I finally got around to playing Lorcana, and I am a fan. The game is easy to learn, and you can play online through the third-party Pixelborn app for free with a minimal amount of tinkering. 

How to Play Lorcana

The best way to learn Lorcana is by playing, but Dicebreakers has a fantastic tutorial on their YouTube if you need help getting started. I recommend setting up Pixelborn so you can try out the game for free to see if you like it, but starting with your favorite starter deck is a valid option. 

Gameplay

The gameplay is pretty casual TCG. All the actions happen on a player’s turn, so you don’t have to worry about things like counterspells. The main trick to this game is managing resources. You need to be aware of what cards you throw in your ink well, when to challenge other characters, and when to send characters on quests. Keywords add some complexity to this loop, but Lorcana never felt like it was an overwhelming ammount of moving parts. At least based on the games I played with a friend who was also playing for the first time. 

How to Play Lorcana for Free

There are three ways to play Lorcana online for free: Tabletop Simulator, untap.in, and Pixelborn. 

Tabletop Simulator

Tabletop Simulator is a fantastic piece of software, especially if you enjoy playing board games and trading card games. Indie trading card games always typically have official TTS modules and a vibrant community around them. The issue with TTS is that you have to buy the software ($30), but the modules are free. Another issue with the TTS is that it is a little clunky. Once you get used to the software, you don’t notice it, but it is there. Lastly, you have to be a bit more active with your matchmaking. You either find the discord to find people to play with, have friends who also have TTS who are down to play, find a room playing Lorcana, or make your own and wait for someone to join. It’s not an impossible task, but it is a little inconvenient compared to Pixelborn. That said, Tabletop Simulator is a fantastic option, especially if you’re interested in other board games. This is the Lorcana Module I used.

Untap.in

Untap.in is a browser-based solution for Lorcana and other popular TCGs. If you don’t have the hardware to run TTS or want something more simple, untap.in is a fantastic solution. The problem with untap is that you either have to have friends who play, find a lobby hosting a game, or look for a game on Reddit. It’s not impossible, but again, lacks convenience. But if you want to jump between other TCGs for free, it’s a great and simple tool that doesn’t take too many resources. 

Pixelborn

Pixelborn is my favorite way to play Lorcana. It does take a bit of tinkering to get it to work, but it isn’t a complicated process. There is a fantastic tutorial on this fansite to get you started. Pixelborn looks great, runs well, and has a lot of phases and mechanics programmed to make learning easy. Best of all Pixelborn has integrated matchmaking. It can take some time to find a match depending on when you get on, but it should get easier if the game gets more popular. There are ranked and casual ladders, and tournaments as well. If you want the easiest, freest way to get into Lorcana, play it on Pixelborn. 

How to Install Pixelborn

There are instructions on the official Pixelborn Discord on how to install the program. I’d join the Discord to meet other folks who also love the game, and to be on top of the news. This fan page has a great tutorial and all the links you need to get you started.

Impressions

I enjoyed Lorcana. I’ve always been a fan of the art, but I enjoyed the mechanics of the game. Now that I have a friend to play with, I will be playing it more regularly. I never get to see this friend, so its nice to have something we can share. If you’re looking for a casual game that is easy to learn and teach, Lorcana is a fantastic place to start.