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The latest version of the Star Wars™: Destiny Rules Reference is now online! This update contains the usual streamlined rules, clarifications, new questions, and other minor changes that come with refining the rules. In addition, today’s update includes errata to a few cards that players should ensure they read about. Learn why these changes were made directly from the designers in the paragraphs below, and then download the new Rules Reference to see all the changes for yourself!

Click on the image above to see the new Rules Reference. This update goes into effect 11/6/2017.

Star Wars: Destiny Lead Designer, Jeremy Zwirn

Hello Star Wars: Destiny players!

An update to the Rules Reference document is here and it has some exciting changes! A few prevalent characters have been warping the metagame, and this update addresses those characters by adding to their original point values. In addition, we’re issuing errata for three other cards and making two rules adjustments to promote a more diverse and healthy metagame.

Rules Changes

The two modified rules help prevent negative play experiences. First, a player can now only replace one upgrade per round. Replacing multiple upgrades each round could be abused with cards like FN-2199 (Spirit of Rebellion, 2) and Rey (Awakenings, 38), and limiting this rule to once per round better reflects the rule’s intent. Second, a player can now take the “discard a card to reroll dice” action even if they have no dice in their pool. This change is more consistent with the rest of the rules and provides players with another action to take against Running Interference (Empire at War, 115).

Introducing the Balance of the Force List

This update also introduces a new section to the Rules Reference: Balance of the Force. This is a list of characters whose point values have been modified. Some characters are extremely cost efficient and/or form very powerful teams when paired with certain other characters. When we feel that a character is having a negative impact on the metagame, we can add the character to this list to impose an additional cost to include the character on a team. If a character on the list is no longer deemed a problem, that character can be removed from the list at that time. The ultimate goal is an enjoyable, diverse metagame, and this list will serve as a tool to assist us in the pursuit of that goal.

FN-2199  has been dominating tournaments and is in need of an adjustment. Replacing multiple weapons on him each round allowed a player to trigger his powerful ability repeatedly. Along with the upgrade replacement rule change described above, we are increasing each of FN-2199’s point values by 2 to bring him more in balance with other characters. (FN-2199 is now 12/15 points)

Captain Phasma (Two-Player Game, 2) is an efficient character who pairs well with several characters, like Kylo Ren (Two-Player Game, 1), Darth Vader (Awakenings, 10), and Cad Bane (Empire at War, 18), to form very potent teams. We are increasing each of her point values by 1 to weaken those teams and encourage deck diversity. (Captain Phasma is now 10/14 points)

The powerful special ability of Poe Dameron (Awakenings, 29) has been used quite effectively with cards like Thermal Detonator (Awakenings, 67) and U-Wing (Spirit of Rebellion, 31) to deal a substantial amount of damage and has hampered decks playing three or more characters. We are increasing his point values by 2. (Poe Dameron is now 16/20 points)

Unkar Plutt’s (Spirit of Rebellion, 21) action can generate an abundance of resources while also discarding a random card from an opponent’s hand. His ability, dice, and health make him very cost effective and a fundamental part of many strong teams. In anticipation of how the other changes in this update will alter the metagame, we are increasing his point values by 2 to prevent him from becoming too prevalent and to boost the viability of other characters. (Unkar Plutt is now 12/15 points)

Errata

We have also added errata to some cards. While we want to minimize the number of changes made to cards after they are printed, we remain committed to taking a proactive approach when it comes to maintaining a robust metagame.

Vibroknife (Spirit of Rebellion, 57) has been a constantly powerful card since its release. Shields are an important mechanic of the game, and Vibroknife can make them trivial. Now the unblockable damage only applies when a player resolves its die, making this card less harsh and more tactical and thematic.

The next card receiving errata is Imperial Inspection (Spirit of Rebellion, 70). This 0-cost support could return an upgrade to a player's hand every round, thereby making 2-cost upgrades feel like a liability to play. Now Imperial Inspection is set aside after being used, making it much less oppressive and allowing players to keep more dice in play.

It’s a Trap! can create a negative play experience by turning any number of a player’s red dice to sides showing on an opponent’s die and then immediately resolving all of those dice with the additional action Ambush grants. This can lead to a substantial amount of damage without any way for an opponent to stop it, creating the negative play experience. It’s a Trap! no longer has Ambush and now has a limit of turning up to 2 red dice.

Finally, Heat of Battle (Empire at War, 123) has been given a limit for each player to turn up to two dice. When timed correctly, this card could turn all of a player’s dice to sides showing damage without turning any of an opponent’s dice. It made dealing large amounts of damage too consistent with little to no drawback, something that creates negative play experiences.

I feel these changes will improve the health of the game and, as the game’s new lead designer, am committed to using all the tools at my disposal to maintain an exciting and balanced metagame in the future!

Download the new Star Wars: Destiny Rules Reference now to read the entire update before it goes into effect on November 6th. If you're planning on playing in an event, make sure to read the errata so you're prepared! Players attending an event before November 6th can still find the previous Rules Reference on the Star Wars: Destiny page.

As always, game rules, tournament regulations, and other support materials for Star Wars: Destiny can be found on our Star Wars: Destiny page.