Quick Answer
Disney Lorcana uses Disney characters on cards but plays nothing like the Pokemon TCG or MTG. It has its own logic and once you understand it, it's one of the most accessible TCGs for new players. See current prices at /cards/lorcana.
Disney Lorcana uses Disney characters on cards but plays nothing like the Pokemon TCG or MTG. It has its own logic and once you understand it, it's one of the most accessible TCGs for new players.
This guide covers everything you need to play your first game.
The Goal
Collect 20 Lore before your opponent does.
Lore is the game's victory resource. You earn it by sending your characters on quests. The first player to 20 Lore wins.
What You Need
Two players. Two 60-card decks. Each deck uses characters, actions, items, and locations from two Ink colours out of the six available (Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Steel).
Starter Decks are the easiest entry point. They're pre-built, ready to play, and available at Target, Big W, EB Games, and local game stores in Australia for around AU$20 to AU$25.
The Six Ink Colours
- Amber: healing, support, teamwork
- Amethyst: magic, trickery, card advantage
- Emerald: flexibility, cleverness, shifting
- Ruby: rushing, aggression, recklessness
- Sapphire: knowledge, card drawing, utility
- Steel: strength, big characters, defence
Each character and card belongs to one or two of these colours.
How a Turn Works
- Ready. all your exerted (turned sideways) cards become ready again
- Set: draw a card, gain one Ink for each turn you've taken (your Inkwell total increases by 1 each round up to your hand size)
- Draw. draw a card from your deck
- Play Phase: spend Ink to play characters, actions, items, and locations in any order
Your Inkwell is the resource pool. Most cards have an Ink cost in the top-left corner. To pay a cost, you exert (turn sideways) that many cards in your Inkwell.
Building Your Inkwell
Each turn, you can put one card from your hand into your Inkwell face-down by paying its Ink cost in the bottom-left corner (the Inkwell symbol). Only cards with the Inkwell symbol can go into your Inkwell.
This is the core resource decision of Lorcana: do you play the card, or do you put it in your Inkwell to have more Ink next turn?
Questing: How You Win
Once a character is in play, they have "summoning sickness" for one turn and can't quest or challenge. On subsequent turns, they can quest by exerting them (turning sideways). You gain Lore equal to the character's Lore value (the diamond symbol on the card).
Questing characters don't directly interact with opponents. They just generate Lore.
Challenging: How You Fight
Characters can challenge opponent's exerted characters. You exert your character (turn it sideways) and target one of your opponent's exerted characters.
Both characters deal damage equal to their Strength (the fist symbol) to each other simultaneously. If a character takes damage equal to or greater than its Willpower (the shield symbol), it's banished and sent to the discard pile.
Banishing characters doesn't give Lore. It just removes threats or clears the way for safe questing.
Actions and Items
Actions are single-use cards. Play one, use its effect, send it to the discard pile.
Items stay in play and have ongoing effects or abilities you can activate.
Locations
Some sets include Location cards. Characters at a location can quest for the location's Lore value rather than their own. Locations can also take damage and be challenged.
What to Buy in Australia
Starter Decks (two in a box, one deck each): AU$20 to AU$25.
Booster Packs: AU$7 to AU$9 each. Each pack has 12 cards including at least one rare or better.
For our full Lorcana buying guide, see Best Lorcana Booster Boxes in Australia.
Track your Lorcana collection value with the free C3 tracker.
Lorcana is currently sold at Target, Big W, EB Games, and local game stores across Australia.
Songs: A Different Card Type
Song cards can be played by any character with enough Ink cost: or they can be sung for free by exerting characters whose cost meets or exceeds the Song's cost. This creates a decision point: pay Ink to use a Song immediately, or exert characters (taking them offline for questing and challenging) to play it free.
Locations: Playing the Map
Some Lorcana sets include Location cards. Locations have a cost to play and an ongoing ability. Characters can move to a Location by paying a Move cost (exerting characters). Characters at a Location may gain abilities and can Quest for additional Lore beyond their base value. They can only be challenged by characters with the Challenger keyword.
The Shift Mechanic
Many characters have a Shift ability. If you already have a character in play with the same name (or matching Shift requirements), you can play the Shift version for a reduced cost by placing it on top of the existing card. The shifted character keeps any damage counters and Shift upgrades but becomes the new version of that character.
Shift lets you play powerful high-cost characters ahead of schedule.
Common Mistakes New Players Make
Questing with every character every turn: Questing with a character leaves them exerted (sideways), making them vulnerable to Challenge. Against an aggressive opponent, Questing recklessly gets your characters banished and leaves you behind on Lore. Learn when to hold characters back for blocking or threats.
Forgetting to Ink cards: The most common early error. Every turn you should Ink a card unless you have a specific reason not to. Falling behind on Ink cripples your ability to play cards on curve.
Challenging into unfavourable trades: Challenge damage is simultaneous. If your character has Strength 2 and you challenge a character with Willpower 5, your character survives. But if that character has Strength 3 and your character has Willpower 2, you lose your character without gaining anything. Count Strength vs Willpower before Challenging.
Deck Building Basics for Australia
Lorcana decks are 60 cards and must use exactly two Ink colours. Up to 4 copies of each card. The two chosen Ink colours must be ones your chosen characters belong to.
Starter Sets include two pre-built 60-card decks and everything needed to start playing. Available at Target, Big W, EB Games, and local game stores in Australia. The C3 Shop links to confirmed Amazon AU options.
For competitive play, buying singles is more efficient than opening booster boxes. The C3 Card Compare tool shows current AUD prices for any Lorcana card you are targeting.
Where to Play Lorcana in Australia
Local game stores across Australian cities run weekly Lorcana nights. Ravensburger runs official Lorcana events including Store Championships with prize support.
Check the C3 Release Calendar for upcoming Lorcana events and competitive qualifiers in Australia.
The C3 Take
The decisions you make with your TCG collection matter more than most guides suggest. Whether you are buying, selling, or holding, the difference between a good outcome and a poor one almost always comes down to checking current AUD prices before you act. Use the live data at /cards/lorcana to make price-informed decisions every time.
What to Read Next
- Browse Lorcana card prices at /cards/lorcana
- Find your Lorcana character at /quizzes/lorcana-character
- Compare TCG options at /quizzes/which-tcg
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to learn Lorcana?
The basic rules can be learned in a single afternoon with a patient opponent or by following the official tutorial. Strategic depth takes months to develop. Most new players find the game enjoyable before they have mastered it.
Do I need to buy specific cards to learn Lorcana?
No. Starter decks or preconstructed decks give you everything needed for your first games. You do not need to know card values or build your own deck to start playing.
Is there a free digital version to practise?
Most major TCGs have a free or low-cost digital version. Check the relevant game's official website for their digital platform options.