LeisureGames

Common Sense Sorcery Podcast

Common Sense

Zac and Phil explore Sorcery The Contested Realm in ways only they can.

Play

Open in

26 episodes
Avg 34 min
English

Episodes 26

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Wednesday · 22 min
I Went 5-2 at Grand Contest Baltimore With Enchantress
I took Enchantress to Grand Contest Baltimore and finished 12th with a 5-2 record — and honestly, I think I left Top 8 on the table. This is a full breakdown of my Enchantress list, my tournament run, the matchups I faced, and the two mistakes that ultimately cost me my final two losses. This is the same “Dankest Enchantress” list that won the Cornerstone about a month earlier, built around a resilient midrange Enchantress shell with cards like Acid Rain, Black Plague, Thunderstorm, Wildfire, Poison Nova, Abaddon Succubus, Coinxie, Fate Changeling, Order of the Sacred Torque, and Abundance. I'll walk through every round: Necromancer — surviving a blisteringly fast opening Wave Shaper — using Scatter and Riptide to fight the board Sorcerer — where one major board-state mistake cost me the game Imposter — another mistake involving Sphere of Animosity and Flame Collar Steam Sorcerer — a brutally close game where Garden of Eden saved me Flame Collar — another aggressive matchup that came down to the final turn Archimago — controlling the graveyard and eventually turning the corner The biggest lesson from the tournament wasn't that the deck needs a complete rebuild. It was that I need to play the deck better. I made two mistakes in my losses that I immediately knew I wanted to eliminate before Avatar of the Realm. I also talk about why I'm so high on this version of Enchantress, what I'd change going forward, and why I think a Top 8 is eventually coming. If you want to follow the Enchantress testing, theory, and tournament preparation, check out the Enchantress tier on Patreon. Can Enchantress make Top 8 at Avatar of the Realm?
Wednesday · 25 min
I Went 5-2 at Grand Contest Baltimore With Enchantress
I took Enchantress to Grand Contest Baltimore and finished 12th with a 5-2 record — and honestly, I think I left Top 8 on the table. This is a full breakdown of my Enchantress list, my tournament run, the matchups I faced, and the two mistakes that ultimately cost me my final two losses. This is the same “Dankest Enchantress” list that won the Cornerstone about a month earlier, built around a resilient midrange Enchantress shell with cards like Acid Rain, Black Plague, Thunderstorm, Wildfire, Poison Nova, Abaddon Succubus, Coinxie, Fate Changeling, Order of the Sacred Torque, and Abundance. I'll walk through every round: Necromancer — surviving a blisteringly fast opening Wave Shaper — using Scatter and Riptide to fight the board Sorcerer — where one major board-state mistake cost me the game Imposter — another mistake involving Sphere of Animosity and Flame Collar Steam Sorcerer — a brutally close game where Garden of Eden saved me Flame Collar — another aggressive matchup that came down to the final turn Archimago — controlling the graveyard and eventually turning the corner The biggest lesson from the tournament wasn't that the deck needs a complete rebuild. It was that I need to play the deck better. I made two mistakes in my losses that I immediately knew I wanted to eliminate before Avatar of the Realm. I also talk about why I'm so high on this version of Enchantress, what I'd change going forward, and why I think a Top 8 is eventually coming. If you want to follow the Enchantress testing, theory, and tournament preparation, check out the Enchantress tier on Patreon. Can Enchantress make Top 8 at Avatar of the Realm?
