The Newest Hidden Gems in Legends of the Force

What a wild Friday we had last week, huh?

Before we discuss any of the cards revealed in the deluge of spoilers we experienced, I want to take a moment to commend the Star Wars: Unlimited team at FFG. To put it bluntly, it sucks that the full set was leaked to certain groups, and that the SWU team had to upend their spoiler season.

But the fact that they care enough about maintaining a competitive balance, especially this close to the Galactic Championship, to change their whole release schedule to ensure fairness speaks volumes about their ability to support the player base. 

They have proven many times over that this is a development group that will actively listen and make changes in favor of their supporters, and they have gone above and beyond in that endeavor. 

Also, Friday’s big spoiler drop did absolutely NOTHING to dampen my hype for Legends of the Force, so kudos to FFG, and let’s dive into it! 

Hunting Needles in Haystacks

I couldn’t even tell you just how many cards were revealed to complete the entire Legends of the Force set on Friday. More than 100? Probably. I was at work listening to my notifications buzz incessantly and not being able to do a thing about it until later that afternoon.

Heck, my co-host (and brother) Corwin was gracious enough to read me some selections over the phone on my drive home. What a guy!

As such, I’ve had a couple of days to pore over the new cards we saw, and while there are some obvious bangers - looking at you, Craving Power (LOF 91) - I wanted to shout out some of the less-obvious stars of the content tsunami.

Now, am I a soothsayer that can guarantee all of these cards will pan out to be Legends of the Force?

Of course not. You may already have a keen eye on these cards and think I’m crazy for even suggesting that they are in the “sleeper” category. 

But if there was one thing I’d be doing currently instead of writing this article, it would be sleeping (new schedules are an adjustment!) so I’ve got snoozing on the brain. Be careful, however, not to sleep on one of the newest Leaders to hit the scene. 

A Caped Crusader

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it… well, at least twice: paying less resources for stuff than the resources that stuff costs is good stuff. Maybe I didn’t say it like that, but you get the idea. 

Enter Barriss Offee, We Have Become Villains (LOF 13) who lets you play events from your hand at a discount just by using the Force. Think of her as Leader Bib Fortuna, but without having to exhaust on the unit side. 

Oh yes indeed, programs… when Barriss is deployed, you can use her Action again and again, so long as the Force is with you to spend (and you have events to play). Think of the possibilities!

…actually, I only had to think of one to realize the potential of this Leader:

How could I leverage Barriss’ ability to get a Resupply off in Round 1? 

That’s where Mystic Monastery (LOF 22) lights its beacons as though it was Gondor calling for aid. And, I assure you, Rohan will answer. 

With Barriss Offee and Mystic Monastery, you can use one of the three charges on the Rare base to gain the Force, then spend it with Barriss’ ability to play Resupply for 2 resources, thus ensuring you start the 2nd round with 4 in your resource row.

As of now, only Han Solo, Audacious Smuggler (SOR 17) and Barriss can achieve this feat, but Barriss doesn’t cost you card advantage in the process. 

Now, I know you’re going to say, “Kevin, if you’re not playing the common Force bases from Legends of the Force, you’ll only get to use her ability 3 times. Doesn’t that seem like a waste?” And to that, I would say, “No!” 

Being able to ramp immediately to set up an earlier Leader deploy, play a 4-cost unit Round 2, or even have the flexibility to play a 3-cost unit and a 1-cost card on top of that could prove to swing the tide in your favor. Not to mention (but I’ll mention it anyway) that Command and Cunning feature two 1-cost events that allow you to regain the Force when you play them. 

But even if a limited amount of Force triggers freaks you out, Barriss has the flexibility to be able to achieve discounts in any aspect pairing (can you say, free Force Throw?), and that alone piques my interest. This is definitely a Leader to watch out for! 

Storm’s Coming, Ani!

Let’s face it: having to exhaust your own units kind of stinks, unless you’re pulling off a combo to do other cool things - see: Admiral Ackbar (JTL 16) and Wedge Antilles (SOR 100). 

But there are, quite frankly, some units that will serve you just fine even when they are exhausted… especially those that feature the Sentinel keyword. Don’t believe me? Just ask Loth-Wolf (LOF 44)… or Village Protectors (SHD 43)… or how about Concord Dawn Interceptors (SHD 42)?

Vigilance Heroism loves a Shield token and especially loves a Shielded Sentinel, so you can imagine my mixture of excitement, terror and disgust when I saw one of the newest Uncommons to be revealed, Calm in the Storm (LOF 54). 

In the land of 2-cost 2/4 units (and one 2/5 unit!) how nice would it be for your 3/3 Loth-Wolf to turn into a 5/5 Loth-Wolf with a Shield?

Or ensuring that a key unit in your deck survives at least another round? Even still, pairing Calm in the Storm with Dogfight (JTL 123) and an Overwhelm unit? 

