How to play Star Wars: Unlimited, with the rules, starter decks and UK events

Star Wars: Unlimited is a two-player trading card game from Fantasy Flight Games. Each player brings a leader, such as Darth Vader or Leia Organa, a base to defend and a deck of at least 50 cards. You take turns doing one thing at a time, playing units into the ground and space arenas and attacking, and you win by destroying your opponent’s base.

It plays quickly and feels a bit like chess, because players swap single actions back and forth rather than taking long turns. A starter product teaches you everything at home, and many UK shops run relaxed Weekly Play nights where newcomers are welcome.

Find shops near you on our Star Wars: Unlimited page.

What you need to play

Each player needs:

• 1 leader. Your leader gives your deck its aspects and has an ability you can use from the start. Later in the game you can deploy your leader as a powerful unit.
• 1 base. It has an HP value and also gives an aspect. When the damage on your base reaches its HP, you lose.
• A deck of at least 50 cards for the Premier format, with no more than three copies of any card.

Aspects and the aspect penalty

There are six aspects: Vigilance, Command, Aggression, Cunning, Heroism and Villainy. You can put any card in your deck, but playing a card costs 2 extra resources for each aspect icon on it that your leader and base don’t provide. Building around your leader’s and base’s aspects keeps your cards affordable.

The card types

1. Units: characters and vehicles that fight in either the ground arena or the space arena. A new unit enters play exhausted (turned sideways), so it usually attacks from the next round.
2. Upgrades: attached to a unit to make it stronger.
3. Events: one-off effects that go to your discard pile once used.

Setting up a game

1. Put your base and leader in front of you.
2. Randomly choose a player, who decides who starts with the initiative counter.
3. Shuffle and draw 6 cards. Each player may take one mulligan, shuffling their hand back and drawing a fresh 6.
4. Each player chooses 2 cards from their hand and places them face down as resources.

How a round works

Each round has two phases: the action phase and the regroup phase.

The action phase

The player with the initiative goes first, then players take turns doing one action each. On your turn you can:

• Play a card by exhausting resources equal to its cost.
• Attack with a ready unit. Exhaust it and attack an enemy unit in the same arena, or your opponent’s base. When two units fight, both deal damage, and a unit is defeated once its damage reaches its HP.
• Use an action ability on one of your cards, including your leader’s.
• Take the initiative. You will act first next round, but you pass for the rest of this phase. Only one player can do this each round, so timing it well is a big part of the game.
• Pass.

The phase ends when both players pass one after the other.

The regroup phase

Each player draws 2 cards, may put 1 card from their hand into play as a resource, and then readies all their exhausted cards. Then a new round begins.

Deploying your leader

Once you control enough resources to match your leader’s cost, you can use its Epic Action to flip it over and deploy it as a unit. You only do this once per game, so choose your moment.

What to buy first

Two products suit new players best right now. Prices we found in October 2026:

The Icons Starter Box, released on 20 November 2026, starts each player with a 30-card deck and teaches the game over four guided games, opening a fixed deckbuilding pack between each one. It ends with two Icons booster packs to start your collection. The Icons set is aimed at new and returning players and is legal in Premier, with cards designed to hold their own against full-size sets.

For a ready-made deck to take to a Weekly Play night straight away, a Spotlight Deck is the quicker route. Most shops on our listings stock these, so ask locally first, and many will happily demo a game.

Booster packs and sets

Standard booster packs hold 16 cards, including a leader and a base. Homeworlds, the ninth set, went on sale on 9 October 2026 and adds Beast tokens and the Fortify keyword for upgrading your base. Icons booster packs are smaller, with 9 cards, and cost less than standard packs.

Formats you will meet

• Premier: the main format, played one against one with the deck rules above. Up to six sets are legal at once and sets rotate out in groups of three. The first three sets (Spark of Rebellion, Shadows of the Galaxy and Twilight of the Republic) left Premier when A Lawless Time arrived in March 2026.
• Eternal: every card ever released is legal, including rotated sets.
• Twin Suns: a multiplayer format with two leaders that share Heroism or Villainy, one copy of each card and a deck of at least 80 cards.
• Sealed and Draft: you build a deck from booster packs at the event. Prereleases use Sealed.

Playing in the UK

Find events with the Store and Event Locator on the official Star Wars: Unlimited website. Asmodee UK, the UK distributor, asks shops to add their events there, and some shops take entry fees through Melee.gg, so check the event listing for how to sign up.

The events you are likely to meet:

• Weekly Play: relaxed weekly events, from short tournaments to casual games. You can earn a promo pack each week you take part.
• Prereleases: a Sealed event about a week before each set launches. A Prerelease Box has six booster packs, two promo cards, quickstart rules, damage counters and a deck box. Our prerelease guide explains how these events work.
• Store Showdowns: a shop’s main casual tournament for each set, with prizes for taking part and for placing well.
• Planetary Qualifiers and beyond: competitive events whose winners earn invitations to the Galactic Championship.

Across the Star Wars: Unlimited events we list, most start between 6pm and 7pm, Thursday and Friday are the busiest nights, and entry where shown is usually £3.50 to £7. Some good places to look are Southampton, Leeds and Newcastle, and the Leeds events calendar shows what is on each week.

Your first night checklist

• Learn with a starter product at home first, or ask the shop for a demo game.
• Check the event listing for the format and how to register.
• Bring your deck, card sleeves, a deck box and something to track damage, such as dice.
• Arrive a little early and tell the organiser it is your first event.
• Say each action out loud, especially when you take the initiative or deploy your leader.
• Ask your opponent or the organiser about any rule you are unsure of. Everyone at Weekly Play was new once.

If you enjoy Star Wars: Unlimited, our guide on how to play Magic: The Gathering covers another game you will find at the same shops.

Common questions

How many cards are in a Star Wars: Unlimited deck?

A Premier deck has one leader, one base and at least 50 other cards, with no more than three copies of any card. Sealed and Draft decks at prereleases are smaller, and Twin Suns multiplayer decks need at least 80 cards with one copy of each.

How do you win at Star Wars: Unlimited?

You win by defeating your opponent's base. A base is defeated when the damage on it is equal to or more than its HP, so every attack on the base brings you closer to victory.

What is the aspect penalty?

Your leader and base give you aspects, such as Heroism or Vigilance. You can play cards from any aspect, but for each aspect icon on a card that your leader and base don't provide, you pay 2 extra resources.

Which Star Wars: Unlimited starter should a beginner buy?

The Icons 2027 Edition Starter Box, released on 20 November 2026, is built to teach two new players over four guided games. If you want a full 50-card deck straight away, a Homeworlds Spotlight Deck is ready to play out of the box.

Does Star Wars: Unlimited have rotation?

Yes. Up to six sets are legal in Premier at once, and sets rotate out in groups of three. The first three sets left Premier when A Lawless Time arrived in 2026, and the Eternal format keeps every card legal.