Disney Lorcana Winterspell expansion is doing something it never has before with first Darkwing Duck cards

2026 is prepped to be one of Disney Lorcana’s most exciting since its debut in 2023. The Core Constructed format is popping off more and more with each passing set, and, of course, this year will also see the long-awaited arrival of Pixar to the game.

Before that, there’s still one name missing. We’ve had plenty of Disney Channel cartoons grace Lorcana with Gargoyles being the latest in last year’s Whispers In The Well, but its biggest star has been absent until now. Darkwing Duck and his nemesis Negaduck will finally be swinging into one of the best card games in the upcoming Winterspell set, and GamesRadar+ can reveal their first two Disney Lorcana cards.

Negaduck - Public Enemy Number One

Darkwing Duck’s evil nemesis from an alternate reality, Negaduck is the latest Villain to grace Lorcana. Though the regular cost of five ink for a 6/5 Negaduck is a bit steep, being a Floodborn allows it to shift on to another Negaduck for just three instead, which is a lot more appealing.

The ability is one we’ve seen a couple of times before, letting it drain one of your opponents’ lore whenever it challenges, but it’ll still be interesting to see where Nega slots into the meta. Ruby inked cards haven’t been doing too hot as of late, so if Winterspell gives ruby the boost it needs to supplant one of the colors in the popular amethyst/steel challenger decks, Negaduck could play a big role with how effectively it can slow an opponent down.

This card also confirms this won’t be a one-off appearance for Negaduck. Floodborns require targets with the same name to shift on to, so we can expect to see this yellow-clad ne’er-do-well pop up at least a couple more times across the set.

Darkwing Duck - Cool Under Pressure

Here he is, the big DW himself. Darkwing Duck - Cool Under Pressure is one of Winterspell’s legendary rarity cards, and this is a card of big firsts for Lorcana.

On top of being Darkwing’s debut, it’s also the first time we’ve ever seen the shift ability on a non-Floodborn card, letting you play less ink to play it on top of another Darkwing Duck. I’d love it if we got his secret identity Drake Mallard to shift on to, as if donning his Darkwing disguise. At the very least, like Nega, we can expect a few Darkwing Duck cards in the set.

Even without that, though, Darkwing Duck is a wall of absolute value abilities. Take That! lets you hit your opponents’ characters for two damage, provided you can banish items on your turn to trigger it. Fortunately, Benja - Guardian of the Dragon Gem and Pluto - Steel Champion both see enough play to make slotting in a Darkwing Duck into the meta-dominating steel/amber decks worthwhile.

It’s that last ability that makes Darkwing Duck really exciting, though; Evildoers Beware! lets Darkwing Duck challenge Villains even if they’re ready. It’s another ability we’ve seen a few times, especially in Steel, but with his hefty 6/8 statline, Darkwing Duck is by far the hardest-hitting character we’ve seen with it.

The core meta is currently chock-full of villains. Madam Mim has been a problem for years, and Whispers in the Well’s Demona has also been making waves. Hades, Namari, Ursula, and Captain Hook all also pop up in the biggest decks, making Darkwing Duck’s role in the game all too clear.

Darkwing Duck and Negaduck feel like the perfect way to kick off a big year for Lorcana. They’re the last big name in the Saturday Morning lineup to hit Lorcana before Pixar arrives later this year, and Darkwing himself could easily become part of the meta for Winterspell.

Winterspell’s prerelease begins on February 13, ahead of its full release on February 20.

• Winterspell Booster Box: $124.99 at Miniature Market
• Winterspell Booster: $5.49 at Miniature Market

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