What to Ink in Disney Lorcana: Inkwell Strategy for Beginners

In most card games, you get resources from special cards. In Disney Lorcana, almost any card can become a resource. That makes the inkwell the quietest decision on every turn, and one of the most important. A good choice keeps your best cards in hand. A careless one throws away the card that would have won the game.

Why ink every turn early

You may put one card from your hand into your inkwell each turn, and each card in it gives you 1 ink every turn for the rest of the game. Ink you skip early never comes back: if you miss on turn two, you stay one ink behind until a card says otherwise.

That is why the early rule is simple. In the first four or five turns, ink a card almost every turn. The questions below are about which card, not whether.

The ink test

Look at your hand and ask of each inkable card: how likely am I to want to play this, soon, in this game? Ink the one with the lowest answer.

Good candidates to ink:

• Extra copies. The third copy of a card you already have in play or in hand.
• Cards that are too expensive for a long while. A 7-cost card on turn two is a long way off. If you have another big card already, one of them can go.
• Cards that do nothing in this matchup. A card that answers items, against an opponent who plays none.
• Cards whose moment has passed. A cheap character late in the game, when the board is full of big ones.

Cards to keep:

• Your early plays, in the first turns. A character played on turn one or two has more turns to quest.
• Answers to what your opponent is doing. If they have a dangerous character, the card that removes it stays in hand.
• The cards your deck is built around. If your plan needs a certain character or song, protect it.

When two cards seem equal, ink the one that is more expensive to play. You can afford the cheap one sooner.

When to ink in your turn

You can ink at any point in your turn. Usually it is best to ink early, so the new ink is ready to spend. But if you are about to play a card that draws you more cards or looks at the top of your deck, consider playing it first. You will have more choices when you decide what to ink.

When to stop inking

Late in the game, extra ink can be worth less than the card. Once you can pay for everything in your hand and the most expensive cards in your deck, a strong card may be better kept than inked. This is the exception, not the habit. If you are unsure, ink.

Uninkable cards

Some cards have no inkwell swirl. They are often strong, and they come with a cost: you cannot turn them into ink when your hand is stuck. A hand full of uninkable cards can leave you with nothing to ink and nothing you can afford. That is why deck builders count them carefully, and why a hand with only one or two inkable cards is a good reason to alter your opening hand.

Ink drops

Since Hyperia City, some cards give you ink drops: counters you put in your inkwell, each worth 1 ink, removed once you use them. They are not cards and do not use up your once-per-turn inking. Treat them as a one-time boost. A turn with an ink drop is a turn to play something a little bigger than usual.

What your ink tells your opponent

You show every card you ink. A sharp opponent remembers. If you ink an answer to their best character, they learn you have one less answer. If you ink your second copy of a big card, they learn you are holding it.

You cannot hide this, but you can think about it. When two cards are close, ink the one that tells your opponent the least about your plan. Level 3 turns this around, and shows you how to read the cards your opponent inks.

The short version

Ink every turn early. Ink the card you need least. Keep your early plays, your answers, and your plan. That is most of it, and it will win you more games than any single card you could buy.