Analysis. Meditation and Mastery

Greetings followers of both sides of the Force. Once more we bring you the bilingual analysis of the new pack so nobody is going to be delayed about the knowledge of its strategies, synergies and tricks. This pack gets back former and sadly forgotten concepts as Pilots (#faqtarkin) and "unblockables" and a new one, Night, that nowadays needs more cards that support it or even oppose it (will Day cards arrive?). Let’s see what brings so much Meditation and Mastery…

SET 241

Daughter of Tanaab 8/10

This objective would be very good if it worked always, because Jedi is a faction full of events; although forcing your opponent to attack to cancel its text can be sometimes profitable in a defensive deck. My only doubt is: what happened in Tanaab for Lando to make that "little maneuver" and also there is a jedi in hiding? Please, if anyone knows, write it below on comments. Thanks!

Serenda 6/10

A good ‘weenie’ that makes things when dies. ¿Good things? Yes. ¿Super good things? No that much. It is not bad searching an event, but it is a little poor as a main's ability given the state of the meta.

Cathar Defender 4/10

Too many ‘1’ this ‘weenie’ has, whose only virtue is shielding. He also gains one more blaster while defending, because it is known that in this game the LS' goal is to defend all time….

Gotal Outcast 2/10

What? Do we have an overprinting of Gotal Outcast? Ok, there is place here. Yes, they are very useful. They are like the new Scum. More events in an event set? No, no, Gotals. You’ll see, they are just asking for them….

Return of the Jedi 9/10

One of the best events of the whole game that bears the curse of being in the worst Jedi sets ever printed. I can only say: Why, FFG, why?

Preparation and Planning 10/10

Cycle’s fate card, and one of the game’s best. Playing Jedi it can give you a free Yoda, You seek Yoda, or make a surprising Force Rejuvenation and your make will finish the match. Also useful if you play Jedi Gamor and want the Bamboozle for free. A pity of a set, I don’t remember if I have already said it.

What happens in Tanaab stays in Tanaab...

A barely passing for a set where everything would be acceptable and even playable (by one) if the two secondary units were useful or were events (al least one of them). Maybe you can use it in a experimental mono-jedi deck with Spark of Rebellion. A pity wasting Jedi’s Preparation and planning. I hope that they don’t do the same with the Smuggler copy of the fate, which I consider a key one in this faction.

TOTAL: 5/10

MVC: Return of the Jedi  

SET 242

A  Legend Begins 9/10

It is not a 10 for three reasons: it’s Rebel affiliation only, there are only 4 rebel fates today and it is 1 pero turn. Anyway, I understand that they have limited it because it is amazing that the objective can win matches by itself. And it is Yavin 4, for those who have not passed the Dodonna’s experimentation phase yet…

Wedge Antilles 7/10

At least a card that gives black blasts to the rebels (to Vehicles and with limitations, but it cannot be perfect, of course). And, talking about not being perfect, he is Pilot, so if your rival plays Tarkin or you have not ships in play… So you better play a lot of Stay on Target (Wedge is also a bit anti-synergic with the Rogue Squadron X-Wings), be courageous and go ahead, because the rebellion is not going to win by itself.

Red Two 6/10

It gains damage capacity and a black blast from its former version, which is good, but you have to read its ability twice (maybe more) in order to understand it right. Play it with Wedge in a pilot deck and you will have a very hard trick, moving blasts and getting the best of the best pilot in the Galaxy (with Darth Vader`s permission). But also you can do absolutely nothing.

Pilot Ready Room 10/10

It is a classic, it is Rebel and not only is not limited but it reduce costs. Enormous 2x1.

Tactical Planning  10/10

It has 3 pips to the Edge and its ability is great in order to avoid that annoying tactic which all Navy units have now. It will do a lot of harm, and will surprise to all of those who keep playing Navy in autoplay mode. It is, indeed, the card that will allow play pilots again, because those who play Navy to discard pilots and destroy ships with Moment of Triumph have to assume that they probably eat four of this fates (maybe more due to Page’s Commandos) and risk the match.

A simple set but full of strategy that brings pilots, a cycle and a thematic killed by one single card back again (or at least try to). This set goes straight against Navy and, as we will see, it is more powerful that the Imperial one. Good news for the Rebel Faction lovers, although the Character deck is not clear yet.

TOTAL: 8/10

MVC: A Legend Begins

Wedge is coming, guys!

SET 243

Resistance and Rebellion 6/10

One more damage capacity for an "unblockable" ship can be very good in a certain moment. And nothing else.

Nien Numb 8/10

New mechanics for old cards are always welcome, specially when they try to remove the dust from the "unblockables" and add pilots that are effective and don’t count against the pilot limit. In a good first turn and due to his tactic (given by looking at Nien's face) it enables massive damage.