Tuesday · 25 min
Imposter Just Won Grand Contest Baltimore
Grand Contest Baltimore delivered one of the most diverse Top 8s we've seen in Sorcery: Contested Realm — and Imposter finally took down a major tournament. Christian piloted Imposter to the championship after an incredible run through the Top 8, including a dramatic final against Gideon's Necromancer. We break down every deck in the Top 8, including Imposter, Necromancer, Elementalist, Sorcerer, Pathfinder, and Geomancer, and talk about what the results tell us about the current Sorcery metagame. The Fire aggro package is showing up everywhere, Earth is becoming an important answer to aggressive decks, and Imposter continues to demonstrate just how much flexibility it has. We also dive into our own Baltimore results. Zac finished 11th on Enchantress with 15 points, narrowly missing Top 8 on tiebreakers, while Phil finished as the highest-placing Magician at the event. Phil also came away with some important lessons about Cores, Dole Chance, frogs, Wiccan Tools, and playing around the surface/subsurface interaction. Finally, we talk about the tournament itself — the 65-player field, the extra round, software problems, the tournament's growing pains, and why the community around Sorcery continues to be one of the best parts of the game. Keep contesting the realm! 00:00 — Imposter Wins Grand Contest Baltimore 01:37 — Christian's Incredible Imposter Run 03:03 — The Top 8 Decks 06:24 — Sorcerer & the Fire Aggro Package 09:06 — Geomancer & the Enchantress Results 14:07 — How Imposter Plays Against Enchantress 15:20 — Phil's #1 Magician Finish 17:58 — Dole Chance, Frogs & Wiccan Tools 22:22 — How Diverse Was the Top 8? 23:28 — Tournament Logistics & Baltimore's Growing Pains ⏱️ Chapters
Tuesday · 25 min
Imposter Just Won Grand Contest Baltimore
Grand Contest Baltimore delivered one of the most diverse Top 8s we've seen in Sorcery: Contested Realm — and Imposter finally took down a major tournament. Christian piloted Imposter to the championship after an incredible run through the Top 8, including a dramatic final against Gideon's Necromancer. We break down every deck in the Top 8, including Imposter, Necromancer, Elementalist, Sorcerer, Pathfinder, and Geomancer, and talk about what the results tell us about the current Sorcery metagame. The Fire aggro package is showing up everywhere, Earth is becoming an important answer to aggressive decks, and Imposter continues to demonstrate just how much flexibility it has. We also dive into our own Baltimore results. Zac finished 11th on Enchantress with 15 points, narrowly missing Top 8 on tiebreakers, while Phil finished as the highest-placing Magician at the event. Phil also came away with some important lessons about Cores, Dole Chance, frogs, Wiccan Tools, and playing around the surface/subsurface interaction. Finally, we talk about the tournament itself — the 65-player field, the extra round, software problems, the tournament's growing pains, and why the community around Sorcery continues to be one of the best parts of the game. Keep contesting the realm! 00:00 — Imposter Wins Grand Contest Baltimore 01:37 — Christian's Incredible Imposter Run 03:03 — The Top 8 Decks 06:24 — Sorcerer & the Fire Aggro Package 09:06 — Geomancer & the Enchantress Results 14:07 — How Imposter Plays Against Enchantress 15:20 — Phil's #1 Magician Finish 17:58 — Dole Chance, Frogs & Wiccan Tools 22:22 — How Diverse Was the Top 8? 23:28 — Tournament Logistics & Baltimore's Growing Pains ⏱️ Chapters
September 10 · 30 min
Sorcery's Next Set Is PIRATES?! Here's What We Think
Sorcery: Contested Realm's next set may be taking us on a very different kind of adventure. Captain Baldasar has appeared again, and that has us asking a much bigger question: is Sorcery finally beginning to develop an ongoing narrative? Zac and Phil break down the first hints about the next Sorcery set, including the possibility of a pirate-themed adventure, exploration, recurring characters, and what Captain Baldasar's return could mean for the future of the game. We also look back at games like Legend of the Five Rings and how its evolving characters and tournament-driven story created an incredible level of player investment. Could Sorcery eventually capture some of that same magic? Then we get into some of the characters we could potentially see return, including Veristus, Thyas, Young Master Damon, and Captain Baldasar, while debating how much named-character storytelling Sorcery actually needs. And because this is Eternal Durdles, we couldn't possibly end the episode without getting distracted by Annual Fair, Deep Sea Mermaid, Return to Nature, mulligan rules, and some absolutely cursed rules-lawyering. Finally, we talk about Baltimore, Avatar of the Realm, Enchantress, and what we're actually playing at the next big event. What do YOU think the next Sorcery set is going to be? Pirates? Exploration? The Void? Something completely different? Let us know in the comments! 00:00 Sorcery's Next Set Is Coming 02:25 Is It Actually a Pirate Set? 03:02 Captain Baldasar & Recurring Characters 06:00 Could Sorcery Build a Real Story? 09:40 Which Characters Could Return? 14:00 Our Predictions for Returning Characters 18:40 Could We Explore the Void? 21:30 Preparing for Baltimore 23:00 The Deep Sea Mermaid Rules Rabbit Hole 27:00 Enchantress & Final Baltimore Prep ⏱️ Chapters
