You'd need a heart of stone not to be excited by these new Disney Lorcana Gargoyles cards

Want your first good look at some of the new Disney Lorcana Gargoyles cards? Your wish is our command, because GamesRadar+ can exclusively show off six from the upcoming Whispers in the Well expansion.

Following their confirmation a few months ago, there's been plenty of anticipation about how the eponymous Gargoyles – who starred in their own popular animated series from 1994 to '97 – were going to play. We got the beginnings of an answer in a behind-the-scenes sneak-peek from Disney Lorcana designers a few days ago, and I'd love to wax lyrical about what that means for what is fast becoming one of the best card games on shelves right now. But that'd be burying the lede. Time to get to the good stuff, right?

Let's start with Demona, Betrayer of the Clan. The character is a focus for this set at large, and she's a major player in the upcoming narrative – so it tracks that she'd get a powerful variant alongside the version we've already seen (Demona, Scourge of the Wyvern Clan). The card has hefty Strength and Willpower scores to begin with at 4 and 6 respectively, but it becomes even more wince-inducing when challenging thanks to a +2 Strength buff.

Goliath, Clan Leader is an equally powerful card. Thanks to a Strength of 6 and Willpower of 5, it hits with the force of a… well, a stone gargoyle. What's interesting is that "Dusk to Dawn" ability, though. It stops players from having more than two cards in their hand at the end of a turn, thus controlling their next move (or limiting their options, at least). However, it also lets you catch up if you're falling behind by allowing you to draw until you have two cards in your hand. Struggling to cycle through your deck fast enough and want to curtail what rivals are doing at the same time? Drop this bad boy and give yourself some breathing room.

As for Hudson, Determined Reader, he does what he says on the tin. I adore cards like this that blend theme and gameplay so beautifully; this character is the studious sort, so his ability to let you draw a card and then discard another (essentially giving you a chance to cycle through the deck to find what you need) is fitting.

Next up is Lexington, Small in Stature. He was always one of my favorites growing up, so even though his abilities don't catch the eye in the way his comrades' do (his main draw is his 'Alert' status and the 4/4 Strength/Willpower combo), that artwork does the trick. It's downright fantastic, and is a good example of what keeps drawing me back to Lorcana over other TCGs – how gorgeous it is to look at.

OK, let's talk Bronx next. Bronx, Ferocious Beast lives up to the title… and then some. With a Strength of 6 and the 'Reckless' keyword that means it must challenge each turn, I think other players are going to fear this card.

Last but by no means least is David Xanatos, Steel Clan Leader. This card won't hit as hard as others in the Gargoyles lineup, but my goodness, is the "Minor Inconvenience" ability a good way to rile up rivals and manage your hand at the same time. When played, you can choose and discard a card to deal two damage to a chosen character. That's gonna get old real fast for anyone playing against you.

In other words, these Gargoyles cards add a lot for longtime Lorcana fans to mess with. Personally speaking, I'm particularly keen on the rule that says they can't be readied if you have three or more cards in your hand (Stone by Day). It turns a foundational piece of lore from the animated series into tangible mechanics that are more than just fluff, and that's so much easier said than done. Bravo, design team.

These cards will all be available as part of the upcoming Whispers in the Well set that's due to launch on November 14, and you can put in your pre-orders at Amazon now. However, it's worth noting that you can also fly over to and brood outside your local game stores like the Gargoyles themselves for a chance to get those cards early – prerelease starts a few days earlier on November 7.

Looking for some recommendations ahead of Whispers in the Well? Don't miss the best board games.