The Buddy System: Shadows Of The Galaxy, Part 2

It’s amazing how time flies during Star Wars: Unlimited spoiler season. In our last Buddy System article, we were aware of 10 cards that existed in Shadows of the Galaxy, the unreleased Set 2 for SWU. Now, about a month and a half later (at the time of writing) we’re sitting on more than 100 CARDS!

So with a buffet of tasty new things to choose from, today we’re going to do what any good lunchgoer does when presented with a cornucopia of delicious options. That’s right - we are going to try a little bit of everything!

As before, I will be assigning a “buddy” from Spark of Rebellion to complement some of the newest and most intriguing Shadows of the Galaxy cards. This time, though, rather than go through 90+ cards, I am going to select one SHD card from every aspect: Vigilance, Command, Aggression, Cunning, Villainy and Heroism. Each one of those aspects will have a card that is assigned a buddy.

Some will be more obvious than others, but I’ll try not to be TOO obvious about it. I can promise you that you won’t scroll to the Cunning section and find Boba Fett’s Armor (SHD 224) and be forced to ask yourself, “What could possibly fit well with this one?”

So grab a plate and a stack of napkins (I’m very serious about my napkins), because spoilers are back on the menu and it’s time to dig in!

Rose Tico, Dedicated To The Cause (SHD 45)
SoR Buddy: Moment of Peace (SOR 73)

Similar to how you bite into an appetizer you’ve never tried before, thinking it’ll taste a certain way, only to find out it hits the palate differently than you expected… that’s how this first pairing went as you read it, didn’t it?

Yes, Luke Skywalker, Faithful Friend (SOR 5) is likely where you thought I’d go with Rose, and he’s a great choice. But if you’re looking to include Rose in any other Vigilance Heroism deck and still get the most out of her ability, Moment of Peace is the way to go.

The general exchange rate for Experience tokens in Star Wars: Unlimited to this point is 1-for-1. There are some exceptions to this rule, like Medal Ceremony (SOR 245) and General Tagge, Concerned Commander (SOR 80), which allow you to give tokens above that curve, spread out amongst multiple units.

But with Rose’s On Attack ability, you’re essentially turning Moment of Peace into a card that says “Give a friendly unit 2 Experience Tokens” for 1 resource, which is unheard of currently in SWU.

With the amount of cards that will want upgrades already previewed in Shadows of the Galaxy, it stands to reason that Moment of Peace could see an uptick in value to fulfill those requirements. With Rose Tico, it’s another enabler for her ability that can be used on herself or others, and I predict Rose will find an early home in Vigilance decks come July!

Outflank (SHD 128)
SoR Buddy: Benthic "Two Tubes", Partisan Lieutenant (SOR 156)

Benthic "Two-Tubes" is one of the most under-appreciated Aggression cards in Spark of Rebellion. For all intents and purposes, he seems to belong in a Leia Organa deck that spams Rebel units and attacks two by two (hands of blue, for you Firefly fans).

There’s just one massive problem with Benthic: he doesn’t have the Heroism aspect. For decks that rely on For A Cause I Believe In (SOR 152), that’s a big concern.

Fortunately, Benthic can also be played in Villainy decks, as well as decks that aren’t so reliant on having a full spread of Heroism cards. For those versions, Outflank will provide tremendous value to the inclusion of Two Tubes.

Without Leia’s ability, attacking with Benthic paints a massive target on the unit to which you choose to give Raid 2. Now, Outflank allows you to attack with that unit as well in the same action, ensuring your extra damage is not negated or Benthic’s ability wasted.

Also, Outflank opens up your decision point to include more than just Rebels to be the beneficiary of Benthic’s ability, unlike Rebel Assault (SOR 103). Thanks to this new version of the same idea, now any Aggression unit on the board can be even stronger!

Wrecker, Boom! (SHD 154)
SoR Buddy: Strike True (SOR 127)

I’m sensing a pattern with these last two buddies - pairing Aggression and Command together just seems to come naturally to me. Maybe it has something to do with my love for playing Vader Green. But to me, this was a match that clicked right away.

Have you ever played I Am Your Father (SOR 233) because you needed to do 7 damage, only to be foiled by your opponent saying “No”?

What if your opponent COULDN’T say no?

Strike True with Wrecker in play turns into seven damage for 3 resources, which is well above the defined damage output that any event can dole out against one single unit currently at that price point.

