Sorcerer Kings

A magical empire ruling four Elemental Courts

Army Lists

The force you bring to the Battlefield is chosen using an Army list. To help ensure you're playing a fair and balanced game, these Army lists are chosen to equal points values.

Points Values

Each Stand in a game of Conquest has a points value, representing its overall worth on the Battlefield. Stands with higher points values are generally better or more flexible fighters, while those with lower points values are less effective, or are useful in a narrow set of circumstances. Your Army's points value is equal to the total points values of every Stand in your Army, plus those of any upgrades you've purchased for those Stands. The higher the points value, the more lethal the Army you've selected. By choosing Armies to equal points values, you and your opponent can ensure a fair, challenging battle.

Size of Battle

By default, we recommend battles of 2,000 points – this generally gives enough slaughter for an evening's gaming. However, there's nothing to stop you from choosing a larger or smaller size for your confrontation. Indeed, smaller games of 1,000 points are an excellent way to learn the rules.

Building an Army

An Army consists of two types of entities: Character Stands and Regiments. You may include any number of either in your Army, subject to the following rules:

The Warlord

You must include one Character Stand to be your Warlord – your avatar on the Battlefield.

Warbands

Each Character Stand in your Army (including the Warlord) must be accompanied by a Warband of Regiments. You'll normally have a choice of Regiments to choose from, but you must always include a Regiment of the same type – i.e Infantry, Cavalry or Brute – as your Character Stand to ensure that they have a Regiment to join at the start of the battle.

Each Regiment is drawn from the Regiments section of the Army List. It will also, depending on the Character Stand it is chosen for, count as a Mainstay or a Restricted choice. Each Character Stand's Warband has a Regiment allowance of 4 Regiments. A Warband can include as many Mainstay choices as your Warband allowance allows. Restricted choices are more limited, as the name suggests. Each Warband can only include two Restricted choices from all the options presented. This can be two of the same Regiment, or two different Regiments from the list. As a further restriction, you must include one Mainstay choice for each Restricted choice in your Army. Therefore, a Warband that includes two Restricted choices will always have at least two Mainstay choices too. Note that a Regiment might be a Mainstay choice for one Character type, and a Restricted choice for another – check the Character's Army List entry to be sure.

Optional Upgrades

Many Character Stands and Regiments have additional options that can be purchased for them, such as Abilities, Command Models, or even extra Stands (in the case of Regiments). If you purchase any of these upgrades, simply add the points cost to that of the Character Stand or Regiment for which the upgrade was purchased.

Special Rules and Supremacy Abilities

Certain rules like those acquired through the purchasing of Masteries, Character Upgrades and Supremacy Abilities may provide unique abilities that extend beyond merely providing Characteristic upgrades to Character or Regiments and instead benefit an entire Warband or even the entire Army.

This raises the question of whether these abilities are "always active", "activated" or only applicable when the Character Stand or Regiment is on the Battlefield.

For this reason rules like this are followed by identifiers that allow the Player to easily recognize when these rules are applied. The identifiers are the following:

Always Active: This Ability is always considered to be active regardless of whether the Character or Regiment is currently on the Battlefield, in Reinforcements or having been destroyed.

Activated: This Ability can only be used once per Battle and requires the Character or Regiment to currently be on the Battlefield. Once Activated the effects last until the end of the Round regardless if the Character or Regiment has been removed from the Battlefield in the meantime.

Battlefield: This Ability is considered to be active while the Character or Regiment is currently on the Battlefield.

The Sorcerer Kings

At the very center of the Sorcerer Kings' continent, the Jaadoghar Kajhaana, lies the Trophaeum Pinnacle, once a modest island in an archipelago, but now a testament to the raw elemental power the Sorcerer Kings unleashed when they raised the entire continental shelf to provide themselves with a kingdom.

Within this volcano lie the four thrones of the Sorcerer Kings themselves: Erme, Who moves the Oceans, Dyelin, Pyre of Gods and Men, Hormus, Who Lays Mountains Low and Alessa, Weaver of Winds and Fates. Despite its awesome size and mind-boggling effort that went into making this mountain a monument worthy of their saviors, the Trophaeum Pinnacle lies mostly empty, its role remaining a more monumental and ceremonial focus to the Sorcerer Kings and their ambitions: to plumb the depths of sorcerous knowledge and climb the heights of power.

The Sorcerer Kings are split into four Courts representing the elements each of the Sorcerer Kings has mastery over. The Court Battlefield Roles are the following: Court of Fire, Court of Air, Court of Earth and Court of Water. In addition, the words Fire, Air, Earth and Water are used as descriptors for Spells and Rituals connecting them mechanically and thematically to their respective Courts.

