A galaxy far, far away as a trading card game: Star Wars: Unlimited brings legendary characters, starships, and locations from the Star Wars universe to the gaming table. But how does this TCG actually work, what’s the deal with leaders and bases, and why are there two separate battlefields?

With Star Wars: Unlimited, the galaxy has received its own modern trading card game.

Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Ahsoka Tano, Mandalorians, Jedi, Sith, Rebels, Stormtroopers, and of course plenty of starships can become part of your own decks and collection.

Star Wars: Unlimited is developed by Fantasy Flight Games. The game combines classic TCG deck-building with a few unique features that give it a very distinct gameplay rhythm.

Particularly important are your base, a powerful leader, two separate battlefields for ground and space, and an action system where you constantly alternate turns with your opponent.

In this guide, we explain the most important basics of Star Wars: Unlimited and show you what to expect when getting started. If you would like to jump right in with the "First Battle - Hoth" tutorial game, which also explains the game step-by-step, please follow this link:

👉 Star Wars: Unlimited - Tutorial game at Zauberkram

What is Star Wars: Unlimited?

Star Wars: Unlimited is a strategic trading card game set in the "Star Wars" universe.

Players build their own decks from characters, vehicles, starships, events, and upgrades and compete against each other.

The TCG doesn't just draw from a single "Star Wars" era.

Characters and themes from different movies, series, and epochs of the galaxy can find their way onto the cards. This allows iconic heroes and villains to clash, even if they might never have met in the films.

The fundamental goal of a game is quickly explained:

• Destroy the opponent's base before your own base is destroyed!

However, the path to achieving this offers plenty of tactical possibilities.

How does Star Wars: Unlimited work?

A standard game is played between two players.

Each player brings three central components:

• a leader
• a base
• their own card deck

The base and the leader are already in front of you at the start of the game.

Afterwards, both players play units, events, and upgrades from their deck and try to destroy the opponent's base.

But unlike many other card games, you don't take a complete turn and then watch your opponent play. In Star Wars: Unlimited, you alternate turns after almost every single action.

• For example, you play a unit.
• Then it is your opponent's turn.
• You attack.
• Then the opponent gets to act again.

This keeps the game constantly in motion.

Ground and Space: Two battlefields at once

One of the most striking features of Star Wars: Unlimited is the two different arenas.

Units belong to either the:

🌍 Ground battlefield

This is where characters, creatures, and ground vehicles fight against each other.

🚀 Space battlefield

Or space: This is where starfighters, transports, and massive starships collide.

A ground unit generally cannot attack an opponent's space unit and vice versa.

This means that, in a sense, two battles are taking place simultaneously during a game.

Perhaps you are currently dominating the ground battlefield with your characters, while your opponent has the upper hand in space with their starfighters.

You must therefore constantly decide how strongly you want to occupy the two arenas.

And of course, units from both battlefields can attack the opponent's base.

The base: Your most important target

Every deck has exactly one base.

It is on the board from the beginning and is also the opponent's target.

Most bases have 30 health points. However, there are also special bases with their own abilities, which might start with fewer health points, for example.

If your base takes damage equal to its health points, the game is lost.

The mission is clear:

Protect your own base and destroy your opponent's.

Which strategy you use to do this depends heavily on your leader, the chosen aspects, and your deck.

Leaders: The heart of your deck

One of the most exciting types of cards in Star Wars: Unlimited are the leaders.

Every deck has exactly one of them.

Your leader starts the game on the battlefield, initially on its horizontal leader side.

This side usually possesses an ability that you can use during the game.

But that is only the first half of the card.

Leaders are double-sided.

As soon as you meet the requirements specified on the card, you can use your leader's epic action and flip them to their unit side.

Suddenly, Darth Vader is no longer just standing behind your strategy as a leader; Darth Vader himself enters the battlefield.

The leader becomes a playable unit and can actively fight.

This moment can change a game significantly.

If an deployed leader is defeated, they do not disappear entirely. They are flipped back to their leader side. However, their epic action has already been used for this game, and they cannot normally be deployed a second time.

One action at a time!

The flow of a round also distinguishes Star Wars: Unlimited from some other TCGs.

During the action phase, players take turns performing just one action at a time.

Such an action could be:

1. playing a card
2. attacking with a unit
3. using an action ability
4. passing
5. taking the initiative

After that, it is directly the opponent's turn.

This means you have to think about not just what you want to do, but also when:

• Do you attack immediately?
• Do you play another unit first?
• Do you wait to see what your opponent does?
• Or do you secure the initiative for the next round?

This constant back-and-forth ensures that your opponent's decisions can have an immediate impact on your next moves.

What does the initiative mean?

Every game of Star Wars: Unlimited includes an initiative token.

The player with the initiative gets to act first in the next action phase.

You can claim the initiative during a current round.

However, that comes at a price:

• As soon as you take the initiative, you perform no more actions in that current action phase.

