How to Play Star Wars Unlimited: Rules, Deck Building & Strategies

Introduction to Star Wars: Unlimited

Star Wars: Unlimited brings the epic Star Wars saga to the tabletop, featuring iconic heroes and villains in a fast-paced card duel. Star Wars: Unlimited is a two-player trading card game (TCG) set in the Star Wars galaxy. It’s designed to be beginner-friendly and accessible, even if you’ve never played a TCG before. In this game, each player builds a deck of cards representing characters, starships, and events from Star Wars, then battles head-to-head in strategic showdowns. The gameplay is fast-paced and dynamic, with rules that will feel familiar if you’ve played games like Magic: The Gathering or Pokémon​. Fantasy Flight Games (the publisher) describes Star Wars: Unlimited as a “strategic card game for everyone – whether you’re a hardcore Star Wars fan or new to trading card games”​. In other words, it’s easy to learn but offers deep strategy for those who want it, making it appealing to both newcomers and veteran card gamers alike.

Game Objective

In Star Wars: Unlimited, your goal is to defeat your opponent by destroying their base before they destroy yours. Each player begins with a Base card that has 30 hit points (HP)​. Throughout the game, you’ll launch attacks and play powerful cards to deal damage to the enemy base. Reduce the opposing base to 0 HP, and you win the game! It’s a simple objective, but achieving it requires clever strategy. You’ll need to manage your forces across two battlefronts – the game is fought in both Ground and Space arenas, representing battles on land and in space​. This dual-zone system means strategy is key: you must decide where to deploy units and when to attack or defend in each arena. Another core element is resource management – players must balance playing cards vs. saving cards as resources to pay for bigger moves later. The primary goal (destroy the base) stays front and center, but how you get there involves tactical decisions like protecting your base, targeting enemy units, and timing big attacks. This mix of straightforward goal and layered strategy makes Star Wars: Unlimited engaging and fun as you learn the ropes.

Components and Setup

A Star Wars: Unlimited Two-Player Starter set includes two pre-built decks (with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader leader cards), base cards, tokens, and a quickstart rulebook – everything you need to start playing. To play Star Wars: Unlimited, you’ll need a few components on hand:

• Deck of Cards – Each player needs a deck of at least 50 cards (plus one Leader and one Base card)​. Starter decks come pre-built for learning.
• Leader Card – Your Leader is a special double-sided character card (e.g. Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader) that begins play in a horizontal “undeployed” state and can later enter the fight.
• Base Card – Your Base represents your stronghold (e.g. Echo Base on Hoth) and tracks your 30 HP. It also shows your deck’s aspects (factions/affinities) which affect deck-building.
• Tokens and Counters – Various tokens are used to track damage, resources, shields, etc. For example, damage counters mark wounds on units/bases, and resource tokens or face-down cards serve as your resources (energy to play cards).
• Play Area / Mat – While not required, a playmat or clear space helps organize the two Ground and Space arenas, the Resource zone, and areas for your deck and discard pile. (Many starter kits include a paper playmat with zones labeled for Ground units, Space units, resources, etc.)
• Initiative Marker – A marker or coin to indicate which player has initiative (the first action in a round).

Setup is quick and easy. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Place Base and Leader: Put your Base card face-up in front of you, facing your opponent’s base​. Directly below it, place your Leader card in its horizontal non-unit side up (undeployed side showing)​. Now your leader is ready to command your forces.
2. Establish Ground & Space Arenas: Decide which side of the table will represent the Ground arena and which side is the Space arena. Each player’s Ground zone should face the opponent’s Ground, and same for Space, so that Ground units fight Ground and Space fights Space​. (If using a playmat, these zones are usually marked.)
3. Determine First Player (Initiative): Randomly decide who goes first – flip a coin, roll a die, etc. The winner takes the initiative marker, indicating they will take the first action​. (Tip: Going first can be an advantage, so don’t hesitate to claim it if you win the toss!)
4. Shuffle and Draw Opening Hand: Each player shuffles their deck thoroughly and draws 6 cards as their starting hand​. You may then choose to take a mulligan – if you don’t like your hand, you can shuffle those 6 cards back into your deck and draw 6 new ones once. (After one mulligan, you must keep the new hand.) It’s recommended to mulligan if you have no low-cost cards to play early​.
5. Prepare Starting Resources: From your hand of 6, each player now selects 2 cards to place face-down as initial resources​. Put these cards in a separate row near your base – this is your resource zone. (These cards won’t be used for their normal abilities; instead, they count as resource points you can spend to play other cards.) Now each player has a small “bank” of resources to start the game.
6. Begin the First Round: Both players are now ready – the battlefield is set. The game starts with the first Action Phase, beginning with the player who has the initiative marker​. Game on!

