Table of Contents

The Golden Rule

If the text of a card directly contradicts the rules of the game, the text of the card takes precedence. If you can follow both the rules of the game and the text of the card, do so.

Part 1. Card types & colors

All cards may have the following components: affiliation, color, type, title, ability, uniqueness, flavor, identification, rarity, and dice reference.

Affiliation

There are three different affiliations: hero, villain, and neutral. The affiliation of each card is written on the bottom of the card.

Colors

Each card is associated with a specific color and is written on the bottom of the card.

• Red is Command and represents military and logistical endeavors and characters.
• Blue is Force and represents characters trained in using the Force and their varied abilities.
• Yellow is Rogue and represents scum, villainy, spies, and smugglers.
• Gray is General and represents everything that does not fall under one of the other three colors.

Type & Subtype

Each card is one of six types: battlefield, character, event, upgrade, support, or plot. The type is listed above a card’s abilities, except on battlefields, where it does not appear. Some cards have one or more subtypes listed after the type.

Title

A card’s title is used to identify and describe what it represents in the Star Wars universe.

Abilities

Most cards have one or more abilities listed on them.

Uniqueness

Each card is either unique or non-unique. Unique cards are marked by a diamond () before their titles. All other cards are non-unique.

A player cannot have more than one copy of a unique card in play at the same time. There cannot be more than one copy of a unique character on a team, and a player cannot play a unique support or unique upgrade if they already have another copy of that card in play.

• The unique restriction applies to each player individually. Players can each have one copy of a unique card in play at the same time.

• If a player ever controls more than one copy of a unique card, then they must immediately discard one of those cards from play.

• The unique restriction does not apply to dice. A player can have multiples of the same dice in play at the same time.

• Characters with the same title but a different subtitle are still considered to be the same character for determining uniqueness.

  Example: A player cannot use Darth Vader, Sith Lord and Darth Vader, Dark Apprentice on the same team.

Flavor

Flavor text has no in-game application when present.

Identification (ID)

A card’s identification contains the set symbol (Awakenings’ set symbol is ) followed by a number. These help identify the cards and match them to dice.

Rarity

There are five levels of rarity. The rarity of a card is shown by a color behind the collector’s info. A die that comes with a card shares its rarity with that card.

• Fixed (Gray): Fixed cards have a non-random distribution and always come in the same product.
• Common (Blue): There are three common cards per booster pack.
• Uncommon (Yellow): There is one uncommon card per booster pack.
• Rare (Green): There is one rare card and its matching die per booster pack.
• Legendary (Purple): One in six booster packs has its rare card and die replaced by a legendary card and its die.

Dice references

A card that comes with a die has reference boxes that show all six sides of that die.

Battlefields

Battlefields represent various locations that players face-off in. One battlefield is chosen at the beginning of the game, and the other battlefield is not used.

• One player at a time controls the battlefield, and places it next to their deck, either because they started the game with it or were the last person to claim it.
• Battlefields have claim abilities on them. These abilities may be resolved when the Claim the Battlefield action is taken.
• The player who controls the battlefield takes the first action each round.
• All battlefields are considered to be gray.

Subtitle (also appears on characters)

A subtitle defines the location or planet of a battlefield, and helps distinguish different versions of characters from each other.

Plots

Plots represent various schemes and strategies that players can begin the game with. Players may optionally select one plot (but no more than one) when building their team. Each plot has a point value that counts toward the 30 point limit, just like characters. Plots start the game in play and remain in play.

• A hero or villain plot can only be selected if there is a character of that affiliation on a player’s team. A Blue, Red, or Yellow plot can only be selected if there is a character of that color on a player’s team.

Point value

A card’s point value is how many points it costs to include it on a team.

Characters

Characters represent notable individuals in the Star Wars universe. Each player spends up to 30 points on characters during customization. Characters start the game in play and remain in play until defeated. Each character has one or two dice that is rolled when that character is activated.

Health

A character’s health is how much damage it can take before being defeated.

Point value(s)

A character’s point value(s) is how many points it costs to include it in a team. If there are two values, then the smaller value is how many points it costs to use one of that character’s dice, and the larger value is how many points it costs to use two of that die. A character with two of its dice is called an elite character.

Events

Events represent tactical actions, schemes, twists of fate, and other unexpected developments that might occur during the game. When a player plays an event, they follow the card’s instructions and then discard it to their discard pile.

• When an event is played, it is considered to be in limbo (see “Limbo”) until it is fully resolved.
• Provided any play restrictions (see “Play Restrictions”) are met, a player can play an event even if the event has no effect.

Cost (also appears on supports and upgrades)

The cost of a card is listed in the upper-left hand corner of the card. A player must spend resources equal to the cost of a card in order to play it.

Supports

Support cards represent various vehicles, connections, and logistical aid. When a player plays a support card, they place it faceup in their play area, next to or behind their characters. Supports have repeatable or ongoing effects and stay in play unless an effect or ability discards them.

• Support cards cannot take damage.
• If a support has a die, that die is rolled when the support is activated.
• There is no limit to the number of supports a player can have.

