Table of Contents
In the ever-evolving world of Disney Lorcana, understanding the dynamics of the metagame is crucial for success. Today, we delve into the realm of the most powerful and dominant cards that are shaping the current landscape. Which cards show up the most in the current top decks for the Rise of the Floodborn meta?
Most Played Cards
We looked at the results of numerous top 8 tournament finishes over the last month and collated the results so you can know what to expect to see when you show up at your events. The influence of high tournament finishes for Ruby-Amethyst has been staggering, but we're not just focusing on the top 20 cards; we'll also explore the best two cards from each ink.
Amethyst Cards
At the forefront of the metagame, Amethyst cards have asserted their dominance. Leading the charge are the likes of Merlin - Rabbit, Madam Mim - Fox, Madam Mim - Snake, Merlin - Goat, but at the top is the powerful card draw song Friends On The Other Side.
These cards have become the true core, with Friends On The Other Side claiming the title of the best card draw and song in the game. Meanwhile, Merlin - Goat, an inkable with guaranteed lore for minimal interaction, has proven to be a game-changer. Friends boasts unparalleled card draw, while the Goat introduces a new dimension to winning games without the need for quests or challenges.
The synergy of these cards within the Ruby-Amethyst deck has proven to be a formidable force, with 134 and 133 copies played, respectively in the top lists looked at for this research.
Ruby Cards
The Ruby cards, including Lady Tremaine - Imperious Queen, Maui - Hero to All, Maleficent - Monstrous Dragon, and the formidable Be Prepared, dominate the next tier of playability in the current meta overall, besides being the top Ruby cards to see play.
Lady Tremaine stands out with its ability to remove a character, even getting around keywords like Ward on an otherwise empty board, giving Ruby a powerful tool in the mid game before reaching its unbeatable end game. Combined with other options mentioned above, she is really showcasing the versatility of Ruby's pinpoint removal.
Be Prepared then serves as a reset button and even an effective win condition when paired with Merlin Goat.
Steel Cards
Steel finishes well in the next tier, with its powerful Songs. Steel is slowly becoming another secondary option for decks that do not want to run Ruby, but instead have a faster and “cheaper” board presence since you are controlling the board through Singing.
Grab Your Sword, is the first steel card on the list, followed by Let the Storm Rage On. These two songs are the reason why most two Willpower characters are not safe when played. The utilization of the song mechanic is on its best display through these Steel songs and are pretty ubiquitous inclusions when you look at the ink color.
These two songs are really “why” you are oftentimes running Steel at all, and help to complement the card draw engines it brings to the table like Beast - Tragic Hero. He finished low on the most played cards list because the early debate over his power level is more recently understood, but early on in Steel lists (especially Amber-Steel), he did not see universal appeal.
Amber Cards
Simba - Protective Cub introduces the Amber category, proving to be a unique and invaluable addition, offering protection to characters and showcasing the potential for early game control in the metagame. Stitch - New Dog finds a home as well at the top of list because of the constant threat Stitch - Rock Star has to the game.
It is interesting to see these two early drops having the most success for what was arguably the most played and most powerful ink color of The First Chapter metagame. These two cards show up in any list currently running Amber, whereas the powerful mid-game options are a deck building choice.
You may see a lot of The Queen and her shifted form in many lists, but she has weaknesses that the metagame can exploit (chief among them her three willpower).
Emerald and Sapphire Cards
Both Emerald and Sapphire did not have cards show up on the “most played” overall cards lists until well into the forties. Looking at the most played card in the ink colors, however, still shows deckbuilders where they can start to look for answers to the puzzles these colors seem to create.
In Emerald, Flynn Rider - Charming Rogue and Lucifer - Cunning Cat emerge as the most successful cards in the first month of the Rise of the Floodborn meta. This shows a clear bias towards the discard archetype, and it is important to note that Lucifer can be played simply for value, especially if you play him when you think your opponent is low on Action cards in hand. Flynn is simply an early Lore engine which oftentimes trades for at least a card from hand.
The issue these cards face is really the problem Emerald in general faces: they are extremely weak to Steel: especially a sung Grab Your Sword on turns two through four and A Whole New World to refill their hands. Without a powerful on-board set up that includes Prince John - Greediest of All to keep you flush with cards it can be hard for even these strategies to compete.
The unexpected low turnout for Pawpsicle decks at the top tables raises questions about Sapphires adaptability and viability overall in the current metagame. In the Sapphire realm, the dynamic duo of Pawpsicle and Hiram Flaversham - Toymaker proves to be unprecedented card draw engine, revolutionizing the game with their synergy.
While this duo has not been as successful as Ruby Amethyst or Amber Steel, the ease of this draw engine positions Sapphire to take advantage of just a small package to supplement the color you chose to pair it with. Overall, however, both Sapphire and Emerald need to create a new gameplan to be more successful in the current metagame.
Conclusion
In the ever-shifting landscape of Disney Lorana, understanding the dominance and success of specific cards is essential for players seeking victory. It is really important to put context and data around the opinions you may have in the metagame, and if you did not actually think these cards were as dominant at the top tables, now you can clearly see the results.
The reign of Amethyst continues, with Friends On The Other Side and Merlin - Goat standing out as the unrivaled duo. As the metagame evolves, players must stay vigilant, adapt their strategies, and explore the potential of emerging cards to secure success in Disney Lorcana's vibrant world.
