Below is a glossary of terms both specific to Star Wars: Unlimited, and generally related to all Collectible Card Games. This list is for all players, both experienced and new to the hobby. Although we are aiming to put forth a relatively exhaustive list of terms for SWU and other CCGs, this page is not meant to replace the official rules provided by Fantasy Flight Games. We will build upon this list as time goes on. If you have any suggestions, please reach out to us at [email protected].
A
is for Anakin Skywalker
Action Phase
This is the phase where most of a game of Star Wars: Unlimited takes place. Players go back and forth taking a single action at a time. The actions available to each player during this phase are playing a card, attacking with a unit, using an action ability, taking the initiative, or passing.
Aggro
A strategy focused on quickly dealing damage to the opponent’s base or units, often using fast and efficient units and direct damage.
Ambush
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “After you play this unit, it may ready and attack an enemy unit. This unit doesn’t ready if there are no enemy units to attack.” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
Answer
A card or combo that directly responds to or counterplays a specific threat.
Arena
Combat in Star Wars: Unlimited takes place in two different arenas: Ground and Space. A unit is only eligible to be deployed to the arena based on their unit type as listed on their card. Ground units can only attack opposing ground units; Space units can only attack opposing space units. Arenas are also known as lanes or hippodromes (according to thesaurus.com).
Archetype
General style of a deck. Each archetype has a specific way in which it tries to win a game. Deck archetypes can include aggro, control, and midrange.
Aspect Tax
The 2 resource-per-aspect additional cost over the printed cost for each aspect type(s) on a card being played that is not shown on your Leader and Base cards. Example: My Base has an Aggression aspect and my Leader has Command. If I wish to play a “2-1B Surgical Droid”, I must pay 1 resource for its printed cost, and 2 more resources because it has a Vigilance aspect symbol.
B
is for Boba Fett
B.R.E.A.D.
From Magic: The Gathering. An acronym for a Draft strategy. Bombs > Removal > Evasion > Aggro > Duds.
Big Butt (or Big Booty)
A unit that has a large amount of Health (HP).
Board Control
A player who has Board Control has larger and/or more Units than their opponent. This allows them to dictate the game.
Bomb
A Unit that is a huge threat. Bombs will win games. More common in Limited formats.
Booster Pack
A pack of cards that players can purchase to expand their card collection. Star Wars: Unlimited Booster Packs contain 16 cards: 9 Commons, 3 Uncommons, 1 Rare or Legendary, 1 Leader, 1 Base, and 1 Foil Card.
Bounce
To return a Unit or Upgrade to its owner’s hand.
C
is for Commander Cody
Card Advantage
Gaining more cards than your opponent. Gaining card advantage can be through playing events that let you draw cards or having Unit abilities that allow you to draw cards. Trying to constantly get as much value/effect as possible for every one of your cards is also a great way to gain card advantage.
CCG
Collectible card game.
Chase
A chase card is a rare card that everyone wants. It may be heavily played or extremely rare (or both!). You want to pull a Chase card when opening packs.
Cheat
To “cheat” a card out is to put it into play without paying its full cost.
Chump
Chump blocks or chump attacks are smaller units that are sacrificed in combat while blocking or attacking. Having a small unit with Sentinel block a large opposing Unit from dealing damage to your base would be “Chump blocking”.
Clear (Unit or Board)
To Clear a Unit is to remove it. Clearing the board removes all Units from the board.
Clock
Clock describes the number of turns it will take to deplete your opponents’ life, given how much damage you can currently do this turn. Manipulating this clock is a sign of adept play.
Example: My opponent’s base has 15 health, and I have 3 units in play that can deal 15 damage. This is a three-turn clock.
Combo
A combo is a combination of cards that produce an effect that is drastically stronger than the sum of its parts. Some combos set up favorable position or prevents an opponent from doing anything. Other combos can win the game immediately. This may be known as a “Combo Wombo”.
Control
Control is a deck archetype that tries to outlast an opponent by limiting or outright preventing them from taking actions to advance their win condition. Control decks also try to gain card advantage and slow down the game. Control decks grow stronger as the game goes on.
Constructed
Constructed format is the opposite of Limited formats. Players build their decks ahead of time from their collection. Constructed tends to have the most streamlined and efficient decks.
Cost
This is the number of resources that must be used to play a card in Star Wars: Unlimited. This is represented by the number on the yellow field in the upper left hand corner of the card.
Cut
For a card: Remove it from your deck.
For a deck: The deck is split into 2 or more parts. Customarily offered to your opponent after you shuffle.
