Star Wars, Set 02, Beta

Author: Magnitar Current version: Version 28 Last change: 2022-03-24 04:51:40 Stage: Finished

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This is the second installment in my massive Star Wars universe collection. You can learn more about this project at https://www.reddit.com/r/MagicStarWars/.

This set is a followup to the first installment and introduces the remaining factions within the project. These factions are color based on enemy three-color combinations (wedges). White/Black/Red is Imperial, Blue/Red/Green is Whills (think Gray Jedi), Black/Green/White is Republic, Red/White/Blue is Rebellion, and Green/Blue/Black is Night (think Nightsisters, but not limited to just them!)

As with the first installment each faction has its own theme and most have a new keyword or ability word mechanic. Whereas the first installment had a new ability for each friendly two-color combination, this installment brings a new ability to each enemy two-color combination.

Faction abilities Imperial has Tyranny. Tyranny is a new static keyword ability that increases the cost of spells your opponents cast from anywhere other than their hand. A fine way to make your opponent play by the rules!

Whills has a themed ability that is not keyworded nor has an ability word and has a new keyword ability. The theme is abilities that reveal the top card of your library and gain effects based on the cost of the revealed card. The new keyword, which will help the theme greatly, is Lifeshift. When a creature with Lifeshift dies, you may put another non-Droid creature card from your graveyard on top of your library (sorry Droids, gotta be alive for this to work). A great way to manipulate the top card of your library to reap bigger effects from the faction's theme!

Republic does not have a new keyword or ability word but has a theme that functions very well with one of the color based mechanics. Republic's theme is toughness matters. Most republic creatures have higher toughness than power, and often have effects that check toughness rather than power.

Rebellion has Dissent. Dissent is a new triggered keyword ability. When a creature (or permanent) with Dissent enters the battlefield, look at the top four cards of your library and exile one of them that shares a faction with that creature (or permanent). For as long as that card remains exiled, you can cast it from exile, just like if it was in your hand. While this ability is faction linked and won't appear outside Rebellion, keep an eye out for cards with dissent that have more than one faction. A great way to get some card advantage and protect your uncast spells from discard!

Night has Ritual. Ritual is a triggered ability word that gives various effects whenever you spend three or more mana on the X variable of an X cost. Bear in mind, this triggers only if you spent the mana, not necessarily that X is three or greater!

Color abilities: White/Black has Arrest. Arrest was derived from Detain, but is different in that it also prevents the arrested permanent from being tapped to pay costs of any kind and does not have a set duration. The duration of the effect will always be spelled out on the card doing the arresting.

Blue/Red has Clash. Clash is a callback mechanic from MTG and works well within this project, particularly in conjuction with the Whills faction and their manipulation of the top of library! To clash with an opponent, you and that opponent each reveal the top card of your libraries, then the player with the higher cost wins the clash. To clash with all opponents, each player reveals the top card and if one player has a higher cost revealed, that player wins the clash. Keep an eye out for some devastating effects you might be able to pull off with a successful clash!

Black/Green has Stalwart. Stalwart is a new static keyword ability of an existing favorite. A creature with Stalwart assigns combat damage with its toughness rather than its power. A great ability for the Republic, but not limited to just them!

Red/White has Trooper. Trooper is a new static keyword ability that functions similarly to a mechanic within MTG that players either love or hate; namely Slivers. A creature with trooper has all other printed abilities of each other creature with the trooper ability. A couple notes regarding this ability: It says "other" abilities so that it does not gain multiple instances of trooper; it says "printed" abilities so that it only gains the abilities that are actually printed on the other cards, not abilities that are temporarily gained through gameplay. Keep an eye out in later installments for trooper in all colors, and the occasional trooper that may poison the hivemind!

Green/Blue has Hidden. Hidden is a variation of Hexproof and is the reason the latter does not appear in this project. I'm not a fan of hexproof and the complete severance of player interaction that it creates. To balance this, Hidden prevents your opponents from targeting your cards, but is only in effect as long as the creature (or permanent) that has it isn't attacking or blocking. Gotta come out of hiding to strike your opponent!

Again, hope everyone enjoys this installment and I'll see you at the next installment: Galactic Warfare where Vehicles will be introduced. Can't have Star Wars without Vehicles and Spaceships!