One of the most common complaints I hear from players about SWU is that the mechanics of one set don’t get support down the line. For example, FFG makes the Smuggle mechanic in Shadows of the Galaxy, players love it, and then… poof… it’s never seen again.

There are some really good motivations for FFG to do this. First, is that it supports draft and sealed by making each set gel internally. You can’t splash ten different mechanics in the pool and expect players to be able to make cohesive decks. Second, it keeps the rules overhead for the game low in the long term. This is especially helpful when you invite a new player to that above referenced draft or sealed tournament – you only have to explain a few extra rules relevant to the set being drafted. Believe me, I’ve see what happens when a game never rotates anything and it’s not pretty. Third, it allows designers to allocate large portions of new sets to supporting new mechanics and making them exciting. We want the new stuff to be good, right? I’m sure this cohesiveness also makes for a product that’s easier to test and balance.

Still, it’s an understandable complaint that old mechanics aren’t given new tools. Players want to see the leaders and cards from pervious sets improve over time. It’s a bit dispiriting to have to assume that, if a mechanic isn’t competitive at the time of release, it will never be competitive in the future. Twilight is gonna have it’s day, right? Right??

The good news is: old mechanics and leaders CAN get a boost and the goal of this article is to show how FFG can (and does) do that. SWU has a very flexible play structure, with a myriad of different mechanical hooks. Just because the designers (for good reason!) don’t want to reprint old mechanics, that doesn’t mean they can’t support them. Let’s look at five examples from sets 1-4 and how, as our friend JT would say, they could “Bring Sexy Back”

Smuggle

Lando is focused squarely around the Smuggle keyword. He doesn’t seem like a leader who could get better without making more Smuggle cards… Unless, we take advantage of the unintended consequences of his ability! Since Lando downramps when his ability is used, cards that trigger off having less resources than an opponent are particularly valuable with him. FFG’s already given us Cham Syndulla. Another such card would give Lando a boost!

(4) *Lobot, Leveling the Field
Ground Unit
4/4 Fringe
Shielded. If an opponent commands more resources than you, this unit gains Ambush.

Bounty

Bounties are upgrades and there’s already lots of cards that play in the “have an upgrade space.” FFG could easily make another card like Punishing One that helps bounties indirectly by giving you a bonus for killing an opponent’s upgraded unit. But what would even more direct assistance look like?

(1) Running Short
Event
Search your deck for an upgrade and play it on an opponent’s unit. If that unit is defeated this phase, return the upgrade to its owners’ hand.

Coordinate

What Twilight failed to achieve in its run was making go-wide, swarm decks a thing. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done! Just look at the success JtL Vader is having. Making a card that supported Republic or Trooper traits would help the archetype even if Coordinate isn’t on the card.

(4) *Captain Rex, Republic’s Defender
Ground Unit
3/5 Republic, Clone, Trooper
When played: If a Republic unit was defeated this phase, play a Trooper unit that costs three or less from your hand or discard.

Exploit

Exploit was the second mechanic from Twilight and also has failed to gain serious traction. Much like Coordinate, the fuel for the engine was simply not available in the quantities it was needed. There are cards with solid “when defeated” abilities and they continue to print new ones, but a dedicated Separatist card could take Dooku to the next level.

(2) Disposable Magnaguard
Ground Unit
3/2 Separatist, Droid
When Defeated: Search the top 5 cards of your deck for a Separatist unit, reveal it, and draw it.

Piloting

Pilots were a very swingy mechanic that had big upsides and big downsides. The biggest vulnerability was that pilots could be killed with normal upgrade removal. What could help pilots be more of a cohesive archetype is a card that made that less of an issue.

(2) Rouge Squadron Veteran
Space Unit
2/3 Vehicle, New Republic
When a friendly upgrade is defeated in this arena, you may return it to its owner’s hand.

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My hope is that this article has given you some cause for optimism about cards and mechanics released in pervious sets. They have gotten, and will continue to get, support in the future! Even if FFG making that killer Smuggle card you’ve always imagined may never come to pass…