On October 4–5, nearly 2,000 Illumineers and attendees gathered in Bologna, Italy for the Disney Lorcana Challenge, ready to put their gameplay skills to the ultimate test. With glittering prize cards, a coveted World Championship seat, and 32 European Championship invitations on the line, the stakes were high and the competition was fierce.

After twelve intense rounds of Core Constructed play and a thrilling Top 32 single-elimination showdown, Lükas Marcellin emerged victorious with a masterful Amethyst/Sapphire deck!

Amethyst/Sapphire or “Blurple” was the most popular ink pairing in Bologna, and Marcellin piloted a finely tuned version all the way to the title. The deck’s game plan revolves around accelerating ink, or “ramping,” on turn two. This lets you play powerful four-cost characters as early as turn three. On turn four,  Elsa – The Fifth Spirit or Belle – Accomplished Mystic help seize control of the board. Once the deck stabilizes, it typically overwhelms the opponent in the late game with high-cost characters and steady card draw.

“I was a long-time player of Amethyst/Sapphire since Azurite Sea,” Marcellin explained about his deck choice. “With the rotation and reprints, it looked like Blurple would be strong. Knowing the deck would be represented a lot and not being afraid of the mirror, I thought it would be a good choice for the tournament.”

It certainly was. With a ramp suite of 4 Tipo – Growing Son, 4 Sail the Azurite Sea, and 1 One Jump Ahead, his deck could execute its core strategy with remarkable consistency. When altering every non-ramp card from the opening hand, this deck can attain an astonishing 94% probability of having access to a ramp effect on turn two.

Marcellin’s build also included a few standout choices that set it apart from the rest. For example, he was the only player in the Top 32 running the full four copies of Iago – Giant Spectral Parrot, a card with impressive strength and willpower stats.

Even more distinctive were the two copies of Ursula – Voice Stealer. “Elsa – the Fifth Spirit is the strongest card in Core Constructed right now, and we can only play four”, Marcellin explained. “I thought it would be a good idea to add two more copies of the exert effect in the deck. The song aspect of Ursula – Voice Stealer is the cherry on the top but not critical. The card is extremely strong in every single matchup where Elsa is strong.”

Hailing from Orléans, France, Marcellin started collecting Lorcana since The First Chapter, and he played his first Lorcana tournaments in early 2024. As he arrived in Bologna, he was no stranger to success in high-level competition, having previously reached the finals of the 707-player Lorca Quest Paris event in October 2024. But this time, at the even grander Disney Lorcana Challenge stage, he took home the first-place trophy.

Across 17 rounds, Marcellin didn’t lose a single match—an extraordinary feat that showcased both his preparation and composure. As the top seed after 12 Swiss rounds, he earned the advantage of playing first in every Top 32 match and maintained his undefeated streak all the way through a thrilling five-game finals against fellow French competitor Vincent Desiderio. When the dust settled, Marcellin stood victorious, clutching the trophy, the title, and a well-earned invitation to the 2026 Disney Lorcana World Championship.

Yet this victory was about more than one player’s triumph: It was an inspiring celebration of friendship and teamwork. Moments after Desiderio extended his hand in defeat, a massive cheer erupted in the hall as Marcellin’s teammates and friends surged forward to congratulate him. Their joy lit up the hall like a thousand floating lanterns—a fitting scene for Marcellin, whose favorite Disney character, Rapunzel, has always known the power of shining together.

“Best community!” Marcellin said in his winner’s interview. As he explained, his victory would not have been possible without the support of his girlfriend, his team, and William Foster. “Huge thanks to Team Experiences and to Willioufouf. As soon as Fabled was fully revealed, we practiced nearly every night up until the DLC to prepare for this event. We won this DLC together!”

While the spotlight was on Lükas Marcellin at the end of the weekend in Bologna, thousands of Illumineers from across Europe—and even beyond—had gathered there to celebrate their shared love of Disney Lorcana. While the main event showcased the dazzling skill of top players, the hall itself buzzed with camaraderie and passion all weekend long. Attendees reunited with old friends, forged new connections, collected treasured cards, joined in a wide variety of side events, met beloved developers and artists, and perhaps walked away with a few shiny prizes.

Both Day 1 and Day 2 featured full video coverage on the Disney Lorcana Twitch channel, complete with a incredible team of expert casters bringing the matches to life. Fans who couldn’t attend in person were still able to follow the action and cheer for their favorite decks and players. The full broadcast is also available on Ravensburger’s Youtube channel.

Bologna marked the very first Disney Lorcana Challenge event in the post-rotation Core Constructed format, featuring cards from Shimmering Skies, Azurite Sea, Archazia’s Island, Reign of Jafar, and Fabled. Based on the submitted decklists, here is how the metagame—the distribution of decks—shaped up.

After eight rounds of Best-of-Three competition on Saturday, all 285 competitors who won at least six rounds advanced to Day 2. There, they battled through four more rounds of Swiss competition before the cut to the Top 32 single-elimination playoff.

While Lükas Marcellin’s victory with Amethyst/Sapphire showcased his skill and preparation, the archetype as a whole struggled to live up to its popularity. Amethyst/Sapphire made up a massive 37% of the starting field on Day 1 but dropped steadily to 33% on Day 2, 19% in the Top 32, and 13% of the Top 8. This decline indicates a poor performance, suggesting that the deck largely faltered against a metagame that was ready to face it.

The breakout success of the weekend was Amber/Emerald, a fast-paced strategy that leverages Lady – Miss Park Avenue and Tramp – Street-Smart Dog through a pack of low-cost characters. By swarming the board early with efficient questers, the deck often outruns Amethyst/Sapphire before they can take control. Amber/Emerald was merely 6% of the starting field on Day 1 but improved to 12% on Day 2, 16% in the Top 32, and an impressive 25% in the Top 8. That steady increase is representative of a strong, well-positioned deck that was winning more matches than it lost.

Looking ahead, we’re eager to see how the metagame evolves at the next Disney Lorcana Challenge, taking place in Milwaukee on October 24–26. The upcoming Set Championships will also help shape the competitive landscape. To find your own opportunity to compete—whether at a Challenge or a local event—visit the Disney Lorcana Challenge and CCQ page, or use the Store Locator to discover Set Championships near you. After all, in the realm of Lorcana, there’s always another adventure waiting just beyond the horizon.

The Top 32 finishers from the Disney Lorcana Challenge in Bologna used a diversity of decks: 8 Amethyst/Steel Midrange decks, 7 Emerald/Sapphire Clarabelle decks, 6 Amethyst/Sapphire Ramp decks, 5 Amber/Steel Aggro decks, 5 Amber/Emerald Dogs decks, and 1 Emerald/Steel Chromicon deck. 

All Top 32 players earned an invitation to the 2026 European Championship, set for September 2026. We look forward to seeing all these talented Illumineers there!