The Fabled set for Disney Lorcana just dropped, and Amethyst players are eating good. After spending the weekend grinding games with every new Amethyst card worth testing, I've identified the absolute must-haves that are already reshaping the competitive landscape. Whether you're running Amethyst/Steel control or Amethyst/Sapphire"Blurple", these cards are non-negotiable additions to your deck and some of them are flying under the radar while everyone's distracted by the other flashier reveals.

Why Amethyst Is Positioned to Dominate Early Fabled Meta

Before diving into specific cards, let's talk about why Amethyst synergies are particularly strong right now. The ink color has always excelled at bounce effects and hand advantage, but Fabled introduces a slew of efficient threats that are well positioned in the speculated early meta. While your opponents are jamming high lore questers and trying to race, you're setting up devastating tempo swings that completely flip the game.

1. Dumbo - Ninth Wonder of the Universe (Legendary)

Cost: 4 ink

Strength/Willpower: 3/3

Ability: Evasive. Exert, pay one ink - Draw a card and gain 1 lore. Your other characters with Evasive gain "Exert, pay one ink - Draw a card and gain 1 lore."

Quite possibly THE chase of the set. Not only is the Dumbo franchise one of the debut Disney properties, but the stats and abilities on this card make it a premier choice for Amethyst-based decks. Establishing Dumbo with a board full of evasive requires answers or you can just run away with the game in pure hand advantage. You're either running this card, answers against it, or even both.

Pro tip: You very rarely, if ever, want to play Dumbo on curve. The reason being is that if your opponent has some kind of answer for either Dumbo or your other evasive characters, you'll lose a ton of value. Try to exhaust your opponent's outs or follow up with another Dumbo if you expect the removal.

2. Kuzco - Wanted Llama (Common)

Cost: 2 ink

Strength/Willpower: 1/2

Ability: When this character is banished, you may draw a card.

Amethyst continues to have some of, if not the best 1 and 2 drops for almost any part of the game. Playing this and following up with Yelana - Northuldra Leader or Lilo - Best Explorer Ever allows for not only making a favorable trade in a challenge, but replacing itself when banished supports the hand advantage Amethyst typically provides.

For those of you who like to max-rarity your deck, Kuzco comes back not only as a common, but the new rarity "Epic" featuring a borderless-frame alternative version.

3. Belle - Accomplished Mystic (Super Rare)

Cost: 5 ink

Strength/Willpower: 4/4

Ability: Shift 3. When you play this character, move up to 3 damage counters from chosen character to chosen opposing character.

Belle is back in this new core-constructed format, and it's like she never left. Amethyst vs Amethyst matchups typically involve complex sequences of playing Genie - Wish Fulfilled, Elsa - The Fifth Spirit, Belle, and now the new Dumbo - Ninth Wonder of the Universe. Navigating through the combat/removal math involved to keep your board presence advantage over your opponent's during the midgame requires almost perfect execution of dealing with the Genie or Elsa before and opposing Belle comes down. If played efficiently, this could clear out one of your own Dumbos. In the Amber matchup, it cleanly dismisses Resist and can handle equally threatening characters, such as Rhino - Power Hamster.

Belle comes back with a few alternative versions, including an Enchanted version, and a Quest promos available in a number of activations hosted by Ravensburger and partners while supplies last.

4. Elsa - Spirit of Winter (Legendary)

Cost: 8 ink

Strength/Willpower: 4/6

Ability: Shift 6. When you play this character, exert up to 2 chosen characters. They can't ready at the start of their next turn.

Elsa returns as another game-defining card that's poised to reshape the meta once again. Since her debut in The First Chapter, she's cycled in and out of competitive play, but Fabled's environment creates the perfect storm for her resurgence. As midrange and control strategies inevitably claim a larger share of the meta, Elsa becomes an essential tool for breaking board stalls and closing games.

Her shift ability transforms her into one of the format's most versatile threats. She can immediately end games with a 3-lore quest, or completely dismantle boards full of characters that your opponent needs to keep ready for defense. The timing and target selection separate good players from great ones, knowing when to deploy her for maximum impact is crucial.

While the current lack of efficient bounce effects prevents the degenerate loops we've seen in previous formats (thankfully), this works in Elsa's favor. She becomes a precision tool rather than a repetitive value engine, making each deployment meaningful and impactful. When played at the right moment, she doesn't just affect the board. She fundamentally shifts the game's momentum in your favor.

Underrated Amethyst Synergy Cards You're Could Be Overlooking

The Magic Feather - (Rare)

Cost: 2 ink

Ability: When you play this item, choose a character of yours. While this item is in play, that character gains Evasive. 3 Ink - Return this item to your hand.

With the anticipation of Evasive characters making a strong appearance early on, Amethyst is one of the inks best positioned to combat it. This item allows for a bit more flexibility allowing you to grant Evasive to characters without it, making it either harder to deal with from the opposing side or allowing you to handle opposing Evasive characters.

Dolores Madrigal - Easy Listener (Common Item)

Cost: 4 ink

Ability: When you play this character, if an opponent has an exerted character in play, you may draw a card.

Card draw comes at a premium this early in the new format, as Amethyst lost some of it's best draw tools during the rotation. While Friends on the Other Side and Merlin - Rabbit remain in Infinity, you'll need to get more creative with card draw. Dolores allows you to the potential to draw while establishing a character with decent stats that can quest for two lore.

Budget Alternatives That Still Compete

Still considering options before committing to some of the more expensive staples? Consider these options below.

• Genie - Supportive Friend - Card draw is great at any point in the game. Granted, we lose a body on the board, but it replaces itself with two additional cards.
• Luisa Madrigal - Magically Strong One - Rush comes at a premium. Losing Madam Mim - Fox allowed for early board control against aggro decks, but Luisa provides that much needed Rush at any point of the game, keeping your opponent from possibly exerting critical characters.
• Last-Ditch Effort - Without Be Prepared, we're noticing a lot of larger boards with greater chances of face offs. Last-Ditch Effort allows you to address opposing threats refusing to exert and allowing you to break the board and force a challenge with a buff to boot.

Your Next Steps

1. Grab your playsets NOW - Dumbo's value grows exponentially as I'm writing this article.
2. Don't overlook the commons/uncommons - While easier to find, you want to be well equipped to deal with changing quantities as you test.
3. Watch for meta shifts - Understanding where the meta is heading is crucial to understanding what changes you need to make. Reactive is the new proactive.

The beautiful thing about Amethyst in Fabled? You're not just playing control. You're playing a tempo game that happens to lock opponents out. While everyone else is trying to race, you're playing chess. And with these cards in your arsenal, checkmate comes faster than ever.

Thanks for reading. I hope you and your play group are just as excited for Fabled as I am! This article was brought to you by CoolStuffInc, the best place for all Disney Lorcana products, and other popular TCGs. Love reading or hearing me yap about TCGs? Follow me on X!