Example: Spells/Rituals from the Court of Fire are also referred to as "Fire" Spells/Rituals. Therefore, if an ability would mention a Fire Spell/Ritual targeting a Court of Fire Regiment then the rule is referring to Spells and Rituals from the Court of Fire making them "of the same Court" as the Regiment.

Sorcerous Patronage

Characters in the Army may take non-Monster Elemental Regiments of the same Court as them as Mainstay options in their Warband.

All Infantry Characters in this Army may add one additional Rajakur or Dhanur Disciples Regiment to their Warband, ignoring the usual allowance of four Regiments per Warband, to a maximum of five. These Regiments do not need to be the fifth Regiment in the Warband and being a Mainstay can unlock Restricted Regiments as normal.

Finally, all Mortal Regiments in the Army gain the same Court Battlefield Role as the Character whose Warband they are part of, unless another rule specifies otherwise.

Elemental Markers

Spells, Rituals and Regiment Special Rules from the Courts of Earth and Water calls the Player to place an Earth or Water Marker respectively. The area within 3" of this Water Marker counts as a piece of Zonal Terrain with the Water Terrain Special Rule.

These Markers are represented by placing a single Infantry Base and measuring distances from any point on the base. The Markers cannot be engaged, can be placed under Objective Markers and Regiments may freely move over as well as end their move on them. In a situation where two Sorcerer Kings forces fight one another each Player has their own Markers.

Rituals

Rituals are powerful and elaborate magical abilities, drawing power from the depths of the Elemental Plains and such require careful preparation before they are unleashed! In addition, they come with their own Command Cards and once prepared can be placed in your Command Stack. When drawn you simply activate their effect!

Friendly non-destroyed Spellcasters provide access to Rituals as per their Army List Entries. At the end of each Round's Supremacy Phase, select one Ritual you currently have access to and place its Command Card face-up next to your Command Stack, this Ritual is now Being Prepared. The Spellcaster does not need to currently be on the Battlefield.

If a Ritual is already Being Prepared then you may either keep preparing the current Ritual or select a new one to replace the current one, starting anew. You cannot have more than one Ritual Being Prepared unless another rule specifies otherwise.

If all Spellcasters providing access to a Ritual Being Prepared are destroyed, then the Ritual immediately ceases Being Prepared and is removed from the game.

Throughout the Round, Ritual Markers can be added to the Ritual Being Prepared in the following ways:

1) Every time a Spell is cast it adds one Ritual Marker to a Ritual of the same Court currently Being Prepared.

2) Regiments with the Elemental Battlefield Role possess Draw Events and Special Rules that add Ritual Markers to Rituals of the same Court, as seen in their Army List Entries.

3) Other Rules or Abilities may provide effects that further add Ritual Markers to Rituals Being Prepared.

As soon as a Ritual has as many Ritual Markers on it as its Ritual Threshold, then the Ritual is successfully completed. Remove all Ritual Markers from the Ritual. At the beginning of your next Command Phase, you must place this Command Card in your Command Stack as you would with any other Command Card.

When a Ritual Command Card is revealed from the Command Stack during the "Draw Command Card" step, immediately resolve its effects. Once the Ritual has been resolved, the Ritual is removed from your available pool of Command Cards and must be prepared anew.

Elemental Discharge

The first time a new Ritual starts Being Prepared each Round, immediately add X Ritual Markers to it, where X is the number of the Round the game is currently in, to a maximum of 5.

E.g. A Ritual that has started Being Prepared during Round 3 would start with 3 Ritual Markers on it etc.

Elemental Conduit

Elemental Conduit Draw Event: This Draw Event can also be used during a Round in which the Regiment is arriving from Reinforcements. This Regiment adds one Ritual Marker to a Ritual of the same Court currently Being Prepared.

Supremacy Abilities

Each Character grants a different Supremacy Ability if chosen as your Warlord.

Maharajah

Elemental Confluence Always Active: Friendly Elemental Regiments with the Elemental Conduit Draw Event add one Ritual Marker to any Ritual currently Being Prepared instead of one of the same Court. In addition, when any Ritual is successfully completed you may immediately select any one Ritual you currently have access to, that is of a different Court than the previously Prepared Ritual, to start Being Prepared.

Finally, this Character may select one additional Court gaining all its Spells, Rituals and Mainstay Options as per the Sorcerous Patronage Army Special Rule.

Sorcerer

Omnipotence Always Active: All Characters in the Army must select the same Court as the Warlord.

When a Friendly Character performs a Spellcasting Action, and the Spell is successfully cast with 4 or more successes, the Character may perform a free additional Spellcasting Action once that Spell is resolved. This effect can only be activated once per Activation.

