We’re very excited to get Arthurian Legends to your kitchen tables, and with only 4 weeks until the

, the wait is almost over! In the meantime, we’re releasing the rulebook a little early, giving you a preview of all the new mechanical changes that this set will introduce to 

officially takes effect on October 4th, 2024

, we want to give you a head start so that you can get some practice leading up to our big launch in October.

Let’s dive into what’s new in the rulebook!

Our original intent has always been to end up with a 60-card spellbook and a 40-card atlas, once the card pool grew large enough to support those sizes. Initially, we went with 40/20 to ensure that players made meaningful deckbuilding choices using the Alpha/Beta card pool. Now, with 

 adding another 200 cards and plenty of new spaces to explore, is the perfect time to expand our decks a bit. However, we believe the overall card pool still isn’t large enough for a full shift to 60/40, so we’re introducing interim deck sizes of at least 50 spellbook cards and 30 atlas cards. 

Remember, these are minimum deck sizes, so you’re free to test out your decks at 60 spells and 40 sites if you want to try out the bigger deck sizes!

There are no major changes in the rulebook about multi-element cards, but it's worth taking a moment to explain how to play them.

As with with other cards that have threshold, you must be able to meet all of the required thresholds of the spell in order to cast it. So for example, to cast Sir Pelleas, you’ll need to be able to spot one of your sites with an Air symbol and two with Water. 

As Elemental Spells cards that have multiple element symbols count as a spell of each of those affinities. So Sir Pelleas is both an Air spell and a Water Spell at the same time. However, you are still casting them together as a single spell.

For example, let’s say that your avatar is holding a Philosopher's Stone and wants to cast Sir Pelleas as your first spell of the turn. The Stone will offer a discount of 1 mana for Pelleas, making him cost 2 mana. But Pelleas will use up the Stone’s discount for any future Air or Water spells your Avatar might want to cast this turn because he’s simultaneously the first Air and Water spell played this turn.

Those special minions that have split power have an offensive stat, or Attack Power, and a defensive one, known as Defense Power. When a minion strikes, use its Attack Power, and when damage is being allocated to them, refer to its Defense Power. Minions that have just one power value are considered to have the same value in both situations. Any card that modifies a unit’s Power affects both attack and defense power. For example, Overpower will increase both Attack and Defense Power by two.

“Stronger” vs “Weaker” situations

Certain game effects may require you to compare units to determine which is the strongest or weakest. When comparing a minion with split power, add its Attack and Defense Power values together and divide by two to find its overall power. 

A minion that has the keyword “Lance” enters play carrying a lance artifact token. They could use it for themselves or give it to another minion, such as in the case of the dutiful squires that you will encounter throughout 

. Lance tokens can also be created and destroyed by other card effects. Lance tokens function as artifacts in all respects: they can be picked up, dropped, and stolen just like other artifacts. When destroyed they are removed from the realm like other tokens are.

Some units that strike first, such as those equipped with a Lance, land their blows before their enemy can respond. Units that strike first resolve their strikes before their target can resolve theirs. Unless stated otherwise, striking first is mandatory and must be executed by the minion if able.

If multiple units in the same fight have the ability to strike first, they all strike simultaneously. Afterward, any surviving units without that ability make their strikes.

will be out in early October, so you’ve got a few weeks now to expand your decks, call in your knights, and grab a lance, because those realms aren’t going to conquer themselves!

Sorcery Contested Realm October 2024 Rulebook

Sorcery: Contested Realm Annotated Rulebook

Connect with the Sorcery Community Online

 discussion, share your excitement, and connect with fellow Sorcerers in the 

Sorcery: Contested Realm Rulebook Preview: Upcoming Changes for Arthurian Legends.

We’re one month out from the release of 

! While players worldwide prepare for their 

release events, Erik’s Curiosa has its eyes set on Spiel Essen, the largest board gaming convention in the world.


 booth at Spiel Essen will be a hub of excitement, featuring unique gameplay opportunities and special appearances by legendary 

 artists. For those lucky enough to attend Spiel in person, there will be plenty of 

 to partake in - but if you can’t make it to Essen, Germany, don't worry! You can still join in our celebratory 

livestream event on Saturday, October 5th.

More on our launch livestream event in the future, let’s first jump into what you can expect at Spiel Essen!

Meet the Artists Behind Sorcery: Contested Realm

We are honored to have three distinguished artists in attendance at Spiel Essen: 

. They will be available at the Sorcery booth to sign cards, sell prints, and showcase their original paintings. We’re honored to work with such talented artists, and you won’t want to miss the opportunity to meet with the creative minds behind some of 

For those looking to play Sorcery and meet the design team, our booth will be buzzing with activity with learn-to-play tutorials and 

creator Erik Olofsson, and our awesome community volunteers will be on hand to teach folks how to play 

, draft our latest set, and play casual games in the booth!

Be the First to Explore Arthurian Legends

 a day early on October 3rd - before the release on October 4th. But that’s not all! Visit our booth to claim your 

Sorcery 2024 Convention Exclusive Promo Foil Spellslinger card.

 Available only at our 2024 conventions of Gen Con, Spiel Essen, and 

 - folks will know you mean business when you lay down your foil Spelllinger in your future draft events.

Join Our Off-Site Events at White Rabbit Community Game Store

Beyond the booth, Erik’s Curiosa is partnering with the 

 to host three must-attend off-site events throughout the week:

 A Whole Box Sealed event— open a box of 

A Casual Play and Trade event, perfect for meeting other players, expanding your collection, and meeting with the Sorcery team.

 Our grand Sealed Play Celebration, live-streamed around the world! Compete for glory and the exclusive Death Dealer Playmat!

Don’t Miss the Sorcery: Contested Realm Experience at Spiel Essen 2024!

season and we are excited to share more about our launch event in the coming weeks.

 Make sure to head over to our community spaces on 

 to connect with your fellow Sorcerors and share your plans for the launch of 

! We can’t wait to embark on this legendary adventure with you!

Sorcery: Contested Realm at Spiel Essen - Meet the Artists, Begin your Quest of Legends, and More!

, a pioneering figure among the founding cadre of TCG illustrators, will be returning to Gen Con 2024. With a career spanning over thirty years, Benson's work has captivated gamers worldwide, from her iconic contributions to 

 as one of its original twenty-five artists to her recent work with 

Fans of trading card games will have the rare opportunity to 

at the Sorcery Booth (#2766) on Friday and Saturday of Gen Con 2024. Benson will be available for card signings and will be showcasing her latest artwork featuring King Arthur for the upcoming 

In addition to signings, a limited number of 

 will be available for purchase at the booth, with proceeds directly supporting the artist. This event marks a special occasion for both longtime fans and newcomers to celebrate the legacy and continued contributions of one of the genre's most influential artists.

Don't miss your chance to meet Melissa A. Benson and witness the unveiling of her newest work at Gen Con 2024!

 Melissa A. Benson - Meet and Greet, Card Signing, and Arthurian Legends Art Showcase

 Friday and Saturday, August 2nd and 3rd, Gen Con 2024, midday through 4pm

is a trading card game that brings together old-school sensibilities and modern, tactical gride-based strategic gameplay experience. Committed to artistic excellence and immersive storytelling, Sorcery: Contested Realm continues to push the boundaries of the TCG genre.

For press inquiries, please contact: community@sorcerytcg.com

Melissa Benson Returns to Gen Con for Sorcery: Contested Realm

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Sorcery: Contested Realm at Spiel Essen - Meet the Artists, Begin your Quest of Legends, and More!