Disney Lorcana How to Play
Learn to play Disney Lorcana step by step
Build your inkwell, play Disney characters, and collect lore. In this complete Dutch game guide, you'll discover how to prepare a game, what cards there are, and what you can do during your turn.
What is the goal of Disney Lorcana?
Be the first to collect at least 20 lore to win the game.
In Disney Lorcana, you take on the role of an Illumineer. You use magical ink to summon glimmers: special versions of well-known Disney characters, items, and locations.
Your characters can go on quests to collect lore. Once you have collected at least 20 lore, you win the game. You can slow down your opponent by challenging characters, removing cards, or using other abilities.
How to prepare a game
Prepare your deck, starting hand, lore counter, and play area.
Shuffle your deck
Each player shuffles their deck and places it face down within reach. Leave enough space for cards in play, the inkwell, and the discard pile.
Determine who starts
Randomly choose which player goes first. For example, with a die roll, coin toss, or other fair method.
Draw seven cards
Each player draws seven cards. This is the initial starting hand with which you begin the game.
Adjust your starting hand
You may once put a number of cards from your starting hand at the bottom of your deck and draw the same number of new cards. Afterwards, you shuffle the returned cards back into the deck.
What types of Disney Lorcana cards are there?
Each card type has its own role during the game.
Character Cards
Characters can quest, challenge other characters, and use abilities. They have strength, willpower, and a lore value, among other things.
Action Cards
Actions cause a one-time effect. After the effect is executed, the card normally goes to the discard pile.
Songs
Songs are a special type of Action Card. You can pay the cost normally or, if the conditions are met, exert a suitable character to sing the song.
Item Cards
Items remain in your play area after being played. They can usually provide abilities or ongoing benefits.
Location Cards
Locations remain in play, can yield lore, and have their own willpower. Characters can be moved to a location when you pay the move cost.
Abilities and card text
Many cards have additional abilities. Read the full card text carefully: it can supplement or change the normal game rules for that card.
How to read a Disney Lorcana card
Not every element appears on every card type, but you will regularly encounter this information.
Cost
The number in the top left usually indicates how much ink you need to exert to play the card.
Inkwell symbol
A card with the inkwell symbol around the cost can usually be placed as ink in your inkwell.
Strength
Strength determines how much damage a character deals to another character during a challenge.
Willpower
Willpower indicates how much damage a character or location can take before the card is banished.
Lore value
The number of lore symbols on a character indicates how much lore you normally receive when that character quests.
Ink and classifications
The card shows the corresponding ink and additional classifications, such as Hero, Villain, Princess, or Sorcerer.
How do ink and the inkwell work?
Ink is the resource you use to pay for your cards.
Once during your turn, you may normally place one card with an inkwell symbol from your hand face down into your inkwell. First show the card to your opponent so it is clear that it can be used as ink.
A card in your inkwell is no longer treated as the original character, item, or other card type. From that moment on, it is ink. To pay costs, you turn the required number of ink cards a quarter turn. This is called exerting.
At the beginning of your next turn, you ready your exerted cards again. This allows you to use the same ink again.
How does a turn progress?
Each turn consists of a beginning phase and a main phase.
Ready
Turn your exerted cards upright again. These cards are then ready and can be used again when the game rules or card text allow it.
Set
Effects that occur at the beginning of your turn are resolved. Characters that have been under your control since the beginning of your previous turn are no longer "dry".
Draw
Draw one card from your deck. The player who starts the game does not draw a card in this step during their first turn.
Main phase
You can, among other things, place a card in your inkwell, play cards, quest, challenge, use abilities, and move characters to locations. These actions can usually be performed in any order.
End your turn
When you no longer want to perform any actions, you indicate that your turn is over. Then the next player's turn begins.
What can you do during your turn?
During the main phase, you have several options.
Place a card in the inkwell
Normally, place a maximum of one suitable card per turn face down in your inkwell.
Play a card
Exert enough ink to pay the cost. Then place the played card in the correct play area and resolve any effects.
Questing
Exert a suitable ready character and receive the lore value indicated on the card.
Challenging
Exert your suitable ready character to challenge an exerted character of an opponent.
Use an ability
Use an ability when you can meet the stated conditions and costs. Some abilities require ink, exertion, or other additional costs.
Move to a location
When you pay the move cost, you can move a character to one of your locations.
