FAQ
From SWU Holocron
Frequently Asked Questions answered both Official and by the Community.
Official Responses
Q: Am I allowed to inspect my resource cards?
A: Yes, resource cards under your control may be looked at to remind yourself what they are.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msezhwc2WE4
Q: Can I play an upgrade card on an enemy unit?
Examples: Upgrade
A: Yes, upgrades can be played on any appropriate target.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/live/Msezhwc2WE4?t=1787
Q: Can Token Upgrades (Shield and Experience) be removed by "Defeat an Upgrade" effect?
Examples: Shield, Experience, Disabling Fang Fighter, Aggression, Other Rules, Token Upgrade
A: Correct. Experience and Shields are both upgrades (as noted on the top of the card and by the templating) and can be interacted with by any card ability that specifically references upgrades.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Q: Do cards that reference cost include Aspect Penalties?
Examples: Chewbacca, Walking Carpet, Galactic Ambition, Admiral Piett, Captain of the Executor
A: No. If a card checks the cost of another card as an attribute, it only looks at the number physically printed in the upper left corner of the card.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Q: Do “when this unit completes an attack” abilities trigger if they are defeated in attack?
Examples: Ezra Bridger, Resourceful Troublemaker, Leia Organa, Alliance General
A: No, all steps of the attack outlined in the QuickStart rules must be completed before an attack is “complete.” The unit has to survive combat damage.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Q: Does Agent Kallus’ (SOR-115) card draw ability trigger if he is defeated in the same attack he defeats a unique unit?
Examples: Agent Kallus, Seeking the Rebels
A: Yes! If Kallus is defeated simultaneously with another unique unit, he still sees that defeat and triggers. As a general rule, units always see themselves get defeated as well as seeing any other simultaneously defeated units- whether this is through combat or another effect.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Q: Does Sabine's text require 3 different aspects or is 3 aspect icons enough?
Examples: Sabine Wren, Explosives Artist
A: Sabine's text requires 3 unique aspects to trigger her effect.
Source: https://twitter.com/davflamerock/status/1704937311966781496
Q: How do aspect penalties factor in with reduced cost cards? ie. How does You’re my only Hope interact with an aspect penalty card?
Examples: You're My Only Hope
A: In general, you will apply any effects that increase the cost (including aspect penalties), and then apply any effects that reduce the cost. In your example, if you use You’re My Only Hope to play a 4-cost card that incurs an aspect penalty raising it to a 6 cost, that card would end up costing 1 resource (4 + 2 – 5 = 1). Important to note that if you meet You’re My Only Hope’s condition to play the card for free, that will override all aspect penalties! No matter how many aspect penalties it would have, it would still cost 0.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Q: How does Strafing Gunship interact with Sentinel?
Examples: Sentinel, Strafing Gunship
A: If a Space Sentinel is in play the Strafing Gunship must attack a Sentinel unit, but that unit can be a Ground based Sentinel. If the only Sentinel in play is a Ground Unit, the Strafing Gunship may attack any unit (or the base) it chooses.
Source: https://twitter.com/davflamerock/status/1752360268795937096
Q: If a Leader is defeated does it trigger a "When an enemy unit leaves play" effect?
Examples: Boba Fett, Collecting the Bounty, Leader, When an enemy unit leaves play
A: Leaders are always in play despite what state they are in (Leader vs Unit). They enter the game in play as a Leader, and remain in play as they transition to a Unit and potentially back to the Leader state if they are defeated. Abilities that reference when a card enters play or leaves play won’t interact with a Leader being deployed or defeated.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Q: If a unit with Overwhelm attacks a unit with shield, does any of the damage go to the base?
Examples: Overwhelm, Shield
A: No, the shield absorbs all the damage of the attack.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/live/MQWzu7tz7lg?si=eUE-6opwH43gwcw-&t=1671
Q: If I attack Chirrut with a Overwhelm unit, does any damage go to the base?
Examples: Chirrut Îmwe, One With The Force, Overwhelm
A: Chirrut can't be defeated by any amount of damage, none of the damage is 'Excess Damage'
Source: https://twitter.com/davflamerock/status/1748410572511592768
Q: If I pass and my opponent Takes Initiative do I get another action?
A: No, Taking Initiative also counts as a pass action. Two passes have occurred therefore the Action Phase is over.
Source: Gameplay
Q: If I play a second copy of a Unique unit and defeat that same unit, does it's When Played ability trigger?
Examples: Leia Organa, Defiant Princess
A: Yes, you have still played the card, the When Played ability triggers.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/live/Msezhwc2WE4?feature=share&t=1719
Q: If I play something on my opponents unit that causes an attack, do I direct the target of the attack
Examples: Snapshot Reflexes
A: Nope, you cannot attack with a unit you don't control. The ability would fail to do anything
Q: If you use Change of Heart to steal an opponent’s character who has a When Defeated ability and then defeat that unit, who gets to claim the When Defeated ability?
Examples: Change of Heart
A: The player who controls the unit at the time it is defeated gets to use the When Defeated ability. This means that if you play Change of Heart to steal your opponent’s Obi Wan Kenobi and your opponent defeats them, you will get to give one of your other friendly units 2 experience tokens, and draw a card if it is a Force unit.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Q: Which triggers first "When Played" or "Ambush"?
Examples: Admiral Piett, Captain of the Executor, Fett's Firespray, Pursuing the Bounty
A: These triggers are at the same time, so the active player can choose the order allowing you to ready Fett’s Firespray after it finishes resolving its ambush attack. Another cool interaction in the same vein, Shielded and Ambush also trigger at the same time. This means that when you play Count Dooku (SOR#038), you could resolve Ambush first to attack a unit and shield him after the attack completes. Any time a player controls multiple simultaneous triggers, they can resolve them in any order.
