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Star Wars Trading Card Game

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Star Wars Trading Card Game
Cardback of the Star Wars Trading Card Game.
DesignersRichard Garfield
PublishersWizards of the Coast
Players2
Setup timeunder 1 minute
Playing time10–40 Minutes
ChanceHigh
Age range6 and up
SkillsDeck manipulation,
deck optimization,
planning

Star Wars: The Trading Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game produced by Wizards of the Coast (WotC). The original game was created by game designer Richard Garfield, the creator of the first modern trading card game, Magic: The Gathering.[1] After its initial release in April 2002, the game was 'put on indefinite hold' by WotC in late 2005.[2] The Star Wars Trading Card Game Independent Development Committee was created by a group of fans to continue development of the game. They design new cards that are available as free downloads at their website.[3][4]

Gameplay

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The Star Wars: TCG focuses on gaining control of in-game arenas. In this two-player game, each player controls units which battle in the arenas. The main way to win is to take control of two of the three arenas. Some cards also add new win conditions for the game.

The three arenas are Space, Ground and Character, and feature units from the Star Wars films, such as Star Destroyers, starfighters, AT-ATs, armies, and characters like Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Mara Jade, and Darth Vader. There is also a build zone, a draw pile (for your deck), and a discard pile. The two sides to the game are the Dark side and the Light side, representing the two sides of the Force. There are also neutral cards, which can be used by either side.

There are several types of cards. They are:

  • Units: these can control arenas and are the most plentiful card in any deck. Each unit can only be placed in a certain arena designated by color and subtype. All units have several statistics including: build cost, speed, power, health, alignment. Units must be built.
    • Space: These units have a blue border and represent the space ships throughout the Star Wars films and books.
    • Ground: These units have a green border and represent the ground forces in the Star Wars films and books.
    • Character: These units have a purple border and represent the people and aliens found throughout the Star Wars films and books.
  • Battle: These cards have special one time use effects and can only be used while your units are doing battle. They don't need to be built and some can be enhanced for an extra cost to give the user a better effect.
  • Mission: These cards are like battle cards, but must be built. Their effects differ and must be played in the build step.
  • Location: This type of card affects its arena until it is replaced with another Location card. Most location cards are colored like units and can only be placed in specific arenas. Some locations can be placed in any arena and are not colored like any normal unit.
  • Equipment:This card type represents the weapons and vehicle upgrades in the Star Wars universe. These cards have a silver border and enhance the unit they are equipped to.

Abilities

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  • Activated Abilities

These are abilities that units have on them and are used by paying a cost (usually force).

  • Static Abilities

These abilities are on as long as the unit is in its arena (e.g. A unit has "Each of your other characters get +10 speed", as long as that unit is in its arena, all your characters gain 10 speed).

  • Triggered Abilities

These abilities contain a "when" or "whenever" (e.g. a unit has "When this unit is discarded draw three cards." "When this unit is discarded" is the trigger, and "draw three cards" is the ability).

TCG Sets

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Sets produced by Wizards of the Coast
Set Name Release Date Number of Cards Based on Introduces
Attack of the Clones[5] April 2002 180 Episode II – Attack of the Clones New keywords: Evade, Deflect, Bombard, Ion Cannon, Shields, Critical Hit
Sith Rising[6] July 2002 90 Episode II – Attack of the Clones New keywords: Stun, Overload
A New Hope[7] October 2002 180 Episode IV - A New Hope New keywords: Accuracy, Intercept, Pilot
Battle of Yavin[8] February 2003 105 Episode IV - A New Hope New keyword: Retaliate
Jedi Guardians[9] June 2003 105 Episode II – Attack of the Clones New keywords: Overkill, Reserves
The Empire Strikes Back[10] October 2003 210 Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back New card type: Locations

New keywords: Armor, Enhance

Rogues and Scoundrels[11] March 2004 105 Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars Legends

New keywords: Bounty, Upkeep
The Phantom Menace[12] May 2004 90 Episode I – The Phantom Menace New keyword: Lucky
Return of the Jedi[13] October 2004 110 Episode VI - Return of the Jedi New card type: Multi-arena Locations

New keyword: Hidden Cost

Revenge of the Sith[14] March 2005 110 Episode III – Revenge of the Sith New card type: Equipment


Sets produced by the Independent Development Committee[15]
Set Name Release Date Number of Cards Based on Introduces
Fall of the Republic June 2006 120 Episode III – Revenge of the Sith New keyword: Parry
Scum and Villainy October 2006 90 Episodes I-VI

Star Wars Legends

New keyword: Stealth
Battle of Endor June 2007 180 Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Clone Wars: Republic at War April 2008 120 Clone Wars: Volume I (2003 TV series) New keywords: Fury, Double Strike
Invasion of Naboo May 2009 180 Episode I – The Phantom Menace
Battle of Hoth September 2009 60 Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back New card type: Multi-arena Units
Legacy of the Force: Bounty Hunters December 2010 75 Episodes I-VI

TV series

Star Wars Legends

New card types: Equipment - Skill, Resources
Legacy of the Force: Mandalorians April 2011 75 Episodes I-VI

