Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game FAQ
82 questions players ask · Updated Nov 8, 2026 · Full rulebook
Turn Structure and Setup
- Who takes the first turn, and who starts with the Force?
- How many bases do you have to destroy to win?
- Can you choose which base to start with?
- How do you pick a new base after yours is destroyed?
- In what order do start-of-turn steps happen?
- Do unspent resources carry over to the next turn?
- Can you keep a card in your hand for next turn?
- Is there a hand size limit?
- Can you buy more than one card per turn?
- Where does a purchased card go, and is a bought capital ship put straight into play?
- Can you buy or attack the replacement card as soon as it is revealed in the galaxy row?
- When do you reshuffle a discard pile into an empty deck?
The Force and Resources
- Do you gain the bonus resource when you gain Force that puts the marker at your end mid-turn?
- When do you get a card's resources and Force, and in what order can you use its attack and ability?
- If I gain Force during my turn, can I then use "if the Force is with you" abilities?
- What does "gain extra attack" on a card like Rodian Gunslinger mean?
- Can I exile an Outer Rim Pilot I just played and still keep its resources?
- If another card exiles a card with its own exile ability, do I get that ability's bonus?
Capital Ships
- Do capital ships give their resources when played, or at the start of each turn?
- Do capital ships stay in play, and can they attack and use abilities every turn?
- Can capital ships attack galaxy row cards?
- Can you attack a capital ship sitting in the galaxy row, and how can it be removed?
- Does damage stay on a capital ship between turns?
- Where does a destroyed capital ship go?
- How is attack damage divided between capital ships and the base?
- Can any unit or capital ship damage the capital ships guarding a base?
- Do you need to deal exactly a capital ship's hit points to destroy it?
- If my base is destroyed, do my capital ships leave play?
- Can repair abilities heal damage on capital ships?
- Does a capital ship count as an Empire or Rebel card, and what does "vehicle" refer to?
- Do bonuses from two identical capital ships (e.g. Imperial Carrier) both apply?
- Do I need a capital ship in play to attack a base?
Attacks and the Galaxy Row
- Can I commit to several attacks and resolve them in any order?
- Does extra attack carry over to another target, or does damage stay on a galaxy row card?
- Do I lose resources when I commit a card to an attack?
- Do bounty hunting rewards and "when you defeat" abilities trigger if other units helped?
- Do I have to take a reward, and when does the galaxy row refill?
- Do I gain the reward when a card effect discards a galaxy row card?
- Does damage dealt directly by an ability bypass capital ships, and does the excess carry over?
- Does the Y-Wing's exile damage come on top of its attack?
- Does Hoth's damage reduction apply to direct damage or to damage soaked by capital ships?
- Can a base's ability, like the Death Star's, be used more than once per turn?
- After I destroy a base, can I keep damaging them that turn?
- Can I clear the whole galaxy row at once?
- Does a base that lets me turn a galaxy row card's cost into resources skip the attack requirement?
Abilities, Exile and Specific Cards
- If I can only partly resolve an ability, can I still use it?
- Can I do half an ability now and the rest later?
- Can I pick an option of a "choose" ability that I cannot fully resolve?
- Where do exiled cards go, including Outer Rim Pilots?
- If a card exiles itself, can I use its resources and attack first?
- Can "exile up to 2 cards from your hand or discard pile" take one from each?
- How many cards does Jabba the Hutt exile and draw?
- What happens to a card revealed from the galaxy deck (Tie Interceptor, Scout Trooper)?
- Is a neutral card an enemy card, and what makes a card neutral?
- How does Jawa Scavenger work?
- Can AT-AT or Millennium Falcon free purchases come from the galaxy discard pile?
- Do I have to put Leia's bought card on top of my deck?
- How does Sullust interact with Fang Fighter and Twi'lek Smuggler?
- How do Jedha and Twi'lek Smuggler work with neutral purchases?
- When does Bespin or Kafrene's draw trigger?
- How does Temple Guardian's play choice work?
- When does an opponent's discard effect happen?
- Are Quarren Mercenary and IG-88 exile effects mandatory?
- Can a discard-pile ability work after I shuffled to draw?
- How do General Veers, AT-AT, Millennium Falcon and Coruscant work?
- How does Grand Moff Tarkin's free card and exile work?
- Does Jyn Erso's top-of-deck placement count as a discard for Yavin IV?
- Can B-Wing's boost be chosen later in the turn, and who picks the capital ship Luke Skywalker destroys?
- Does Moff Jeryerrod put the swapped row card on top of the galaxy deck?
- Can I have two copies of a non-unique card?
Advanced Modes
Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game – Mandalorian Faction PackExpansion
- How does Mandalorian Hijacker attack capital ships?
- In three-player games, which bases do you start with and when do you replace one?
- How do first planet and Rodia work in three-player games?
- How does the Pyke Repulsor Train work?
- How do Nevarro and At-te rewards work?
- In what order do I put back the cards I don't choose with Gauntlet Dropship?