Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return; Starter Decks review — Wonders surround you

It seems like just yesterday, I was waiting in line at 6am to buy a box of Lorcana Chapter 1 cards at Gencon 2023. Well, here we are in June of 2024 and I am reviewing the starter decks for Chapter 4. In that time Lorcana has evolved, with locations changing up the gameplay in Chapter 3 and a wide range of options to build out your deck. Let’s talk about what the Chapter 4 decks have to offer.

Having played with every starter deck that has been developed for Lorcana, I can confidently say that the decks for Chapter 4 are… just like the rest. Wait! That’s not meant to sound negative, mostly. The starter decks are a fantastic way for new players to jump into the game. They include the basic rules, a playmat to show you where to put your cards, and some tokens to get you right into the game, as well as a booster pack for some extra excitement. There is no easier way to start playing Lorcana. For the returning player, there just isn’t anything in these Chapter 4 decks that innovates on what has already been done.

There are two decks to choose from in Chapter 4, an Amber & Amethyst deck themed around the Madrigals, and a Sapphire & Steel deck that is sort of Frozen-themed but a bit all over the place. Of the two, the Madrigal deck feels a bit more complete because it is largely made up of Madrigals with a few other cards sprinkled in, while the Frozen deck is a bit of Frozen, a bit of Tangled, a bit of Hercules, with some Mulan, and Raya, and Mickey Mouse thrown in the pot. Oddly, neither deck is themed around The Little Mermaid. Sure, there is the Illumineer’s Quest box (a separate product) that is all about fighting Ursula, but it still feels like a miss to not have either deck lean into that theme.

The Family Madrigal has some fun thematic play with Mirabel supporting everyone and the rest of the family utilizing their powerful abilities. Bruno, Isabella, and an upgraded Mirabel are the standouts of the deck that seem like powerful cards to build upon if you want to expand your game. I particularly enjoyed the thematic design in how the family members support and play off each other with Mirabel acting as the deck’s foundation and enabling the other cards to be more powerful than they would be alone. You know… like a family.

The disjointed nature of the Frozen deck doesn’t mean it’s bad. Anna, True-Hearted, is a powerful quester that can swing big turns if you can get a lot of cards on the board at once. Rapunzel and Pascal synergize nicely and pack a punch if your opponent wants to get rid of them. The Imperial Bow stands out as an amazing item at only 2 cost and provides Challenger +2 and Evasive keywords.

There is plenty to like about the Chapter 4 decks. Especially if you’re a fan of Encanto and have been waiting to see them in the game. With four chapters out, it’s now much easier to build fully themed decks if you’re like me and that interests you. Setting competitiveness aside, it’s just a ton of fun to play a full Frozen deck or only Neverland cards. I’m still holding my breath for Robin Hood and friends to make a bigger entrance but the point remains. I wish Lorcana would put out themed decks as a new type of complete product but until then, the starter decks are pretty good. With four chapters worth of cards, you have a lot of options for building a deck, and that’s what chapter four does best. Provides options. If you’re completely new to Lorcana, grab whichever decks have the characters that interest you, from any chapter.

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