That’s all it takes to set up. In summary, place your base & leader, decide who goes first, draw cards, set aside resources, then start playing. With a starter kit, setup is even easier since it provides all components and a rule summary​. Once everything is laid out, you’re ready to dive into your first battle.

Understanding Card Types

Star Wars: Unlimited features a variety of card types – from characters and vehicles to events and upgrades – each with a unique role in gameplay. There are six different types of cards in Star Wars: Unlimited​, and learning what each type does is key to understanding the game. Below is a breakdown of each card type and how it functions:

• Leader Cards: Your Leader is a special double-sided card representing a famous character (like Luke, Vader, Leia, etc.). Leaders start the game in play (but undeployed in horizontal orientation). They often have a unique Action ability you can use each round. At some point, you can perform an Epic Action to flip (deploy) your leader to its unit side, bringing them into battle as a powerful unit​. Deployed leaders typically have strong stats and effects. (If a leader unit is defeated, it flips back to its base side and usually cannot be redeployed.) Your leader also determines your deck’s allowed “aspects” (color factions) and often has abilities tied to those aspects.
• Base Cards: Bases represent your faction’s stronghold or location (for example, Yavin IV Base or Death Star). A base card has your starting HP (usually 30) and sometimes an ability or aspect icons. Bases begin in play and are the target your opponent must destroy to win. Base cards themselves don’t move or attack, but some may have passive effects or influence deck-building. Protect your base! If its HP hits zero, you lose the game.
• Unit Cards: Units are your characters, creatures, or vehicles that fight for you. These cards have attack power and health (HP) values. Units can be either Ground units or Space units, indicated by an icon or label on the card (e.g. a TIE Fighter is a Space unit, a Stormtrooper is a Ground unit). You play units by paying resources equal to their cost, then deploying them to the appropriate arena (ground or space). Units stay on the battlefield until defeated, and they can attack enemy units or the enemy base. Many units have special keywords or abilities (like “Shield” or “Assault”) that give them unique combat tricks. Units form the backbone of your offense and defense.
• Event Cards: Events are one-time effect cards that represent actions, tactics, or incidents (for example, a “Surprise Attack” or “Use the Force” card). An Event card typically has a cost – you pay the required resources, play the card from your hand, and resolve its effect, then discard it. Effects can range from dealing damage, drawing cards, to granting temporary buffs or other strategic benefits. Think of events as your instant spells or action cards that can turn the tide in a pinch. Since they don’t stay on the table, timing is everything with Events.
• Upgrade Cards: Upgrades are cards that attach to units to enhance them. These could be weapons, equipment, or even abilities (e.g. a Lightsaber upgrade that attaches to a character to give extra attack power). To play an Upgrade, pay its cost and attach it to a chosen unit in play. The upgrade card then grants bonus stats or abilities to that unit (for example, increasing a unit’s health or giving it a new attack ability). Upgrades stay attached until the unit leaves play (or until some effect discards the upgrade). Stacking the right upgrades on your key units can swing the battle in your favor.
• Token Cards: Tokens represent generated units or effects that aren’t part of your main deck. For instance, a card might say “create a 1/1 Stormtrooper token.” In this case, you’d put a Stormtrooper token unit into play (often provided in starter sets or by using a placeholder). Tokens function like normal unit cards but typically can’t be added to decks – they’re only brought into play by other card effects. Tokens can also refer to counters like Shield tokens (which block damage) or resource tokens. In summary, token cards are supplementary pieces created by abilities, used to keep track of certain units or bonuses.