September 10 · 30 min
Sorcery's Next Set Is PIRATES?! Here's What We Think
Sorcery: Contested Realm's next set may be taking us on a very different kind of adventure. Captain Baldasar has appeared again, and that has us asking a much bigger question: is Sorcery finally beginning to develop an ongoing narrative? Zac and Phil break down the first hints about the next Sorcery set, including the possibility of a pirate-themed adventure, exploration, recurring characters, and what Captain Baldasar's return could mean for the future of the game. We also look back at games like Legend of the Five Rings and how its evolving characters and tournament-driven story created an incredible level of player investment. Could Sorcery eventually capture some of that same magic? Then we get into some of the characters we could potentially see return, including Veristus, Thyas, Young Master Damon, and Captain Baldasar, while debating how much named-character storytelling Sorcery actually needs. And because this is Eternal Durdles, we couldn't possibly end the episode without getting distracted by Annual Fair, Deep Sea Mermaid, Return to Nature, mulligan rules, and some absolutely cursed rules-lawyering. Finally, we talk about Baltimore, Avatar of the Realm, Enchantress, and what we're actually playing at the next big event. What do YOU think the next Sorcery set is going to be? Pirates? Exploration? The Void? Something completely different? Let us know in the comments! 00:00 Sorcery's Next Set Is Coming 02:25 Is It Actually a Pirate Set? 03:02 Captain Baldasar & Recurring Characters 06:00 Could Sorcery Build a Real Story? 09:40 Which Characters Could Return? 14:00 Our Predictions for Returning Characters 18:40 Could We Explore the Void? 21:30 Preparing for Baltimore 23:00 The Deep Sea Mermaid Rules Rabbit Hole 27:00 Enchantress & Final Baltimore Prep ⏱️ Chapters
September 9 · 30 min
The Hidden Cost of Playing Cores
When should you actually play Cores in Sorcery: Contested Realm? Cores give you a powerful mana advantage, but that acceleration comes with a cost: you're putting a card into your deck that becomes dramatically worse as the game goes long. So when is that trade actually worth making? In this episode, Zac and Phil break down the deck-building theory behind Cores and identify the kinds of avatars and strategies that can actually take advantage of them. We look at: Why Battle Mage, Blade Dancer, Sorcerer, Persecutor, Witch, Ralmeter, and Wave Shaper can benefit from Cores Mana-hungry avatars like Imposter, Dragon Lord, Savior, Templar, Lava Mancer, and Frostmage Why Templar and Elementalist approach the resource problem differently The relationship between mana advantage and threshold Why the new exceptional double-threshold sites could fundamentally change Core math How Towers can be an indication that your deck may also want Cores Why Cores become less attractive as deck size increases The difference between aggro, midrange, and control when evaluating Cores Why two-spelling is one of the biggest advantages Cores can provide The hidden cost of drawing a Core late in the game How card quality and card quantity should influence your deck construction The bigger lesson is that Cores aren't simply “good cards” that belong in every deck. You need to ask what your avatar and your strategy are actually trying to accomplish. So: Do you play Cores? Or would you rather have another high-quality card in your Spellbook? Let us know in the comments. 00:00 — When Should You Play Cores? 03:02 — Why Some Avatars Need Cores 07:50 — The Two Types of Core Decks 13:49 — Mana, Threshold & Deck Construction 18:38 — Will New Sites Change the Math? 21:37 — The Power of Threshold 24:10 — Why Early Cores Are So Powerful 26:30 — Aggro vs Midrange vs Control 29:38 — Towers, Cores & Getting Ahead of Curve 30:32 — Do You Actually Need Cores? Chapters
September 9 · 30 min
The Hidden Cost of Playing Cores
