Quiet Courage and Hidden Paths
Sometimes it’s not the loudest roar that wins the battle, but the soft steps in the underbrush. In Reign of Jafar, three new face‑off characters: Bambi - Little Prince and Raya - Infiltration Expert, offer exactly that nuance, unlocking strategic routes that reward patience, precision, and unexpected synergy. Let’s open that forest path and follow where it leads.
Bambi – Gentle Wanderer in Emerald/Steel Midrange
“Bambi – Young Prince” might not leap off the page at first glance, but paired with Steel’s resilience, this new Emerald/Steel midrange shell has found a unique axis of attack: lore tempo through careful evasion and disruption. Packing cards like “Steal from the Rich” and “Hans – Scheming Prince”, this deck slows opponents just enough for Bambi to quietly build up lore.
What makes Bambi so intriguing is his interaction with “Sudden Chill” and “Grab Your Sword”, which allow you to remove threats while your Young Prince quests safely. His 3 Willpower is oddly hardy in this meta, often needing a committed challenge to remove. Tournament data shows that a variant piloted in Copenhagen made Top 8, indicating this archetype is finding a foothold, even amidst bounce-heavy Amethyst metas.
Little Prince – Stargazing In Amber/Amethyst Control
Decks running “Little Prince – Starborn” offer a whimsical but potent tool for stalling aggressive metas. Amber/Amethyst players have started splashing this Reign of Jafar characters favourite into board-control shells alongside “Belle – Hidden Archer” and “Yzma – Alchemist Advisor”. Why? Starborn quests for two lore with evasive stats, and when comboed with “Heal What Has Been Hurt” and “Dr. Facilier’s Cards”, you’re controlling the pace without needing to race.
In match reports on inkdecks.com, some players noted that Little Prince dodges many bodyguard walls due to his evasive nature, especially problematic for Ruby/Sapphire item decks relying on brute force to halt questers. Interestingly, Little Prince also finds synergy with “Ursula – Power Hungry” by luring opponents into overcommitting, then swinging tempo back with well-timed banishes and draw power.
Raya – Infiltration Expert’s Tactical Splash in Ruby/Amethyst Bounce
Raya – Infiltration Expert, the Reign of Jafar characters sleeper hit, adds a deceptive layer of pressure in Ruby/Amethyst bounce lists which already dominate tournament top cuts. Her arrival ability—banish a 2 or lower Willpower character—is immediately board-impacting. She's often paired with “Mickey Mouse – Brave Little Tailor” and “Lady Tremaine – Overbearing Matriarch”, forming a compact control core.
One successful list splashed Raya to break through Amethyst bounce mirrors, where her ability removes cards like “Pongo – Dependable Dalmatian” or “Caterpillar – Calm and Wise” before they generate value. In one standout case from Madrid Regionals, Raya’s one-ink cost allowed an early board swing against aggressive Amber/Steel lists, providing breathing room for late-game flood prevention via “Rapunzel – Gifted with Healing”. The Raya card strategy now includes tempo stalls and bait removal—she’s not a finisher, but a precision scalpel in a deck of hammers.
Niche Builds: Colour Splashes That Whisper Loudly
Off-meta lists are blooming around these characters thanks to creative splashes. A Sapphire/Emerald ‘draw-lock’ includes Raya and Bambi for a low-ink curve balanced with “Tamatoa – So Shiny!” and “John Silver – Greedy Treasure Seeker”. Early stalls from Raya, plus Bambi’s consistent questing, buy time for high-value draw and lock pieces. Meanwhile, Little Prince has even found a cheeky home in Amber/Ruby Allies synergy decks, where his evasive lore gain slips past large Ruby bodies while oversized allies do the heavy lifting mid-game.
What’s essential in these niche builds is recognising that each of these Reign of Jafar characters acts not as stars, but force multipliers. They amplify tempo, tilt resource trades, and slip through defences. They ask: what if we didn’t always meet aggression with aggression?
Final thoughts
These new character cards featuring Bambi and Raya don’t need to be loud to leave a mark. Whether disrupting a curve, slipping through defences, or quietly accruing lore, they reward players who see not only what’s strong now, but what might bloom tomorrow. So follow curiosity. Sometimes, it leads to victory.
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