An exciting new mechanic is coming to Disney Lorcana with the launch of Hyperia City: Ink Drops. This is effectively the first ever token-based mechanic in the game, and gives you access to more ink to spend on casting cards, but there's an additional layer of nuance that has certain cards interacting directly with Ink Drops in a number of ways.
All in all, it's a really exciting new mechanic for the TCG that, if handled well, will be a really strong new mechanic for the long-term, and could even be a huge part of deck archetypes moving forward.
What Are Ink Drops?
Ink Drops are a new token mechanic in Disney Lorcana that, when triggered, gives you an extra, consumable Ink to spend however you see fit. They are awarded through character abilities and actions in-game.
A good example of this is Merlin, Ink Drop Tinkerer, a character card that costs seven ink to cast but has a Shift cost of five. If you cast him for his normal cost, you create one Ink Drop, but if you pay his Shift cost, you create two.
Some cards are impacted by Ink Drops but don't just create them, such as Wasabi, Future Thinker, who has mechanics that kick in if Ink Drops are used to cast him.
This already shows that the mechanic already has layers to it, and gives players something to think about to increase the effectiveness of the mechanic.
Key Ink Drops Facts
Here are some additional Ink Drop facts that will help you better understand how these tokens work and make sure you're not making too many mistakes when building decks around the mechanic or trying to use them in your Lorcana matches.
Ink Drop Do Ink Drops Need To Dry Before Use?
No, Ink Drops do not need to dry before they are used, nor do they enter play exhausted, meaning they can be cashed in on the same turn that they are created. With Ink Drops being their own type of token, the typical rules do not apply to them, which is why they can be used so quickly. This also means that any other rules that apply specifically to ink don't then apply to Ink Drops. They have their own rule set instead.
Where To Find Ink Drop Token Cards
Starting in Hyperia City, Ink Drop cards will be included in booster packs, but they won't take up a slot in the pack and will instead replace the reference card or art card that will have been in the pack instead.
There are currently no plans to release foil versions of Ink Tokens, but given that there aren't strict rules around how you represent Ink Drops during a game, you could theoretically make your own.
If you don't have any Ink Drop cards, you can just use counters or dice to represent the number of Ink Drops you have at any one time.
Ink Drop Limitations
There is no limit to the number of Ink Drops you can have in play at any one time, nor do they need to be used up within a certain time frame.
You can also spend as many Ink Drops as you want during any given turn, and you can pay any cost that would typically paid for using ink, using Ink Drops. There is no requirement to pay at least one traditional ink to cover the cost; you can pay entirely using Ink Drops if you want.