If you've cracked a pack and thought, "What does that bold word mean?" - this is for you. Below you'll find every major Disney Lorcana keyword in plain English, how it actually plays at the table, and clear examples so you can spot the patterns fast. We'll keep the Disney charm light and the gameplay advice tight. This guide is your go-to for keywords and gets you from "What is Ward?" to "I just stole a game with Ward."

TL;DR Quick Reference

• Bodyguard - Opponents must challenge this first if able; often enters exerted. Use it to protect your questers. Example: Simba - Protective Cub
• Challenger +N - Gets +N Strength only while challenging. Great for forcing good trades.
• Evasive - Can only be challenged by characters with Evasive. Reliable closer through crowded boards. Example: Mickey Mouse - Brave Little Tailor
• Reckless - Can't quest; must challenge if able. Great resource for forcing uncomfortable trades with your opponent.
• Resist +N - Damage to this card is reduced by N. Turns chip damage into nothing.
• Rush - Can challenge the turn it's played. Swing a board the same turn you spend the ink.
• Shift [cost] - Play on top of your same-name character for an alternate cost; it keeps damage/state. Example: Gaston - Intellectual Powerhouse
• Singer N - This character exerts to sing songs as if its cost were N. Example: Ariel - Spectacular Singer
• Sing Together N - Exert any number of your ready characters whose total cost >= N to play a song for free.
• Support - When this quests, add its Strength to another character's Strength this turn.
• Ward - Opponents can't choose this with effects (combat still works).

The Keywords (with clear examples)

Bodyguard

Direct answer: A Bodyguard funnels opposing challenges to itself first if able, protecting your key questers. The idea is to exert it as it's being played to help preserve strong questers or critical combo pieces.

Clear example: Simba - Protective Cub is the classic low-ink shield that buys time for your lore plan.

How to use it: Commit your questers, then drop Bodyguard to lock the line - your opponent's challenge has to go through the bodyguard.

Challenger +N

Direct answer: This character gets +N Strength only when it's challenging. No bonus on defense.

Typical role: Tempo decks that want to force up-trades.

Tip: Stack Challenger sources if possible; This creates scenarios with advanced combat math.

Evasive

Direct answer: Only Evasive characters can challenge this.

Clear example: Mickey Mouse - Brave Little Tailor shows why Evasive wins games - it quests while most boards can't touch it.

Counterplay: Keep your own Evasive unit or targeted removal. If you can't, you'll have to race before their board gets out of hand.

Reckless

Direct answer: A Reckless character cannot quest and must challenge each turn if able.

Reality check: You can still exert it for an ability or a song - which can make it "not able" to challenge that turn.

Deck fit: Tempo lists that value common 2 for 1 plays or create weird board states for your opponent to navigate.

Resist +N

Direct answer: Damage dealt to this character (or location) is reduced by N. Multiple Resist effects stack.

Why it matters: Turns many ping effects into zero and skews combat math.

Trick: Pair Resist with healing or Support to create "zero-damage" trades that can take away games.

Rush

Direct answer: This character can challenge the turn it's played.

Use case: Pick off a key quester the moment you play it, then pivot to questing next turn.

Note: Rush doesn't grant extra actions - it just unlocks challenging right away.

Shift cost {cost}

Direct answer: You may play a card on top of your own same-name character for an alternate cost. The new version keeps the underlying character's damage and ready/exerted state.

Clear example: Gaston - Intellectual Powerhouse with Shift 4 lets you upgrade a cheap early Gaston into a threat without losing tempo.

Sequencing tip: If the base character has been out since your last turn, a shifted character can usually act within normal timing (e.g., can quest).

Singer N

Direct answer: This character can exert to sing songs as if its cost were N (its printed cost doesn't change).

Clear example: Ariel - Spectacular Singer enables big songs earlier than curve.

Who wants it: Any deck with a real song package; fewer bodies means Singer matters more.