TV series

Star Wars Legends

Legacy of the Force: Sith September 2011 75 Episodes I-VI

TV series

Star Wars Legends

New keyword: INSERT
Legacy of the Force: Smugglers February 2013 75 Episodes I-VI

TV series

Star Wars Legends

New keyword: Stack
Legacy of the Force: Jedi December 2013 76 Episodes I-VI

TV series

Star Wars Legends

New keywords: Foresight, Precision
Rule of Two July 2014 90 Jedi vs. Sith

Darth Bane Trilogy

The Old Republic December 2014 120 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (series) New card type: Subordinates

New keyword: Meditate

Clone Wars: Separatist Offensive September 2015 90 Clone Wars: Volume II (2003 TV series)
Rogue Squadron October 2015 180 X-wing (book series)

X-wing Rogue Squadron (comics)

Empire Rising November 2015 120 Thrawn trilogy New keyword: Alternative Cost
Empire Eternal December 2015 90 Dark Empire

Crimson Empire

New keyword: Inspiration
The Clone Wars: A Galaxy Divided March 2016 270 The Clone Wars (2008 TV series) (Seasons 1-3)
The Dark Times May 2016 300 Star Wars Legends New counter type: Captivity counters
Clones and Droids July 2016 120 Episode II – Attack of the Clones

Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

New keywords: Double Damage, Damage Control
10th Anniversary August 2016 40
The Force Awakens September 2016 180 Episode VII - The Force Awakens New card type: Event
The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime November 2016 180 The New Jedi Order Books 1-6 New side: Yuuzhan Vong

New card type: Mission - Trap

New keyword: Avenge

The Old Republic: Tales and Legends January 2017 240 Dawn of the Jedi

Tales of the Jedi

Lost Tribe of the Sith

New card type: Mission - Campaign
The New Jedi Order: Star By Star June 2017 120 The New Jedi Order Books 7-12 New keyword: Focus
The Old Republic: Days and Nights December 2017 150 Knights of the Old Republic (comics) New keyword: Forewarning
The Clone Wars: Battle Lines April 2018 270 The Clone Wars (2008 TV series) (Seasons 4-6) New keywords: Ambush, Protect
Rogue One June 2018 180 Rogue One New card type: Equipment - Trait

New keyword: Resilience

Battle of Starkiller Base August 2018 105 Episode VII - The Force Awakens New keyword: Ferocity
The Last Jedi December 2018 210 Episode VIII - The Last Jedi New keywords: Backfire, Fortitude
Spark of Rebellion July 2019 180 Star Wars Rebels (seasons 1 and 2)
Battlefront August 2019 90 Star Wars: Battlefront New abilities: Reduced Cost X and Area Damage X
Jedi Knight October 2019 90 Jedi Knight video games New ability: Riposte X
The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force December 2019 120 New Jedi Order books 13-19 New abilities: Intimidation and Redirect
Battle of Crait April 2020 150 The Last Jedi (second half)
Solo September 2020 180 Solo: A Star Wars Story New ability: Cunning
The Old Republic: Knights and Exiles December 2020 180 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (series) New counter type: Redemption counters
The Mandalorian April 2021 240 The Mandalorian (season 1)
The Rise of Skywalker May 2021 210 Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker New ability: Absorb
Apprentices and Assassins September 2021 150 Episode I - The Phantom MenaceStar Wars: Jedi Apprentice (books)

Jedi Quest (books)

New ability: Persuade
Fires of Rebellion November 2021 180 Star Wars Rebels (seasons 3 and 4)
Battle of the Sarlacc December 2021 120 Episode VI - Return of the Jedi New ability: Surge
Non-Star Wars sets produced by the Independent Development Committee
Set Name Release Date Number of Cards Based on
Marvel Cinematic Universe December 2019 90 Marvel Cinematic Universe
Avengers: Endgame April 2020 300 Avengers: Endgame

Playing the game

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This is a two-player game. The following is recommended for each player, but can be shared among friends and opponents in casual play:

  • two sixty-card decks (one Light side, one Dark side)
  • several dice (six sided)
  • a method of tracking Force points (counters, pen and paper, or a twenty sided die)
  • damage counters
  • build counters (can be the same as damage counters)

Reviews

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Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ Kaufeld, John; Smith, Jeremy (2006). Trading Card Games For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0470044071.
  2. ^ Miller, John Jackson (2003), Scrye Collectible Card Game Checklist & Price Guide, Second Edition, pp. 588–590.
  3. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game: Independent Development Committee". Star Wars Trading Card Game: Independent Development Committee. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  4. ^ "Star Wars Card Game".
  5. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - Attack of the Clones". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2002. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  6. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - Sith Rising". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2002. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  7. ^ A New Hope
  8. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - Battle of Yavin". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2003. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  9. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - Jedi Guardians". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on August 3, 2003. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  10. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - The Empire Strikes Back". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2003. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  11. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - Rogues and Scoundrels". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2004. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  12. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - The Phantom Menace". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2004. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  13. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - Return of the Jedi". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2004. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  14. ^ "Star Wars Trading Card Game - Revenge of the Sith". www.wizards.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2005. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  15. ^ "Expansion List". Star Wars Trading Card Game: Independent Development Committee. 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  16. ^ "Pyramid: Pyramid Review: Star Wars Trading Card Game: Attack of the Clones".
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