Star Wars: The Card Game

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Star Wars: The Card Game" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Star Wars: The Card Game

Designers	Eric M. Lang
Publishers	Fantasy Flight Games
Publication	2012
Players	2 (up to 4 with Expansions)
Setup time	< 5 minutes
Playing time	60 minutes
Chance	Some
Age range	10 and up
Skills	Card playing, Logic, Bluffing, Strategy

Star Wars: The Card Game is a Living Card Game (LCG) produced by Fantasy Flight Games published from 2012 to 2018. It is a two-player card game set in the Star Wars universe. It puts one player in command of the light side of the Force (with the affiliations Jedi, Rebel Alliance, and Smugglers And Spies making up the light side), and one player in command of the dark side of the Force (made up of Sith, Imperial Navy, and Scum And Villainy affiliations). The Balance of the Force expansion allows multi-player games. The game is set within the time-frame of the original Star Wars trilogy.

Each player has a deck of objective cards representing various missions plus a deck of player cards of units (characters, vehicles, droids and creatures), events, enhancements and fates. Each objective is linked to a set of five player cards. Deck construction consists of choosing which objectives are to go into your objective deck, then adding each of those objective's set of five player cards to your player deck. Game play consists of deploying cards to your tableau, attacking your opponent's objectives, defending your own objectives, and committing cards to the Force Struggle.

The dark side player wins if the Death Star dial reaches 12, with this dial increasing by one on each dark side turn, effectively putting a timer on the game. It may also be increased by winning the Force struggle, destroying light side objectives, and via card effects. The light side player wins by destroying three dark side objectives before the Death Star dial reaches 12.

Like other Living Card Games, each card cycle consists of six packs of pre-determined cards—referred to as “force packs”—that focus on a particular theme or setting from within the Star Wars universe, including story elements that have only made an appearance in the formerly canon expanded universe now known as “Star Wars Legends.” Each force pack increases players' deck-building options with sixty cards (ten cohesive objective sets with six cards in each objective set). Deluxe expansions, released between each card cycle, add a larger volume of cards to the game than an individual force pack and primarily focus on two different factions in the game, one from the light side and one from the dark side,.

On January 10, 2018, Fantasy Flight Games announced that the release of the final force pack of the Alliances cycle, the sixth card cycle of the game, would mark the end of additional content for the game.^[1][2]

The Hoth cycle invokes a powerful sense of location, and create a sense that the players are fighting over a specific place—in this case, Hoth. The light side player is asked to establish and defend Echo base. On the flip side, the dark side player has extra incentive to go after specific light side objectives to drive the Rebels from Hoth.

Expansion Name	Release Date
The Desolation of Hoth	December 2012
The Search for Skywalker	January 2013
A Dark Time	February 2013
Assault on Echo Base	March 2013
The Battle of Hoth	May 2013
Escape from Hoth	June 2013

In the Echoes of the Force cycle, Star Wars: The Card Game experiences dramatic changes taking shape as both sides learn to better channel the power of the Force. Its balance has implications that reach far beyond damaging dark side objectives or advancing the Death Star dial. The cycle turned out to be a huge boost for light side play as it provided many answers against the dominant Sith decks. By the end of the cycle, several cards were either "errataed" or put on a restricted list due to the growing dominance of mainly Jedi decks.

Expansion Name	Release Date
Heroes and Legends	February 2014
Lure of the Dark Side	March 2014
Knowledge and Defense	April 2014
Join Us or Die	June 2014
It Binds All Things	July 2014
Darkness and Light	August 2014

In the Rogue Squadron cycle, Star Wars: The Card Game introduces mechanics to recreate the challenge and tension of dogfighting. Pilot cards can be played as normal units or attached to vehicles, unlocking new powers and card combinations.

Expansion Name	Release Date
Ready for Takeoff	March 2015
Draw Their Fire	April 2015
Evasive Maneuvers	May 2015
Attack Run	June 2015
Chain of Command	July 2015
Jump to Lightspeed	September 2015

The Endor cycle adds Mission cards, which are added to a command deck. When played, they become objectives under your opponent's control, and you can attack these to reap rewards.

