Reborn on the bayou

For the expansion set, see Dagobah Limited.

Reborn on the Bayou is Cory Herndon's Dagobah strategy feature in The Duelist #19 (October 1997, pages 84–85). It includes Light Side and Dark Side sample decks.

The Duelist #19, October 1997, page 84.

The Duelist #19, October 1997, page 85.

Reborn on the Bayou by Cory Herndon
Can the Light Side Learn Enough Before the Dark Side Comes Calling?

"You will go to the Dagobah system. You will learn from Yoda—the Jedi Master who instructed me."

So said Obi-Wan, and so it shall be. Decipher's Dagobah expansion set introduces a whole freighter load of new game elements for the Light Side, including Asteroid Fields, Jedi Training, yet another Luke—the "Son of Skywalker," and, of course, Yoda. The Light Side has two major strategies available in this set: capitalizing on the Asteroid Fields or holing up and training on Dagobah. This deck (see sidebar) takes the latter route.

Dagobah
Expansion set for Star Wars Customizable Card Game
Decipher Inc., Norfolk, VA
FORMAT 180-card expansion set; 9 cards per booster pack. For two or more players; playing time 30-60 minutes.
DESIGNER Decipher Design Team
ART DIRECTION Decipher Art Team
CONTACT Decipher, 235 Granby Street Norfolk, VA 23510-1813 <http://www.decipher.com>

The Dagobah System is a natural starting location for the Light Side. Just by having it out, you can deploy one related site per turn directly from your Reserve deck, which means you can cycle through all the 0-value Destiny cards within a few turns. You'll also have all the Force activation you need, while denying it to your opponent.

The Son of Skywalker sits pretty with power and ability of 5, although he can deploy only to Dagobah or Cloud City. You'll want to get him on the table as soon as possible, preferably with Yoda, and begin training immediately with Jedi Tests from your Reserve deck. There are five Jedi Tests in the set, but we only want the first two (the other three provide nifty bonuses, but don't actually fit in this deck). The first, Great Warrior, can be accomplished by almost any character in your deck under the right circumstances, and prevents the Dark Side's Force Drain bonuses. A Jedi's Strength forces your opponent to have at least 6 ability to draw Destiny.

Whomever it is you have on Dagobah, make sure you deploy Encampment—an Effect that allows you to deploy anyone, including a certain crazy old wizard, directly to the swamp planet. Once you have a decent crew down there, start passing out the lightsabers, which you'll be using primarily for Draining.

After all the Draining, training, and saber-rattling, the key to this deck is simple Force retrieval. Your three main weapons on this front will be Reflection, which allows you to retrieve one Force per turn and also makes Leia a darn fine apprentice; Figrin D'an, which gives you one random Force retrieval; and On The Edge, which works best with Electrobinoculars to help you identify the highest Force to retrieve. Watch your opponents stare in horror as you retrieve card after card from your Lost pile while theirs just keep growing!

These strategies will ultimately encourage the Dark Side to attempt a landing on Dagobah—no easy task for a Star Destroyer or TIE fighter, but easily accomplished by one of the new Independent (Bounty Hunter) starships available to the Dark Side. This is where your Landing Claw comes in. A huge boon to the Light side, a Landing Claw allows a ship to attach to any Capital starship to block a Force Drain. However, neither player can initiate a battle if Yoda is present at a site unless a Dark Side character with ability higher than 3 is there as well. Use Yoda's Gimer Stick to get around that, or simply move him away. If the Hunters come bearing arms, Disarm them (another benefit to your stack of sabers) and hack them up at will.

Finally, another bonus for the good guys is Tunnel Vision and Levitation. These Interrupts allow you to search your Force and Used piles, respectively, and take one card into your hand. This is a remarkable advantage, allowing you to play with only one copy of your most vital cards. Combined with the other Dagobah search cards in this deck, you'll always be able to get key cards when you need them.

"I won't fail you. I'm not afraid."
"You will be. He-heh, Mmm… you will be."

The Dark Side's best strategy, once again, is domination in space. Since you're going to seize control as quickly as possible, you'll want the System that provides you with the greatest possible Force Drain (neither side can Drain at the Dagobah System). Your starting location, therefore, will be the Wookee homeworld of Kashyyyk. If the Light Side manages to complete Great Warrior Jedi Test, they will cancel Kashyyyk's +1 bonus, so Drain early, and often.

No card deserves special mention more than Darth Vader's flagship, the Executor. With power and armor of 12, and immunity to attrition less than 12, this 8+ kilometer Super Star Destroyer is the last word in subjugation. You can deploy and carry starfighters on it, which is handy as you'll need the starfighters to make a landing on Dagobah, or to navigate the Asteroid Fields effectively.

Other than Vader, Tarkin, Piett, Needa, and Motti, you won't need any Imperials at all. Since the Independent starships currently require at least one Smuggler or Bounty Hunter to pilot, you'll be depending heavily on these new aliens (along with old Smuggler-standbys Dr. Evazan and Ponda Baba). Bossk's ship, the Hound's Tooth, is a Capital starship that can carry several passengers and a vehicle, but deploys and moves like a starfighter. This ship or the Mist Hunter will be your best bet for a Dagobah landing.