Each card in Star Wars: Unlimited clearly indicates its type and any special rules on the card itself. As a beginner, focus on recognizing these types: Units (stay in play, fight), Events (single-use effects), Upgrades (attach to units), plus your always-present Leader and Base. Understanding what each type can (and cannot) do will help you make smart plays. Before long, you’ll know the difference between dropping a Unit versus springing an Event at just the right moment!

Gameplay Overview

A mid-game setup as seen in a demo game. The playmat is divided into a Ground arena (left) and Space arena (right). Units and leaders engage on both fronts, with damage counters (red tokens with numbers) tracking hits. Players alternate turns, using resources (cards placed near the “Resources” area) to deploy cards and execute strategies. Game flow in Star Wars: Unlimited is divided into repeated rounds, each consisting of two main phases: an Action Phase followed by a Refresh (Regroup) Phase. Here’s a step-by-step overview of how a turn/round works:

• Action Phase: This is the heart of the game where players make their moves. Unlike many card games where one player takes an entire turn, in Star Wars: Unlimited players alternate taking single actions back and forth within the action phase​. The player with the initiative goes first, performs one action, then the other player gets to take one action, and so on. What counts as an action? Nearly everything: playing a card (unit/event/upgrade) from your hand, attacking with a unit, activating a card’s Action ability (such as your leader’s power), or even a special move called “Take the Initiative” (seizing first-player if you didn’t have it). After performing an action, it’s the other player’s turn to act. You go back and forth, one action at a time. This continues until both players consecutively choose to pass, meaning no one wants to (or can) do another action. When both pass in a row, the action phase ends. The alternating action system keeps both players constantly involved and leads to interactive, tactical gameplay – you must plan your moves while anticipating immediate responses from your opponent.
• Refresh (Regroup) Phase: After the action phase, a brief regroup phase lets players reset and prepare for the next round. First, any exhausted cards are readied (e.g. units that attacked are “untapped” so they become usable again next round). Also, any lasting effects that say “until end of round” will expire now. Next, each player draws 2 cards from their deck​, adding these to their hand – so you replenish your options every round. Then, each player may resource 1 card from hand (optional) by placing a card face-down as a new resource​. This increases your resource pool for future rounds (allowing you to play more expensive cards as the game progresses). Essentially, at the end of each round, you get more cards and can ramp up your resources, escalating the conflict. Finally, the initiative marker flips to its “available” side and is retained by whoever held it (initiative doesn’t automatically switch – it only changes hands if someone took the initiative action during the round)​​. Once these steps are done, a new round begins, starting again with an Action phase.

Each round in Star Wars: Unlimited follows this cycle of actions -> refresh -> next round. During action phases, your units can attack enemy units or directly attack the enemy base (if the path is clear). Combat is straightforward: units deal damage equal to their power, and defenders (if any) simultaneously hit back. Defeated units are discarded, and damage to bases accumulates. Managing the Ground and Space arenas is crucial – you might attack in space while defending on the ground, for example. Remember, you can only play units into their designated arena, so plan a balanced offense/defense. Events can be played as actions to create surprise effects, and upgrades can bolster your forces mid-round. After a flurry of back-and-forth actions, you’ll ready up, draw new cards, possibly add a resource, and then dive into the next round with even more resources at your disposal. The game continues round by round until one base is destroyed (or very rarely, a player cannot draw from their deck, which also damages their base). In summary, the gameplay flow encourages constant interaction – you’re never waiting long for your turn – and a rising momentum as both players build up their arsenals and press the attack toward victory.