When should you actually play Cores in Sorcery: Contested Realm? Cores give you a powerful mana advantage, but that acceleration comes with a cost: you're putting a card into your deck that becomes dramatically worse as the game goes long. So when is that trade actually worth making? In this episode, Zac and Phil break down the deck-building theory behind Cores and identify the kinds of avatars and strategies that can actually take advantage of them. We look at: Why Battle Mage, Blade Dancer, Sorcerer, Persecutor, Witch, Realmeater, and Wave Shaper can benefit from Cores Mana-hungry avatars like Imposter, Dragon Lord, Savior, Templar, Lava Mancer, and Frostmage Why Templar and Elementalist approach the resource problem differently The relationship between mana advantage and threshold Why the new exceptional double-threshold sites could fundamentally change Core math How Towers can be an indication that your deck may also want Cores Why Cores become less attractive as deck size increases The difference between aggro, midrange, and control when evaluating Cores Why two-spelling is one of the biggest advantages Cores can provide The hidden cost of drawing a Core late in the game How card quality and card quantity should influence your deck construction The bigger lesson is that Cores aren't simply “good cards” that belong in every deck. You need to ask what your avatar and your strategy are actually trying to accomplish. So: Do you play Cores? Or would you rather have another high-quality card in your Spellbook? Let us know in the comments. 00:00 — When Should You Play Cores? 03:02 — Why Some Avatars Need Cores 07:50 — The Two Types of Core Decks 13:49 — Mana, Threshold & Deck Construction 18:38 — Will New Sites Change the Math? 21:37 — The Power of Threshold 24:10 — Why Early Cores Are So Powerful 26:30 — Aggro vs Midrange vs Control 29:38 — Towers, Cores & Getting Ahead of Curve 30:32 — Do You Actually Need Cores? Chapters
September 4 · 35 min
Persecutor Is Secretly a Monster
The Persecutor might be one of the most underrated avatars from Gothic — and this budget build shows exactly why. For around $100, this aggressive Persecutor deck turns one simple ability into an entire strategy: once per turn, Persecutor can step toward the closest enemy and brand them as evil. Suddenly, cards like Accusation, Be Gone, Holy Water, and Peacemaker Arbalist become dramatically more powerful and reliable. The real engine is the Accusation + Be Gone package. Accusation gives you hand information while guaranteeing that the opponent is evil, while Be Gone becomes unconditional, anywhere-in-the-realm removal against an evil minion. Together, they keep your opponent off balance while giving you the information you need to navigate the board. From there, the deck leans hard into aggressive movement and efficient threats. The Rack can turn a single hit into an escalating life-loss engine, while Devil's Egg, Sword and Shield, Majusa Freet, Lugbog Cat, Coralsome Kobolds, and Fire Breathing all help convert Persecutor's movement advantage into damage. And when things get crowded, you've got some serious reach: Lava Flow can deal massive positional damage, while Poison Nova provides a way to clear the board and find those last points of damage. Phil and Zac break down the entire budget list, the key synergies, the cards that could upgrade the deck, and why Persecutor's ability changes the way your opponent has to play. What would YOU add to this deck first? Let us know in the comments! 00:00 — Why Persecutor Was Underestimated 01:39 — What Makes Persecutor So Powerful? 04:12 — Accusation + Be Gone: The Core Engine 10:17 — Turning Evil Into Removal 13:09 — The Rack Is Absolutely Ridiculous 18:00 — The Aggressive Minion Package 23:06 — Hyper Parasite, Lord of Lies & Swap 27:00 — Lava Flow and Massive Damage 30:00 — Sites, Upgrades & the Maybe Board 31:33 — Why Persecutor Keeps You Off Balance ⏱️ Chapters
September 4 · 35 min
Persecutor Is Secretly a Monster
The Persecutor might be one of the most underrated avatars from Gothic — and this budget build shows exactly why. For around $100, this aggressive Persecutor deck turns one simple ability into an entire strategy: once per turn, Persecutor can step toward the closest enemy and brand them as evil. Suddenly, cards like Accusation, Be Gone, Holy Water, and Peacemaker Arbalist become dramatically more powerful and reliable. The real engine is the Accusation + Be Gone package. Accusation gives you hand information while guaranteeing that the opponent is evil, while Be Gone becomes unconditional, anywhere-in-the-realm removal against an evil minion. Together, they keep your opponent off balance while giving you the information you need to navigate the board. From there, the deck leans hard into aggressive movement and efficient threats. The Rack can turn a single hit into an escalating life-loss engine, while Devil's Egg, Sword and Shield, Majusa Freet, Lugbog Cat, Coralsome Kobolds, and Fire Breathing all help convert Persecutor's movement advantage into damage. And when things get crowded, you've got some serious reach: Lava Flow can deal massive positional damage, while Poison Nova provides a way to clear the board and find those last points of damage. Phil and Zac break down the entire budget list, the key synergies, the cards that could upgrade the deck, and why Persecutor's ability changes the way your opponent has to play. What would YOU add to this deck first? Let us know in the comments! 00:00 — Why Persecutor Was Underestimated 01:39 — What Makes Persecutor So Powerful? 04:12 — Accusation + Be Gone: The Core Engine 10:17 — Turning Evil Into Removal 13:09 — The Rack Is Absolutely Ridiculous 18:00 — The Aggressive Minion Package 23:06 — Hyper Parasite, Lord of Lies & Swap 27:00 — Lava Flow and Massive Damage 30:00 — Sites, Upgrades & the Maybe Board 31:33 — Why Persecutor Keeps You Off Balance ⏱️ Chapters
