Disney Lorcana’s next set, Ursula’s Return, brings Encanto characters and a new cooperative game to the TCG
Deep Trouble sends players against a souped-up Ursula, while the Madrigal family arrives in the core game.
Disney Lorcana announced the name and first details for the popular trading card game’s fourth set, Ursula’s Return. After a fateful prison break from the Illuminary during the events of Rise of the Floodborn, the sea witch takes her vengeance out on the heroes and their glimmers in what looks to be a much darker expansion compared to the adventurous Into the Inklands set earlier this year.
Publisher Ravensburger is holding back on releasing all of the details, including any new mechanics, until closer to launch, but they did show off members of the Madrigal family from the musical film Encanto that will be included in Ursula’s Return. Protagonist Mirabel will be joined by mother Julieta and uncle Félix, sister Luisa and cousin Dolores, along with precognitive uncle Bruno. It’s probably likely we’ll see the rest of the Madrigal crew turn up in the set, as well, since many of the cards synergise with their kin.
The more important announcement from March 20th's Twitch stream detailed an entirely new game (or format?) inside Lorcana called Illumineer’s Quest. The first of these cooperative battlers is subtitled “Deep Trouble”, and it seems as though we can expect a series of these PvE-style releases in future sets. Deep Trouble pits players against Ursula using two preconstructed decks, oversized encounter cards, a boss deck and a sealed envelope that only the winner may open - a Ravensburger press release hinted that its contents will pertain to Lorcana’s ongoing narrative.
Illumineer’s Quest games can be played alone or with up to four players if they all have Lorcana decks. The two included decks will feature a new Shifted Mulan, Gifted Archer card helming one and the powerful Yen Sid from Fantasia in the other, along with a mix of cards from across Lorcana’s four core sets. Players can choose amongst four levels of difficulty - easy to extreme - that introduce variations to the rules as you crank up the pressure. Ravensburger says its designing Illumineer’s Quest to be “endlessly replayable” and should encourage players to tighten their deckbuilding game if they hope to best Ursula at the highest difficulty setting.
More information on the first of Lorcana’s competitive events was also announced on the stream, and players can look forward to the Disney Lorcana Challenge circuit beginning on May 25th. Events will be held in Atlanta, Georgia and Lille, France (another event will take place in Chicago from June 8th through the 9th), and winners will be awarded extended art promo cards for high placers and serialized, extended art versions of Mickey Mouse - Brave Little Tailor for the top four. Prize cards with extended art include Dragon Fire, Let It Go, Cinderella - Stouthearted and and Rapunzel – Gifted With Healing.
Ursula’s Return will launch first in local game stores and inside Disney parks on May 17th, followed closely by retail, online outlets and The Disney Store on May 31st. Players can collect the set via booster packs, a new Illumineer’s Trove and two new preconstructed starter decks featuring Amethyst & Amber or Sapphire & Steel card combinations. Illumineer’s Quest: Deep Trouble will hit shelves at the same time as the fourth TCG set and will set you back $59.99/£54.99, making it one of the more expensive non-accessory product in Lorcana’s lineup.