Basic Strategies for New Players

Starting out, it helps to keep a few beginner strategies in mind to build good habits and avoid common pitfalls. Here are some tips to give you an edge in your first Star Wars: Unlimited games:

• Build a Balanced Deck: When constructing (or tweaking) your deck, include a healthy mix of low, mid, and high-cost cards. Aim to have plenty of cheap units (cost 1-2) so you can establish a board presence early. Having at least a dozen units you can play in the first couple turns is recommended. These early units can chip away at the enemy base or trade with enemy units, buying time to deploy your bigger cards. High-cost heroes and ships are powerful, but if your deck is full of only expensive cards, you might get overwhelmed before you can play them. Balance is key.
• Use Your Resources Wisely: Each round, you can turn one card from hand into a resource – do this almost every round! Continuously expanding your resource pool is how you play your strongest cards as the game goes on. Don’t be afraid to resource a card – a common mistake is holding too many cards in hand and then not having enough resources to play them. Of course, choose the card carefully (pick something you won’t need immediately). By the later rounds, you’ll want a lot of resources available to perform multiple actions in a turn. Essentially, think of unused cards as potential “energy” – leverage them by fueling your economy.
• Control Both Arenas: Pay attention to both the Ground and Space arenas. New players sometimes stack all their power in one arena, only to have the opponent dominate the other and hit their base unopposed. Try to include a mix of ground and space units in your deck, and deploy forces to contest both arenas. For example, if your opponent is flooding the Space arena with starfighters and you have no Space units, their ships can start directly hitting your base. Even a simple TIE Fighter or X-wing can hold off damage by engaging enemy units in that arena. Strive for a presence in both zones so you’re not leaving an open door to your base.
• Time Your Leader Deployment: Your Leader card is a powerful asset – knowing when to deploy your leader as a unit can swing the game. Each leader has an Epic Action (once-per-game) to deploy; don’t rush it out at the wrong time. While undeployed, your leader might be providing a useful ability or just staying safe. Deploy when you can maximize impact – for instance, when you have enough resources to play your leader and maybe an upgrade on them in the same round, or when you need an extra attacker to push lethal damage. Also, avoid deploying your leader into a situation where they’ll immediately get overwhelmed and defeated (because once flipped back, they’re out of the fight for good). In short, use your leader’s action ability in early rounds, and bring them into battle at a pivotal moment for a big swing.
• Make the Most of Each Action: Since you and your opponent alternate actions, try to efficiently use every action you take. For example, when you attack, choose targets wisely – removing an enemy unit can prevent them from retaliating or blocking later. If your opponent passes and you have initiative, you could play an additional unit (if you can afford it) rather than also passing, to maintain momentum. Conversely, if you’re at a disadvantage on board, sometimes it’s wise to pass and force the round to end, so you can reset in the next round with new cards. Also, remember the “Take the Initiative” action – once per round, the second player can spend their action to seize the first-player role (making the opponent pass thereafter)​. New players often forget this, but it can be game-changing in the right scenario.
• Avoid Common Pitfalls: A few beginner mistakes to avoid: Don’t forget to mulligan if your starting hand is weak – digging for a 1-cost unit or two can greatly improve your start​. Don’t leave your base undefended – if you’re at low health, try to keep at least one unit in each arena as a blocker. Don’t over-commit all your units in attacks if it means leaving no defenders (unless you’re sure you can win that turn). And importantly, track your opponent’s resources – if they left resources available, be wary of a surprise event card or a late-unit drop. By playing attentively and learning from each game, you’ll quickly sharpen your skills.

These basic strategies will help you get comfortable with Star Wars: Unlimited. As you play more, you’ll discover deeper tactics like combo synergies, aspect-based deckbuilding, and bluffing/predicting your opponent’s moves. But to start, focus on solid fundamentals: build a good mix in your deck, manage resources every turn, apply pressure on both fronts, and use your leader and actions thoughtfully. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to your first victories in a galaxy far, far away!