August 24 · 59 min
The Problem With Earth Enchantress
Is Earth Enchantress finally ready to make its move? Zac sits down with Lauren to talk about one of Sorcery's strangest and most rewarding avatars: Enchantress. We start by breaking down the Earth auras available to Enchantress—including Entangled Terrain, Homecoming, Mortal Soil, Rest in Peace, and Wall of Brambles—and quickly discover the fundamental problem: there just aren't enough good auras. From there, the conversation gets much deeper. What actually makes Enchantress work? Why is the deck more about card quality than card quantity? When should you animate an aura? And how do you squeeze multiple cards' worth of value out of every aura you put onto the board? We also get into Zac's current “Dankist Enchantress” build, which takes a very different approach from traditional aura-heavy lists. Instead of relying entirely on enchantments, the deck plays a much larger minion package and uses cards like Wildfire, Thunderstorm, Sphere of Animosity and Black Plague to create a midrange strategy that can eventually turn the corner. And yes, there are some absolutely disgusting Enchantress plays along the way. Including the Lord of Lies sequence that left Lauren wondering how Zac could possibly be allowed to do that. Is Earth Enchantress actually playable? The seven Earth auras Why Entangled Terrain stands out The problem with Enchantress card advantage Why patience is so important When should you animate your auras? Zac's Dankist Enchantress deck Why Grandmaster Wizard is falling out of favor The case for Whirling Blades Garden of Eden and hate sites Playing against Ironclad The Enchantress mirror Why Enchantress rewards format knowledge And why we desperately need more playable auras If you've been thinking about picking up Enchantress, this is a great place to start. 00:00 — Who Is on the Mount Rushmore of Enchantress? 05:34 — The Problem With Earth Enchantress 08:09 — Can You Build an All-Aura Enchantress? 10:19 — Enchantress Is About Card Quality 14:25 — Why Zac Cut Grandmaster Wizard 15:25 — Garden of Eden Is a Nightmare 20:20 — The Secret Power of Enchantress 24:28 — When Should You Animate an Aura? 32:30 — Zac's “Dankist Enchantress” Deck 44:53 — The Enchantress Mirror In this episode:Timestamps
August 24 · 59 min
The Problem With Earth Enchantress
Is Earth Enchantress finally ready to make its move? Zac sits down with Lauren to talk about one of Sorcery's strangest and most rewarding avatars: Enchantress. We start by breaking down the Earth auras available to Enchantress—including Entangled Terrain, Homecoming, Mortal Soil, Rest in Peace, and Wall of Brambles—and quickly discover the fundamental problem: there just aren't enough good auras. From there, the conversation gets much deeper. What actually makes Enchantress work? Why is the deck more about card quality than card quantity? When should you animate an aura? And how do you squeeze multiple cards' worth of value out of every aura you put onto the board? We also get into Zac's current “Dankist Enchantress” build, which takes a very different approach from traditional aura-heavy lists. Instead of relying entirely on enchantments, the deck plays a much larger minion package and uses cards like Wildfire, Thunderstorm, Sphere of Animosity and Black Plague to create a midrange strategy that can eventually turn the corner. And yes, there are some absolutely disgusting Enchantress plays along the way. Including the Lord of Lies sequence that left Lauren wondering how Zac could possibly be allowed to do that. Is Earth Enchantress actually playable? The seven Earth auras Why Entangled Terrain stands out The problem with Enchantress card advantage Why patience is so important When should you animate your auras? Zac's Dankist Enchantress deck Why Grandmaster Wizard is falling out of favor The case for Whirling Blades Garden of Eden and hate sites Playing against Ironclad The Enchantress mirror Why Enchantress rewards format knowledge And why we desperately need more playable auras If you've been thinking about picking up Enchantress, this is a great place to start. 00:00 — Who Is on the Mount Rushmore of Enchantress? 05:34 — The Problem With Earth Enchantress 08:09 — Can You Build an All-Aura Enchantress? 10:19 — Enchantress Is About Card Quality 14:25 — Why Zac Cut Grandmaster Wizard 15:25 — Garden of Eden Is a Nightmare 20:20 — The Secret Power of Enchantress 24:28 — When Should You Animate an Aura? 32:30 — Zac's “Dankist Enchantress” Deck 44:53 — The Enchantress Mirror In this episode:Timestamps
