We’re very excited to get Arthurian Legends to your kitchen tables, and with only 4 weeks until the launch of our next set at Spiel Essen, 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 Sorcery: Contested Realm.
While the rulebook 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!
New Deck Sizes!
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 Arthurian Legends 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!
Multi-Element Cards
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.
Using Multi-Element Spells
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.
Learn more about multi-element minions here.
Split Power Stats
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.
Learn more about Split Power here.
Lances & Striking First
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 Arthurian Legends. 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.
Striking First
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.
Opposing Lances
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.
Learn more about Lances here.
New Rules Links
Arthurian Legends 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 Rulebook (October 2024)
- Sorcery: Contested Realm Annotated Rulebook (October 2024)
Connect with the Sorcery Community Online
Join the Arthurian Legends discussion, share your excitement, and connect with fellow Sorcerers in the Sorcery: Contested Realm Facebook Group and Sorcery Discord!
