mean explosive tempo swings, combo setups, or relentless pressure. Pair it with sacrifice or recursion mechanics, and you’ve got a dark little engine that never rests.
A Glimmer of Hope
But where there’s darkness, there’s always resistance.
Consecrated Ground is one such bastion of hope. Its text is short, powerful, and straight to the point: “Evil has no power here.”
No towering wall of rules. No need to squint through conditions. Just clean, evocative design, backed by stunning art and steeped in theme. It’s a perfect example of how Sorcery blends narrative and mechanics to help keep you immersed in the Realm.
No Longer Dormant
Evil has arrived, and it’s not going anywhere.
As long as Undead, Demons, and Monsters continue to rise from the shadows, so will the synergies that bind them. And because the Evil keyword applies to all cards with those types, not just the ones from Gothic, the cards from this set will remain relevant for years to come.
Whether you’re building a deck steeped in darkness, or preparing to defend the forces of good, Evil has carved out a foothold in the Realm.
It has a name. Its horrors have shape. Its plans are in motion.
So now the question is….will you stand and face it? Or embrace the coming darkness?
Until next time….
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