An Introduction to Star Wars: Destiny
What is Star Wars: Destiny?
Star Wars: Destiny is a collectible card game (often referred to as a CCG) with dice.
What is a collectible card game (CCG)?
A CCG is a type of card game where new cards are released throughout the year in specialized “sets”.
The game is constantly evolving and changing as new cards become available.
Other examples of popular CCGs: Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh etc.
Who makes it?
The game is created and published by Fantasy Flight Games.
How many players?
Star Wars: Destiny is primarily designed as a competitive game for 2 players. However, you can also play multiplayer.
When was it released?
November 2016.
How did I miss it?
Demand has far outstripped supply and the cards have been almost universally sold-out since release.
How many sets have been released so far?
So far just one set called “Awakenings” which contains 174 cards. "Awakenings" is considered a "Core" set.
When does the next set come out?
Very soon. The next set is called "Spirit of Rebellion" which will bring 160 brand new cards. It should be released sometime in May though the actual date has not been officially confirmed.
There is a pre-release being hosted by local game stores this weekend (April 1st, 2017) where players will get early access to the cards by participating in a tournament.
Spirt of Rebellion is considered an "Expansion" set.
What's the difference between a Core set and an Expansion set?
In general, Core sets are designed as an entry point for new players. They will often contain cards that feature easier interactions.
Both Core and Expansion sets are sold in "Booster packs" which are small packs of 5 random cards of varying rarity.
To accompany the release of a Core set, Fantasy Flight Games will also release, pre-made, fixed-list "Starter decks" that players can purchase to get started right away.
Expansion sets will often have slightly less cards than Core sets.
Cards from both Core sets and Expansion sets can be mixed together to create your deck.
Any word on future sets?
Yes, Fantasy Flight Games plans to release a Core set (with new Starter decks) around the beginning of each year that will be followed by two Expansion sets later in the year.
A total of 3 sets will be released each year. One Core set and two Expansion sets.
How do players get the cards?
Players can acquire cards by purchasing “Starter decks” or “Booster packs” from their local gaming shop. Some shops (such as us) will also sell cards individually for purchase as "singles".
Are the cards sold at big box stores like Walmart or Target?
No. You can only get them at specialty shops (for now).
What are the Starter decks?
There are two Starter decks currently available. Kylo Ren Starter Deck and Rey Starter Deck.
Both decks feature a fixed list of 23 cards. They also come with nine premium dice and tokens that you will need to play the game.
In addition, they feature some exclusive cards that cannot be acquired in booster packs.
Is the Starter deck enough to start playing?
The Starter decks can be played against each other. However they do not have enough cards to form a legal deck.
Do I have to start with a Starter deck?
No. You can build your deck completely from singles. However, the Starter deck contains cardboard tokens that are used to track damage, resources and shields so you would need to make or find your own substitute tokens.
What comes in a booster pack?
A booster pack contains 5 random cards and one premium die.
A pack will contain 3 Common cards, 1 Uncommon and one Rare or Legendary card.
The Rare or Legendary card will always have it’s own die which is included in the pack.
What are the odds of getting a Legendary card?
There is a 1 in 6 chance of getting a Legendary card that will replace the Rare card in the pack.
What constitutes a legal deck?
A legal deck must contain exactly 30 cards.
Your deck will also contain 1-4 characters cards and 1 battlefield card that remain face-up during the game and are not counted in your 30 card limit.
You can have no more than 2 copies of a card in your deck.
How many characters can I have on my team?
You get 30 points to spend on your characters and each character has a point cost associated with adding them to your team.
Some characters have a different cost if you want to use them with one or two dice. For example, Rey can be played with two dice at a cost of 12 points or with one dice at a cost of 9.
Most decks will run 2 or 3 characters. However, there are special cases such as the upcoming Emperor card that will cost 28 points (with 2 dice). Also, some people are experimenting with four First Order Stormtroopers that cost 7 points each for a total of 28 points.
Can I mix Heroes and Villains in my deck?
No, you must choose a side.
All cards in the game are designated as “Hero”, “Villain” or “Neutral”.
If you are playing a Villain deck, you may only build it using Villain or Neutral cards. Hero decks can only be played using Hero or Neutral cards.
So what do I do with the cards I can’t use?
Collect them, make a second deck or trade them!
High-level, how does a game play out?
You will build a deck around the characters you have chosen. Your character cards remain face up for the entire game and you will roll their associated dice in order to damage and eventually defeat your opponent’s characters.
Throughout the game, you will augment your characters by equipping them with upgrades from your deck that may give them extra dice or abilities.
You’ll also play other card types (such as event cards, support cards and vehicle cards) to help you achieve victory.
How long does a game take?
When you’re first starting out it can take around an hour. But once you have more experience the average game will take around 30-45 minutes.
Where can I play?
Many local game stores are running tournaments and/or leagues so give them a call and find out!
I participate in a league with friends and we play at each others homes.
Can I play online?
Yes, the game is quite active through Tabletop Simulator which is available on Steam for $20 CAD. As you’ll have access to all the cards, it is great for testing our new deck ideas!
Instructions can be found here:
Is the game addicting?
Yes. Fantasy Flight Games has a real winner on their hands here.
Is the game more skill-based or random?
It’s a healthy combination of skill and luck. The game features dice so you will often be at their mercy, however there are plenty of avenues for skill-based players to mitigate the randomness and gain an edge.
Is the game hard to learn?
The game is very accessible and easy to pick-up. The complete rules fit on two pages and can be read here:
Is the game balanced?
Surprisingly yes! Fantasy Flight Games has done an excellent job on the balancing. There are certainly decks you can build that are stronger than others but there is a lot of variation in the decks that are currently winning competitive tournaments.
Wasn’t there another Star Wars CCG before?
Yes, you have a good memory. There was one back in the 90s but I don’t know too much about that. This game is not related :)
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I hope that gives you some background on this amazing new game and I urge you to start playing immediately!
Single cards are now available for sale
https://cosmictoys.ca/collections/star-wars-destiny-singles
Leave a comment if you're already playing or going to start!