Star Wars Destiny – European Championships Report

For this tournament I decided to go with Kylo Ren and Darth Vader, Dark Apprentice.  I assumed that there was going to be a lot of Poe/Maz at the tournament (and there was; more on that later!), and Kylo’s special ability has the potential to be particularly brutal against them due to the large number of high-cost cards they often have in their hand.

This is the list that I went with.

Character: (30/30)
2x Darth Vader (Spirit of Rebellion)
2x Kylo Ren (Awakenings)

Battlefield:
1x Rebel War Room (Awakenings)

Event: (14)
2x Doubt (Spirit of Rebellion)
2x Feel Your Anger (Awakenings)
2x Force Strike (Awakenings)
2x Intimidate (Awakenings)
2x Isolation (Awakenings)
2x Lightsaber Throw (Spirit of Rebellion)
2x Manipulate (Spirit of Rebellion)

Support: (2)
2x Meditate (Spirit of Rebellion)

Upgrade: (14)
2x Datapad (Awakenings)
2x Force Illusion (Spirit of Rebellion)
2x Force Speed (Spirit of Rebellion)
2x Force Training (Awakenings)
2x Immobilize (Awakenings)
2x Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber (Awakenings)
2x Vibroknife (Spirit of Rebellion)

Round One vs ePoe/eRey

I was expecting Poe Dameron, but definitely not Rey!  This game had a fast and brutal opening; Kylo and Poe were defeated on the second round, which left Vader and Rey facing off, both of whom were armed with Vibroknife.  In addition to that Rey also had two copies of Force Throw, making it very hard for Vader to keep any significant dice in the pool, leading to him losing that knife-fight.  LOSS (0-1)

Round Two vs eHan/eRey

This game started off quite slowly, until on the second turn I received the biggest sucker punch I’ve ever received in a game of Destiny.  My opponent had rolled a lot of +2 melee damage sides, but had no basic melee damage in the pool.  Feeling somewhat safe, I was completely unprepared for a Planned Explosion killing Vader!  I was actually sat there in shock for a few seconds, having completely forgotten about that card.  Kylo got revenge, killing Rey the next turn, but Han was well-armed and shielded, and ended up killing Kylo off with a Riposte.  LOSS (0-2)

Not exactly the start I’d hoped for to the tournament, but there were ten rounds of swiss, so still plenty to play for.

Round Three vs eJabba/eUnkar

This team was one I’d used myself quite a bit.  Knowing how awkward Unkar is, I directed my damage towards him first, killing him turn two.  Jabba did his best to fend off the Sith emos, but he died soon after as well.  WIN (1-2)

Round Four vs ePoe/eMaz

I managed to kill Poe quite quickly with two uses of Kylo’s special (hit U-Wing both times) and a Lightsaber Throw.  However, Kylo died shortly after, which left Vader against Maz. At first glance you might think it would be an easy fight for Vader, but when Maz is armed with a DL-44 she’s an absolute menace (not to mention a Planetary Uprising).  Vader just managed to kill her, but he would have died on the first action next turn, as he only had two health remaining.  WIN (2-2)

Round Five vs eVader/Raider

We both ruthlessly targeted each other’s Vader, but thanks to a decent amount of removal, they both lasted until turn three.  That left a tooled-up Kylo against an unarmed Tusken Raider, who quickly died to Kylo’s Lightsaber and Vibroknife.  WIN (3-2)

Round Six vs eHan/eRey

Vader died to a decent amount of unblockable melee damage just before I was about to resolve some of his damage.  This meant that it took me too long to kill Rey with Kylo, by which time Han was ready for him.  LOSS (3-3)

Round Seven vs ePoe/eMaz

This time, I killed Maz first, removing her very early during turn two.  Poe kept rolling three damage, but luckily I’d drawn both of my Force Illusion and managed to keep Kylo alive long enough to hit Poe with a couple of specials.  Vader then managed to finish him off. WIN (4-3)

Round Eight vs eHan/eRey

Another Han/Rey deck!  This time, Rey died fairly quickly.  That left Han against tooled-up Vader and Kylo.  As my opponent was using Starship Graveyard, they managed to recur Second Chance many times.  However, I was able to keep up a steady stream of damage, meaning that my opponent had to discard other upgrades just to be able to afford to keep playing Second Chance.  Han had a lot of chances, but not enough!  WIN (5-3)