Subtypes (also appears on characters and upgrades)

Some cards have subtypes listed after the card’s type, such as “Vehicle” or “Weapon.” Subtypes have no inherent rules associated with them, but other cards may reference them.

• When a card refers to a subtype in its text, the subtype is bold.

Upgrades

Upgrades represent weapons, gear, and abilities that characters have at their disposal. When a player plays an upgrade, they attach it faceup to one of their characters. A player may discard an upgrade already on that character to reduce the cost of the new upgrade by the cost of the discarded one. Upgrades have repeatable or ongoing abilities and stay in play unless an effect or ability discards them, or the character they are attached to is defeated.

• Each character cannot have more than 3 upgrades. If a character ever has more than 3 upgrades, the player who controls it must choose and discard upgrades from it until it only has 3.
• The color of a character and its upgrades do not have to match. A character can have an upgrade that does not match its color, provided all deckbuilding and play restrictions were followed.
• There is no limit to the number of weapons, equipment, or abilities a character can have as part of its 3 upgrades.
• A character can have multiple copies of the same non-unique upgrade.
• If an upgrade has a die, that die is rolled when the attached character is activated. It does not matter if the upgrade is ready or exhausted, and the upgrade does not exhaust along with the character.

Part 2. Dice & dice symbols

The game uses six-sided, premium dice. All dice may have the following components: value, symbol, cost, modifier, identification, and rarity.

Value

The value is a number that is listed above the symbol.

• Blanks and specials have no value printed on the die, and are considered to have a value of 0.

Symbol

Each side of a die may have a symbol on it. When a die is resolved, an effect is carried out based on the symbol that is showing on the die.

• Some dice have one or more sides with no symbol, such as Lure of Power ( 16).

Cost

Some dice have a cost, listed in a yellow box at the bottom of the side. A player must spend resources equal to the cost of the die side in order to resolve it. If they cannot pay the cost, they cannot resolve that die’s side.

Modifier

Some dice have one or more blue sides with a plus sign (+) before the value. Sides with a plus can only be resolved at the same time as another die that shows the same symbol without a plus. While resolving, the plus value is added to the other die to create a new value.

Example: You roll a +2 symbol. You also roll a 1 symbol,so you can resolve the +2 along with the 1 for 3 ranged damage dealt to any one character. If you had not rolled the 1 , or had already spent it, you could not have resolved the +2 die.

• A modifier cannot be resolved by itself.

Identification (ID)

The identification contains the set symbol followed by a number. Each ID matches a corresponding card.

Rarity

The rarity of a die matches the rarity of its card (see “Rarity”).

Dice symbols

Activating various cards rolls dice into a player’s dice pool. The dice can then be resolved for their symbols’ effect as a later action. Each symbol has a different effect, as described below. Most symbols have a value above them that determines the scale of the effect.

Melee damage

Deals damage to a character equal to the value of the symbol.

• All damage must be dealt to a single character. A player cannot split the damage from a single die (or a die that has been modified) among different characters. When resolving multiple dice in the same action, each die can deal damage to a different character.

Ranged damage

Deals damage to a character equal to the value of the symbol.

• All damage must be dealt to a single character. A player cannot split the damage from a single die (or a die that has been modified) among different characters. When resolving multiple dice in the same action, each die can deal damage to a different character.

Indirect damage

Deals damage to an opponent’s character(s) equal to the value of the symbol, distributed as that opponent wishes.

• All damage can be split among multiple characters.

Shield

Gives a character shields equal to the value of the symbol.

• All shields must be given to a single character. A player cannot split the shields from a single die (or a die that has been modified) among different characters. When resolving multiple dice in the same action, each die can give shields to a different character.
• A character cannot have more than 3 shields. Any excess shields that would be given to the character are ignored.

Resource

Gains resources equal to the value of the symbol.

Disrupt

Forces an opponent to lose resources equal to the value of the symbol.

• If an opponent does not have as many resources as the value of the symbol, then they lose all of their remaining resources.
• The opponent cannot lose resources they don’t have; a player cannot have fewer than zero resources.

Discard

Discards random cards from an opponent’s hand equal to the value of the symbol.

• If an opponent does not have as many cards in hand as the value of the symbol, then they discard all of their remaining cards.

Focus

Turns a number of other dice in the player’s dice pool to the sides of their choice. The number of dice they turn is equal to or less than the value of the symbol.

• A player cannot turn their opponent’s dice.

Special

Uses the special ability marked by a symbol on that die’s card. Specials have a value of 0.

• A player cannot use the special ability on a different card; they must use the special ability on the die’s matching card.
• Just like other symbols, a player can use multiple special abilities during the same action, and chooses the order that they are resolved in.
• A special ability that rerolls its die cannot be resolved a second time during the same action.

Blank

Blank symbols have no effect and cannot be resolved. Blanks have a value of 0.

Resolving dice through cards

Many cards allow a player to resolve one or more dice. When a player resolves a die through a card, they use the normal die effect based on the symbol, and follow any extra instructions.

