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An ink drop is a temporary, one-use resource created by a card effect in Disney Lorcana’s Hyperia City set. Each drop pays for 1 ink, can be spent on the turn it is created, and is removed from the game after use—it does not stay in your inkwell.
How ink drops work
When an effect creates ink drops, you can use them like ink to pay for cards or abilities as permitted by the card text and game rules. Each drop pays for 1 ink. Unlike ink placed in your inkwell, a drop is temporary: once spent, it leaves the game rather than remaining available for a later turn. Disney Lorcana’s official explanation says ink drops can be created by effects involving any ink color combination, not only Sapphire.
The official Ink Drop Deep Dive, published by Ravensburger on September 29, 2026, describes the mechanic as part of Hyperia City.
How cards create ink drops
Ink drops come from card effects, so the card’s trigger and wording determine when you receive them. The official article gives two examples:
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- Tadashi Hamada – Making Waves creates two ink drops whenever it is banished.
- Higitus Figitus is a song that creates three ink drops.
These examples do not mean every card creates drops in the same way. Check the individual card text for its trigger and effect.
Can you spend drops on the turn you create them?
Yes. The official explanation says drops can be spent during the same turn they are created. As an illustration, it describes singing Higitus Figitus with a Singer 6 to play an eight-cost character as early as turn five. That is an example of a possible play line, not a guarantee: it depends on having the relevant cards and meeting their requirements.
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What can you spend them on?
Drops can help pay for a play, but some cards also have effects that specifically care whether you used a drop. Read the card carefully: the benefit is tied to that card’s wording, not a general rule that changes every card played with temporary ink.
- Madam Mim – Resourceful Trickster has an on-play ability that activates when it is played using ink drops. The official article also describes its Bauble Game ability as giving future value to ink drops.
- Jousting Match normally deals two damage, but deals five damage when played using an ink drop.
Spend drops now or save them for a bigger play?
The practical choice is whether to use drops for several smaller plays or hold them for a larger one. Consider the cards in your hand and any effects that reward using a drop. There is no universal best choice: the official explanation supplies examples, not comparative tournament results.
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Where to check detailed rules
For beginner instruction on ink and paying for cards, use the official How To Play page, which includes an “Inks and Playing Cards” lesson and quick-start rules. For edge cases, the official resources page lists the Comprehensive Rules and set release notes, including a rules document marked updated July 9, 2026.
Quick Recap
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