There are some undefined alternatives that are dependent on other factors; Karabast (SOR 151) could get to that point for one less resource if you used it on a unit that had 6 damage on it, for example. But defeating upwards of 75% of the leaders in the game currently, for 3 resources, sounds like a deal I’d take anytime.

Yes, there are units out there that have greater power than 7 which could also make Strike True amazing. But you’re not getting any of them until you hit at least 8 resources… except Wrecker, who you can play for 6. The value is there, and now Wrecker has a pal to help him shine even brighter!

Zorii Bliss, Valiant Smuggler (SHD 203)
SoR Buddy: Cassian Andor, Dedicated to the Rebellion (SOR 13)

Poe Dameron is going to be a bit jealous here, but Cassian Andor is a perfect match for Zorii’s On Attack ability. For one thing, Zorii has the stats of a leader - even better than Cassian! - so should theoretically be able to stick around for a bit. But the best news is that you can play her at 5 resources, which means she’ll be ready for Cassian’s flip turn.

Ideally when you’re on 6 resources with Cassian, you’d like to be able to trigger his ability on both his Leader side and on his Leader Unit side when he deploys, drawing you 2 cards in the process.

With Zorii in the mix, you’re adding a third card, making the discard requirement a lot easier to stomach with your hand refilled before the start of the regroup phase.

Cassian’s ability to draw cards and keep a heavy hand will provide you the ability to cycle through your deck with Zorii, and also potentially fuel other abilities down the road, like Fennec Shand, Loyal Sharpshooter (SHD 220).

Playing Zorii in any deck feels like having two leaders on the board, and with Cassian blissfully drawing cards (see what I did there?) you can be sure you’ll maintain a certain comfort of choice when being forced to discard by the Valiant Smuggler herself.

Incinerator Trooper (SHD 234)
SoR Buddy: Snowtrooper Lieutenant (SOR 227)

Oh yes, we love a good Snowtrooper Lieutenant around these parts. But the pairing here is just so perfect. Incinerator Trooper is going to get some awesome synergy from cards like Moff Gideon, Formidable Commander (SHD 7) that allow it to punch up above its weight class. As a result, it will be an early target and, like Han Solo, Reluctant Hero (SOR 198), it does not get the same benefit while defending.

Enter the trusty Lieutenant, who can help the Incinerator Trooper reach more than 65% of the current card pool of ground units (that includes SHD cards that have already been revealed at the time of this article) and survive!

There’s not much else to say about this one - the card will be a huge priority for both friendly abilities and enemy ones. In other words, it’ll be… under fire. Get it, because… oh, never mind.

Tech, Source of Insight (SHD 248)
SoR Buddy: K-2SO, Cassian’s Counterpart (SOR 145)

This was the most difficult card to find a buddy for, because Tech is like cheese. Cheese goes with everything, and so does this particular member of the Bad Batch. But if EVERY card in your resource pool gains Smuggle, then how can you choose just ONE to pair perfectly?

I started with Millennium Falcon, Piece of Junk (SOR 193) because it comes in ready, which may be worth paying 5 resources for. But let’s be honest, you’re never resourcing a Falcon.

Then I thought of Rebel Assault for the second time in this article, but Tech himself isn’t a Rebel, so adding a non-Rebel to a Rebel deck could be tricky. That’s when I settled on (coincidentally, another Rebel) K-2SO.

I can’t tell you how many games I’ve seen and been a part of where K-2 hits the ground arena and effectively ends the game. If you’re dropping him late, unless your opponent has a way to exhaust or return him to your hand, he’s going to deal three damage.

That damage will get by all their sentinels and, if you’re paying 6 for K-2, will likely happen at a very inopportune time for them. Having that closer on the board is, in my opinion, worth paying 6 resources for, especially against a control deck. I could see Tech and K-2SO getting along together very nicely.

Check, Please!

Shadows of the Galaxy is going to turn Star Wars: Unlimited on its head when it releases July 12th, and there are a lot of adventurous new cards that I’m excited to pair with both SHD and SOR cards when that happens. Some of the new mechanics are designed to go swimmingly with cards in the same set, but rest assured: Spark of Rebellion is still going to be VERY relevant when Set 2 drops. 

What did you think of our choices? What pairings are you most excited about in Shadows? I hope I could provide you with some food for thought in this one - stay tuned for our next Buddy System article as more spoilers are released for SHD! 

Kevin
Roll On Gaming
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