There’s a heavy dose of Experience token generation floating around in Legends of the Force, and it stands to reason that while your opponent will likely be playing some form of upgrade removal, the sheer volume of XP being handed out may end up nullifying the best-laid plans of both mice and men.

And even if you’re stuck with an army of mice, this card can give them the strength to stand up to the men in their path. 

I know, SO dramatic. Long story short, I would suggest pulling a Qui-Gon and meditating on the uses for Calm in the Storm… you may find you like this card as much as I do. 

With Great Acclaim

I was scrolling through the new cards on Friday, minding my own business, when a double-Command unit stopped me in my tracks… I mean, like HOLD UP. 

You mean to tell me that there’s a 5/8 ship that now exists that can give your other units +5/+5? And that’s an On Attack ability? Where was this in Jump to Lightspeed?!

Truly, the Acclamator Assault Ship (LOF 106) represents a best-case scenario, especially in an aspect pairing that, quite frankly, we just don’t see.

Green/Green hasn’t been super popular for a reason: the double-Command cards simply haven’t been very good. But with the rise of Data Vault (JTL 24) – and the power of friendship – I think this unit may find a place outside your binder. 

The low-hanging fruit here is Admiral Piett, Commanding The Armada (JTL 5). As we always tend to do in March, July and November, we travel back to the magical Christmas-land where...

• you have Admiral Piett, Captain of the Executor (SOR 79) on the board,
• you flip Leader Piett on 5 resources,
• play the Acclamator, using Leader Piett's discount on capital ships,
• Ambush it into your opponent...
• while making Leader Piett a 7/12 thanks to the Acclamator's On Attack ability. 

Easy, right? 

Well, no.

More than likely, you’re either saving your Piett flip for when you have a ready Acclamator, or just getting it out with other units on the board. That way, even if your Leader is deleted, there’s another target for the Assault Ship’s ability. 

Of course, that means you’re in mono with Piett, so some of the best Star Destroyers in the game are all of a sudden not in your arsenal. 

That said, you shouldn’t limit yourself to one Leader just because we’re talking about a Capital Ship here. Green is the ramp color for a reason, so reimagining any mono deck with the support of Data Vault isn’t too difficult to do. 

Just think - the token generation of Captain Rex, Fighting For His Brothers (TWI 7) and Darth Vader, Victor Squadron Leader (JTL 6) combined with the might of both the Acclamator and Unity of Purpose (JTL 106).

With a little elbow grease (and a lot of luck), you’ll spend the late game boosting your tokens into serious board threats. Kaaaa-chow! 

In all seriousness, I don’t think the power of a potential +5/+5 boost every turn should be ignored, no matter the aspect pairing. Acclamator may not be the safest bet on this list, but it just might have the highest ceiling. 

But What About The Droid Attack On The Wookiees?

He’s back… JustJack’s FAVORITE Star Wars Character! 

(OK, so maybe this card isn't new new. And if we're being honest, there's nothing hidden about it. But it is a GEM, so it made the cut!)

Ki-Adi-Mundi, We Must Push On (LOF 146) looks to be the cheaper (in multiple ways) version of the character’s Legendary counterpart from Twilight of the Republic, and just might be more useful on top of that. 

On the surface, a 4/4 ground unit for 4 resources does not meet the standard criteria of what would be considered a “good” unit in Star Wars: Unlimited these days, unless you’re K-2SO. (Side note: remember when we were getting 4/4’s for FIVE resources? RIP Agent Kallus. Anyway…)

However, Master Mundi’s When Played ability more than makes up for his lack of stats, provided you are playing him in a deck that creates and spends Force tokens.

Drawing two cards for what is essentially no cost off the top of your deck is virtually unheard-of in SWU. In fact, here is the current list of units that can draw you more than one card:

• Grand Moff Tarkin, Death Star Overseer (SOR 84)
• Black One, Scourge of Starkiller Base (SOR 147)
• Star Wing Scout (SOR 163)
• Ki-Adi-Mundi, Composed and Confident (TWI 64)

One only draws Imperial cards, one discards your hand, one only occurs if you have the initiative AND lose that unit, and the fourth one is ALSO KI-ADI-MUNDI. Seriously, is his cranium so big because he stores all the drawn cards in there? 

The Aggression version of this famed Cerean can help you refill your hand after an attack from Poe Dameron, Quick To Improvise (SHD 153) or dealing extra damage with Merrin, Alone With The Dead (LOF 160). If you’re trying to hunt for a cheeky damage swing from Rey, With Palpatine’s Power (LOF 148), Ki-Adi-Mundi increases your chances. 

Or, if you just need to get to your stupid, stupid ECL/Timely Intervention/Wrecker combo (did I mention, stupid?), well gosh darnit, this will help with that too. Don’t mind me, I’m just bitter.

And if all that weren’t enough to be excited for The Notorious K.A.M… he’s part of an AWESOME Prestige triptych. Get hyped, Carbonite buyers! 