Round Nine vs ePalpatine

My opponent used a No Mercy on the first turn, hitting Vader for seven damage! Despite the early big hit, I managed to keep Palpatine under control for most of the game. However, since we were using his battlefield, Otoh Gunga, he was constantly healing. Then it got to the crucial moment; if he didn’t play Rise Again as his first action next turn, he was going to die. Spoiler; he did!  My opponent admitted afterwards that he top-decked it, but that’s how it goes sometimes!  I’d managed to get Palpatine down to two health remaining before he finished Kylo off with another No Mercy.  LOSS (5-4)

Round Ten vs ePhasma/TIE/Storm

This was my biggest beating of the day!  Every time I activated Vader, I obligingly rolled one damage on his character dice, which were then easily removed by guardian. Meanwhile, I was getting shot to pieces.  It culminated in a We Have Them Now, which led to an objectively filthy amount of damage.  LOSS (5-5)

Which Cards Worked Well?

Vibroknife was excellent for me, and was great for my opponents too.  I really think that this was probably the card of the tournament, rendering shields and other blocking mechanics (Force Illusion/Armor Plating) useless on many occasions.

Doubt saved me several times.  While it isn’t the most reliable removal, it costs zero and doesn’t require you to have dice of your own in the pool (like Manipulate or Immobilize).  It is definitely a last resort, but it’s a good one to have.

Isolation is still a solid removal card.  Kind of obvious, but it’s great against Poe/Palpatine.

Manipulate was useful, especially if you blanked your Immobilize die (as Immobilize’s ability doesn’t care what you rolled on it’s die; only that it’s in the pool).

Which Cards Didn’t Work Well?

There wasn’t really anything that I thought, ‘that has to go’, but I was lacking a little ‘oomph!’.  I think I was a bit conservative on some of the force powers, and would probably swap cards like Force Training and Force Illusion (which was useless against Vibroknife) for cards like Force Push or Force Throw.

More expensive force powers would also warrant the inclusion of Sith Holocron, for which I’d probably remove Datapad for (Meditate was often sufficient to help get specials).

I was also on the fence about Kylo’s Lightsaber, but on the occasions that I used it, it definitely helped close out games.

As for battlefield, I went with Rebel War Room as I didn’t want to use Emperor’s Throne Room because of Poe/Maz.  Rebel War Room wasn’t bad, but I didn’t find myself claiming the battlefield often.

Summary

So with five wins and five losses, I was in the middle, finishing 78th out of 182.  I kind of wish I’d played against more Poe/Maz, as both of the times I faced them I won, but I ended up playing against Han/Rey more than them (which can be hard to take down quickly).

The tournament was a lot of fun, and ran smoothly (which definitely helped, as with ten rounds it was already going to be a long day).  Thanks to the judging team for a well-run event.

My only criticism would be of the structure itself; a top eight cut was perhaps a bit severe. However, this had been announced prior to the event start, so it isn’t as if they suddenly moved the goalposts.

The participation prizes were very welcome; the commemorative coin and alternate art Darth Vader are excellent!  The atmosphere at the event was very good, and I would definitely like to go again next year!

That’s my personal report over, but I’ve got some data from the event.  Below, I’ll be listing the standings after swiss, team compositions, and quantity of character appearances.

