Meet Zachattack

Zach (also known online as Zachattack) is head judge for the whole weekend of Siege at the Core 2026, from Friday December 4 to Sunday December 6 in Zaventem, Grand Contest included. We are glad to have him there.

He has helped Siege before. During the first edition in 2024, he answered rules questions remotely, and when the 2026 edition became a Grand Contest, he got in touch with Niek to ask whether we could use more help.

We asked him about judging, calling a judge, the mistakes that come up most at the table, and the cards and art he loves.

Meet Zach

Before we get to the rules, we wanted to get to know Zach a little better: what got him into the game, what he does away from the table, and which cards and art he would pick.

How would you introduce yourself to a room of players who have never met you?

I am a passionate enjoyer of the outdoors and both video and board games! If I’m not brewing a Sorcery deck, you might catch me going for a run, biking, or playing a new roguelike with my friends. In the last few years, I’ve added rock climbing and snowboarding to my hobby list!

What got you into Sorcery in the first place, and what made it stick?

I was very lucky to have found Sorcery while looking for new board games on Kickstarter. I had just recently been introduced to Magic, but the game had too many cards, and I always felt out of place not knowing any cards. With Sorcery, I could know all the cards and create decks that felt like my own creations. Of course, the art was a major draw for me too.

How did you end up judging?

Around the time Beta released, I became an online judge for Ira’s TTS (Tabletop Simulator) league, along with David, now a Codex Scribe. I had developed a passion for the rules of this game, and for trying to figure out the next card interaction I could break. The first event I ever judged was the first SorceryCon, in February 2024. I was planning to play in it, but David, who was helping organize the event, needed a judge, so I dropped out to judge the full weekend. I had a great time, was still able to be part of the Sorcery community while judging, and decided I would like to travel and get to know even more people in the community.

What is your favourite Sorcery card?

That’s a tough question, because I love cards in many categories. My favorite Avatar is Pathfinder, because every game is unique and you have to adapt to the sites you flip. My favorite combo is Savior + Goat for Azazel. Not so secretly, I enjoy my at-rest minions, and my favorite card to play is Hillock Basilisk. It always shocks people what you can do with that card, and I love sharing niche synergies!

Who is your favourite Sorcery artist?

All the art in this game is amazing, but Vasiliy Ermolaev has made many of my favorite artworks in Sorcery. Assorted Animals is my favorite, but I also love the artwork on Divine Intervention and the Team Covenant Skeleton promo. I’ve also been able to meet many Sorcery artists at my various judging events, and I always look forward to hearing the next story of how a card came to be or how they got into art.

Zach (centre, in blue) at the SCG-CON DC Grand Contest.

Behind the judge call

The rulings at your table are the part of the job you see. Zach also keeps notes on complicated situations, and some of those games have found their way into the Sorcery Puzzles in our Discord. He told us what players can expect from a judge, and about the call from the first SorceryCon that he still thinks about.

What can players expect from a judge?

Ultimately, judges are there to ensure that the players have a good time and that the event runs at a reasonable pace.

What are you responsible for that players never see?

One of the things I do is take notes on complicated ruling situations, or things not already covered in the Codex or the Sorcery policy, and provide feedback for other judges to use, or for EC [Erik’s Curiosa] to eventually cover. A few of the Sorcery Puzzles in the Sorcerers at the Core Discord are based on real games I have come across.

Is there a call or a situation that still sticks with you?

At the first SorceryCon, there was a kid who pulled a sketch Curio avatar during the Sealed event. Everyone was very excited for him, and he wanted to play with it. Since there were no documents in place about what was allowed or not, and many people were advocating to let him play with it, I decided to let him use it. It is one of the first things I think about when I think about how this community behaves. Fun and casual first, when possible. Everyone is here to have a good time and to share moments like these.

Zach heads to Belgium

The upcoming Siege in December is his first Grand Contest in Europe. He told us what made him get in touch, what he expects to be different from the US events, and what he hopes to find in Belgium outside the venue.

What brought you to Siege at the Core 2026?

I’ve always wanted to make it out to one of the European events and meet this community overseas. I had helped answer rules questions virtually during the first Siege at the Core in 2024, and figured I would reach out to see if Niek needed any more help for 2026, since it would be a Grand Contest this year and possibly draw an even bigger crowd.

This is your first Grand Contest in Europe. What are you looking forward to, and do you expect anything to be different from the US events?

I’ve often heard the meta is different in Europe compared to the US, so I am very curious to see the avatar diversity and the plays high-level players will be making. Additionally, every Grand Contest in the US has been hosted by SCG-CON, which hosts dozens of events for a multitude of games in one event space. I am excited to be in a space dedicated purely to Sorcery again!

Is there anything you want to see or do in Belgium while you are here?

Sorcery has really reignited my passion for art, and judging has allowed me to travel and explore many cities in the last few years, so I am looking forward to finding an art exhibition or museum while I am there!

Tips for the weekend

This is the part to read before December: how to get a judge’s attention in a busy room, the rules mistakes he sees most, and one check to do before you submit your decklist.

How should a player call a judge, and what if it feels like an accusation?

Players should always call a judge if they believe something has gone wrong during their game, or if they have a rules question. Simply raise your hand high in the air for us to see, and we will come over. In crowded events, it’s sometimes tough to notice a hand in the air, so calling out “Judge!” loudly is also very helpful. It gets our attention and makes it easier to find judge calls.

Players should never be afraid to call a judge. Players should feel comfortable at the table they’re playing at. It can be difficult to confront people about mistakes (intentional or not), and calling a judge prevents unneeded escalation.

Zach during a ruling at the SorceryCon 2026 main event.

What are the most common rules mistakes you see at Sorcery events, and how do we avoid them in December?

Always check your thresholds, use tokens to remind you of ongoing effects, and try to keep a clear board state whenever possible. Use dice or an app to track your threshold. Place a die or something over your deck to remind you of Garden of Eden or Omphalos. Keep your sites on your side of the square, and make sure subsurface minions and all artifacts are visible. These are the most important things you can do to keep your game going smoothly and avoid having to call a judge for a mistake caught later in the game!

Is there anything players can do before they arrive that makes your weekend easier?

Build your decklist from the cards you have in person. Double-check that every card in that list is in your physical deck before you submit it.

See you at the table in December. Siege at the Core 2026 runs from Friday December 4 to Sunday December 6 in Zaventem, with the Grand Contest on Saturday.

Register now