August 20 · 33 min
Sorcery's Next Set Is FINALLY Coming
We finally have a window for Sorcery's next set. The new Frostmage vs. Lavemancer announcement gives us our first real look at what's coming—and it gives us a LOT to speculate about. Zac and Phil break down the new Frostmage and Lavemancer cards, including Frostmage, Shatter, Arya Wraith, White Death, and Lavemancer itself. We also look at the new packaging, the 60-card spellbooks, 30-card atlases, the number of new cards, and how the unique cards will be distributed. Then things get speculative. What do the other element combinations look like? Could we eventually see Steam, Smoke, Dust, or other dual-element avatars? What mechanics might those avatars care about? And could the new set actually breathe life into older cards by giving previously overlooked mechanics a new home? Phil also makes a bold prediction for the next avatar, while Zac predicts that Steam will finally get its own Omphalos. We also talk about: Frostmage's disabled mechanic Lavemancer and rubble Arya Wraith's artifact destruction White Death's insane range The future of dual-element avatars What the new set means for the metagame Why the delayed release might actually be good for Sorcery Distribution and Q4 shipping concerns Foils and the Dustial Wars program What cards we desperately want in the next set And most importantly: Sorcery isn't going anywhere. The new set has a release window, there's more information coming, and there's still a ton of room left to explore in the current card pool.
August 20 · 33 min
Sorcery's Next Set Is FINALLY Coming
We finally have a window for Sorcery's next set. The new Frostmage vs. Lavemancer announcement gives us our first real look at what's coming—and it gives us a LOT to speculate about. Zac and Phil break down the new Frostmage and Lavemancer cards, including Frostmage, Shatter, Arya Wraith, White Death, and Lavemancer itself. We also look at the new packaging, the 60-card spellbooks, 30-card atlases, the number of new cards, and how the unique cards will be distributed. Then things get speculative. What do the other element combinations look like? Could we eventually see Steam, Smoke, Dust, or other dual-element avatars? What mechanics might those avatars care about? And could the new set actually breathe life into older cards by giving previously overlooked mechanics a new home? Phil also makes a bold prediction for the next avatar, while Zac predicts that Steam will finally get its own Omphalos. We also talk about: Frostmage's disabled mechanic Lavemancer and rubble Arya Wraith's artifact destruction White Death's insane range The future of dual-element avatars What the new set means for the metagame Why the delayed release might actually be good for Sorcery Distribution and Q4 shipping concerns Foils and the Dustial Wars program What cards we desperately want in the next set And most importantly: Sorcery isn't going anywhere. The new set has a release window, there's more information coming, and there's still a ton of room left to explore in the current card pool.
August 18 · 41 min
I Defended My Cornerstone Title with Enchantress
Zac is the Cornerstone Champion AGAIN. After winning Top Deck Cornerstone in 2025, Zac returned in 2026 with Enchantress and went 8-0, undefeated, taking the tournament down for a second consecutive year. In this episode, Zac and Phil break down what made the Enchantress build so successful—and, more importantly, the process behind the deck's construction and mulligan decisions. The biggest lesson wasn't necessarily a particular card. Zac heavily prioritized mulliganing for avatar-specific hate sites, using his knowledge of the opposing decks to effectively turn his best-of-one opening hands into something resembling post-sideboard games. Garden of Eden against Archimago, Mortuary against Archimago, Funeral Pyre against Death Speaker, and Ring of Morgan against Savior were all cards Zac actively looked for. We also dig into: Why Zac prioritized consistency over ceiling The three-element Enchantress mana base Why Fire was the splash element Wildfire, Thunderstorm, Poison Nova and Major Explosion Why Angel's Egg got cut The return of Vampire Why Whirling Blades was an absolute blowout Scatter's surprising power Why Death Dealer may be on the chopping block Garden of Eden and the Atlas package The strengths and weaknesses of Enchantress positioning What's next for the deck with future sets on the horizon And yes... Matt made the finals again. Zac beat him again. The Sorcery rivalry continues.
