Ursula's Return

Ursula's Return
File:Ursulas Return logo.png
Set symbol	File:Ursulas Return symbol.png
Set code	URS
Release date	May 17, 2024 (LGS/Prerelease) May 31, 2024 (retail)
Total cards	204
New mechanics	Sing Together, Alternate Shift (discard)
Previous set	Into the Inklands
Next set	Shimmering Skies

Ursula's Return is the fourth set of the Disney Lorcana trading card game. It was released by Ravensburger for prerelease in local game stores on May 17, 2024, with a full global release on May 31, 2024. The set serves as the finale of the game's first year of story content, with the iconic sea witch Ursula emerging from the shadows to try and reclaim her power.

The set consists of 204 main set cards. It introduces the long-awaited Encanto franchise to Lorcana, as well as characters from Fantasia and new versions of classic characters like Ariel and Ursula. The set also introduces the first cooperative game mode for Lorcana, Illumineer's Quest: Deep Trouble.

Story

Following the events of Into the Inklands, a powerful Ursula glimmer that was unleashed from the Great Illuminary in Rise of the Floodborn is ready to put her malevolent plans into motion. Using mind control and natural disasters, the ruthless sea witch seeks to take over Lorcana, with only the players and their trusted glimmers standing in her way. The set focuses on Ursula's motives as she emerges from the shadows to try and reclaim her power, confronting the Illumineers in an epic battle.

Ursula's Return is intended to be the finale of the first year of the game, completing the first story arc that began with The First Chapter.

New mechanics

Sing Together

Sing Together is a new keyword introduced in this set, found on Song cards. While standard songs with the Sing keyword can only be sung by one character, songs with the Sing Together keyword can be sung using any combination of characters in play, so long as the total ink cost of those characters equals or exceeds the cost of the song. This allows players to split the cost of a song between multiple characters, including teammates' characters in co-op mode. Lorcana Co-Designer Steve Warner stated that the team had always wanted to introduce Sing Together, but with Encanto making its debut in this set, "now felt like the perfect time."

Examples of Sing Together songs in the set include:

• Look At This Family (7 Ink, Rare) – Look at the top 5 cards of your deck, reveal up to 2 character cards and put them into your hand.
• Second Star To The Right (10 Ink, Not Inkable, Rare) – Chosen player draws 5 cards.

Alternate Shift (Discard)

In addition to the standard Shift mechanic that allows players to pay reduced Ink to play a Floodborn character on top of a matching character, Ursula's Return introduces an alternative Shift cost that requires discarding cards from hand instead of spending Ink. This gives players more flexibility in how they bring powerful Floodborn characters into play.

Classification synergies

While not a new mechanic per se, Ursula's Return places a strong emphasis on classification-based synergies. The two starter decks showcase this trend: the Amber/Amethyst deck is built around the Madrigal family classification, while the Sapphire/Steel deck focuses on the Hero classification.

New franchises and featured characters

Encanto (first appearance)

Encanto makes its Lorcana debut in Ursula's Return, featuring the entire Madrigal family:

• Mirabel Madrigal – Featured as Mirabel Madrigal – Gift of the Family (adds Lore to other Madrigal characters when she quests)
• Bruno Madrigal – Appears as Bruno Madrigal – Out of the Shadows
• Luisa Madrigal – Appears as Luisa Madrigal – Rock of the Family (gains Strength when another character is in play)
• Pepa Madrigal – Pepa Madrigal – Weather Maker
• Dolores Madrigal – Dolores Madrigal – Easy Listener (draws a card when played if an opponent has an exerted character)
• Antonio Madrigal – Antonio Madrigal – Animal Expert
• Agustín Madrigal – Agustín Madrigal – Clumsy Dad
• Félix Madrigal – Félix Madrigal – Fun-Loving Family Man
• Casa Madrigal – Casita – A Location card representing the magical family home

Several Madrigal character cards have draw abilities, with certain cards allowing players to draw cards when certain conditions are met.

Fantasia

The set introduces characters from Disney's 1940 classic Fantasia:

• Yen Sid – Powerful Sorcerer (Amethyst, Legendary/Enchanted) – The powerful sorcerer who appears as a Legendary card with abilities tied to having Magic Broom characters in play.
• Magic Brooms – Companion characters that synergize with Yen Sid.

Additional returning franchises

• The Little Mermaid – New versions of Ariel (Ariel – Determined Mermaid, Ariel – Singing Mermaid) and multiple Ursula variants (Ursula – Sea Witch Queen, Ursula – Vanessa, Ursula – Eric's Bride)
• Hercules – Megara – Captivating Cynic (Emerald)
• Mulan – Li Shang – Imperial Captain, Mulan – Armored Fighter
• Sleeping Beauty – Aurora – Tranquil Princess
• Peter Pan – Peter Pan – Shadow Finder
• Raya and the Last Dragon – Sisu – Wise Friend
• Tangled – Pascal – Inquisitive Pet
• The Princess and the Frog – Tiana – Celebrating Princess (featured on the Illumineer's Trove packaging)

Products

Ursula's Return was available in the following product formats:

• Booster packs – 12 random cards per pack (6 common, 3 uncommon, 2 rare/super rare/legendary, 1 foil of any rarity). MSRP $5.99. Booster boxes contain 24 packs.
• Booster boxes – 24 booster packs.
• Illumineer's Trove – Includes 8 booster packs, 6 damage-counter dice, a lore counter, 6 card dividers, and a storage box (MSRP $49.99).
• Starter decks – Two preconstructed 60-card decks (MSRP $16.99 each).
• Illumineer's Quest: Deep Trouble – A cooperative boxed set (see below).
• Accessories – Playmats, card sleeves, and deck boxes featuring new artwork.

