Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game Keywords
Disney’s Lorcana trading card game is beginner-friendly, but the number of abilities grows quickly once you start playing with other decks. When I first started, I created a list of keywords that would refresh my memory on what each ability did at a glance (nothing slows down a game like Googling a phrase every turn). I decided it would be a good idea to expand it into a full article to help newcomers quickly grasp the mechanics.
First up, you need to understand the different aspects of the cards; namely, Strength, Willpower, Lore Value, and Inkwell cost. Many Lorcana keywords specifically affect those stats.
Bodyguard
How it works
Characters with the Bodyguard keyword can enter play exerted. Opposing players must challenge the character with Bodyguard first, if they’re able to.
Why it’s helpful
Some characters have less Willpower and are more easily defeated. Playing a character with Bodyguard allows you to divert your opponent’s focus from these weaker characters so they can quest for longer and generate more Lore.
Challenger
How it works
A character with the Challenger trait gains +X Strength when challenging an opponent, where X is a value expressed on the card.
Why it’s helpful
Characters with the Challenger trait are most effective when they initiate a fight. Characters with Challenger are most effective at removing opponents’ characters from play, rather than questing to earn Lore on their own.
Evasive
How it works
A character with the Evasive trait can only be challenged by another character who also possesses the Evasive trait.
Why it’s helpful
A character with Evasive is virtually untouchable unless your opponent has a character with the same trait. This makes them great choices for questing, as it’s much harder to remove them from play.
Reckless
How it works
A character with Reckless is unable to quest and must challenge an opposing character if able.
Why it’s helpful
Cards with the Reckless keyword can be a double-edged sword. While they’re unable to quest, these characters often have higher stats and are better able to clear other characters off the board.
Resist
How it works
A character with the Resist keyword reduces the damage they take when challenged by a set amount as expressed on the card.
Why it’s helpful
Like Evasive, Resist allows a character to remain on the board for longer before being banished. Cards with the Resist keyword typically have lower Strength but higher Willpower.
Rush
How it works
Characters with Rush are able to challenge opponents the same turn they’re played.
Why it’s helpful
In Lorcana, a character usually cannot challenge an opponent on the same turn they are played. This means your opponent has time to come up with a defense for anything you play. A character with Rush has the element of surprise, allowing you to challenge before your opponent can prepare.
Shift
How it works
If a card has the Shift keyword, it means you can pay X amount of Ink to play that card on top of a compatible character.
Why it’s helpful
When you play a Shift card on top of another character, you only pay the Shift cost (not the Ink cost). This means a Shifted card is more economical to place on the field, and a Shifted character can also challenge on the same turn it is played provided the Ink is dry on the bottom card.
Singer
How it works
A character with the Singer keyword counts as X amount of Ink for singing songs.
Why it’s helpful
In Lorcana, song cards have powerful effects but often cost a lot of Ink to play. A character with the Singer keyword counts as a set amount of Ink for playing a song, reducing the overall cost and freeing up more of your Ink to play new cards. For example, Ariel – Spectacular Singer costs only three Ink to play, but counts as five Ink for songs.
Sing Together
How it works
Sing Together is a keyword found on specific Song cards that allows a player to exert any number of characters, including teammates’ characters, to play a song card.
Why it’s helpful
Song cards often cost a large amount of Ink. For example, Second Star to the Right costs 10 Ink to play, but thanks to the Sing Together keyword, you can exert characters to match the cost. This means you could exert a character with Ink cost two, a character with Ink cost three, and a character with Ink Cost five to play the card instead of using your own Ink supply.
Support
How it works
When a character with Support quests, you can add their Strength score to another character for that turn.
Why it’s helpful
When a character quests for Lore, they’re usually unable to do anything else. The Support keyword allows that character to lend their strength to another, increasing your overall damage output for the turn.
Ward
How it works
The Ward keyword protects a character from being the choice of a card effect. Opponents can only select a character with Ward to challenge them.
Why it’s helpful
Multiple Lorcana characters have abilities that require selecting an opponent’s character. If your character has the Ward trait, they cannot be selected for single-target effects; however, area of effect (AOE) abilities can still affect them.
Vanish
How it works
The way Vanish is worded can be misleading. If a character with the Vanish keyword is targeted by an action, it is banished instead.
Why it’s helpful
Characters with Vanish are usually Illusions and have high stats for what they are. However, they’re glass cannons. The effect can also work in your favor; a card that might normally have little effect on an opponent can be used to remove a card with Vanish from play.
