Star Wars Customizable Card Game

The Star Wars Customizable Card Game (SWCCG) is a collectible card game. Its foundation is the original trilogy (inclusive of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire) and The Phantom Menace. Decipher, Inc. was responsible for its creation and initial distribution. However, in 2001, Decipher's authorization to produce sanctioned Star Wars merchandise was revoked.

History

The initial release of Star Wars CCG occurred in December of 1995. Over time, Decipher expanded the original card set with eleven major expansions, along with various smaller expansions, specialized sets, and promotional items. Theed Palace Limited, the final set, came out in the fall of 2001. The game incorporated all of the original Star Wars trilogy (A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi) and Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. From 1995 to 1998, it was a top-selling CCG, second only to Magic: The Gathering, according to InQuest magazines. In 2001, Decipher's license to produce official Star Wars products expired, leading to Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Trading Card Game taking its place.

A strategy guide, Star Wars Customizable Card Game: Official Player's Guide, was released in 1996.

Expansions

Decipher put out more than twenty expansions and smaller, specialized products. Expansions serve as the method for introducing new cards to enhance the game.

Premium expansions

Cancelled Expansions

Prior to the license revocation for Decipher, several sets were formally announced but never saw release.

Shadows of The Empire expansion [3] (elements of which were incorporated into Reflections II)
Jedi Masters expansion [3] (elements of which were incorporated into Reflections III)
Skywalkers expansion [3] (elements of which were incorporated into Tatooine)
Scoundrels expansion [3]

Reflections Gold, a fifth set, was being developed when Decipher lost its license. Despite the company's objections, the cards were not allowed to be released, even in a digital format. Over the years, preliminary versions of many of these cards have surfaced on the secondary market and are considered exceedingly rare.

Distinguishing features

In comparison to other trading card games (TCGs), SWCCG is intricate and presents a significant learning challenge. Its rule set is more extensive than other TCGs, including obscure and rarely used rules. Basic concepts, such as the difference between "battle damage" and "attrition" in combat, can be initially confusing. However, the underlying mechanics are original and adaptable, giving SWCCG a depth that appeals to dedicated gamers.

Another feature that set SWCCG apart from many other TCGs was that, during Decipher's management, no card was ever prohibited from tournament play. Instead, Decipher opted to introduce "magic bullets," which were new cards designed to specifically counter strategies perceived as overpowered or abusive. In some instances, Decipher also employed errata, which are modifications to a card's text that override the printed version. The use of errata adds to the learning curve, as players must be aware of these changes to use the affected cards correctly. While alternative formats using a restricted card pool have been created, the original open format still permits all cards in play.

Game play

Each game pits one player as the Light Side of the Force against another as the Dark Side. The game's aim is to exhaust the opposing player's deck.

In casual play, players can focus on one side, but tournament participation requires both Dark and Light decks. The game's action unfolds at various Location cards (both in space and on planets) from the Star Wars universe. Locations can be deployed as the game progresses. Most locations are available in both Dark and Light Side versions, and an existing location can be "converted" (switched to the other side) at any moment. Most locations influence gameplay in some way, and all provide "Force icons," which determine the amount of "Force" (the game's resource) a player can activate each turn.

Each unit of the Force is a card drawn from the top of a player's deck and placed in the Force Pile. When used for deployment, each unit of Force is moved to the Used Pile, which is later shuffled back into the bottom of the deck. Unused Force remains in the Force Pile and can be saved for the next turn or drawn into the player's hand. The game's objective is to compel the opponent to discard all of their Life Force (comprising the Reserve Deck, Force Pile, and Used Pile). This is achieved through Force Drains (forcing the opponent to discard cards by controlling a location with their Force Icons unopposed), engaging in combat with opposing characters, and resolving specific key situations (e.g., freezing a character in carbonite, winning a pod race, or dueling a Jedi).

The game also incorporates Destiny draws, representing chance, uncertainty, luck, and the influence of the Force. Each card has a destiny number, ranging from 0 to 7, located at the top right corner (except for locations, which are counted as destiny 0). Instead of using dice, players "draw destiny" by revealing the top card from their deck and using its destiny number as the result. This is used for various purposes, from determining weapon hits to mandatory losses your opponent incurred to resolving whether a character passes a Jedi Test. The drawn Destiny card is placed in the Used Pile and recycled back into the deck. This system enables skilled players to count cards, remembering the positions of high-destiny cards in the deck. Generally, stronger or rarer cards had lower Destiny values, although there were exceptions.

Card types

Star Wars CCG included more fundamental card types than most CCGs. The game started with 8 card types, each containing several subtypes. Subsequent expansions added new basic card types.

The original card types were:

Character
Starship
Vehicle
Device
Weapon
Interrupt
Effect
Location

Card types introduced later:

Epic Event
Creature
Jedi Test
Objective
Admiral's Order
Podracer
Defensive Shield

Complete list of card types and subtypes

Related games

The original Star Wars Customizable Card Game was initially continued by a Players Committee, which released new "virtual" sets. Any cards produced after Decipher are not official or considered canon. As of 2013, the SWCCG still has an active playing community managed by the Players Committee.