Disney Lorcana is a trading card game that brings together beloved Disney characters across different eras and universes in strategic gameplay. Players build decks featuring reimagined versions of classic characters—called “glimmers”—and compete to be the first to gather 20 Lore. While still relatively new globally, Lorcana is slowly growing in the Philippines, with Local Game Stores (LGS) like High Market, Green Gate Hobbies, Playcafe, Mox and Lotus PH, Ongkeco’s Hobby Shop, and more serving as the central hubs of play in Manila. Currently, there’s an active Lorcana TCG community of around 30 players who regularly meet up for events around the city and are genuinely happy and willing to teach the game to anyone interested.
The Unconventional (But Better) Way to Start
While grabbing a Starter Deck or any of the new player products is generally the way to go when learning most card games, I have an alternative suggestion for people who want to try Lorcana out: join the local Lorcana Facebook Group and their Community Chat, and ask if anyone’s willing to teach you when and where they can (usually at one of the LGS mentioned above, depending on your area).
Not only will you get to try the game free of charge—since most community members bring starter decks that you can borrow—but you also get to see if you actually like the game before investing any money. More importantly, you’ll get the local community’s perspective on how the game’s doing and immediately connect with people who share your interest.
What Makes Lorcana Tick
In general, I can describe Lorcana as a back-and-forth battle of different characters as you and your opponent set up ways to Quest with them and be the first to reach 20 Lore (the win condition). Sometimes this involves aggressively questing at the cost of your characters being vulnerable to attacks, and sometimes you’re the one doing the attacking, trying to slow your opponent down. Add to that a bunch of Songs and Items with their different effects, and you’ve got a fun, strategic card game featuring your beloved characters.
Lorcana cuts down complexity by doing away with cards or effects that allow a player to do something on their opponent’s turn. During your turn, you do your thing to either put yourself ahead or set your opponent behind, and then on their turn, your opponent tries to do the same, and so on. This streamlined approach makes the game accessible while maintaining strategic depth.
A Game for Everyone
One of the more unique draws of Lorcana is how family-friendly it is. Maybe it’s the Disney IP and its reputation, or the overall simpler mechanics of the game, but Lorcana is the only TCG I’ve seen where whole families play in the same event, and there’s a significant number of female and LGBT+ players compared to other TCGs. This creates a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that sets it apart from many other competitive card games.
The Cost Question
As for the costs—you’ll be surprised at how affordable the actual decks are… mostly. What I’ve noticed among competitive decks is that most of their cost is centered on a few strong, reasonably expensive cards, while the rest of the cards that make up the backbone of the deck are quite cheap. If you’re mainly playing for fun, you’ll actually end up spending less since you don’t have to necessarily chase after those tournament staple cards.
On the other hand, if you’re on the opposite end of the spectrum and are the type to bling out your deck, you’ll be glad to know that Lorcana has some of the best-looking foil cards in the TCG space—and some of them are really, really expensive. If you want to kick your collection up a notch, there are exclusive cards that can only be acquired from placing well (or winning) major tournaments, adding an extra layer of prestige to your collection.
Ready to Start Your Lorcana Journey?
Whether you’re a Disney fan looking for a new way to engage with your favorite characters, a TCG veteran seeking a more accessible game to play with family, or someone completely new to card games, Lorcana offers something special. The growing Philippine community is ready to welcome you with open arms—and loaner decks. So reach out, find your local players, and discover what makes this game magical.
Read More:
Disney Lorcana Challenge Season 2 Is Coming to Southeast Asia – Here’s What You Need to Know – VRSUS
Dinh Khang Pham Becomes the First-Ever Lorcana World Champion – VRSUS