The same Character cannot attempt to cast the same Spell more than once per Round. Each Spell can only be cast a maximum of three times each Round.

Raj

Elemental Dominion Always Active: Depending on the Court this Warlord has selected, you gain one of the following effects:

• Court of Fire - Friendly Court of Fire Elemental Regiments gain the "Fan the Flames" Draw Event.

• Court of Air - Friendly Court of Air Elementals Regiments gain the Opportunists Special Rule.

• Court of Water - Friendly Court of Water Elementals Regiments Charging an Enemy Regiment in its Flank or Rear, gains Terrifying (1) and Impact (+2).

• Court of Earth - Friendly Court of Earth Elementals gain the Regeneration (2) Draw Event.

Characters

Characters and Character Upgrades

Magical Items and Heraldry are an important part of a Faction's culture and history. Each Faction has access to a list of Character Upgrades as described in their Army List. Unless noted otherwise, each entry may only be selected once in your Army List, and it does not have to be visually represented on the Character Stand. Each Character Upgrade confers abilities or attributes to the Character Stand, and their bonuses are lost as soon as the Character Stand is removed from the game for any reason.

Patron's Gifts

Each Patron's Gift may only be included in your Army once.

Banners

Banner of Elemental Dominion — 25 points

Weaved with fibers that are infused with the essence of the elemental domains, this great tapestry depicts the deified heraldries of the Sorcerer Kings – beings of god-like power, whose combined magical knowledge is the substance of legends. Those of elemental origin easily succumb to the banner's domineering aura, which compels them to follow the commands of their sorcerous masters. All Friendly Elemental Regiments within 12" of this Character gain the Unstoppable Special Rule.

Weapons

Dancing Scimitar — 20 points

The arcane weapon-smiths of the Sorcerer Kings relentlessly work and conduct research towards forging the perfect weapon. The Dancing Scimitar is one such experimental creation: the blade is magically tethered to a Djinn within the domain of fire, with the weapon mirroring the entity's murderous move-set across battlefields in the material world. The Character gains the following Draw Event:

Dancing Scimitar: Target Enemy Regiment or Objective Marker within 12", suffers 3 automatic Hits with the Armor Piercing (2) Special Rule. These Hits do not cause Morale Tests.

Prijm Khanjar — 15 points

This ornate dagger originates from the order of the Mahabarati – an enigmatic force that once policed the Sorcerer Kings and protected them from corruption. The blade seems to have a mind of its own, imbuing its wielder with the skills of a master killer and making them especially proficient at using it. The Character gains adds +2 to their Attacks Characteristic and gains the Flawless Strikes Special Rule.

Arcane

Niyantran — 20 points

This sorcerous pact is one of control, allowing its user to directly infiltrate and dominate the minds of lesser beings. As such, those that call upon Niyantran are able to maintain an unnatural connection with their subordinates and underlings – exerting their wills as masters with the utmost efficiency and deriving greater strategic value from their maneuvers. While the Regiment this Character Stand is currently attached to is not Broken, Friendly Regiments within 12" of this Character Stand may use this Character's Resolve Characteristic instead of their own.

Jadoo Kavach — 20 points

This powerful rune was created through the combined effort of all four Sorcerer Kings, enveloping the one that wields it in an aura of pure elemental energy. That very same aura can magnify the magical abilities of any individual that utilizes the Jadoo Kavach, creating an arcane prismatic effect that enhances and propagates sorcerous power to one's allies and surroundings. All Friendly Spellcasters within 10" of this Character can Re-Roll Spellcasting dice of "6". These Re-Rolls can only be used in one Spellcasting Action per Activation.

Shu'laat — 10 points

This great spear contains a-thousand-and-one blessings, inscribed upon its wooden shaft via powerful spells – with lettering so small that magical means are required to read the engraved texts. The wielder of the spear can draw power from the numerous boons contained across the famed weapon, experiencing increased might and good fortune as a result. When this Character successfully casts a Spell, you may add one additional Ritual Marker to the Ritual Being Prepared. The Character cannot add more than one additional Ritual Marker during a single Activation.

Masteries

Character Stands are heroes of renown or highly gifted individuals, who excel above and beyond the masses. Be it through luck, education, training and effort or other powers at work, Character Stands have mastered abilities that make them exceptional.

Masteries are optional upgrade abilities for your Characters, which are noted on your Army List and confer bonus abilities to your Character Stand. As a rule of thumb a Character Stand may select one Mastery according to the Available categories listed on their Army List profile, however there are cases in which a Character Stand may be able to purchase more than one. This will be clearly stated in the Character Stand's Army List Entry. Each Mastery can only be purchased once, unless stated otherwise. There are three categories for Masteries: Combat, Arcane and Sorcerous Patrons.

