Disney Lorcana Ink Guide for New Players

This guide explains Lorcana ink at a level that helps you play better right away. You will learn what each ink stands for, how ink works during a game, how to choose colours that fit your style, and how to avoid the common mistakes that slow new decks down. The aim is simple. Clear info that you can use at the table tonight.

Lorcana colours explained

Lorcana has six ink colours. Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Steel. Each colour carries a mood and a set of strengths. You can put only one card into your inkwell each turn, and any card placed there becomes generic ink that pays for any colour. Your job during deckbuilding is to choose up to two ink colours that work well together, then decide which specific cards become ink during play so that your turns stay smooth.

lorcana ink colours

Amber

Care, support, and team play. Amber protects key characters, heals damage, and keeps the board stable. It rewards players who set up a safe lane for questing. Bodyguard and healing effects are common, so your best lore engines stay alive longer.

Amethyst

Magic, trickery, and hand flow. Amethyst draws cards, replays them, and keeps options open. Songs are a highlight here. You often spend less ink than your opponent for the same effect because you can sing spells with high cost characters. If you enjoy flexible turns and resource efficiency, this colour feels great.

Emerald

Speed, evasion, and disruption. Emerald gets on the board quickly and slips past defenders with Evasive or clever text boxes. It also pokes at the opponent’s hand and tempo. Expect small characters that matter more than their size suggests, plus effects that punish clumsy blocks.

Ruby

Aggression and removal. Ruby challenges hard, deals damage, and closes games once it builds a lead. You will see clean answers to problem characters along with keyword pressure like Challenger and Rush. If you want to attack, this is a straight path to quick wins.

Sapphire

Economy, items, and planning. Sapphire ramps, discounts characters, and turns items into engines. The colour shines when you sequence correctly. Small gains stack up, then a big turn arrives where you play more cards than a normal curve allows.

Steel

Defense, board control, and raw stats. Steel brings high Willpower bodies, efficient banish effects, and sturdy tools that slow the opponent down. It pairs well with most colours because it covers basic problems so your partner colour can focus on its strengths.

lorcana ink types

Every card belongs to one of the six ink colours listed above. Some cards show two colours in their frame. Those count as both during deck construction. During a game you may reveal a card with the inkwell symbol and place it face down into your inkwell once per turn. That card now provides one ink when exerted. Ink in your inkwell is not colour locked. Any ink pays any cost. The only colour limit sits at the deckbuilding stage where your deck may include up to two ink colours total.

How ink actually plays out on the table

Think of the inkwell as a savings account that grows by one most turns. You choose a card from your hand to deposit. That choice matters. Deposit cards that are weak in the current matchup or too expensive for the next few turns. Keep the cards that define your plan. If your curve stalls at three ink, you will sit with large cards you cannot play. If you deposit too many strong tools, you will run out of gas. Aim for a steady climb in available ink while keeping two or three active plays in hand.

Choosing colours that fit your style

Pick a primary colour that matches how you like to win, then a partner colour that covers weaknesses. Here are simple pairings that feel natural for new players.

• Amber plus Steel. Classic board control. You defend well, heal chip damage, and remove key threats.
• Ruby plus Amethyst. Pressure with backup. Ruby pushes challenges and Amethyst keeps cards flowing with songs and draw.
• Emerald plus Sapphire. Tempo plus economy. Emerald creates openings while Sapphire discounts and ramps to bigger turns.

If the first mix feels off after a few games, swap one colour and keep the other. The lessons you learned still carry over because many fundamentals repeat from list to list.

Curve building that respects ink

Your ink curve is the spread of card costs in your deck. A friendly starting point for a sixty card deck looks like this. Around ten cards that cost one or two. Around sixteen that cost three or four. Around eight that cost five or more. The rest fill roles like songs, items, and a couple of locations if your plan uses them. Adjust after real games. If you miss early plays, add more ones and twos. If your hands run out late, add a few stronger finishers or repeatable value engines.

 

What each colour often brings to the curve

• Amber. Low cost protectors and mid cost supporters that keep questers safe.
• Amethyst. Low cost utility characters, flexible songs at three, and draw bursts in the mid game.
• Emerald. Cheap evasive bodies and tricky mid game threats that tax the opponent’s choices.
• Ruby. Solid twos and threes for pressure, plus hard removal and big closers at five plus.
• Sapphire. Early items and discounts, mid game ramp, then large characters that cash in the savings.
• Steel. Reliable mid cost bodies, board clears and banish effects, and thick late game walls.

Locations and ink decisions

Locations add another knob to turn. Some give lore at the start of your turn. Some ask you to move characters onto them for a bonus. When you include locations, plan your deposits with them in mind. You might hold a mid cost character for one turn so you can ink a song instead, play the location next turn, then move and quest safely from there. Small changes in the order of actions can add two or three lore over a few turns.

Beginner mistakes you can skip

• Depositing two or three high impact cards early. Keep at least one win condition in hand.
• Building a deck with no clear plan. Choose a path. Fast questing, board control, or economy into big turns.
• Ignoring songs. Singing a spell with a five cost character while keeping ink untapped can swing a turn in your favour.
• Chasing three colours. Constructed format limits you to two. Stay inside that rule so your choices remain clean.

Sample deck structure to test at home

Here is a simple Ruby plus Amethyst outline that shows how roles fit together. Twenty eight characters that cover turns one through six. Ten actions and songs for removal and card draw. Six items that provide small edges or discounts. Two locations for steady value if you see them early. Fourteen to sixteen cards you are happy to deposit over the first five turns. Play five short games, take notes, then trim cards that stayed dead in hand.

Rotation and why it affects colour choices

Lorcana uses a rotating Core Constructed format. Older sets eventually leave the legal pool. A reprint in a current set makes a card legal again. If you care about weekly events, build around cards that show up again and again or belong to engines that often receive upgrades. That approach protects your collection and makes future tweaks easier.

Quick questions answered

• How many colours can I play Two in Constructed. Any number in Limited formats.
• How often can I deposit a card into my inkwell Once per turn.
• Does the colour of my inkwell matter for costs No. Ink in the inkwell is generic. Any ink pays any cost.
• Do I need locations to win No. They are optional tools. Use them if they match your plan.

Next steps that actually help

Pick two colours that fit your taste. Write down ten cards you will usually deposit as ink. Shuffle up and play short games that focus on turns one through five. After each game, list one card that underperformed and one card that carried its weight. Make a swap, then run it back. In two evenings you will know your colours well, and your inkwell choices will feel natural.

You now have a working picture of Lorcana ink. Colours have identities, the inkwell gives you steady fuel, and smart deposits keep the engine running. Build, play, and enjoy the small improvements that stack up from game to game.