Expansion Name	Release Date
Solo's Command	December 2015
New Alliances	January 2016
The Forest Moon	March 2016
So Be It	April 2016
Press the Attack	May 2016
Redemption and Return	July 2016

The Opposition cycle focuses on the struggles between pairs of factions: Jedi and Sith, Rebel Alliance and Imperial Navy, Smugglers and Spies and Scum and Villainy.

Expansion Name	Release Date
Ancient Rivals	August 2016
A Wretched Hive	September 2016
Meditation and Mastery	November 2016
Scrap Metal	December 2016
Power of the Force	February 2017
Technological Terror	April 2017

The Alliances cycle focuses on the friendships that emerge out of hardship and necessity and introduces new affiliation cards for each faction.

Expansion Name	Release Date
Allies of Necessity	July 2017
Aggressive Negotiations	August 2017
Desperate Circumstances	November 2017
Swayed by the Dark Side	December 2017
Trust in the Force	February 2018
Promise of Power	Q2 2018

Expansion Name	Release Date	Description
Edge of Darkness	July 2013	“Edge of Darkness”[3] adds 132 total cards (22 unique objective sets) that feature the dark side’s Scum and Villainy or the light side’s Smugglers and Spies.
Balance of the Force	December 2013	“Balance of the Force”[4] introduces new rules, 154 new cards, and a multiplayer Death Star dial to introduce two distinct multiplayer formats, two-versus-two team play and challenge decks.
Between the Shadows	January 2015	“Between the Shadows”[5] introduces 156 new cards. It includes two copies each of 24 unique objective sets and one copy each of 2 limited objective sets. This expansion focuses on the Jedi and Scum and Villainy factions.
Imperial Entanglements	October 2015	"Imperial Entanglements"[6] introduces 156 new cards. It includes two copies each of 24 unique objective sets and one copy each of 2 limited objective sets. This expansion focuses on the Imperial Navy and the galaxy’s Smugglers and Spies.
Galactic Ambitions	May 2016	"Galactic Ambitions" introduces 156 new cards. It includes two copies each of 24 unique objective sets and one copy each of 2 limited objective sets. This expansion focuses on the Sith and the Rebel Alliance factions.

Seasonal Tournament Kits are the foundation of Organized Play. With three four-month seasons each year (Spring, Summer, and Winter), players can find a large variety of tournaments, game nights, and leagues at their local stores. Seasonal events are a place for newer players to experience organized tournaments and experienced players to try a new deck or alternative format, such as 2v2.

Store Championships kick off Organized Play each year in style. With Store Championships, you will find players of varying skill, more prizes than your weekly game night or league, and loads of fun. Store Championships are also a great chance to play in a more competitive event at your local store and vie for bragging rights and the title of Store Champion.

Regional Championships are your chance to join a community that spans beyond your town or city. Regional Championships are exclusive events and offer a precious first-round bye at the country’s National Championship. Win a Regional Championship and prove to everyone that you should be taken seriously!

National Championships are all about meeting others from across your country and seeing how you stack up against the best your country has to offer. Get to know other top players in your country and form new friendships. Compete against your fellow compatriots for the right to be crowned National Champion and a first-round bye at World Championships!

North America invites all competitors from around the globe to compete for prizes and prestige at the North American Championship, hosted at Gen Con in Indianapolis, IN.

World Championships are the culmination of Organized Play each year and the fires from which champions are forged. Each November, hundreds of players from around the world arrive for five days of gaming at FFG’s very own Games Center. Play for your chance at being named World Champion and earn the right to work with the designers on creating a card for the game!

Previous world champions and cards designed

Year	World champion	Card designed	Set card was included in
2013	Dennis Harlien	Vader’s Meditation Chamber	Galactic Ambitions
2014	Mick Cipra	Kyle Katarn	Galactic Ambitions
2015	Tom Melucci	Wookiee Champion	Aggressive Negotiations
2016	Brad Emon	Darth Vader	Worlds 2018
2017	Mick Cipra	It's Beautiful	Worlds 2018
2018	Javier Maldonado	N/A	N/A

• Official Website - FantasyFlightGames.com
• Star Wars: The Card Game - Organized Play & Events
• Star Wars: The Card Game at BoardGameGeek