Thanks for tuning into another collection of high-level musings, GarbageRollers faithful! To start- no shame at all if you’re not hip enough to card game lingo to know what the names in the article title are referring to. There’s an iconic article by MTG mastermind Mark Rosewater that breaks down, roughly, three different types of card gamers:

• “Timmy”, a player who loves big plays and cares more about the quality of their wins than the quantity of them.
• “Johnny”, a player who views the game as a form of self-expression and wants to win with their own deck builds and on their own terms.
• “Spike”, a player who finds their fun in winning and orients themselves around competing at every stage.

These archetypes are pretty common parlance when talking about card games, and what I love about them most is that they’re oriented around a commonality- fun. The types are defined by what’s fun for them.

Games are supposed to be fun- who’d have thunk it, right? All this Boba Green talk and product shortages and big cash tournament prizes and we’re all supposed to be having fun? Yeah, you bet. And as with most things in life, broadening your perspective can really be enriching. No matter what your approach is in SWU, what I’ve found is that there’s a lot to be gained from ALL the different outlooks. It’s really all in how you apply it, and that’s what this article is looking to explore.

And so, we descend into zen. To get the most out of Star Wars Unlimited, you should aim to…

Engage Like A Timmy

Dialoguing about Star Wars Unlimited has a luxury that other card games don’t have- the game is incredibly well made.

While there’s a lot of powerful strategies and self-expression available, one of the best things about SWU is that a ton of the cardpool is relevant and clever piloting is always the most important factor in a win. What this means is that there’s just no reason to be closed minded about deckbuilds, new card spoilers, or someone else’s take. Timmies are defined by their excitement for the big cool things. All of SWU is a big cool thing.

The alternatives here might look like this:

• A Johnny might be inclined to disregard what other players are experiencing and the decks they’re enjoying, because they want to do things only on their terms.
• A Spike might be too quick to dismiss things that don’t line up with the established meta, because they care a lot about winning.

SWU is balanced enough to where you really don’t have to do those things! Off-meta stuff is going to be successful in local metas, so there’s no need for Spikes to disregard stuff outside the groupthink. And Johnnies can absolutely tweak their Boba Green to play the way they like best, because even in the meta decks there’s a ton of cool options to try. Why not go for broke?

As you engage with the game and its community, try to tap into some of the excitement and ambition that Timmies bring to the table. This is a great game, and players shouldn’t be afraid to dream big!

Build Like A Johnny

All that open-minded, big play excitement should have you fired up when it comes time to deck build.

Johnnies love to build decks in their own way. There’s nothing wrong with running the big decks, especially if you’re having fun, but players of all kinds are leaving a lot of fun on the table if they don’t give SWU’s super approachable deck building a shot! You might be missing out on some of the cool things deckbuilding has to offer based on your inclination:

• A Timmy might get overly attached to one big synergy- but SWU gives you the opportunity to make decks that have awesome combos from top to bottom, with all 50 cards!
• A Spike might not dive into deckbuilding at all, only playing decks that they see at the top of the food chain.

A little ingenuity when making your list can be the difference between you and the rest of the pack at your local events, and SWU has strong card designs that support thinking outside the box. Really embracing the holistic, creative deckbuilding approach that Johnnies specialize in won’t just help you have more fun- it can also be the difference maker against tough opponents running proven lists. The unexpected can be a powerful tool.

Play Like A Spike

So- you’ve talked it over with your buddies and you’ve got a deck you’re pumped about. Now let’s talk about how you play.

SWU games are tactical things, deadly dances where a single wrong step can be the difference between victory and defeat. Maybe you’ve brought one of the established meta standards. Maybe you’ve brought a really ambitious deck centered around a cool combo. Maybe you’ve built something around your favorite card and you’re determined to win on your terms.

But no matter what approach lead you to the deck you brought, when you sit down to play it, play it brutally. Spikes are defined by their desire to win. So many players decks can find wins even in tough environs- as long as they’re playing their heart out.

Don’t let your instincts betray you when it comes time to play:

• Johnnies might get dismayed at the win-rates of the top deck, and forget that they can play to their outs and use their tech cards to swing matchups.
• Timmies might resource poorly, holding out for their big play, or play too greedily without really looking at the board state.

Really throw yourself into the fundamentals of SWU- resourcing, sequencing, tempo, all the things it takes to be deadly on the battlefield. Our New Player Guide is a great first step if you want some resources to help you learn those skills! By having strong fundamentals and playing tight, clean games, you’ll find that you can win with a lot larger variety of decks than you may have thought possible.

This Is The Way

By taking a little from each of the main approaches to SWU, you can become a more well-rounded player and community member. And cherry picking these approaches is only possible because of the constant at the center- the game itself, a game that is thoughtfully put together and contains a huge variety of experiences. We hope you and those you play with reach beyond your comfort zones to approach SWU with an open mind.

May the force be with you!