.DLC SP April 2026 - Day 1 Complete Analysis!
A deeper look at the first Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil!
Hello, everyone!!
We are moving full steam ahead toward the end of May, and in less than 40 days, the next Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil will arrive!
For those who still don't know, on July 4 and 5, we will have the Second Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil, once again in the city of São Paulo, at Clube Esperia!
And once again, we will have the Core Constructed format for the main event, meaning that the legal sets for the tournament will be Set 5 and onward. For those who do not remember the names off the top of their heads, here they are:
• 5: Shimmering Skies
• 6: Azurite Sea
• 7: Archazia’s Island
• 8: Reign of Jafar
• 9: Fabled
• 10: Whispers in the Well
• 11: Winterspell
• 12: Wilds Unknown
Compared to our First Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil, we will have only one additional set, Wilds Unknown, which was released a few weeks after that first event.
To help better understand exactly how the metagame developed at the first Brazilian Disney Lorcana Challenge, today we will analyze the distribution of the decks used on the first day of the event! In other words, we will put together a breakdown of all color combinations and discuss them in greater detail!
Choosing a deck to play at a Disney Lorcana Challenge involves several factors, what type of strategy you enjoy most, which combinations you like playing the most, and which cards you have available to build with.
When we look at the landscape of Brazil's first DLC, even though the country is a recent addition to the Disney Lorcana universe, it is clear that Brazilian players did not ignore the most established and popular archetypes from tournaments around the world!
Let's take a closer look at these ink combinations based on their popularity within the metagame.
The most popular ink combination was, fittingly, the one that closely resembles Brazil's traditional green and yellow colors!
At the top of the popularity charts, with nearly one out of every four Disney Lorcana Challenge participants, were Amber-Emerald decks, almost entirely composed of strategies centered around Dogs, the affectionate nickname for the archetype due to its heavy use of cards from Lady and the Tramp.
The popularity is, of course, more than justified, after all, Amber-Emerald Dogs was the tournament-winning deck, piloted by the exceptionally skilled Zan Syed. If you would like a more detailed analysis of the winning list, be sure to check out this blog post!
The next most popular combination, representing nearly one out of every five participants, brings together two major strengths in Disney Lorcana: card draw from Amethyst and board control from Steel.
As a result, these inks enable a consistent game plan built around individually powerful cards capable of taking over a game if the opponent cannot deal with them quickly.
There is also a second archetype within the same ink combination that plays somewhat differently: Amethyst-Steel Locations.
Although it is not as popular as Amethyst-Steel Midrange, the Locations archetype also made an appearance at the DLC and helped increase the overall numbers for the combination.
Rounding out the trio of most popular decks, with numbers slightly below the previous one, is Amethyst-Sapphire, commonly nicknamed "Blurple," combining the words "Blue" (representing Sapphire) and "Purple" (representing Amethyst).
This combination is the most consistent control deck in the format, thanks to its many ways of dealing with characters, even when they are not exhausted!
The deck can string together multiple high-value plays, even with higher-cost ink cards, because it runs the maximum number of copies of two cards that accelerate its ink: Sail the Azurite Sea and Tipo - Growing Son.
This acceleration, combined with cards such as Hades - Infernal Schemer and Demona - Scourge of the Wyvern Clan, allows the deck to continually answer any threat from the opponent and secure victory through a highly controlled game.
Wrapping up the most prominent decks, meaning those that accounted for more than 10% of the metagame, we have Amber-Steel, popularly known as SteelSong.
SteelSong is one of the oldest Disney Lorcana archetypes, having existed since the game's very first set. It is extremely iconic because it combines one of the game's most unique mechanics, Songs and Singer characters, with a powerful package of board control and threat removal.
The version recently developed for the Core Constructed format uses several cards from Winterspell, which introduced songs such as Akood Et Emuti and characters such as Angel - Siren Singer, providing a more aggressive playstyle while maintaining board control and developing a large number of characters.
Next in popularity, we find another control-oriented deck, but with a different focus.
Rather than relying solely on the individual power of each card, Emerald-Sapphire emphasizes combinations and synergy to gain an advantage.
For example, Clarabelle - Light on Her Hooves and the song You’re Welcome allow you to remove an opposing threat while maintaining card advantage.
Another of the deck's most popular ways to clear the opponent's board is through the song Malicious, Mean and Scary combined with Prince Phillip - Vanquisher of Foes.
Additionally, as another board-control option, Emerald provides direct access to the song Under the Sea, which by itself can deal with the entire board of an Amber-Emerald deck, for example.
This combination actually encompassed two different archetypes, but because they share the same inks, they helped inflate the total number of Amber-Sapphire decks.
The thematic version focuses on Princesses, highlighted by Aurora - Dreaming Guardian and Mulan - Considerate Diplomat, which provide protection effects and card advantage.