• A player must still pay any resource cost on that die.
• A player cannot resolve a modifier by itself.
• A player cannot use modifiers when resolving a die through a card effect, unless the card allows them to resolve multiple dice of the same symbol.

Dice leaving play

• If a card with a matching die leaves play, the matching die is also immediately removed from the game and set aside. The removed die can enter the game again at a later time, if its card enters play again
• If a player has two copies of the same upgrade on a character, and both of those upgrade dice are in their dice pool when they have to discard an upgrade from play, the player can choose which die to remove and set aside. If a player has two copies of the same upgrade on different characters (one upgrade on each character), they must make sure to track each die separately.

Part 3. Areas of play

Each player has their own areas of play. These areas are either in play or out-of-play.

In play

Characters, plots & played cards

After an upgrade or support is played, it is added to the play area and is in play. Characters and plots also start the game in play, and remain there until defeated. Events are never in play; they are played, resolved, and discarded without entering the play area.

• The abilities on cards in play can be used.
• A card enters play when it transitions from an out-of-play area to the in play area.
• “From play” is short for “from the in play area.”

Dice pool

This is where dice are rolled. Each player has their own dice pool. Dice are always placed on their matching cards when not in a dice pool.

• A player can only resolve dice in their own dice pool.
• Dice in a player’s dice pool can be manipulated (removed, turned, etc.) or used as a reference for card effects that require a specific side to be showing.

Resources

A player’s resources are kept next to their cards.

• The number of resources a player has is open information.

Battlefield (if controlled)

If a player controls the battlefield, it kept in their in play area.

Out-of-play

Cards in a player’s hand, deck, and discard pile are out of play and their abilities cannot be used until they are played.

• A card leaves play when it transitions from the play area to an out-of-play area.

Hand

Each player has a hand of cards. As an action, they are able to play cards from their hand by paying the cards’ resource costs.

• Each player has a hand size. A player’s hand size determines how many cards they draw up to during the upkeep phase (after discarding any cards they want). The default hand size is 5 cards. A player does not have to discard cards when they have more than their hand size.
• The number of cards in a player’s hand is open information, but the actual cards in it are hidden from a player’s opponent.
• A player cannot have a card their opponent owns in their hand.

Deck

Each player brings a deck of 30 cards to the game. During the game, the deck refers to the stack of facedown cards a player has not drawn yet.

• After being shuffled, the deck is kept with the cards facedown, and players cannot look through it or change its order except through game abilities.
• The number of cards left in a player’s deck is open information.
• A player cannot have a card their opponent owns in their deck.

Discard pile

The discard pile is a faceup pile near a player’s deck where they place their discarded cards.

• The cards in a discard pile are open information. All players can look through any player’s discard pile whenever they wish.
• The order of the discard pile is irrelevant. A player can adjust the order of the cards in their discard pile whenever they wish.

Limbo

When an event is played, it is placed faceup on the table and is in limbo. It is no longer in the player’s hand. Once the event resolves, it goes to the discard pile.

• The event does not enter play, but it is considered to have been played.

Dice on cards

When dice are not in a dice pool, they are placed on their matching card.

• These dice are not active, cannot be manipulated, and none of their sides are considered to be showing.

Set-aside dice

At the beginning of the game, some dice are set aside. These are dice that can enter play via cards. Players may hide these dice from their opponent using a tray or a dice bag.

Supply

This is where the various game tokens are placed. All tokens are taken from the supply when gained (resources), dealt (damage), or given (shields). All tokens are returned to the supply when spent (resources), lost (resources), healed (damage) or removed (shields). If players run out of tokens, they should find a proper proxy.

Part 4. Customization

Customization happens before playing a game. Players can experience the game in new ways by developing one-of-a-kind strategies and combinations.

1. Building a team

To build a team, a player chooses up to 30 points of characters and up to one plot.

• Hero and villain characters cannot be on the same team. Neutral characters can be on any team.
• A player can select only one copy of each unique () character, but they can select any number of copies of nonunique characters. When selecting a unique character, the player must choose whether to use the elite (larger point value, two dice) or non-elite (smaller point value, one die) version of that character.
• A player must choose at least one character.
• There are no restrictions based on a character’s color. A player may include characters of the same color or different colors on their team.

2. Building a deck

• A deck includes exactly 30 cards. The deck cannot include more than 2 copies of the same card.
• If a team has hero characters, its deck cannot contain villain cards. If a team has villain characters, its deck cannot contain hero cards. If a team has all neutral characters, its deck cannot contain hero or villain cards. Neutral cards can be included in any deck.
• Blue, Red, and Yellow cards can only be included in the deck if the team includes a character of the corresponding color. Gray cards can be included in any deck.
• A deck can contain events, upgrades, and support. Characters, plots, and battlefields are not included in a deck and do not count toward its 30 card limit.

3. Selecting a battlefield

In addition to characters and a deck, a player selects one battlefield to bring with them to the game.

Example: A player chooses the elite version of Leia Organa (28) for 16 points, and the non-elite version of Han Solo (46) for 14 points. Their two characters are a combined 30 points, which is the most points there can be on a team.