Curve (aka Resource Curve)
Curve refers to the visualization of the resource costs for all cards in a deck. The curve is important to ensure that cards can be played each round and that all resources are spent each turn. Decks with a good curve are efficient; decks without can be clunky.
D
is for Dexter Jettster
Deck
A collection of cards that a player brings to a game. Players draw cards from their deck during gameplay.
Decked Out
Running out of cards, usually due to the actions of your opponent. In Star Wars: Unlimited, players who have been “decked out” take damage for each card they must draw but cannot.
Dig
Aggressive drawing. Usually a player digs for a card when they are trying to find a game-winning or game-saving card.
Direct Damage
AKA burn, direct damage cards and abilities deal damage directly to your opponent’s base or Units, regardless of phase or board state. Typically, but not always, direct damage happens outside of combat.
Draft
A format where players select cards from a limited pool to build their decks. In Star Wars: Unlimited, Draft events use 3 Booster Packs.
Drawing Dead (or Dead Drawing)
When a player is drawing cards with no hope of winning, or drawing cards that do not help your current situation.
Drop
A way to refer to how many resources a Unit costs. For example: If a Unit is a “2 Drop”, then it cost 2 resources to play.
Durdling
Durdling is the opposite of trying to win a game. Durdle decks are slow and ineffective.
E
is for Eno Cordova
Engine
In card games, Engines are reusable effects produced by some combination of cards and synergies. Typically Engines convert some resource to another perhaps health points into resources, or units into damage, or resources into units. Decks are built around engine synergies.
Errata
Errata are official changes to rules text or type line on cards, often to clarify card effects or to preserve the effects of cards as the rules of the game evolve.
Exhaust
In Star Wars: Unlimited, to Exhaust is to turn a unit or resource sideways to denote that it has been used (or cannot be used). Units and resources turned on their side are considered Exhausted. It is the opposite of Ready.
F
is for Figrin D’an
Floop
Turning your card sideways to indicate it has been exhausted. (I.e: I floop the pig.)
Fizzle
From Magic: The Gathering; Cards fizzle when they no longer have a valid target upon resolution. Typically events fizzle when a it targets a unit, and something removes that unit before the spell resolves. Due to Star Wars: Unleashed‘s turn structure, this is a rare occurrence in SWU.
Face
Going face or “straight to the face” is attacking a player’s base directly.
Foil
Foil cards are special versions of regular cards that have a shiny treatment to change the finish. Foils cards are so shiny, so pretty.
Format
A particular grouping of cards and rules for play. SWU Formats include Constructed, Draft, and Sealed.
G
is for Garindan
Gauntlet
A group of decks for playtesting common threats in the meta. Gauntlets are typically used when preparing for an event.
GG
Good game.
Glass Cannon
A Unit with a high attack value but a very low health.
God Hand (or God Draw)
The best possible starting hand or draw. Also known as “the nuts”.
Grit
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “This unit gets +1/+0 for each damage on it.” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
H
is for Huntah
Highlander
A format where decks are only allowed to have one of each card. There can be only one!
HP
HP stands for Hit Points or Health Points. In Star Wars: Unlimited, it is the amount of damage a unit can absorb before it is removed from play. It is the represented by the number in the lower right corner of a unit card. This number is on a blue field. Also called health or life.
I
is for IG-86
Interaction
Interaction describes cards or decks that affect your opponent’s gameplay. Removing a Unit is interacting with it.
J
is for Jar Jar Binks
Jamming
Jamming games means to play several games in a row, usually to prepare for an event.
Jank
Jank (or janky) describes a deck or strategy with several weaknesses that is completely ineffective. Sometimes people use this term to refer to Meme decks. Jank decks are typically not competitive.
Johnny
A psychological player profile created by Magic: The Gathering‘s Mark Rosewater. From his article: “Johnny is the creative gamer to whom Magic is a form of self-expression. Johnny likes to win, but he wants to win with style. It’s very important to Johnny that he win on his own terms. As such, it’s important to Johnny that he’s using his own deck. Playing Magic is an opportunity for Johnny to show off his creativity.” Commonly used for other CCGs.
K
is for Kylo Ren
Keyword
A keyword is an ability that units have listed on their cards. Keyword abilities always grant the same effect regardless of unit. Examples in Star Wars: Unlimited include Sentinel, Saboteur, Restore, and Raid.
L
is for Lobot
Lethal
Reducing your opponent’s base to 0 HP and winning the game. A player can also announce they are “Showing Lethal” which is akin to saying “Check” in chess.
LGS
Local game store. Some are FLGS (Friendly local game store). Support these when possible.
Loose
Loose play is poor unpolished play riddled with mistakes.
