With every new Disney Lorcana set release, I’m reminded about how bad us folks who were there from day one had it. Indeed, when I walked into a shop over the weekend and saw plentiful packs of Archazia’s Island, I was taken back to 2023 when we were out here trying to beat the scalpers at every local Target or waiting in line early in the morning at the game shop on the day of Rise of the Floodborn’s release to pay double the retail price for cards. It really is a game you can pick up anywhere now, and you can even find some products at discount prices.
And once again I’m looking at the game with fresh new eyes- re-evaluating the state of the game, its successes, and its general uptake in the TCG community and beyond. It’s a healthy game that has turned out to have pretty much all of the usual TCG quibbles and quandaries- the sweats, the cheats, pay-to-win, the tyranny of THE META- almost all of which are clustered around competitive play. It’s just a whole different vibe when a $10k promo card or a berth at the World Championship at Orlando is on the line.
But as I’ve always argued, Disney Lorcana is actually a very excellent casual game and with so many cards available now it has matured quite a bit as we approach year three. It’s a game that has broad appeal, accessible gameplay, and a general sense of fun that anyone can get into at whatever level they want to get into it. But what if you are just now getting into the game?
Well, the good news is that it’s never been a better time. Unlike many of the more recent Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, or Pokemon sets that have focused chiefly on arcane lore, advanced mechanisms, and themes that may or may not strike your fancy, Disney Lorcana has maintained its viability as something for everyone. There is plenty of starter product available, but it may still be a bit bewildering as to where to get stuck in.
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Casual players are in luck because it’s as easy as picking up any of the starter decks that have been made available and you are off to the races. Although the First Chapter and Rise of the Floodborn starters are long, long gone, I’ve seen ample quantities of the rest out there in the wild pretty regularly. Especially the Into the Inklands sets, which make for a great entry point. I’ve even seen these at deep discount. If you’re Lorcana curious, this may be the best way to check it out.
Gateway was a neat idea that I believe is now out of production- a simple two player set that eases players into the game. It’s very, very basic and has almost no value to Lorcana players beyond, well, the gateway. But it is something you can pick up for under $20 anywhere that still has boxes on clearance. It’s perfect to gift to kids or adults that may not want to commit to it without some hands-on time. The Illumineer’s Quest co-op game is neat and I did review it fairly favorable in this column, but it’s really kind of a different animal than the head-to-head card game. It’s actually not great for learning the rules and it’s not tuned for versus gameplay, but it may be enough to get someone on the path.
However, with that said, in general terms I don’t think any of the starter decks or packages are as good as some of the better M:TG options or products like the more advanced Pokemon preconstructed decks- sets that are a little more thoughtful and considered as well as potentially competitive. The Lorcana starters are designed very much to be tasters for the new sets, and although I think very casual players and absolute newcomers to TCGs can get some mileage out of them, most players are going to play one game with these and immediately set to making them better.
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And that’s where buying singles comes in. Look folks, it’s inevitable. You are gonna want to buy singles. Especially with older boosters out of circulation. A lot of TCG players resist, but dollar for dollar there is simply not a better option to get specific cards that you want or need for your deck. You might really want a Tamatoa – Happy as a Clam for your Sapphire Steel deck and never see a single one in five booster boxes. Just buy the damn card, OK? I don’t know that it’s worth the prices being asked today, but I’d rather have the surety of getting it than the fleeting dopamine rush of opening booster packs. Cardinal rule- the more cards you have, the less booster packs bring value!
For competitive players, I would advise against the starter packs completely. That’s right, a complete reversal on the above recommendation. There’s just no point in them for you. To get into this game competitively, look at what is going on in the meta. There’s tons of content out there and you can use tools like the great Dreamborn.Ink to research deck types and construction variations. Have a look at the Ravensburger Disney Lorcana app. Read the cards. Theorycraft. Watch streaming games. THEN buy the singles you to build the deck you intend to play. I kind of feel like Lorcana likely has a slimmer subset of really key meta cards than other TCGs, so you may find yourself simply purchasing the staple cards of the inks you intend to play. Here’s a hot tip for aspiring perspirers- get into Sapphire Steel.
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As for those who want to get into the game not to crush their peers but because it’s rife with Disneyana, both familiar and fairly obscure characters, doofy lore, sometimes amazing character art, and high dollar premium chase cards, there’s a whole different approach. For the collectors who aren’t concerned as much about playing the game (and these folks are definitely out there), products like the new Lilo Gift Set are a fun option. Hardcore Henrys out there may not care about the special Lilo card, but a hardcore Lilo fan will love the special card, box and other goodies focused on the character. The Gift Sets in general have been good for collectors, especially the great D100 set that can still be had for around $60- a few hundred dollars less than the scalpers were aiming for back in 2023.
Yet there again, all of that kind of stuff gets you started and puts cards in hand and that’s really kind of all. A collector would do well to pick up a couple of booster boxes and gamble for Enchanteds and foil Legendaries, but if you wind up like my buddy Neuromorph you might get four of the same Legendary in one box. Great if you want to trade or sell your way into the cards you want, but not so great if you could have simply bought the singles that you really wanted to complete a collection or a subcollection of character or film specific cards. It starts to feel really, really lame when you are cracking packs and pulling cards you have 15 of while looking for something you have zero of. But if you really want to just open some packs, the Troves are really fun, with a neat box and some doodads like Lore counters included along with eight packs.
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But above all, the best way to get into Lorcana here in 2025 is to just give it a shot. It’s well worth it, and at this point it feels proven and viable for casual and competitive players as well as collectors. There are plenty of sets out there already to collect and tinker with, and apparently plenty more on the way – well into 2026 when it looks like Woody, Buzz, and their Pixar pals will be introduced into the game.
Next time- Building decks with Archazia’s Island!
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