How To Play Disney Lorcana TCG - First Look
Disney Lorcana is a new TCG developed by Ravensburger in collaboration with Disney. Players build decks themed around Disney characters (or glimmers) and ‘inks’, compete against fellow ‘illumineers’, and earn 20 'lore' points to win. The starter decks introduce a range of mechanics and terminologies, but with this overview guide and Ravensburger’s own ‘How To Play’ series, the game is quick and easy to start playing.
Disney Lorcana TCG: The Cards
In the game, you have the option to either use one of the pre-designed decks or build your own. The game has three different types of cards: Characters, Items and Actions. Game play incorporates special cards that can enable players to perform actions or special abilities, including ‘songs’.
Character Cards. These are Disney character glimmers that players summon to complete quests and challenges. The card indicates different classifications, abilities, effects and statistics of the character, as well as stunning artwork of classic Disney heroes and villains.
Item Cards. You activate item abilities during your turn, and these can be played the same turn you played the card. These cards showcase a range of Disney items from classic films.
Action Cards. These cards provide a single-use advantage and are then discarded. ‘Songs’ are also types of action cards, which usually have a cost and effect, but some characters can sing actions at no costs.
How To Play Lorcana
Now we know the basics of the cards, we can move on to discuss how to play Disney Lorcana.
The objective of the game is to be the first player to get 20, or more, lore. While certain card abilities can provide lore, the primary method of obtaining it is by playing character cards and completing quests. Each turn has a beginning phase and a main phase. During your turn you can play cards, take actions, use abilities and go on quests. Going on quests allows players to gain lore points equal to their character’s lore value. You can also challenge your opponent, slowing down the other players and damaging their characters.
Mechanics & Keywords
In the quickstart Lorcana rules, there are a few keywords worth noting to help understand the mechanics of gameplay.
Banished: When characters take damage equal to or greater than their Willpower stat, they are banished and put in the player’s discard pile.
Challenging: Players can challenge opponent’s exerted characters, at which stage the characters go head-to-head in combat using their strength stats to cause damage.
Exerted: Some cards will require you to ‘exert’ them in order to play. When a card is exerted, it is turned sideways and it can be reset in the next turn’s beginning phase.
Inkwell: Player’s inkwells are the areas of play where you put your facedown ink cards, maximum once per turn. You can then use these ink cards to cover the costs of a one card in their hand.
Lore Value: This value is shown on character cards and indicates how much lore players gain when questing.
Questing: You can send characters on quests by exerting them during a turn. The player will then earn lore equal to the character’s lore value, shown on the card.
Rarity: The rarity symbols shown on cards are either common, uncommon, rare, super rare or legendary.
Strength & Willpower: These attributes are featured on character cards. Strength denotes the amount of damage that a character can cause during a challenge, whereas willpower indicates the amount of damage that a character can endure.
Get Started With Lorcana
At the time of writing this article, Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter Starter Decks are available to pre-order and are the perfect place to start with this new TCG. These 60 card decks include foil cards, game tokens, a rulebook, and a booster pack.
Which deck will you pick up? Let us know on socials (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord), where we will keep you up to date with all the latest Lorcana news and pre-orders.