How to Start Playing & Where to Buy Cards

Getting started with Star Wars: Unlimited is straightforward. The best entry point for new players is to grab a Two-Player Starter Set, which contains everything needed for two people to play. For example, the Spark of Rebellion starter box includes two pre-made 50-card decks (Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader themed), each with a leader and base, plus all the necessary tokens, counters, and a rule sheet​. You and a friend can open the box and start dueling immediately, making it perfect for learning the game. There are also starter sets for later expansions (featuring other characters) – all are designed to be beginner-friendly with balanced decks and tutorial guides.

Beyond the starter, players can expand their collection with Booster Packs. Star Wars: Unlimited is a collectible TCG, so booster packs (from sets like Spark of Rebellion, Shadows of the Galaxy, etc.) contain random cards to boost your decks. Opening boosters is part of the fun – you might pull powerful rare cards or more options to swap into your decks. As you learn, you can start deckbuilding by mixing and matching cards from boosters to create a custom deck around your favorite leader or strategy. Just remember the deck construction rules (50+ cards including one leader and one base, and aspect limitations based on your leader/base).

Where can you buy Star Wars: Unlimited cards? The game is available at hobby stores, game shops, and many online retailers. Check your local game store – they often carry the starter sets and boosters, and you might meet other players or find learn-to-play events there. For convenience, you can also purchase cards online. For instance, you can browse Tako Games & Collectible’s Star Wars: Unlimited collection for starters, boosters, and singles (TakoGNC offers a variety of SWU products, making it easy to order what you need to begin or grow your collection.) Additionally, major retailers and online marketplaces may stock the products as the game grows in popularity.

For official information and updates, be sure to check the official Star Wars: Unlimited website. The official site starwarsunlimited.com provides downloadable rules, card databases, news about upcoming expansions, and a store/event locator to find games near you. As a new player, the official site’s “How to Play” section and FAQ can be very helpful if you need clarifications on rules or want to see card errata and updates.

In summary, start with a starter kit, then expand at your own pace with booster packs or traded cards. The barrier to entry is low – with one starter box, two people can fully play the game. From there, you can decide how much you want to dive into deck customization. And remember, Star Wars: Unlimited is designed to be easy to pick up, so your focus can be on having fun and experiencing epic Star Wars card battles rather than worrying about a steep learning curve or huge investment. May the Force be with you as you start your collection and hit the tables!

Conclusion & Next Steps

You now have the basics to embark on your Star Wars: Unlimited journey. This beginner’s guide has walked you through the fundamental rules, components, and strategies – but the best way to learn is to jump in and play your first game. Grab a friend (or head to your local game store’s meetup) and play a few rounds with a starter deck. Don’t worry if you make a few mistakes at first; you’ll quickly get the hang of the turn structure and card interactions. The Star Wars: Unlimited community is growing, and it’s full of friendly players happy to help newcomers. Consider exploring online forums, Discord communities, or social media groups dedicated to SWU – they’re great places to ask questions, read strategy tips, and share deck ideas. You might also watch tutorial videos or read official guides for more examples of play (the Fantasy Flight Games YouTube channel and community content creators have useful how-to-play videos and match playthroughs).

As next steps, you can start experimenting with customizing your deck. Maybe swap in a cool card you pulled from a booster, or try a different leader for a new playstyle. The more you play, the more you’ll discover the depth of the game – from combo synergies to advanced tactics. Star Wars: Unlimited also has an organized play scene, so if you enjoy competitive play, look out for local tournaments or casual leagues once you feel comfortable. These events can be a fun way to improve and meet fellow fans.

Most importantly, enjoy the experience. Star Wars: Unlimited offers a chance to immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe and rewrite iconic showdowns on the tabletop. Whether you’re commanding Rebel forces or leading the Empire, every match tells a story. Now that you know the rules and basics, set forth and let the lightsabers clash and starships soar. Have fun dueling in this galaxy of unlimited possibilities, and may your journey from beginner to seasoned commander be an exciting one! Good luck, and see you on the battlefield – the Force will be with you, always.