M
is for Max Rebo
Main Deck
The original decklist used for the first game of a best of three set before any side boarding.
Mellow
The opposite of aggro. A non-aggro deck.
Meta
The meta (or metagame) is the “environment” in which a game is played. Specifically, it refers to the cards or decks being used for a format in a locale. You can have a local meta (the cards and decks favored at your LGS, for example), an online meta (cards and decks popular online), or just a meta (the overall favored cards and decks being used in a format for the game).
Midrange
Midrange decks are a deck archetype that combines elements of aggro and control decks. Midrange decks may rely more on events than aggro decks, but still have the goal of using lower curve Units to attack and win.
Mill
Mill is removing cards from the top of your opponent’s deck to the discard pile. The term is from the Magic: The Gathering card “Millstone”.
Mirror
A mirror or mirror-match is a game played between two identical or nearly-identical decks.
Mono
In Star Wars: Unlimited, mono refers to decks where the Leader and Base both contain the same Aspect.
MU
Match Up
Mulligan
Mulligan is the action of replacing unwanted cards at the beginning of a game, and drawing more. In Star Wars: Unlimited, all six cards in the opening hand are replaced, the deck is shuffled, and six new cards are drawn.
N
is for Nute Gunray
Nerf
When a card is nerfed, the developers lower its power by changing the card through errata. Also a type of herder.
Net Deck
Net decking is copying the decklist from another player, usually from an online source. Net decking is common, and a great way to learn how to build decks and compete in the meta. There is nothing wrong with net decking.
O
is for Oola
On a Stick
Refers to a Unit, Upgrade, or other card that stays in play with an reusable ability that mirrors one from an Event. As an example, “2-1B Surgical Droid” is almost “Repair” on a stick.
OP
Use 1: Overpowered
Use 2: Organized Play
Overwhelm
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “When this unit deals damage to an enemy unit while attacking, deal excess damage to that opponent’s base. Example: If a 5-power unit with Overwhelm attacks a unit with 3 HP remaining, it deals 2 damage to the enemy base.” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
P
is for Poggle the Lesser
Pace of Play
Describes how long a player is taking for their turns and decisions. Typically only a potential issue during events due to the timed nature of games.
Ping
An instance of one damage, or dealing one damage.
Playtest
Practicing a deck, strategy, or matchup.
Power
In Star Wars: Unlimited, Power is the attack value for a unit. It is represented by the number in the lower left corner on the red background. When a unit attacks, it deals an amount of damage equal to its power.
Premier
The primary format of Star Wars: Unlimited. A constructed format where decks consist of one leader, one base, a deck with a minimum of 50 cards, and a sideboard of up to 10 non-leader, non-base cards. Decks cannot include more than 3 copies of any card. In official OP events, Premier matches are a best-of-three games.
Proc
The trigger for a specific ability.
Pulls
Cards, especially important or rare ones, received from a pack.
Pumping
Temporarily boosting stats of a Unit.
Q
is for Qui-Gon Jinn
R
is for Rose Tico
Raid
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “While this unit is attacking, it gets extra power equal to the Raid value. Example: A unit with Raid 2 gets +2/+0 while attacking.” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
Ramp
Using cards to increase available resources. Ramp decks allow the player to play larger cards earlier in the game than normal.
Ready
In Star Wars: Unlimited, to Ready a unit or resource is to turn it upright from its side. This denotes that the card is ready to use, or is Readied. Typically, all cards are readied at the end of the regroup phase each round. Readied is the opposite of exhausted.
Recursion
Using cards that have already been played or discarded again. This can be taking them from the discard to the deck or your hand, or playing them from the discard pile using an ability that allows you to do so.
Regroup Phase
In Star Wars: Unlimited, the Regroup Phase occurs after one player takes the initiative and the other players pass (or all players pass) in the Action Phase. The Regroup Phase has three steps: Draw Cards, Resource a Card, Ready Cards. Players complete the steps in this order.
Removal
Abilities or Events that that remove an opposing Unit.
Restore
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “When this unit attacks, heal damage from your base equal to the Restore value (before dealing damage). Example: A unit with Restore 2 heals 2 damage from your base when it attacks.” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
RNG
Random number generator. Players will reference RNG when they have bad luck. The patron saint of RNG is RNJesus.
S
is for Sheev Palpatine
Saboteur
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “When this unit attacks, ignore the Sentinel keyword on enemy units and defeat all Shield tokens on the defender (before dealing damage).” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
Sac
Short for sacrifice.
Scoop
Slang for conceding. Likely because the player will “scoop” up their cards when the concede.
Sealed
A Limited format in which players open six Booster Packs, and build a deck using those cards.