You are securing the first move of the upcoming round, but you might be giving your opponent the opportunity to perform several things in a row.

Timing plays an important role here as well.

Resources: Every card can become important

To play units, events, and upgrades, you need resources.

However, Star Wars: Unlimited does not use a separate energy or land card type for this.

Instead, cards from your hand can be placed face down as resources.

At the start of the game, each player places two of their hand cards as their first resources.

During the rest of the game, you can usually add another card from your hand as a resource during the regroup phase.

This constantly leads to an interesting decision:

Do I still need this card later, or would I rather use it as a resource?

A powerful card in your hand doesn't help you much if you don't have enough resources to play it.

At the same time, the very card you just placed face down as a resource could have been very useful a few rounds later.

The six aspects of Star Wars: Unlimited

When building a deck, the so-called aspects play a major role.

Star Wars: Unlimited has a total of six of them.

Four aspects primarily represent specific playstyles:

🔵 Vigilance

Vigilance focuses heavily on defense, healing, and control.

With the right cards, you can protect your base, eliminate enemy threats, or stay in the game longer.

🟢 Command

Command revolves around resources and a strong presence on the battlefield, among other things.

This aspect can generate additional resources and help put many or powerful units into play.

🔴 Aggression

The name says it all.

Aggression focuses on direct damage and offensive pressure.

Anyone who wants to put the opponent under pressure as quickly as possible will likely feel at home with this aspect.

🟡 Cunning

Cunning relies more on flexibility, tricks, and disrupting the opponent's plans.

With instant effects and unusual actions, you can react to various situations.

In addition, there are two further aspects that more strongly reflect the moral side of the Star Wars galaxy:

⚪ Heroism

You will find Heroism primarily on cards featuring the heroes and protagonists of Star Wars.

Rebels, Jedi, and other figures fighting for peace and justice are frequently found here.

⚫ Villainy

Villainy is the counterpart.

Here you will encounter numerous villains, Sith, and other antagonists from the Star Wars galaxy.

Imperial armies, destructive effects, and powerful evildoers feel right at home here.

Leaders and bases determine your aspects

Which cards fit best into your deck depends on your leader and base.

A leader provides two aspect symbols.

The base contributes an additional aspect symbol.

This combination forms the foundation of your deck.

Basically, you can also use cards whose aspects do not fully match your leader and base.

However, that gets expensive:

• For every missing aspect symbol, there are usually additional resource costs.

This means you are not completely restricted when deck-building, but you are rewarded for choosing cards that fit well with your chosen strategy.

Which card types are there?

Anyone opening a Star Wars: Unlimited booster for the first time will encounter different types of cards.

Leaders

The leader is the focal point of your deck.

They start in play, possess their own abilities, and can be used as a unit themselves during the game.

Bases

The base is the center of your defense.

If it is destroyed, you lose the game.

At the same time, the chosen base makes an important contribution to the available aspects of your deck.

Units

Units are your troops on the field.

These can be well-known characters, soldiers, droids, creatures, vehicles, or starships.

Each unit belongs to either the ground or the space battlefield.

You use your units to attack enemy units or the opposing base.

Events

Events are one-time effects.

You play the card, resolve its effect, and then discard it.

Events can, for example, deal damage, draw cards, influence units, or thwart enemy plans.

Upgrades

Upgrades are attached to units and modify them.

They can, for example, increase power or health points or grant additional abilities.

These can be used to further improve key units or prepare them for specific situations.

How does a round work?

A round of Star Wars: Unlimited essentially consists of two phases.

1. Action phase

This is where the majority of the game takes place.

Players take turns performing individual actions, playing cards, attacking, and using abilities.

Once both players pass or no further actions can be performed, the action phase ends.

2. Collection Phase

Afterward, both players prepare for the next round.

During this:

• each player draws 2 cards
• each player can place 1 card from their hand facedown as a new resource
• exhausted cards and resources are readied for play again

Then the next action phase begins.

How do you build a Star Wars: Unlimited deck?

The most important constructed format for Star Wars: Unlimited is called Premier.

A Premier deck consists of:

• exactly 1 leader
• exactly 1 base
• at least 50 cards in the main deck

Normally, you may have a maximum of 3 copies of any one card in your deck.

For tournaments, a sideboard of up to 10 cards can also be used.

Units, events, and upgrades can then be assembled to match your leader, your base, and your desired aspects.

This results in a vast number of possible combinations.

You can, for example, build a deck around a favorite character or start by considering which playstyle you enjoy most.

How do you win at Star Wars: Unlimited?

The objective of a standard game is pleasantly straightforward:

Destroy your opponent’s base.

• Most bases start with 30 health points.
• Units can attack opposing units in the same arena or instead target the opposing base directly.
• This forces you to constantly weigh your options:
• Do I take out a dangerous opposing unit first?
• Do I defend my own base?
• Or do I ignore the opponent's board and try to deal the final damage needed directly to their base?

