There have been many times throughout the ages where all hope has seemed lost. Facing insurmountable odds against a formidable Empire with nothing but a small group of Rebels can be a seemingly impossible task. But as we know, Rebellions are built on hope, and it ultimately falls on strong leadership to Renew that sense of hope when all seems lost.
Join us for the first sneak peek into the upcoming 108-card expansion, High Stakes! Today we’ll be looking at a few blue hero cards that feature a brand new mechanic for Star Wars: Destiny, Renew.
Renew is a new keyword that lets you re-play a card from your discard pile one time (for its renew cost) before removing it from the game. In addition to providing multiple uses from one card, this opens up a variety of interesting interactions, from discard protection to self-mill strategies that allow you to take full advantage of the cards in your discard pile.
Subtlety and Sabotage
To combat a foe as powerful as the Galactic Empire, you often need to employ tactics other than brute force. After the execution of Order 66, the surviving Jedi were forced to rely on their cunning and wits to survive. However, sometimes laying low isn’t an option, at which point a Jedi mind trick to Dissuade a prying Imperial officer can come in handy.
It may not work on just anyone, but the Force can be a powerful tool to protect yourself from prying eyes. Dissuade (High Stakes #42) is a good example of a solid piece of removal that can be used multiple times throughout the game. Sure, it costs an extra resource to play from your discard pile, but having the option to play it at any time in future rounds, even if it’s not in your hand, more than makes up for the cost.
Anticipating the Enemy
While the ability to protect yourself is important, it is also vital to anticipate your enemy’s moves and prepare accordingly. Obi-Wan is aware of this as well, and knows that he needs to be prepared for anything when he says to Anakin, “I Sense a Trap” (High Stakes #43).
I Sense a Trap not only allows you to protect your characters in anticipation of an opponent’s damage, but it can also add other Renew cards to your discard pile for future use!
It Binds the Galaxy Together
Obi-Wan isn’t the only Jedi to apply these tactics to further the Jedi’s cause, however. Over the generations, the Jedi have honed these skills to a fine point, combining them with immense discipline to ensure that their power was used responsibly and that nothing ever went to waste.
Ki-Adi-Mundi (High Stakes #41) is a perfect example of such a Jedi. Renowned for his methodical teaching methods, he was both an efficient and resourceful Master. Now, in Star Wars: Destiny, you can embody those aspects by using your discard pile to your full advantage. With Ki-Adi-Mundi on the board, every Renew card you play gives you a shield, providing even more value and protection for the extra cost.
In addition, his Power Action allows you to take advantage of Blue weapons or equipment from your discard pile that don’t necessarily have the Renew keyword, further mitigating the risk of discarding cards from your own deck. Think of all the options open to you when you have a full 5-card hand and a myriad of cards in your discard pile to choose from!
In the past, discarding from your deck was always scary because you run the risk of discarding one of your more important cards before you get a chance to use it. With Renew, however, some of that risk is mitigated given the ability to play some of your important cards from your discard pile.
The stakes have never been higher, and we can’t wait to share the rest of the set with you as we approach our June 11th release date! Be sure to keep an eye out for other discard pile synergies as more spoilers from High Stakes come out over the coming weeks!