Since Leia Organa and Han Solo are hero characters, the player cannot use villain cards in their deck. They can also not include Blue cards, since they did not choose a Blue character. The player selects 30 Red, Yellow, and Gray cards to add to their deck. They decide to take at least 10 cards that have dice, as it is important to draw and play cards that provide dice.

Finally, the player selects Rebel War Room (171) as their battlefield. If chosen during setup, this will allow them to use their dice with resource costs, like Han Solo’s 3 ranged damage side, for free.

Part 5. Game structure

The game is a fast-paced, back-and-forth battle where players alternate taking actions.

Setup

To set up the game, follow these steps in order:

1. Each player places their character and plot cards faceup in front of them, along with those character’s matching dice.
2. Each player sets aside their battlefield faceup.
3. Each player shuffles their 30-card deck and draws 5 cards from it.
4. Each player shuffles any number of cards from their hand back into their deck, and then redraws until they have 5 cards in hand.
   • Players should try and choose their cards simultaneously. If there is a disagreement over who chooses their cards first, then randomly determine a player to choose first.
5. Players sort the various game tokens (damage, shields, and resources) into piles near the play area. Each player gains 2 resources from this supply.
6. Players roll their starting character dice and add up the values rolled (the white numbers). If there is a tie, they roll again. The player with the highest total chooses which battlefield to fight on. The player whose battlefield is being used controls the battlefield and places it next to their deck. The player whose battlefield is not being used removes their battlefield from the game and gives 2 shields to their characters, distributed as they wish. After rolling, return all character dice to their matching cards.
7. “After setup” abilities trigger.

Rounds

Each game is played over a series of rounds. Each round has two different phases: an action phase and an upkeep phase.

Action phase

During the action phase, players alternate taking turns. The player who controls the battlefield takes the first turn. When it is a player’s turn, they can perform one action or pass. When both players pass consecutively, the action phase ends and play proceeds to the upkeep phase.

Upkeep phase

During the upkeep phase, each player does the following:

1. Readies their exhausted cards.
2. Returns all of the dice still in their dice pool to their matching cards.
3. Gains 2 resources.
4. Discards any number of cards from their hand, and then draws up until they have cards in hand equal to their hand size.
   • If, after discarding, a player has cards in their hand equal to or greater than their hand size, they do not draw any cards.
   • If a player does not have enough cards left to draw up to their hand size, they draw as many cards as they can.

Actions

Actions are taken by a player whenever it is their turn. On a player’s turn, they must take an action or pass. The different actions are listed below and described in detail later:

• Play a card from hand
• Activate a character or support
• Resolve dice
• Discard a card to reroll dice
• Use a card action (including a power action)
• Claim the battlefield

When a player is allowed to take additional actions on their turn, they must immediately take them following the resolution of the current action or decline to act (this is not the same as passing your turn). They cannot save the actions for later. If they are allowed to take an action outside of their turn, they also must take it immediately or decline to act.

Play a card from hand

Before a player plays a card, they should first check to see if there are any play restrictions on the card. If there are, and those conditions are not met, then the card cannot be played. If playing an upgrade, choose a character it can be attached to.

If there are no restrictions, or all restrictions to play the card are met, then the player must pay resources equal to the card’s cost. If they do not have enough resources to pay, then the card cannot be played.

Once a card’s cost has been paid, the card is resolved based on its type.

• Playing an Event: The player follows the card’s instructions and then discards it. The card is in limbo while resolving.
• Playing an Upgrade: The upgrade is attached to the chosen character by placing it next to or below that character.
  • Once per round, before paying the cost to play an upgrade, the player can choose to replace an upgrade that is already on the chosen character. The cost to play the new upgrade is decreased by the cost of the old upgrade, and the old upgrade is discarded when the new one comes into play. If the old upgrade costs equal to or more than the one replacing it, then the new upgrade is free.
  • Most upgrades come with a die. When they are played, the player takes the matching die from their set-aside dice and places it on the upgrade (or, for ease of use, they can also place it on that character instead since it is rolled along with the character’s dice).
• Playing a Support: The player places the card on the table below their team. Some supports also have a die that comes with them. When they are played, the player takes the matching die from their set-aside dice and places it on the support.

Activate a character or support

To activate a character or support card, a player exhausts that card and rolls all of its dice. These dice are now in that player’s dice pool, and that player can take an action on a future turn to resolve their symbols. Characters always roll their character dice and their upgrade dice (from attached upgrades) when activated. Supports roll their own die into the dice pool when activated. Supports without a die cannot be activated.

• All of the dice associated with a character (its character and upgrade dice) must be rolled when that character is activated. A player cannot pick and choose which dice to roll.
• An exhausted character or support cannot be activated.

Resolve dice

Each side of a die may have a symbol on it (see Dice symbols). A player may resolve one or more dice in their pool that have the same symbol, one at a time (unless adding a modified die, then the dice are resolved simultaneously). To resolve a die, a player must pay any costs and carry out the effect represented by the symbol on that die. Then they return it to the card that it came from.

