Command Your Forces

In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society.
   - Emperor Palpatine, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

From the Galactic Empire to the First Order, there have always been entities trying to extinguish the Spirit of Rebellion in the Star Wars™ galaxy.  Those who would stand against these armies face master tacticians and loyal soldiers who control the battlefield with oppressive force, leaving little hope for resistance or rebellion. 

Today we’re looking at the Red Villains in Spirit of Rebellion, the newest set of boosters for Star Wars: Destiny. These soldiers and tacticians present a dominating presence on the battlefield, and use the element of surprise to destroy their enemies.

Quick Draw

All around the galaxy, Stormtroopers are feared for their deadly accurate aim with their trusty blasters. However, some like FN-2199 (Spirit of Rebellion, 2), the loyal Stormtrooper who once went toe-to toe with Finn in melee combat, are prepared for any type of fight. FN-2199's Star Wars: Destiny version makes him a master of any tool, able to roll a weapon’s die whenever you play one on him, and then immediately resolve it. This allows for instant speed rolls from some of the most dangerous dice in the game, and if the weapon has the "Ambush" keyword like the Holdout Blaster  (Awakenings, 63), you can equip it, roll its die, resolve it, and then take another action! FN-2199 also has three sides on his character die showing damage, one showing a shield, and another showing a resource, making him a consistent threat with several support options. At ten points for a normal version or 13 points for an elite, FN-2199 can improve any team you place him on, especially if you have a deck full of weapons.

Spirit of Rebellion introduces plenty of weapons for FN-2199 to use, including the  Z6 Riot Control Baton (Spirit of Rebellion, 8). Though the baton has two blank sides, you can reroll the die when you initially roll it into your pool, giving you a second chance to get the results you’re looking for. With a 50/50 chance to roll multiple melee damage, playing the baton gives you high odds of hitting your opponent, and if you play it on FN-2199, you get to resolve that damage right away.

If your soldiers prefer a blaster, the DT-29 Heavy Blaster Pistol (Spirit of Rebellion, 7) features one side of ranged damage, two sides of modified ranged damage, one side showing a shield, and a special symbol that allows you to remove an opponent’s die showing a resource cost. The damage, protection, and disruption the blaster offers make it a versatile weapon fit for any Red Villain deck.

With the pure firepower of red characters, sometimes an opponent's only defense is to disrupt your dice, using effects to remove them before they can be resolved. Even your best laid plans can be destroyed with the removal of your key die. Luckily, characters like Tie Pilot (Spirit of Rebellion, 4) can provide protection for your arsenal. The pilot not only provides plenty of modified ranged damage but also protects your other dice showing ranged damage symbols, preventing them from being removed by tricky effects from your opponent! The Tie Pilot's die is rounded out with a focus symbol and a resource symbol, providing a valuable support option for eight points.

War Efforts

The military might of the Star Wars galaxy needs the resources to supply their armies, and Spirit of Rebellion offers plenty of ways to get these. One of the most efficient is Supply Line (Spirit of Rebellion, 51), a support card that's die not only has three sides that enhance your resources and another that has a focus symbol, but a special ability that allows you to reroll any amount of your dice. The ability to reroll any amount of dice without losing a card from your hand allows you to remain consistent and efficient.

Imperial War Machine (Spirit of Rebellion, 62) helps pump your economy in a more unorthodox way, letting you resolve a die with a resource symbol for free. Not only does this help you save valuable resources for other purposes, but it can provide the element of surprise if one of your die is showing a resource symbol that your opponent thinks you have no way to resolve.

Battlefield Domination

As with Awakenings, red characters thrive when they control the battlefield. We’ve already revealed Director Krennic (Spirit of Rebellion, 3) and his loyal Death Troopers (Spirit of Rebellion, 1), but plenty of other cards in Spirit of Rebellion give red characters a boost when they control the battlefield. An E-Web Emplacement (Spirit of Rebellion, 5) is damaging right out of the gate, but if you control the battlefield, the value of each of its sides is increased by one, giving you the ability to do multiple ranged damage on four of its sides or provide three shields to one of your characters. All of these die sides are high impact, whether its damaging your opponent with massive ranged damage or protecting your own characters with a myriad of shields. When getting a boost from controlling the battlefield, an E-Web Emplacement will be one of your most important dice.

Even if the odds of damaging your opponent seem likely, there is always the chance that something goes wrong. Those who would stand against your forces may begin to think they can slip through your grasp, but as long as Red Villains have the battlefield, they can overcome any obstacle. We Have Them Now (Spirit of Rebellion, 68) allows you to change four of your die to sides showing melee or ranged damage. For a mere two resources, you can turn an entire field of blanks into a barrage of damage. You can even combine We Have Them Now with the new battlefield Secret Facility's (Spirit of Rebellion, 159) ability to immediately resolve three of your freshly turned damage die while simultaneously keeping control of the battlefield, allowing you to retain your advantage without disrupting your tempo.

This element of surprise can also be seen in Lockdown (Spirit of Rebellion, 63)—if you spot two red characters, you can take control of the battlefield without claiming it. Perhaps most importantly, Lockdown has the "Ambush" keyword, meaning you can steal the battlefield from your opponent to turn on effects like E-Web Emplacement or We Have Them Now, and use them immediately, taking your opponent completely by surprise.

Unrelenting Force

Controlling the Battlefield and raw firepower is a sure path to victory for Red Villains in Star Wars: Destiny, and Spirit of Rebellion looks to expand on those concepts. Whether it’s manipulating your dice rolls for massive damage or equipping your loyal soldiers with powerful weapons, Red Villains always have a way to overwhelm their opponent and squash the Spirit of Rebellion.

Command your forces and pre-order Spirit of Rebellion (SWD04), arriving in stores this May!