August 18 · 41 min
I Defended My Cornerstone Title with Enchantress
Zac is the Cornerstone Champion AGAIN. After winning Top Deck Cornerstone in 2025, Zac returned in 2026 with Enchantress and went 8-0, undefeated, taking the tournament down for a second consecutive year. In this episode, Zac and Phil break down what made the Enchantress build so successful—and, more importantly, the process behind the deck's construction and mulligan decisions. The biggest lesson wasn't necessarily a particular card. Zac heavily prioritized mulliganing for avatar-specific hate sites, using his knowledge of the opposing decks to effectively turn his best-of-one opening hands into something resembling post-sideboard games. Garden of Eden against Archimago, Mortuary against Archimago, Funeral Pyre against Death Speaker, and Ring of Morgan against Savior were all cards Zac actively looked for. We also dig into: Why Zac prioritized consistency over ceiling The three-element Enchantress mana base Why Fire was the splash element Wildfire, Thunderstorm, Poison Nova and Major Explosion Why Angel's Egg got cut The return of Vampire Why Whirling Blades was an absolute blowout Scatter's surprising power Why Death Dealer may be on the chopping block Garden of Eden and the Atlas package The strengths and weaknesses of Enchantress positioning What's next for the deck with future sets on the horizon And yes... Matt made the finals again. Zac beat him again. The Sorcery rivalry continues.
August 10 · 33 min
The Best Sorcery Decks After Gen Con
Gen Con is over, the results are in, and now we get to see what the post-Gen Con Sorcery: Contested Realm metagame actually looks like. Zac and Phil break down all 124 decks from Gen Con, starting with the distribution of the four elements before diving into the Top 8 decklists. What does the data tell us? Fire and Earth remain major foundations of the format, while Water and Air appear to be converting at higher rates than their overall representation would suggest. From there, we dig into the individual Top 8 decks — including Air, Imposter, Druid, Necromancer, Death Speaker and Sorcerer — and look for the patterns that could define the next tournament. Most importantly: how do we beat it? We also discuss Courts, landmass, aggressive midrange strategies, underplayed control decks, and the possibility of building something completely outside the current metagame. And yes, Zac still needs to figure out what he's replacing Lord of Lies with before defending his Cornerstone title. 00:00 — Zac Is Defending His Championship 01:27 — Breaking Down All 124 Gen Con Decks 02:40 — Is Sorcery's Element Spread Healthy? 04:08 — Which Elements Actually Convert? 05:05 — Why Is Fire Underperforming? 05:40 — The Impact of Courts 07:27 — Are Courts Changing How We Build Decks? 09:21 — Compressing Your Curve 09:29 — More Gen Con Element Data 11:43 — Let's Look at the Top 8 12:36 — Avatar of Air 14:45 — Goatless Imposter 16:28 — Druid Takes Over 18:03 — The Other Druid List 19:03 — Mono-Fire Necromancer 20:21 — Death Speaker: Sorcery Jund 22:35 — Mono-Earth Sorcerer 24:20 — The Landmass Strategy 24:48 — Steam Imposter 27:21 — Is the Sorcery Meta Stale? 28:47 — Where Is Archimago? 29:29 — The Seven-Court Control Deck 30:06 — "I've Been Taking the Court" 30:33 — Building Basketball in the Realm 31:22 — How Do We Beat This Meta? 32:00 — Come Play Peak! 33:16 — Locked Formats Beyond Nostalgia 33:59 — Welcome to a New Magic
August 10 · 33 min
The Best Sorcery Decks After Gen Con