• A player can only resolve dice in their own dice pool.
• A player can resolve dice with different values during the same action, provided the dice share a symbol.
• A player cannot choose to resolve dice symbols if they have no symbols of that type to resolve. A player must resolve at least one die when taking this action.
• A player can resolve any dice with the same symbol, even if those dice were not showing that symbol when the player started resolving dice.
• A player cannot resolve the same die more than once per action.
• If a player’s effect would resolve an opponent’s die, that die is resolved as if it were in that player’s pool instead.

Discard to reroll dice

A player can discard one card of their choice from their hand to reroll one or more dice in their pool. They must choose all the dice they want to reroll before rerolling.

• If there are no dice in their pool, they cannot discard a card from their hand to reroll.

Use a card action

Some support, upgrade, and character cards have special actions listed on them. These actions are preceded by the word “Action” in bold. To resolve this action, follow the card’s instructions.

• Power Actions. A power action is an action that can only be used once per round, even if the card with a power action changes control, is moved to another character, etc. A player can use each power action once on each card, even if the cards have the same title.

Claim the battlefield

When a player claims the battlefield, they may use its claim ability. If they do not control the battlefield, they take control of it and move the battlefield card next to their deck. For the rest of this round, that player automatically passes all of their future turns and declines to act if they ever have the opportunity to take actions. Their opponent continues taking turns until they also pass. Only one player can claim the battlefield each round.

• A player can claim the battlefield even if they already control it in order to keep control of it and use its claim ability.
• The player who controls the battlefield takes the first action each round.

Passing

If a player does not wish to take an action, they may pass. They do nothing, but they retain the option to take an action after their opponent. After both players pass consecutively, the round proceeds to the upkeep phase.

• If a player triggers an action that does not change the game state, then they are considered to have passed their turn instead. If a player exhausts or plays a card that does not change the game state other than that card being exhausted or played, then they are also considered to have passed their turn instead.

Example: A player uses the Action on General Veers (4), but there is no Veers die for them to remove. As such, nothing happens and they are considered to have passed their turn.

Reminder text

Reminder text is text in parentheses that clarifies game text. It is used to remind players of rules and does not supersede the rules.

Winning the game

There are two ways for a game to end:

• All of a player’s characters are defeated. The game ends immediately and the other player wins the game.
• If a player has no cards in their hand and deck at the end of a round (after the upkeep phase), they lose and the other player wins. If both players would lose this way, the player who controls the battlefield at the end of the round wins.

Part 6. Game concepts

These are important rules that are used every game.

Damage

When a character is dealt damage, place that much damage on the character. When a character has damage on it equal to its health, it is immediately defeated.

• Unblockable damage cannot be blocked by shields or card effects. Any shields on a character who is dealt unblockable damage remain on that character; the shields are ignored for the purposes of dealing the unblockable damage.
• Damage tokens come in values of one and three. A player can swap between these tokens as necessary in order to track the amount of damage on a character. If the supply of damage tokens runs out, substitute a different token or track damage using a different method.
• Damage dealt during the same action is usually dealt at different times since the dice are resolved one at a time. The only time multiple dice deal damage at the exact same time is when a die is being modified by other dice.

Defeated characters

When a character has damage on it equal to its health, it is immediately defeated. Remove all of its dice from the game (both its character dice and its upgrades), discard all upgrades on it, and remove the character card from the game.

• Any excess damage dealt to a character from a source that defeats the character is ignored. A player can deal more damage to a character than they have health, even when distributing the damage as they wish (e.g., from the special on the F–11D Rifle).
• When all of a player’s characters are defeated, they lose.

Resources

Resources are the game’s currency and are used to pay for cards, card abilities, and resolving dice. The amount of resources a player has available at any given time is represented by their resource tokens. Resources begin the game in the supply. When a player gains resources, they take tokens from the supply. When a player spends or loses resources, they return tokens to the supply.

• Each player gains 2 resources during the upkeep phase.
• If the supply of resource tokens runs out, substitute a different token or track resources using a different method.

Shields

Shields block damage. Each shield blocks 1 damage that would be dealt to the character. After blocking damage, the shield token is removed.

• It is not optional to use a shield. Shields must be used to block damage, if possible.
• Each character can have a maximum of 3 shields at one time. If an effect would give a character more than 3 shields, ignore the excess shields.
• If the supply of shield tokens runs out, substitute a different token or track shields using a different method.

Draw

Whenever a player draws a card, they take the top card of their deck and add it to their hand.

• When players draw multiple cards, the cards are drawn simultaneously.
• If a player does not have as many cards left in their deck as they are supposed to draw, then they draw as many of the remaining cards as possible. If a player cannot draw any cards, then nothing happens.

Ready

A card is ready when it is in an upright position. Ready cards can be exhausted (turned sideways). A player instructed to ready a card should turn the card to an upright position.

• A card that is already ready cannot be readied.
• Ready supports and characters can exhaust to activate. Ready upgrades can only be exhausted through card effects.

