Mystical Tutor: What are Sorceries? | Learn Magic: The Gathering

Ah, Magic: The Gathering. The game where you can summon dragons, raise the dead, and, for some reason, make an elf draw six cards. Today, we’re talking about one of the fundamental spell types in MTG: sorceries—the sometimes flashy, one-time-use spells that can help you break the game or just make you sad when it's canceled. So let's answer the question, "What is a Sorcery in Magic?"

What is a Sorcery in Magic?

A sorcery is a spell that you can only cast on your turn, specifically during one of your main phases (and only if the stack is empty—no sneaky responses here).

How I end up feeling in most commander games

Unlike instants, which can be played whenever you please to hop on the stack, sorceries require patience, planning, and sometimes a little bit of luck to resolve before your opponent does something rude—like countering it.

Why Use Sorceries?

Because they can be big, splashy, and they often do ridiculous things that would be downright unfair if you could cast them at any time. Need to wipe the board? A sorcery has your back. Want to destroy all of your opponent's creatures and Planeswalkers in one fell swoop? Oh, look, In Garruk's Wake exists. Want to summon an army of zombies? Hello From Under the Floorboards.

Sorceries are meant to give you a boost or tactical advantage on your turn while giving your opponents time to react.

A Few (In)Famous Sorceries

• Damnation – “I would like to remove all creatures from existence. Thank you.”

• Expropriate – How many extra turns is too many? Trick question: There’s no such thing.

• Ponder – A perfect card for those who enjoy deep existential questions about the top three cards of their library.

• Time Walk – A card so absurdly good it says, “Take an extra turn,”, only costs 2 to cast, and has been banned/restricted basically forever.

Final Thoughts: Making a Little Magic

Playing sorceries is like setting off fireworks—big, loud, and sometimes your opponent regrets standing too close. They may not have the tricksy, sneaky timing of instants, but they more than makeup for it with sheer power and game-changing effects.

So go ahead—tap all your lands, drop that Torment of Hailfire, and watch as your opponent grumbles, mutters, “How much life do I even have left?” and starts making some tough decisions.

Because in the world of Magic, sorceries may be fickle, but they sure aren’t subtle.