Sometimes cards just seem destined to end up in the same decks.

Dynamic duos like that are already a huge part of SWU’s history. While some of them are obvious, like Luke and Luke’s Lightsaber or Boba Fett and Firespray, other pairings aren’t quite so conspicuous. FFG’s spoilers for Shadows of the Galaxy have seemed very intentional- often, shortly after a card is spoiled we start seeing the pieces of its puzzle fit together with the spoilers that follow it.

This means that we already have a good sense of some key card pairings that have the right stuff to make a big impact. All the cards below are solid without their best buddy- but with them, they’ve got a good shot at making a real impact on the meta.

Read below to see what duos we’ve got our eye on.

Kylo Ren + Palpatine’s Return

An early standout, this combo only keeps getting better. Kylo’s already got some incredible targets available in Maul, Darth Vader, and oh yeah, Palpatine.

We’ve covered Return before in this space, but the unique ability for Kylo to get value out of putting those big force units right where he needs them anyway is a big, big deal. Look for this deck to make an early splash at Shadows events.

Han Solo + Krayt Dragon

There’s pretty much no overstating how instantaneously attached to Han Solo: Worth The Risk I was upon his spoiling. This is virtually everything I’m after in a leader, and he’s even given me reasons to reconsider pricier cards I may not otherwise find worth the slot.

So with a guy like this, why not go big? Krayt Dragon is game-warping, and Han can ramp it in a turn early at the cost of just 2 damage, which the Dragon pretty much doesn’t care about whatsoever. While other huge cards like Home One and Luke Skywalker are also great targets for Han’s crazy ability, the unique opportunity to slam down something as decisive as the Dragon a turn early has me ecstatic. Han is going to be a blast.

Bossk + Top Target

This whole piece could have been about Bossk, but for my money, the bounty option that scares me the most is Top Target. While none of the bounties are slouches to double claim with Bossk’s deployed side, Top Target’s combination of cheap application and higher integers makes it special.

The potential to heal 12 off of a 1 cost bounty if the cards align is nothing short of incredible. Consider that Vigilance got a heck of a lot of play off aspect for 6 in large part because 5 healing moved the goalpost enough to give entire archetypes an uphill battle. A well-timed Top Target is going to be backbreaking.

Gar Saxon + Brutal Traditions

I’m pretty high on Gar for the moment- assuming you can get a critical mass of shields/experience/upgrades, he’s got a pretty favorable comparison to the already strong Director Krennic in a midrange shell. Getting there won’t be easy, but it’s sure made a lot easier by the existence of Brutal Traditions.

Offering good value, card advantage, and above all, consistency, this reanimating upgrade is going to be essential to making Gar tick. Considering the value he offers, that synergy is potent enough to place it on this list.

Two To Tango

While good fundamentals are important in SWU, there’s no real replacement for a key combo with a high ceiling. These big plays are a huge part of what makes the game fun, and without the slam dunk option, decks can only go so far. These best buds are those slam dunks, and players are surely going to ball out with them come Set 2’s release.

Let us know in the comments what Leader combos you’re looking forward to in Shadows of the Galaxy! And as always- may the force be with you!