Disney Lorcana Beginner's Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Start Playing
Welcome to the magical world of Disney Lorcana, the trading card game that brings your favorite Disney characters to life in an entirely new way. Whether you're a seasoned card game player or this is your first foray into trading card games, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start your journey as an Illumineer.
What is Disney Lorcana?
Disney Lorcana is a trading card game created by Ravensburger in collaboration with Disney. In this game, players take on the role of Illumineers—powerful sorcerers who use magical ink to bring Disney characters to life as "glimmers." These glimmers are manifestations of characters from across the Disney universe, often appearing in new and unexpected ways.
The game combines strategic deck building, resource management, and character deployment as players race to be the first to gain 20 lore points by questing with their characters or through special card effects.
Getting Started: What You'll Need
Before diving into gameplay, here's what you'll need to start playing Disney Lorcana:
Essential Components:
A Disney Lorcana deck (40-60 cards)
Damage counters (small tokens or dice to track damage)
A playmat or clear playing surface
A way to track lore (points) (pen and paper or a dedicated tracker)
For beginners, the easiest way to get started is with a pre-constructed Starter Deck, which comes with a ready-to-play 60-card deck featuring two ink types. Alternatively, you can purchase the Disney Lorcana Illumineer's Trove, which includes two half-decks that can be combined in different ways.
Understanding the Cards
Each Disney Lorcana card contains several key elements that you'll need to understand:
Card Anatomy:
Card Name and Title: The character's name and their unique title (e.g., "Mickey Mouse – Brave Little Tailor")
Ink Cost: Located in the upper left corner, this shows how much ink (resource) you need to play the card
Ink Type: The colored symbol in the upper right indicates which of the six ink types the card belongs to
Strength: The number on the left side of the card showing how much damage the character can deal
Willpower: The number on the right side showing how much damage the character can withstand
Abilities: Special powers or effects the card has, listed in the text box
Lore Value: The number of lore points you gain when this character quests
Card Type: Whether the card is a Character, Action, Item, or Location
Rarity Symbol: Indicates how rare the card is within the set
Set Information: The set symbol and card number
The Six Ink Types:
Disney Lorcana features six different ink types, each with its own playstyle and strengths:
Amber (Yellow): Focuses on defense, healing, and lore gain
Amethyst (Purple): Specializes in powerful effects and game-changing spells
Emerald (Green): Excels at strategic plays and card manipulation
Ruby (Red): Emphasizes aggressive attacks and direct damage
Sapphire (Blue): Centers on card draw and resource management
Steel (Gray): Concentrates on defense and resilience
Most decks combine two ink types to balance their strengths and weaknesses, though single-ink decks are also possible.
Basic Game Setup
Follow these steps to set up your first game of Disney Lorcana:
Shuffle your deck thoroughly.
Draw seven cards to form your starting hand.
Decide who goes first (roll a die, flip a coin, or use another random method).
Place your deck face-down in your play area.
Create a discard pile (called the "inkwell") next to your deck.
Prepare damage counters and lore trackers.
Understanding the Play Area
Your play area in Disney Lorcana consists of several zones:
Deck: Your face-down draw pile
Hand: The cards you're holding (hidden from your opponent)
Inkwell: Your discard pile (face-up)
In Play: The area where your characters, items, and locations are placed
Banished: A separate pile for cards that have been removed from the game
Game Flow: Turn Structure
Each turn in Disney Lorcana follows a specific sequence:
1. Draw Phase
Draw one card from your deck
If you can't draw because your deck is empty, you lose the game
2. Ink Phase
Choose one card from your hand and place it face-down as "ink"
This card becomes a resource to play other cards
You'll gain one ink each turn, building your resources over time
3. Play Phase
Play character, action, item, and location cards by paying their ink cost
Use character abilities
Challenge opposing characters
Quest with ready characters to gain lore
4. End Phase
Ready all of your "shifted" (turned sideways) cards
Resolve any "at the end of your turn" effects
Check if any player has reached 20 or more lore (if so, they win)
Key Game Mechanics
Playing Cards
To play a card from your hand, you must have enough ink available. The ink cost is shown in the upper left corner of the card. You can use any combination of your available ink to pay this cost, regardless of ink type.
