Lorcana Rules: a friendly, Learn to Play Guide

Lorcana Rules: a friendly, Learn to Play Guide

New to Disney Lorcana or just need a clean refresher? This page explains the rules in plain English. We will cover the core rules, how Locations work, the basics of tournament play, deckbuilding rules, what the Comprehensive Rules are, and how rotation affects card legality. Each section stands on its own, so you can skim to what you need and get back to playing.

Lorcana Rules

How to win

Get to 20 lore before your opponent. If you ever have to draw a card and your deck is empty, you lose.

Your turn, in plain terms

  1. Ready your exerted cards. Turn them upright.
  2. Start of turn checks happen now. If something says it triggers at the start of your turn, do it here.
  3. Draw one card. Note: the player who goes first skips this draw on the very first turn of the game.
  4. Main actions in any order:
    • Put one card with the inkwell symbol into your inkwell, face down.
    • Spend ink to play cards: Characters, Items, Actions, Songs, and Locations.
    • Use abilities on cards you already have in play.
    • Quest with a ready Character to gain its lore value.
    • Challenge an opponent’s exerted Character. Characters deal damage equal to their Strength and keep damage on them.
    • Move your Characters to your own Locations if you pay the Location’s move cost.
  5. End the turn. There is no hand size limit, so you never discard down.

Questing and challenging without confusion

  • You may only challenge Characters that are already exerted.
  • After a challenge, both Characters keep damage. If a Character’s total damage meets or beats its Willpower, that Character is banished.
  • Newly played Characters cannot quest or challenge this turn unless a card specifically lets them.

What ink really means

Once a card is in your inkwell, it becomes a generic resource. Any ink pays for any card. The decision is which card to sacrifice as ink this turn so your deck still works later.

Timing made easy

Lorcana resolves effects one at a time. There is no instant speed stack. Announce what you are doing, pay costs, resolve the effect, then continue.

Keywords you will actually see first

  • Rush: this Character can challenge the turn it is played.
  • Evasive: only Characters with Evasive can challenge it.
  • Ward: opponents cannot choose this card with Actions or abilities.
  • Bodyguard: opponents must challenge this Character before they can challenge your other Characters.
  • Support: when this Character quests, it can give its Strength to another of your questing Characters.
  • Song (card type label): you can play a Song normally or have a Character with equal or higher cost sing it by exerting, which pays the cost.

 

Lorcana Location Rules

What a Location is

Locations are the landscape cards. They sit in your play area and can have a printed cost, a move cost, Willpower, a special ability, and sometimes a Lore value.

How Locations create lore

If a Location has a Lore value, you gain that lore at the start of your turn during the Set step. You start gaining on your next turn after the Location enters play.

Moving Characters to a Location

Moving is a main phase action. Pay the Location’s move cost. Move your Character to your Location. You can only move your own Characters to your own Locations unless a card says otherwise.

Moving does not cause the Location to exert. Follow any text on the Location for limits or bonuses.

Challenging a Location

  • You can challenge a Location during your main phase.
  • Locations do not hit back. They do not have Strength. Place damage on them as you deal it.
  • When damage on a Location equals or exceeds its Willpower, banish it.

Easy mistakes to avoid with Locations

  • Do not count Location lore on the same turn you play it. It starts on your next turn.
  • Only you use your Locations. Your opponent uses theirs.
  • Characters at a Location still follow the normal rules for questing and challenging unless a card says otherwise.

Lorcana Deckbuilding Rules

Constructed in a nutshell

  • 60 or more cards. No maximum size, but 60 keeps your draws consistent.
  • Up to two ink colors per deck. The six inks are Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Steel.
  • Up to four copies of any card with the same full name.
  • Follow the current banned list for your chosen format.

Limited play

  • 40 or more cards for Sealed and Draft.
  • You can use any number of ink colors.
  • You may play any number of copies of the same card that you opened.

What counts as a color and what ink pays for

Some cards show two ink types. Those cards count as both for deck construction. Once in the inkwell, ink is generic, so it pays for any card regardless of color.

