It is, as they say, That Time of The Year. The Capitalist powers that be have determined that it is time for us to purchase obligatory gifts for friends, family, co-workers, and so forth in some kind of vague, hand-wavy winter celebration that has a range of meanings from absolutely nothing to the most sacred day of the year. And for all types of game players, it’s often kind of hit or miss if we are going experience the Christmas Miracle and get exactly what our hobbyin’ hearts desire….or if we are going to wind up with one of those terrible bulk boxes of Pokemon or Magic: The Gathering cards. I’ve not yet seen Lorcana bulk boxes like that- in other words, huge assortments of cards with all the money cards harvested out of the pile- but I’m sure they are coming.
But what do you get the Lorcana player in your life? In this season of buying guides, I thought I would be remiss to not do one up for the game to maybe help at least one or two of you out there make an informed, thoughtful decision about what to gift an Illumineer should the opportunity present itself.
All product photos – Ravensburger
Starter packs are great fun, but should only be gifted to someone just starting out with the game with either no or very few cards. There simply isn’t much here of value for most players who are already stuck in. It seems like an easy buy- a good price for a playable deck and a couple of cool foils- but the reality is that the Lorcana player in your life likely either already has this exact product or everything that comprises it. And for Mickey’s sake, don’t give somebody just one of these. Buy two different starters so at least they have two playable decks and can rope a friend or family member into learning with them.
With al that said, I think the Gateway product is a better gift for the completely new player- especially if they are not already familiar with TCGs or hobby gaming in general. It teaches the game in a progressive way starting with 30 card decks that gradually unlock additional cards through reward packs. The rules are very easy to grasp and it even includes tips for each of the preconstructed deck. This is a terrific gift even for folks that love Disney but may not even know anything about Lorcana. But for experienced players, there is absolutely zero reason to gift this. Grandma, do not buy this just because it says “Lorcana” on it and you know the grandkids like it. Protip- this product is available for about $12 from some retailers who are closing it out. That’s a 50% savings off the MSRP.
You really can’t go wrong with gifting cards for pretty much any TCG, but the gifter should be aware that getting booster packs is, by their very nature, hit or miss. And, the reception of packs is likely to be different depending on how far along the recipient is on their Lorcana journey. For the new player just getting into the game, they will likely be excited just to be getting cards, and those packs will likely include cards they need or want. The middle-of-the-road player might wind up with a couple of valuable or desirable cards and, quite honestly, a lot of junk they throw into an overstock box or give away. Booster packs for advanced players and collectors are something like scratch-off lottery tickets. They are likely to only be looking for the big meta chase cards and legendary foils. But all of the above are going to over the moon should they pull an Enchanted.
Enchanted singles make a great gift, but I would caution that you make sure that you are buying exactly what the recipient wants and I would also advise that you buy strictly graded cards given the high price and potential future value of these rare and sought-after chase cards. This is a situation where knowing what characters or cards that the player is particularly fond of is going to pay off. If you drop the bucks on an Enchanted Elsa, Spirit of Winter but they had their heart set on Prince Naveen- you’ve gone the wrong way.
The Illumineer’s Trove, if you can find one since they tend to not stay on shelves long, is a mighty fine Lorcana gift and could very well be the #1 pick of the product line for holiday purposes. These sets come packed in fun, high quality boxes that can be used for storage complete with dividers. The Lore counter and dice included are kind of so-so, but they are useful and usable. And, these boxes are packed with 8 boosters so there’s plenty of pack-poppin’ fun to be had with them. I’d be happy to get a Trove from any set for Christmas.
Azurite Sea’s gift set is a lock for any Stitch fan. It’s a good looking, fun box with a special Stitch – Alien Buccaneer promo card and a portfolio featuring the mischievous Elvis fan. 4 booster packs will help you fill that portfolio pretty quickly. The gift sets tend to be a little more novelty-focused and not super great on a card-per-dollar basis, but it’s inoffensive and pretty neat.
For board gamers who might be Lorcana curious, the Illumineer’s Quest boxed game might make for a nice surprise. This is a 1-4 player co-op game built around Lorcana’s mechanics with some automated opposition and a simple campaign setup. It’s everything you need to play and absolutely nothing you need to store it all in as it comes in a spectacularly useless box, but I found that the gameplay suited Lorcana very well and I hope that they come back to this concept. This product is out of production, but I’ve seen copies floating around here and there and there’s always eBay or other aftermarket sellers who might be able to ship by the big day.
Accessories are kind of a mixed bag, but I wouldn’t turn down any of them. The playmats are highly desirable by all players, and as such tend to be in very short supply. Which means, Auntie, that if you see one out and grab it for your niece you are gonna be a holiday heroine. This would be the one item out of all of these that I would wave the “BUY NOW” flag on simply because they are so darn hard to get and I don’t know anyone into Lorcana that doesn’t want one or more of these fine mats. The deckboxes are fine and maybe that’s a good stocking stuffer. The sleeves are somewhat controversial because, well, they kind of suck. I still like them because I like official art, but some batches of these have a distinct problem with the adhesive used to affix the printed art to the sleeve. The widely beloved Winnie the Pooh- Honey Wizard art is on the current lot of sleeves and deck boxes, and most folks would be pleased to protect their cards with them.
D23.com
Now, that’s all the official stuff. If you dare to risk the wrath of Disney legal or worse- having to look at absolutely awful fan art- there is a whole new world of accessories available on Etsy and other sites offering bespoke Lorcana products. These range from custom 3D printed lore trackers to playmats with anything you want on them. Even Amazon offers a couple of vendors that will print any image you can imagine on a playmat. I made a DuckTales mat before it was even in the game, I had (and had stolen) an Eyvind Earle one featuring production art from Sleeping Beauty, and I’m about to order one with the “Murder Goofy” meme on it. If your Lorcana player especially likes obscure Disneyana, memes like the Sophisticated Pooh, or even wants their own photo from Main Street USA on a mat, that makes for a great gift and it’s usually under $20.
TCGplayer.com
And finally, what do you get the Lorcana player that has it all? Look no further than the ultra-exclusive D23 promos from last year, provided your budget is astronomical. The pictured Elsa is $7,500 from a TCGplayer.com seller. These high dollar cards fall under my “buy only professionally graded” rule even moreso, these should be properly slabbed and treated as potential investments. For Mufasa High Rollers there are also championship playmats that command big bucks and would provide a huge WOW factor on the big day, but I think it’s a little tacky to slap one down if you are a player at my level, which is to say filthy casual with no berth at any tourney. But hey, I mean, if you are just gonna get me something…
Next time: How far will I go?
Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox every Monday morning? Sign up for our newsletter. And don’t forget that you can support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content, Administratum access, an ad-free experience on our website and more.
