Militarized Yoda with Deck Analysis 1.0

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Militarized Yoda with Deck Analysis

Having always been a strong proponent of thematic decks, I could not resist the dynamic pairing of Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda. After extensive playtesting and modifications, I have finalized the decklist below. The justification for each card is included next to the card’s name. The list has been adapted to be competitive based on the current meta, as summarized on the hyperloops gauntlet page.

Characters:

Qui-Gon Jinn: His ability allows him to constantly ping small amounts of damage, which makes cards like force illusion substantially less effective. Additionally, his die sides are incredibly consistent, as any shield or melee sides can be resolved as damage.

Yoda: As the support character of this deck, Yoda provides resources, damage, shields, and speed when necessary. The reason I named this deck “Militarized Yoda”, is this is the only pairing in which Yoda’s die can deal damage.

Battlefield:

Obi-Wan’s Hut: This battlefield provides you a distinct benefit, allowing you to either take a shield and protect one of your characters or deal a damage. Also, if you opponent isn’t playing a blue character, this battlefield is absolutely useless to them.

Upgrades:

Ancient Lightsaber: The goal with the ancient lightsabers is to get them cycling late game, but out early game. They provide a major threat with their +3 modified side and can be a great target for guard.

Force Illusion: Typically played mid-game on Qui-Gon Jinn, this card helps to stop massive bursts of damage, or can be the encouragement your opponent needs to start targeting your support character, Yoda.

Force Speed: Action chaining or OTK damage is the majority of the meta at the present moment, thus force speed provides you with the ability to deal similarly bursty damage. It also allows you to maintain the initiative, which is critical for cards like force misdirection.

Shoto Lightsaber: Definitely the most critical component of this deck, shoto lightsabers allow you to either shield up or ping damage using Qui-Gon Jinn’s ability. Functionally, these two cards convert Qui-Gon into Kylo Ren- Tormented One, but without the need to call a color.

Force Jump: Aimed at disrupting your opponent and forcing them to sacrifice cards for re-rolls, this card adds a bit of a control element to the deck and the shield sides can always be used for damage!

Most people question my choice to only include four weapons in this deck. The reason for this is the ideal upgrades for Qui-Gon Jinn to have are two shoto lightsabers and an ancient lightsaber. As a result, I don’t see why it is necessary or practical to include additional weapons, when you would prefer to have these three specifically.

Events:

Caution: Three shields can be an excellent way to defend one of your characters or prepare for a major riposte.

Force Misdirection: Much like defend, force misdirection can deal a decisive blow in a matchup that also includes melee, specifically Kylo/Anakin, as Kylo’s ability almost always hits, which makes him such a menace.

Guard: Once again, inexpensive mitigation is critical early game, as you want to play both shotos in the first two turns. Ideally, if you can take between 0-4 damage first turn, you are almost guaranteed a victory.

Heightened Awareness: One of the critical cards in this deck, Heightened Awareness provides some very interesting combinations, specifically into Riposte. For example, activate Yoda with Force Speed, resolve specials, give a shield to deal a damage, focus, give a shield to deal a damage, focus. Force speed special into Qui-Gon activation, dealing one damage for each shoto, then play Heightened awareness to give Qui-Gon three shields and deal a damage. The riposte with your second action. This deals a total of 8 damage before you resolve Qui-Gon’s dice, all of which was done in a single action.

Heroism: The biggest problem early game is playing the necessary upgrades and still affording mitigation. Consequently, heroism is included to divert damage away from your opponent’s primary target to provide additional time to gear suitably defend and equip Qui-Gon.

Lightsaber Pull: This cards is another excellent option as it allows you to search your deck for either a shoto lightsaber or an ancient lightsaber.

Mind Trick: This helps to mitigate large numbers of dice in one fell swoop. Excellent when combating decks like vehicles and five-die villain.

Overconfidence: An excellent card meant to disrupt two of your opponent’s dice and remove one, this card is an excellent blue removal card.

Riposte: Both caution and heightened awareness provide excellent accomplices to riposte and can provide an unexpected burst of damage when your opponent doesn’t expect it.

Synchronicity: Dealing unblockable damage is an excellent way to disregard both shields and force illusion, which have become more prevalent in the current meta.

Unbreakable: With the number of shields this deck produces, unbreakable is a fairly versatile card that can remove anything from specials to larger damage dice.

Strategy:

The most prominent decks appearing in the current meta are Kylo/Arihnda, Rey/Luke, Obi-Wan/Maz, Thrawn/Snoke, Rieekan/Yoda, Leia/Yoda, Cassian/Yoda, Boba/Phasma, Plo/Padawans, Snoke/Anything, Rose/Partisan/Partisan, and Yoda/Ezra/Rookie Pilot. Besides vehicle decks, each of these decks have one element in common, which is melee. As a result, both mind trick and force misdirection have been included, to provide the opportunity for blowout mitigation and strong control.

My ideal mulligan is an ancient or shoto lightsaber, a force speed, and a zero-cost mitigation or shield card. Two weapons are also incredibly nice, as typically you can utilize Yoda’s special to get the resources to play them.

After the first turn, your goal is to play both shoto lightsabers and an ancient lightsaber as soon as possible, while ensuring your characters survive. Divert damage away from the primary target of your opponent with heroism and continue to do consistent amounts of damage through both shield and melee sides. This is not a purely aggro deck, so do not be afraid to simply take shields for the purpose of survival. Also, don’t be afraid to mitigate larger damage combos instead of saving the resources for upgrades.

The first action you take should always be to activate Yoda, as his special and the force speed special allow for some very interesting damage combinations. After this, use force speed to activate Yoda and resolve damage that is unmitigable by your opponent. You can also use card effects that this point to deal surprise damage. For example, Yoda’s specials for two damage pings, force speed, activate QGJ (dealing additional damage from shoto lightsabers potentially), then resolve Qui-Gon’s dice and claim for what potentially could be a character kill.