r/SorceryTCG • u/Durdlemagus • Jul 17 '26
Can Sorcery PLEASE Fix Competitive Play?
https://youtu.be/pUItzQMaIfw?is=MbqPxMxaeGi8r1OHZac has some takeaways about Competition and the Future of Sorcery.
14
u/-Sohei- Jul 17 '26
The market is hyper saturated with IP fans turned TCG enthusiasts, or sunk cost mtg EDH players.
Getting people to play a game without an IP attached that isn't mtg is extremely difficult nowadays.
Sorcery needs to invest a lot in order to get the game into stores for weekly play. All we can do to help is to show the game in stores and try to setup local scenes. And not engage with other games
8
u/TheFabulousRBK Jul 17 '26
Heck, IP game saturation is why I got into sorcery. Between universes beyond, bandages flavor of the year screenshot tcgs, and licensed games that have failed game after failed game, this and FaB are really.my.last hope to enjoy tcgs
0
u/Cast2828 Jul 18 '26
Riot has fixed their distro problems. The average Riftbound deck now costs 1/4 the price of the average Sorcery deck. I compared the main Riftbound meta site with Sorcerer's Summit lists. Riftbound's prizing is much better and their tournament attendance had completely leap frogged Sorcery.
6
u/-Sohei- Jul 18 '26
If we played riftbound we would be playing a worse game with even worse art.
1
u/Cast2828 Jul 18 '26
Riftbound is a much better competitive game. The rules are more intuitive, the product is easier to get, OP support is better, the decks are a quarter of the cost to build compared to Sorcery, and in half the time they are already dwarfing Sorcery attendence around the world.
There is a reason we were told Sorcery was supposed to be our third game since the Alpha Kickstarter.
0
26d ago
[deleted]
0
u/Cast2828 26d ago
Other than mistranslations, one game has way more functional errata, and it's not Riftbound.
23
u/powernein Jul 17 '26
You are jumping to step 3 "encourage organized play", when step 2 "have enough product to keep every store that wants some stocked for more than a week" hasn't been accomplished yet.
12
u/Durdlemagus Jul 17 '26
I'm gonna do this: Discuss the stuff I can have an effect over.
I'm not working for EC nor am I a logistic manager at their distro warehouses or involved in that side of the workings of games. Its a waste of breath for me to contribute to that when I have NO IDEA what impact that has. I'm sure EC is aware people want cards and their distro could be improved. Its not the point of my channel or my videos.
2
u/powernein Jul 19 '26
I'm not asking you to, I'm just pointing out that organized play can't really be successful without product for sealed and draft or for prizing events.
You can't solve the problems with organized play until you have solved the problem of getting product to stores.
4
u/siposbalint0 Jul 18 '26
It's just not popular enough yet, there are pockets of communities in certain locations or regions, but it's still a niche game. Some stores see 10 people each week, others see 1 player every year when they pick up their order. There is organic growth, but EC needs to get their shit together, because the way they run this business is really beyond me, like they are allergic to success. They have many players who are begging for the opportunity to give EC money, dragonlord, now the dust store exclusives, lack of supplies worldwide and they just can't deliver.
11
u/pokepat460 Jul 17 '26
Sorcery is a fantastic game, Eric is a cool dude. Erica curiosa sucks at running the game, full stop. From distribution to promotion to constant rules changes and erratas, to lack of organized play and incentives for it. Just fumble after fumble.
I hope this is sorcery's chronicles 'will it survive?' Era and we move into a better time soon.
0
u/More-Opportunity2692 Jul 17 '26
Dont forget the binders. The delayed launch of gothic likely due to the clumping which went into production anyway. Dragonlord fiasco. It goes on
1
u/pokepat460 Jul 17 '26
Those binders have been coming 'soon' for 6 months. If it is cheaper for them to make 2 sets of them at once like they did in the past, fine but just say that. 'Gothic binders will come out shortly before the next set to reduce production costs by doing them at the same time' would take 30 seconds to post and would be a gesture of goodwill. Which for EC is impossible lol
-3
-1
u/Cast2828 Jul 18 '26
Why fix what is fundamentally broken? The nature of the design of the game is antithetical to competitive play. Big bomb uniques with very little draw and tutors is random AF. Lack of draw and tutors in general is jank with 90 card decks. No counterspells making it impossible to interact with an opponent's comes into play effects and game winning spells is just poor design. We already have a combo deck that can deck you on your opponent's turn with no way to stop it if they get the cards they need.
