Ravensburger’s Disney Lorcana brings together different elements of the TCG genre to appeal to audiences of varying experiences. From older Disney fans deep into the lore of the various characters, to TCG cardsharps just looking for a new game to thrive in, Lorcana has something to offer. This short guide will cover the basics of securing your first Lorcana deck, prepping to get into the hobby and lastly, playing the game.
Starting Out the Easy Way
Lorcana starter decks are the easiest way to get into the game without spending too much time and money to get your cards. At under $17 apiece, you can easily get a starter deck from the latest expansion, Azurite Sea. Each preconstructed deck contains 60 cards and is ready to play right out of the box. Starter decks also include essential components to start playing the game, such as damage tokens and a Lore tracker.
On top of the bare essentials, a starter deck also introduces you to the exciting experience of opening a booster pack, a staple highlight in every TCG. Azurite Sea starter decks contain one booster each to get you on your way to expanding your card collection.
Improving Your Initial Game Experience
Getting games in using your starter deck takes its toll on your cards. Protect your collection using sleeves and a deckbox. Card markings on card backs due to damage affect gameplay negatively in Lorcana as even cards turned face down are relevant for play.
Tracking Lore using the paper tracker provided with your starter deck can be a chore. Lorcana’s companion app is available on Google Play and the App Store. It not only provides a tracker for use during your game, but features a card catalog and a rules guide as well.
Playing at kitchen tables or cafes is typical when starting out in a new TCG. This exposes your cards to oily surfaces which may make them stick, causing permanent damage. Water damage due to spills is also highly possible. A Lorcana gaming mat gives you a secure 24 x 13 inch space to play your game. Consider picking one up before you head down to a cafe for some casual games.
Quickstart Rules
The objective of Lorcana is to be the first player with 20 or more Lore. Character cards in the game show a specific Lore value which you gain when the card quests. Games begin with both players drawing 7 cards. If you are dissatisfied with your opening hand, you can choose to mulligan by putting any number of cards from your hand at the bottom of your deck and then drawing that many cards.
The first player places a card with an inkwell icon from their hand into their inkwell, transforming it into ink, which is the resource for playing other cards. This can be done once per turn. This process removes the card from play for the rest of the turn. The player must show the card to their opponent before placing it face down. After converting the card, they can continue their turn by playing other cards including characters, items, actions, or songs, or choosing to take no action. These are paid for using ink. Once their turn is complete, the play passes to the second player.
The second player draws a card before taking any other actions. In subsequent rounds, each player will draw a card at the start of their turn. Players then put more cards into their inkwell, play cards using their ink, take additional actions, and pass the turn to the opponent.
Characters in play do not contribute to your Lore count until they are questing. For a character to quest, you need to exert them by turning them sideways. Remember that you cannot quest with a character card the turn you play it. The ink is still drying. Having characters exerted and questing brings you one step closer to victory. Some characters may have abilities. These abilities can’t be used the turn the character is played. But in future turns, you can use those abilities provided that you can pay for its cost.
Challenging is another aspect of gameplay in Disney Lorcana. Exerting your characters to challenge your opponent’s exerted characters enables you to slow down your opponent’s progress as winning challenges banishes opposing characters from the game. In a challenge, characters deal damage to each other. To know how much damage a character would deal, look at the value of its Strength. When a character deals damage to another character, mark the damage done using damage counters (you’ll have a number of these included with your starter deck). Remember that you can only challenge characters that are exerted.
A Final Note
Getting into a new TCG is a thrilling experience that can be daunting for some. Simplify your experience by purchasing products geared towards teaching beginners the game. Products like starter decks expose you to the most common card interactions and enable you to grasp the basics.