Characters
Character cards are the heart of Disney Lorcana. When you play a character, it enters play "shifted" (turned sideways) and can't be used until your next turn. On subsequent turns, your characters will be "ready" (upright) and can perform actions.
Questing
Questing is the primary way to gain lore points. To quest with a character:
Shift the character (turn it sideways)
Gain lore equal to the character's lore value (bottom right corner)
Characters can only quest if they're ready (upright) and not exerted from challenging.
Challenging
Challenging allows your characters to attack opposing characters. To challenge:
Choose one of your ready characters as the challenger
Choose an opposing character as the target
Shift your challenging character
Your character deals damage equal to its strength to the target
The target simultaneously deals damage equal to its strength to your character
If a character receives damage equal to or greater than its willpower, it's banished (removed from play).
Understanding Keywords
Disney Lorcana features several keywords that provide special abilities to cards. Here are some of the most common:
Bodyguard: This character can protect other characters from challenges
Challenger +X: This character gets +X strength when challenging
Evasive: This character can't be challenged by characters with 3 or more strength
Reckless: This character must challenge each turn if able
Resist +X: This character takes X less damage
Rush: This character can challenge or quest the turn it's played
Shift X: Pay X ink to ready this character
Singer X: When this character quests, you gain X additional lore
Support: This character can help another character challenge
Ward: This character can't be chosen by opponents' abilities
Building Your First Deck
When you're ready to build your own deck, follow these guidelines:
Your deck must contain between 40 and 60 cards
You can include up to 4 copies of any card (except for cards that specify otherwise)
Choose 1-2 ink types to focus on for consistency
Include a balance of low, medium, and high-cost cards
Consider your win condition (how you plan to reach 20 lore)
Common Beginner Strategies
Aggro (Aggressive)
Focus on characters with high strength
Challenge opponents' characters frequently
Often uses Ruby ink combined with another type
Aims to control the board by removing opponents' characters
Quest (Lore Rush)
Emphasizes characters with high lore values or lore-generating abilities
Minimizes challenging in favor of questing
Often uses Amber or Sapphire ink
Tries to reach 20 lore as quickly as possible
Control
Uses cards that restrict opponents' options
Includes defensive characters with high willpower
Often combines Steel with another ink type
Aims to establish board control before questing for lore
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Forgetting to ink a card each turn: Always place one card face-down as ink during your ink phase, even if you don't need the resources immediately.
Challenging too aggressively: While removing opponents' characters is important, don't forget that questing is how you win the game.
Not reading card effects carefully: Many cards have unique abilities that can dramatically change gameplay. Take time to understand what each card does.
Building decks with too many ink types: Focusing on 1-2 ink types makes your deck more consistent and increases the chances of being able to play your cards.
Holding onto cards too long: Don't be afraid to use powerful cards when they can give you an advantage, rather than saving them for a "perfect moment."
Expanding Your Collection
As you become more familiar with Disney Lorcana, you might want to expand your collection. Here are the main product types:
Starter Decks: Pre-constructed 60-card decks ready to play
Illumineer's Trove: Contains two half-decks that can be combined in different ways
Booster Packs: Randomized packs containing 12 cards each
Gift Sets: Special bundles that include cards and accessories
Promo Cards: Special cards available through events or promotions
Finding Other Players
Disney Lorcana is best enjoyed with others! Here are some ways to find fellow players:
Local game stores often host Disney Lorcana events
Online communities on Discord, Reddit, and Facebook
School or community card game clubs
Friends and family (the game is designed to be accessible to players of all ages)
Conclusion
Disney Lorcana offers a magical blend of familiar Disney characters and strategic card gameplay. As you begin your journey as an Illumineer, remember that the most important aspect is having fun. Don't worry about mastering every rule immediately—start with the basics and expand your knowledge as you play more games.
With this beginner's guide, you're well-equipped to start your Disney Lorcana adventure. Gather your cards, summon your favorite Disney characters as glimmers, and may your quest for lore be successful!
Happy illumineering!