They say no one rests easy in the Realm…and in Gothic, the highly anticipated next set for Sorcery: Contested Realm, releasing later this year, that’s especially true.
In the dark corners of the Realm, the dead don’t stay buried for long, and in today’s Gothic spotlight, we're digging deeper and unearthing what you can expect from the cemetery, both narratively and mechanically. Fair warning: deadly spoilers ahead!
From day one, we knew that Gothic would be a set that deals in death, and not the polite rest-in-peace kind. The cemetery isn’t just for the dearly departed anymore. It’s a living, breathing (sort of) zone of opportunity…and danger. That meant reimagining how players interact with the cemetery, not just as a resting place for the fallen, but also as a dynamic space full of potential. A record of what’s been lost, sure, but also a resource to be harvested. A dark engine, waiting to be turned back on.
Let’s lift the lid on how the cemetery comes to life
The Dead Tell Stories
Sometimes, it’s not about bringing things back. It’s about remembering those who have gone before.
Take Search Party, for example, a deceptively simple minion that grows stronger for each of its predecessors that have vanished into the unknown. Each time another Search Party goes missing, the next one grows more desperate… and more determined.
It’s a thematic way to capture the creeping dread of loss and the power and desperation that it creates. A stack of corpses becomes more than a warning, they’re a call to action. (Note: Generally, stacks of corpses should still be seen as a warning…)
Play it Again, Again
For those who look to the darkness for power, what if your spells didn’t end when you cast them? Increased cemetery interaction also opens up new mechanical options for our design team.
With a card like Second Wind, we can introduce simple effects but with a sinister twist: casting it a second time from the cemetery. This means twice the impact, whether you go back-to-back for brutal efficiency or hold off for a surprise resurgence. It’s more than just recursion, it’s a decision point. Cash in now, or strike when your opponent least expects it?
Beyond cards like Second Wind, just because something’s in the cemetery doesn’t mean it’s dead. Unlike the Undead, a topic we’ll shamble back to another day, some spells let you return what’s buried to the Realm in more natural ways.
Return to Nature is one such spell. Whether you're replenishing your own resources or disrupting your opponent’s plans, it’s a clean counter to a variety of cemetery shenanigans, and a reminder that not every solution requires raising the dead. Sometimes, protecting nature's balance, rather than dabbling in the dark arts, can be just as powerful!
Stringing Things Along
Some spells simply tap into the cemetery. Others grab a shovel and dig right in. Carrionette is one of the latter.
This Exceptional Magic lets you summon an undead minion from any cemetery, pulling your favorites back into the fight, or possibly borrowing from your opponent’s dearly departed. (They probably weren’t going to be using them anyway, right?)
It’s a strong synergy piece for necromancers everywhere, especially when paired with minions that pack a punch but don’t always stay down. That lone copy of a clutch minion you sacrificed earlier? Now it's back, with some minor strings attached.
And the art? Well, let's just say it’s not your typical necromantic ritual. But it is exactly the kind of nightmare fuel the Gothic set thrives on.
Grave Matters
If left untouched, the dead will usually be discovered by some hungry Carrion Beetles. Of course, if one player is actively dredging up the dead, you might want to speed up the natural order of things.
So, for those who like to proclaim “not on my watch,” there’s always the option to dig a few Plague Pits to slow the spread of undeath. After all, you can never be too careful when corpses won’t stay put!
As the cemetery grows in importance, denial becomes more than just a niche tactic, it's a viable counter strategy. Whether you’re banishing key cards from the cemetery, neutralizing recursion effects, or simply applying enough pressure to end the game before the horrors can rise, there are plenty of tools for keeping things that are dead…well, dead.
Some Assembly Required
But suppose no such Plague Pits have been dug and the bodies of the fallen are starting to pile up on both sides. What then?
It would be a shame to let all those pieces go to waste, so why not put them to good use? Remove enough of them from the cemetery, and you can bring a Stitched Abomination to unlife. This grim creation is literally the sum of its parts, so make sure you find some good material before building.
It’s messy, it’s macabre, and yet…oddly satisfying.
Ashes to Assets
Best of all? These mechanics coming in Gothic aren’t locked behind a single strategy. Whether you’re digging through bones to fuel the dark or sanctifying the dead to keep them buried there’s plenty of room to get your hands dirty.
So the next time something dies in the Realm, don’t breathe easy just yet, ask yourself: is it really gone?
Until next time...
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