Simple build template to get you started

  • Characters: about 30 to 34 total. Mix early plays, mid game, and a couple of big closers.
  • Actions and Songs: 8 to 12 total. Enough to interact, not so many that you run out of Characters.
  • Items and Locations: 4 to 8 total, based on your plan.
  • Plan to ink most turns until you can afford your key cards.

Lorcana Tournament Rules

Before you sit down

  • Sleeve your deck. Bring tokens or dice for lore and damage. Bring a pen for match slips. Ensure you are using the same sleeves for all cards and that there is no noticeable difference between the look of a card if face down. This includes intentional marking.
  • At competitive level events you will register a decklist. Keep your list readable and accurate.

Start of a match

  • Decide who goes first at random in game one.
  • Use the standard opening: shuffle, draw seven, alter your hand if allowed by the event rules, then start the game. The first player skips the first draw.

During the match

  • Announce your new total when you gain lore.
  • Reveal the card when you put it into your inkwell so opponents can confirm the inkwell symbol.
  • Call a judge if you are unsure. Judges are there to help both players.

Rounds and time

Events publish a round timer and what happens when time is called. Most local events use a single timer for the round with a small number of extra turns. Ask the organizer to confirm the number of extra turns and how ties are handled that day.

Wins, losses, and concessions

You can concede a game or match at any time. Do not ask for or offer incentives. If your match is unfinished when time is called, follow the event’s extra turn procedure and report the result clearly.

Lorcana Comprehensive Rules

What this document is

The Comprehensive Rules are the official long form rules. Judges and competitive players use them to answer detailed questions. They define the turn structure, timing, keywords, Locations, movement, and corner cases you will not see in the quickstart guide.

When to check them

  • Two cards seem to conflict and the reminder text is not enough.
  • You are unsure about timing, like when an effect checks or resolves.
  • You need to confirm how a keyword actually works in rules terms.

How to read them without getting lost

  • Skim the table of contents and jump to the numbered section you need.
  • Use the glossary at the end to find the exact term the rules use.
  • If a card and the rules disagree, the rules entry for that effect usually explains the correct play.

You can read them here.

Lorcana Rotation

What rotation means

Core Constructed uses rotation. Over time older sets leave the format so that deck building stays fresh and the card pool is manageable for new players.

What changes and what does not

  • When a set rotates out, cards from that set are no longer legal in Core Constructed.
  • Reprints matter. If a card is printed again in a currently legal set, any older printing of that same card becomes legal again in Core Constructed.
  • Infinity Constructed is a separate non rotating format where all sets are legal. It has its own banned list.

Practical tips for rotation

  • Build decks with a solid core of cards that keep being reprinted or have broad utility.
  • Check legality the week of your event, especially near a new set release.
  • Keep a small binder page for rotated favorites so you can still use them in Infinity or casual play.

Quick example turn

You start your turn. Ready everything. No start of turn triggers, so you draw a card. You reveal a two cost card with the inkwell symbol and slide it face down to your inkwell. You now have three ink. You exert all three ink to play a three cost Character. It cannot act this turn. Your older Character is ready, so you quest with it and gain lore equal to its printed value. You say end of turn and pass.

Common questions, answered fast

  • Can I put more than one card into my inkwell this turn No. Once per turn only.
  • Can I play several Actions in one turn Yes, if you can pay the ink costs.
  • Can I challenge a ready Character No. You can only challenge exerted Characters.
  • Do I ever discard down at end of turn No. There is no maximum hand size.
  • Do Locations give lore right away No. They give lore at the start of your turn if they have a lore value.
  • How many ink colors can I play in Core Constructed Up to two. In Limited you can play any number.

What to do next

  • Print or save a one page quickstart for new players at your table.
  • Build a simple two color deck and play three short games to learn the flow.
  • Bookmark the official Resources page so you can check rulings and legality before events.
  • Read out Introduction to Lorcana Blog

If you keep this page handy, you will have answers to the questions that come up most. Enjoy your games, track your lore clearly, and may your ink choices be smart all night.

Back to blog