Source: https://garbagerollers.com/2023/11/08/rules-recap/
Community Responses
Q: Can a Ground Unit target a Space Unit with abilities (or vice versa)? Can an Action effect multiple Arenas at once?
Examples: Maximum Firepower, TIE Advanced
A: Unless an ability states a target type all abilities can target either Arena.
Q: Can a unit have more than one Shield token?
Examples: Shield
A: Yes, the wording of the Shield token, and the Saboteur keyword imply multiple shield tokens.
Q: Can an action that causes an attack allow an exhausted unit to attack?
Examples: Surprise Strike, Fleet Lieutenant, Leia Organa, Alliance General
A: No, it simply allows you to attack using normal rules with some bonus effect.
Q: Can Boba Fett, Disintegrator deal the 3 damage to a Leader on the turn it is deployed?
Examples: Boba Fett, Disintegrator, Leader
A: When a leader unit is deployed, they do not enter play. Leaders are always in play, they just change from their leader side to their leader unit side. As a leader unit, since they aren't considered to have entered play this phase, Boba Fett's ability will deal 3 damage to them if he attacks them (and they are exhausted).
Q: Can I have two Unique characters with the same Name?
Examples: Unique, Uniqueness
A: You are limited to only having a single copy in play under your control of a unique card based on the card name + title. You can have multiple unique cards that represent the same persona in play under your control at the same time. If you ever have two or more copies of a unique card in play under your control, you must immediately defeat copies of that unique card until you are left with 1 remaining in play.
For example: You can have Leia Organa - Defiant Princess and Leia Organa - Alliance General in play under your control at the same time. But you cannot have two copies of Leia Organa - Defiant Princess in play under your control. If you do you would have to immediately defeat one of them.
Q: Can I heal a base or unit above its printed value?
Examples: Base
A: No, HP is a printed value and damage are tokens applied to that value. Repair/Healing removes damage tokens from the card and does not add HP.
Q: Do your initial Resources start exhausted?
A: No, while the rules state that resources enter play exhausted you initial two resources start the game ready.
Q: If a card is looking at another units Power, does it lookd at the printed or modified value?
Examples: Command, Grand Inquisitor, Hunting the Jedi, Maximum Firepower, Overwhelming Barrage
A: Card abilities that look for a unit's power while it is in play will include any modifiers to that power such as grit or other constant effects. Note that the Raid keyword only effects the unit's power while attacking and not at any other time.
Q: If a card tells you to "Play a unit" is this for free?
Examples: Energy Conversion Lab, Ezra Bridger, Resourceful Troublemaker
A: No, unless the card tells you to do something "for free" (e.g. You're My Only Hope) it is telling you to perform that action based on the normal rules. Other cards that already specify this (e.g Admiral Ozzel, Overconfident) do so with reminder text, which reminds you what the normal rule is, not make the rule.
Q: If a unit effected by Heroic Sacrifice targets a unit with a shied, does the HS unit deal combat damage?
Examples: Heroic Sacrifice, Shield
A: If a shield prevents the combat damage, no combat damage is dealt - the Heroic Sacrifice ability will not trigger. This game treats the damage prevention from shields like a replacement effect for the damage. - Ryan
Q: If a unit with Shoot First does not defeat the opponent, does Grit increase the enemy Power?
Examples: Shoot First, Han Solo, Reluctant Hero, Grit
A: If Han Solo attacks a unit that has Grit and he doesn't manage to defeat them with combat damage, the Grit unit will have the increased power for the damage they deal back. This is also similar for a unit that is under the effect of leader Director Krennic, Aspiring to Authority
Q: If an "On Attack" ability defeats the only opposing Sentinel defender, can I now attack the base?
Examples: Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, On Attack, Sentinel
A: No, you must declare your target of attack first. Since the Sentinel requires you to choose it as the defender, if the "On Attack" ability defeats your declared target, it is no longer valid and the attack is ineffective.
Q: If an event causes Bossk to attack, can I deal the two points of damage before I do so?
Examples: Bossk, Deadly Stalker, Surprise Strike
A: No. While the Event does cause Bossk's 'When you play an event' ability to trigger, the Event itself must complete before that ability is resolved. Since the Event causes an attack, that accack must complete before the resolution of the 2 points of damage.
Q: If I play a second copy of a unique, do I get to use the "When Played" trigger before the second copy is defeated?
Examples: Unique, When Played
A: If you have a copy of Leia Organa, Defiant Princess in play under your control, you can play a second copy of Leia Organa, Defiant Princess from hand. This will trigger the "When Played" ability on the second copy. Since you now have two copies of Leia Organa, Defiant Princess in play under your control, you must immediately defeat one, then regardless of which one you have defeated, the triggered "When Played" ability will still resolve.
Q: If my unit is exhausted can I use the action on it?
Examples: Fett's Firespray, Pursuing the Bounty
A: If the action does not require you to exhaust the unit the action can be performed as long as you can meet other costs.
Q: If there are no enemy units does Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith's ability trigger against a friendly unit?
Examples: Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith
A: Yes, your option is to not use the ability. Once it is triggered all actions must be performed if able. Since a friendly unit is a unit it is a valid target.
Q: Is Overwhelm damage prevented by Entrenched?
Examples: Entrenched, Overwhelm
A: No, Entrenched prevents you from attacking the base, but the excess damage from Overwhelm is not an attack.
Q: Is there a hand limit?
A: No, your hand size is... Unlimited