Disney Lorcana is already fun, already flavorful, and already fast in the best way. But it also has a sneaky problem: too many games still hinge on who drew the right half of their deck first (or who bricked on ink).

That matters now because as the card pool grows, "good cards" alone won't keep gameplay fresh. The next leap is mechanics that create more decisions per turn without turning the game into homework.

With that... here's a wishlist of popular, proven mechanics from other TCGs (especially Magic: The Gathering) that Lorcana could adapt cleanly, while staying Lorcana.

What makes a mechanic "Lorcana-friendly"?

A Lorcana-friendly mechanic does THREE things.

• It creates real choices without adding a ton of board clutter.
• It helps reduce "non-games" (flooded on ink, stuck with uninkables, dead draws late).
• It plays nicely with Lorcana's core loop: ink decisions, questing vs challenging, and sequencing around board presence.

Now on the surface, that sounds obvious. However... a lot of beloved mechanics from other games don't fit Lorcana because they rely on things Lorcana mostly avoids (instant-speed stacks, deep sideboards, etc.). So I'm focusing on mechanics that translate without breaking the core foundations of its intended design.

1) Modal cards (choose one) to add skill without adding complexity

Magic has a long history of "choose one" effects (Charms, Commands, and lots of modal spells). The reason players love them is simple: they reduce dead cards. A card that's "fine" in three different situations becomes great because it's rarely useless.

How it could translate to Lorcana

Imagine an Action that says "Choose one:" and then gives two or three simple options like.

• Draw smoothing (small)
• Board tempo (small)
• Protection or repositioning (small)

No need for paragraphs. Just clean options that map to common Lorcana moments. We've seen this before in inks such as Emerald and Amethyst, but I'd like to see some other inks get the same amount of attention.

Concrete gameplay example

You're piloting a midrange deck into aggro. On turn three you're behind on board, but you also have a hand that's running out of gas.

A modal Action lets you decide between two options.

• If you're about to lose the race, take the tempo option.
• If you stabilized and can start questing, take the card flow option.

That's not flashy, but it's skill expression every game, and it makes topdecking feel less like roulette.

2) Kicker-style scaling costs (pay more, get more)

Kicker (and similar "pay extra" mechanics) is one of the cleanest designs in TCG history. It makes early draws playable and late draws meaningful, using the same card.

Why Lorcana wants this

Lorcana has natural turn structure and ink growth, which means "scaling" effects land really well. Players already think in "what does my ink let me do this turn?" Kicker just rewards that thinking.

Concrete gameplay example

You're in a control vs control matchup. Early, you need cheap interaction to not fall behind. Late, you need haymakers that swing the game.

A scaling Action could be -

• Fine at 2 ink (keeps you alive)
• Great at 6 ink (wins an exchange)

With that, players start planning turns ahead: "If I ink this now, I hit the bigger mode next turn." That's actionable gameplay improvement, not just deck-building theory.

3) Cycling-style smoothing (turn dead cards into new looks)

Cycling is another Magic evergreen that players adore because it fixes the worst-feeling games. If your hand is clunky, you trade a card for a new draw and move on.

Why this fits Lorcana specifically

Lorcana has a built-in tension between "ink this" and "I need this effect." Cycling adds a third option: "This isn't inkable (or isn't good here), so I'll cash it in."

Concrete gameplay example

You're against a deck that pressures early. You draw a late-game engine piece on turn two that you can't realistically spend time setting up.

If that card has a cycling-style ability, you turn it into a fresh draw that might be a playable character or a stabilizing Action. That directly reduces non-games and rewards matchup awareness: you learn what matters right now.

4) Transforming or "story arc" cards (level up, flip, evolve)

Many TCGs use some kind of transformation mechanic because it creates hype and narrative while also giving players a clear goal to play toward. Magic has double-faced cards and "level up" style designs. Other games use evolution lines or upgrades. Lorcana does have shift, but that's essentially trading something already on board for something else that'll feel just as bad when targeted for removal.

How Lorcana could do it without copying anyone

Lorcana already cares about characters, story moments, and progression. A mechanic where a character "becomes" a new version after meeting a condition is basically free flavor.

The key is keeping the condition readable.

• "After you quest X times..."
• "After you banish a character in a challenge..."
• "If you control a Location..." (since Locations already exist and tell story)

Concrete gameplay example

You're in a grindy matchup where both players stabilize. The game can bog down into "topdeck wars."

A transformation goal creates a mini-game: protect your character long enough to unlock the upgraded side. That changes sequencing.

• Do you quest now to advance the condition, or challenge to protect it?
• Do you spend removal on their transformer, or save it for their next threat?

That's the kind of decision tree that keeps late-game Lorcana interesting.

5) "Adventure"-style split cards (play now, use later)

Magic's Adventure cards are beloved because they give you two uses out of one card: a spell first, then a creature later (or vice versa, depending on design). The point isn't the exact template. It's the two-stage value.

Why this would be huge in Lorcana

Lorcana games often turn on tempo swings. A two-stage card helps you spend ink efficiently across turns, especially when you're trying to both answer threats and develop your board.

Concrete gameplay example

Against tempo, you often face the following choice.

• "Do I spend my turn answering their board and fall behind on characters?"
• "Or do I play a character and hope I don't die to their pressure?"

A two-stage card can bridge that gap. You can take a small action now, then still have a character later without needing to draw perfectly. That's not power creep, it's consistency.

6) Micro-interaction windows (without turning the game into instant-speed chaos)

Now the spicy one. Lorcana is largely played on your turn, which keeps it approachable and fast. But it also means certain matchups can feel like ships passing in the night: you do your thing, I do mine, and whoever's plan is slightly faster wins.

However... Lorcana doesn't need full "instants" to fix that.

A Lorcana-friendly compromise

Add more cards that interact through clear timing hooks.

• "When an opposing character quests..."
• "After your opponent plays an Action..."
• "At the end of your opponent's turn..."

That keeps turns clean while adding defensive texture.

Concrete gameplay example

You're ahead on lore and your opponent needs one big quest turn to catch up. If you have access to a reaction-style effect that triggers on questing, your opponent has to sequence differently.

• Bait the trigger with a smaller quest first
• Force a trade before committing the key quester
• Or pivot into challenging instead of racing

That creates actual play patterns, not just "did you draw the removal."

Closing thoughts

Lorcana at its core is simple to pick up, and just tricky enough to truly master. That's a feature, not a flaw (and it's a big reason the game keeps pulling in new players).

However... if Lorcana wants to stand shoulder to shoulder with the long-haul titans like Magic: The Gathering, the invested crowd is going to want the game to keep evolving as the card pool grows. Not with complexity for complexity's sake, but with mechanics that create more interesting decisions and fewer "well, I guess I lose" hands.

And to be clear, I'm not dunking on Lorcana. It's a well-designed game. I just think it's perfectly fair to love it and still want a little more spice as it matures.

Tell me what mechanic you think Lorcana should consider next. Are you team "modal flexibility," team "scaling costs," or team "story arc transformations"? Tag me on X at @_EmeraldWeapon_ if you've got a wishlist pick (or a nightmare mechanic you never want to see).