The other archetype, with a more controlling approach, uses Sapphire's acceleration to reach Raging Storm as quickly as possible, wiping the board, and then follows up with larger characters such as Hades - Infernal Schemer to take control of the pace of the game.
The popularity of Sapphire-Steel at the event was perhaps one of the more interesting developments, as many players brought a list that combines Detective characters with Ally characters.
The focus, naturally, is on using strong cards from both inks, such as Sail the Azurite Sea, Strength of a Raging Fire, and Doc - Bold Knight, while also incorporating cards that interact with Detective characters (such as Judy Hopps - Uncovering Clues) or Ally characters (such as Jasmine - Steady Strategist).
It remains to be seen whether this list was brought by a larger testing group that prepared and practiced the archetype specifically for the DLC, or whether it was simply a coincidence, perhaps encouraged by the availability of the Whispers in the Well Single Player Deck, which features a strong Detective theme.
To conclude the analysis of the DLC's most popular combinations, we find an option that has not only already demonstrated strength in events around the world, but also uses relatively few higher-rarity cards, making the deck more accessible.
The Amethyst-Emerald list focuses on a fast game plan, featuring strong Lore-generating characters, and once it is only a few points away from victory, it begins using cards that gain Lore directly without having to wait for a character's ink to dry.
The deck's surprise factor, combined with its speed, certainly earned many victories, cementing this final standout deck among the most popular choices.
Although the popularity of these ink combinations closely mirrored the metagame seen in other Challenges, that does not mean there was no room for innovation, experimentation, and highly specialized decks at the first São Paulo DLC.
What stands out, of course, is how many Ruby combinations were concentrated in the less popular portion of the field, an indication of the color's weaker position in the current competitive environment.
And with that, we conclude this analysis of the most popular combinations from the first Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil!
As explained, this analysis aimed to illustrate how the metagame of that first Challenge developed and will likely have a significant influence on the metagame of the next DLC in July.
With that in mind, we hope everyone is ready for another fantastic event!
Take care, and see you there!
We are moving full steam ahead toward the end of May, and in less than 40 days, the next Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil will arrive!
For those who still don't know, on July 4 and 5, we will have the Second Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil, once again in the city of São Paulo, at Clube Esperia!
And once again, we will have the Core Constructed format for the main event, meaning that the legal sets for the tournament will be Set 5 and onward. For those who do not remember the names off the top of their heads, here they are:
• 5: Shimmering Skies
• 6: Azurite Sea
• 7: Archazia’s Island
• 8: Reign of Jafar
• 9: Fabled
• 10: Whispers in the Well
• 11: Winterspell
• 12: Wilds Unknown
Compared to our First Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil, we will have only one additional set, Wilds Unknown, which was released a few weeks after that first event.
To help better understand exactly how the metagame developed at the first Brazilian Disney Lorcana Challenge, today we will analyze the distribution of the decks used on the first day of the event! In other words, we will put together a breakdown of all color combinations and discuss them in greater detail!
BE PREPARED!
Choosing a deck to play at a Disney Lorcana Challenge involves several factors, what type of strategy you enjoy most, which combinations you like playing the most, and which cards you have available to build with.
When we look at the landscape of Brazil's first DLC, even though the country is a recent addition to the Disney Lorcana universe, it is clear that Brazilian players did not ignore the most established and popular archetypes from tournaments around the world!
Let's take a closer look at these ink combinations based on their popularity within the metagame.
AMBER-EMERALD: THE COMBINATION WITH BRAZILLIAN COLORS
The most popular ink combination was, fittingly, the one that closely resembles Brazil's traditional green and yellow colors!
At the top of the popularity charts, with nearly one out of every four Disney Lorcana Challenge participants, were Amber-Emerald decks, almost entirely composed of strategies centered around Dogs, the affectionate nickname for the archetype due to its heavy use of cards from Lady and the Tramp.
The popularity is, of course, more than justified, after all, Amber-Emerald Dogs was the tournament-winning deck, piloted by the exceptionally skilled Zan Syed. If you would like a more detailed analysis of the winning list, be sure to check out this blog post!
AMETHYST-STEEL: CONSISTENCY AND BALANCE
The next most popular combination, representing nearly one out of every five participants, brings together two major strengths in Disney Lorcana: card draw from Amethyst and board control from Steel.
As a result, these inks enable a consistent game plan built around individually powerful cards capable of taking over a game if the opponent cannot deal with them quickly.
There is also a second archetype within the same ink combination that plays somewhat differently: Amethyst-Steel Locations.
Although it is not as popular as Amethyst-Steel Midrange, the Locations archetype also made an appearance at the DLC and helped increase the overall numbers for the combination.