Each Bounty Hunter has special quirks, of course. Dengar, for instance, is power +1 for every Light character with him at a site. Boba Fett (currently available in the First Anthology as a preview card) only has ability of 2, but his armor is 5. In addition, any character hit by Fett with any weapon has a forfeit of 0, and he can fly three sites at a time—just try to catch him.

Another key to this deck is the Dagobah: Cave location. A domain of evil it is. Once it's out, play "Failure at the Cave." It suspends all Jedi Test effects, and if your opponent wants them back, an apprentice must go to the cave and draw Destiny. If the apprentice draws anything less than 4, you retrieve 2 Force—if they draw 0, the apprentice is lost.

Other than controlling space and arming your Bounty Hunters to the teeth, a few other tactics deserve mention. Whenever possible, carry your starfighters on the Executor—this way, you can save a starfighter's regular move for a Dagobah landing. Make ample use of those Lightsaber Deficiencies—they can be a nasty surprise for players who have the gall to give Han a lightsaber. Image of the Dark Lord will let you cut down on the Light Side's Force activation advantage on the swamp planet, and peep away all your opponent's Senses and Alters with Voyeur.

"Ready, are you? What know you of ready?"

The Dagobah expansion, like Hoth before it, has rewritten the landscape of the Star Wars CCG. Jedi Training, Asteroids (which really deserve their own article), the Executor, and Bounty Hunters will prove invaluable additions to your decks, while still working effectively against Hoth, New Hope, and Premiere decks. Until the epic confrontation at Cloud City, may the Force be with you. ■

For Cory Herndon, there is no try. He either does, or does not. Anybody who says different can take it up with me and my wookie.

Light Side "Kamp Kenobi"

Systems/Sites: 1 Dagobah System (Starting Location); 1 Dagobah: Yoda's Hut; 1 Dagobah: Bog Clearing; 1 Dagobah: Training Area; 1 Dagobah: Swamp; 1 Dagobah: Jungle

Characters: 2 Son of Skywalker; 2 Leia Organa; 1 Yoda; 1 Obi-Wan Kenobi; 1 Han Solo; 1 Chewbacca; 1 BoShek; 1 Figrin D'an; 1 R2-D2

Starships/Weapons/Devices: 1 Millennium Falcon; 1 Gold Leader In Gold 1; 1 Gold 2; 2 Jedi Lightsaber; 1 Anakin's Lightsaber; 1 Obi-Wan's Lightsaber; 2 Electrobinoculars; 1 Landing Claw; 1 Han's Toolkit; 1 Luke's Backpack

Jedi Tests: 1 Great Warrior; 1 A Jedi's Strength

Effects: 2 Lightsaber Proficiency; 1 Sai'torr Kal Fas; 1 Encampment; 1 Reflection; 1 Revolution; 1 Anger, Fear, Aggression; 1 Yoda's Gimer Stick; 1 Traffic Control; 1 For Luck

Interrupts: 2 Alter; 2 Sense; 2 Corellian Slip; 3 Tunnel Vision; 2 On The Edge; 2 Control; 2 Gift Of The Mentor; 2 Jedi Levitation; 1 Away Put Your Weapon; 1 We Don't Need Their Scum

Dark Side "Who's the Bossk?"

Systems/Sites: 1 Kashyyyk (Starting Location); 1 Kessel; 1 Tatooine; 1 Anoat; 1 Dagobah: Cave; 1 Executor: Meditation Chamber

Characters/Creatures: 2 Darth Vader; 1 Grand Moff Tarkin; 1 Captain Needa; 1 Captain Piett; 1 Admiral Motti; 1 Boba Fett; 1 Dengar; 1 Bossk; 1 Zuckuss; 1 Danz Borin; 1 Dr. Evazan; 1 Ponda Baba; 1 WED15-17 'Septoid' Droid; 2 Dianoga; 1 Dragonsnake

Starships/Weapons: 1 Executor; 1 Avenger; 1 Imperial-Class Star Destroyer; 1 Vader's Custom TIE; 1 Hound's Tooth; 1 Mist Hunter; 1 Punishing One; 1 Vader's Lightsaber; 1 Dark Jedi Lightsaber; 1 Bossk's Mortar Gun; 1 Dengar's Blaster Carbine

Effects: 1 Image Of The Dark Lord; 2 Disarmed; 1 Failure At The Cave

Interrupts: 3 Imbalance; 3 Tallon Roll; 3 Alter; 2 Sense; 2 Dark Maneuvers; 2 Lightsaber Deficiency; 2 Control; 2 I Have You Now; 1 The Empire's Back; 1 Voyeur; 1 These Rebels Won't Escape Us

See also

• Magazines · Media · The Duelist · Cory Herndon · Dagobah Limited
• Cory Herndon Kamp Kenobi · Cory Herndon Who's the Bossk?
• Cold creature comfort · Hoth Limited

External links

• The Duelist #19, Internet Archive (Wizards of the Coast, October 1997)