The Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game is set to conclude its year with the release of the Hyperia City booster set. This fourteenth set will see pre-release events begin on October 16, with a wider launch scheduled for October 23. The expansion continues the trend of featuring Pixar characters, this time spotlighting elements from the film Coco, alongside new cards for characters from Big Hero 6 and The Sword and the Stone. Hyperia City also introduces a two-player starter set and a significant new mechanic: floating mana, or ink drops.
Ink drops function as additional mana that can be accrued and used on top of the game's standard mana generation. These one-time use resources can allow players to cast high-cost cards earlier than usual. The new starter set, "Technically Terrific" and "Madcap Whimsy," prominently features this mechanic, with one deck focusing on Big Hero 6 characters and the other on The Sword and the Stone. Initial impressions suggest the The Sword and the Stone deck offers more consistent draws and deck filtering, potentially leading to more reliable pressure and play options, particularly with the amethyst color's draw effects. The Big Hero 6 deck also includes draw options, but these are tied to item cards, which may not appear as frequently. The starter set's inclusion of locations like Merlin's Shop and Smithy can provide card advantage and lore gain, potentially outpacing the Big Hero 6 deck's efforts to establish a board state. The balance between deploying cards and maintaining ink drops for passive abilities presents a new strategic consideration for players.
Beyond the starter set, Hyperia City offers new individual cards. Powerline Megastar, a new character card, boasts Singer 9 and abilities that synergize with other Singer keyword characters. This card allows players to play songs costing 9 ink or less for free. Additionally, playing a song each turn can trigger an ability to return a Singer card from the discard pile to hand. Powerline Megastar also gains +1 lore for each other Singer on the field, making it a potent threat for rapid lore accumulation if protected. Another notable card is Belle, Exceptional Writer. When exerted, she reduces the ink cost of the next action played by 2. Her second ability grants 3 lore when the third action is played during a turn. This mechanic encourages playing multiple action cards in a single turn, a strategy reminiscent of "storm" decks in other TCGs. Powerline Megastar could potentially pair well with Belle, as songs count as actions, enabling free songs and lore generation. Cards like "Chemical Reaction" and "Strike a Good Match" can facilitate Belle's lore-generating ability. However, piloting such decks requires careful planning due to their complexity.
Hyperia City's release is expected to influence the ongoing competitive meta. Existing top-tier decks, such as the song-heavy emerald/amber deck that recently won a tournament, may see adjustments to incorporate new cards like Powerline Megastar. This deck already features a number of singers and songs, making it a natural fit for the new legendary card. For character-heavy emerald/steel decks that focus on emptying the hand, cards like Flash Efficient Clerk and Marie Caught in the Act could be beneficial. Flash offers Resist +1 and nullifies Rush, protecting characters from immediate banishes. Marie, a low-cost card, can grant an ink drop if an opposing character takes damage when she quests, potentially speeding up plays or allowing for larger character deployments.
Overall, Hyperia City aims to enhance the Disney Lorcana experience with familiar characters, the inclusion of Coco, and the strategic depth added by ink drops. The set's blend of new mechanics and character integrations is poised to reshape deck-building and competitive play as the season progresses. Players looking for more information can consult exclusive reveals of cards from this set and impressions of the previous "Attack of the Vine!" expansion.