Disney Lorcana · Set 4 Starter Deck
Ursula's Return Sapphire & Steel: Upgrade Guide
Anna and Hercules lead a Hero deck that wins challenges with Philoctetes' bonuses and gains lore from Thebes.
At a glance
Sapphire & Steel · Hero challengers
How it plays out of the box
Play Heroes, fight with them, and get paid. Philoctetes gives lore for every Hero you play, Anna makes the rest quest for more, and Hercules guards the board while it happens. It's a clear plan with a clear reward.
It's easy to pilot and good at keeping the board under control. It struggles against Evasive characters it can't reach and against decks that refuse to fight.
The cards on the box
Anna - True-Hearted
Ursula's Return #138
Your other Hero characters get +1 lore when she quests.
Hercules - Beloved Hero
Ursula's Return #180
A 6/5 Bodyguard with Resist +1.
Other cards to know
Philoctetes - No-Nonsense Instructor
Ursula's Return #190
Heroes gain Challenger +1, and you gain 1 lore whenever you play a Hero.
Imperial Bow
Ursula's Return #201
Gives a Hero Challenger +2 and Evasive for a turn.
Thebes - The Big Olive
Ursula's Return #204
Gain 2 lore when a character banishes another in a challenge while here.
The rating: power 3, difficulty 2
A clear tribal plan that is easy to execute, though it has trouble reaching Evasive characters.
Both numbers are TurnZero HQ's own editorial read, not an official Ravensburger rating. Power compares the deck out of the box against the other starter decks, not against a tuned tournament list. Difficulty is how much the deck asks of the person playing it.
What to cut first
Cut the non-Hero characters first, since they miss both Philoctetes and Anna. Then cut items that don't help challenges.
A Lorcana deck needs at least 60 cards, no more than 4 copies of a card with the same full name, and at most two inks, so every card you add means one you take out. The deck building rules →
Upgrade direction 1: Hero tribal, updated
Several of this deck's best cards were reprinted in Fabled, and later sets added more Heroes in Sapphire and Steel.
Philoctetes - No-Nonsense Instructor
Fabled #171
The Fabled reprint, legal in Core.
Anna - True-Hearted
Fabled #137
The Fabled reprint of the box's foil Anna.
Hercules - Beloved Hero
Fabled #186
The Fabled reprint of the box's foil Hercules.
Violet Parr - Super Resilient
Attack of the Vine! #176
A Steel Hero with Resist +1 that loots whenever you play a Hero.
Upgrade direction 2: Sapphire and Steel control
Use the Heroes as the finish and add the removal Sapphire and Steel are known for.
One Last Hope
Fabled #197
The Fabled reprint: Resist +2, and a Hero can challenge ready characters.
Let It Go
Winterspell #163
Puts any character into its owner's inkwell.
Strength of a Raging Fire
Fabled #201
Damage equal to your character count.
Windstorm
Attack of the Vine! #203
Clears small and Evasive characters.
Core or Infinity
As of October 2026, this deck is not legal in Core Constructed as sold, because Core uses sets 9 (Fabled) onward. A card counts as Core-legal when any printing with its full name is, so the cards from this box that were reprinted in Fabled or later can still be played there. The whole deck is legal in Infinity Constructed, which allows every set, and at any kitchen table.
Every upgrade pick on this page is from set 9 or later, so all of them are Core-legal. Core Constructed vs. Infinity →
Buying the sealed deck? Search TCGplayer for the Sapphire & Steel deck → The link goes through our TCGplayer affiliate link; see our affiliate disclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Ursula's Return starter deck is better?
We rate them evenly at power 3. The Hero deck controls the board better; the Encanto deck draws more cards. Pick by which style you enjoy.
What counts as a Hero in Lorcana?
Any character with the Hero classification, printed on the card's classification line under its name.
Build the upgraded deck in TurnZero HQ.
Add the deck to the Deck Lab, make your swaps, and it checks the list against Core Constructed or Infinity as you go. Publish it to share the link. Free to start.
Create Free AccountDisney Lorcana card names and images are the property of Disney and Ravensburger and their respective owners. ©Disney. TurnZero HQ is not affiliated with, sponsored, or endorsed by Disney or Ravensburger. Card data and prices come from Lorcast, which republishes TCGplayer market prices.