Star Wars Trading Card Game
Star Wars: The Trading Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game produced by Wizards of the Coast. The original game was created by game designer Richard Garfield, the creator of the first modern trading card game, . After its initial release in April 2002, the game was 'put on indefinite hold' by WotC in late 2005. The Star Wars Trading Card Game Independent Development Committee was created by a group of fans to continue development of the game. They design new cards that are available as free downloads at their website.
Game play
The Star Wars: TCG focuses on gaining control of in-game arenas. In this two-player game, each player controls units which battle in the arenas. The main way to win is to take control of two of the three arenas. Some cards also add new win conditions for the game.The three arenas are Space, Ground and Character, and feature units from the Star Wars films, such as Star Destroyers, starfighters, AT-ATs, armies, and characters like Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Mara Jade, and Darth Vader. There is also a build zone, a draw pile, and a discard pile. The two sides to the game are the Dark side and the Light side, representing the two sides of the Force. There are also neutral cards, which can be used by either side.
There are several types of cards. They are:
- Units: these can control arenas and are the most plentiful card in any deck. Each unit can only be placed in a certain arena designated by color and subtype. All units have several statistics including: build cost, speed, power, health, alignment. Units must be built.
- *Space: These units have a blue border and represent the space ships throughout the Star Wars films and books.
- *Ground: These units have a green border and represent the ground forces in the Star Wars films and books.
- *Character: These units have a purple border and represent the people and aliens found throughout the Star Wars films and books.
- Battle: These cards have special one time use effects and can only be used while your units are doing battle. They don't need to be built and some can be enhanced for an extra cost to give the user a better effect.
- Mission: These cards are like battle cards, but must be built. Their effects differ and must be played in the build step.
- Location: This type of card affects its arena until it is replaced with another Location card. Most location cards are colored like units and can only be placed in specific arenas. Some locations can be placed in any arena and are not colored like any normal unit.
- Equipment:This card type represents the weapons and vehicle upgrades in the Star Wars universe. These cards have a silver border and enhance the unit they are equipped to.
Abilities
- Activated Abilities
- Static Abilities
- Triggered Abilities
TCG Sets
| Set Name | Release Date | Number of Cards | Based on | Introduces |
| Attack of the Clones | April 2002 | 180 | New keywords: Evade, Deflect, Bombard, Ion Cannon, Shields, Critical Hit | |
| Sith Rising | July 2002 | 90 | New keywords: Stun, Overload | |
| A New Hope | October 2002 | 180 | Episode IV - A New Hope | New keywords: Accuracy, Intercept, Pilot |
| Battle of Yavin | February 2003 | 105 | Episode IV - A New Hope | New keyword: Retaliate |
| Jedi Guardians | June 2003 | 105 | New keywords: Overkill, Reserves | |
| The Empire Strikes Back | October 2003 | 210 | Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back | New card type: Locations New keywords: Armor, Enhance |
| Rogues and Scoundrels | March 2004 | 105 | Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Star Wars Legends | New keywords: Bounty, Upkeep |
| The Phantom Menace | May 2004 | 90 | New keyword: Lucky | |
| Return of the Jedi | October 2004 | 110 | Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | New card type: Multi-arena Locations New keyword: Hidden Cost |
| Revenge of the Sith | March 2005 | 110 | New card type: Equipment |
| Set Name | Release Date | Number of Cards | Based on | Introduces |
| Fall of the Republic | June 2006 | 120 | New keyword: Parry | |
| Scum and Villainy | October 2006 | 90 | Episodes I-VI Star Wars Legends | New keyword: Stealth |
| Battle of Endor | June 2007 | 180 | Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | |
| Clone Wars: Republic at War | April 2008 | 120 | New keywords: Fury, Double Strike | |
| Invasion of Naboo | May 2009 | 180 | ||
| Battle of Hoth | September 2009 | 60 | Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back | New card type: Multi-arena Units |
| Legacy of the Force: Bounty Hunters | December 2010 | 75 | Episodes I-VI TV series Star Wars Legends | New card types: Equipment - Skill, Resources |
| Legacy of the Force: Mandalorians | April 2011 | 75 | Episodes I-VI TV series Star Wars Legends | |
| Legacy of the Force: Sith | September 2011 | 75 | Episodes I-VI TV series Star Wars Legends | New keyword: INSERT |
| Legacy of the Force: Smugglers | February 2013 | 75 | Episodes I-VI TV series Star Wars Legends | New keyword: Stack |
| Legacy of the Force: Jedi | December 2013 | 76 | Episodes I-VI TV series Star Wars Legends | New keywords: Foresight, Precision |
| Rule of Two | July 2014 | 90 | Jedi vs. Sith | |
| The Old Republic | December 2014 | 120 | New card type: Subordinates New keyword: Meditate | |
| Clone Wars: Separatist Offensive | September 2015 | 90 | ||
| Rogue Squadron | October 2015 | 180 | ||
| Empire Rising | November 2015 | 120 | Thrawn trilogy | New keyword: Alternative Cost |
| Empire Eternal | December 2015 | 90 | Dark Empire Crimson Empire | New keyword: Inspiration |
| The Clone Wars: A Galaxy Divided | March 2016 | 270 | ||
| The Dark Times | May 2016 | 300 | Star Wars Legends | New counter type: Captivity counters |
| Clones and Droids | July 2016 | 120 | New keywords: Double Damage, Damage Control | |
| The Force Awakens | September 2016 | 180 | New card type: Event | |
| The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime | November 2016 | 180 | The New Jedi Order Books 1-6 | New side: Yuuzhan Vong New card type: Mission - Trap New keyword: Avenge |
| The Old Republic: Tales and Legends | January 2017 | 240 | Tales of the Jedi Lost Tribe of the Sith | New card type: Mission - Campaign |
| The New Jedi Order: Star By Star | June 2017 | 120 | The New Jedi Order Books 7-12 | New keyword: Focus |
| The Old Republic: Days and Nights | December 2017 | 150 | New keyword: Forewarning | |
| The Clone Wars: Battle Lines | April 2018 | 270 | New keywords: Ambush, Protect | |
| Rogue One | June 2018 | 180 | Rogue One | New card type: Equipment - Trait New keyword: Resilience |
| Battle of Starkiller Base | August 2018 | 105 | New keyword: Ferocity | |
| The Last Jedi | December 2018 | 210 | New keywords: Backfire, Fortitude |
Playing the game
This is a two-player game. The following is recommended for each player, but can be shared among friends and opponents in casual play:- two sixty-card decks
- several dice
- a method of tracking Force points
- damage counters
- build counters