Sorcerous Patrons

A Character that has selected a Mastery from this Category may purchase an additional Mastery from a different category.

Recorder of all Deeds — 35 points

Warlord only. Always Active: Mortal Regiments in the Army gain the Vanguard (3) and Bravery Special Rule.

Prince of the Setting Moon — 30 points

Warlord only. Always Active: At the beginning of each Round's Victory Phase, while this Character Stand is on the Battlefield, Friendly Mortals Regiments within range of an Objective Zone Heal 3 Wounds.

Vizier of the Morning Star — 30 points

Warlord only. At the end of each Round's Supremacy Phase, all Friendly Regiments of the same Court as this Character immediately lose the Broken status.

Arcane

Elemental Feedback — 20 points

The first time this Character successfully casts a Spell l during its Activation, for each 2 successes, the Regiment this Character is currently attached to immediately Heals for 2 Wounds.

Bound to the Elements — 15 points

(Wizard Only) The Character adds +2 to its Wounds and Attacks Characteristics and gains the Impact (3) Special Rule. This Character must be attached to a Regiment of the same Court and changes its Type to match the Regiment it is attached to.

Combat

Best Money can Buy — 20 points

The Infantry Regiment this Character Stand is currently attached to gains the Hardened (+1) Special Rule.

Favored of Hormus — 15 points

(Maharajah and Sorcerer from the Court of

Earth only). The Character Stand gains the Rider Special Rule and must choose to ride a Mahut in their Warband. The Mahut Regiment loses its Barrage (X) Special Rule and gains the Terrifying (1) Special Rule.

In addition, Friendly Regiments within 3" of this Regiment count as being within range of an Earth piece of Zonal Terrain.

Elemental Projection — 15 points

This Character increases the Range of all its Spells by 3" (Spells with a Range of "Self " are unaffected)

Court Spellbooks

Court of Fire Spells

"Inflamed" is a status that when applied, Regiments like ones with the Fire Elemental Special Rule may interact with to gain access to powerful abilities!

Court of Water Spells

Court of Air Spells

Court of Earth Spells

Rituals

Once a Ritual has been resolved, you may Draw your next Command Card, if it belongs to a Regiment of the same Court as that Ritual, you may Activate it immediately. Otherwise place the Command Card on top of your Command Stack.

Court of Fire Rituals

Court of Water Rituals

Once a Water Ritual has been successfully completed you may immediately select one other Court of Water Ritual you currently have access to to start Being Prepared.

Court of Air Rituals

Court of Earth Rituals

Regiments

Rules in a Nutshell!

Just starting out and got questions? Here's a quick rundown of how the Sorcerer Kings rules work! These explanations are brief and will help you quickly start playing your first games or answer some questions you may have! Make sure to join our Discord channel and you may always reach out to us at rules@para-bellum. com with any questions you may have.

What Are Rituals?

Rituals are powerful magical abilities that require a certain amount of preparation before they can be unleashed. Each Ritual comes with its own Command Card and, once prepared, can be placed into your Command Stack. When drawn, you simply activate its effect!

All of your Spellcasters belong to a Court—or possibly more than one. Each Court grants access to its associated Spells and Rituals. You may use these Rituals as long as the Character who possesses them hasn't been destroyed. Even if the Character hasn't entered the battlefield yet, the Rituals remain accessible. You only lose access to them if the Character is destroyed.

At the end of each Supremacy Phase, you select a single Ritual you have access to and begin Preparing it. If you're already preparing one, you may exchange it for another.

From that point on, you must accumulate Ritual Markers to complete the preparation.

Don't worry—this is simple! As a rule of thumb: every time you perform actions aligned with the Ritual's Court, add a Ritual Marker to it.

Cast a Spell from that Court? Add a Ritual Marker.

Activate an Elemental from that Court? Add a Ritual Marker (thanks to Elemental Conduit).

Once you've gathered Ritual Markers equal to the Ritual's Threshold, the Ritual is successfully prepared and will be added to your Command Stack at the start of the next Round.

Then it's as simple as drawing the card and unleashing arcane devastation!

What to Keep in Mind

When playing Sorcerer Kings always make sure to:

• Sorcerer Kings' mastery of the arcane arts revolves around depth rather than breadth. Most lists benefit from focusing on a single Court, though occasionally branching into a second can be worthwhile.

• Don't forget about Elemental Conduit! Each time you activate an Elemental, you may add a Ritual Marker to the Ritual you're currently preparing.

• When building your Command Stack, try placing Regiments after Rituals of the same Court. This allows you to activate them immediately—and some even gain powerful bonuses as a result!

Last updated 2026-10-04