What Matters for GenCon Darkside

[kingrain777 1]

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1022803/edge-of-darkness-what-matters-for-dark-side

 

[Bazeleel 6]

Please post the artical here and not just the link....

[kingrain777 1]

Greetings from the rim. After the Falcon dust has settled and the Sleuths have snuck, I determined to build to beat both. Normally control decks (Dark side) determine what aggro decks are viable. With the Asteroid Sanctuary ridiculousness warping the game--and it was much needed--Dark Side has had to evolve. The little coverage online since EoD has missed, what I believe to be, the real DS decks (GenCon secret tech?). Hint, Big Red Sith or Little Red Sith are not the way to go.

This quick review will highlight 5 objective sets from each side and why I believe they are critical post EoD. A few homebrew deck lists for you GenCon folks as well. 

Dark Side:

1) Across the Judland Wastes

Yes, I know the objective card is awkward, bad, and possibly crap. That being said, how many objective sets in this game offer 8 units in 10 cards? Not many, if at all. Tusken Raider can fend of Sleuthy Scouts. The Gaffi Stick is a edge battle house and the Bantha is balanced. The objective set has some great interactions with Jawa cards from the set as well. 2 cost units are the new litmus test and (scroll to bottom for "NWA" deck list) the difference between losing 1-2 objectives on your opponents first turn. 

2) The Tatoine Crash

I was skeptical at first, but ohhh my. The Jawas do not disappoint. 0 cost control cards are amazing. The focus damage symbol has always dominated this game and 3 to 4 Jawa's on the board are great. The Sandcrawler fails the 2 cost test, but has everything Darkside wants: black unit damage, 3 hit points, and a decent effect, and shielding--all for 3 resources (Slave 1 isn't even close to this good). The objective card is useful as well and has 6 hit points. Icing on the cake: Twist of Fate. 

3) Imperial Blockade

The Big Navy builds may be dead post Sleuth Scout, but if they are going to live, it will have this card. The opening objective effect is brutal: Most light side decks are pushing critical 4 and 5 drops turn one. I have had LS players get stuck with Han, Luke, Lando, Falcon several times. Capt. Needa is ok and the event cards are decent. The Imperial I-Class Star Destroyers are really excellent. They are a little cheaper, weaker, but most importantly: they have pistols. If Big Navy has to play defense, these guys are great. 

Again, Navy may be too fat to play top level this weekend, but I still have a soft spot for hard hulls.

4) Feeding the Pit

Money, money, money. This set is big ramp all the way. My Pita Pit decks have generated huge resource counts (deck below) and are really frustrating for LS players. This set has the fantastic Bib Fortuna who generates $ and has a focus combat symbol. Spice visions is borderline broken. The fog combo with Feeding the Pit and The Almighty Sarlacc generates amazing resources. If you don't see the combo, the simple minded Gamorrean Guard does work for 1 resource (black unit damage and 2 hit points), as does the Dragon. Overall, the set is excellent and the key to the Scum and Villain decks, much more so than Jabba, and please don't play the crap that is Slave 1. 

5) Lastly: Trandoshan Terror

I don't believe in DS decks that go aggro. This pod is a great defensive set and starts with the most important number 2; 2 resources on multiple objectives makes or breaks most decks. Heat of Battle is not Twist, but it is still fantastic. Bounty is too slow, but can still capture post Falcon jump friends. Bossk is great, but the real hero is...Trandoshan Hunter. 2 is the magic number and these guys are really efficient; Wookie problems? call the Hunter. Scout problems? call the Hunter. This block isn't flashy, but it is part of the Big Green Army. 

Blah blah blah...Deck Lists! Love them, hate them, please use them.

NWA: 
Affiliation: Scum/Villainy 

Across the Jutland Wastes x2
Take them Prisoner x2 
A Dark Time for the Rebellion x2
Imperial Command x2
Trandoshan Terror x2

This deck is a complete gut bucket. It utterly smashes Scout Decks; it has maximum guys with guns, 2 drops and lots of pips for edge battles. It is dull to play, but wins. Variations: Drop the Scum/Villain and add Ambush in the Snow/Shadows in the Ice if you think Scout won't be the dominate deck (it will).

***New Hoth set: Switch out Trandoshan Terror for new Sith pod: Vader's Fist x2. Your affiliation would change to Sith as well. 

Pita Pit: 
Affiliation: Scum and Villainy

x2 Jabba's Reach
x2 The Tatooine Crash
x2 Trandoshan Terror
x2 Lucrative Contract
x2 Feeding the Pit

This deck has a fist full of Twist of Fates, Reversal of fates. It is really difficult for LS player to ever feel comfortable in edge battles. You will have more resources than you know what to do with. I have played many games where I have 4-6 units on the table. This deck is able to hold its ground against both Falcon and Scout. 

Last deck: 

Big Navy (Play at your own risk...Scout decks may crush you, but you will beat everything else hands down. This deck is the most explosive and powerful deck in the game.)

x2 Death and Despayre
x2 Kuat Reinforcements 
x2 The Endor Gambit
x2 Deploy the Fleet
x1 General's Imperative
x1 Imperial Blockade

**Just saw new Hoth pack: Add x2 Unstoppable Advance in place of General's Imp and x1 ?.

This deck breaks every rule of the game. If you ever played Magic the Gathering, this deck reminds me of Necropotence + Madness. You are playing the biggest units in the game at speeds LS can't come close to matching. The two above lists are more realistic, but this has raw power. 8 capital ships and objective sets that guarantee you will cheat them in. Don't try to race your opponent, just set up the ship vault and play defense until the clock (Death Star dial) gets to around 7-8. 

Good luck at GenCon.