Unlikely Heroes

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid. ”
   –Han Solo, Star Wars: A New Hope

The Spirit of Rebellion burns brightest in the darker parts of the galaxy, in those seedy cantinas and back alleys populated by scoundrels and ruffians who call the shadows their home. While many prefer to stay hidden in these dark corners, when these lowlifes decide to step into the light and become heroes, their resourcefulness proves to be vital in the battles that wage across the Star Wars™ Universe.

Today, we’re taking a look at the charming rogues and clever tricks that make up the Yellow heroes faction in The Spirit of Rebellion booster packs for Star Wars™: Destiny. Following in the footsteps of the Awakenings boosters, the scoundrels of the Star Wars Universe will continue to get the edge over their opponents through high-impact events and upgrades that pack a punch.  

Best Laid Plans

The already revealed Jyn Erso (Spirit of Rebellion, 44) shows off the new focus on consitent dice in Spirit of Rebellion, allowing players to have more reliable rolls and focus on what they want to be doing. With Jyn as one of your heroes, you're nearly sure to be rolling damage or discard symbols every time you activate her, but Jyn’s not the only example of consistency in Spirit of Rebellion.

Scoundrels across the galaxy know of Maz Kanata (Spirit of Rebellion, 45) and her famous watering hole, Maz's Castle (Spirit of Rebellion, 155). Weary travelers stop in not just for just drinks, but for the wisdom old Maz offers to those who need it most. 

Maz allows for decisive and efficient action—anytime you activate her, you can immediately resolve up to two of your dice. Whether it’s using her own focus symbols to quickly manipulate other dice in your pool, to resolving combat die for some unexpected damage, or to providing additional instant support in the form of her shield and resource symbols, the speed and consistency Maz offers will be a valuable tool to any player. Maz’s advice has helped travellers around the galaxy find a purpose, and with her supportive die, she can do the same for your heroes.

Heavy Hitters 

While many rogues prefer subterfuge and tricks, others prefer a straight fight, provided they're well equipped. Few upgrades are as deadly or costly as the Bowcaster (Spirit of Rebellion 48), an upgrade that has very high odds of doing serious damage to your opponent.

With three sides showing damage and a special ability that allows for an unblockable hit to up to two different characters, the bowcaster is a surefire way to turn any of your heroes into a serious threat. Not only that, but should the hero who is using the Bowcaster be defeated, the Redeploy keyword allows you to transfer it to another character! While the Bowcaster can make any hero feel safe in the heat of battle, it pairs particularly well with the Wookie that made it famous.

Few demonstrate the charming heroics of rogues more than Chewbacca (Spirit of Rebellion, 43). Loyal friend and compatriot to famed smuggler Han Solo (Awakenings, 46), Chewbacca enters Star Wars Destiny packing a punch. The Wookie's normal version comes in at twelve points (perfect for teaming up with his elite partner in crime, who costs eighteen points) and shows off a dedicated strategy with half of his die's sides showing melee or ranged damage. Chewie's special ability allows for additional damage at the cost of turning one of your opponents die to a damage symbol. This doesn't have to be a penalty, for example, turning the three melee damage symbol on Darth Vader's (Awakenings, 10) die to its two melee damage symbol will reduce the damage you will take as well as giving some back to Vader! 

With Chewbacca on your side, you’re sure to hit your opponents frequently and hard. His elite version, coming in for sixteen points (perfect for teaming up with a normal version of Han, who costs fourteen points) doubles this potential, making Chewbacca a tour de force in damage.

Shock and Awe

Rogues are known for their flashy plans, and no card shows that off more than Planned Explosion  (Spirit of Rebellion, 116). If you can manage to roll symbols with a combined value of ten or more, you can remove all of your dice to deal one of your opponent's characters ten damage! This may seem like an improbable task, but any decent scoundrel knows the value of odds  (Spirit of Rebellion 115). With proper setup and a little bit of luck, you'll see your impressive supply of dice turn into a devastating explosion your opponents never saw coming, in true rebel fashion.

Just because rogues are swept up in rebellion doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten the value of credits. A  Long Con  (Spirit of Rebellion, 113) to gain some resources or a Diversion  (Spirit of Rebellion, 144) to drain your opponent of theirs requires some set up, but discarding the first copy of one of these two events you find to both re-roll dice and activate the effect of the second copy is just the kind of value and resourcefulness these ruffians are known for. If a Yellow hero still finds themselves short on resources, just con your opponent out of theirs with a "Fair" Trade (Spirit of Rebellion, 145).

While trading damage between heroes is still a core concept of the Yellow faction, those who operate on the fringes of the Star Wars universe know what its like to be cornered and all out of friends, and they excel at being a Lone Operative (Spirit of Rebellion 49) should the need arise.

The upgrade can provide ample damage and discard potential, as well as a resource, but its real strength shines in the resilience it gives to your character. With two special symbols that provide healing, your lone operative is sure to prove that they are tougher than they look, especially if they have no other characters backing them up. The card pairs well with Jyn Erso, providing even more consistency with damage and hand disruption, and with a little bit of luck in the form of a Second Chance (Awakenings, 137) , your lone operative suddenly becomes very resilient.

Test Your Luck

Whether it’s machinations in the dark, or a daring rebel mission, the rogues of Star Wars have proven time and time again that, when duty calls, they are more than capable of answering. Look for these infamous scoundrels to show off their Spirit of Rebellion in the second quarter of 2017!