At the European Legacy Masters (ELM), the best Legacy players from across 21 different countries face off against each other, with sweet prizes and eternal glory on the line. The European Legacy Masters is an invitation-only event. Players qualify through their local events and leagues, earning themselves a chance to represent their community on the big stage and claim the title of European Legacy Master.
The second edition of the ELM will take place in Bologna, Italy alongside the 4Seasons Summer Tournament, and will have up to 128 players competing for the title.
Qualifier events
Each country has been awarded several Regional qualification slots based on their population and community activity. Regional representatives are coordinating with local Tournament Organisers (TOs), to ensure that qualification opportunities are available to as many local Legacy communities as possible.
Qualifier events can award 1 or more slots to the top-ranking players. Some regions may award the majority of their slots all at once during their national championship event, while others might have a series of regional events each giving out one invitation.
To reward organisers running big Legacy tournaments, we will be offering a handful of additional slots to International qualifiers as part of the qualifying season for ELM 2023. These qualifiers are outside the regional slot allocation and allow any player to attend and qualify. If you are organising a large-scale qualifier, please reach out to your regional ELM representative who can register your events for a qualifier slot. More details on these requirements can be found in the FAQ below.
ELM Qualifications can be passed down within the top 8 of a qualifying event, to account for players who are unable to make the final event. For details on how to perform the pass-down, check the FAQ below.
For a list of all qualifier events, click here.
FAQ
Q: How much does it cost to enter the ELM? Are there prizes?
A: The final event of the European Legacy Masters is free to play for all qualified players.
Prizes will be provided by our sponsors. More details will be unveiled in the event announcement.
Q: Do qualifications come with flights/hotels?
A: Qualifications by themselves only award you an invite to the ELM, which will come alongside some other fun perks. Flights/hotels are not included. Prizes at qualifying events are at the sole discretion of your local tournament organiser. For tips regarding your travel and stay in Bologna, you can reach out to the 4Seasons Tournaments organisers.
Q: Can I use proxies at the ELM?
A: The European Legacy Project supports the use of proxies for all Legacy events, including at the European Legacy Masters. Just keep in mind that for coverage reasons, we do require proxy cards to be in full colour and clearly recognizable – in addition to the obvious demand that they are indistinguishable from the remainder of your deck.
Q: What if I qualify, but can’t make it to the event?
A: If a player wins an invitation at a qualifier event, but is unable to make it to the European Legacy Masters, the slot can be passed down. However, slots can only pass down within the top 8 of an event. If none of the top 8 players can make it to the ELM, the TO should reach out to their local ELM representative, to determine what to do. Likewise, if you only learn afterwards that you cannot make it to the ELM, please reach out to the TO and/or your regional representative, so the slot can be awarded to the next eligible player.
To pass down an invite, use the standings after the top 8 to break the tie between 3rd and 4th, then do the same for 5th to 8th place.
If you have any concerns, please reach out your regional representative or the ELM committee.
Q: I am a TO, and I want to award a qualification for the ELM at my event.
A: Get in touch with your ELM representative, to learn how your Legacy event can become an ELM Qualifier.
Q: What are the requirements to run an ELM Qualifier?
Any Legacy event can potentially be considered for an ELM Qualifier. Regional ELM representatives and TOs are working together to ensure that slots end up in the right places for each community. The minimal requirements for a tournament to be eligible as a qualifier are:
- The format is Legacy
- The tournament was granted a slot by the regional representative
- Tournament attendance and top8 results are reported after the event
For organisers applying for an International qualifier slot, the following requirements also need to be satisfied:
- The event is likely to reach 100+ players.
- The event is open to attend for all players.
- The TO informs their ELM representative at least 2 months in advance.
- The Rep submits an application form to the qualification team for approval of the additional slot.
Providing information about previous editions, tournament structure, venue,… helps us evaluate your application, so make sure to share this information with your representative.
Aside from these requirements, specifics on how the tournaments are run are ultimately at the discretion of the TO. We do have some tips regarding how we, as players, enjoy our Legacy events best:
- A certified judge goes a long way in ensuring the tournament goes smoothly.
- Consider allowing proxies, especially when it comes to reserved list cards.
- For small events with less than 24 players, cutting to top 8 after five rounds can lead to an uninteresting tournament. Consider playing an additional round of swiss and cutting to top4 instead, to keep things more exciting. Plus, this way everybody gets a 6th round of Legacy action, instead of just the top8!
Q: Is this an official tournament by Wizards of the Coast?
A: The ELM is completely independent, and not affiliated with WotC in any way. We believe that in order for Legacy to thrive, it is up to us, the players, to manage our own scene and crown our own champions.
None of us expect to make any money from this endaveour. All we want, is for as many players as possible to enjoy our favourite format.
European Legacy Masters 