Standings After Swiss

Rank	Team	Wins
1st	ePoe/eMaz	9
2nd	ePalpatine	9
3rd	eUnkar/FN/Storm	8
4th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	8
5th	ePhasma/Guavian/Storm	8
6th	ePoe/eMaz	8
7th	ePoe/eMaz	8
8th	eBaze/eSnap	8
9th	eDooku/eAsajj	8
10th	ePhasma/Guavian/Storm	8
11th	ePoe/eMaz	7
12th	ePalpatine	7
13th	ePalpatine	7
14th	Unkar/Kylo/FN	7
15th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	7
16th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	7
17th	eUnkar/FN/Storm	7
18th	eJango/eFN	7
19th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	7
20th	eUnkar/FN/Storm	7
21st	ePoe/eMaz	7
22nd	ePhasma/Guavian/Storm	7
23rd	ePoe/eMaz	7
24th	Palpatine/Royal	7
25th	eJango/eFN	7
26th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	7
27th	eFN/Bala/Royal	7
28th	ePalpatine	7
29th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	7
30th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	6
31st	ePoe/eMaz	6
32nd	eVader(sor)/eFN	6
33rd	eVader(awk)/Tusken	6
34th	ePoe/eMaz	6
35th	eJabba/eUnkar	6
36th	ePalpatine	6
37th	ePalpatine	6
38th	ePoe/eMaz	6
39th	ePoe/eMaz	6
40th	ePoe/eMaz	6
41st	ePoe/eMaz	6
42nd	ePoe/eMaz	6
43rd	eVader(awk)/Tusken	6
44th	ePoe/eMaz	6
45th	ePoe/eMaz	6
46th	eVader(sor)/eFN	6
47th	eUnkar/Death/Storm	6
48th	eAurra/Jango	6
49th	ePoe/eMaz	6
50th	eUnkar/Death/Storm	6
51st	eHan/eRey	6
52nd	ePalpatine	6
53rd	Dooku/FN/Royal	6
54th	ePhasma/Krennic	6
55th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	6
56th	ePhasma/TIE/Storm	6
57th	ePalpatine	6
58th	eJabba/eUnkar	6
59th	eQui-Gon/eRey	6
60th	ePoe/eMaz	6
61st	ePoe/eMaz	5
62nd	ePoe/eMaz	5*
63rd	eVader(sor)/eKylo	5
64th	eHan/eRey	5
65th	ePalpatine	5
66th	eHan/eRey	5
67th	eJango/eFN	5
68th	ePalpatine	5
69th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	5
70th	eJango/eFN	5
71st	ePalpatine	5
72nd	eHan/eRey	5
73rd	ePoe/eMaz	5
74th	ePalpatine	5
75th	eLuke/Rey	5
76th	eBaze/eSnap	5
77th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	5
78th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	5
79th	eVeers/Guavian/Guavian	5
80th	eQui-Gon/eRey	5
81st	eJango/eFN	5
82nd	eFN/Guavian/Royal	5
83rd	eQui-Gon/eRey	5
84th	ePhasma/Guavian/Storm	5
85th	ePalpatine	5
86th	eQui-Gon/eRey	5
87th	eJango/eVeers	5
88th	ePoe/eMaz	5
89th	eUnkar/Death/Storm	5
90th	ePoe/eMaz	5
91st	ePoe/eMaz	5
92nd	eVader(awk)/Royal	5
93rd	ePoe/eMaz	5
94th	Unkar/Death/Death	5
95th	eJabba/eUnkar	5
96th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	4*
97th	eAurra/Jango	4*
98th	eJango/eFN	4*
99th	ePalpatine	4*
100th	eSnap/HiredGun/Commando	4
101st	ePoe/eMaz	4
102nd	Unkar/Kylo/FN	4*
103rd	eGrievous/FN	4
104th	Death/Death/Death	4
105th	ePalpatine	4
106th	eJyn/Rey	4
107th	eChewbacca/eRey	4
108th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	4
109th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	4
110th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	4
111th	ePalpatine	4
112th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	4*
113th	FN/Death/Death	4
114th	ePoe/eMaz	4
115th	eBaze/eRey	4
116th	eRey/Padawan/Padawan	4
117th	Jabba/Unkar/Royal	4
118th	eJyn/Padme	4
119th	eLuke/Maz	4
120th	eQui-Gon/eRey	4
121st	eJango/eVeers	4
122nd	Jango/Death/TIE	4
123rd	ePoe/eMaz	3*
124th	ePalpatine	3*
125th	eUnkar/Guavian/TIE	3*
126th	ePoe/eMaz	3*
127th	eBaze/eSnap	3*
128th	eVader(sor)/eFN	3*
129th	ePalpatine	3*
130th	eHan/eRey	3
131st	eJango/eKylo	3
132nd	eLuke/Maz	3
133rd	eAurra/Jango	3*
134th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	3*
135th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	3*
136th	eMaz/Snap/Commando	3
137th	ePoe/eMaz	3*
138th	ePoe/eMaz	3
139th	ePhasma/Storm/Storm	3*
140th	Jango/Veers/Storm	3
141st	eJabba/eAsajj	3
142nd	eRey/Padawan/Padawan	3
143rd	eIG88/FN	3
144th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	2*
145th	eGrievous/Fett	2*
146th	eJyn/Ackbar	2*
147th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	2*
148th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	2*
149th	eAurra/Death	2*
150th	ePalpatine	2*
151st	eDooku/eAsajj	2*
152nd	ePoe/eMaz	2*
153rd	eJango/eFN	2
154th	eVader(sor)/eFN	2
155th	eHan/eRey	2*
156th	Maz/Finn/Trooper	2
157th	eVader(sor)/eFN	1*
158th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	1*
159th	ePoe/eMaz	1*
160th	eAckbar/eLeia	1*
161st	eQui-Gon/eRey	1*
162nd	eRey/Maz/Snap	1*
163rd	eJabba/eUnkar	1*
164th	ePalpatine	1*
165th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	1*
166th	eLuke/Padme	1*
167th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	1*
168th	eDooku/eJabba	1*
169th	eRey/eLuminara	1*
170th	Jango/Death/TIE	1*
171st	eVader(awk)/Royal	1*
172nd	eQui-Gon/eRey	1*
173rd	ePoe/eRey	1*
174th	eIG88/Death	1
175th	eQui-Gon/eRey	1*
176th	eDooku/eKylo	0*
177th	eHan/eRey	0*
178th	ePalpatine	0*
179th	eJyn/Commando	0*
180th	eVader(awk)/Tusken	0*
181st	eAckbar/eLeia	0*
182nd	eObiWan/Rey	0*

