rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
Entering the trading game card (TCG) space in Aug. is Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter, featuring three preconstructed starter decks that will get featured at prerelease events through local game stores.
For the first time outside of major conventions like D23 and GenCon, fans will get a chance to play Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter for the first time at local game stores starting on Aug.18. Dot Esports reached out to Ravensburger as to when the Store Locator on the Ravensburger site will get up and running and are still waiting on a response at time of writing.
Those attending a Disney Lorcana prerelease event can purchase products like booster packs and boxes while also playing with starter decks against others in the community.
Related: How to play characters and cards in Disney Lorcana
All Disney Lorcana starter decks, card lists, and tips
Each of the three Disney Lorcana starter decks showcases a variety of gameplay styles available through the TCG. The decks were designed as an entry point to the game, making it easier for new card game players to test it out. And for the veteran TCG players, decks like Emerald and Ruby or Steel and Sapphire provide interesting combos and unique lines of play.
Emerald and Ruby Lorcana starter deck
Of the three Disney Lorcana starter decks, Emerald and Ruby is one of my favorite preconstructed builds. It’s a Midrange deck that provides a large number of recourses to mess with your opponent’s board state and strategies, splashed with Evasive Questing cards like Pongo and Peter Pan, Never Landing.
One of the key features that I find fascinating in the Emerald and Ruby starter deck is the ability to steal Lore away from your opponent through cards like Steal From the Rich, Rapunzel, Letting Down Her Hair, and Aladdin, Street Rat. The ultimate Lore drain and gain strategy is found on Aladdin, Heroic Outlaw, which sadly is only a one-of within the Emerald and Ruby Disney Lorcana starter deck.
Disney Lorcana Emerald and Ruby starter deck tips
- A major downside to the Emerald and Ruby starter deck is that it lacks solid card draw, relying upon Mad Hatter, Gracious Host during the late-game.
- Players will want to take advantage of all the various forms of removal in the Emerald and Ruby starter deck, from returning Characters to a player’s hand through Cruella de Vil, Miserable as Usual, and Action cards like Dragon Fire.
- Players will want to remain open and flexible with the Emerald and Ruby starter deck, paying close attention to what their opponent is trying to accomplish and disrupting it when they least expect it
- Strong early-game cards are Aladdin, Prince Ali, Lefou, and Peter Pan. while early cards to Ink are Captain, Iago, and Horace.
- Don’t sleep on Jasper Common Crook. The Emerald three-drop has a solid defense of four and can prevent an opponent’s key Character from Questing on their turn when Jasper Quests.
- Use combat tricks and removal wisely, always making sure it provides your board state an advantage over your opponent that can lead to a victory.
Steel and Sapphire Lorcana starter deck
The Steel and Sapphire Disney Lorcana starter deck is as close to a Control deck as TCG players will find out of the three preconstructed decks. The goal of the build is to control the board state while ramping into big Characters that Quest for three Lore at a time, or Challenge an opponent’s troublesome Character.
Preconstructed Control decks, however, are difficult to pilot—especially for new TCG players. Players will want to make ramping a top priority within the build, using Characters like Gramma Tala and Mickey Mouse, Detective. The earlier a player can get to high-cost Characters, the better a shot they have at winning against the other two Disney Lorcana starter decks.
Disney Lorcana Steel and Sapphire Lorcana starter deck tips
- Make sure Gramma Tala is in your opening hand, as it is one of the strongest ramp cards during the early game.
- Use cards like Hercules, True Hero, and Aurora, Dreaming Guardian to protect key Characters.
- Don’t turn Items and Actions into Ink unless desperately needed! The starter deck is packed with Items, Actions, and Songs that will help your deck achieve what it was designed to do.
- Use one-drops for Ink to curve into Gramma Tala, followed by Mickey Mouse, Detective.
- Late-game power hitters include both Simba Characters, Mufasa, and Maleficient, Uninvited.
Amber and Amethyst Lorcana starter deck
Likely one of the easiest Disney Lorcana starter decks to pilot is Amber and Amethyst. The starter deck has an Aggro/go-wide strategy that uses Reanimation from the discard pile to keep the board filled with plenty of threats to an opponent without really caring about what your opponent’s deck wants to do. And the Amber/Amethyst Disney Lorcana deck is potentially the best of the three starter decks.
A combination of low-cost Characters and reanimation abilities allows the Amber and Amethyst starter deck to flood the board state with threats that can rack up Lore quickly while Challenging an opponent’s Exerted Characters.
Disney Lorcana Amber and Amethyst starter deck tips
- The go-wide strategy is weak to AoE abilities found on cards like Grab Your Sword, located in the Steel and Sapphire Lorcana starter deck
- Players will want a strong early-game opening hand that includes one-drops like Pascal and Stitch, curving into cards like Maximus, and Rafiki to disrupt your opponent’s board state early on.
- Take advantage of card draw and card advantage through cards like YZMA and Friends on the Other Side.
- Use vanilla cards like Olaf, Ariel, On Human Legs, and The Wardrobe as early-game Ink cards.
- Capitalize on reanimation themes during the late-game stages to keep pressure on the opponent.
- Top late-game performers are Flotsam and Jetsam, along with Moana, Of Mutunui, and Dr. Facilier, Agent Provocateur.
Related: Disney Lorcana co-designer aims to make TCG more accessible and less ‘male-dominated’
The Amber and Amethyst Lorcana starter deck will likely be the most popular build played at prerelease events, in my opinion. It’s a strong deck that can overrun the other two starter decks quickly. The deck is easy to play for beginners and has a solid amount of depth for experienced TCG players.
About the author
