The Ink Table Podcast Episode 8: "Side Quests"
Learning Together
A week has passed since we disembarked our vessels and stepped onto Archazia’s Island. Under the tutelage of the owl we have mastered the ability to cast dual ink glimmers. Our days have been filled with studying Story Stars and Knowledge Scrolls while critters endlessly bound around our feet. With this new adventure has come many new obstacles to challenge, and …a new quest.
Welcome back and thank you for pulling up a seat at The Ink Table where, for this episode, we are joined by our very first guest. And what better first guest to have than the Queen of Lorcana and the heart of our community, Rebekah Quests. The team had fun discussing specific underused cards and having Rebekah blind rank some custom ones that Dylan created; but more importantly, spent time hearing Rebekah’s story about her journey through the world of Lorcana and received some wise advice along the way.
Spotlight Cards
Preston’s Pick: Hiro Hamada, Armor Designer.
Being from a dual ink combination that the guys previously expressed their excitement about, this pick comes as no surprise. What may come at a surprise is the fact that the combination and this card particularly are seeing little to no play.
7 cost inkable should not be an issue in Saphire that wants to ramp and get large cards like this out sooner. Not to mention that it is a Floodborn that can shift for 5. The stat line of 4 strength, 6 willpower, and questing for 3 makes for a phenomenal card. The ability is no joke either. Hiro allows for all of your Floodborn characters that have shifted on top of another card to gain both Evasive and Ward. This card itself would also benefit from this ability if shift was used to play it. While this card already has high enough strength to get past most Ruby removal and high enough willpower to survive an Along Comes Zues, the added Evasive/Ward abilities make this card almost untouchable.
The only thing that seems to be holding this card back is the dual ink combination. While on paper this would work well, a single card cannot change the viability of Emerald/Saphire decks. Maybe in future sets we will see more pieces align.
Rebekah’s Pick: Pepper, Quick-Thinking Puppy
Girl Power shines bright with this pick. An inkable 3 cost with 2 strength, 2 willpower, and only quests for one. An intermediate cost with a not so special stat line; what is it that makes this card so special? The ability In the Nick of Time states that while this card is in play, whenever one of your Puppy characters (including this one) is banished, you may put them into your inkwell exerted.
If you are anything like me, then this sounds like an easy way to turn your puppies into sacrificial ink. But Rebekah points out a much cuter combination. In the past, the Puppy archetype was restricted to Amber. But within Archazia’s Island, this has been expanded to include the Amber/Saphire combination. And with this came a new dual ink card (Pongo, Dear Old Dad) that allows you to look at the cards in your inkwell at the start of your turn and play a puppy character from there for free. This combination of putting puppies into your inkwell, just to play them for free makes for unique gameplay that sees Lorcana’s first experiment with inkwell manipulation to this degree.
This spotlight card was ironically a perfect fit by Rebekah for another reason. The flavor text “Pepper proves every puppy is part of the pack.” truly captures her personal thoughts when it comes to boosting smaller creators such as us. “Rising tides lift all ships.”
Dylan’s Pick: Clarabelle, News Reporter
This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that Dylan speaks about this card. During the podcast he shared a personal connection to it, as his daughter shares one of her middle names with the Disney cow. Building a deck that is centered around the Support ability, has also been a passion project of his since Rise of the Floodborn.
While the cost of 4 isn’t ideal, the fact that it is inkable mixed with its abilities makes the card situationally worth playing in specific decks. This Clarabelle has both 3 strength and 3 willpower, while questing for an impressive 2 lore. Having Support is a plus; but it is her other ability Breaking Story that impresses Dylan the most. This ability boosts the strength of all other characters with Support by 1.
It is this ability that makes Clarabelle a core piece in getting that passion project deck to work. Another core piece is Alice, Growing Girl that both gives all other characters Support and quests for a whopping 5 lore when her strength is 10 or higher. The combination of Alice giving all of your characters Support and Clarabelle boosting their strength, makes it easy to quests for high amounts of lore in a single turn.
Blind Ranking: The Critters That Could Have Been
In most episodes, the team typically has Preston blind rank custom cards that Dylan has created. Not being an artist, it is the abilities and core gameplay mechanics that make these cards interesting. Each set of custom cards showcased share a central theme. This time, each represented a critter that could have been present on Archazia’s Island but didn’t make the cut. And with a special guest in their presence, it was only fitting to have Rebekah play this special game. Take a look for yourself at the custom cards we have left down below, and make sure to check out Rebekah’s excited reaction to the prospect of a Flash Slothmore card.
Words of Wisdom
As much fun as it was to discuss cards, the most important topics of conversation were much deeper than cardboard. Majority of the episode leaned into being a Q&A in which Rebekah was able to share some great advice and words of encouragement for new and experienced players alike.
The simplest piece of advice directed to new players or those straddling the line of attending play at a Local Game Store for the first time, is to check out the LGS on your own terms. Don’t let league play be the first time you step foot into the store. Find time to get a vibe check and familiarize yourself with the environment. And some advice for shop owners…. keep your bathrooms clean.
The most important lesson that can be taken away from the conversation is a sentiment and philosophy that The Ink Table was founded upon. Strengthening community play on all levels, local and broader, is the key to Lorcana’s continued growth and success. Make the game fun and welcoming to all who check it out. Whether a casual or competitive scene,
BE RESPECTFUL. Don’t be afraid to slow your gameplay down, answer questions, and take the time to teach the player setting across from you.