Lorcana debuts with a soft release on August 18th, and you may not have heard of it yet, but trust us, you’ll know all about this brand new TCG soon! Disney is hopping into the world of trading card games with this release, and hardcore fans are already delighted by the tantalizing card art teasers. On its surface there’s already a lot to love – who doesn’t want to create a deck of your favorite Disney characters? But you may be curious about how the game will actually play/progress and be won. And we’re here with info on that.
Players – called “Illumineers” will send their Characters on a Quest to capture Lore, using that Lore to win matches. This is a departure from the standard TCG approach of depleting your opponent’s points. Casting characters and spells within Disney Lorcana requires players to pay that card’s Ink cost. Abilities can also have an Ink cost, while some can get cast for free. But it all starts with cards that are in the Inkwell; players can add one Inkable card from their hand to the Inkwell once per turn. If you’re familiar with MtG, you can think of the Inkwell as your mana pool.
Cards that are on the battlefield and Inkwell will be in one of two positions: Ready or Exerted (the equivalent of untapped/tapped for players familiar with these types of games). Activating abilities and other game rules will require a player to Exert a card in order to gain an effect, use an ability, collect Lore counters, and pay a card’s Ink casting cost. An alternative cost gameplay is a Song. Some actions will have a Song on them that provides players with another way to pay for that action.
The easiest and most cost effective way to dip your toes into this brand new TCG is to pick up a Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter starter deck; there are three to choose from in this first wave and each is priced at around $35.
Starter Deck Contents;
- 60 cards, including two foil cards of the characters on the package front. Ready to play. Color pairings are Amber and Amethyst, Emerald and Ruby, or Steel and Sapphire.
- 11 damage tokens
- One rulebook
- One booster pack containing 12 randomized cards
- Two foil cards of face characters on the packaging
- One paper playmat
- One tracker token
Other products being released include booster packs, a bundle box called the Illumineer’s Trove and a Gift Set. The artwork featured on the cards is described as “modern storybook” art style, and is inspired by “storybook openings” of Disney’s classic films, including visible line work and color washes. This gives it a hand-drawn fairytale look that players and collectors alike are sure to love. Don’t sleep on this release – you’ll want be there from the beginning of what’s sure to be a long running and beloved new TCG! Products for this first wave have been allocated and we will be selling on a first come first serve basis while we wait for the second wave to release, so be sure to get here early on release day for a shot at scoring first wave Lorcana.
