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…is actually sometimes true when talking about TCGs. But it is also true that booster boxes are basically treasure chests for adults, which is much more fun. How can I maintain my thin pretence of main-character syndrome if I can’t pull the chase card and understand that I have been chosen to be the next world champion. Also, if there is a more relaxing evening than slowly opening boosters and Gollum-gazing at each card, then I’ve not found it. Watch this space for my Set-release to whisky pairing guide.
But, much like the ineffable majesty of a sunset, Many people say what makes the perfect booster box is an indescribable mystery. Those people are of course wrong. Sunsets are light scattering and booster boxes can be metricised by hopeless nerds like me.
We shall be breaking down the box into such thrilling and arbitrary talking points as; Security features, box design and structure, pack price point ratio, cards and rarity distribution.
Will there be strong empirical basis? No. Have I opened enough boxes for a proper dataset? No, NASA denied my funding. Should I have paid more attention in labs? probably. However, in true millennial style I will compensate with thorough anecdotal impressions, and robust measure of statistically significant vibes.
Just like your emotions, It isn’t healthy to keep your boosters sealed up.
The Good
It is no secret to anyone who reads other content from me, or to other people I corner at parties, that I like Sorcery: Contested Realm. I just think it’s neat. So, much like my inability to objectively review Nutella, I will put out front, that I think the booster unboxing is starting with a winning hand.
That being said, Erik’s Curiosa has clearly been continuously improving their booster experience, and there is definitely polish that can be applied.
We start with step one, which is coincidently the same feedback I get at karaoke night, we need to remove the wrapping. A nice security feature on the booster boxes is the Sorcery branded shrink wrapping on all the boxes. It provides a nice and reassuring mitigation against re-sealing, not fool proof, but certainly a nice comfort when distribution is quite often and effectively online. It also adds nicely to the look of the box. A further security feature is the sorcerer holographic sticker seal. Which both appeals to the ‘Oooh shiny’ section on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, but also looks great.
Next up, before we open that lid, is checking the bottom and getting that sweet sweet dust. If you haven’t seen it before, with every booster box you receive a nominal amount of ‘Dust’, which can be exchanged for some painfully awesome promo’s on their online store. Whilst it is really nice to get something which feels like an extra reward for your purchase, it takes a serious number of boxes to get their top tier rewards like this King Arthur Promo. I think it is designed to be supplemented with dust rewards from competition placements and other mechanisms. Though those alternate avenues are still few and far between if you don’t have a local gaming scene. Is it fun? Yes. Would I like a smidge more points per box for more casual collectors? yes. Is dust the name I would have chosen? No. It is giving microfibre cloth rather than wizarding essence.
Now! Finally, we push back that lid and get to the shining packs beneath. My humble opinion is that they are the good stuff. The packs are glossy but not plasticky, the art on the front is full and engaging, and the reverse nicely puts in short their raison d’etre,
“An ‘Old School’ fantasy card game for players which a rich imagination, tactical nerve, and an appreciation for hand drawn art”
The crimping seals are full and satisfying to open. Maybe a little stiff, but worth it for that further resealing security assurance. The cards themselves, their art and their print quality I will leave to a different post. But they are famously good, and that showed through. The number of packs per box also feels really healthy to run through.
The Bad
Okay, it isn’t all sunshine and lollypops. There are a few things I would change. Firstly, on the beta boxes specifically, I think the box art isn’t overly striking. They have some examples from the card art across the headboard, but there is an awful lot of plain black. Compare it to the Arthurian Legends box, or the previewed Gothic box, and it feels unambitious by comparison. Don’t get me wrong. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t striking. I would also like to be extra presumptuous and ask for a more robust box. It would be great to have the option for tins or thicker cardboard. We may see this play out in the Gothic boosters but time will tell.
The pull rates across Ordinary / Exceptional / Elite & Unique are equitable and feel almost balanced, but I think there needs to be more uniques per box. Uniques are some of the more memorable hits from the box and also the most vital for deck building. But they are just a bit slim and, if I were buying individual boosters, the hit rate wouldn’t feel achievable. In a similar thread, I think there could do with being more sites in the packs. Decks will be be almost 1/3 sites, but there is often only one or two per booster. You may be shouting that ‘Man wants more rare and shiny cards in his boosters’ isn’t a particularly hot take, and you are probably right about that.
The Beautiful
I cannot resist talking about the foil cards from the box. I got a healthy haul from the box, and each and every one is phenomenal. Even foils of Ordinary cards (the lowest rarity) really do feel like finding a diamond in the bulk. The art makes them collectible and objects of covetous binder treasure regardless of their rarity. Whilst I think they could do with a few more foils per box on average, I would rather they err on the side of caution and avoid the slow devaluing by shiny-creep. That being said, maybe two or three alternate box toppers packs would be welcome.
This set is a rough around the edges early winner. What it needs in polishing, it more than makes up for in happy brain chemicals. I actually think that the beta boxes not being as ‘investible’ as the alpha boxes (which I have never opened to review) is a good thing. In a game meant to be sleeved and played, similar to MTG, having the same cards at lower value incentivises breaking these boxes and having the play-sphere populated with awesome cards. We are living the late stage Card-pitalism in other TCGs where nobody is breaking sealed anymore because the contents of the cards is so unlikely to meet the cost of the market sealed product.
Would I buy a box again? Absolutely. Sorcery: Contested Realm Beta Boxes are fun and rewarding to open. Each one has variety and detail to pour over at leisure, plus cards and varieties to chase at all levels of collecting.