Gen Con is over, the results are in, and now we get to see what the post-Gen Con Sorcery: Contested Realm metagame actually looks like. Zac and Phil break down all 124 decks from Gen Con, starting with the distribution of the four elements before diving into the Top 8 decklists. What does the data tell us? Fire and Earth remain major foundations of the format, while Water and Air appear to be converting at higher rates than their overall representation would suggest. From there, we dig into the individual Top 8 decks — including Air, Imposter, Druid, Necromancer, Death Speaker and Sorcerer — and look for the patterns that could define the next tournament. Most importantly: how do we beat it? We also discuss Courts, landmass, aggressive midrange strategies, underplayed control decks, and the possibility of building something completely outside the current metagame. And yes, Zac still needs to figure out what he's replacing Lord of Lies with before defending his Cornerstone title. 00:00 — Zac Is Defending His Championship 01:27 — Breaking Down All 124 Gen Con Decks 02:40 — Is Sorcery's Element Spread Healthy? 04:08 — Which Elements Actually Convert? 05:05 — Why Is Fire Underperforming? 05:40 — The Impact of Courts 07:27 — Are Courts Changing How We Build Decks? 09:21 — Compressing Your Curve 09:29 — More Gen Con Element Data 11:43 — Let's Look at the Top 8 12:36 — Avatar of Air 14:45 — Goatless Imposter 16:28 — Druid Takes Over 18:03 — The Other Druid List 19:03 — Mono-Fire Necromancer 20:21 — Death Speaker: Sorcery Jund 22:35 — Mono-Earth Sorcerer 24:20 — The Landmass Strategy 24:48 — Steam Imposter 27:21 — Is the Sorcery Meta Stale? 28:47 — Where Is Archimago? 29:29 — The Seven-Court Control Deck 30:06 — "I've Been Taking the Court" 30:33 — Building Basketball in the Realm 31:22 — How Do We Beat This Meta? 32:00 — Come Play Peak! 33:16 — Locked Formats Beyond Nostalgia 33:59 — Welcome to a New Magic
August 6 · 33 min
Will Sorcery's Next Set Be Revealed Soon?
Is Sorcery's next expansion closer than everyone thinks? Zac and Phil dive into the recent doom and gloom surrounding Sorcery: Contested Realm's release schedule and explain why they believe another set is still coming this year. From Eric's Curiosa's distribution strategy to speculation about possible themes, the conversation quickly evolves into a live design session where they create entirely new avatars, sites, uniques, and mechanics inspired by Greek mythology, Conan, John Carter of Mars, and classic fantasy. Topics include: Why we're confident another Sorcery set is coming Space Fantasy vs. Greek Mythology Designing new Avatars Alternate win conditions Monument and Relic synergies Public domain fantasy inspirations Conan recommendations Community card design ideas What's your dream Sorcery expansion? 00:00 Is Another Sorcery Set Coming? 02:00 Why Eric's Curiosa Is Staying Quiet 03:20 Predicting the Next Set Theme 05:15 Designing Odysseus 08:15 John Carter of Mars Design 10:35 Avatar Design Brainstorm 17:15 The Coliseum & Gladiator Mechanics 23:40 New Avatar Design Space 29:00 Public Domain Fantasy in Sorcery 31:00 Conan Recommendations 33:00 Design Your Own Avatar! Timestamps
August 6 · 33 min
Will Sorcery's Next Set Be Revealed Soon?
Is Sorcery's next expansion closer than everyone thinks? Zac and Phil dive into the recent doom and gloom surrounding Sorcery: Contested Realm's release schedule and explain why they believe another set is still coming this year. From Eric's Curiosa's distribution strategy to speculation about possible themes, the conversation quickly evolves into a live design session where they create entirely new avatars, sites, uniques, and mechanics inspired by Greek mythology, Conan, John Carter of Mars, and classic fantasy. Topics include: Why we're confident another Sorcery set is coming Space Fantasy vs. Greek Mythology Designing new Avatars Alternate win conditions Monument and Relic synergies Public domain fantasy inspirations Conan recommendations Community card design ideas What's your dream Sorcery expansion? 00:00 Is Another Sorcery Set Coming? 02:00 Why Eric's Curiosa Is Staying Quiet 03:20 Predicting the Next Set Theme 05:15 Designing Odysseus 08:15 John Carter of Mars Design 10:35 Avatar Design Brainstorm 17:15 The Coliseum & Gladiator Mechanics 23:40 New Avatar Design Space 29:00 Public Domain Fantasy in Sorcery 31:00 Conan Recommendations 33:00 Design Your Own Avatar! Timestamps

Showing 1–20 of 26 episodes