Exhausted

A card is exhausted when it is turned sideways. Exhausted cards can be readied (turned upright). A player instructed to exhaust a card should turn the card to a sideways position.

• A card that is already exhausted cannot be exhausted again.

Part 7. Abilities

An ability is the special game text that a card contributes to the game. There are five types of abilities: action abilities, claim abilities, ongoing abilities, special abilities, and triggered abilities. There are also keywords, which are shorthands for abilities that appear on multiple cards. Cards can have more than one ability; each ability is its own paragraph on the card.

Example: Finn (45) has two different abilities.

An ability becomes usable as soon as its card enters play, and remains usable as long as that card is in play. An ability from an event is resolved when that event is played.

Players must resolve as much of an ability as they are able to, unless it includes the word “may” or explicitly gives the player a choice. Special abilities () are mandatory if that side of its die is resolved.

Queue

The queue is an imaginary line that all game effects and abilities enter and leave in chronological order when triggered, based on a “first in, first out” principle. Each one waits its turn in the queue until the trigger condition is complete. Each effect must fully resolve before the next one resolves. If during the resolution of something in the queue, another effect is added, it moves to “the end” of the queue and is resolved last.

Example: A player resolves one of their dice to deal 2 damage to a character. The 2 damage enters the queue, and since nothing else is in the queue it currently resolves.

Action abilities

Some support, upgrade, and character cards have unique actions listed on them. These actions are preceded by the word “Action” or “Power Action” in bold. To resolve this ability, a player must spend one action on it during their turn and then follow the instructions on the card.

Example: Underworld Connections (101) has the action ability “Action - Exhaust this support to gain 1 resource.”

Claim abilities

Battlefields have claim abilities on them, preceded by the word “Claim” in bold. These abilities are optional and may be resolved by the player who claims the battlefield.

Ongoing abilities

Any non-keyword ability whose text contains no trigger condition and does not have a bold word in front of it (like “Action” or “Claim”) is an ongoing ability.

Example: Personal Escort (78) has the ongoing ability “Attached character has the Guardian keyword.”

Inherent dice abilities

Some cards have abilities on them which are considered to be inherent to the die, and always affect how the die resolves, independent of the card being in play.

Example: Diplomatic Immunity (50) says “The shields from this die can be given to any of your characters, distributed as you wish.” The shields from this die can be split up regardless of whether the card is in play or not, such as when resolved through Poe Dameron’s (29) special ability.

• Dice with a non-special inherent die ability: Diplomatic Immunity (50), Launch Bay (31), Lure of Power (16), ID–9 Seeker Droid (13), Training Remote (35), Gang Up (68), Vibroknife (57).

Special abilities

These are a type of inherent die abilities that appear on some cards and are marked by the special () symbol. When a die with that symbol is resolved, the special ability on its matching card is resolved.

• The special () cannot be resolved to use the special ability on a different card.

Keywords

Keywords are shorthands for abilities that appear on multiple cards.

• A card cannot gain another copy of a keyword; it either has the keyword or does not have the keyword.
• If a card loses a keyword, then it loses the keyword no matter how many times it would gain it.
• The italicized text that explains keywords on cards is solely reminder text, and is overridden by the full rules written below.

Ambush

After playing (and resolving) a card with Ambush, a player may immediately take another action.

• If a player is allowed to take an action outside of their turn, they immediately take it.

Guardian

Before a character with Guardian activates, its owner may remove one die showing damage ( or ) from their opponent’s dice pool to deal damage equal to the value showing on the die removed to the activating Guardian character.

Redeploy

This keyword only appears on upgrades. After the attached character is defeated, its controller may immediately move this upgrade to any of their other characters. The upgrade die moves to the new character card, even if it was in the dice pool.

• The Redeploy keyword ignores play restrictions when attaching to a new character.

Triggered abilities

A triggered ability has a trigger condition and an effect. When a triggered ability meets its trigger condition, the ability resolves.There are two types of triggered abilities: ”after” and “before” abilities.

• Triggered abilities exist independently of their source. Once triggered, the entire ability resolves, even if the card it was on leaves play.

Trigger condition

A trigger condition indicates the timing point at which an ability may be used, and always follows either the word “after” or “before.” A trigger condition matches a specific occurrence that takes place in the game.

Example: Qui-Gon Jinn (37) is about to gain a shield, which is the trigger condition for his ability that says “Before this character gains 1 or more shields, you may remove 1 of his shields to deal 1 damage to a character.”

Before abilities

If, during the course of a game, a before ability meets its trigger condition, immediately resolve the before ability before continuing to resolve the rest of the effect. In this way, before abilities can interrupt the flow of the game.

Example: One with the Force (42) says “Before attached character is defeated, this card becomes a support for the rest of the game.” The trigger condition is “attached character is defeated,” and the timing word “before” tells you to resolve the rest of the effect before the trigger condition resolves.

After abilities

If, during the course of a game, an after ability meets its trigger condition, it resolves following the resolution of the trigger condition. Unlike before abilities, after abilities do not interrupt the flow of the game, and instead wait their turn in the queue to resolve.