* indicates that the player dropped from the tournament prior to the end.

Team Compositions

Rank	Team	Qty
1st	ePoe/eMaz	32
2nd	ePalpatine	21
3rd	eVader(awk)/Tusken	17
4th	eVader(sor)/eKylo	10
5th	eQui-Gon/eRey	8
6th	eHan/eRey	7
	eJango/eFN	7
8th	eVader(sor)/eFN	5
9th	eJabba/eUnkar	4
	ePhasma/Guavian/Storm	4
11th	eAurra/Jango	3
	eBaze/eSnap	3
	eUnkar/Death/Storm	3
	eUnkar/FN/Storm	3
15th	eAckbar/eLeia	2
	eDooku/eAsajj	2
	eJango/eVeers	2
	eLuke/Maz	2
	eRey/Padawan/Padawan	2
	eVader(awk)/Royal	2
	Jango/Death/TIE	2
	Unkar/Kylo/FN	2
23rd	Death/Death/Death	1
	Dooku/FN/Royal	1
	eAurra/Death	1
	eBaze/eRey	1
	eChewbacca/eRey	1
	eDooku/eJabba	1
	eDooku/eKylo	1
	eFN/Bala/Royal	1
	eFN/Guavian/Royal	1
	eGrievous/Jango	1
	eGrievous/FN	1
	eIG88/Death	1
	eIG88/FN	1
	eJabba/eAsajj	1
	eJango/eKylo	1
	eJyn/Ackbar	1
	eJyn/Commando	1
	eJyn/Padme	1
	eJyn/Rey	1
	eLuke/Padme	1
	eLuke/Rey	1
	eMaz/Snap/Commando	1
	eObiWan/Rey	1
	ePhasma/Krennic	1
	ePhasma/Storm/Storm	1
	ePhasma/TIE/Storm	1
	ePoe/eRey	1
	eRey/eLuminara	1
	eRey/Maz/Snap	1
	eSnap/HiredGun/Commando	1
	eUnkar/Guavian/TIE	1
	eVeers/Guavian/Guavian	1
	FN/Death/Death	1
	Jabba/Unkar/Royal	1
	Jango/Veers/Storm	1
	Maz/Finn/Trooper	1
	Palpatine/Royal	1
	Unkar/Death/Death	1

Character Appearances

Rank	Character	Qty
1st	Maz Kanata	37
2nd	Poe Dameron	33
3rd	Rey	25
4th	FN-2199	23
5th	Palpatine	22
6th	Darth Vader, Sith Lord	19
7th	Jango Fett	17
	Tusken Raider	17
9th	Darth Vader, Dark Apprentice	15
	Unkar Plutt	15
11th	Death Trooper	14
	First Order Stormtrooper	14
	Kylo Ren	14
14th	Guavian Enforcer	8
	Qui-Gon Jinn	8
16th	Captain Phasma	7
	Han Solo	7
	Jabba the Hutt	7
	Royal Guard	7
20th	Temmin “Snap” Wexley	6
21st	Count Dooku	5
22nd	Aurra Sing	4
	Baze Malbus	4
	General Veers	4
	Jyn Erso	4
	Luke Skywalker	4
	TIE Pilot	4
28th	Admiral Ackbar	3
	Asajj Ventress	3
	Rebel Commando	3
31st	General Grievous	2
	IG-88	2
	Leia Organa	2
	Padawan	2
	Padme Amidala	2
36th	Bala-Tik	1
	Chewbacca	1
	Director Krennic	1
	Finn	1
	Hired Gun	1
	Luminara Unduli	1
	Obi-Wan Kenobi	1
	Rebel Trooper	1