Loyal Co-Pilot 6/10

He has like three hundred conditions to do things and none of them are gaining blast damage, but at the right moment he can help to keep your ships moving. If you have good initial objectives he will give you a 2 cost piloted ship soon, with which you will break  the blockade without troubles. His 2 pips will be useful in edges when he can’t do anymore.

YT-2000 Freighter 8/10

It is ugly, very, very ugly, but it does the work which you pay it for (a bit like Dengar). Gaining up to edge 2, with all the bonus it can obtain among objectives and pilots, can turn it into a very powerful unit that has enough blast to do the necessary damage.

Spacer Cantina 10/10

Don’t forget that the other set where it comes has a Transport and a Stay on Target too. They do it well when they want to.

Stay on Target 10/10

A Fate against Tarkin that can surprise (specially if you can play a Surprising Maneuver after) and can be the difference between a ship that does nothing or a ship that does everything. I guess that will go x3, at least, in the deck that is based on this set.

It is curious how in this game a forgotten faction or strategy can gain a lot with very little. It is true that this set doesn’t fix all the troubles of playing Pilots and "unblockables", but it allows to remove the cards from the holder and try, and I am sure that those who have forgotten  how to play against them will take some fright.

TOTAL: 8/10

MVC: YT-2000 Freighter

SET 244

Inexorable Destruction 8/10

This is, for me, one of the funniest and most explicit illustrations of all the game, and it’s name is quite literal since activating its ability can allow us a huge strike and to destroy our opponent’s strategy. Warning! When your unit strikes, it only do it whit the black icons, but I have the feeling that in that engagement it will not matter.

Admiral Screed 6/10

He rocks (we have seen him yet in a card, do you remember where?) but his ability leaves me like his fist: cold and metallic. It is the first pilot for Capital Ships but the two extra damages seems few if you think that the destroyer and everything else that has participated in the engagement will probably have done their work. It is good if you combine it with the destroyers of Deploy the Fleet, which it is exactly what you cannot play together with Yularen. Bad business.

Yes, he is the one in Award Ceremony.

Demolisher 9/10

I don’t know why some guy would modify a Gladiator-Class Star Destroyer to remove the Edge1 and the tactic, but the result is not bad at all. A lot of damage, and after that somemore, dealing one extra to the engagement and, above all, penalizing your opponent at defense. Played with an Imperial Fist it deals the same damage that the Executor itself. BOOM.

Nebulon–B2 Frigate 10/10

Come on, black tactic in a 3 damage capacity Capital Ship that gains another icon when strikes. Ok, you have had to win the edge, but … Gladiators? The only good thing is that there is so many aberrations in Army that there is no place for all of them. Literally.

Tactical Planning 8/10

It is worse the Imperial card against the Rebel one that vice versa. The card is not bad, but Rebels will do a bigger destruction with it than Imperials. It keeps on being good for winning  the edge, activating the objective and who knows, maybe stealing a Gotal one of its blasts.

This set is serious but maybe not so effective as it seems. It is versatile while attacking and while defending, and has combo, but I think it will not have that much room into an Imperial Navy lock deck. Pity that the Frigates won't easily B2.

TOTAL: 8/10

MVC: Nebulon-B2 Frigate

SET 245

Hunter in the Night 6/10

A 5/2 in the faction with more 5/2. It has the Night trait, but this is only useful in this set, so you have to play it x2. Perhaps it will achieve anything some day, but, at this moment…

Djas Puhr 5/10

An old friend from the CCG, this unit is now ... absolutely nothing. If we look at the present level of Scum this set is a step back and this main proves it because we are at risk of seeing him doing less than a weenie, and if he has his abilities activated is also not such a great thing. It’s better to pay one more resource for Mara Jade and her blast and shield, which are no dependant of garbage as…

Defel Mercenary 3/10

For 3 he has black pistol and white tactic, and can easily gain two or three pistols, and he is Night and… And? As a defender he could be good, but there are better things, and he is affected by the Rebel fate because he is neutral. Come on, man…

Master of the Night 7/10

Probably the best card in the set (which says no good about the set). It is very good doing your units immune or giving that immunity to an objective if your opponent plays Rebel Assault. But that one-shot immunity is not a reason that justifies the bad level of the set.

Wasting time with my pals

Blaster Pistol 1/10

And when we were thinking that the Gotal was the apex of the laziness in this pack... Bazinga! The worst flashback from the Core. It has not a 0 because it helps the combo with the fate. This is not the right way. Very bad.

Well Equipped 9/10

The fate is very good, but the enhancements and synergies that this set brings are not worth in a highest level Scum deck.

It is for sure the worst of this pack. A set with unplayable synergy that doesn’t give a great edge. Maybe in the future, when there are more Night cards, it will be useful, but I doubt that it will find its place in the present meta beyond experimental decks. The Blaster Pistol is a shame.

TOTAL: 3/10

MVC: Well Equipped

This pack lowers the level of its predecessors, although at the same time recovers lost dynamics that can make us happy. Jedi and Scum sets are two great design fails, so I am afraid that they will only have a place in our holders.