Example: Comlink (61) says “After you play this upgrade, you may reroll any number of your dice or any number of your opponent’s dice.” The effect of playing the card must fully resolve (paying the cost, choosing a character to attach it to), and then the after ability resolves.

Simultaneous abilities

When two or more triggered abilities meet their trigger conditions at the same time, the player who is resolving those abilities chooses the order they resolve in (in the case of before abilities) or enter the queue in (in the case of after abilities). If more than one player has abilities that are simulatenous, the player who controls the battlefield chooses the order they resolve in.

Example: A Tusken Raider (22) is activated with Jango Fett (21) in play. Each card is controlled by a different player. Both have an after ability that can resolve after the Tusken Raider activates, so it is the battlefield controller’s choice as to which one enters the queue first.

Effects

An effect is anything that results from an ability. An effect lasts for as long as the action described in it.

Delayed effects

Some abilities contain delayed effects. Such abilities specify a future timing point, or indicate a future condition that may arise, and contain an effect that is to happen at that time.

Example: Crime Lord (23) says “You may pay 5 resources to choose a character. That character is defeated after this round ends.” The character being defeated is a delayed effect because it does not fully resolve until a future point in time.

• An event with a delayed effect creates the effect, and then is discarded. It does not remain in limbo until the effect resolves.

Replacement effects

A replacement effect uses the word “instead” somewhere in its text. If a replacement effect resolves, the original effect is considered to have not resolved, and no abilities can be triggered off of it. Abilities can be triggered off of the replacement effect.

Second Chance (137) says “Before attached character would be defeated, instead heal 5 damage from it and discard this upgrade.” Because this prevents the character from being defeated, the character is never considered to have been defeated.

• If two or more replacement effects are trying to replace the same thing, the battlefield controller chooses which one resolves. The other replacement effects no longer resolve, since the thing they are replacing no longer exists (it has already been replaced).

Self-referential effects

When a card’s ability text refers to its own card type, such as “this upgrade” or “this character,” it refers to itself only, and not to other copies (by title) of the card.

Negative effects

Negative effects take precedence over positive effects. If an effect says a player cannot do something, then they cannot do it, even if another effect says they can.

“Then” effects

In order to resolve an effect that is preceded by the word “then,” the previous effects on the card must have fully resolved (i.e., the game state changes to reflect the intent of the effect in its entirety). If the part of an ability that precedes the word “then” does not successfully resolve in full, the part of the ability that follows the word “then” does not attempt to resolve.

Example: Scavenge (132) says “Discard the top 3 cards of your deck. Then you may add an upgrade or a support from your discard pile to your hand.” If less than 3 cards remain in your deck, you cannot add a card to your hand because the previous effect did not fully resolve.

Part 8. Terms

Below are definitions and explanations of important terms that players should know. These are listed in alphabetical order.

Character die

A character die is a die that matches a character.

• Upgrade dice are not character dice, even though characters also use them when they activate.

Cheapest

Something that is cheapest has the lowest cost.

• Any effect modifying the cost should be taken into account.

Choose- Either

If an ability uses “choose” and “either,” the player using the ability may choose either option, even if the chosen one will have no effect. Once the player has made their choice, they have to resolve as much of it as possible.

• Some cards force an opponent to make a choice. The opponent can also choose either option.

Choose- Target

A target is a card or die to which an effect will happen. The term “choose” indicates that a target must be chosen in order for the ability to resolve. The player resolving the effect must choose a game element that meets the targeting requirements of the ability.

• When making a choice, a player cannot choose invalid targets, e.g., they cannot deal damage to a defeated character. If there are no valid targets, then the card does nothing.
• If multiple targets are required to be chosen by the same player, these are chosen simultaneously.
• An effect that can choose “any number” of targets can successfully resolve if zero of those targets are chosen, though it might have no effect.

Combined value

The combined value is the sum of the values showing on all the dice being referenced.

Example: The combined value of two dice showing ranged damage, with values of 2 and 1 respectively, would be 3.

Controller

The controller of a card or die is the player who has it in their in play area. By default, players control all of the cards and dice they own.

Copy (of a card)

A copy of a card is defined by its title. Any other card that shares the same title is considered a copy, regardless of card type, text, artwork, or any other characteristic of the card.

Decreases

Effects which decrease something only last for the duration of the effect. Some effects have an ongoing duration.

Example: It Binds All Things (150) says “Before you play a Blue upgrade, you may exhaust this support to decrease its cost by 1.” This only applies while paying the cost to play the upgrade; once it is played, its cost returns to the normal value since you have now played a Blue upgrade.

Free

When something is played or resolved for free, a player does not pay any cost for the card or die.

Heal

When damage is healed from a character, remove that amount of damage from it.

• Heal as much damage as possible. Excess healing is ignored.
• If no damage was removed by the healing effect, then the character is not considered to have been healed.

Increases

Effects which increase something only last for the duration of the effect. Some effects have an ongoing duration.