Especially with the two different arenas, the situation can change quickly.

Star Wars: Unlimited is more than just a duel

The classic game is played between two players.

However, there are also other official formats.

Particularly interesting is Twin Suns.

This is the multiplayer format for Star Wars: Unlimited, in which multiple players compete against each other in a single game.

Twin Suns uses its own deck-building rules and even two leaders at the same time.

This provides an option for game groups that don't want to play only classic 1-vs-1 duels.

Do you have to know Star Wars?

No. Of course not.

Star Wars: Unlimited has its own independent ruleset and can be played even if you don't know the name of every series, movie, and spaceship.

For fans of the galaxy, however, there is an added appeal.

Well-known characters, vehicles, and events become playable cards and can sometimes be combined in entirely new ways.

Darth Vader versus Ahsoka?

Rebel fighters against massive Imperial ships?

Characters from completely different eras together in one deck?

When building a deck, combinations are possible that you would likely never see on screen.

Is Star Wars: Unlimited suitable for TCG beginners?

Star Wars: Unlimited can be learned even without prior experience with trading card games.

Pre-constructed decks and special starter products are particularly well-suited for learning the game before you start building your own decks.

Anyone already familiar with Pokémon, Magic, Lorcana, One Piece, or other TCGs will recognize many basic principles.

The system of two arenas and the constantly changing individual actions still ensure a unique gameplay experience.

Collecting is part of the fun, of course!

Star Wars: Unlimited is not only a strategic card game but also a collectible trading card game.

In boosters, you will find cards of varying rarity levels as well as special card variants.

A regular booster contains 16 cards and always includes, among other things, one leader card and one base card.

In addition to the standard card versions, there are various special designs and foil variants depending on the set.

This allows for very different types of collections:

• Perhaps you are collecting a specific character.
• Perhaps you are particularly interested in spaceships.
• Or you simply want to find as many special variants of your favorite cards as possible.

And sometimes it's just about opening a booster and hoping that the exact card you are looking for is inside. 🌌

Who is Star Wars: Unlimited well-suited for?

Star Wars: Unlimited should be particularly exciting if you...

• like Star Wars and its different eras
• enjoy developing your own TCG decks
• find fast turns between players interesting
• want to play tactically with ground and space units
• want not only to play cards but also to collect them
• want to experience well-known heroes, villains, and spaceships in your decks
• are interested in multiplayer games in addition to classic duels

The combination of leader, base, two arenas, and the alternating action system gives Star Wars: Unlimited a clear identity of its own.

Star Wars: Unlimited at Zauberkram

Of course, Star Wars also has a firm place in the Zauberkram realm. ✨

With us, you will find a growing selection of Star Wars: Unlimited TCG products for your collection and your next games.

From boosters and displays to decks and prerelease products, as well as matching TCG accessories, we are continuing to expand our range for Star Wars: Unlimited.

👉 Star Wars: Unlimited at Zauberkram

Frequently asked questions about Star Wars: Unlimited

What is Star Wars: Unlimited?

Star Wars: Unlimited is a trading card game from Fantasy Flight Games. Players build their own decks from characters, spaceships, vehicles, events, and upgrades and attempt to destroy the opponent's base.

Who develops Star Wars: Unlimited?

Star Wars: Unlimited is developed and published by Fantasy Flight Games.

How do you win a game of Star Wars: Unlimited?

You win a standard game by destroying the opponent's base. Most bases have 30 health points.

How many cards does a Star Wars: Unlimited deck have?

In the Premier format, you need exactly one leader, exactly one base, and a main deck with at least 50 cards.

How many of the same card can I play?

In the Premier format, you may normally use a maximum of 3 copies of the same card in your main deck.

What are the aspects in Star Wars: Unlimited?

There are six aspects: Vigilance, Command, Aggression, Cunning, Heroism, and Villainy.

Leader and base determine the aspect icons available to your deck.

What is the difference between ground and space?

Units belong to either the ground or space arena. Normally, they can only attack opposing units within their own arena. Both types of units can, however, attack the opponent's base.

How do resources work?

Any cards from your hand can be used facedown as resources. You start with two resources at the beginning and can add more cards to them over the course of the game.

What does a leader do?

The leader is in play from the beginning and has its own abilities. Over the course of the game, it can be flipped to its second side via its epic action and be deployed as a unit itself.

How many cards are in a Star Wars: Unlimited booster?

A regular booster contains 16 cards. These include, among other things, a leader card and a base card.

Can you play Star Wars: Unlimited with multiple players?

Yes. In addition to the classic duel, there is an official multiplayer format called Twin Suns with its own deck-building rules.

Do I have to know Star Wars to play the TCG?

No. The game has its own independent ruleset. Knowledge of Star Wars is not necessary for playing, but it certainly makes recognizing the characters, locations, and spaceships especially enjoyable.