The Force in SWU: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Might Be Predetermined
There were a lot of reservations around the new Force mechanic in Legends of the Force when it was first revealed. Would it be too slow? Too restrictive? Too hard to consistently gain the Force token?
Thanks to FFG releasing the full set list early, giving everyone equal opportunity to explore the new mechanics before the Galactic Championship, we now have a solid sense of what works well and what might not. With about three weeks to go before the big event, it feels like a good time for an early lessons learned.
What Works?
Gaining the Force
It’s not hard to do.
Early concerns centered around whether generating and maintaining the Force would be difficult, especially since it generally requires attacking with a Force unit, assuming you’re playing a common base. But the units in this set, particularly 2-cost units with high health, make it surprisingly manageable.
There’s still room for improvement. Additional ways to gain the Force without attacking would have gone a long way, especially in games where you are trying to come back from behind. We have Drain Essence and Youngling Padawan, but a few more non-attack options could have helped solidify an otherwise fun and thematic mechanic.
Still, it’s hard to complain when you finally get to break out some shiny new Porg Depot Force tokens, light side or dark side.
Using the Force
It’s genuinely satisfying to sequence your turns around Force generation. It adds a tactical layer that wasn’t present before and rewards tight play and forward planning.
Even more importantly, it feels like Star Wars. A huge part of the franchise’s appeal, especially in a card game, is getting to play your favorite characters doing what they’re meant to do. Using the Force to power up your cards is not only strong, it’s flavorful.
Force-Using Cards
Some of the cards that use the Force are exceptional. Ki-Adi-Mundi might be the best card in the set. Other standouts include Mace Windu, Chirrut, Itinerant Warrior, Eeth Koth, Yoda, Jedi in Hiding, Vernestra Rwoh, Karis, and Talzin’s Assassin.
These units let you do powerful things, and when you’re in full control of the Force, it really feels like you’ve tapped into something special. Like lifting an X-Wing out of a swamp, or at least a porg-sized paddleboat.
What Doesn’t Work?
Force-Using Cards (Again)
There’s a significant power gap between the best and worst Force cards, especially when comparing heroes and villains.
Heroes got Mace “BMF” Windu; villains got an unplayable Savage Opress. Heroes got Ki-Adi-Mundi; villains got… Baylan Skoll. There are a couple of villain highlights (Talzin’s Assassin and Karis, mostly for being a 2/4 for 2), but overall, the balance is off.
The Force may bind the galaxy together, but apparently it doesn’t balance card design.
Deckbuilding
This and the next section are the biggest potential flaws.
The deck restrictions for Force archetypes leave very little room for creativity. Compared to other archetypes, you’re heavily locked in: your base is practically chosen for you (since rare bases haven’t yet proven superior to commons), your 2-drops are essentially dictated by Force synergy, and your midrange slots are auto-filled by must-plays like Mace and Ki-Adi.
That doesn’t make these decks bad, but it does make them predictable. You’re not going to see a spicy aggro Han2 ECL Force deck. The cards simply don’t allow for it.
Future Support
Unless future sets introduce more Force synergy cards, these decks may already be locked into their final form. Up to this point, we haven’t seen any evidence that a set’s core mechanics will be reused.
Any improvement would likely have to come via power creep, like a better 2-drop than Adi Gallia or a better 3-drop than Yoda. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t expect to see much new Force token support in the near future. And if that’s true, it’s a missed opportunity. The Force is such an integral part of the Star Wars universe that sidelining it would be a mistake.
As things stand, villain Force decks will likely always lag behind, and hero decks won’t have much reason to evolve beyond Mace and Ki-Adi. And if you love these decks, and I do, it’s disappointing to know that future bases and sets may not change anything.
Conclusion
So… is the Force a great mechanic in Star Wars Unlimited?
Honestly, I think it is. When you embrace its restrictions and build with intention, you’re rewarded with some of the most thematic and satisfying gameplay in the format. Ki-Adi-Mundi with a Force token might be a top-10 SWU card.
The real question is: How long will players want to live within those confines?
Let us know your thoughts, and if your porg companion is whispering Force secrets into your ear mid-match, we won’t tell. Just don’t let them deckbuild for you. They’re strong in the Force, but terrible at top-decking.