AMETHYST-SAPPHIRE: THE CONTROL OPTION
Rounding out the trio of most popular decks, with numbers slightly below the previous one, is Amethyst-Sapphire, commonly nicknamed "Blurple," combining the words "Blue" (representing Sapphire) and "Purple" (representing Amethyst).
This combination is the most consistent control deck in the format, thanks to its many ways of dealing with characters, even when they are not exhausted!
The deck can string together multiple high-value plays, even with higher-cost ink cards, because it runs the maximum number of copies of two cards that accelerate its ink: Sail the Azurite Sea and Tipo - Growing Son.
This acceleration, combined with cards such as Hades - Infernal Schemer and Demona - Scourge of the Wyvern Clan, allows the deck to continually answer any threat from the opponent and secure victory through a highly controlled game.
AMBER-STEEL: A CLASSIC THAT PROVED ITS STRENGTH
Wrapping up the most prominent decks, meaning those that accounted for more than 10% of the metagame, we have Amber-Steel, popularly known as SteelSong.
SteelSong is one of the oldest Disney Lorcana archetypes, having existed since the game's very first set. It is extremely iconic because it combines one of the game's most unique mechanics, Songs and Singer characters, with a powerful package of board control and threat removal.
The version recently developed for the Core Constructed format uses several cards from Winterspell, which introduced songs such as Akood Et Emuti and characters such as Angel - Siren Singer, providing a more aggressive playstyle while maintaining board control and developing a large number of characters.
EMERALD-SAPPHIRE: A SYNERGISTIC CONTROL DECK
Next in popularity, we find another control-oriented deck, but with a different focus.
Rather than relying solely on the individual power of each card, Emerald-Sapphire emphasizes combinations and synergy to gain an advantage.
For example, Clarabelle - Light on Her Hooves and the song You’re Welcome allow you to remove an opposing threat while maintaining card advantage.
Another of the deck's most popular ways to clear the opponent's board is through the song Malicious, Mean and Scary combined with Prince Phillip - Vanquisher of Foes.
Additionally, as another board-control option, Emerald provides direct access to the song Under the Sea, which by itself can deal with the entire board of an Amber-Emerald deck, for example.
AMBER-SAPPHIRE: BETWEEN THEMATIC AND CONTROL
This combination actually encompassed two different archetypes, but because they share the same inks, they helped inflate the total number of Amber-Sapphire decks.
The thematic version focuses on Princesses, highlighted by Aurora - Dreaming Guardian and Mulan - Considerate Diplomat, which provide protection effects and card advantage.
The other archetype, with a more controlling approach, uses Sapphire's acceleration to reach Raging Storm as quickly as possible, wiping the board, and then follows up with larger characters such as Hades - Infernal Schemer to take control of the pace of the game.
SAPPHIRE-STEEL: A BET FOR THE FUTURE?
The popularity of Sapphire-Steel at the event was perhaps one of the more interesting developments, as many players brought a list that combines Detective characters with Ally characters.
The focus, naturally, is on using strong cards from both inks, such as Sail the Azurite Sea, Strength of a Raging Fire, and Doc - Bold Knight, while also incorporating cards that interact with Detective characters (such as Judy Hopps - Uncovering Clues) or Ally characters (such as Jasmine - Steady Strategist).
It remains to be seen whether this list was brought by a larger testing group that prepared and practiced the archetype specifically for the DLC, or whether it was simply a coincidence, perhaps encouraged by the availability of the Whispers in the Well Single Player Deck, which features a strong Detective theme.
AMETHYST-EMERALD: A COMPETITIVE AND AFFORDABLE OPTION
To conclude the analysis of the DLC's most popular combinations, we find an option that has not only already demonstrated strength in events around the world, but also uses relatively few higher-rarity cards, making the deck more accessible.
The Amethyst-Emerald list focuses on a fast game plan, featuring strong Lore-generating characters, and once it is only a few points away from victory, it begins using cards that gain Lore directly without having to wait for a character's ink to dry.
The deck's surprise factor, combined with its speed, certainly earned many victories, cementing this final standout deck among the most popular choices.
OTHERS: EXPERIMENTS AND SPECIALISTS
Although the popularity of these ink combinations closely mirrored the metagame seen in other Challenges, that does not mean there was no room for innovation, experimentation, and highly specialized decks at the first São Paulo DLC.
What stands out, of course, is how many Ruby combinations were concentrated in the less popular portion of the field, an indication of the color's weaker position in the current competitive environment.
THE PATHS TO THE NEXT DLC
And with that, we conclude this analysis of the most popular combinations from the first Disney Lorcana Challenge in Brazil!
As explained, this analysis aimed to illustrate how the metagame of that first Challenge developed and will likely have a significant influence on the metagame of the next DLC in July.
With that in mind, we hope everyone is ready for another fantastic event!
Take care, and see you there!