Starter decks

Amber/Amethyst – Madrigal Family Deck

This deck is built around the Madrigal family from Encanto. It focuses on flooding the board with characters and keeping them alive through healing, with various Madrigal characters supporting each other. Key cards include:

• Mirabel Madrigal – Gift of the Family – Adds a Lore to all other Madrigal-classified cards when she quests
• Pepa Madrigal – Weather Maker – Syncs with her daughter Dolores Madrigal to trigger card draw effects
• Bruno Madrigal – Out of the Shadows – Provides strategic advantages
• Look At This Family – A Sing Together song that searches the top 5 cards for character cards
• The deck includes several card draw abilities that help players push characters and maximize the Madrigal-themed synergies

Sapphire/Steel – Hero Classification Deck

This deck leans heavily on the Hero classification, with several cards buffing or taking advantage of Hero cards in play. Key cards include:

• Anna – True-Hearted – Gives other Hero cards an additional Lore when she quests (similar to Mirabel Madrigal)
• Anna – Braving the Storm – Gets extra Lore if another Hero is in play
• Philoctetes – No-Nonsense Instructor – Gives all Heroes Challenger +1 and scores additional Lore whenever a Hero enters play
• Imperial Bow – Adds Challenger +2 and Evasive to a Hero character
• One Last Hope – Gives a character Resist +2 and lets them challenge ready characters if they're a Hero

TheGamer noted that this deck provides "a framework for a Hero-themed deck that you can build upon, with a core of viable characters like Philoctetes, No Nonsense Instructor and Anna, True-Hearted that you can use to build a fun, and potentially even competitive deck with."

Illumineer's Quest: Deep Trouble

Illumineer's Quest: Deep Trouble is the first cooperative game mode for Disney Lorcana. Instead of going head-to-head with another player, 1–4 players team up to defeat Ursula in an epic battle. The game offers four difficulty levels ranging from easy to extreme, with each level featuring rules variations that make the play experience unique. It is endlessly replayable and can be expanded up to four players with additional decks.

The set includes everything needed for 1–2 players:

• 1 oversized Ursula card
• 1 Ursula scenario deck (50 cards) with a unique gold‑backed design featuring entangled glimmers and mighty natural disasters
• 2 prebuilt player decks (60 cards each) featuring Yen Sid (from Fantasia) and Mulan
• 2 oversized, double‑sided battleground cards
• 1 Deep Trouble playmat
• 1 Ursula draw token
• 3 Lore tracker tokens
• 29 damage counters
• 1 secret Victory card wrapped in gold foil (opened only upon defeating Ursula)
• Deep Trouble rules sheet

Ravensburger marketing manager Léa Dillenseger noted that even players in the Ravensburger office were not always able to beat Ursula, especially at higher difficulty levels. Players may also use their own Lorcana decks from previous sets to supplement the experience.

TheGamer described Deep Trouble as "a whole new way to play Lorcana" that adds narrative depth to the game.

Notable cards

Card name	Ink color	Rarity	Notes
Ursula – Sea Witch Queen	Amethyst	Legendary	Shift 5, quests for 3 Lore; features the ability "Now I am the Ruler!"
Yen Sid – Powerful Sorcerer	Amethyst	Legendary / Enchanted	Draws cards when a Magic Broom is in play
Mirabel Madrigal – Gift of the Family	Amber	Adds Lore to other Madrigal characters when she quests
Bruno Madrigal – Out of the Shadows	Amethyst	Provides strategic benefits when played
Luisa Madrigal – Rock of the Family	–	Gains +2 Strength when another character is in play
Ariel – Determined Mermaid	Steel	Draws a card when a Song is played, then discards a card
Pascal – Inquisitive Pet	Sapphire	Looks at the top 3 cards of your deck and rearranges them when played
Antonio Madrigal – Animal Expert	Amethyst	A Storyborn Ally with the Madrigal classification

Reception

Ursula's Return was well received by critics and players. TheGamer noted that the set "has exceeded my expectations" and that "across the board, these are the best Lorcana products Ravensburger has released to date." The starter decks were praised for improving with each set, with the Amber/Amethyst Madrigal deck described as having "more personality" than previous offerings.

ComicBook.com highlighted the growing emphasis on classification-based synergies, noting that the starter decks "focus on another area of the game that's slowly grown in usefulness over the past year – the ability to have cards synergize with other cards of the same classification."

The cooperative Illumineer's Quest was particularly well received, with TheGamer stating that it "adds narrative depth to Lorcana" and that "the new decks and characters reflect engaging battle themes." Ravensburger reported that the set enjoyed a "high profile launch" with fans gathering at Disney Stores for release events.

Collector Station noted that "Ursula's Return hits a satisfying sweet spot. Pull rates are fair—chase cards feel within reach without being overprinted."

Trivia

• Ursula's Return is the first Lorcana set to introduce a cooperative game mode (Illumineer's Quest: Deep Trouble).
• The set marks the debut of Encanto and Fantasia characters in Lorcana.
• The release of Ursula's Return coincided with the launch of the Disney Lorcana Challenge, a new competitive event circuit.
• The Illumineer's Quest: Deep Trouble includes a secret Victory card wrapped in gold foil that players can open only upon defeating Ursula.
• Unlike previous sets, Ursula's Return does not include a Gift Set product; instead, the Illumineer's Quest serves as the premium boxed offering.
• The set includes a Casa Madrigal – Casita Location card, marking the first time a location from a film released after 2020 appeared in Lorcana.

See also

• List of Disney Lorcana sets
• Into the Inklands
• Shimmering Skies
• Encanto in Disney Lorcana