The time in between full set spoilers and hobby store releases for Disney Lorcana is almost indescribable. There's a lot of excitement, impatience, appreciation, and so much more. I usually like to take this time to reflect back and look at where we are right now and just how we got there. Let's share some last moments of Into the Inklands, and review some of the highlights, and lowlights of the set.

Happy Highlights

A Diverse Meta

One of the challenges Disney Lorcana faced in The First Chapter and Rise of the Floodborn was not having a diverse card pool like other established TCGs. Because of this we ran into a situation where the infamous Ruby Amethyst deck became a Tier 0 deck. This, combined with how affordable it was to build this deck made it "the" deck to play during set 2. With the introduction of Into the Inklands, Ruby/Amethyst remained strong during the early part of the set, but it was mainly due to comfort. As deck-builders began to explore the opportunities not only for new cards, but new mechanics such as Locations, the creative juices began flowing. Fast forward to where we are now, and we're looking at up to 5 highly competitive decks that strongly fit their color identities, and truly make it an experience to play with or against. This is exactly what Disney Lorcana needed, and I for one definitely appreciated it.

Our First Store Championships

The Disney Lorcana Store Championships was one of the most exciting times of my TCG career. This was the first event where I really tested my endurance by visiting 6 different stores, competing for the ever-elusive Stitch - Rock Star and corresponding play mat. I made Top 8 three times and was able to secure a single Rockstar at my first attempt. I got to meet new players from different stores and played with all skill levels. For a competitive event, the majority of the experiences were friendly and community-centric. I'd love to continue seeing this trend for future Store Championships.

New Mechanics

I'll have to admit, once Locations were announced, I wasn't entirely sold. In our playgroup, we jokingly stated that Maui - Hero to All was single handedly a solution for almost all of the Locations. However, as new builds developed, such as Ruby/Sapphire Control using McDuck Manor - Scrooge's Mansion, or Amber/Steel using Pride Lands - Pride Rock, we began to see some synergies evolve. I'm really excited to see what Disney Lorcana has in store for us for future Locations.

Learnable Lowlights

Store Championship Prizing

Throughout the excitement of the first Store Championships, I could not help but to realize the chances it took to earn the prizes provided from Ravensburger. While there was a Top 8, only the Top 4 received prizing. Some stores did include additional prize support in the form of packs and boxes. It just kind of felt bad making your way to the top cut only to be eliminated in the first round and potentially walk out with nothing. Some stores were charging anywhere from $15 - $45 for these events, and while I don't have a problem with the cost of entry, I do feel that perhaps the Top 8 should've each secured a copy of Rockstar, while the Top 4 also get the mat, with 1st place earning the Championship mat.

Disney Lorcana Challenge - Atlanta Uncertainty

With the rush of interest Disney Lorcana is generating, set after set, you would think that more details about the first ever Lorcana Challenge event would be widespread and publicized for attendees just so they can understand what is to be expected. Other than the ticket costs, top cut prizing, and which format is legal, we really don't know what to expect. I remain optimistic though since this is the second event I've traveled out of the state to play Lorcana competitively.

Conclusion

With every new set, there are a lot of learning moments both Ravensburger and the player base have an opportunity to reflect on. Disney Lorcana is positioned to continue seeing exponential growth, provided they continue supporting loyal Disney fans that are both casual and competitive players. Us as players get to continue using such a strong IP and Ravensburger continues to innovate and add new mechanics, properties, and events that really build a community around something really fun and exciting to be in.

Thanks for taking the time to check out my thoughts on Disney Lorcana. If you're as excited as I am about the release of Ursula's Return, you can purchase products from your local hobby store as soon as May 17th, or online retailers, such as CoolStuffInc.com, as soon as May 31st.