What does “drying” mean for characters?
Newly played characters cannot immediately do everything.
When you play a character, the ink must, as it were, dry first. The character is normally dry until it has been under your control since the beginning of your turn.
A dry character usually cannot yet quest, challenge, or use an ability that requires the character to be exerted. However, it can have passive or other abilities that apply immediately.
How does questing work?
Questing is the main way to collect lore.
Choose a ready character that is no longer dry and exert it. Then look at the lore value on the right side of the card. Increase your lore score by that amount.
A character that has quested normally remains exerted until it becomes ready again at the beginning of your next turn. This usually allows it to be challenged by an opponent.
How does challenging work?
Use challenges to attack your opponent's exerted characters.
To challenge, choose one of your suitable ready characters and an exerted character of an opponent. Exert your character and then resolve the challenge.
Both characters normally deal damage simultaneously equal to their strength. Place damage counters on the cards. When the accumulated damage is equal to or greater than a character's willpower, that character is banished and placed in its owner's discard pile.
Example of a simple Disney Lorcana turn
This is what a beginner player's turn might look like.
Example: You begin your third turn
You have two ink, one character in play, and multiple cards in hand.
- You ready your exerted cards.
- You resolve any effects at the beginning of your turn.
- You draw one card from your deck.
- You reveal a suitable card and place it facedown as a third ink in your inkwell.
- You exert two ink to play a Character Card with cost 2. This new character is still dry.
- You exert your older character to quest and gain the indicated lore.
- You have no more actions and end your turn.
Important basic rules to remember
These rules will help you avoid the most common confusion during your first games.
One ink per turn
You may normally place one suitable card from your hand into your inkwell once per turn.
Ink comes from your hand
You do not draw a card directly from the top of the deck for your normal ink placement. You choose a suitable card from your hand.
New characters are dry
They cannot normally quest, challenge, or be exerted to pay for an ability.
Challenge an exerted character
A standard challenge can normally only be directed at an opponent's exerted character.
Damage remains
Damage does not normally disappear automatically at the end of a turn. The counters remain until an effect removes them or the card leaves play.
Card text takes precedence
When card text specifically deviates from a general game rule, you follow the applicable text on the card.
Common mistakes made by beginner players
- Trying to use a card without an inkwell symbol as ink.
- Placing more than one card into the inkwell per turn in the normal way.
- Forgetting that the starting player does not draw a card during the first turn.
- Having a newly played character quest immediately while it is still dry.
- Trying to challenge an opponent's ready character.
- Removing damage counters at the end of the turn.
- Thinking you are obliged to place ink first before taking other actions.
- Forgetting that during the main phase you can perform many actions in an order of your choice.
Frequently asked questions about playing Disney Lorcana
Practical answers for your first games.
How do you win a Disney Lorcana game?
In a standard game, you win by being the first to collect at least 20 lore. You collect most lore by exerting characters to quest.
How many cards do you draw at the start?
Each player starts with seven cards. After that, each player may once replace a number of cards from their starting hand according to the usual starting procedure.
How many cards can you use as ink per turn?
Normally, once per turn, you may place one suitable card from your hand facedown into your inkwell. Card abilities may provide additional options.
Can you use a new character immediately?
A new character is normally dry. It cannot yet quest, challenge, or be exerted to pay for an ability. Abilities such as Rush may provide a partial exception.
Can you attack the opponent directly?
Disney Lorcana does not use a direct life point system like some other card games. You normally challenge an exerted character or a suitable location and try to collect 20 lore yourself.
Can you use every card as ink?
No. For normal ink placement, the card must have the inkwell symbol around its cost. Cards without that symbol cannot be placed as ink in the usual way.
Does damage disappear at the end of the turn?
No. Damage normally remains on a character or location until an effect removes the damage or the card leaves play.
Do both players need their own deck?
Yes, for a regular game, each player needs their own playable deck. Two separate Starter Decks or a suitable 2-Player product are practical ways to start together.
Do you have to perform actions during your turn in a fixed order?
The steps at the beginning of your turn have a fixed order. During the main phase, however, you may perform most allowed actions in an order of your choice.
Ready to play your first game?
Choose a Starter Deck, find out which beginner product suits you, or delve deeper into the comprehensive game rules and Disney Lorcana terms.