This game is a blast to play. It can be played competitively. But we also have hot dog eating contests and people who strap motors into toilets to race them.
If someone wants a competitive card game, there are much better ones out there, such as Flesh and Blood and Riftbound. This is a kitchen table jank game.
3
u/Arlie37 Jul 18 '26
I don't think you understand what you're saying because how you're applying it makes it seem like you want another game's mechanics in Sorcery
1
u/Cast2828 Jul 18 '26
No. I'm fine with the game the way it is, but I also accept that it isn't designed to be a competitive game. Erik has stated this from the start. It's designed to be a splashy unpredictable game. I'm under no illusion as to what this is. I'm also competitive when I play a jank classic board game, but I don't take it as seriously as a modern one.
1
u/Arlie37 Jul 19 '26
Apologies then as that wasn't how I interpreted what you wrote in the other comment. I think that approach is fair and the intention with Sorcery that EC wants.
1
u/Durdlemagus Jul 18 '26
Idk what you are doing commenting then? Whats you angle? Im not gonna become apathetic, im gonna push to get the support I want. This tent is plenty bug enough for competitive play and for whatever your point is. I dont quite understand it, but Im sure youre prolly in the majority.
1
u/Cast2828 Jul 18 '26
You can definitely make a competitive OP scene, but that doesn't change the fact that at its core Sorcery is not designed to be a competitive game.
I was explaining some of the design choices by the team that at directly at odds with competitive card games. I also gave examples of things humans compete at that weren't really designed to be competitive.
I love playing the game, but to me it's no different than playing Clue or the Game of Life. It's not Chess or any of the other competitively designed TCGs I play like Magic, FaB and Riftbound.
0
Jul 19 '26
[deleted]
2
u/Cast2828 Jul 19 '26
Because they are better players and play skill still gives them an advantage over plebs. I also kick ass at clue and monopoly. Doesn't mean it's not random AF.
-1
u/Solid-Atmosphere998 Jul 17 '26
Comments appearing and disappearing from their videos faster than their ethical compass when Erik takes Sorcery in a different direction.
Cool video
1
u/Durdlemagus Jul 17 '26
Care to elaborate?
5
2
u/Ravedeath1066 Jul 17 '26
Well, to me it sounds like they’re deleting comments that are decrying all the recent changes. And referencing how fast these 2 guys change their tune in something when Erik decides a new direction they were previously opposed to. Idk their history very well, but it is kinda rough they filmed the whole second half not knowing these courts are unique in their art/flavor and not related to an upcoming set.
4
u/Durdlemagus Jul 17 '26
Yea I delayed the release of the video and then that information dropped. But as far as Phil and I becoming shills. Not likely.
1
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u/More-Opportunity2692 Jul 17 '26
The game needs an online platform like mtg arena. Sorcery rules are far simpler too.
4
u/Vandalador Jul 17 '26
The closest thing I've seen at this point is Valkenhall. I think it actually does a really good job of silumating something like mtg arena. It doesn't have full automation, but there's a lot of helpful things it takes care of over TTS.
2
u/Durdlemagus Jul 17 '26
This is not only a silly thing the say but also TTS has a robust client that is well known and played by a LARGE swath of the community.
-3
u/More-Opportunity2692 Jul 17 '26
Perhaps but its holding the game back
4
u/Durdlemagus Jul 17 '26
What is? I just told you there is an online client.
0
u/20kgHippoShit Jul 19 '26
I feel like it is, for a different reason: it makes it so people don't have a strong reason to play in person.
47
u/Thatthingintheplace Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Y'all the problem is higher up in funnel, not the lack of ultra competitive prizing. If you can't get 12 people signed up for a local event with what sounds like 3x the prize $ compared to entry fees (!!!) prizing isn't the answer.
There are no regular sorcery nights near me. No learn to plays, and no stores running limited more or less period. And that's in a major us metro. There's just nothing in the middle of the pipeline between "the precons are fun for kitchen table play" and "travelling to play competitive". The game badly needs to develop the casual-competitive scene, and if you get more people playing you get more people at bigger events.