Sentinel
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “Enemy units in the same arena (ground or space) as this unit can’t attack your non-Sentinel units in this arena or your base. If you have multiple units with Sentinel in the same arena, your opponent may choose which of those units to attack. (Place units with Sentinel slightly ahead of other units in that arena as a reminder that they must be attacked.)” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
Shielded
A Keyword in Star Wars: Unlimited – “When you play this unit, give a Shield token to it. If any amount of damage would be dealt to a unit with a Shield token on it, prevent that damage and defeat 1 Shield token on that unit.” – FFG’s Star Wars: Unlimited “Quickstart Rules”, Pg 24
Sideboard
Cards that can replace those in your main deck during a best 2 out of 3 set in an event. These cards are more specialized, and can help the player using them better handle the other deck’s archetype.
Sleeves
Sleeves are placed on cards to protect them. For official play, sleeves should be opaque or official Gamegenic products.
Spike
A psychological player profile created by Magic: The Gathering‘s Mark Rosewater. From his article “Spike is the competitive player. Spike plays to win. Spike enjoys winning. To accomplish this, Spike will play whatever the best deck is. Spike will copy decks off the Internet. Spike will borrow other players’ decks. To Spike, the thrill of Magic is the adrenalin rush of competition. Spike enjoys the stimulation of outplaying the opponent and the glory of victory.” Used as shorthand in all CCGs.
Spot Removal
Also single target removal. Removal that targets one threat.
Stall
Stall decks are types of control decks that try to survive while their opponent slowly dies or runs out of resources. Stall decks may use a very slow combo.
Swing
A swing or a swing turn is a huge play or turn that takes the losing player to a winning position. Usually from destroying an opponent’s units, or playing several powerful units. Swing can also be slang for attacking.
Swiss
Swiss rounds are a format of tournament that pairs players with similar records together round after round. Can be used in conjunction with elimination rounds.
T
is for Temmin “Snap” Wexley
Tall
Going Tall means building your deck with fewer units, but making those units very powerful. The opposite of “going wide”.
Tap
From Magic: The Gathering. The act of turning a card sideways to indicate that it has been used for the turn. The Star Wars: Unlimited equivalent is Exhaust.
TCG
Trading Card Game.
Tech cards are specific cards used to win a particular matchup. A player will “tech” against a deck by adding cards to win that specific matchup.
Timmy
A psychological player profile created by Magic: The Gathering‘s Mark Rosewater. From his article: “Timmy is what we in R&D call the “power gamer.” Timmy likes to win big. He doesn’t want to eke out a last minute victory. Timmy wants to smash his opponents. He likes his cards to be impressive, and he enjoys playing big creatures and big spells. One of the misconceptions is that Timmy has to be young. While its true that younger players are more apt to fall into this category, players of any age can be a Timmy. What sets Timmy apart from the other two profiles is that Timmy is motivated by fun. He plays Magic because it’s enjoyable. Timmy is very social. An important part of the game is sitting around with his friends.”
Top Deck or Topdeck
Topdeck is the card a player just drew. Usually, this refers to pulling a needed card naturally during the round’s draw phase. “I just top decked the card I needed to win the game!”
Trade
Trade occurs when one player uses a card to eliminate their opponent’s card. Most usually, this occurs when attacking an opponent’s unit knowing that both units will take lethal damage. Some trades are a good value, some are not.
Trigger
An ability triggers when it “fires” or goes off. If a unit has an ability that happens on attack, its “trigger” is when the unit attacks.
Turn
The basic unit of gameplay in which a player takes actions, such as playing cards and attacking.
Tutor
Refers to searching your deck for a specific card. Named after the Magic: The Gathering card “Demonic Tutor”.
U
is for Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru
V
is for Vader
Value
Value describes the return a player is getting on a card in their deck. The best players are able to wring the maximum value out of each card.
W
is for Wicket W. Warrick
Wide
Going Wide refers to the deckbuilding strategy of having many smaller units instead of fewer larger ones. This is the opposite of “Going Tall”.
Win Condition
The Win Condition is how a deck wins its game. Aggro win conditions are to deal damage. Control win conditions may be the mill cards, or remove units until their opponent cannot defend their base.
Win More
Win More cards are cards that only help players who are already winning (hence their name). “I only get to play this card when I’m already winning. I probably should take it out of my deck.”
X
is for Xi’an
Y
is for Yoda
Z
is for Zam Wesell
0-9
is for All of Our Favorite Droids & Clone Troopers
1 of
A one off, or a single card in a decklist.
2 for 1
A great way to gain an advantage. Trading one unit for two of your opponent’s.