Example: Emperor’s Favor (88) says “Your hand size is increased by 1.” Because this effect does not have a duration assigned to it, the increase is constantly applied.

Look at

Sometimes an effect allows a player to look at cards in a player’s hand or deck. Looking at a card does not change the position of the card, and after being looked at the card should be returned to its previous location.

Move

Some effects allow players to move cards or tokens.

• When something moves, it cannot move to its same (current) placement. If there is no valid destination for a move, the move cannot resolve.
• When damage is moved to a new character, it ignores shields and the character is not considered to have taken damage.

Owner

The owner of a card or die is the player who brought the card or die to the game. A player can own a card or die but lose control over it (such as losing control of the battlefield).

Play restrictions

Play restrictions sometimes appear on a card and are marked by the word “only.” A player cannot play the card unless the play restriction is met.

Upgrade cards sometimes say “(Color) character only”. If a player does not have a character of that color to attach the upgrade to, the upgrade cannot be played.

• Upgrades do not get removed from a character if the play restriction is no longer fulfilled. The character must only fulfill the play restriction when the card is first played.

Remaining Health

Remaining health is the health of a character minus the amount of damage on it.

Removing dice

Removing dice moves them from a player’s dice pool back to their matching card.

• A die cannot be removed unless it is in a player’s dice pool.
• If dice of a specific symbol must be removed to trigger an effect, then it does not matter if those dice can currently be resolved. Symbols that are modifiers or require a resource match still count as that symbol.

Replace

When an upgrade is discarded to decrease the cost of another upgrade, the new upgrade replaces the old one. Each player can only replace an upgrade once per round.

Rolling

When a card refers to rolling a die, this applies to both rolling it into your pool and rerolling it (if it was already in your pool).

Search

When a player searches for a card, that player is allowed to look at all of the cards in the searched area without revealing them to opponents.

• A player does not have to find the object of a search effect.

Showing

A die side is showing if it is the faceup side after being rolled into a dice pool.

• Dice sides that are not faceup cannot be referenced when a card requires a symbol to be showing.
• Effects which reference a certain symbol showing on a die work with any side showing that symbol, even if it is a modified side. Showing damage includes ranged, melee, and indirect damage.
• Dice on cards do not have any sides showing. A die can only show a side once it has been rolled into a player’s dice pool.

Spotting

Some cards require a player to spot a specific game element in order to use its ability. To spot an element, a player must have that element in play. Most cards just require a player to spot a character of a specific color.

Example: Use the Force (149) says “Spot a Blue character to turn a die to any side” You must have an undefeated Blue character on your team, or the card does nothing.

• A player cannot spot their opponents’ characters or cards, unless the card explicitly says so.
• If a player is not able to spot the required element, then the card does nothing.

Taking damage

Damage is taken only when one or more damage tokens are placed on the character. If all damage dealt was blocked by shields or some other ability, then no damage was taken.

• Damage not taken is still dealt.

Example: Hunker Down (164) says “After this character takes melee damage, discard this upgrade.” If two melee damage is dealt to the character but is blocked by 2 shields, then no damage was taken by the character and Hunker Down is not discarded.

Turn (die)

When a player turns a die to a side, they rotate it so that side is faceup (showing).

• When turning a die, it must turn to a different side. A player cannot turn a die to the same side it was on before turning it. (If the die has the same symbol and value on two or more of its sides, it can be turned to an identical side).

Unblockable damage

Unblockable damage cannot be blocked by shields or card effects. Any shields on a character dealt unblockable damage remain on that character.

• All modifiers added to a die that deals unblockable damage will also be unblockable.

X as a variable

Some cards refer to X as a variable. X is always a number that is defined by the card, and does not have a standard value.

Part 9. Multiplayer rules

In addition to playing against one opponent, players can choose to play against more than one opponent in a multiplayer game. There is one official format: free-for-all.

Free-for-all

More than two players can participate in a free-for-all game, though 3–4 is the recommended number. Players should follow all of the normal rules of the game, with the following exceptions and additions.

Setup

To set up the game, follow these steps in order:

1. Randomly seat the players at the table.
2. All players roll off for the battlefield. The player with the highest value wins the roll off, and chooses a battlefield to use for the game. Each other player gets 1 shield to give to one of their characters and sets their battlefield aside. If players tie during the roll off, only the tied players roll again to break the tie.

Actions

Players take actions clockwise around the play area, starting with the first player. All players must consecutively pass to end the round. Only one person can claim the battlefield.

Choosing opponents

When an ability refers to an opponent, the player using the ability chooses which opponent it affects.

Player elimination

If all of a player’s characters are defeated, or there are no cards left in their deck and hand at the end of the round, that player is immediately eliminated from the game. Any of their cards and dice are removed from the game, except for cards that they no longer control or their battlefield if it is active. If the eliminated player controlled the battlefield, then no one controls the battlefield until someone else claims it (and if it has already been claimed this round, then players must wait until the next round). The player to their left decides how simultaneous abilities controlled by more than one player are resolved until someone else controls the battlefield. The other players continue playing until there is only one player left in the game; that player wins.