Sing Together N

Direct answer: Exert any number of your ready characters with total cost greater than or equal to N to play a song for free.

Why players love it: Wide boards convert into explosive "choir" turns - a hallmark of Ursula's Return song shells.

Tip: Plan your exert order so you still hold up a blocker (or Bodyguard) after the song has been sung.

Support

Direct answer: When this character quests, you may add its Strength to another character's Strength this turn.

Small but mighty: Support lets a small quester help a teammate trade up while you still gain lore.

Ward

Direct answer: Opponents can't choose this card with effects. Combat and non-choosing effects still work.

Use case: Protects your key engine piece from targeted bounce, tap, or direct damage.

Examples from Sets

Ursula's Return - Expanded song packages. Sing Together lines made real "free spell" turns; pair Singer bodies with high-impact songs to swing both cards and lore in one go.

Shimmering Skies - More role-players that support clean tempo play. You'll find Evasive finishers and utility bodies that slot into Support or Resist plans.

Design note: Meta decks lean into two-keyword packages rather than sampling everything - for example, Evasive lists to force answers through removal or opposing evasive characters, or Rush + Challenger to win the board race fast.

Beginner Warnings (common gotchas)

• Ward isn't Untouchable. It stops choosing, not everything. Board wipes and combat still apply.
• Challenger is offense-only. No bonus when being challenged.
• Reckless is mandatory. If your Reckless character can challenge, you have to do it before ending the turn - unless you've made it unable (exerted to sing, etc.).
• Shift keeps damage. Don't "heal" by shifting; you're upgrading, not resetting.

Advanced Tips (small edges that win sets)

• Bodyguard timing: Play Bodyguard after committing your high lore questers to force the focus from your lore engine.
• Resist math: If you reduce damage to 0, it counts as no damage. Leverage that to survive pings and set up perfect trades.
• Singer vs Sing Together: Tall boards prefer Singer; wide boards prefer Sing Together. Build your song package accordingly.
• Rush windows: Drop Rush after your opponent over-commits to questing. Sniping the lone quester can slow the opponent down dramatically.

"People Also Ask" - Quick Answers You Can Quote

What does Ward stop in Lorcana?

Ward prevents opponents from choosing that card when they resolve effects. It doesn't stop combat or non-targeting effects.

Does Resist stack?

Yes. Multiple Resist bonuses add together and reduce incoming damage before it lands.

Can a Reckless character quest?

No. Reckless characters can't quest and must challenge if able. They can still exert for abilities or songs.

Can I quest the turn I Shift?

If the underlying character has been in play since your last turn (its "ink is dry"), shifting onto it doesn't reset that - so the shifted character can act within normal timing.

What's the difference between Singer and Sing Together?

Singer N lets one character count as cost N for singing that song. Sing Together N lets multiple characters combine their costs to sing it for free.

Building With Keywords (fast framework)

1. Pick your keywords: Choose two keywords that naturally work together (e.g., Evasives shell or Rush + Challenger).
2. Plan the curve: Make sure your early drops support the plan (Bodyguards or Singers) and your 4-6 ink plays pay it off.
3. Test the lines: Goldfish scenarios where Rush clears a quester or Sing Together turns into a free, game-swinging song.
4. Tune for your local meta: If removal is heavy, lean on Ward and Resist. If boards stall, push Evasive.

Quick reference cards

Simba - Protective Cub - Bodyguard staple

Mickey Mouse - Brave Little Tailor - iconic Evasive closer

Gaston - Intellectual Powerhouse - Shift upgrade play

Ariel - Spectacular Singer - song engine piece

Rules source: the official Comprehensive Rules on disneylorcana.com. When in doubt, check the keyword section for the latest wording.

What to do Next

• Save this guide for quick checks mid-build.
• Pick two keywords and rebuild a current list around them.
• Grab the pieces you're missing on CoolStuffInc while prices are calm between set spikes.

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