Throwing Shade

Hear me out… I really like Deceptive Shade (LOF 180). I might even *gasp* LIKE-like Deceptive Shade. 

Going back to that same world we were in earlier, where Round 1 units are sporting 4-5 HP, it’s not always going to be the easiest thing to clear them out in one fell swoop. In that same vein, those 4-5 HP units will likely not be able to knock out a 3-HP unit without some help, unless they’re Aurra Sing, Patient and Deadly (LOF 179). 

Deceptive Shade gives you a noble sacrifice to throw into an opponent’s unit to remove a shield or soften them up for an incoming Ambush. This Ambush comes from the very next unit you play this phase, and no other restrictions beyond that. It’s ECL on a stick, and we know how sought-after Ambushers are in SWU. 

The Shade’s usefulness extends beyond the early-game; in fact, the later the game goes, the more impactful its reach will be. Now your heavy-hitting 5+ resource units don’t have to wait to be removed before they make an impact on the game. 

Consider giving Ambush to a unit that sports both When Played and On Attack abilities.

Avenger? Hell yes. 

Reinforcement Walker? Seems good!

LOF Asajj Ventress? That’s a beefy Force unit you’ve got there!

And I’m sure I don’t have to mention the benefits of playing something with Overwhelm that doesn’t already have Ambush. From the smallest First Legion Snowtrooper (SOR 130) to a drawback-free Savage Opress, Imbued With Hate (LOF 137), all the way to a Krayt Dragon (SHD 172) and beyond, Deceptive Shade can help your Overwhelm units make short work of your enemies while hitting bases in the process. 

Not sure why all of those were Aggression cards, but hey, pick your poison! 

Luke, Trust Me, Bro

It’s our last card on the list, and this one is a doozy, especially for someone who has been salivating over the new Darth Revan Leader. What if I told you there was a better version of Shoot First (SOR 217) that cost the same amount of resources? 

“But Kevin, nobody plays Shoot First anymore.”

Be that as it may, they’ll play this one. 

Trust Your Instincts (LOF 221) is a Rare for a reason, because it can completely swing the tide of a game in my humble estimation, provided the Force is with you.

Consider how this card changes the math over the course of a game. 

“I was told there would be no math.”

So was I, but stop interrupting. 

Being two damage away from a killing blow to one of your opponent’s units already has answers, especially in the Cunning aspect. Sure, you could play any one of the tried-and-true pump cards and achieve the desired result: defeating that unit. 

But the fact of the matter remains - with all these cards, you’re still taking the damage back.

What if you didn’t have to? 

Now not only does your opponent’s unit die, your unit goes from either being damaged or ALSO defeated, to staying unscathed through the entire ordeal. 

Now your opponent has to have another answer on hand to account for that full-health threat, where before it might not be there, or be easier to remove due to the damage sustained. 

“We already have cards like that.”

Be patient, please. I’m getting there. 

As the peanut gallery suggested, there are only six existing cards in Star Wars: Unlimited that allow a unit to deal combat damage before the defender, with only really two being played with any sort of regularity: both Cunning Han Solo units. 

However - and here’s where the Revan tie comes in - if a unit could not only come out of an attack undamaged, but STRONGER than before, wouldn’t that be even more difficult for an opponent to deal with? 

Trust Your Instincts enable some serious value trades that get even more valuable with Revan’s ability on either his Leader or Leader Unit side. It isn’t as exciting to give an Experience Token to a unit that already has 4 damage on it.

Between Shoot First and Trust Your Instincts, the stage is set for Revan’s ability to shine, buffing full-health units all the way to the bank. 

“I don’t want to play Revan.”

Well, that’s your decision. 

Even if you’re not looking forward to that specific leader, any Cunning Force deck can benefit from Trust Your Instincts. Unless you’re Barriss, as there’s a bit of a non-bo to navigate there. But this event has an opportunity to provide a greater level of stabilization and board presence in a tidy 1-cost package. 

I, for one, will put my trust in this one until it proves to me that it can’t blow up the Death Star without a targeting computer.

The Motherlode

Whether any of the cards on this list inspired you, or there were others from last Friday’s massive content drop that cranked up your hype meter, Legends of the Force is looking like an extremely fun set to build, play and collect all at once.

The Force mechanic featured in this set (and a few times in this article) should provide a fresh and exciting way to test yourself in both casual and competitive games. 

The beauty of this last season of competitive play is that there are a bunch of different decks that were flying under the radar when the set first released, and then burst forth onto the scene and gave everyone something new to try. I have full confidence that will happen with LOF the same way it did with JTL. 

All that’s to say, if you like a card in this set and you think it has a shot, don’t let the pundits deter you from tinkering! There is more than one way to get a win in Star Wars: Unlimited, and how you define winning is different from the next person. 

For myself, I can’t wait to try all the cards on this list and many more, so until next time, May The (Legends Of The) Force Be With You! 

Kevin
Roll On Gaming
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